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cook an array of gourmet dishes. When she was 20, Shreyaa decided to make a career as a fitness trainer. She noticed that even people who exercised to stay fit were often eating the wrong foods that would achieve the opposite of their goal. “The notion that healthy food involved two sticks each of carrot and celery with a little olive oil and sea salt drizzled on it needed to go,” she says. So she decided to change that. After decades of cooking and armed with a Cordon Bleu certification from Thailand, Shreyaa started her own small home catering business called Shreyaa’s Kitchen in 2011. Since then, her business has grown by word of mouth, and she caters to all kinds of events from six to 100 persons, from formal sit-down dinners to buffets. She’s known for her healthy and innovative cuisine – ranging from Asian to European, vegan to barbeque, soups to desserts – and her penchant for organically grown ingredients. “It is important for everyone to at least know the basics of healthy cooking,” says Shreyaa. “That’s why I offer cooking classes for people to get over their fears of cooking and realise that it’s not rocket science!” She’s also sought-after for her domestic-staff training course, through which she teaches domestic helpers how to plan menus, balance food groups, and make fresh, delicious MAY 2018
and hygienic well-plated meals. She also makes her own range of homemade pastes and sauces that are preservative-free and gluten-free. “Health is not just about fitness; it’s about mental, physical and spiritual balance,” says the youthful chef, who did a course in permaculture last year, and follows sustainable
Shreyaa Shah
waste management methods. “The role of seasonal vegetables is very important to me. I want to get more involved with organic farms close by to add more of such produce to my kitchen,” she says. In this issue of eShe, she shares four fantastic Thai recipes that abound in good health, and taste too.