Yudhika sujanani ethnicity estimate

Celebrity chef, and author, Yudhika Sujanani’s fondest childhood memory is of “being just tall enough to look out [her] parents bedroom window…remembering that the world looked only that high!” She remembers having to stand on her toes to look out the window. “The willow tree fascinated me endlessly. I have just bought a house with a massive willow tree – it would appear some memories stay with you subconsciously,” explains Yudhika.

Much of Yudhika’s youth was spent in hotel kitchens due to her mother’s career as a professional chef. Her first job, as an assistant in the Chantecler Hotel kitchen in Durban, was landed while she was only in grade seven. She enthusiastically tackled anything handed to her, and seized the opportunity to learn the industry secrets while surrounded by good food.

She took a waitressing job in a hotel at 15, but quickly graduated to baking cakes in the kitchen. Although Yudhika took pleasure in the interaction with patrons, her first love was the food. The experiences of her early years informed the way Yudhika ran her restaurant, Salaam Bombay. She made an added effort to ensure her guests contentment by leaving the kitchen to personally take orders; a measure that proved to promote the restaurant’s dazzling success.

Salaam Bombay was opened in 2002 and sold in 2008. Yudhika affirms that although it was “incredibly hard work”, it was also “enormously satisfying”. Challenges were constant and Salaam Bombay developed a reputation for tailor- made gourmet curries. From “garlic free or blow your socks off spicy…nothing was impossible” and Yudhika made it look easy, in heels no less, and diamond earrings!

2008 marked a year of great change in Yudhika’s life. She was newly divorced, a single mom to three young children and also without her restaurant. She was already become a regular on the celebrity chef circuit and decided to build a brand using the media opportunities that were available at the time. Building connections with her audience included mailing out recipes, running competitions and also handing out samples of her signature spices. These activities were funded by producing a range of samosas for the local Broadacres Superspar.

The sample spice jars were a hit and she began to mail spices out to her followers on request. She mentioned this to Pat Tarr at Broadacres Spar, who then suggested that she manufacture and list the range in store. Yudhika promoted the spices in store and began handing out photocopies of her flop proof recipes. The requests for recipes grew and two weeks later, she decided to self publish her first book, Curry Me Home. A second recipe book was published to keep up with requests for more recipe ideas.

A range of the Curry Me Home convenience meals was launched at the same Spar in 2012.