Pakistan has no shortage of talent, I’m sure many of you will agree. Despite the societal pressure, especially on men, to stay away from the field of culinary arts; many individuals decided to throw caution to the wind and vowed to live life on their terms. This act of liberation is heroic on its own. Today, we appreciate such individuals in our list of five Pakistani chefs that are totally changing the food game.
Mehboob Khan
Mehboob Khan, popularly known as Chef Mehboob, tops our list of the five Pakistani chefs that are totally changing the food game because he promotes healthy food and cooking. He is famous for various cooking shows and is the author of Food for Life. He was also one of the few celebrity chefs on MasterChef Pakistan’s panel of judges.
Khan embarked on his journey of becoming a chef even though his friends and family did not approve. They did not think highly of the profession and didn’t believe he would be successful in his pursuits. Despite all the opinions, Khan continued with his passion.
After two years of training, he opened a restaurant in Lahore and another one in Germany. TV shows and national acclaim soon followed.
After Chef Mehboob’s father died of a heart attack, he delved into the realm of healthy food and nutritious diet. He educated himself on the topic and plans to set up his own healthy food delivery service.
Rahat Ali
Rahat Ali is a prominent chef who rose to fame because of her exceptional cooking skills, friendly demeanor and eccentric personality. Because of her style and expertise, she carved out a loyal following in Pakistan and abroad.
Despite being a professional chef, she seems to be in tune with the not-so-professional cooks of the country. Her tips and tricks make it easy for regular people to prepare 5-star meals. She even suggests ingenious substitutes that help prepare delicious food. Her down-to-earth and bubbly personality have made her a nation-wide favorite.
Naheed Ansari
Naheed Ansari is well known in the food management field and has 35 years of cooking experience under her belt. She has appeared on many Pakistani cooking shows where she shares her wisdom. Her skills and knowledge have made her a highly respected member in the professional cooking sphere.
Naheed also runs a finishing school for girls and women which teaches food preparation, preservation, presentation, serving, etiquettes and event management etc.
Zakir Qureshi
Zakir Qureshi is a celebrity chef and hotelier. He began his career at Avari Hotel. We included him in our list of the five Pakistani chefs because of his multi-dimensional experience.
He completed specialized courses on Thai and Chinese cuisine from Singapore. Chef Zakir also learned the art of fruit and vegetable carving. He traveled to Dubai and South Africa for cooking courses as well. Mr. Qureshi also appears regularly on different TV channels in Pakistan, hosts a show himself and is an expert on Pakistani cuisine.
Zarnak Sidhwa
Zarnak Sidhwa is a chocolatier and Pakistani celebrity chef. She appears on TV shows frequently and is a passionate cook and foodie. She worked corporate jobs for quite a while. For 12 years she continued doing her desk job then decided to follow her cooking passion. She ventured off to pursue her true calling and established a catering company. After appearing on a popular cooking channel, she rose to fame.
This concludes our selection of the top five Pakistani chefs that are innovating the cooking scene in our country. There are so many more talented chefs in Pakistan. Let us know who you’d like to see in our next piece.
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