Smitha

Teaches at The League of Kitchens

Smitha was born in Hubli, the second largest city in the Indian state of Karnataka. Hubli is located in the northern part of Karnataka, which is located in the southwest of India. Due to her father's work, Smitha spent much of her childhood living in different parts of the country and poking around her neighbors' and friends' kitchens. However, the dishes she craves and now cooks everyday are the ones she saw her mother, grandmother, and aunts make at home. Each woman that passed through her family's kitchen taught Smitha a different cooking skill, as well as her special take on traditional dishes. Smitha continued to learn and seek out these communal cooking sessions while studying in Bijapur by frequently visiting her dad's sister who lived close by. She's been cooking the unique cuisine of North Karnataka for herself and everyone around her ever since and has even surpassed her mother as the roti master of the family. Smitha moved to the US in 2013, and has been working full time as a software engineer. She now spends her time enjoying newlywed life in LA while exploring different culturally specific supermarkets and hiking trails with her husband.