Though my childhood was defined by legacy, it was my mother who gave me the freedom to shape my future. She taught me how to be self-reliant, but more importantly, how to be deeply alive. From her, I inherited not just strength, but tenderness. Not just survival, but curiosity. She gave me the courage to dream freely and the resilience to pursue those dreams without fear.

My path since then has been anything but conventional. I earned a degree in Commerce (as many Indian daughters dutifully do) but rebelled my way into working in Singapore for the Airlines, an experience that sparked my love for travel, food, and aesthetics. Then came marriage with a relocation to London, a shift that pulled me closer to my creative self. I studied design and styling in London, worked at an Italian interior design firm for a few years, and eventually launched a home-run catering kitchen in 2007 with a friend, seeking a better balance between work and home life. While she managed the kitchen and food production, I used my creative flair and design background for food-scaping.

At this point, I realised that food was the most understated hero. People paid a lot of attention to décor, entertainment, and the menu but rarely beyond that. I turned the spotlight onto the food we catered, focusing all my energy on making it the centrepiece. I also began curating intimate parties and designing event spaces, and somewhere along the way, I found my calling in the world of storytelling through food.

Each chapter of my journey unearthed a different part of me. And through all of it, I’ve learned that I was never meant to be just one thing – not a number on a business card, not a label, not a title. I’ve learned to trust the quiet pull of instinct, and to see creativity not as a career, but as a way of life.

Today, I run a styling studio that brings together everything I’ve lived, loved, and learnt. I specialise in conceptual food presentation for weddings and special events — crafting visual stories where cuisine and décor blend seamlessly. I approach every table like a stage, every platter like a canvas, and every event like a story waiting to be told.

I also style homes — intuitively and personally — layering textiles, books, art, plants, family history, and lived-in joy to create spaces that feel soulful rather than styled.

I take on only a few projects at a time. Because for me, beauty takes time, and storytelling deserves space. I believe in celebrating individuality. In design that doesn’t follow trends. In details that matter. And in creating spaces — edible or otherwise — that create memories.

To sum up my philosophy, I return to the words of Helena Bonham Carter, who once said “I think everything in life is art. What you do. How you dress. The way you love someone, and how you talk. Your smile and your personality. What you believe in, and all your dreams. The way you drink your tea. How you decorate your home. Or party. Your grocery list. The food you make. How your writing looks. And the way you feel. Life is art.”