Hit new restaurant Darjeeling Express sign with Pavilion Books

Pavilion Books’ Commissioning Editor Stephanie Milner acquired world rights to Darjeeling Express: Indian home cooking to nourish the soul restaurant owner Asma Khan’s debut book from Rachel Conway at Georgina Capel Associates.

Darjeeling Express began life as a successful supper club and opened its doors as a restaurant in popular foodie destination Kingly Court, Soho London, in June 2017. Its all-woman kitchen quickly gained popular and critical attention and Asma’s work here and as founder of the Second Daughters charity is highly regarded by the food fraternity. Of her supperclub, Tom Parker-Bowles in the Daily Mail said, “This is serious Indian cooking… If the devil is in the detail, then this kitchen is diabolically blessed.” While London Evening Standard’s restaurant critic Grace Dent says, “Asma is a force of nature: bold, funny, talented, philanthropic and unstoppable.”

Asma Khan commented: “I was taught to cook by my mother and aunts with affection, humour, stories and most importantly love. In my first meeting with Pavilion they totally got what I wanted – to write a cookbook that would be written in the same way, as a conversation between me and the person using the book. I am absolutely delighted to finally put in writing the recipes that have stayed unwritten in my family for generations.”

The new book Darjeeling Express pays homage to Asma’s royal Mughal ancestry and the busy streets of Calcutta, where she grew up. The recipes celebrate the joy of cooking, serving food at home, and feasting with family and friends. It will publish in October 2018 in hardback, RRP £18.99.