By Sharmila Chand

Chor Bizarre, in collaboration with Heirloom Kitchen, presented ‘The Royal Tables of Hyderabad’, a three-day immersive dining experience celebrating the heirloom recipes of Hyderabad’s noble households.

Celebrity Chef Kulsum Begum, a descendant of the illustrious Salar Jung family of Hyderabad,  brought to the table her personal family recipes. The pop-up was curated by her daughter, Chef Maliha Khan, whose paternal lineage traces back to the Basha Estate, Mahmudabad, lending an authentic and deeply personal interpretation to the cuisine of Hyderabad’s erstwhile royal households.

Thoughtfully Curated Menu

  The  pop-up menu offered guests a rare opportunity to taste some dishes that have seldom been served outside private family kitchens, offering diners in Delhi a genuine window into the flavours of the Nizams’ era for three days only.

There was a balanced well curated set menu – vegetarian and non-vegetarian, each structured across five courses taking diners through a journey of soups, kababs, slow-cooked classics, biryanis and traditional Hyderabadi desserts.

Signature dishes that were hot favourites of guests included Aab Gosht, Mutton Shikampur, Mutton Haleem, Mutton Dum Biryani, Kathal Ka Haleem, Arvi Ka Salan and the classic Khubani Ka Meetha, among others.

A Passionate Chef

For me, it was a delightful afternoon as I got to spend some time chatting with the graceful Chef Maliha Khan who is extremely passionate about being a chef and taking forward the family legacy. She takes her role very seriously and wants to be sincere towards her mission.
“For generations, recipes from Hyderabad noble kitchens were closely guarded, with knowledge of masalas and techniques kept  secret. Now alongwith my mother, we have made it our mission to preserve these recipes, and showcase them to the discerning diners so that they are not forgotten by the new generation and discover the historical stories attached to them,” tells Maliha with a smile.

To Conclude

Designed for connoisseurs of food, heritage and culture, the experience brought together rare recipes, forgotten techniques and generations of culinary tradition, dishes once reserved exclusively for royal families and distinguished guests of the Deccan.

That’s what Chor Bizarre is known for. It brings traditional Indian cuisine to life in a whimsical and eclectic setting, making it a landmark in India’s culinary landscape for over three decades. Established in 1990 at Hotel Broadway, New Delhi, it was India’s first themed restaurant, serving regional Indian fare in a very interesting ‘thieves’ market’ atmosphere, and the first to introduce Kashmiri cuisine beyond the valley. With an extensive menu of regional specialties, including the celebrated ‘Wazwan’ feast, Chor Bizarre preserves authentic flavours while its vibrant, vintage-inspired interiors create an immersive dining experience. As India’s first ISO 9002 certified restaurant, it has earned numerous accolades and continues to enchant diners with its unique blend of nostalgia and culinary excellence.

Heirloom Kitchen – Preserving Culinary Traditions

Heirloom Kitchen is a culinary platform dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich food traditions of India’s royal and aristocratic households. Led by Chefs Kulsum Begum and Maliha Khan, it brings together heirloom recipes, forgotten techniques and culinary traditions passed down through generations, offering a rare and authentic insight into India’s diverse gastronomic heritage.

Sharmila Chand in Conversation with Chef Maliha Khan

# What is your philosophy of cooking?

For me, cooking is about enjoying every moment of the process—every ingredient, every flavour, and every little detail. I like to put a lot of love into what I cook. I feel that food is almost like art; you create something with your hands, but you also put a little bit of yourself into it.

# What do you enjoy most about being a chef?

What I enjoy most is being able to share my family’s food and our culinary legacy with people. These are flavours I have grown up with, so being able to take something so personal and share it with the world is very special to me.

# Which is your favourite ingredient that you like to use most in your cooking, and why?

I don’t think I have one favourite ingredient. I feel every ingredient has its own place and importance, depending on the dish. It is really the way all the ingredients come together that creates the magic, rather than one ingredient standing on its own.

# Which is your favourite spice?

‘Shahjeera’ would probably be my favourite. It is used quite a lot in Hyderabadi cooking, and I love how subtle it is, yet it can completely change the flavour of a dish. It is one of those spices that may not always get the attention it deserves, but it can make such a difference.

# What is the best compliment you have received that you always cherish?

Being compared to my mother is probably the biggest compliment I could ever receive. I have learnt so much of what I know from her, and I have always wanted to follow in her footsteps and take our family’s cuisine forward. So, whenever someone sees a little bit of her in my cooking, it means a lot to me.

# What is your strength that helps you work for long hours in the kitchen?

For me, it is the joy of giving people a good experience. I love serving good food, sharing the stories behind it, and letting people taste the food I have grown up eating. When you see someone genuinely enjoy what you have made, the long hours in the kitchen feel completely worth it.

# What are your dreams as a chef?

My biggest dream is to spread a little joy and happiness through my food, while taking my family’s culinary legacy forward. I also want to travel, meet new people, hear their stories, and share my own journey and dreams with them. I think food has a beautiful way of bringing people together.

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Sharmila Chand is the Consulting Editor