The hand that feeds…
Belongs to Shivani Arora, executive chef at India Gate Restaurant, who cooks and serves food to thousands, not only within the Kiwi-Indian community but also beyond
There is a pair of hands that wields the ladle and brings out just the right mix of aromatic spices. The fragrance weaves its magic and makes its way out of the kitchen to engulf all within its generous folds. Such is the beauty of Annapurna. She does not let any soul go hungry. In fact, she regularly cooks for about 3,000-odd people at charity fundraising events within the Kiwi-Indian community in Auckland. But most of the time, her kindness goes unrecognised. She is a silent worker who prefers to work behind the scenes, in her quiet and graceful ways.
That is precisely why, at Indian Weekender, we decided to pay tribute to the leading lady of Indian hospitality for her many deeds. Her inner circle of friends and family often refer to Shivani Arora as Annapurna, the Goddess of food and nourishment.
She discovered her penchant for cooking at the tender age of 12, when she used to live with her extended family in Chandigarh, India. Her passion to buy spices from the market, roast and grind them in the right proportions, and add them to make mouth-watering dishes, has only grown over the years. Today, she is the epitome of perfection when it comes to Indian food in Auckland.
Arora holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and a B.Ed. Before moving to Auckland at the beginning of the millennium, she was a teacher by profession in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Soon after she arrived in Auckland with her husband, two sons and one daughter, Arora visited an Indian retail store in Sandringham and immediately decided to buy it. In another three years, the couple opened their second retail store, ‘Khyber Spice Invader’, in Royal Oak. This was followed by ‘The Base’, a Nando’s franchise, in Hamilton, and Chaska Da Punjab in Epsom. It was the latter that was renamed India Gate Restaurant and thus began the couple’s ever-successful foray into the hospitality and retail industry.
The opening of India Gate Restaurant marks a watershed in the history of Indian hospitality in Auckland. Arora’s commitment to preservation of culture, tradition and a style that lives up to the expectations of Maharajas (kings), is reflected by the service and quality standards of the restaurant. Arora is actively involved with the day-to-day running of her enterprise. In fact, she is often seen in the restaurant’s kitchen, sharing her culinary expertise with her staff.
Her name comes up first when finding a reliable catering service at all meetings organised by community associations as well as places of worship, like temples and gurdwaras. India Gate is also well known for its charity fundraiser activities, where Arora volunteers to feed a few thousand people at local charities - and she actually cooks for them herself.
In addition to her varied culinary crowns, Arora is also the Vice President of Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan in New Zealand and has been instrumental in organising all of the six Mata ki Chowki that have been held at Shirdi Sai Sansthan so far. Her zeal to serve the community and take her social responsibilities seriously is also manifested via her involvement with several non-profit organisations in the country.
Arora is the undisputed role model for many a Kiwi-Indian woman who has left her family in search of a new home on the soil of this country. Our very own Annapurna has created an oasis for them and their family – as she continues to feed not only the body but also the soul of the community in her own tacit avatars.
Belongs to Shivani Arora, executive chef at India Gate Restaurant, who cooks and serves food to thousands, not only within the Kiwi-Indian community but also beyond
There is a pair of hands that wields the ladle and brings out just the right mix of aromatic spices. The fragrance weaves its magic...
Belongs to Shivani Arora, executive chef at India Gate Restaurant, who cooks and serves food to thousands, not only within the Kiwi-Indian community but also beyond
There is a pair of hands that wields the ladle and brings out just the right mix of aromatic spices. The fragrance weaves its magic and makes its way out of the kitchen to engulf all within its generous folds. Such is the beauty of Annapurna. She does not let any soul go hungry. In fact, she regularly cooks for about 3,000-odd people at charity fundraising events within the Kiwi-Indian community in Auckland. But most of the time, her kindness goes unrecognised. She is a silent worker who prefers to work behind the scenes, in her quiet and graceful ways.
That is precisely why, at Indian Weekender, we decided to pay tribute to the leading lady of Indian hospitality for her many deeds. Her inner circle of friends and family often refer to Shivani Arora as Annapurna, the Goddess of food and nourishment.
She discovered her penchant for cooking at the tender age of 12, when she used to live with her extended family in Chandigarh, India. Her passion to buy spices from the market, roast and grind them in the right proportions, and add them to make mouth-watering dishes, has only grown over the years. Today, she is the epitome of perfection when it comes to Indian food in Auckland.
Arora holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and a B.Ed. Before moving to Auckland at the beginning of the millennium, she was a teacher by profession in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Soon after she arrived in Auckland with her husband, two sons and one daughter, Arora visited an Indian retail store in Sandringham and immediately decided to buy it. In another three years, the couple opened their second retail store, ‘Khyber Spice Invader’, in Royal Oak. This was followed by ‘The Base’, a Nando’s franchise, in Hamilton, and Chaska Da Punjab in Epsom. It was the latter that was renamed India Gate Restaurant and thus began the couple’s ever-successful foray into the hospitality and retail industry.
The opening of India Gate Restaurant marks a watershed in the history of Indian hospitality in Auckland. Arora’s commitment to preservation of culture, tradition and a style that lives up to the expectations of Maharajas (kings), is reflected by the service and quality standards of the restaurant. Arora is actively involved with the day-to-day running of her enterprise. In fact, she is often seen in the restaurant’s kitchen, sharing her culinary expertise with her staff.
Her name comes up first when finding a reliable catering service at all meetings organised by community associations as well as places of worship, like temples and gurdwaras. India Gate is also well known for its charity fundraiser activities, where Arora volunteers to feed a few thousand people at local charities - and she actually cooks for them herself.
In addition to her varied culinary crowns, Arora is also the Vice President of Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan in New Zealand and has been instrumental in organising all of the six Mata ki Chowki that have been held at Shirdi Sai Sansthan so far. Her zeal to serve the community and take her social responsibilities seriously is also manifested via her involvement with several non-profit organisations in the country.
Arora is the undisputed role model for many a Kiwi-Indian woman who has left her family in search of a new home on the soil of this country. Our very own Annapurna has created an oasis for them and their family – as she continues to feed not only the body but also the soul of the community in her own tacit avatars.
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