Home Spice Has Signed Top Indian Chef Vicky Shah to Take Its Spin on Indian Takeaways to New Heights

Meal delivery service Home Spice has recruited Vicky Shah as its new head chef. As well as working with the Home Spice team behind the scenes for a year, Shah also brings a wealth of knowledge from his time growing up in Bombay and stints at top Indian restaurants Cassia and KOL, both run by hospitality superstars Sid and Chand Sahrawat.

Shad said his position as Head Chef at Home Spice allows him to connect with his roots. "Coming from Bombay, I was drawn to the idea of cooking the food I grew up with, where I had the chance to learn from my mum and aunty," he said.

Home Spice was founded by Jaimee Croot and takes the idea of traditional Indian dabbawala services in Mumbai — where locals' lunches are delivered in reusable tins — and gives it a Kiwi twist. Each Tuesday, customers are delivered a tower of tins — known traditionally as dabbas — filled with rice, curry, dal and two condiments, enough to feed two hungry people. These tins are picked up the following week and used for your next delivery.

Thes menu changes weekly but includes the likes of aloo matar (potato and pea curry), a creamy cauliflower tikka masala and baingan bharta, an eggplant-based dish cooked using fire to release smoky flavours. All dishes on the menu are vegetarian and Shah aims to use locally sourced ingredients to create each dish.

To try out the subscription service or try it as a one-off meal, head to the Home Spice website. The subscription costs $24.50 per serving, with two servings per dabba.