Meet Shweta
Hi! I’m Shweta, the recipe developer and photographer behind Masala and Chai (formerly Treat Yo’self NY) a food blog showcasing approachable Indian-ish recipes for home cooks. Along the way, I’ll teach you about techniques, ingredients, and the culture I’ve grown up with.
My exposure to food outside my little bubble started when I moved from Arizona to NYC in 2013. The first things I tried were a New York bagel and Sylvia’s up in Harlem. I actually didn’t even learn how to cook until the summer after my freshman year at NYU and I was t e r r i b l e. Seriously. Ask me for a picture of the first pancakes I ever made or the boxed cake where I proudly used Reddi-wip and raspberries between the sheets (what??). This is also around the time I began using my first DSLR!
I graduated and started traveling full time as a cloud consultant, which meant every. single. meal. between Monday – Thursday was eaten at a hotel or restaurant. This was no different from Friday – Sunday when I caught up with local friends and avoided buying groceries. Eventually I started @treatyoselfny – a homage to Tom Haverford and Donna on Parks and Rec – as a way to post all my food and travel photos. At some point, my content evolved into sharing recipes influenced by my childhood as a first-generation Into-American immigrant.
I genuinely hope to encapsulate Indian cuisine and show you how easy it is to cook it at home with the right tools and spices! I’m here to teach you how to add masalas to your food to create vibrant, flavorful recipes at home.
Feel free to contact me if you have any recipe/post suggestions, questions, want to work with me, or share the ways you implement self care into your life!
xo, Shweta
AS FEATURED IN
FAQs
I shoot on a Sony a7r ii. My main lenses are a 50mm and a 16-35mm. I shoot with a mix of artificial and natural light. All of my photos are individually edited using Adobe Lightroom. I use a Manfrotto tripod for my videos and overhead shots. Check out my Amazon shop to see what I use.
I currently reside in Manhattan.
Blog post coming soon! 🙂
A lot of them are random food cravings inspired by my mom - an amazing cook - who would do weird things in the kitchen like sneak leftover curry in our pasta. Growing up, she was always learning new dishes so my brother and I weren't made fun of for our ~stinky~ Indian food at school! We always ended up with a fun fusion meal.
Of course! I'm happy to work with brands that align with my values. Here are a few ways we can work together:
- Sponsored IG Posts/Stories
- Food and Product Photography
- Restaurant Menu Photography
- Recipe Development
- Dedicated Blogs
- Sponsored Travel
- Instagram Giveaways/Takeovers
For a full list, a media kit is available upon request.