Mrs Balbir Singh

Balwant Kaur, better known by her married name Mrs Balbir Singh (1912 – 1994), was an Indian chef, cookery teacher and cookbook author. Her formal cooking and homemaking classes began in New Delhi in 1955, and her award-winning Mrs Balbir Singh’s Indian Cookery book, was first published in London in 1961 to much acclaim.

Singh was a pioneer in teaching and writing about the art of cookery in India. Chef Simon Majumdar, a judge on the Food Network, has called her the Julia Child of India.

Professional life Balwant Kaur was born in the Punjab to a family of landowners, where she learned to cook from her mother starting at age eight. While attending Panjab University, she met Balbir Singh, whom she later married. She graduated In 1936. Following Partition, the now-married Singhs moved to London, where Dr. Balbir Singh had a research fellowship. She attended a domestic science course on Regent Street, where she realized her love of teaching. She graduated in 1955. Her classes became so popular, that in many circles they were a prerequisite for those considering marriage.

Awards and honours In 1959, Singh was awarded the Indian Council of Agricultural Research's Award in recognition of her work highlighting the benefits of home preservation.

Legacy In 2017, Singh's granddaughter, Pallavi Sitlani, launched a spice company under her grandmother's name.

Works

Mrs. Balbir Singh's Indian Cookery (1961), and subsequent revisions and reprints Continental Cookery for Indian Homes (1994)