One of the biggest things about being an entrepreneur is discovering your own management style. You can learn from others and try to emulate what they are doing, but at the end of the day, your inherent personality - how you deal with events and situations - comes to the forefront.
I love Pushkar because of the Pushkar Fair, which happens every fall - it's this camel festival, with ornately-dressed camels, camel races. But the reason I truly love this city is the Hindu mythology behind it.
As soon as you enter Rajasthan, you are hit with colors. It's such a sensory experience. You see women in bright pink and yellow saris, camels pulling carts, historic forts - history on each and every corner.
When I was in India, I felt like being a full-time chef was a very unique career path. It was quite the contrast from the traditional fields like engineering and medicine and not necessarily considered a full time profession.
Becoming the first Indian woman to compete on Food Network's 'Iron Chef' and 'Next Iron Chef' was really a great accomplishment and led to my spot as a judge on 'Chopped.'
Indian spices can find a place in any cuisine. It's just a matter of opening your mind and palate to new flavors.
The rich diversity of the cuisine in Nashville is something that I'm incredibly proud of, and I think Tansuo will find a worthy place in Music City's culinary landscape.
I make a Bloody Mary at home with a dash of fish sauce, a little bit of coconut, and some lime juice. It gives the cocktail some South Asian flair.
If there is a situation, I try to take a step back, cool down, and solve the problem. Flipping out, freaking out, and being very rude about it is not going to help.
Only one thing is certain: every time I return to New York from Nashville, I walk down the streets with a silly grin, just smiling at everyone I see and, more often than not, receiving a suspicious glance in return... but honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way, y'all!
While I appreciate what goes into making high-end Indian dishes, street food has a special place in my heart. Being raised in India, street food played an integral part in my life while growing up.
Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan and, in my opinion, the best place to visit. It is an amazing hub of history. It's called the Pink City because all the architecture has a hint of pink in the stones used. It's an amazing stop for all kinds of food but also for history and shopping. It has a little bit of everything.
Beer is such an integral part of the Indian culture.
The youthful vibe Nashville exudes is intoxicating and contagious, especially amongst the culinary scene, which lures so many great young chefs to places like City House and Rolf and Daughters.
Every time I come to India - where I have grown up - if I spent 20 years in this country, I will never be able to uncover all of the hidden jewels.
The crown of lamb has always been a quintessential Christmas dish, and growing up in India, we would read about lamb when learning about the holiday.
My husband, Vivek Deora - he is very meticulous about cooking, and slowly and lovingly makes his family recipes, handed down generations.
Southern India has an abundance of coconut, so the coconut chutney hails from there. Eastern India Bengal produces mustard oil, which is used in its traditional tomato chutney.
I love working in the kitchen, but when that's the only thing you're doing, you have a very myopic view.
A lot of people have this misconception that Indian food means heavy curries and complicated procedures.
