When you speak to chef Nadia Shafiullah, you’ll know that you’re speaking to someone who lives for cooking. She doesn’t create dishes for living; she breathes a part of her life into everything that she makes. Nadia wants to know where every ingredient that she is using is coming from, “I take my children to the grocery and the farmers market and teach them the dedication that goes into quality ingredients.”
She appreciates the flavours of nature and how they stand-alone, "I zealously practice mindfulness when it comes to eating.” Nadia brings the farm to her own home. She promotes vertical gardening, permaculture and has an extensive backyard kitchen, “Some of my clients pick dishes that are grown, cooked and presented all from my home.” She emphasises on the idea that quality ingredients speak (or taste) for themselves.
Nadia explains her eclectic palette comes from her nomadic life, “My father was a diplomat so we had to travel a lot. I’d grown into the habit of dissecting the flavours of the invites, the dinner and the meals my mother would prepare.” Her mother was an early inspiration for Nadia, “My mum went to the Australian Culinary School in Canterbury. She would give us the traditional Bengali dishes but sometimes she’d make specialities from other parts of the world. This further taught me to appreciate different foods.”
Tour-du-temptation
Each of Nadia’s dishes is from a travel experience, a memory or her own inspiration from any particular dish, “Food is an integral part of any culture and I strive to take anyone on a tour of the region through my food. It is the easiest way to bring people together and take them to a new destination.”
She has brought the life of her kitchen to Gourmet Food Company, where she wants to give you nothing short of a gastronomically pleasing experience. Nadia brings three new exciting dishes from her experiences to your plate.
Stuck on seafood
During her time in Tunisia, Nadia cherishes the seaside restaurant, which served the freshest seafood, “We were taken to one of the local restaurants by the sea, and they served the freshest catch of the day. It was simply seasoned with a pinch of garlic and the seafood kind of spoke for itself. Her Baked Seafood Pasta adds calamari to the shrimp for greater depth to the seafood flavour. “I am a garlic fanatic so I brown the garlic and allow it to seep into the seafood. I then add the béchamel sauce and bake it.” Once it steams its way from the oven, you’re invited by a creamy béchamel with succulent seafood and al dente pasta.
A family affair
Nadia’s Moussaka is a dish that is close to her heart; she recalls her mother making it for her, “I knew that the dish has minced beef, eggplant and cheese but my taste bud could sense something else. Upon inquiry, my mom told me that she had added nutmeg.” An ingredient that Nadia now treasures but has had to master over the years, “It is a very sensitive spice, where too much or too little can ruin a dish. Incorporating more of an intimate touch, she adds parsley or mint to further complement the beef. Her white sauce is not just parmesan with butter and flour. “With white sauces, consistency is very important but mixing cheese adds depth and flavour. I use at least three types of cheese for a truly unique sauce.”
Creating the classics
Making sure her kids are getting a well-balanced meal and appreciates all types of food is an utmost priority for Nadia, “I want to make sure they are eating their veggies but also enjoying their food. So I took a classic and gave it my own spin.” Her Spaghetti and meatballs takes on a traditional Italian dish and gives it a signature Nadia twist, “My meatballs have fresh vegetables and cottage cheese in them. They merge very well to create a greater burst of flavour beyond just beef.” She bakes her meatballs to ensure that they are extra tender before gently placing them on a bed of perfectly cooked spaghetti.
Catch Nadia’s signature dishes and many other tasty temptations at https://gourmetfoodcompanybd.com/
She has brought the life of her kitchen to Gourmet Food Company, where she wants to give you nothing short of a gastronomically pleasing experience. Nadia brings three new exciting dishes from her experiences to your plate.