Nidhi Verma

I spent most of my childhood in the north of India, in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh at the foothills of the Himalayas. My father was in the Indian Army, so we travelled regularly and explored the ingredients and spices used in different regions. There was no convenience or processed food – everything we ate was cooked from scratch and had a strong connection to the place it came from and the people who prepared it. Years later, it was this connection and authenticity that inspired me to start my own cookery school, Meri Rasoi, which translates as ‘My Kitchen’. I believe the simple yet precious art of preparing home cooked food is a skill we can all benefit from, and a gift we can pass on to our children.