Alumnus of the Culinary Institute of America, she has always been a passionate amateur horticulturist and the terrace in her home was like an open invitation to get mud on her green thumbs.
Since Kishi’s mother, Kanan Bala, runs her home catering business, she says that a lot of the produce they harvest goes into the food she makes.
“There was a time when we harvested over 10 kg of tomatoes and I made pasta sauce, bottled them up and sold them all within five minutes of posting on my social media handles,” she says.
Seeing the demand, the mother-daughter team added sauces and chutneys to the existing menu.
Peas, strawberries, banana, capsicum, various kinds of chilli, chives, figs, lemons and all kinds of herbs that include rosemary, sage, basil, thyme and oregano.
While the terrace garden is occupied with fruits, vegetables and flowering plants, the balconies inside the house also have various plants.
This in turn brings worms, who help the soil stay healthy and nourished. The entire cycle is so fulfilling to watch, she adds.
In the words of Audrey Hepburn, “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow,” and in growing her green haven, Kishi is doing just that.