Welcome to Empress Market

I’m Numra, a British-Pakistani chef and the founder of Empress Market, a desi catering company. Welcome to my monthly newsletter, where I’ll be sharing recipes and stories, rooted in my Pakistani and Indian heritage, along with my love for international cuisines.

When I started Empress Market, initially as a street food stall called Bun Kabab, serving the famous ‘anday wala’ Karachi style burger, I wanted to share my experience as a multicultural Londoner. I went on to consulting for some of London’s leading catering companies, attending residencies in the UK and abroad, and I have shared kitchens with some of the best chefs out there, including Noor Murad of Ottolenghi’s kitchen, Georgina Hayden, Anna Haugh and Clodagh McKenna. Today, at Empress Market, I host supper clubs, weddings and private parties. 

In my kitchen, whether it’s in my South London home or at a venue where I’m catering, hospitality has always been about more than food, but an expression of who and where I wish to be in the world. Storytelling is at the origin of every menu I cater and at the heart of every meal I cook, and I hope you’ll welcome this newsletter as an invitation to sit at my table. 

Here is what you can expect from the Empress Market newsletter: 

• Seasonal themes, starting this autumn with ‘The Perfect Bite’ 

• Monthly recipes and behind-the-scene stories

• Desi chef’s tips courtesy of my mum! 

And remember to follow me on Instagram, where I’ll be sharing visual tools to make the recipes published here on Substack.