Shaheen Ali - Less is More (Food Blogger From India)

Any food that connects my emotions is good food. Like they say you eat food first with your head and then your mouth. 

1. Tell us about your background and journey.

I'm an Indian Muslim, born and brought up in a liberal family of 4 people in Steel City, Bhilai (Chattisgarh). Completed my graduation from Bhopal and got married there itself. Currently, I'm living in Raipur with my sweet & small family (husband, son, dog). I started food blogging in the year 2013 with a thought to document my recipes and also with a motive to channel my free time. Gradually over the years,

I developed an interest in food styling and photography which now is my full-time job as well. It's been around 9 years now, I've had the experience of working with India's finest food brands and have been featured on global platforms too. In the year 2021, I won FBAI Best Food Stylist and Best Recipe Blawardard too. In the year 2022, I bagged Best Home Chef Award for my cloud kitchen business.

So, as of now life and God has been kind to me and I'm looking forward to working or adeliveringver my best in the coming years too.

2. Which is your favourite cuisine and dish?

I'm a desi girl further in the heart and anything that is Indian home-cooked excites me the most. The best food is that instantly transports you to your roots and takes you back to your childhood. Coming from a mixed culture family, my favourite site cuisine is Bengali Cuisine, be it veg or non-veg veg. My favourite food now belongs to almost every part of India is Biryani (non-veg/ veg).

3. Should food blogging be just a passion or can it become a regular career?

To make a successful career one needs to have that driving force or passion for achieving whatever he/saspiresire. Food blogging today has a wider scope as compared to how I started 10 years back. People today are skilled and up to date with the trend happening around. Hence, monetizing your blog or taking it styling, recipe development etc has wider chances of making money nowadays.

4. Which restaurants/food joints would you recommend to food lovers?

I'm not a restaurant reviewer and the ciom where I come from has limited choices. So, one thing that I can always recommend is to pick a restaurant that has a higher selling rate to avoid stale food. Anything that suits your palate and is affordable to your pocket.

5. What makes you appreciate a particular dish or a restaurant and talk about it on your blog?

Any food that connects my emotions is good food. Like they say you eat food first with your head and then your mouth. Hence food should look good, and appetizing before it goes into your mouth. I don't like dishes that are overdone on complexness.

For me, less is more and it instantly hits me inside making me asking it for more. I read a lot of cookbooks, watch shows etc. A recipe that I feel like getting up and trying asap always gets my attention and goes into my blog.


6. Is there a dish you particularly associate yourself with?

I'm more of a dessert person. You just can't have enough of it.

7. Which is your favourite book and why?

I'm more into Indian cuisine, hence I keep reading cookbooks from our Indian Chefs, my Fellow Bloggers etc. Can't name one, I like most of them. 

- Shaheen Ali (Instagram)

- Interviewed by Deshna Jain