Sexism Almost Kept London's Popular "Darjeeling Express" Closed, Says Chef
NDTV
Asma Khan has garnered international acclaim as the first British chef to be featured on the hit Netflix series Chef's Table
Asma Khan has a golden touch for restaurants. Darjeeling Express is one of London's most popular dining rooms and the biryani supper club that she runs weekly is the hottest ticket in the city.
Yet, despite her successful track record, she had trouble finding a new site for her latest venture.
"For two years almost, every time a landlord said there was no suitable site, they meant that I didn't have a suitable 'boy', which in my culture, is a man in a suit," said Ms Khan at Bloomberg's Equality Summit on Wednesday. "It wasn't that I didn't have the money. I clearly did have the money. And I had guaranteed future earnings, because my bookings were full."
Ms Khan has garnered international acclaim as the first British chef to be featured on the hit Netflix series Chef's Table, as well as for her glorious thalis, platters of dishes that might include paneer in coconut cream, and fragrant, slow-cooked lamb with a tomato gravy.
