maliha khan
THE LEGACY BEARER
Chef Maliha Khan grew up between two extraordinary culinary worlds.
From her mother, Celebrity Chef Kulsum Begum, she watched recipes that had never been recorded in cookbooks being carefully guarded and prepared within the family. What began as childhood curiosity became a quiet apprenticeship at her mother’s side — learning not only the dishes, but the patience, technique and philosophy behind them.
From her father, Rajkumar Amir Naqi Khan of Basaha Estate, Mahmudabad, came another rich culinary inheritance — the refined traditions of Awadh and Mughal cuisine, shaped by the culture, hospitality and traditions of the Mahmudabad family. The Basaha Estate itself reflects this heritage and describes Rajkumar Amir Naqi Khan as a connoisseur of Mughal cuisine.
Maliha was fortunate to grow up immersed in both traditions — the Salar Jung culinary legacy through her mother, and the Mahmudabad–Awadh culinary heritage through her father.
Over the years, she has mastered the techniques, flavours and sensibilities of both, while developing a culinary voice of her own.
Her journey began independently, through her passion for cooking and hosting. She created intimate home supper clubs first in Mumbai and later in Dubai, building a following through her food and hospitality before many knew her family name.
Today, after years of learning, cooking and preserving these traditions, Maliha steps forward as Executive Chef of The Heirloom Kitchen, joining her mother to bring this extraordinary inheritance into a new venture and its next chapter.
Together, mother and daughter are creating a platform where these culinary traditions can be experienced, shared and faithfully carried forward, while Maliha brings her own perspective and experience to the table.
Two culinary legacies. Two remarkable family traditions.
One chef carrying them forward into a new generation.
Know more about her paternal heritage: