In September 2022, we teamed up with Chef Heena Patel to host a breakfast at her restaurant Besharam, known for its Gujarati classics and modern Indian dishes. We invited some of our favorite women in San Francisco.
When Chef Heena relocated to London and, subsequently, California, to begin her married life with her husband (and now Besharam co-owner), Paresh Patel, she carried her passion for cooking with her. As she and Paresh raised their children in the Bay Area, Heena dreamed of a day when she would open a restaurant. At home, she continued to experiment in the kitchen, reimagining the traditional Gujarati dishes from her childhood with California ingredients, including a family favorite blue cheese naan. In 2014, Heena parlayed her ambitions into a residency with Bay Area culinary incubator La Cocina, initially with plans to start a mobile food business. Following a transformative dinner at State Bird Provisions, Heena honed in on her vision for what would eventually be unearthed at Besharam.
Inspired by Heena's story, we hosted a panel discussion with women who have also started inspiring second chapters:
Artist Windy Chien
working at the intersection of function, design, history, and aesthetics to illuminate what is most fascinating about knots: the journey of the line
Entrepreneur Jasleen Agarwal
pioneering a new protein category, paneer, exemplifies her commitment to beautifully crafted food that is healthy for both humans and the planet
Entrepreneur Katie Hintz-Zambrano
providing a much-needed online space for thought-provoking content tailor-made for the modern mother at Mother Mag
Special thanks to our photographer Samantha Tyler Cooper for capturing the magic.
Join the conversation at @futureofwomen
