Bal Arneson (known in some circles as the Spice Goddess) is a Vancouver-based author, educator and TV personality. On February 8th, she’ll be one of the celebrity chefs heading up a team as part of Chef’s Challenge: The Ultimate Battle for the Cure.  We spoke with her about her childhood in India, the advice that has shaped her career and, of course, food.

SDTC: You learned how to cook in a small village in India. How does that childhood training still influence your cooking?

Bal Arneson: 
Instead of playing with Barbie dolls, I played with spices. I remember being six years old and separating spices in different piles based on their smell. Cooking with spices runs in my veins and every time I create a recipe for my TV show or my cookbooks it always takes me back to what I learned growing up in a small village in India.

SDTC: As a vegetarian, Indian food is a lifesaver for me when it comes to taste and substance. What are some great ways that Indian cuisine can contribute to a healthier lifestyle?


BA: Spices have a tremendous amount of health benefits. They boost energy and are antioxidants. I grew up a vegetarian, and adding spices not only gives depth of flavour, it also adds healthy components to food. Turmeric alone is one of the best and healthiest spices to have on a daily basis.

SDTC: What’s one meal you’ve had that stands out in your memory?


BA: Goat curry. We were vegetarian, and especially girls were not allowed to eat meat. Once I was at a wedding and the aromas from the kitchen were so overwhelming—I couldn’t help myself. I tasted the curry and goat meat that was being cooked for hours in fabulous spices. It just melted in my mouth. I was eight years old and I can still taste that curry in my mouth. I think that dish changed my life, and still to this day I try to make that exact curry in many of my recipes.

SDTC: What advice would you give to young women looking to market themselves in the food industry in the multimedia way you have?


BA: I will tell them to go side to side if you can’t move forward, but don’t ever stop moving no matter what people say to you. Keep the fire inside you burning and don’t ever follow money. Follow your heart and listen carefully to your gut feelings.

SDTC: What’s a piece of advice that has always stuck with you along the way?
BA: Never follow money. Don’t chase fame. Love yourself. Always be authentic. It doesn’t matter if it’s profitable or not.

SDTC: What are some things you’re really excited about in the upcoming year?
BA: My brand new show, Spice of Life, is airing in the US. My third cookbook, Bal’s Spice Kitchen, is coming out in February and can be preordered from Amazon. I am the 2014 celebrity chef for Compass US, which is a world-leading provider of Food Services.

SDTC: From mentors to lived experience to education, what are some of the factors you credit with your success?


BA: All three played very important roles in my life. I have life mentors as well as business mentors who guide me, and I learn from their experiences. My personal life experience came from falling again and again, and continuing to keep getting up and learning from my mistakes. Having my Masters in Education gave me the ability to think critically and have an open mind to many different view points. Today, looking back, all three components continue to play a big role in my personal and professional lives.



SDTC: If you could cook dinner for someone you admire, dead or alive, who would it be and what would you prepare for them?

BA: Three people I would cook for are Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and Oprah Winfrey. These individuals have done such great things to help change the world that I would be so honoured to prepare a fine meal for them, and to thank them for their unconditional love for others.

SDTC: Where are some of your favourite places to eat in Vancouver these days?


BA: With my busy schedule, often it’s difficult for me to visit restaurants. But my recent visits at Cincin and Blue Water Cafe have definitely impressed me.

SDTC: Tell us a little about your participation in Chef’s Challenge. Why is this event so important to you?


BA: As a woman, it’s an honour and a privilege to be part of Chef’s Challenge: The Ultimate Battle for a Cure because of its proceeds going to a great cause which is close to my heart.