Chef Aarti Sequeira on the Spirit of Food, Bridging Traditions and Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

From Food Network Host to Cookbook Author, Meet Food Personality Aarti Sequeira

Name: Aarti Sequeira
Job Title: Food Personality, Journalist, Cookbook Author Chef Aarti Sequeira

Credit: Stephanie Todaro

It’s no secret that Aarti Sequeira has made a multi-faceted name for herself. Some of her titles include reality competition show winner, cooking show host, cookbook author, food personality, former producer and journalist—and on top of all that, she’s also a wife and mom. As a third-culture kid, it’s not surprising that Sequeira has a gift for juggling these identities, but her upbringing has also given her a special perspective on the relationship between home, culture and family recipes. Chef Aarti Sequeira

Long before becoming a Food Network mainstay or a cook, Sequeira had a special relationship with food. Born in India, raised in Dubai and taught in a British school, her palate wove an intricate, multicultural tapestry that celebrated food. “Cooking is such a huge part of my family’s identity,” Sequeira explains.

“It was really tied into a reminder of where we came from. [It was] how we lived every day, how we celebrated things, how we went through things and how we stayed connected to our roots.”

After finishing school and witnessing the Gulf War in the early ’90s, Sequeira discovered a deep passion for journalism. She went on to study at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, sharpening her skills and focus. Her career led her to CNN as a journalist, then to HBO as a producer for Sand and Sorrow. The documentary covered the genocide in Darfur, reflecting her commitment to telling powerful, world-changing stories.

Then in her early 30s, Sequeira’s life began to shift gears. “I had gotten married and moved in with my husband, and I was unemployed. That’s when I really started cooking,” she says. Chef Aarti Sequeira

After interning with James Beard Award-winner Suzanne Goin at Lucques, Sequeira started her own cooking vlog called Aarti Paarti. Encouraged by her husband, she auditioned for season six of Food Network Star and went on to win the competition. She has since become a television personality, sharing her recipes and warmth with viewers across multiple Food Network programs. Since then, she’s become a beloved TV personality, bringing heart, flavor, and fun to every screen she’s on. “It’s extraordinary,” she beams. “I can’t say it’s been a dream come true because I don’t think I ever dared to dream that this could happen.”

Credit: Matt Armendariz

Despite all her accomplishments, Sequeira has experienced her fair share of self-doubt. “I have always really struggled with imposter syndrome,” she shares. “That’s because I didn’t go to culinary school, and I didn’t work in restaurants for years. So when I started making these cooking videos, it was almost like an experiment—I was doing it because something in me was compelling me to do it,” Sequeira continues.

‘“I remember the first time that someone hired me to make cooking videos; there were cameras in my tiny little studio apartment in LA, and [I thought], ‘Oh my gosh. I’m getting paid to do this. Maybe this is something that God’s made me to do.’ I think that was the first moment where I thought, ‘It doesn’t matter what I think is the right way to go about things.’ I think that this is something that’s been ordained for me, and I just have to trust that.” Chef Aarti Sequeira

Trusting herself and having faith have served Sequeira well; she’s amassed an impressive stack of professional triumphs. Among them: hosting “Aarti Party” and “Hidden Eats,” winning “Chopped All-Stars,” “Cutthroat Kitchen All-Stars” and “Guy’s Grocery Games” as well as creating her own cookbook (with a second one on the way soon!). Chef Aarti Sequeira

Though her career moves fast and keeps her on her toes, Sequeira never forgets what food means at her core—connection. For her, food is about coming together. It’s about moments that stick, like her grandmother winking over freshly churned butter. Or sharing granola with her husband and eldest after a hot swim—simple joys that turn into lasting memories. Even in the whirlwind of success, those quiet, flavorful moments remain the most meaningful to her.

Sequeira sees food as a vehicle for connection—not only across cultures but across generations. Now, as a mom to her own multicultural kids, Sequeira feels even more driven to preserve cherished family recipes. She’s passionate about passing down traditions and helping others do the same through meaningful, shared food experiences. Inspired by her mom’s and her own recipe journals, she created a Family Recipe Journal for others to document their stories. It’s a way to capture the flavors, memories, and traditions that make every home kitchen one-of-a-kind.

“These recipes connect us to our family, whether we’re sitting at the table eating with them or not, whether they’re with us or they’ve passed, whether we knew them or we didn’t,”

Sequeira notes, adding that one of her daughters is already interested in filling the recipe journal with her own creations.

“Food is unbelievably powerful. It’s one of the few things that can really connect us across time and space,” Sequeira says. “When we eat together, we are not in our heads at all. It’s a really visceral, soulful experience.”

Chef Aarti Sequeira

Aarti Sequeira
@aartipaartipics

Jordan Nishkian

Writer | Website | + posts

Born and raised near the Pacific Coast, Jordan Nishkian is a California girl through and through. She graduated from Cal State Long Beach with a BA in Creative Writing and a BA in Anthropology, and her favorite place to be is curled up in a comfy chair with a book in her hand and a pen in her hair.