Meet the Women Putting India on the Artisanal Food Map

As highlighted in the Global Trends Forecast Report (GTFR) 2024, women are making their mark in every corner of the culinary world—whether as chefs, food entrepreneurs, or keepers of regional traditions. Their influence extends beyond restaurant kitchens, reaching into the world of small-batch, handcrafted foods. Among them are three artisans—Sheetal Saxena, Mausam Narang, and Sambhavi Joshi—who are bringing Indian ingredients, age-old techniques, and global inspirations together to create something truly special. From bean-to-bar chocolates and award-winning cheese to handcrafted pasta, their work is putting India’s artisanal foods on the global map.

Sheetal Saxena – The banker-turned-chocolatier behind Colocal

Leaving behind a career in banking, Sheetal Saxena found her true calling in the art of chocolate-making. What started as an interest after her marriage in 2018 soon turned into Colocal, India’s first live bean-to-bar chocolate factory, which she co-founded in 2020. The brand was born from a desire to elevate Indian cacao farmers and redefine chocolate indulgence.

Sourcing cacao from the southern states of India, Colocal crafts premium artisanal chocolates, offering rich, bold flavours that highlight the uniqueness of home-grown beans. Today, Sheetal’s venture has grown into a food empire that includes PS Cheese and a rustic South Indian cuisine brand, Athyeka. With Colocal leading the way, she continues to champion Indian cacao on the world stage, proving that artisanal chocolates made in India can stand tall among the best.

Mausam Narang – Bringing India to the world cheese map with Eleftheria

Cheese-making is an intricate craft, and Mausam Narang has mastered it with passion and dedication. She fell in love with cheese during her time in Germany and the UK, where she studied and lived. Inspired by Europe’s rich cheese culture, she started experimenting on her own, eventually launching Eleftheria Cheese in Mumbai in 2015.

From being a self-taught cheesemaker to winning accolades at the World Cheese Awards in Norway (2023), Mausam has taken Indian artisanal cheese global. Her creations, including the award-winning Medallion Goat Milk Fetta and Konark French Tomme-Style Cheese, showcase the perfect balance of tradition and innovation. Eleftheria sources high-quality milk from family-run farms in Maharashtra and also offers cultured butters, handcrafted cheese boards, and premium cheese accompaniments. Mausam is also committed to empowering women, with a large, all-women team at her dairy, proving that great cheese—and great leadership—begins at home.

Sambhavi Joshi – Reviving the art of handmade pasta with Casarecce

For Sambhavi Joshi, artisanal pasta is more than just food—it’s a craft. Her journey began at Le Cirque, New Delhi, where she developed a deep appreciation for handcrafted, authentic pasta. A year of studying culinary management in Paris, combined with hands-on training with traditional Italian pasta-makers, cemented her dream of introducing real, handmade pasta to India.

Thus, Casarecce was born—named after the Italian word for “homemade.” Sambhavi’s brand blends traditional pasta-making techniques with Indian grains, creating unique shapes and textures that celebrate both Italian heritage and local ingredients. Whether it’s a classic fettuccine or an experimental global fusion, Casarecce brings a restaurant-quality pasta experience to Indian kitchens.

These three women are amongst the many women pioneers in India’s artisanal food movement. Through their work, they are bringing local ingredients to global recognition, reviving lost traditions, and inspiring a new generation of food lovers. As the spotlight shines brighter on women in food, their journeys remind us that luxury isn’t just about price—it’s about passion, craft, and authenticity.