At Alserkal Avenue’s What the Food Festival, I had the opportunity to meet two culinary trailblazers: Asma Khan, the force behind London’s all-women’s kitchen, Darjeeling Express, and Tala Bashmi, Bahrain’s innovative chef who is elevating Arab cuisine. Both shared their journeys, insights, and visions, showing how food can inspire change, celebrate heritage, and empower women.
Asma Khan
Leading an all-women kitchen at Darjeeling Express, Asma Khan has become a transformative figure in the culinary world. By bringing together women with decades of life experience rather than formal training, she has redefined leadership, community, and excellence in a field traditionally dominated by men. Her remarkable journey and influence were highlighted in Netflix’s Chef’s Table, bringing her philosophy and vision to a global audience. Beyond her accolades, Asma has been named one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Food and serves as a role model for women. Through her work, Asma Khan leaves a lasting legacy that inspires, uplifts, and reshapes our understanding of food, culture, and women’s leadership in the kitchen.
1. “Your kitchen at Darjeeling Express is run entirely by women. How has that shaped the food and the community you’re building?”
It has made a big difference, for sure. People are often surprised when they come in and see, through the open pass kitchen, eight or nine women cooking — some of them 50 years old or older. It’s interesting for those who consider whether they need professionally trained chefs or if they should choose women who cook with passion, rather than relying on measurements. People may still be hesitant to take a chance on women, but I hope that my success gives them the courage.
I had the courage because I had faith in my team. Most people worry about the money at stake and want professionals with experience, but our women have life experience. They didn’t get an opportunity, and still did the same thing for free. Women cook with layers of patience and love, and you can taste that care in every dish, much like when your mother cooks for you. It’s a difference you can always feel.
2. “This festival’s theme is ‘Disrupting the Table.’ What does disruption mean to you in terms of tradition and power?”
Disruption is both good and bad for me. I would rather focus on the good. It’s imperative to be unafraid, have courage and speak up. For me, disruption isn’t about falling apart or being crushed. I disrupt by refusing to follow trends and by standing strong despite your bullying, racism, misogyny, and Islamophobia. My very presence is an act of disruption.
3. “What lessons about leadership and feminism have you learned from running an all-women team?”
It’s tough and challenging — things don’t always go as planned, and it’s never easy. There are good days and bad days. But at the end of the night, if I’ve made a mistake, I’ve learned to forgive myself, so I can get up and fight again the next day. This, to me, is the essence of leadership — understanding that you don’t know it all. I’ve fallen more times than most people realise. Everyone knows me now for my success, but few knew me when I was struggling, when I was defeated, and before I made it. Now, I lead with humility and with hope that tomorrow is another day, and that the night is never endless. Tomorrow will be better.
4. “If you could invite one person — past or present — to your table, what would you cook and what would you hope to discuss?”
I would love to share a meal with Nelson Mandela, I’d make him paratha, chicken chaap, and gajar halwa for dessert. I would ask him how he kept hope alive, and how he found the strength to forgive. It’s important because, for most of us, when we lose or are wronged, our instinct is often to seek vengeance — to fight back and defeat those who’ve hurt us. I’d love to talk to Nelson Mandela about forgiveness and how to keep the flame of hope alive even in darkness.
5. “When people look back at your work in five years, how would you like your legacy to be remembered?”
As someone who was a warrior, I went into battle every day, not for myself, but for other women. I hope people remember me as someone who honoured my mother and, through her, honoured every mother. I don’t have a daughter; every girl is my daughter. More than anything, I hope I’m remembered as someone who brought honour to all mothers.
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Tala Bashmi
Tala Bashmi is a pioneering Bahraini chef whose journey from the Bahrain Women’s National Football Team to the culinary spotlight is truly inspiring. Known for her discipline and passion, she translates the athlete’s mindset into her cooking, pushing boundaries and redefining Bahraini cuisine. As MENA’s Best Female Chef, Tala celebrates Arab culinary heritage by blending tradition with innovation and elevating local ingredients. Beyond her accolades, she is a mentor, a UN Tourism Ambassador for Gastronomy, and a role model for young women, demonstrating how leadership and creativity can transform both a career and culinary culture.
1. Tala, your transition from the Bahrain women’s national football team to becoming a celebrated chef is fascinating. How has your athletic background shaped your culinary approach?
First of all, I wear a uniform for both. Being an athlete requires discipline; you can’t just decide to skip practice because you’re tired. For me, discipline is what’s brought me to where I am today.
The athleticism and mindset I developed as an athlete help me carry on in my current job, which can be physically and mentally demanding. That background taught me leadership, teamwork, and how to motivate others; lessons that have truly shaped me as a chef.
2. “You’ve been named MENA’s Best Female Chef and redefined Bahraini cuisine. What does this recognition mean to you, and how does it influence your culinary philosophy?”
It’s an amazing accolade and a huge honour to be named MENA’s Best Female Chef. If it inspires even one girl to follow her dreams, whether in the culinary world or beyond, that means everything to me.
It feels like a duty to do what I’m doing for our cuisine, to help it earn its rightful place in the world. That’s what I’m truly striving for.
3 . “What advice do you have for young women entering the culinary world?”
My advice to both men and women is the same: if you want to enter the culinary world, you need to start in the kitchen. Going to culinary school can feel like being in a fish tank — you don’t really experience the reality of it. The real question is, do you still love what you’re doing after 12 hours a day, six days a week?
So dive in. Learn from everyone around you. See the rhythm, the pressure, the beauty of it — and then decide if this is truly the path for you.
4. ”As a UN Tourism Ambassador for Gastronomy, you aim to elevate Arab culinary heritage. What steps can the industry take to promote and preserve regional food traditions?”
Documentation is incredibly important, and it’s vital to have more culinary schools focusing on our cuisine. For example, while learning the foundations of pasta is valuable, I also want to understand the origins of dishes like Mulukhiyah or Machboos, as well as the traditional recipes behind them.
To preserve this knowledge, younger generations need to learn the foundations of these Arabic dishes, and we must ensure they are formally recognised as standard recipes in culinary schools.
5. “How do you balance tradition and innovation in your dishes?”
I’ve learned about European cuisine and explored various cuisines, including Asian, American, and Japanese. People have elevated all these cuisines to incredible levels of creativity. I always thought, why not us? And if anyone has to do it, I want to be the first to try. For me, it’s also about respecting our ingredients, which are often overlooked. How can we showcase that our cuisine is sophisticated in its own right? We don’t have to imitate anyone. We are great just the way we are.
Asma Khan & Tala Bashmi’s stories offer a unique insight into how women are transforming the culinary world, one dish at a time.
Cover Image Courtesy: Priyanka Fernandes