North Indian
Home cook
Shivali’s story
Shivali, born in Meerut, a city in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh (home to the famous Taj Mahal), was raised by a family of Punjabi foodies. Growing up she watched her father cook in his restaurant and learnt those tiny secrets that can only be handed down from her grandmother, who brought knowledge from the kitchens of 'Undivided Punjab' before the Indian Partition. This family connection doesn’t stop there, marrying into a family where throwing home parties was a way of life, Shivali lives and breathes event catering. Indeed, following her wedding, she travelled widely around India for the sake of studying and relishing the original food of respective regions and the intricacies of local cooks.
Shivali’s menu is extremely versatile, able to curate and prepare thematic Indian dishes including Indian Fusion, Indian Regional, Royal Indian, Undivided Punjab, Indian Street, Satvik Indian, Indian Vegan, and Indian Soul Food. Dairy products are a staple in Punjabi cuisine, as can be savoured in Shivali’s saag paneer - a classic Indian dish with plenty of flavours of cooked spinach studded with cubes of fried paneer (a traditional Punjabi cottage cheese), or for those of you with a sweet tooth, the shahi kheer is a must – a sweet Rice Pudding with a bountiful of dry fruits simmered for hours to provide rich flavours.
Shivali prides herself in her identity as an old-school and legacy learner, who is also able to make the shift to modern food techniques. With the help of Hey! Food is Ready, she is excited about the opportunity to display and share her authentic food on the stage of world cuisine, and with over 20 years of experience as a Professional Corporate Event Menu Curator, curating bespoke menus for those special and important occasions, who better to trust than this dedicated home chef; it would certainly be difficult to find a safer pair of hands when it comes to catering any event.
However, vegans shouldn’t fear, as Indian cuisine lends itself naturally to this diet, with Shivali already providing many options, from her crunchy, tangy lemon rice to the bhindi masala(okra), a stir-fried Indian Okra dish cooked with crispy Onions and aromatic spices, as well as the rajma masala, one of the most popular Indian curries, in which kidney beans are cooked with onions, tomatoes, and spices! Hey! Food is Ready is a proud platform for the sharing of authentic catering.