SHIKSHAK is a cookery membership platform that will enable you to master Indian cookery in your very own kitchen with Monica – your shikshak, your teacher – with you every step of the way. See it as your ever-growing cookbook of detailed recipe videos with new content added every other week, and unrestricted access to live cookery classes. Furthermore, you will have unique direct and personal access to Monica's experience and expertise… just in case you ever needed a chef on speed dial…
By joining SHIKSHAK, you will embark on a culinary journey across India and discover the subtleties of regional Indian cookery. You will learn the tips and tricks to make it easy and well-guarded secrets will be divulged to elevate your dishes from “meh” to “wow” (or “wow” to “oh my gosh”). You will cover everything from everyday staples to multi-course banquets, street food naughties to delightful desserts and recipes to satisfy whether you are vegan or a carnivore.
Monica Haldar has been teaching Indian cookery for over 10 years after founding The Spice Club – her own cookery school and pop-up restaurant in Manchester and Birmingham. The Spice Club is truly a labour of love and reflects her passion for showcasing authentic Indian cookery. It grew through word-of-mouth, from an invitation of eight complete strangers to dine in her front room, to national acclaim, an Amazon Prime TV series and a 6-month wait-list for attendance to her cookery classes.
“Cooking is my art… my passion, and my inspiration is my Mum. SHE tells me that I first started as her sous-chef at the age of 3, and have never stopped learning as she continues to bring the tastes and smells of regional indian cookery to our home kitchen. I trained at the world renowned Rosen College in Florida and Leiths School of Food and Wine. Throughout my time in the US and the UK, I have expanded my repertoire in various “flavours” of restaurant – from fast food franchises to fine dining establishments, which have given me a broad base of experience and fuelled my desire to follow my passion.”
MONICA HALDAR - FOUNDER OF SHIKSHAK
SHIKSHAK was born out of the best we saw in each other during a very tough 2020. COVID-19 and the associated restrictions forced us apart to keep us safe. It brought our need for human connection into sharp focus, and we saw incredible examples of communities finding commonality more than we have seen in most of our lifetimes. Monica and the Spice Club hosted weekly online cookery classes on Facebook; they were not only incredibly popular, but brought strangers together over their love of Indian Cookery. In an effort to maintain and grow these connections Monica assembled her team to deliver an online platform that carried all the values and personality of her in-person Cookery Classes. She wanted to ensure the quality of the content of SHIKSHAK was worthy of her students. The success of her Crowdfunder campaign in September 2020, was a product of the belief that her supporters have in her (see the “Thank you” page), and she couldn't be more pleased to give you a resource that she hopes will provide a lifetime of learning!
£1 from each subscription sale is donated to FoodCycle who supports people who are hungry and lonely by serving them hot, tasty & nutritious meals for free every single day. The food is cooked using surplus ingredients thus spreading FoodCycle's passion for food and the environment.