On Women’s Day, Here’s A Toast To Five Women Powering The Culinary Industry

Every year, International Women’s Day arrives with familiar symbols—purple ribbons, celebratory brunches, and social media tributes. But beyond the hashtags and odes lies a far more compelling story that unfolds in the lives of so many. In our case, it unfolds across kitchens, bakeries, bars, and other food businesses in India. For decades, the professional culinary world has been perceived as a male-dominated arena, especially at the top. While women have long been the custodians of food traditions at home, restaurant kitchens, leadership roles, and culinary entrepreneurship have historically been harder spaces to access. Today, however, we’re glad to witness a steadily altering narrative.

These women are not just chefs, but founders, innovators, and storytellers who are redefining how we cook, eat, think about and experience food. While some are building restaurants that champion regional cuisines and techniques, others are experimenting with global flavours, sustainable ingredients, and creative dining concepts. And this is not just about talent in the kitchen. It’s about turning personal passion into spaces and menus that resonate with diners in so many more ways than one.

This International Women’s Day, we’re spotlighting five remarkable women who are doing just that. From crafting standout menus to building food ventures that stand at the top, these chefs and entrepreneurs are not only making significant waves in the industry—they’re proving that the future of Indian and international food culture is more diverse, dynamic, and exciting than ever before.

Garima Arora 

Chef Garima Arora has made history as the first-ever Indian woman to helm two Michelin stars—one in 2018 for her culinary genius, and the second in 2023 for Gaa, her restaurant in Bangkok. In 2019, she was even named Asia’s Best Female Chef, immensely renowned for her work with Indian-Thai fusion cuisine. 

Born in Mumbai, Chef Arora studied journalism before proceeding to realise and pursue her passion for food at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Today, she has worked with acclaimed chefs, including Gordon Ramsay and René Redzepi (of Noma), and has even served as a judge on MasterChef India (Season 7). Most recently, she launched her restaurant Banng, a high-end, 120-seater Thai restaurant located at Two Horizon Centre in Gurugram, Haryana, in a collaboration with restaurateur Riyaaz Amlani.

⁠⁠Anahita Dhondy Bhandari

Chef Anahita Dhondy is widely recognised and credited for bringing Parsi cuisine into the mainstream, contemporary dining scene. As the chef partner of SodaBottleOpenerWala, she has played a key role in popularising the culinary traditions of India’s Zoroastrian community, reviving old family recipes and presenting them to a new generation of diners across the country.

A graduate of the Institute of Hotel Management, Aurangabad, she later earned the prestigious Grand Diplôme from Le Cordon Bleu in London before returning to India to lead the kitchen at SodaBottleOpenerWala at the age of 23. Her work championing Parsi food and sustainable ingredients has earned her several accolades, including a spot on Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia and the Condé Nast Traveller Innovator of the Year award.

⁠⁠Asma Khan 

Chef Asma Khan is renowned and celebrated for taking the depth and warmth of Indian home cooking and presenting it on the global culinary stage. As the founder of Darjeeling Express—her restaurant in London—Khan has created a restaurant known not only for its innovative Mughlai-inspired dishes but also for the star of the show: the unique all-female kitchen, which champions and empowers women from immigrant and marginalised backgrounds. Her biggest contribution to the culinary industry is, of course, helping reshape conversations about representation and tradition in the food world.

Born in Kolkata, Khan moved to the United Kingdom in the 1990s and initially pursued a doctorate in British Constitutional Law before turning to food professionally. Today, she’s recognised for her advocacy and storytelling around Indian cuisine and has been featured on the popular Chef’s Table, a private, intimate dining experience where chefs showcase their culinary skills with personalised menus and unique dishes. 

⁠⁠Pooja Dhingra 

Pooja Dhingra is widely credited with introducing not only Mumbai but also the entirety of India to the modern macaron craze through her brand Le15 Patisserie. Known for delicate desserts and her playful approach to French patisserie, Dhingra launched Le15 in 2010 after training at Le Cordon Bleu. What once began as a small patisserie soon grew into a much-loved and revered brand, bringing colourful macarons, pastries, and desserts into the city’s mainstream café culture.

​Born and raised in Mumbai, Dhingra studied hospitality before discovering her passion for baking in Paris. Today, she has expanded the patisserie across the city, authored bestselling books like The Big Book of Treats, and regularly mentors young bakers and entrepreneurs aspiring to be like her. And yes, she even met with Tim Cook during his visit to India in 2023! Through her work, she is actively redefining India’s contemporary dessert landscape while making fine desserts feel fun, accessible, and in its own way, local!

⁠⁠Gauri Devidayal  

Gauri Devidayal is the co-founder of Mumbai’s most beloved restaurants, like The Table, Mag St. Cafe, Iktara, and Magazine Street Kitchen, and has helped introduce the city to globally inspired, ingredient-driven dining. Known for her thoughtful approach to hospitality, Devidayal’s restaurants place heavy emphasis on seasonal produce, simplicity, precision, and carefully curated dining experiences, which is exactly what draws people back again and again. For your reference, The Table in Colaba has been the recipient of multiple accolades that have, time and again, placed it at the top of Mumbai’s culinary scene. 

Born and raised in Mumbai, Devidayal studied hospitality at Les Roches International School of Hotel Management before returning to India to transform the city’s restaurant scene. Alongside her husband and partner Jay Yousuf, she has built spaces that have become landmarks in Mumbai’s food culture, championing quality ingredients, global flavours, and a modern approach to dining. She was even recognised in Forbes’ “120 Leaders of Change,” GQ’s “50 Most Influential Young Indians,” and BlackBook’s “Top 50 Women in Indian Luxury.”

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