To have South Asian heritage is to know that the biryani is a labour of love, typically reserved for celebratory feasts (and in India or Pakistan, an occasional street-food indulgence). Thus, Indian by birth (US raised and a decades-long British resident) and cooking since early childhood as trusted by my mother to help next to a hot stove (!), I’ve been putting my own love of biryani to its recreation since age 15! The ornate biryanis prepared for celebrations, with layers of flavours embedded in the fanciful trays of colourful rice and sublime fragrances, made it seem that these dishes were works of culinary wonders that I wanted to master from very early on.

A ‘self-taught chef’, my Indian culinary skills have long been guided by my mother’s traditional South Indian cooking style as well as other talented and exacting cooks in my family and wider Indian community growing up, and influenced by travels to India. In adulthood, European classical cuisines made further lasting impressions, from the German heritage I had married into, to the Bouchons Lyonnais I’d frequent during my long working visits to Lyon, comforted by the honest but elegant meals - and a sometimes welcome change from the gastronomically-centred team work lunches generously hosted by our epicurean boss! Most recently, a stint at a Michelin starred restaurant in Harborne sharpened my skills to perform to the high standards of exclusive restaurant kitchens.

While finding no greater pleasure than cooking for my family and friends over the years, I’ve finally arrived at the culinary/hospitality world to start the ‘Biryani Bus’, with my own stamp of Indo-Persian fusion style. This long-held dream has come to life following my long career as a health economist and, until recently, a VP of a medical/ pharmaceutical communications company. Hence, I bring my ethos of health and vitality optimisation (and attention to detail needed for medical writing!) to the culinary world - and believe that dining pleasure shouldn’t necessarily come with a cost to health. Nor should the diner be left with a sense of digestive regrets!

While a biryani feast hardly qualifies as health food, an occasional indulgence should be fulfilled by fresh, quality ingredients and healthful cooking approaches - these are uncompromisingly at the heart of my standards, without any compromises to taste. Therefore, the menu offered at the ‘Bus is not only replete with flavours from fresh whole spices, but also colours of varied vegetables and fruits, and an abundance of natural fragrances such as saffron, pandan and rose and even a hint of natural exotic sandalwood - which together can do wonders in enhancing our vitality!

I hope your experience of the ‘Bus leaves you with great dining satisfaction !

- Gauri