Romy Gill on regional Indian cuisine, plus her love of cheese on toast

Her latest book, Romy Gill’s India, highlights the foods from her childhood, focusing on Punjab and West Bengal. She recalls how, growing up in a Punjabi household in Bengal, she was always surrounded by different culinary influences.

“The Punjabi food is very, very different to Bengali food,” she says. “Punjabis eat a lot of pulses, beans and flatbreads, while in Bengal it’s more about fish and rice. I loved fish, so I would go to my friend’s house and say, ‘My mum hasn’t fed me’, just so I could eat their food, too.”

Adapting to British food and making it her own

When Romy first moved to the UK in her twenties, she found the food culture quite different from what she was used to.

“You leave your family, your friends, the language you speak and the food you grew up with,” she reflects. “I remember walking into a supermarket and seeing 20 or 30 different types of yogurt – I’d never seen anything like that in my life.”

British food, she says, was an adjustment. “If you think about shepherd’s pie, cottage pie, casseroles – they don’t have the heat or the warmth of flavours I was used to. But I also wanted to learn. As a creative person, you have to understand that food is subjective.”

She quickly found ways to incorporate Indian flavours into British staples.

“For fish and chips, I always give a little twist to it. I’ll marinate the fish with some spices before dipping it in the batter. Seasoning is key, whether it’s salt, spices or herbs.”

A lifelong love of storytelling through food

For Romy, food is about more than just recipes – it’s about telling stories. “I love writing like that,” she says. “I think I’m a good storyteller. It gives people a little bit of insight into who I am and where I’ve come from.”

Her books include personal anecdotes alongside her recipes, sharing memories of childhood, family and the people who influenced her cooking. Whether it’s a Dundee cake inspired by Bengal’s Anglo-Indian community, or a recipe from a friend’s mother, each dish is tied to a moment in her life.

“Food brings people together. When you travel you learn so much about a culture, its traditions and its food. Even within the UK every region has its own specialities, just like in India.”

The ultimate comfort food

Despite her deep knowledge of spices and complex dishes, Romy’s ultimate go-to comfort food is simple: cheese on toast with a cup of chai.

“This is no joke,” she laughs. “It has to be a really nice white bread – no brown bread for me. Sometimes I add a little bit of rose harissa or some chilli flakes. And always with a cup of chai. Nothing else.”

It’s a dish she turns to when she’s exhausted and doesn’t want to cook.

“Sometimes, I also have an apple on the side. I don’t know why but, in my head, cheese and apple just work really well together.”

So, what does good food mean to Romy?

“Good food has always been a home away from home,” she says. “Wherever I go, if someone has cooked for me, I feel at home. It gives me warmth and pleasure.”