Chaiwala 🫖
Noreen Wasti on flower garnishes, fennel seeds, and the after-dinner ritual that made it into her cookbook.
Noreen Wasti
Noreen Wasti is a Brooklyn-based cook and food creative. Her debut cookbook, Feast Your Eyes, will be out next year and is a guide for entertaining and cooking inspired by her Pakistani heritage, maximalist ethos, and love of floral, whimsical garnishes, (aided by constant trips to the Union Square farmers market).
A: How do you take your tea?
N: I drink herbal tea—I know, not the norm for someone of South Asian descent. I enjoy steeping fresh herbs like lemon balm, mint, or lemon verbena in hot water. If I am making peppermint tea, I like to add a teaspoon of fennel seeds.
A: Tell us how you first got into cooking.
N: Food has always been part of my life in so many ways. There wasn’t this single moment where I decided I wanted to cook—I was just always cooking, and so were the people around me. I grew up in a food-obsessed Pakistani family, and my parents were constantly hosting and cooking. We also loved restaurants and going out to eat, so food was ever present. My dad believed deeply that food is how you show hospitality, and that stays with me.
I have always been curious in the kitchen, drawn to the details, the chaos, and the intricate steps, from sourcing ingredients to thinking about flavors and, of course, making it all look pretty. Honestly, more than anything, I just love to eat. I think all of this naturally led me to what I do now: cooking for others and bringing people together over food.
A: Flowers are so central to your unique style—what first drew you to incorporating them in food?
N: Flowers and garnishes are my way of adding oomph and color to a plate. There is something so fleeting and delicate about them—it feels like you’re capturing a moment. I know some chefs scoff at frilly garnishes, but for me they make a dish feel lush, alive, and layered—like a garden. I am also heavily inspired by the seasons and local produce, so flowers feel like a natural extension of that, too.
A: What role does tea play in your daily life or routines?
N: Tea is my last beverage of the day. As someone who adores coffee and wakes up thinking about it, tea is more of an evening ritual I use to wind down, usually after dinner or during a nightly doomscroll when I just want something soothing.
A: Is there a particular tea or tea moment that holds special meaning for you? Why?
N: We have always made a big pot of hot water steeped with fresh mint, fennel seeds, and cardamom pods after dinner. It is such a tradition in my family that the recipe (if you can even call it that) made it into my cookbook. You keep refilling the pot with hot water, and your cup along with it. I have a lot of memories of sitting together as a family in my childhood home’s sunroom, sipping and watching Jeopardy.
A: If you could share a cup of tea with anyone —past, present, or fictional—who would it be, and why?
N: My dad, who is no longer with us. I would love to sit with him just one more time, especially to hear his thoughts on the current state of the world.
A: Is there someone in your industry who you’re inspired by and wish more people knew about?
N: Sumer Sabooh Goh (IG @saltfatacidwheat) is an incredibly talented food stylist, pastry chef, and just all-around wonderful person. Her style, work, and POV stay distinct and unique. You may have seen her wild ashtray cakes and branded, hand-carved zucchinis on the internet. Everything she creates feels like it has a little touch of magic and I love that.
“Chaiwala” is a series that explores the diversity of tea rituals across cultures. Through conversation and images, we’re hoping to capture how tea can shape our rituals, foster connection, and offer a moment of pause in our lives.