Some excerpts from the interaction:

How was growing up in a household with the legendary Padmashri Chef Imtiaz Qureshi?

I grew up surrounded by food, food and everything about food - it was simply everyday life at home. At that time I never thought of it as a career; Every day with my father was a learning. He would ask me to cook—sometimes the simplest dishes like khichdi, and sometimes elaborate ones like biryani. For him, every dish, no matter how humble, had the potential to be extraordinary. He always encouraged me to change the game by adding a touch of newness. I still remember when he asked me to make a biryani with English vegetables and olive oil, or kheer with brown rice—those little moments stayed with me. Living with him was like being in a lifelong culinary institution —he was the institution of all knowledge. He never stopped learning, never stopped exploring, and that’s what I have inherited from him. Every time he asked me to cook, every time he cooked, every story he told—those became lessons that carved me.

What was that defining moment that shaped your interest in the culinary world?

Cooking is not about money or even a career. In fact, I spent years running in the opposite direction. It is my way of staying connected with my father. When he  was alive food was our love language , and now that he is not here, it remains my way of keeping him closest . And if there was a defining moment, there were many—or perhaps none—I can’t name one. Because cooking has always been inside me. It runs in my blood, it flows through my veins. Even when I was doing other things I was cooking and people remember me for that. The difference is I was only sharing that part of me with people close to me and now I can’t hold it back to share it with the world. I finally realise that this is who I am. I always was, and I always will be.

How is it being the only woman from the family to have got into this business?

It’s both empowering and emotional. My father is a true legend, and my brothers are carrying his vision forward by following in his footsteps, each making their mark in the culinary world. Stepping into that circle as the only woman feels incredibly special—but it also comes with a deep sense of responsibility. There are challenges, of course, but they’ve inspired me to carve out my own space within this tradition. Being a woman allows me to bring sensitivity, intuition, and storytelling into food in a way that feels different yet still deeply rooted in our heritage. I feel like I’m carrying forward not just techniques and recipes, but also emotions, memories, and the very soul of my family’s culinary philosophy—and putting my own heartbeat into it.

Your family is renowned for reviving Awadhi cuisine and has earned great reputation in big hotels like ITC. What are the elements that define Awadhi cuisine?

My father’s philosophy was very clear: respect the ingredient, respect the process, and never rush. He single-handedly revived forgotten recipes, and I can say with pride and full confidence that he was responsible for placing Awadhi and Mughlai cuisine on the global map giving it the national recognition it truly deserves. Watching his discipline and his ability to turn food into art shaped my own relationship with cooking.

His influence is in the details—whether it was the delicate rose petals and elaichi used in the thandai he made, or the perfectly sized sheermals served under a galawati kebab. From slow-cooked biryanis and daals to badaam ki lauz and Sikandri raan baked in the oven, his focus wasn’t just on hand-ground spices and the balance of flavors, but also on presentation and garnishing. These are the very elements that define Awadhi cuisine, and they continue to guide me in every dish I create.

Being raised on slow-cooked Lucknowi classics prepared the old-fashioned way, can you describe the flavours, ingredients and cooking techniques?

Lucknowi food is delicate, layered, and soulful. The flavours come from patience—meat cooked on dum without water, spices roasted and ground fresh, and no shortcuts. For example, kebabs like galawat melt in the mouth because of the precise technique and balance of spices. Even dals and vegetables were treated with the same respect as meat dishes. My father never believed in using pressure cookers for meat—he said the flavour must unfold naturally, and that’s what I carry with me.

How do you balance your father’s legacy with developing your own style in the kitchen?

It’s not about imitation, it's about embodiment. I grew up absorbing his philosophy, his attention to detail, his stories and his respect for ingredients. It's all in my hands, my senses, my instincts. I don’t replicate his dishes. I live the approach he taught me and let it flow through my own choices. I stay true to the principles he cherished—slow cooking, balance of flavours, authenticity but the expression is mine, whether in plating, subtle variations, or menus that tell  stories of not just my father but also my mother, my brothers, my grandparents and my whole family. Each recipe, each creation, carries echoes of those who came before me , but it is fully alive in the present.

For me, it’s about honouring tradition while allowing my own instincts to shape a dish. I am truly blessed to belong to a family where everyone is an exceptional cook with their own unique style. I’ve learned something valuable from each of them, and together we’ve built a rich culinary legacy. Now, it’s my turn to  add  a chapter to this journey.

What were some of the challenges of carving out your own path in the culinary world?

The biggest challenge for me is stepping into such a powerful and royal legacy while staying true to myself, yet doing justice to my father’s name. There is both immense pride and an undeniable pressure in carrying the name of Padma Shri Imtiaz Qureshi — and in living up to being his daughter. People expect perfection before you’ve even cooked for them. As a woman, it was also not common in my family for daughters to enter the professional kitchen. But those challenges became my strength. They pushed me to prove that I can carry this forward in my own voice.

How do you balance authenticity with innovation when modernising classic recipes for today’s diners?

The balance comes from respect and understanding. I never modernise a classic simply to appear trendy. Innovation, for me, is about making timeless recipes resonate with today’s diners through thoughtful plating, lighter variations or subtle flavour pairings without compromising the soul of the dish. Authenticity is the backbone, it's the essence handed down by my father, and preserving that is non-negotiable. Innovation is the conversation around it, not the replacement of it. My goal is to bring the authenticity back to its true form, just as it was meant to be, while letting the dish speak to the contemporary table.

Can you share a dish that holds a personal or family memory for you?

A dish that holds deep personal and family memories for me is not my father’s most famous dal, but my mother’s Kali Dal. She used to make it with mutton or beef, and it was always my comfort food. I’ve adapted it without meat, yet it remains humble and profoundly soulful. Every time I prepare it, I feel her presence—this dish embodies memory, tradition, and love all in one.

Your recent pop-up was a celebration of memory, tradition, and slow-cooked emotion. How was the collaboration with Mona Singh?

Mona brought such warmth and enthusiasm to the table, and together we created something that was not just about food, but about shared experiences. For me, pop-ups are more than just meals—they’re conversations and connections. With Kona Kona, the energy was exactly that—intimate, soulful, and celebratory.

How do you see India’s culinary scene evolving in the next decade?

India’s culinary landscape is entering a truly exciting chapter. Diners today are more curious, more discerning, and far more appreciative of regional and traditional cuisines than ever before. At the same time, they’re also open to innovation and creative reinterpretations. I believe the next decade will see chefs diving deeper into our roots—reviving forgotten recipes, preserving age-old techniques—while presenting them in ways that resonate with contemporary and global audiences. The future of Indian cuisine lies in storytelling through food, and with India’s vast treasury of flavors, traditions, and memories, we have an endless library waiting to be shared with the world.