Chandani Kaur Kohli: Founder of Biskut Bar

Armed with a cross-cultural vision, she built her confectionery company from her kitchen, designing treats that give customers a taste of traditional Indian sweets—with a neat twist.

Growing Up Surrounded by Indian Cooking

Chandani Kaur Kohli grew up in a household steeped in Indian culinary traditions. Originally from the U.S. state of Virginia, she spent most of her career in fashion before pivoting to found her own specialty Indian biscuit brand, Biskut Bar.

The brand represents a fusion of all her interests, from fashion to her Punjabi heritage. Every biscuit sold across the UK and U.S. comes in stylish packaging, evoking the charm of classic afternoon-tea tins or elegant paper wrappers.

“Indian cuisine, in general, isn’t as integrated into the American mainstream,” Chandani explains. After living in New York for seven years and working in fashion product management, she relocated to the UK. Here, biscuits are a daily ritual, a stark contrast to their niche presence in America. This cultural shift played a significant role in inspiring Biskut Bar.

A Unique Offering

Chandani’s biscuits stand apart because each one incorporates a twist on traditional Indian flavors. “You’re not going to get gulab jamun or other sweets [Indians grow up with]. You’ll get a contemporary version of those flavor profiles—but in biscuit form,” she explains.

“In America, there are still cookies, but to do it in this way is novel. It’s been really, really fun and interesting,” she says.

A Way to Connect

The idea for Biskut Bar was born during the pandemic. The downtime gave Chandani the clarity to transition out of fashion and embrace a career closer to her heart.

“I already had all the ideas. What pushed me forward was [the thought]: If not now, when? If it’s [going to be] done, why not me? Why can’t I be part of it? If you want to be part of the conversation, then you have to do the work,” she says.

Chandani’s children became another source of motivation. “If I’m this removed from my roots and culture, my kids are going to be that much more. I gave them the flavors and the foods I grew up with. I love the story of food so much and thinking about my heritage.”

Creating Her Own Path

Biskut Bar, and the food journey behind it, also became a way for Chandani to craft her identity.

She realized there was a gap in the market for Indian-inspired confectionery. “If someone were to have said, ‘You’re gonna start something to do with Indian food or Indian sweets,’ I would have thought: ‘No way.’”

Having grown up in the West, Chandani says, “All my friends were Western, I was an all-American girl. But I never really was.” These moments of reflection on her upbringing and love for food solidified her path forward.

“This is a small business right now, but I’m not looking for it to be small forever. I want it to be something that everyone can experience in this unique and modern but also authentic way,” she says.

The Rewards of Cooking

After moving to the UK, Chandani discovered that cooking was a way to center herself and connect with others.

“Here, everybody knows how to bake. Everybody knows how to make themselves a dish. It’s an important life skill,” she shares. “It’s not like that in America. There are a lot of quick fixes. When you’re in places like New York, where the ethos is you grab hold, pay, and don’t go home and cook.”

Initially, Chandani struggled to find her footing in the kitchen. But as she experimented with deconstructed dishes, her curiosity grew. “For me, cooking wasn’t just about preparing food—it became a creative outlet.”

Now, as a one-woman team, she creates all of Biskut Bar’s products in her home kitchen.

Meeting the Market

Chandani saw a clear opportunity for her vision.

“I didn’t build this life, this career, just to faff about in the kitchen,” she states. By identifying the gap in the market for beautifully packaged Indian sweets and biscuits, Chandani set herself apart.

She adds, “I’ve always wanted to sell to the U.S. because I know that there’s nothing similar there that exists right now and there’s a market for it.”

Chandani Kaur Kohli’s journey from fashion to food showcases her ability to blend tradition with modernity. With Biskut Bar, she has not only crafted a product but created a story that resonates with customers across cultures, celebrating heritage with a contemporary twist.

*This excerpt is taken from Chandani's interview with Courier Magazine.