AN APPETISING ODYSSEY
Chef Amninder Sandhu’s repertoire extends far beyond the indigenous flavours of our culture-rich country that she serves on a plate. For this extraordinary culinaire, food is about celebrating forgotten recipes, age-old traditions, the intimate language of home,
of belonging and beauty in simplicity
WORDS by SONALI SEMWAL
Callouts
‘Some of my happiest memories are of family picnics in dense forests, where meals were simple but deeply satisfying. Nature wasn’t something separate from food — it was a part of it’
‘For me, gas-free cooking wasn’t about rejecting technology. I wanted to revive and preserve cooking techniques that have existed for generations as they are part of our culinary heritage.’
‘I realised cooking doesn’t just feed people; it is a legitimate craft that unifies creativity, instinct and generosity’
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If you believe in good food transporting you to the place the cuisine pays a tribute to, Chef Amninder Sandhu could well be a living instance of that emotion.
You visit any of her restaurants — Kikli, Bawri or Palaash at Tipai — solely drawing the love and attention of connoisseurs because this genius is helming the kitchen affairs there and you would find yourself rewinding to the memorable days when rasois of our ancestral homes not just stirred meals but also upheld the spirit of togetherness.
As we speak, we urge the celebrated chef to share with us her most precious memories surrounding the food she ate, the festivals she cherishes, the cultures she imbibed based on them as well as deconstruct the symbolism of regional gastronomy. For someone who continuously celebrates India and its indigenous culinary traditions, her reflections
are insightful.
NOSTALGIA, NATURE & NOURISHMENT
A childhood spent in Assam meant that the appreciation for food was inherent — she imbibed a deep respect for seasonality, local ingredients and the artful quality of restraint.
That knack to retain the penchant for regional flavours and techniques has made her cooking unique and authentic. We wonder what triggered in this epicure the desire to delve into cooking professionally and she replies, “A collection of little moments slowly shaped my journey into the universe of food. My mother’s kitchen garden became my first classroom, where I learnt that good food always begins with fresh ingredients.”
Fond recollections of family picnics amidst verdant scapes and special get-togethers aside, Chef Amninder also credits her sister’s creative skills — from sculpted cakes and paintings to intricate embroideries. “Watching her made me identify the beauty in handcrafted things.”
Here she mentions her sibling’s spicy mutton raan, whose delicious flavours she can never forget.
“We often had this caramelised whole cauliflower, slow-cooked to perfection. As a child, it completely changed the way I looked at vegetables. I couldn’t believe that humble vegetables could taste so exquisite. It taught me that extraordinary cooking doesn’t always have to rely on
exotic ingredients.”
Eventually, Chef Amninder’s own tryst with real-time cooking and experimenting with flavours happened during college.
“I realised cooking doesn’t just feed people; it is a legitimate craft that unifies creativity, instinct and generosity,” asserts the chef.
What peaks during this memory browsing is her constant reference to familial bonding and jubilation around food. She almost exults recalling the stuffed roast chicken and Khatta Meetha Kaddu her mother made.
“Also the Naga pork my brother rustled up and the game-meat pickles made by my grandfather were unlike anything I’ve tasted ever since. Every family member had a signature dish — for us food wasn’t just nourishment, it was love, identity and creativity.”
RESPECT FOR RELAXED RITUALS
Standing out against the chaos and frenetic pace of urban existence, Chef Amninder’s ideology deeply resonates with us.
Advocating gas-free, slow cooking, she believes authentic flavours cannot and shouldn’t be rushed.
“This technique instills respect for the ingredients and encourages patience for the outcome,” she asserts.
Cooking over wood fire, charcoal or embers creates layers of taste that shortcuts can’t replicate. I am trying to present to the gastronome an era where such kitchen techniques held wisdom, poise and heritage.”
FABLES OF FESTIVE FEASTS
From Bawri and Palaash to Kikli, the popular restaurants of Chef Amninder reflect the spirit of Punjab while, at the same time, focusing on food traditions from other places in India as well to ensure foodies take back with them the essence of regional gastronomy.
While we mull over the feeling of festivities during our conversation, the chef rues, “What I miss most is the togetherness. Festivals weren’t about one spectacular dish. They were about everyone gathering in the kitchen, laughing, sharing stories while cooking up a storm. That sense of belonging has depleted in modern times.”
That said, she still is fascinated by festivals, for each one is tied with a tale — the region, local harvests, weather, and traditions passed down for generations. Watching communities come together to prepare something collectively has been one of the most beautiful vignettes of her journey.
“As a chef, I can recreate recipes all the time, but recreating memories is harder. Good food however, does that — slows people down and brings them together.” reflects
Chef Amninder.
TEACHINGS FROM TRAVELS
Armed with her Punjabi ancestry, this talented chef has travelled extensively around the country and the world, only to recognise the power of those experiences shaping her
food philosophy.
Some of her greatest teachers were ones who have never worked in professional kitchens — referring to grandmothers, farmers and home cooks who have quietly preserved old recipes for generations.
“Whether I was learning fermentation in the Northeast, open fire cooking in tribal communities or forgotten techniques in rural Punjab, I realised that the most valuable culinary knowledge often lives inside homes rather than restaurants.”
Believing that travel and rural wisdom makes one a better listener, she admits how they have taught her to approach every cuisine with humility and to understand that food is always deeply connected to people, history and place.
BEYOND THE OBVIOUS
Though our chef grew up away from Punjab, it is interesting how her food is such a faithful ode to her state and lineage — she almost takes it as a dedicated service to acquaint gourmands with real Punjabi fare, with rural recipes and homestyle cooking.
“During my travels to Punjab’s hinterlands, I discovered an extraordinary culinary heritage that is gradually disappearing. I introduced those traditions in Kikli to accustom people with the diverse richness of Punjabi cuisine, beyond butter chicken and dal makhni.”
One preparation that she mentions is the Malka Masoor Ki Dal Chutney Wali, cooked in a traditional haara (cookware) and served with Tooni Roti.
“Great food has to be elaborate — sometimes the most memorable meals are made with humble ingredients, treated with patience and woodfire, like our Bun Kebabs and the Chubbier Chutney, hand ground on a kunda danda,” the chef induces our aromatic reverie once again.