From Gujarat to Melbourne: How chef Helly Raichura is redefining Indian cuisine in Australia

Highlights:

• Helly Raichura, a Gujarati-origin chef in Melbourne, turned her love for home-cooked food into a fine dining experience at her restaurant Enter Via Laundry.
• Her unique Indian–Australian fusion dish, “I’m Not Pasta” Khandvi, earned national recognition and was featured on MasterChef Australia.
• She recently hosted a special Flavours of India and Australia pop-up in Mumbai with Conosh and Taj Santacruz.
• Raichura’s cooking blends regional Indian flavors with native Australian ingredients like lemon myrtle, Davidson’s plum, and paperbark.
• She plans to return to India someday to open a restaurant that bridges both her worlds, India and Australia.

Indian-origin chef Helly Raichura's story begins in Gujarat, where food was a language of love. Her earliest memory of her aunt's delicate Gujarati dish, Khandvi, had unknowingly set a foundation for her culinary journey. After moving to Australia in 2007, Helly's life took unexpected turns.

Despite battling with post-natal depression and after leaving a stable job in HR, she found solace in cooking. What began as a passion from a home kitchen evolved into Enter Via Laundry, one of Melbourne’s most talked-about dining experiences.

From struggle to a career

The restaurant's name, Enter Via Laundry, she jokingly said, comes from practicality, where her guests actually had to enter via the laundry. But behind the name lies something deeper, a humble start that grew into a global culinary conversation.

Her approach to food is rooted in authenticity but thrives on experimentation. “I wanted to explore regional Indian food while also incorporating Australia’s native ingredients,” she says. Helly’s paperbark undhiyu, a creative fusion of Gujarat’s winter delicacy with native Australian cooking techniques, captures that philosophy perfectly. “It speaks of who I am. It’s simple, grounded, and both Indian and Australian at heart.”

When asked about the dish that shaped her career, she instantly mentions the “I’m Not Pasta” Khandvi. A tribute to her Gujarati roots, it turned into a MasterChef Australia challenge, earning her a wave of pride from Indians around the world. “It’s Indian-Australian on a plate and home in a bite,” she says with a smile.

Khandvi, a Gujarati cuisine, fusioned like pasta

Khandvi is a popular Gujarati snack made from a smooth batter of gram flour (besan) and yogurt (curd), gently cooked until thick, then rolled into a soft, bite-sized spirals. It is known for its delicate texture and mild, tangy flavor, often tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies, and grated coconut.

Khandvi is light yet satisfying, often served as a tea-time snack or at festive gatherings. Its signature yellow rolls are thin, silky, and melt-in-the-mouth, making it both visually elegant and deeply comforting. Her recent pop-up in Mumbai, Flavours of India and Australia, organized by Conosh and hosted at Taj Santacruz, marked a full-circle moment, her first professional event in India. “It was surreal,” Helly says. “Cooking for my people, in my country, with ingredients that shaped who I am today.”

When asked if she plans to open a restaurant in India, Helly hints at a dream deferred but not forgotten. “Maybe one day I’ll move back, once the flyovers are done!” she laughs. Until then, she continues to bridge two worlds with her food, blending tradition, migration, and creativity into every plate.

Helly Raichura isn’t just cooking meals; she’s telling stories, of where she came from, what she learned, and how food continues to connect her to home, no matter where she is.