Photo: Chef Steven Heap, Taste Asia cover personality and recipient of the Flavours of Asia Award, reflects on more than three decades of cooking, travelling, teaching and learning.
From Indian Kitchens To Nearly 70 Countries
The acclaimed British chef, author and culinary educator takes centre stage in Taste Asia with an exclusive interview exploring more than three decades of cooking, global travel, Indian cuisine and the enduring power of simplicity.
C hef Steven Heap has been featured on the cover of Taste Asia magazine, marking a significant editorial recognition of a career shaped by culinary craftsmanship, education, cultural curiosity and a profound respect for South Asian cuisine.
Alongside his cover appearance, Heap has also been honoured with the magazine’s Flavours of Asia Award, recognising his contribution to the promotion, understanding and appreciation of Asian culinary traditions.
Taste Asia is available in print across more than 190 countries and through over 40,000 platforms and distribution networks, giving the cover feature an international audience and placing Heap’s story before readers around the world.
In an extensive exclusive interview, Heap reflects on a culinary journey that began when he entered an Indian restaurant kitchen at just 14. More than three decades later, that early experience has developed into a career encompassing professional kitchens, private dining, cookery education, international competitions, publishing and global travel.
Having visited almost 70 countries, Heap speaks passionately about learning from traditional cooks, preserving culinary heritage and recognising that some of the greatest food is built not around unnecessary complication, but around technique, ingredients, consistency and respect for tradition.
His relationship with Indian cuisine remains particularly important. Heap has written 10 books on Indian cooking and continues to champion accessible culinary education, while his involvement with the preservation of the Birmingham Balti reflects his belief that food can carry the history and identity of a place.
His career has also taken him into demanding touring environments, cooking for internationally recognised artists including Sting, Wiz Khalifa, Paramore and A$AP Rocky. Yet throughout the interview, Heap repeatedly returns to the fundamentals of cooking: confidence, discipline, generosity and simplicity.
“Steven Heap represents exactly the kind of notable culinary figure we believe deserves a wider platform,” said an editor at Taste Asia. “We feature chefs whose work goes beyond individual dishes — people who contribute knowledge, preserve culinary culture
