An Evening Celebrating Global Women Leadership in Food & Film

Date: June 23, 2025
Time: 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Location: Cineworld at the O2, Screen 13, Peninsula Square, London SE 10 0DX, UK

Join us for the UK premiere of the award-winning documentary A Fine Line, hailed by Vanity Fair as the “Best Documentary by a First-Time Filmmaker,” celebrating world-renowned women chefs like Dominique Crenn, Cat Cora, Elena Arzak and more while tackling gender inequality. Hosted by the US-based nonprofit, MAPP, in partnership with the UK’s Women in the Food Industry and Les Dames d’Escoffier London, with a welcome wine and canapés reception, followed by the film screening and a thought-provoking panel discussion with extraordinary UK women chefs, including: Activist Chef Asma Khan, owner of Darjeeling Express and awarded the Craft Guild Chefs Special Award; Sally Abe, Head of Food for The Bull Charlbury, awarded Chef of the Year in the SquareMeal Ayala Female Chef Awards; Chef Chantelle Nicholson, Green Michelin Star owner of Apricity, Chef Kiran Verma, owner of Kiran’s and 2023 James Beard Semifinalist for Best Chef Texas and considered the ‘godmother of Indian fine dining, and more.

Begin the evening taking photos on the red carpet with your favourite chefs and an exclusive welcome wine and canapés reception, where guests can enjoy chef signature bites and fine wines. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet Filmmaker Joanna James, Founder of MAPP, and connect with fellow guests who share a passion for food, culture & creativity.

After the film screening, engage in a thought-provoking panel discussion on the power of women in food and film as they share their creativity and craft to create a more inclusive and thriving culture, featuring Chef Asma Khan, one of Time Magazine’s Most 100 Influential People and Davos Speaker; Joanna James, Director/Producer of A Fine Line, Sally Abe, Head of Food of The Bull, Charlbury; Chantelle Nicholson owner of Apricity, Chef Kiran Verma, owner of Kiran’s, Mex Ibrahim, founder of the UK’s Women in the Food Industry and other notable women in London’s hospitality scene.

Honouring Culinary Greatness

The event will feature the talents and voices of globally renowned chefs, each a trailblazer in their own right:

Chef Asma Khan , is one of the UK and India’s brightest culinary stars. An award-winning chef, best-selling cookbook author and the owner of London’s famed Darjeeling Express restaurant. She sits on the Mayor’s Business Advisory Board and is an Honorary Fellow at Oxford University. Asma is the first British chef to be profiled in Netflix’s Emmy nominated Chef’s Table and the first chef to be featured on Vogue’s list of 25 most influential women. She has become one of the the UK’s most prominent female chefs and her restaurant, a favourite amongst Hollywood’s A-list entertainers. Best known for her all-female kitchen team and her commitment to social change, Asma is an unstoppable force in the hospitality industry and beyond.

Sally Abé is one of London’s leading chefs. She has worked in some of the capital’s most illustrious restaurants, including The Ledbury, The Harwood Arms, and The Square. For the last four years, she has run the critically acclaimed fine-dining restaurant The Pem at 5* Conrad London St James in Westminster.

As a mentor and advocate for women in hospitality, Sally has become a leading voice for equality, diversity, and work/life balance in the industry. Sally has won multiple awards during her career, including ‘Female Chef of the Year in the SquareMeal Ayala Female Chef Awards 2021. Sally is also a familiar face on TV, regularly appearing on Saturday Kitchen Live, James Martin’s Saturday Morning, and reaching the banquet on Great British Menu 2022 and 2025.

In 2024 she wrote her memoir “A Woman’s Place is in The Kitchen” which recently won Best Debut Food Book at Fortnum & Mason’s Food & Drink Awards.

Sally is also currently Head of Food for The Bull Charlbury.

Chantelle Nicholson is a multi-award-winning chef and owner of Apricity, London, a Green Michelin Starred restaurant that celebrates conscious cooking and joyful dining. Chantelle is an advocate for seasonality and sustainability, championing veg-forward cooking and being committed to creating a more sustainable future across her operation and activities, whilst also being an independent board member for ReLondon and a Food Council member for City Harvest. Her exciting new venture, The CordiaCollective, will open in West Sussex in 2025.

Dipna Anand is a celebrated chef, restaurateur, author, and educator, renowned for her deep-rooted passion for Indian cuisine. Her family’s culinary journey spans over seven decades, beginning with her grandfather and his original recipes remain at the heart of Dipna’s cooking today. Regularly appearing on TV – Saturday Kitchen & James Martin’s Saturday Morning and across social media with her father Gulu, who established The Brilliant Punjabi restaurant in Southall in 1975, Dipna and Gulu have become beloved Indian culinary icons in the UK.

In 2023, Dipna expanded her culinary empire by launching Dipna Anand Kitchen and Bar at Unity Place in Milton Keynes in collaboration with Compass Group offering authentic Punjabi and South Indian dishes, alongside modern British favourites. In May 2025 she opened a gastro-style eatery in Southall, blending Indian flavours with Western classics in a relaxed, casual dining atmosphere.

Kiran Verma, considered the ‘godmother of Indian fine dining,’ has created world-class Indian cuisine at her eponymous restaurant.

Chef Kiran is a self-taught chef who has been guided by her Indian upbringing and a love of fine cuisine. Born in Delhi, she is the youngest of four children and spent her childhood learning how to cook from her Mom and aunts. She fueled her passion for cooking with at-home gatherings. After her oldest child left for college, she found her way in the restaurant business in 1998 when she bought a restaurant called Ashiana. With Ashiana, Chef Kiran came to prominence on local and national platforms, with Zagat’s ‘Best New Restaurant’ and Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence. After seven years, she sold Ashiana and opened Kiran’s.

Chef Kiran defines her cuisine as a combination of cultures, philosophies and cooking techniques. The restaurant is known for serving up Indian hospitality, with French sophistication and American informality. Kiran’s is where old world elegance meets new world innovation, creating a myriad of distinct flavors.

The restaurant serves Afternoon Tea every Friday and Saturday – a four-course Indian and English tea experience. Chef Kiran has created her own chai blend.

Feeding children has become a cause especially close to Chef Kiran’s heart. She partnered with India’s celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor in 2023 to raise funds for Akshaya Patra, the world’s largest NGO to serve midday meals to underprivileged children in schools in India. Together, the chefs raised over $250,000 in two hours at Chef Kiran’s restaurant in Houston.

Anjula Devi is an Indian chef, author, and influencer known for her powerful blend of connection, empowerment, and storytelling through food. She has captivated audiences with her recipes and the personal stories behind them. She continues to inspire others with her healthy approach to Indian cuisine. 

Anjula has authored three successful cookbooks, Authentic Indian Food, in collaboration with Lakeland, Spice for Life and 15 Minute Indian, which is a game-changer in Indian cooking. The book features one pan recipes using minimal steps and ingredients. 

Anjula is a consultant chef for Manchester United Football Club, where she has designed a range of authentic recipes. She is also known for her work with a portfolio of leading retail, electronic and food brands. 

Joanna James is an award-winning filmmaker and director known for her work that highlights social issues and empowers underrepresented voices. She is the director and producer of A Fine Line, a critically acclaimed documentary that explores the challenges faced by women in the culinary world. With a passion for storytelling that sparks change, Joanna’s work continues to inspire audiences by shedding light on important topics surrounding equality, leadership, and the intersection of food and culture. Joanna founded the non-profit MAPP, to empower more women into leadership through mentorship, advocacy and building community.

Mex Ibrahim is passionate about gender equality, co-founding UK’s Women in the Food Industry in 2019. The organization supports women across the food sector, advocating for equality, inclusion, and leadership opportunities, and empowering women to achieve their career goals in the industry. It became a non profit social enterprise in 2023. 

With expertise in sustainability, entrepreneurship, and ethical eating, Mex is a trustee of School Food Matters, a member of the Guild of Food Writers, sits on the advisory board of New Food Magazine and is an associate of the Royal Society of Public Health. Mex also runs her own successful freelance business in social media, content creation, and digital strategy. 

Thank you to our Sponsors

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