Learn all about the art of Indian cooking with a masterclass from one of the UK’s top chefs.

Asma Khan, who owns the female-run London restaurant Darjeeling Express, is celebrating the release of her new cookbook, Monsoon, by sharing her food with Kent fans.

The event, hosted by Sevenoaks Bookshop, will see the renowned chef bring a sample of her cooking, inspired by recipes from Monsoon, for hungry readers to taste.

She will also talk through her favourite spices and flavours and give tips on how to create simple but vibrant Indian dishes.

The book is influenced by Bengali food and the principles of Ayurveda, an ancient Indian term based in holistic healthcare that balances an individual’s mind, body, spirit and environment. It features recipes such as lentil fritters, chicken korma and pumpkin dal.

Asma, who grew up in Calcutta and moved to Cambridge with her husband in the 1990s, first started her culinary career by launching her own private supper club in 2012.

The 55-year-old restaurateur, who learned to cook from her mother, opened Darjeeling Express in Soho in 2017 with a team made up of mostly Asian immigrant women who had other jobs and worked in the eatery on their days off.

After receiving rave reviews, the all-female staff were forced to shut up shop due to the Covid pandemic. However, the team has since expanded into a temporary pop-up inside Earl’s Court pub The Pembroke and, most recently, the Darjeeling Express opened in its new location at Kingly Court off Carnaby Street.

Asma, who lives in West London, is known for championing women in the culinary industry, particularly South Asian immigrants with no professional training, and her ongoing support of refugees.

Asma Khan will be at Sevenoaks Bookshop on Tuesday, April 29. You can book tickets here.

Tickets cost £26 with a copy of Monsoon, or £12 without the book.