British Born. Punjabi Raised. Unapologetically Bold.
Meet Mehak Kansal, the self-taught chef and founder behind BINDAS Eatery, whose food tells the story of identity, migration, and flavour without borders.
From rural Britain to the bustling streets of India, Mehak’s journey to the kitchen wasn’t typical. Raised in a countryside home where no one cooked, Mehak taught herself from scratch. She grew her own vegetables, travelled across India learning from street vendors, and started experimenting, creating fusion dishes that reflected her Anglo-Indian heritage, like her carrot, parsnip & broad bean biryani with gooseberry achar and green apple raita.
After switching careers from property development, she launched a food blog, then a supper club and in 2018, won the Westfield Food Entrepreneur Award, mentored by Omar Allibhoy. That moment sparked the creation of BINDAS, meaning “free spirit” in Punjabi, a restaurant that celebrates India’s street food culture with a modern twist.
Known for dishes like the Butter Chicken Bomb and Keralan Laal Maas, Mehak blends tradition with rebellion—bringing bold Indian flavours into the British culinary mainstream. And now, for South Asian Heritage Month, Mehak has created a dish that captures her dual identity in a single bite:
Strawberries & Cream Milk Cake with Masala Chai
A Wimbledon-inspired homage that combines British summertime sweetness with the comfort and depth of South Asian flavours. This isn’t just dessert. It’s storytelling on a plate. It’s what BINDAS is all about.
The exhibition ‘Unsung Heroes of World War I’ featured historical artifacts, photos and news clippings on the Asian (Indian, Nepalese Bangladeshi – the Indian subcontinent, along with Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesian soldiers in WW1, as well as other moments in South Asian history.
As the saying goes, “Like mother, like daughter.” In the case of creative talents, this couldn’t be more true. The influence of a mother’s creativity can leave a lasting impact on her children, shaping their own artistic endeavours and passions. In this journal I explore the profound impact my mother’s creative legacy has influenced me and how Sohavi was truly born. Roots to routes explores my late mothers life journey from birth in Kenya to India as a teenager and eventually returning to Kenya in her 20’s , to marry my father Sardar Tirlochan Singh Dhamu, to emigrate to London from Nairobi in October 1973 and live out the rest of her life. Despite experiencing loss and trauma, she endured difficulties n her younger years and made the best of her life in my fathers trusting hand, he led her to a new life in London.
As an update from my last article, I can say that the past year has been both adventurous and fulfilling. I’ve faced a mix of opportunities
South Asian Heritage Month dates changed to "July" from 2026 — Learn more here →
