Author Interview : Shahnaz Ahsan

A tale of migration, love and identity told through one family’s recipes and their search for home.

From curry houses to wedding feats to supper clubs, traversing borders from Bangladesh, Manchester, London and Zimbabwe, The Jackfruit Chronicles is a heartfelt memoir that delves into the unique flavours and captivating history of Bengali food.Beginning with the arrival of Shahnaz’s grandfather, Habib, in Manchester in the 1950s, this memoir not only focuses on the author's family story but also the broader narrative of the Bangladeshi diaspora, their struggles and their quest for a better life in Britain. Among the cultural divides and misunderstandings that affected the generations before her, Shahnaz beautifully weaves together her family's recipes and cherished memories; from an array of curries to vegetable delicacies and happy ending desserts, recipes include sour tomato broth, jackfruit kofta curry, lentil fritters, cardamom-infused vermicelli pudding, fish with clementine peels, and much more.

The Jackfruit Chronicles by Shahnaz Ahsan is a heartful love letter to family, food and Bangladesh.

ABOUT SHAHNAZ AHSAN

Shahnaz Ahsan is an author, columnist and award-winning food writer. Her debut novel Hashim & Family was an Observer Best Book and was shortlisted for the Guardian Not the Booker Prize. She is also an award-winning writer of short stories and screenplays.

She is a columnist for Hyphen Online, and regularly writes for Observer Food Monthly. Her articles and recipes have also appeared in Waitrose Magazine, Borough Market Magazine, The Daily Telegraph, and various online publications. She is a member of the Guild of Food Writers and was a finalist in the 2023 Guild Awards. Her work has won grants from the Society of Authors (2023) and the Guild's Futures Fund (2024).

Born and raised in West Yorkshire, Shahnaz is of British-Bangladeshi heritage, and has also lived in the USA, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe.

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