I love Italian, Mexican and Mediterranean food: Bhakti Mehta

Bhakti Mehta, consulting chef with Fat Man's Café and owner of Little Food Company, a catering company, started cooking not for the love of it but simply because she didn't like the Gujarati food that was made at her home. She says, "My mother would tell me, ‘If you don't like what is made at home then cook yourself'." These words urged Mehta to start rustling up items such as pastas and pizzas. Gradually, she started enjoying the process. But as she was already studying marketing, she couldn't study at culinary school.

Bhakti Mehta

Few years ago, when her friend was looking for a caterer for an event, the self-taught cook took it up as a challenge and after that, there was no looking back. Mehta set up Little Food Company four years ago. She says, "I love Italian, Mexican and Mediterranean food."

The 30-year-old is also currently working as a consulting chef with Fat Man's Café, a recently-launched eatery at Bandra. She says, "I worked closely with the chef to design the menu. Two of my favourite items are beef sandwich and the aubergine and mushroom lasagna. I never liked lasagna. And I don't know of many people who order it when they are eating out. I took up the challenge and introduced it on the menu. Thankfully, our effort paid off and today it is one of our best sellers. This recipe is really special to me."