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    Our Story

    How a dancer became a chef, and three women's stories became hot sauce.

    Meet Chef Payal "Py"

    I'm Payal, though most people call me Py. I'm an Indian-American who grew up moving between two art forms that share the same DNA: classical Indian dance and Indian cooking.

    Bharatnatyam taught me rhythm, timing, balance, and expression. Cooking taught me the same things through flavor. The moment I realized these were the same discipline practiced in different mediums is the moment Plated by PY was born.

    Photo of Chef PyComing soon

    Growing up, the kitchen was where I learned about love, resilience, and creativity. The women in my life, my mother, grandmother, aunts, taught me that food is more than sustenance. It's memory. It's medicine. It's how we show up for the people we care about.

    I also grew up navigating two worlds: the richness of Indian flavors and the wellness culture of modern America. I was tired of choosing between them. Why couldn't comfort food also fuel your body? Why couldn't bold, indulgent flavors coexist with zero sugar and clean ingredients?

    Dance + Food

    "I approach food the way I approach dance."

    So I created Plated By Py: a space where heritage and wellness don't compromise. Where Indian tradition meets modern nutrition. Where every dish honors the women who made it possible.

    Indian Fusion = Evolved, Not Confused

    When you grow up between two cultures, you don't lose one to gain the other. You evolve. Your palate evolves. Your traditions evolve.

    Indian fusion isn't a dilution of heritage. It's what heritage looks like when it keeps moving, keeps adapting, keeps finding new ways to bring people together.

    I don't choose between daal and mac n cheese. I put chaat masala on both and call it Tuesday.

    That's not confusion. That's evolution.

    Why I Cook

    Every dish I make has to pass three tests.

    नानी

    "What did my Nani make?"

    Every recipe starts with the flavors I grew up with. Bold spices, slow-cooked warmth, the kind of food that tells a story before you take a bite.

    स्वास्थ्य

    "How do I feel after I eat this?"

    I cook food that fuels you. Zero sugar sauces. Balanced macros. Heritage flavors that nourish, because our food was always good for you.

    प्रेम

    "Would I plate this for someone I love?"

    Every dish, every bottle, every private dinner gets the same care. A dancer's precision. A grandmother's generosity. That's the standard.

    The Names Behind the Sauces

    Every bottle tells a story. Every name honors a woman.

    नानी

    Nani

    Grandmother

    The Crescendo

    Hot Chili Garlic Fire

    Nani means grandmother, and this sauce is a love letter to mine. My Nani is the kind of woman who fills a room just by walking into it. Fierce, generous, unapologetically bold. She taught me that food is how you say "I love you" without words.

    This sauce carries that same energy: a garlic-forward heat that doesn't hold back. When I taste it, I'm standing next to her, watching her cook with no measuring cups and total confidence. Nani never needed a recipe. She cooked from memory, from love, from instinct. This one's for her.

    Meet Nani
    रानी

    Rani

    Queen

    The Melody

    Medium Green Chutney

    Rani means queen, and it's the nickname of my mother-in-law, a woman who truly lives up to it. She makes the most incredible green chutney I've ever tasted. The kind that makes you close your eyes and just pause.

    When I married into her family, that chutney was one of the first things that made me feel like I belonged. It was her way of welcoming me in. This sauce is my tribute to her: bright, vibrant, with layers of flavor that unfold the longer you sit with it. Just like her.

    Meet Rani
    दोस्त

    Dost

    Friend

    The Rhythm

    Medium Pineapple Mango

    Dost means friend. And if you look closely at the label, you'll notice two cats, because friendship, like this sauce, is about two things coming together and making each other better.

    Pineapple meets mango. Sweet meets tangy. Playful meets bold. This sauce is for the people who show up for you, the ones who make ordinary Tuesday nights feel like celebrations. Not every sauce needs to be named after family. Some are named after the family you choose.

    Meet Dost

    The Invitation

    What started as recipes shared online grew into a hot sauce line. What started as cooking for friends became private dining experiences. It all comes from the same kitchen, the same philosophy, the same love of flavor in motion.

    This is Plated by PY. And you're invited to the table.

    The Lexicon of Py

    A quick guide to the Indian culinary terms you'll find across our recipes and sauces.

    The sizzle. Hot oil meets whole spices, and everything in the pan wakes up. It's the opening note of most Indian dishes.

    The ultimate "makes everything better" spice blend. Tangy, salty, a little funky. Put it on fruit. Trust me.

    Clarified butter's cooler Indian cousin. Nuttier, richer, and it won't burn when you're cooking hot.

    Turmeric, the golden one. Earthy, warm, and the reason your favorite curry is that color.

    The pillowy, slightly charred flatbread that makes every dish better. Yes, you can make it at home.

    Cool, creamy yogurt mixed with herbs or cucumber. The calm friend that balances every spicy situation.