Chandani Kohli of Biskut Bar On Her Sweet & Savory Biz

MY NAME

Chandani Kaur Kohli

MY HOME BASE

London

MY BIZ

Biskut Bar is the first premium Indian biscuit company taking you on a journey of bold aromatics and Ayurveda in a nuanced third culture curation. As a Punjabi-born American in London, I hold deep food memories in each culture. And as a mom, I feel compelled to connect my children to their Punjabi heritage through food. What I’ve found are profoundly misguided perceptions of flavor and cost of South Asian foods, and I want to rewire these perceptions by offering the best of South Asian spices and ingredients through the playful medium of biscuits. In this intersection of heritage and craft, Biskut Bar is a portal into those food memories and we create a unique assortment of biscuit flavor profiles, while being intentionally mindful of our planet.

WHAT I’m KNOWN FOR

Our signature product is the Indian Afternoon Tea Biskut Tin made up of four biscuit flavors, each delineated with its own unique spice profile and texture. It is a wonderfully playfl and artistic compilation, showcasing a contemporary way to enjoy South Asian flavors and elevating one’s tea and snack ritual.

HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENT FROM OTHERS IN THE SPACE?

In starting Biskut Bar, and as a conscious consumer myself, I wanted to be mindful of the planet and in doing so, I use single origin spices created by using regenerative farming practices, unrefined sugars, and organic ingredients inherent to South Asian diets. And, of course, eco-friendly packaging (plastic-free). Biskut Bar is not just a cookie company—I showcase how spices and herbs that are associated with savory dishes can be used in a sweet biscuit or treat. Our recipes are developed uniquely and meaningfully, as some pay homage to the ancient traditions of Ayurveda (how ingredients are cooked and blended together to aid in digestion, strengthening bones, amongst other things). A spin off this would be our pinni biskut, which is a no-bake health ball, and our vegan turmeric milk, which is a take on Haldi Dudh, a medicinal drink made golden with a potent turmeric blend. It’s been extremely rewarding and fun to tap into my memory bank, travels, and family traditions, and bring them to life in this way for a broader audience to enjoy.

HOW i’m doing

Riding the seasons of life with a fire in my belly.

HOW THE BOMBESQUAD CAN SUPPORT ME

If what I bring to you and your pantry is meaningful, then buying biscuits from our website or any of the wonderful delis that stock Biskut Bar means the world to me. Follow our journey on social media at @biskutbar or simply spread the word. I also write a newsletter with updates on the business and my entrepreneurship journey, which you can subscribe to here.

my SECRET SKILL

My unfaltering intuition.

my MOTTO

I think I was too young to understand Field of Dreams when it came out, but I always remember, “If you build it, they will come.”

MY MOST LOVED COOKBOOKS

There are two that I’m most excited about at the moment. The first is Mother Tongue by Gurdeep Loyal, which is a showcase of unique and nuanced recipes that mesh British and South Asian cuisine. The other is Modern South Asian Kitchen by Sabrina Gidda, which is a deliciously cookable book.

ESSENTIAL KITCHEN TOOLS

My favorite kitchen tool/utensil is my first masala dabba. It is a round steel tin that encloses seven small bowls filled with my most commonly used spices. I purchased it shortly after moving to London from Taj Store on the renowned Brick Lane and it was the point in which my journey into cooking Indian food and my curiosity of spices was fortified.

FAVE THING IN MY PANTRY RIGHT NOW

My mother-in-law’s garam masala, a blended spice mix that she makes in bulk. While I may not be able to make Indian food like her, I get to have a taste of her love through this mix.

squad Shoutout

I love all things that come from Vanessa and Kim Pham, co-founders and sisters of Omsom. Their mission, their content, their food! Secretly, I wish my sister and I could start something together, and I enjoy living vicariously through them and their loud-and-proud brand view!