Nirmala Narine was born in Guyana, South America and came to New York City at the age of 10. Her culinary education began at the age of 5 in a tiny kitchen with no running water or electricity. Her grandfather, an Ayurvedic scholar taught her this ancient art of holistic cooking. Currently the owner and founder of Nirmala's Kitchen, a gourmet importer and distributor, Nirmala's line of products includes exotic ingredients and tools to create simple meals from around the world, all without leaving the comforts of home. She has been featured in The New York Times; O, The Oprah Magazine; and The FOOD & WINE Magazine among other publications.

Nirmala's cookbook, In Nirmala's Kitchen, Everyday World Cuisine, (Lake Isle Press) features her travels around the globe in search of exciting new flavors and cuisines. Collected are her engaging personal anecdotes, along with menu-style recipes designed for everyday cooking along with a comprehensive glossary of ingredients.

Eric Ripert, Executive Chef/ Co-owner Le Bernardin wrote in the foreword, "..Nirmala is a true talent for discovering wonderful things ... she is the Indiana Jones of Spices; I love this book."

Nirmala is a gifted teacher when it comes to sharing her extraordinary knowledge of ethnic kitchen cultures and global cuisines. She has a passion for sharing her love of cooking with children and takes every opportunity to do so on her travels abroad in the world's orphanages, and locally in New York's public schools.