Chef Rosh takes pride in her Indian heritage
Winner of Food Network Show “Chopped”, a Hell’s Kitchen Season 10 contestant, and member of a 5 Star Chef Organization, Chef Roshni Gurnani (Chef Rosh) has a 14 years record of international culinary experience in 5 and 4 star establishments such as Park Hyatt Resort & Spa, The Sagamore Resort and Thistle Marble Arch Hotel.
But ask her about the highlight of her culinary life, and she says promptly, “Cooking a seven course Sindhi meal at the James Beard House in New York. The James Beard Foundation is like the Oscars to a chef. It was humbling yet prideful to be able to present the ancestral heirloom recipes I grew up with at this institution’’.
She says, “my parents migrated after marriage from India and we grew up in North America but retained strong roots and traditions. Speaking the Sindhi language at home, celebrating the different festivals and of course our food! ”
She says she knew at a very young age that she wanted to cook for people but did not know about the career of a chef. “After graduation, I left home to work and travel the world and learn about different foods and cultures. For over 15 years I had cooked food from other cultures. It wasn’t until about five years ago I gained the confidence to do our food, Sindhi food and introduce it to the world’’.
She thinks Indian food in North America is becoming hugely popular. “Everyone thinks they know Indian food that is available here. But I also feel unless you are Indian, you don’t know the different regional foods you are eating. For example, someone could be eating Dosa or Dokhla not knowing what region it is from, but only knowing it is Indian food. It is up to us as south Asian chefs to educate about our beautiful cuisine and take the time to explain and offer it to people’’. She is excited about presenting her family’s dishes to the world. “For the past 5 years of my career any event or media opportunity or article I interview for, I always cook and speak of Sindhi food”, she says, “I explain the cuisine and culture. I do it proudly, but it also saddens me that not only North Americans have no clue about our culture, many of our own South Asians don’t have any idea what Sindhi cuisine or culture is. And if they do know it’s mostly the stereotypical “curry and papad” nothing beyond these’’.
She says she would love to see Sindhi restaurants worldwide. “This is not at all impossible. Just think was sushi this popular 10 years ago? Were many vegan restaurants present 10 years ago? No they weren’t, but with people from all over the world trying it and promoting it, it’s on every corner. So we can do this with India’s regional and community-specific cuisines.
Winner of Food Network Show “Chopped”, a Hell’s Kitchen Season 10 contestant, and member of a 5 Star Chef Organization, Chef Roshni Gurnani (Chef Rosh) has a 14 years record of international culinary experience in 5 and 4 star establishments such as Park Hyatt Resort & Spa, The Sagamore Resort and Thistle Marble Arch Hotel. But ask her about the highlight of her culinary life, and she says promptly, “Cooking a seven course Sindhi meal at the James Beard House in New York. The James Beard Foundation is like the Oscars to a chef. It was humbling yet prideful to be able to present the ancestral heirloom recipes I grew up with at this institution’’.
She says, “My parents migrated after marriage from India and we grew up in North America but retained strong roots and traditions. Speaking the Sindhi language at home, celebrating the different festivals and of course our food! ”
She says she knew at a very young age that she wanted to cook for people but did not know about the career of a chef. “After graduation, I left home to work and travel the world and learn about different foods and cultures. For over 15 years I had cooked food from other cultures. It wasn’t until about five years ago I gained the confidence to do our food, Sindhi food and introduce it to the world’’.
She thinks Indian food in North America is becoming hugely popular. “Everyone thinks they know Indian food that is available here. But I also feel unless you are Indian, you don’t know the different regional foods you are eating. For example, someone could be eating Dosa or Dokhla not knowing what region it is from, but only knowing it is Indian food. It is up to us as south Asian chefs to educate about our beautiful cuisine and take the time to explain and offer it to people’’. She is excited about presenting her family’s dishes to the world. “For the past 5 years of my career any event or media opportunity or article I interview for, I always cook and speak of Sindhi food”, she says, “I explain the cuisine and culture. I do it proudly, but it also saddens me that not only North Americans have no clue about our culture, many of our own South Asians don’t have any idea what Sindhi cuisine or culture is. And if they do know it’s mostly the stereotypical “curry and papad” nothing beyond these’’
She says she would love to see Sindhi restaurants worldwide. “This is not at all impossible. Just think was sushi this popular 10 years ago? Were many vegan restaurants present 10 years ago? No they weren’t, but with people from all over the world trying it and promoting it, it’s on every corner. So we can do this with India’s regional and community-specific cuisines. Just like we see Punjabi or South Indian restaurants everywhere I would like to see more Sindhi restaurants’’.
