Private Chef Punam Vaja

Punam, a passionate and experienced private chef, is dedicated to creating unforgettable culinary experiences. With a love for authentic home-cooked meals inspired by Gujarati cuisine, Punam's food showcases the use of seasonal produce and influences from her Indian and East African family heritage.

Her specialisms lie in creating delicious hearty meals that are vegetarian and also has extensive experience with creating plant-based meals packed with flavour. Although Punam hasn't cooked for celebrities or worked at famous restaurants, she has been mentioned by Conde Nast Traveller as one to watch for her extensive experience hosting supper clubs. Her unique cooking style combines authentic flavours with principles of Ayurvedic food for a wholesome lifestyle. Punam's favourite dishes to cook are Indian street-food delicacies and traditional Gujarati meals like daal, shaak, and roti.

The decision to become a chef was driven by her passion for bringing people together and the joy of sharing meals, which she has been doing for over 6 years in London and Portugal. With Punam as your private chef, you can expect a remarkable culinary experience that will leave a lasting impression on your guests

For me, cooking is...

nourishment, pleasure and happiness. Cooking brings me joy and I love sharing delicious meals with others.

I learned to cook at...

home, from the age of 15! It slowly turned into my passion later on in life and now I am pursuing it full time.

A cooking secret...

Organisation! It is important to be organised with your work station, serving area and plating area.

My menus

Indian Bombshell!

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Paneer Tikka. Classic North Indian Style Paneer Tikka, Marinated For 24 Hours And Grilled For A Crispy Finish. (V)

Tofu Tikka. A Vegan Version Of The Classic Paneer Tikka Dish, Marinated Tofu Pieces Are Grilled For A Crispy Finish. (Ve)

Chilli Mogo. Indo-Chinese Inspired Soya And Chilli Sauce Cassava Fries. Finished With Topping Of Spring Onions. (Ve)

Hasselback Potato Chaat (Hasselback Potato Cooked With Ghee & Chat Spices, Finished With Onions, Tomatoes And Two Types Of Chutneys)

Masala-dar Baby Potatoes. Baby potatoes, cooked in a red chilli powder & paprika seasoning, slow cooked in the oven. (Ve)

Mumbai Makai. Corn On The Cob, Grilled And Charred And Finished With A Chilli, Lemon And Peanut Sauce. (Ve)

Patra (Spiced And Steamed Colocasia Leaves, Finished With A Curry Leaf Temper)

Bateta Vada & Two Chutneys (Classic Mashed Potato Fritters With A Gram Flour Coating, Served With A Sweet/Tangy Chutney And A Spicy Green Chutney) (Ve)

Mixed Bhajia (Small Mixed Veg Bhajia's Made With Gram Flour)

Gujarati Steamed Dhokla (Rice, Chickpeas And Lentils Are Soaked And Fermented, Ground Into A Smooth Mixture, That Is Steamed. Finished With A Curry Leaf & Sesame Seed Temper) (V, Contains Diary)

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Spicy Mogo Wraps. Marinated And Cooked Mogo Or Cassava Is Filled In A Wrap With A Mint Sauce, Lettuce, Grilled Onions, Peppers And Tomatoes. (Ve)

Pav Bhaji. Mumbai's Famous Street Food. We Share A Slow Cooked Version, Made With Seasonal Root Vegetables Cooked In A Rich Tomato, Onion And Garlic Sauce. Served With Warmed Bread Rolls, Just Like They Do In Mumbai!

Aubergine Paratha Wraps. Seasoned & Grilled Aubergine Strips Served Inside Paratha Wraps With A Mint & Yoghurt Sauce. Side Of Turnip Wedges And Salad

Tamarind Spiced Chick Peas & Sourdough Bread. Brown Chickpeas Cooked In A Sticky Tamarind And Date Sauce, Spiced With Chilli Flakes And Paprika, Served On Greek Yoghurt Along With Warm Sourdough Bread. (V)

Paneer Masala Burger. Spiced, Grated Paneer Is Filled In A Soft Bun With Onions, Lettuce And Green Mint Chutney. Served With A Side Of Cassava Fries. (V)

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Rajma Chawal. Classic North-Indian Inspired Red Kidneys Beans Curry with warm naan and basmati rice

Jackfruit Berry Pulao. Inspired By The Farsi Rice Dishes Of Mumbai, This Dish Sees Cooked Jackfruit Topped With Saffron Rice, Sweet Berries And Fried Onion. (Ve)

Spicy Potato Biryani. A Recipe Created By Dad, Masala Potatoes Are Slow Cooked In Pureed Tomatoes And Cooked In Layers Of Rice. (Ve)

Sri Lankan Tadka Dal. A Recipe Shared By A Friend From Sri Lanka, This Dish Is Made With Red Lentils, Onions And Coconut Milk. Finished With A Curry Leaf Temper And Served With Warm Rice. (Ve)

Gujarati Undhiyu (A Green Shaak Or Curry Made Of Over 40 Ingredients)

Paneer Butter Masala. Classic slow cooked Paneer butter masala served with warm naan

Palaak Paneer. My personal take on a classic palak paneer, finished with spinach, cooked in an onion and tomato gravy. Served with warm naan

DESSERT

All inclusive

Gajjar No Halwo With Vanilla Ice Cream, finished with a cardamom cream and pistachio sable

Fruit Crumble With A Saffron Cream (Classic British Fruit Crumble With A Cinnamon And Oat Topping, Served With Saffron Infused Cream) (V)

Gulab Jamun & ice cream. Warm milk powder balls dipped in sugar syrup served with a choice of ice cream flavours. (V or Ve)

Dirty Chai Cake. Masala Chai Flavoured Sponge With A Coffee Cream Finish

Vegan Srikhand With Oat Crumble (Classic Hung Curd Dish Made With Coconut Yoghurt, Infused With Saffron, Sugar And Cardamom Syrup, Served With A Buttery Pistachio Crumble)

Ras Malai. Firm cottage cheese discs served in saffron infused sweet milk

Srikhand With Pistachio Crumble (Classic Hung Curd Dish Infused With Saffron, Sugar And Cardamom Syrup, Served With A Buttery Pistachio Crumble)

Vegans Love Italian food!

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Creamed Mushroom Crostini. Crispy crostini toast topped with a garlic & parsley vegan creamy mushroom topping

Bruschetta. Toasted sour dough bread is topped with chopped tomatoes, seasoned with basil & olive oil

Minestrone soup. Heart-warming soup filled with chunky vegetables, pasta, and white beans in a rich tomato broth

Eggplant Love: Baked eggplant topped with a rich tomato sauce and vegan cheese. A sort of mini eggplant parmesan!

Panelle: Chickpea fritters, deep-fried and finished with a rosemary salt sprinkle. Served with a roasted tomato & garlic dip

Olive & Cherry Tomato Focaccia. Classic focaccia bread, baked with olives & cherry tomatoes. Served with olive oil & balsamic vinegar for sweeping it all up!

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

These are the side dishes

Roasted potatoes. Boiled and roasted potatoes seasoned with a rosemary, olive oil dressing

Grilled greens. Broccoli or Asparagus (seasonal based) grilled and finished with a balsamic glaze reduction

Rocket salad. Tomatoes, rocket salad leaves finished with a balsamic glaze reduction & olive oil

Green salad. Green peppers, spinach, Romaine lettuce leaves dressed with lemon, pepper and olive oil dressing

Mixed bean salad. White beans, red kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans all mixed with finely chopped red and green peppers, finished with a herby vinaigrette dressing

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Arrabiata: Classic spicy sauce made from garlic, tomatoes, and dried red chili peppers cooked in olive oil. Type of pasta options available, including gluten free

Truffled Mushroom: A creamy mushroom sauce, cooked in a mellow truffled olive oil. Finished with parsley. Type of pasta options available, including gluten free

Rich & roasted: A personal favourite, made of roasted peppers, onions, plum tomatoes and garlic. These are then pureed and seasoned, made with pasta of your choice

Wholesome Vegetables: A cross between a minestrone soup, but with a richer sauce. Seasonal vegetables are slow cooked and mixed with a plum tomato, herb and garlic sauce. Finished with vegan cheese. Made with Conchiglioni shells

Cannelloni. Spinach & vegan Ricotta filled pasta is baked in a rich marinara sauce, topped with a vegan béchamel & cheese for the perfect bake

Vegetable Lasagne. Classic lasagne, made with seasonal vegetables, cooked in a rich tomato sauce, layered between pasta sheets and vegan béchamel sauce

Spinach & Ricotta Lasagne. Cooked spinach & vegan ricotta filling between layers of pasta sheets, red marinara sauce and vegan béchamel

DESSERT

All inclusive

Pistachio Tiramisù. Classic tiramisu reimagined with vegan pistachio cream

Dirty Chocolate cake. A rich chocolate cake, topped with a coffee cream

Chai Affogato. Imagine Masala chai flavoured ice cream, in an espresso shot

Mixed fruit bake. Baked seasonal fruits topped with cinnamon, served with vegan greek yoghurt

Sorbet. A range of fruit sorbet options to choose from

Pan-Asian Menu

STARTER

All inclusive

Oyster Mushroom Satay. Indonesian-inspired sesame and chilli oyster mushroom satay skewers with a peanut sauce. (Ve)

Chilli Paneer. Indo-Chinese cottage cheese stir-fry with a sticky and spicy sauce, finished with fresh spring onion and coriander garnish

Miso Aubergine Lettuce Wraps. Aubergines cooked in a miso dressing, served in lettuce leaves

Tofu, Leek & Chive Dumplings. Tofu, leek and chive dumplings, steamed and pan-fried. Served with a sweet and spicy soy sauce. (V or Ve)

Mushroom, Onion & Basil Dumplings. Minced mushroom, onion and basil dumplings steamed and pan-fried. Served with soy sauce. (V or Ve)

Sweet-corn fritters. Classic Thai-inspired sweet-corn fritters served with a sweet and spicy sticky sauce

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

The Green Bowl. Rice noodles served with marinated and grilled tofu bites, edamame, cucumber, sprouted mung beans, spring onion greens and a refreshing soy & sesame dressing. (V or Ve)

The Hearty Bowl. Rice or flour noodles served with miso aubergine, edamame, red and green peppers, pickled onions and cabbage with a citrus and spicy dressing. (V or Ve)

The Protein Bowl. Quinoa bowl with sweet & sticky tofu, peas, edamame, pickled onions & cucumber, topped with plenty of fresh herbs & salad with crushed nuts. Finished with a peanut & sesame dressing. (V or Ve)

Singapore Laksa. Rice noodles topped with a spiced coconut broth with aubergine, tofu & fresh herbs. Garnished with coriander & spring onions. (V or Ve)

Warming Red Curry & Noodles. Rich Thai-inspired red curry coconut broth with tofu, pak choi, courgette & fresh herbs. Garnished with coriander & red chillies. (V or Ve)

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Thai Red Curry. Classic Thai Red Curry with a rich coconut cream served with jasmine rice. (V or Ve)

Thai Green Curry. Classic Thai Green Curry with a rich coconut cream served with jasmine rice. (V or Ve)

Sweet and Sticky Tofu. Fried tofu cooked in a sweet and sticky soy sauce, served with jasmine rice. (V or Ve)

Miso Aubergine. Grilled and marinated miso aubergine topped with spring onions, served with jasmine rice. (V or Ve)

Chilli Paneer. Spicy soy & tomato sauce cooked with grilled cottage cheese chunks, served with jasmine rice. (V)

DESSERT

All inclusive

Coconut Tapioca. Tapioca balls cooked in sweet Coconut milk with a slight saffron seasoning. Topped with seasonal fruit. Optional to be served warm or cold. (Ve)

Rose Chia Cheesecake. Chia base with rose cream cheese cake, topped with seasonal berries. (V)

Black Sesame Cake. Soft spongey black sesame cake with a cream cheese topping. (V)

Masala Chai Cake. Soft masala chai cake with a cardamom syrup topping and fresh seasonal fruit. (Ve)

Gulab Jamun & ice cream. Warm milk powder balls dipped in sugar syrup served with a choice of ice cream flavours. (V or Ve)

Fusion Party Platter

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Gujarati Steamed Dhokla. Rice, Chickpeas And Lentils Are Soaked And Fermented, Ground Into A Smooth Mixture, That Is Steamed. Finished With A Curry Leaf & Sesame Seed Temper. (V, Contains Diary)

Bateta Vada & Two Chutneys. Classic Mashed Potato Fritters With A Gram Flour Coating, Served With A Sweet/Tangy Chutney And A Spicy Green Chutney. (Ve)

Pav Bhaji Bites. Bite-size take on the classic Bombay Street Food. (V Or Ve)

Vada Pav: Spiced Potato Fritter With Gram Flour Coating Served Mumbai Style In A Bread Roll, finished with a Sweet/Tangy Chutney and a Spicy Green Chutney. (Ve)

Chilli Mogo Skewers. Cassava Fries Seasoned With Ginger, Lemon And Chilli Flakes. (Ve)

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Roasted red pepper & hummus Sandwiches. Finger sandwiches with a roasted red pepper and hummus filling. (Ve)

Cucumber & Cream Sandwiches. Finely sliced cucumber and cream cheese finger sandwiches. (V)

Bombay Sandwiches. Bombay-style grilled sandwiches filled with potatoes, tomatoes, green chutney & cheddar cheese. (V)

Halloumi & Courgette Fritters. Mediterranean inspired fritters with halloumi & courgette

MAIN COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Poha. Flattened rice is stir-fried with red onions, mustard seeds and coriander. Moreish, warm classic breakfast bowl

Orange & tomato salad. Slightly warm orange and tomatoes, finished with pink peppercorn dressing

Sprouted Mung Bean Salad. Sprouted Green Mung with Peppers, Tomatoes, Pickled Onions

Stir-Fried Greens With Pickle Oil Dressing. Stir-Fried Seasonal Greens Are Finished With A Mustard Infused Oil Usually Found In Pickles Or Achar. (Ve)

Chilli & Lemon Asparagus (If In Season) Asparagus Is Grilled And Finished With A Dressing Of Fresh Lemon Juice & Chilli Flakes. (V)

Cous cous Salad. Giant cous cous with parsley, red peppers and a citrus and garlic dressing

Orzo Pasta Salad. Orzo pasta seasoned with a moreish vinaigrette dressing

Mixed bean salad. White beans, red kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans all mixed with finely chopped red and green peppers, finished with a herby vinaigrette dressing

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Mixed fruit bake. Baked seasonal fruits topped with cinnamon, served with vegan greek yoghurt

Gajjar No Halwo With Vanilla Ice Cream, finished with a cardamom cream and pistachio sable

Fruit Crumble With A Saffron Cream (Classic British Fruit Crumble With A Cinnamon And Oat Topping, Served With Saffron Infused Cream) (V)

Saffron & Pistachio Trifle. Layers Of Saffron Sponge With Pistachio Cream Filling

Srikhand With Pistachio Crumble (Classic Hung Curd Dish Infused With Saffron, Sugar And Cardamom Syrup, Served With A Buttery Pistachio Crumble)

Black Sesame Cake. Soft spongey black sesame cake with a cream cheese topping. (V)