Your first-ever kitchen job was…

My first ever paid job was a sales assistant at Tesco aged 17. I actually loved it so much, because as a child I loved playing on the tills and doing the scanner. I started helping my Mum in the kitchen at The Brilliant aged seven or eight – but I was officially put on the payroll aged 18 as an all-rounder, shadowing my Dad who was the head chef. I learnt so much from him.

Career highlight to date?

The launch of my first cookbook, Beyond Brilliant – because it was my Dad’s dream that we would launch a cookbook for the family’s Brilliant restaurant one day. When he opened the restaurant in 1975, he always used to say to my mum that he wanted to do a cookbook one day. Then I came along and took a keen interest in the business, so he asked me to write one. At the book launch in 2014, his eyes lit up – it was such a precious moment.

Describe your cooking style and what diners at Dipna Anand Kitchen and Bar and The Brilliant can expect.

Our specialist area is North Indian Punjabi cooking – things like butter chicken, dahls and lentils are very popular. In the North we don’t use much cream or coconut – as you travel further south they start to incorporate more fruits and nuts in their cooking. We also have some South Indian dishes on our menus and street food classics – things like samosas or chicken tikka that people can eat on the street. We also have our Brilliant food trucks at sporting venues (like Twickenham and Chelsea FC) and recently introduced our first Oriental food truck – it was very popular at The Oval cricket ground.

Your family restaurant goes back three generations. How did it start?

My grandparents were born in Gujranwala, which is near the border of India and Pakistan. My grandfather Bishen was known as the master of all chefs and he used to cook for the Maharajas of India during that time. Then they migrated to Kenya, and that’s where he opened the first Brilliant restaurant in the 1950s – and got the whole family involved. Naturally, he assimilated some of the cooking styles and flavours of Kenya – he had to learn ways of barbecue cooking and working with different spices and ingredients, like cassava. We still have Kenyan influences on our menus today, like our Butter Chicken, Chilli Chicken and Jeera Chicken – our three signature starter dishes.

Most memorable moment at work?

The first time I went on ITV’s Saturday Morning with James Martin, alongside my Dad, Gulu. Covid was just finishing when I did the show and I did my Butter Chicken. I never imagined the response I would get – social media, our online shop, everything went crazy. I’ve been back on back on his show more than 20 times now. I’m back on this Saturday [21 Sept] actually, and I’ll be making Masala Fish.

Biggest mistake you’ve ever made in the kitchen?

We were cooking at my sister-in-law’s pub in Devon, The Red Lion in Sidbury, doing a pub takeover for a curry night, and I used one of her big saucepans with a glass lid. I put the lid on to steam the Masala on a high heat and all of a sudden the lid shattered and there was glass everywhere. People were coming in two hours – but everything had to go in the bin, we cleaned up the kitchen and started again.

Have you cooked for any celebrities?

We have cooked for Prince Charles, now King Charles, twice. The first time he came to The Brilliant during Diwali with the Duchess of Cornwall – they were supporting a food provenance campaign called Just Ask. It was amazing – I got to show him round, he was tasting all the dishes straight from the clay oven, and I made him taste an Indian pudding made from carrots – he couldn’t believe a pudding could be made in that way. The Evening Standard ran an article saying The Brilliant was his favourite curry house. I also recently cooked for Joe Wicks, a good friend of mine. I did a private dining event at his home.

Favourite chef and why?

My Dad is the king of all chefs, I’ve always looked up to him. in the industry it has to be James Martin because he’s been so supportive and given me advice.

Favourite cookbook?

It’s called Tandoor: The Great Indian Barbecue Tandoor, by Ranjit Rai. I have two copies and I’ve always followed some of the recipes from that book.

You’re tired and hungry – what’s your go-to for a quick and easy supper?

I eat enough Indian food and cook enough of it for my job, so when I get home, I’m a plain Jane kind of person. I’ll have a ham and cheese toastie, a simple pasta or even a salad. My husband Satpal, who is a very good cook, wants to eat Indian food all the time though.

Favourite place to go locally for a great meal?

I love the Lebanese chain Maroush – the Park Royal restaurant is the one we normally go to. I also love Japanese food – anything pan-Asian.

Best kitchen gadget you’ve ever owned?

It’s not really a gadget as such but I love my Masala Dabba which is my spice tin. It hold the seven key spices I need when I’m cooking – like turmeric, coriander, cumin and red chili powder.

Guilty food pleasure?

I get told off for saying this, but I love a KFC. I’m not ashamed of it.

What’s Cooking? Bucks chef and restaurateur Dipna Anand

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