Jumsuit, $2,314,
Blouse, $456, both
Temperley London
Earrings, $425,
Laurence, Coste
STYLISH STYLE
Dress, $1,980,
Alberta Ferretti
at Harrods
JELLO, $324,
Aeyde
Earrings, $345,
Laurence Coste
Ring,$6,800,
Tessa Packard
anoint a new food personality; Bhogal was
one of 9,000 entrants and won the series’
third season. “It changed the course of my
life,” she says. She had a book deal within
three months, did some TV shows, then
cook ed at a series of restaurant pop-ups and
residencies. A business partner approached
her about opening a space of her own, and
the result was Jikoni.
“I wanted to bring people the kind of
food I love: unadulterated and un-fiddled-
with,” says Bhogal. “Almost an un-restau-
rant, where people could enjoy a meal and
the kind of service you’d have for guests in
your home.” She describes the food at Jikoni
as having a “mixed heritage”—a heady
blend of influences from Africa, Persia,
India and Europe. And as for its intimate
decor, she says it’s all a natural extension of
how she ended up in restaurants to begin
with: “The look of Jikoni is almost maternal,
because I learned how to cook from
women. Wherever I’ve traveled, whether
it’s Zimbabwe or Palestine or Kenya, I’ve
always ended up in the kitchen with a
woman, learning. I wanted to celebrate all
the women who’ve taught me, who’ve gener-
ously shared their kitchen with me.”
From a fashion and beauty journalist to
a full-fledged cookbook and food writer, the
award-winning TV chef from UK, Ravinder
Bhogal has had an interesting journey.
The 33-year-old attributes her success to
celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. “It all started
with a competition about four years ago
on a Gordon Ramsay’s show where he was
looking for a new face for a cookery televi-
sion show. I entered and I won. So, I think
it’s pretty safe for me to say that Gordon
Ramsay changed my life. And after that
I was able to make a big career-changing
move,” she says.
Now, the talented chef is ecstatic about
her TV show, Ravinder’s Kitchen on TLC,
where she whips up some delectable dishes
from across the globe in her signature style.
“This is a kind of globetrotting show. I bring
all these amazing countries to my kitchen
through the dishes that I do. Each episode
covers different parts of the world. It’s my
twist on probably the most famous dishes of
various countries,” she says.
The food writer connected with food
when she was just a little girl. “I was five-
year-old and my mother made me peel
potatoes. I hated it. Then my grandfather
brought me a little aluminum stove. I would
make burnt rotis but he would always say
it’s the most delicious thing he has ever
eaten in his life! And that is when I made a
connection with food and love.