Meal Artist

My name is Shahla Hashmi and I've been living in Canberra since I emigrated here in 1985 with my family. Because I moved here when I was only 16, being exposed so many different cultures and cuisines allowed me to appreciate and experiment outside of my town South Asian. However I learnt to love cooking through my mother; she taught me cooking was a way for me to express myself and my love for my family. I have spent most of my life cooking for my family and for others. I have numerous businesses where cooking was a big part of my job - a café, a take-away shop and a grocery store where I sold premade, delicious, nutritious meals. Alongside this, I also had to raise and feed 8 fussy children! My true joy in life comes being able to experiment new dishes and creating new delicious meals that makes other people happy. I am honored and thrilled that I am a part of such a fantastic initiative, and I am really looking forward to being able to share my food with everyone.

Current City: Canberra, Australia