Whether you’re new to Divya’s Kitchen or you’ve been following us for a while, we thought you’d enjoy these fun facts about the visionary behind the brand: Chef Divya Alter. After all, it’s her own incredible story of exploration and healing that inspired her to launch Divya’s Kitchen in the first place.

Some of them might be familiar, and others may surprise you. But each one offers a window into what makes Divya…well, Divya.

“I grew up in Bulgaria during the communist regime. Even though our connection with the world and exposure to foreign cultures and foods were limited, I had a happy childhood. I spent a lot of time in nature and playing outdoors. I was an excellent student and always ended up in leadership positions.”

“I joined a bhakti-yoga ashram in my hometown, Plovdiv, at the age of 18, and I practiced a monastic lifestyle for 15 years before meeting my husband Prentiss. This is where I learned how to cook and fell in love with serving others.”

“In her youth, my mom, Vera, was an athlete, a national ski champion, and a professional ski instructor. She put me on skis as soon as I learned how to walk. Our whole family used to compete in regional and national ski events. I’ve won a couple of regional gold medals as a teenager :-)”

“I was in the school choir for a few years. While in India, I studied classical raga singing and I learned how to play the tamboura (a string drone instrument). I love to sing chants and Sanskrit poetry–it’s the healing type of music. I stopped when we opened our restaurant (too busy), but now I’m gradually getting back into it.”

“At home I take care of our balcony garden, where I grow 20 culinary herbs and fragrant flowers. Whenever I visit my Mom in Bulgaria, I spend most of my time in her garden–weeding, harvesting, pruning, cleaning. I hope to one day have a teaching kitchen with a bigger garden, so I can provide my students with a full farm-to-table experience.”

We hope you enjoyed these fun facts about Divya! If you’d like to learn more about her story–especially her introduction and personal connection to Ayurveda–we recommend this podcast episode.