Shivani Dhamija is the founder of Shivani’s Kitchen, fondly known for its incredibly soft and fresh paneer (Indian cottage cheese) stocked in Walmart, Costco, Sobeys, and Superstore. When Shivani moved to Canada from India in 2011, she struggled to find clean and authentic Indian kitchen staples, so she launched a meal‑delivery service that later evolved into cooking classes and spice blends—quickly becoming a farmers’ market favourite. Since then, Shivani has not only earned the title of the “Spice Queen of Atlantic Canada,” but has also scaled Shivani’s Kitchen to over $1 million in sales.
What first inspired you to become a chef/food entrepreneur, and how has your journey led you to Halifax?
My biggest inspiration has always been my mom. Her entrepreneurship inspired me to start a business. She also cooked innovative dishes, and that drew me toward food.
As for Halifax, I moved here to be with my husband, and I started my food entrepreneurship journey within eight months of landing.
Who were some of your biggest influences, either chefs or family, in shaping your approach to cooking?
My mother, without a doubt. She wasn’t just an entrepreneur; she figured out many healthy cooking alternatives. For her, it was never cooking food traditionally, but actually enjoying the process of cooking. She would make new dishes for us regularly. That inspired me to look at food with a creative lens.
What’s the story behind your venture — how did it come to life?
It all started with my side hustle back in 2012. I was working in customer service at the time and wanted to earn extra money. Then, I noticed that many Indian students coming to Halifax didn’t know how to cook and were desperately looking for home-cooked food. That gap in the market was the real starting point. I opened a Facebook page to offer meal delivery, leaned into digital marketing, and it grew from there. The initial investment was almost nothing — I was only buying groceries. I went from meal delivery to cooking classes to farmers’ market displays and even opening a restaurant. Finally, Shivani’s Kitchen’s paneer and our clean-label sauces resonated the most with our audience and led to our food retail brand.
How does the food culture of Halifax influence your cooking style or menu choices?
It’s not just Halifax but Canada that changed the way I cook. When I was younger and living in India, I didn’t always understand protein or carbs or fully grasp what I was eating. When I moved here, I started noticing the ingredients carefully. The Canadian influence pushed me toward less oil, cleaner ingredients, and more nutritional awareness. That directly shaped my approach to food. My mother also always taught me to be mindful of what goes into food, and moving to Canada made me even more conscious of that.
What’s one local ingredient you can’t live without in your kitchen?
Paneer. Shivani’s Kitchen’s paneer is 100% locally crafted, and I always make sure my kitchen is stocked with it because it’s so versatile.
If someone was visiting Halifax for the first time, what food experience would you insist they try?
I love lobster rolls from Peggy’s Cove. Besides that, I always take people to Score and Hennigar’s Farm Market in Wolfville to give them a full Nova Scotia experience.
What restaurants, cafés, or hidden gems in Halifax do you personally love to eat at when you’re off-duty?
I love Mellow Mug for their coffee. It’s always busy. Wooden Spoon downtown is another one I keep going back to. For ice cream, Dee Dee’s is definitely a favourite.
How do you think the dining scene in Halifax is different from other Canadian cities?
What really sets Halifax apart is the ocean. We’re completely surrounded by it, and that changes the whole experience of dining here. You can sit at the waterfront with a bagel in the morning or have a proper lunch in front of the ocean. That’s not something you get in all other Canadian cities. There’s a relaxed vibe to dining here.
Where do you like to shop for ingredients locally — farmers’ markets, specialty shops, or a particular supplier?
We always source our ingredients from local farmers’ markets, especially when summer is coming up. Their fruits and vegetables taste different and better. Some people may think it’s expensive, but I always say shopping locally is worth it.
Beyond food, what makes Halifax special to you as a place to live and work?
People in Halifax are very friendly, and I don’t say that casually. A big part of why I’ve been successful here is because of the love and support this community has shown me. It’s one of the reasons I never want to leave this place.
What’s next for you and your venture here?
The focus right now is on setting up my own facility so we can produce more and create an increased number of jobs in Nova Scotia. I also want to bring in more local ingredients to launch new products.
