About this Event
Join us at our Piccadilly store for a special Diwali edition of Kitchen Stories, our event series celebrating the people behind the cookbooks. Host Maunika Gowardhan will be joined by award-winning food creator Sanjana Modha and fellow guests for a conversation about food, culture, creativity and storytelling.
Indian cookbook author and television chef Maunika Gowardhan has spent more than two decades championing the rich diversity of Indian cuisine. Born and raised in Mumbai, she is known for making authentic regional cooking accessible to home cooks. She is the author of four acclaimed cookbooks, and her latest, Curry, was named one of The New York Times’ top cookbooks of 2025.
Joining Maunika is Sanjana Modha, an award-winning recipe creator and food writer whose work celebrates her British Indian heritage and East African roots. Through recipes, videos and tutorials, she inspires a global community of home cooks to embrace vibrant, flavour-packed food. Her new book, Modern Masala, is a joyful collection of inventive vegetarian recipes that reimagine Indian flavours for contemporary kitchens, celebrating bold, borderless cooking while exploring the cultural influences that have shaped her distinctive approach to food. Additional guests will be announced soon, bringing further perspectives on food, culture and the stories that shape their cooking.
Together, the panel will discuss the inspiration behind their books, from preserving family traditions to reimagining classic dishes for modern kitchens. Expect insights into the writing process, recipe development and the personal stories woven through their work, as well as reflections on how food can connect generations, communities and cultures during celebrations such as Diwali.
With your ticket you will recieve a welcome drink you can enjoy during the talk.
Please email [email protected] if you have any questions about dietary requirements
If you need to cancel, we can only offer you a refund if you cancel within 72 hours notice of the date your ticket is booked for.
Event venue & nearby stays
Book Shop, 3rd Floor, Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom
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