"Leena was a true pleasure. Passionate, educational and a wonderful instructor"

Leena grew up in the small town of Jorhat which is in Assam, northeast India. Yes - where the tea comes from! Her family owned tea estates there from the time of the British Empire. The household chefs were trained by Western chefs. Afternoons were high tea times replete with scones, crumpets and delicate cucumber sandwiches. As a child, Leena was fascinated with the kitchen activities and enjoyed observing the cooks at their work where she no doubt picked up some basic kitchen skills.

Leena graduated from college with a major in English. She met her husband, Joe, a chef by profession. This led her to further explore cooking and learn about a variety cuisines. Her interest in food and culture was further nurtured by extensive travels within India.


In Delhi, Leena started a catering service from her home which was very popular because of the wide choice of cuisines that she offered.

Leena moved to Portland with her family in 1999. She has conducted several classes on Indian cuisine. In her classes she discusses the cultural and religious mores of life in India so that her students can better relate to the aspects which affect Indian cuisine.

Leena also runs her own private catering company and is working on her first cookbook.