Presented by:
Suvir Saran
Chef, Devi Restaurant, New York City and author of “American Masala” and “Indian Home Cooking”

Ranjana Bhargava Indian Cooking School
6730 S. Euclid Ave. Chicago

Podcast courtesy of WBEZ’s Chicago Amplified

New Delhi-born Suvir Saran, chef/owner of the highly acclaimed Dévi restaurant in New York City and cookbook author of American Masala and Indian Home Cooking, will conduct a virtual journey through the world’s spice markets, exploring the nuances of spices and the cultural and historical influences of spices on Indian cuisine. Chef Saran will also demonstrate how to coax out the essence of spices, and talk about buying and storing spices – from cardamom to mustard seeds to turmeric. Chef Saran is Chairman, Asian Culinary Studies for the World Cuisines Council at The Culinary Institute of America, and teaches all over the U.S. and beyond. When he is not traveling, he enjoys working on his 68-acre farm in upstate New York. http://www.suvir.com.

Copies of Chef Saran’s two books will be offered for sale with all profits going to fund the Culinary Historians of Chicago. Chef Saran will be happy to sign the books during a reception immediately following his talk, where a sampling of his appetizers will be served by our hostess, Ranjana Bhargava.

Ms. Bhargava, a pioneer in Chicago’s in Chicago’s Indian community will also speak briefly about the evolution of this major ethnic group in our city. A trained psychologist, she has spearheaded efforts to serve the needs of women, and immigrants in Chicago. Ms. Bhargava has led numerous nonprofit organizations, and helped found Apna Ghar, the first domestic violence shelter serving Asian women and families. For more than 30 years, she has shared her love of the Indian culture by teaching Indian vegetarian cooking classes, mainly from her state-of-the art home kitchen, which she will show to our group.http://www.indiancookingclass.com