Bal Arneson

Bal Arneson is a mother, an author, an educator and an advocate for healthy Indian cooking. Both of her cookbooks, "Everyday Indian" and "Bal's Quick and Healthy Indian" are bestsellers.

She is currently the West Coast correspondent for National Post Appetizer section and she writes monthly recipes for the Province newspaper. She has a Masters Degree in Education and has taught in public schools for more than 7 years. She lives in Vancouver with her daughter and son.

Born in poverty from a village in India with tremendous struggles in her life, today she has earned her Masters Degree in Education, became a celebrity chef, health advocate, and rising media mogul - all while raising her two children. She convinced a publisher to produce her cookbook, and talked her way into bigger and bigger TV deals

With star power, candor, and grace, Bal Arneson traces the unforgettable arc of her life, and draws out pertinent lessons for any audience. She talks about her own story so that others might see themselves in it.

Today, the feisty Bal is an entrepreneur in full command of a growing media empire and - perhaps more importantly - her life's trajectory.

In 2010, her series, Spice Goddess, was launched on the US Cooking Channel and Food Network Canada - the second season began in September 2013 on Food Network.

In 2011, Spice Goddess was nominated for a James Beard Award.

In 2012, Spice Goddess was nominated for the life style category by NAMIC Vision Awards.

Bal has appeared as a Judge on Iron Chef America.

Bal's second cookbook, "Quick and Healthy Indian," won the Asian Cuisin category prize for Canada by the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in 2012.

Bal is also a columnist for Province newspaper, Urbanspoon and National Post.

She is also one of the primary judget for 'Cooking with Fire,' which started nationwide in Canada in October 2012.

REVIEWS:

"Hats off to Bal Arneson, one of our new favorite Indian cookbook authors, for creating such a creamy, savory sauce from a handful of ingredients" -The Washington Post

"Arneson's journey is a classic rags-to-riches tale" -New York Daily News