About
Hi, I’m Dipal.
I grew up in a Gujarati household in Fiji, one of the most genuinely multicultural places on earth. That instinct to cook your way toward something you can’t otherwise reach is what I’ve carried ever since.
Where It Started
Some Sunday mornings meant waking up to the smell of slow-cooked goat curry already two hours in. Our South Indian neighbour used to come over and teach my mum and grandma her version of curry and slowly her recipes became part of ours.
My school tuckshop sold hotdogs next to curries next to Chinese dishes like it was completely unremarkable. Because in Fiji, it was.
How I Learned to Cook
From scratch, not because I was trained to, but because we had to. There were no Italian restaurants in our town. No Mexican ingredients at the supermarket. If we saw something on TV and wanted to taste it, we figured out how to make it at home.
Tortillas from scratch. Bone broth before bone broth was a thing. Stock made on a Sunday afternoon because that was the only way to have soup for dinner.
Where I Am Now
I moved to Brisbane 16 years ago. I work in fintech by day and cook by night. I host themed dinners, cook for a husband with a crustacean allergy and a 10-year-old with very strong opinions, and my weeknight dinners look nothing like my hosting dinners.
I think that’s fine.
Why This Exists
In 2025 I published my first e-book: When I Can’t Go To…Canapés. 12 globally-inspired small bites, all designed to be prepped ahead and shared with people you love. From Prawn Kokoda to Skagen Toast to Golden Masala Lamb Sausage Rolls.
You don’t need a particular background to cook any of this. You just need permission to try.
When I can’t go there, I cook it instead. And you can too.
Welcome to my table. — Dipal x