Sneha Vachhaney

Seasonal food cooked with all farmers market produce for YOUR needs · San Francisco, CA

About Me

I trained at the Culinary Institute of America and have cooked at Madcap and Dalida in the Bay Area. My path into professional kitchens came after a career in engineering and technology, but food has long been the most personal way I connect with people.

My cooking is shaped by my Indian roots, the family masalas and remembered flavors I grew up with, and the extraordinary produce and seasonality of California. Restaurant kitchens taught me precision, discipline, and respect for ingredients. Cooking for people outside those kitchens has helped me find my own voice: generous, layered, a little playful, and attentive to the people at the table. During India’s second COVID wave, I also founded a community food-relief initiative—a formative experience that deepened my understanding of what feeding someone can mean.

Today, I create intimate private dinners in the Bay Area. I love cooking for people who are curious about food and enjoy the stories behind it, whether they’re celebrating something meaningful or simply making time for one another. I care about the whole evening: how the meal unfolds, the small details of the table, and whether guests feel comfortable enough to linger.

I’m interested in Lighthearted Kitchen because its emphasis on seasonal ingredients and thoughtful hospitality feels closely aligned with the work I want to keep doing. I’d love to be part of a community that values a chef’s individual perspective while sharing a commitment to sourcing with care and making people feel genuinely welcome.

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