Sumeet Nair, an Economics graduate from Stanford University, has worked in the fashion industry for 20 years. Living on a small farm with his wife and two children, growing organic produce and providing a home to rescued animals, he is an ardent supporter and proponent of artisanal food methods and the preservation of diverse culinary traditions. He has recorded and adapted each of the 150 recipes in this book to fit the needs of the modern-day home cook. A passionate experimental home cook who sources ingredients obsessively and cooks everything from scratch, from traditional hand-ground masalas to rolling out his own fresh pasta, he is a self-taught gourmand.

Meenakshi Meyyappan was born in Bangalore but moved with her family when very young to Colombo in colonial Ceylon. With the outbreak of World War II, she returned to India and continued her education in Bangalore and in Yercaud, going on to graduate from Queen Mary's College, Madras. The daughter of a hospitable family, whose table was renowned for its superb Chettinad fare, Meenakshi married into the MSMM family, which was equally renowned for its food. She then lived between Madras, Karaikudi and Malaysia. When The MSMM family opened The Bangala as Chettinad's first 'heritage hotel', it gave her the natural opportunity to hone and showcase her flair for hospitality and to present and serve the most fabulous food in Chettinad.

Jill Donenfeld has been cooking and travelling professionally since 2000. She is the founder of The Dish's Dish, a weekly home chef service, which operates in New York and Los Angeles, as well as the author of two other cookbooks, Mankafy Sakafo: Delicious Meals from Madagascar and Party Like a Culinista. Jill sees cups full and doors open. She approaches life with a smile and wholehearted laughter. After visiting The Bangala for the first time in January 2011, Jill immediately began planning her return. Her ideal meal at the hotel starts with the Cucumber and Pineapple Salad and follows with Kuzhi Paniyaram, Tomato Chutney, Vegetable Biryani, Pomegranate Thayir Pachadi, Pineapple Curry, Parotta and Chettinad Palakara Podi.

Recognized as a leading contemporary photographer, Rohit spent close to two decades in advertising at JWT before eventually starting his own design and film production company. His solo exhibitions include Wanderlust, Tribute to Raja Ravi Verma, Klimt-The Sequel, Free da! - The Homage, Fine art of Food