Dear Reader,
Thanks for taking a moment to read about me.
Mine is a story that began in Mumbai, India and wound through Sydney, Australia and Singapore. Finally, after all the places I have lived, I call the United States, home.
I began my culinary journey quite young, taking my first steps in the kitchen at an early age of 8. And that means there isn't a challenge, a struggle or a burn mark that I haven't experienced. I'm grateful to mum and dad through those early years as they stoically bore my near-misses & successes in the kitchen.
Since then, I continued my culinary journey through writing and teaching while training as an Architect and pursuing my post graduate degree in Urban Design from UNSW.
While I was a graduate student, in 1994, I published my first cookbook - Gujarat Nu Jaman, on the authentic cuisine of Gujarat, as an ode to my grandmother. A remarkable cuisine that is 100% vegetarian.
Since then, few things brings me as much joy as being a Culinary Instructor with the Adult & Community Education (ACE) in my community. I love bringing the joy of honest, made-from-scratch & authentic cooking into homes. I make every effort that my post on this website as well as my classes are woven with fascinating snippets of food history, personal experiences & travels that make the sessions as informative & detailed as they are fun & hands-on.
In 2011, another love was born - Weave A Thousand Journeys. And endeavor that is all about curated food, architectural and wine-centric tours all over the world. There is no better way to share, the incredible places and people I've come to know all over the world, fusing my love and expertise in for both the culinary and architectural fields.
Great food can be found from the most grandiose to the humblest, hole-in-the-wall places on this earth so I believe that as food lovers, we can never be snobs. Our travels have certainly proved that!
When I'm not busy in the kitchen working on a recipe or working with my clients creating a tailored journey just for them, I'm hanging out with my hubby, our teenage boys and our furry Australian labradoodle Luna, probably curled up on the couch and watching something good on Netflix!
warmly,
Devaki