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Anahita Dhondy Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 28, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth23 May 1991

Age31 Years

BirthplaceDelhi, India

ProfessionChef

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseArush Bhandari

FamilyFather - Navroze Dhondy; Mother - Nilufer Dhondy; Brother - Kurush Dhondy

Anahita Dhondy Biography

Anahita Dhondy is an Indian chef known for championing Parsi cuisine. A Le Cordon Bleu graduate and former chef-partner at SodaBottleOpenerWala, she has a

Early life and background

Anahita Dhondy Bhandari was born on 23 May 1991 in Delhi and raised in a Parsi household that influenced her culinary interests from an early age. She attended Springdales School in Delhi and went on to study hospitality and culinary arts. Her formal training includes a B.A. (Hons.) through the Institute of Hotel Management in Aurangabad and the University of Huddersfield, followed by the Grand Diplôme in Culinary Arts from Le Cordon Bleu in London.

Growing up, Dhondy spent time in the kitchen alongside her mother and other family members, learning traditional Parsi recipes and techniques. Those early experiences shaped her desire to pursue a career as a chef and later to preserve and popularize Parsi food traditions.

Career

Dhondy’s early professional experience includes internships and training positions with prominent hotel groups. She interned with Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces and spent a period with Marriott International. From May 2011 to May 2012 she worked as a kitchen management trainee at Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, gaining hands-on experience in large professional kitchens.

After completing her culinary training in London, Dhondy returned to India and teamed up with restaurateur A.D. Singh in 2013 to launch SodaBottleOpenerWala. She joined the project as chef-manager at age 23 and later became a chef-partner. Her role there involved both menu development and helping to set up and run the business. She also managed outlets for Bombay Irani Café, overseeing seven locations across three cities.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown, Dhondy and her mother began a home-based Parsi kitchen service in Gurugram to deliver home-cooked Parsi food. Positive reception led them to expand delivery into the Delhi NCR region.

In 2022 she partnered with entrepreneur Vishal Anand and Moonshine Food Ventures LLP to open Glasshouse, a 150-seat restaurant at Worldmark in Gurugram, where she was appointed head chef.

Books and media

Dhondy published her first book, Parsi Kitchen: A Memoir of Food and Family, which was released on 25 June 2021. The book collects recipes and stories she gathered during her travels and family research, and Dhondy has described it as a project that took several years to complete and that combines recipes with personal and family narratives.

Her television appearances include participating on MasterChef India in 2016 and returning as a guest chef in 2023 to challenge contestants in a Pressure Test. She also served as a judge on the all-women cooking show Femme Foodies, which aired on Living Foodz in 2017.

Recognition and public speaking

Dhondy has received multiple accolades for her work. She was included on the Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 list in 2019 for contributions to food sustainability and promoting Parsi cuisine. Earlier honours include Condé Nast Traveller’s Innovator of the Year in 2018, recognition as an ‘Indian of the Year’ in the hospitality sector in 2017 while at SodaBottleOpenerWala, and a Times Food Guide & Nightlife Award as a noteworthy newcomer in 2013.

She has represented India at international forums, including speaking at the United Nations in New York in 2018 and participating in the EAT Stockholm Food Forum that same year.

Public profile

Dhondy is vocal about preserving and spreading Parsi culinary traditions. She credits her mother, grandmother, and aunts as her primary teachers and produces social media content, pop-ups, and classes to share recipes and techniques so that Parsi dishes remain in active home kitchens.

Personal life

Anahita Dhondy is married to Arush Bhandari. Her parents are Navroze Dhondy and Nilufer Dhondy; her mother has been active in the kitchen and baking. Dhondy lists non-vegetarian food as her habit and enjoys hobbies such as dancing, reading light fiction, and listening to music.

Latest updates

In 2022 she took on the role of head chef at Glasshouse in Gurugram following the restaurant’s launch. In 2023 she returned to MasterChef India as a guest chef. She continues to work on projects that highlight Parsi food, including recipe videos, pop-ups, and educational activities designed to encourage home cooks to prepare Parsi dishes.
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Recent Work

Parsi Kitchen: A Memoir of Food and Family

A cookbook and memoir compiling Parsi recipes and family stories, published 25 June 2021.

2021
Glasshouse, Worldmark, Gurugram

Appointed head chef at the 150-seat restaurant opened in partnership with Moonshine Food Ventures LLP in 2022.

2022
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Career Highlights

  1. Featured on Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 (2019)
  2. Condé Nast Traveller’s Innovator of the Year (2018)
  3. ‘Indian of the Year’ in hospitality while at SodaBottleOpenerWala (2017)
  4. Times Food Guide & Nightlife Award – Noteworthy Newcomer (2013)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Anahita Dhondy born?

23 May 1991

What is Anahita Dhondy known for?

Chef

What is Anahita Dhondy’s marital status?

Married

Who is Anahita Dhondy married to?

Arush Bhandari