Episode #68 with Aida Khan

The Swinging Palm Trees Podcast

On today's episode, it's all about the joys of good food & cooking as I chat with Aida Khan, the co-founder and Creative Director of Shola- Karachi Kitchen. I describe her as a 'culinary ambassador for Pakistani cuisine', which is evident from her deep love and passion for cooking. She shares with me how she started her career and her first dish she made as a child. We talk about Pakistani recipes, in particular Haleem; what ingredients she cannot live without and the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur and chef. We talk about family influences and hospitality, cultural flavours and her work ethic. And of course, Aida shares her favourite quotes and how they continually inspire her.
Shola - Karachi Kitchen is Aida Khan’s food venture, winning hearts (and bellies!) in London and Islamabad alike. A passionate chef and food lover, Aida’s expertise with Pakistani cuisine goes back a long way. Coming from a family of foodies, the former banker scripted and presented a travel food show on Pakistani television called “For The Love of Food.” When Aida moved to London in 2012, she noticed a lack of options for the kind of wholesome home-cooked Pakistani food she grew up on. She therefore developed and adapted recipes taken from her family, so she could share the food of her childhood with her own children. She then completed training at Leith’s School of Food and Wine, learning to apply modern techniques to traditional recipes. With her new repertoire, she hosted a series of ‘Gourmet Karachi Supper Clubs’ across London. Shola in White City Place has been a labour of love for Aida, where she has introduced diners to the distinctive flavours of Pakistani cuisine, as well as providing a nostalgic taste of authentic home-cooking to South Asians in London. The emphasis throughout is on fresh ingredients, fragrant spices that are freshly roasted and ground in their own kitchen, and above all on the deep and powerful flavours of Pakistan Aida has also been featured on The Lorraine Show on ITV sharing her Pakistani recipes. From February 2022 Shola has hosted a pop up every Thursday night at White City Studios. This July Shola also took over the Shack at White City Poolside serving Pakistani street food. Shola Blurb Shola (‘spark’ in Urdu) is our new Pakistani restaurant in London. We bring to the table Chef Aida Khan’s passion for authentic flavours and traditional recipes from Karachi, Pakistan’s most cosmopolitan city.
Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport!
I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar, for all her hard work.
If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at [e-mail].
Keep Rising & Thriving. Aṣẹ!