Summer has been so hectic this year and yet destiny has a way of bringing me along to where I need to be. I’m a bit embarrassed to share that I’ve lived in Maine now for 15 years and never once been up to Bar Harbor. Well, a couple of weeks ago, a dear friend, Alyne Cistone, invited me to join in the annual Annual Seal Harbor Library Fair and launch my simmer sauces in the Bar Harbor region for the first time. I woke up at 4:45 am and drove from Boothbay to Seal Harbor, close to 3 hours. The sunrise was spectacular and for the most part I felt like I had the road all to myself, even in the ..read more

I had a blast teaching another Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street virtual class. I’m still amazed that 300 guests from the food obsessed Milk Street Community joined in to cook with me from all over the world on my debut class back in March. Yesterday’s workshop was more intimate and sold out again! I walked my fabulous guests through every step of an iconic mouthwatering Hyderabadi/Kolkatta Lamb Biryani -start to finish! These workshops are like mini master classes and we get to dig deep into a recipe and nerd out on a signature dish! Biryani is a true labor of love and brings back a f ..read more

My entire life, well I’ve ever heard about the Fancy Food Show, I’ve obsessed about walking the show, testing, taking home samples and deconstructing branding, ingredients, what makes for a memorable, and outstanding product – period! I’m obsessed with building a brand that makes it mark in this world of fancy food! Tonight marked the beginnings of a dream in action. I have my eyes on entering the show next year – 2023, and hopefully winning a SOFI GOLD ( or 2 or 12 like some of my friends mentioned below down the road).  I guess you could say, I’m obsessed with excellence and raising ..read more

I was at a loss for words, when I received a message and an email from Nisid Hijari. A member of the Bloomberg editorial board, Nisid was hoping to talk to me for a project Bloomberg Opinion was doing on innovative businesses started during the pandemic. As luck would have it, Nisid was living in Maine during the pandemic and heard about my sauce launch. I loved hearing his story about being born in Mumbai and moving to Seattle as an infant. If you get a chance, check out his interview with Charlie Rose on his book, “Midnight’s Furies: The Deadly Legacy of India’s Partition,” winner of the ..read more

For over a year now, I have been so proud to serve on the Maine State Music Theater’s Board of Trustees, Bringing Broadway to Brunswick for over 60 years. On May 7, 2022, Saturday, in partnership with Maine State Music Theater, I hosted a fun and delicious fundraiser , a Mother’s Day Luncheon and Cooking Class at the Maine Tasting Center, Wiscasset.  All proceeds went to benefit MSMT. The luncheon was a culinary celebration of the arts making a stronger come back than ever at MSMT and a celebration of diversity and women entrepreneurship. Guests enjoyed local Maine wine and cheeses at ..read more

I have the privilege of producing and hosting Talking Food in Maine, Intimate Conversations with an exemplary Maine tastemakers. This one was a master class from the Queen of Innovation in Specialty Foods – Cal Hancock, Founder of Hancock Gourmet Lobster Company. When Cal Hancock turned 50 she decided that corporate America was no longer bringing her joy! She wanted to be in control of her own destiny and chart her own course. So she left Minnesota with just one thing: a recipe for Lobster Stew and a list of emails. She moved to Maine (where she summered since she was a little girl) and st ..read more

Big night in Bangor last night!! Mumbai to Maine won UpStart Maine’s Most Exciting Startup of 2021!!! I was in formidable company with fellow female founders and nominees @Heather Kern – The Good Crust , @Amanda Hatley, She Summits Co., Lee Sowles, Kind Mind. Please follow their INCREDIBLE work. Thank you for all the votes and support through this launch! And more exciting news I launched in Bangor last night! I left UpStart Center for Entrepreneurship April 26th Maine Innovation Nights (an amazing celebration of entrepreneurship) and drove right over to Tiller & Rye to delive ..read more

Mumbai to Maine Makhani Simmer Sauce | Whole Roasted SKORDO Tandoori Masala Cauliflower| Green Goddess Chutney Drizzle Back in India, a Tandoor is an outdoor clay oven used heavily in Punjab. Masala refers to a spice blend. I’ve been hooked on the SKORDO Tandoori Masala blend available online and at their brick and mortar stores in Maine. It hits all the notes for me and saves me a ton of time not having to toast and grind spices from scratch. As a simmer sauce maker, I’m all about max flavor, zero labor when it comes to meals for the family. Typically this cauliflower would be marinated in t ..read more

Champagne Lobster, in homage to the one and only Phil Koskela, the culinary mastermind behind this recipe. Thank you Phil for sharing it with me and the world! I’ve been known to go to great lengths to prepare a magnificent meal and source the rarest of ingredients for someone I love. My mother did the same for us growing up and apparently I’ve inherited her penchant for pleasing. My parents made sure our birthdays were an opportunity to bring our friends and family together to celebrate and feast over my mother’s legendary Lamb Biryani. Back in Mumbai, where I grew up, everyone in our apar ..read more

Welcome to Mumbai to Maine – Maine’s first Indian-inspired culinary brand!!! There’s something wonderful about being the first to introduce something unique and special to the world. But I feel like it also comes with tremendous responsibility. I consider myself a culinary ambassador for my homeland, Mumbai and my Goan heritage, here in this beautiful state of Maine. MY STORY Let me tell you a bit about how and why these simmer sauces came to be. At 16 years old, I left Mumbai and moved to Canada with my family, our lives packed in 12 suitcases. Fast forward, I am fortunate to call Maine my ho ..read more