Passion For Cooking And Storytelling

Chef, restaurateur, author and TV host Sapna Anand has a mission – to show the world that Indian cuisine is not limited to just briyani rice or chicken varuval.

- Lorraine Chai

“I didn’t plan to become a chef,” she says, finishing the last sip of her coffee. Sapna walks me down memory lane, revealing that she once thought that cooking was more of a necessity rather than something to be enjoyed. It’s difficult to imagine that once upon a time, this celebrated chef had been a clueless cook. There was never a reason to step foot in the kitchen because her mother is an amazing cook.

“I started cooking because of my kids. To make my life easier, I would come up with my own ways to prepare dishes,” she shares. “We travelled around quite a lot back then and so I was exposed to various cuisines. Any dish I tried and loved, I’d try to replicate them.” The elegant lady behind the restaurant, Goa by Sapna Anand, candidly admits that her husband was a better cook than she at the time. In time, she found enjoyment in cooking, as family and friends started showing their deep appreciation. “Maybe, it was my undiscovered talent,” she quips with a small laugh.