Check Out Nikita Bhuyan’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikita Bhuyan.

Hi Nikita, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Some of my fondest childhood memories include visits to see my grandmother in the village of Assam, India. I vividly remember how she would cook “dal bhat” every time I was hungry or upset: the loving meal relieved my distress. Today, this simple dish of lentils and rice remains my comfort food and I recreate it to remind myself of my roots. When my family immigrated to the United States in 1998, my mother had no job and my father was going to school; we quickly learned to adapt to a low-income lifestyle. My parents designated money strictly for everyday staples of rice, lentils, and beans. We ate simple foods daily but my mother would flavor them with common spices that have been used for hundreds of years in Indian cooking. Turmeric, holy basil and cumin were just a few spices that my mother and grandmother kept in their spice drawers. They both worked their magic by adding these spices to our staple foods, transforming them into gourmet meals. As a little girl I never understood how the seemingly ordinary spices transformed our meals. I would peer into the kitchen while my mother or grandmother cooked and ask them how the spices worked. I had an insatiable craving for further knowledge.

Fortunately, I grew up in a time where search engines were at the tip of my fingertips. Through research, I familiarized myself with these spices and other indigenous foods that were so commonly used by my family. I began to learn the healing benefits of spices and how they could treat abnormalities like inflammation, blood sugar and digestion. It then made sense to me why my grandmother stewed raw papaya with turmeric when my stomach was upset. These ingredients reduce inflammation and the enzymes facilitate digestion. From an early age, I would also watch cooking and baking shows religiously. Julia Chid became my best friend. What started as a curiosity about the value of common spices and vegetables later sparked my interest in cooking, baking and dietetics and nutrition. Now as a soon to be Registered Dietitian, I share my passion for baking, healthy cooking and developing budget friendly meals through my Instagram and manage my small business of catering cakes and other baked goods. Through advertising, word of mouth and consistently posting on social media platforms, I am blessed to be surrounded by a community to support my local business. Although we are all facing challenging times in our lives right now, I am thankful that family, friends and locals are choosing to support local businesses like mine so that I am able to share a warm hug in the form of a sweet treat.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As a daughter of an immigrant family, growing up had its challenges. My father was completing his PhD at Kansas State University while my mother raised me. Sometimes, it was difficult to afford the foods that I would see children my age would eat at school due to my families income status at the time. As a result, from a young age I was taught the importance of utilizing simple and affordable ingredients to cook a well-balanced and nutritious meal. With this tactic in mind, it has helped me to develop recipes that utilize ingredients that are accessible and that are of low-cost. In order to keep costs low, I have never enrolled into any formal practice to teach myself skills in the kitchen. With the support of my family and friends, I am thankful that I have been able to build a small business from the ground up. The desserts and meals I create have all been developed through self-teach and several how-to videos from YouTube!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Within the past two years, I have been decorating cakes, cupcakes and baking other desserts to serve to the Phoenix community. Several of my desserts combine flavors from India. One of my signature desserts is a “rasmalai cake”. “Rasmalai” is a popular Indian dessert that is made from a firm cheese that is soaked in a thick, sweet and spiced milk. Fusing Indian flavors with Western desserts have gained popularity amongst Phoenix residents. Due to COVID-19, several families have cut down on family gatherings however I have noticed that families have continued to order baked goods to enjoy with their immediate families. When a client has vision in mind for a cake that they would like to order, my goal is to make it come to life by dedicating my time and passion into the cake.

What were you like growing up?
I remember that as a child, I would get scolded by my mother for always being in the kitchen. I would peak my little head above the counter to watch how my mother would cook meals for my family and I. Unfortunately, my grandparents still live in India. During times of their visit to the US, I would always watch my grandmother cook signature Assamese meals. I would ask her non-stop question after question while only fueled my passion for cooking and baking. Till this day, I still call my grandmother while I cook Assamese meals in order to find out her secret methods to make delicious meals.

Contact Info:

• Email: bhuyannikita@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cookingwithnikitab/