Hey there!
I'm Riz. I'm the voice, recipe developer, and photographer behind Chocolates & Chai. I relate to people who love, think, and speak from the stomach. And I'd love for us to be friends. Good friends. Best friends, even! Okay, bestie?
I live in Toronto, Canada though I've grown up all over the world - I was born in the Middle East (though my background is actually Indian-Bengali), I studied in England and France, worked in the Middle East again, and then immigrated to Canada in 2013. Yeah, I'm a little confused about where I'm fromโฆbut let's not let that get between us!
You'll relate to me if you value a good homecooked meal, enjoy a bit of witty repartee, and can appreciate an eggcellent pun.
I'm the type of person that wonders, if it could, would food write about itself? Would it be vain, talking about how delicious and in demand it is? Or would it be introspective, reflecting on its short lifespan in the space between plates and mouths? Perhaps we’d advise food to find a creative outlet, maybe talk to a professional about its thoughts?
Maybe that's a little what this blog is like too.
For phyllo lovers!
Pastilla
A sweet and savory Moroccan Chicken Pie that you’ve just got to try!
Tell me about the blog already!
Okay, okay! Chocolates & Chai is a food blog for lovers of comfort food, dessert, and brunch. Inspired by international cuisine, the blog is all about finding the love and the story behind every meal.
I started Chocolates & Chai in 2015 as a way of sharing recipes with my friends and family around the world. And I feel very lucky to now be able to share it with you too!
Oh, and see the owl up top? โฆRight up in my logoโฆthat's Hootie. He's always sleepy, and occasionally a tad bit grumpy (like me! Just kidding, I'm like a ray of sunshine. You'll love me!). His proper name is Hoot Daddy becauseโฆwell, because I make bad decisions sometimes. So, we'll just call him Hootie. Cool? Cool.
One of my personal favorites!
Lemon Mascarpone Pancakes
Teaser text for your recipe.
My food philosophy:
Delicious. Simple. Easy on the eyes.
That is, I will only ever give you delicious recipes that I've tested over and over again. If I can make them healthy at the same time, that'll be a bonus. But my focus is on good ol' fashioned wholesome flavours. I like cooking the type of meal that people keep talking about for years to come (you know, in a good way!). And I love sharing my recipes so you can too!
I think there's a beauty to simplicity. That's why I opt for a simple approach to the kitchen whenever possible. My recipes are easy, and avoid using difficult to obtain ingredients and equipment. I want you to be able to cook with as little fuss as possible.
Easy on the eyes - Let's cook that showstopper of a meal together! I believe in authentic representations of food and recipes. Everything you see here is natural, honest-to-goodness, homecooked deliciousness. No crazy food styling tricks, none of those gross sprays that make things look better (while rendering them completely inedible). Food is beautiful, naturally.
Heck, the vast majority of my photos are shot in natural light. And if I can make beautiful food in my teeny tiny condo kitchen, you can too bestie. (After all, it's one thing for me to tell you how delicious something is, it's another thing entirely for you to be able to see it!)
What you will find on my blog:
- Crazy, delicious recipes.
- A whole lot of comfort food, dessert, and brunch recipes. (And occasionally a little something else. Variety is the spice of life and all thatโฆ!)
- Tried and tested recipes. I spend a lot of time testing and revising my recipes to make sure they work when cooked properly. To this end, I include tips, tricks, and any other bits of helpful information in every post!
What you won't find on my blog:
- I don't follow food trends. If you are also hiding from that low-calorie charcoal-flavoured ice cream that tastes like washing liquid, this is a safe place. I promise.
- Apples are poisonous. (No, seriously… I’m allergic to apples. I’m like Snow White, except I’m not as white as snow. And I’m a guy. And well basically nothing like her, except for the apple part.)
- Eggplants are my mortal enemy.
- Coriander and I usually aren’t great friends. It doesn’t taste like soap, I just can’t stand the smell (though I tend to fare better when it’s used in a curryโฆso you might find it used sparingly).
For the chocoholics!
Nutella & Dark Chocolate French Toast
Love chocolate? Me too, bestie. Me too.
Soโฆnow what?
Looking for where to go next? I can help! If you're new to reading recipes, I highly recommend you start by going through How to Read a Recipe Post. If you're not sure where to start, my homepage is the place to go (you can get there from any page on my blog by clicking the logo at the very top of the page).
If you’re in the mood to explore - hop on over to the RECIPES section, and have a browse through the relevant category page.
And if you're not sure where you want to go next, that's okay too. Here are a few of my most popular posts to help you get started:
Perfect for special occasions!
Lemon Curd Cake
(with White Chocolate Swiss Buttercream)
Keep In Touch!
Hey, heyโฆbestie, wait! Before you go! Don't forget to follow me on my different social channels - each one demonstrates a different side of who I am, and what I do.
Instagram - this is where most people chat to me. It’s filled with photos, and shorter form reels of the recipes I’ve been making. If you make one of my recipes be sure to share it with me by tagging @yamisohungry and using the #chocolatesandchai hashtag.
YouTube - if you're not a big fan of reading, you'll probably want to subscribe and get things in video format. (Also, congratulations on making it this far! I've been waffling on for 1,400 words.)
Facebook - my Facebook page is about sharing my videos and recipes, while getting to know you through jokes and fun polls. Occasionally, I'll receive photos of things that have been cooked by readers using my recipes here, and that's lovely!
And if you want to be a part of The Besties Club, be sure to sign up for my email mailing list below. I'll drop you a quick email to let you know about newly published recipes, and occasionally an update email so we can catch up on life, the weather, and whatever else you're in the mood to talk about.
And of course, you can always reach out to me through my Contact page or by leaving a comment on a blog post. I do my best to always respond in a timely(-ish) fashion.
Talk to you soon, bestie!
Riz
Where else can you find me?
Good question! In case you’re interested in learning about my other passions, you can find me at:
Travel & Chai – this is my travel website. I often spend time learning about food while traveling, so it seemed a waste not to also start writing up other things I learn while traveling!
Deb
Hi Riz,
Kamon Acho? ! : ). I am a Bengali too and been in USA for 20 + years now. Me and my two young boys wanted something sweet for dessert… so we googled for a quick fix and lo came across your chocolate cake in a cup !! :). The boys enjoyed a lot in making and eating !
Thank you for the recipe !
Bhalo Theko
Riz
Hi Deb,
Ami bhalo achi! Thank you for asking! I’m so happy to hear you found me and that my chocolate mug cake recipe was able to help you and your boys! I hope all of you come back again soon, I’ll start working on more mug cakes ๐
Catherine
Hi Riz! I’ve been making your fluffy fluffy pancake recipe for over a year now, and it is still by far my favorite (and requested by those who taste it as well!) I just got around to reading your “about” page and it had me laughing out loud! Awesome to get to know you better, and I’m looking forward to reading more of your recipes soon!
Riz
Hi Catherine! Thanks so much for saying Hi! And thank you for making the pancakes, I’m really glad to hear you’ve enjoyed them for so long. And yaay, I’m happy you got to know me a little better through this page, and I hope you enjoy the other recipes too! Please do drop me a line whenever you do try, and let me know what you thought them! ๐
Afif
HI Riz
Afif here, your blog is awsome, I told my mom about it guess what she is loving it too.
Keep the good work
Riz
Hi Afif,
Thanks so much! Really appreciate your kind words, and say thank you to your mum as well!!!
Stephen Lyon
Hi Rizโ thanks for providing such an entertaining and eye opening blog. Iโm not much of a foodie, but youโve definitely got me trying different recipes.
Riz
Hey Steve!! Thanks so much for checking out my blog, I’m so happy to hear you enjoy it, and have been inspired to try a few new things in the kitchen!!
Diana N.
I love this blog and the philosophy behind it! I too am dedicated to perfecting recipes (*cough* hot chocolate) and can’t wait to try your version. You dont seem to have any recipes for masala chai, though! I’d be curious to try your recipe, if you have one, out.
Riz
Hi Diana! Thank you so much for your lovely comment! I hope you enjoy the hot chocolate recipe (it’s actually been a long time since I’ve had it myself, I think you’ve inspired me to make it too!). I don’t have a masala chai recipe, but it is something my parents/grandparents made regularly while I was growing up. And it’s on my list of recipes to work on! Watch this space (or really the homepage) !!
In the meantime, if you’ve got a recipe or any tricks that work for you, I’d love to hear them ๐
Riz
shruthi
nice information, i enjoyed reading it.
Riz
Thanks Shruthi! I hope you enjoy the recipes too ๐