Asha Bhosle loved cooking: How she turned her passion for food into a global restaurant business empire; even Tom Cruise visited

The passing of Asha Bhosle at the age of 92 has led many to revisit not just her music, but the lesser-known parts of her life. What many don’t always talk about is how seriously she took cooking, not just as a hobby but something she turned into a full business over time. It did not happen suddenly, and it was not just about putting her name on a restaurant. There was actual involvement, interest, and a system behind it.

Her interest in cooking goes back a long way. She had once spoken about how it started when she was young, travelling with her father’s theatre group. As per TimesNow, she once recalled, “I had a magical childhood, moving from town to town with my father's travelling theatre company. The Company would always sit down to a meal together. I used to love roaming around the kitchen among the cauldrons of steaming food, but more than anything, I enjoyed seeing the joy on the diners' faces as they savoured the tasty delights. This is where my love of cooking began.”

That early exposure stayed with her even as her music career took over. Cooking was not something she left behind.

From passion to restaurant chain

In 2002, she entered the food business with the launch of her restaurant brand Asha’s in Dubai’s WAFI City. The idea was simple but also quite ambitious — serve Indian food in a proper fine-dining format, without losing the original taste.

Over the years, the brand expanded across the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the UK, including cities like Birmingham and Manchester. It has now been running for more than two decades, which is not common for celebrity-led ventures.


The restaurants focus mainly on North-West Indian cuisine. The menu includes kebabs, biryanis, dals and tandoori dishes. Some of the known items include Bhatti Ka Chaap, Kerala Chilli Garlic Prawns, Makai Seekh Kebab, Kodi Curry and Fish Biryani. The idea has been to keep the food familiar but present it in a more polished setting.

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Not just a name on the board

What makes this different from typical celebrity businesses is her reported involvement. She has said, “When I cook, I cook very fast. I know what to put in. I can taste something and say what spices are in it.”

There are also reports that a family garam masala blend, prepared in Mumbai, is used across outlets. That kind of consistency is part of what helped the brand grow beyond just one location.

The business model itself is partnership-led. She has been reported to hold a stake in the venture, while partners handle operations. This allowed the brand to expand without becoming difficult to manage personally.

Global attention and recognition

The first outlet itself was a large-scale setup, not a small experiment. Later expansion discussions suggested significant investment per outlet. When looked at across multiple locations, it shows that this was a serious business play, not just a side project.

The brand today has around a dozen-plus locations across multiple countries. It has also picked up industry recognition, including awards in the Middle East and the UK, which helped build credibility beyond the celebrity factor.

The restaurants have also attracted international visitors. In 2021, Tom Cruise visited the Birmingham outlet and reportedly ordered Chicken Tikka Masala twice. The restaurant later described it as the “greatest compliment.”

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In the end, this part of Asha Bhosle’s life sits quietly next to her music career. It does not get talked about as much, but it shows a different kind of thinking. She took something personal, something she understood well, and built a structure around it that could work across cities and countries.

On Sunday, she passed away after being admitted to Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital following health complications, with her family confirming the news and last rites scheduled in the city.