Episode 5

Asma Khan: She Was Told She’d Never Matter - Then She Changed the Game (S12/Ep.05)

Published on: 15th October, 2025

Asma Khan is the chef and changemaker behind Darjeeling Express, the London restaurant powered by an all-female kitchen of home cooks. Born into Indian royalty but made to feel invisible, she rose from an uncelebrated daughter to become one of the most powerful voices in food - earning a spot on TIME’s 100 Most Influential People and captivating millions through her Chef’s Table episode.

In this episode, Asma shares how she built a restaurant without formal training and uses her platform to honor the women who came before her. She opens up about her work with the World Food Programme and how she channels empathy, culture, and care into every dish. This conversation is a reminder that food can be power - and that one woman can change the world, one dish at a time. Enjoy this episode as we go Beyond the Plate… with Chef Asma Khan.

This episode is brought to you by Fords Gin - the cocktail gin.

(You’ll find the drink recipe heard in this episode below.)


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Falooda Fizz

Recipe courtesy of Joe Brooke

Makes 1 cocktail


1.5 parts Fords Gin

.5 part fresh lemon juice

.5 part gum syrup

1 part whole milk

3 dashes rose water

1 part soda water


Shake the gin, lemon juice, gum syrup, milk and rose water over ice and pour into a smaller fizz glass. Let it settle and top it off with the soda water.

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About the Podcast

Beyond the Plate
Culinary Legends, Giving Back
Join Andrew “Kappy” Kaplan as he sits down in-person with the world’s culinary elite to explore their journey into the food industry and the social impact they have made in their community. Every episode will share inspiring stories of what it means to be in today’s hospitality industry.

About your host

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Andrew Kaplan