Archive · 5 Sep 2026
Chef Vanshika Bhatia’s Kanpur Roots Shape Gram Street Coffee Journey
Vanshika Bhatia is a chef who grew up in Kanpur.
She started cooking when she was 13 years old.
Her family later supported her decision to study cooking professionally.
She attended Le Cordon Bleu and worked in famous kitchens.
She also opened restaurants and a coffee-and-croissant brand called Gram Street Coffee.
Her family’s Bannuwali food uses ingredients carefully because the cuisine grew from times of scarcity.
During lockdown, she wrote down recipes that her family had preserved by memory.
After having a baby, she changed her plans and decided to cook smaller meals for invited guests.
She continues to run Gram Street Coffee while keeping her love of cooking alive.
Vanshika Bhatia’s cooking began at age 13 in Kanpur, when she was asked to prepare dinner for 10 people.
She studied at Le Cordon Bleu in 2012 and later worked at restaurants including Noma, Gaggan, and Omo.
Bhatia documented Bannuwali family recipes during the 2020 lockdown, focusing on resourceful, low-waste cooking.
She opened Gram Street Coffee three months before giving birth and has since launched its second outpost.
After motherhood, she shelved a planned restaurant and began considering small, invite-only meals from her Gurugram kitchen.
- Who
- Chef Vanshika Bhatia, her family, and the Gram Street Coffee team.
- What
- Bhatia’s culinary journey, family cooking traditions, and evolving plans after motherhood are profiled.
- When
- She began cooking at 13, attended Le Cordon Bleu in 2012, documented family recipes in 2020, and opened Gram Street Coffee three months before giving birth.
- Where
- Her story spans Kanpur, Gurugram, and culinary workplaces including Omo and other international kitchens.
- Why
- Her cooking is shaped by family memory, Bannuwali resourcefulness, professional experience, and a desire to balance business with her passion for cooking.
- Early cooking
- Bhatia prepared her first meal for 10 people at age 13 in Kanpur.
- Formal training
- She attended Le Cordon Bleu in 2012.
- Professional experience
- She worked for a decade in highly regarded kitchens, including Noma and Gaggan, and was chef-partner at Omo for three years.
- Family cuisine
- Bhatia’s Bannuwali cooking emphasizes drying, pickling, and using ingredients without waste.
- Recipe documentation
- She began recording Bannuwali family recipes during the 2020 lockdown.
- Gram Street Coffee
- The brand opened three months before Bhatia gave birth and launched its second outpost this week.
- New cooking format
- Bhatia plans small, invite-only tables for five or 10 guests from her Gurugram base kitchen.