Today we’d like to introduce you to Uma Raghupathi.
Hi Uma, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My journey started with a simple love for cooking and sharing food with my family. Growing up in India, food was always an important part of my life, and many of the flavors and cooking traditions I use today come from the food I grew up eating.
In 2015, with the support of my husband and two daughters, I started my food blog, Simple Sumptuous Cooking. At first, it was simply a place to document my recipes and share them with family and friends. I never imagined it would grow into a business or reach readers around the world.
Over the years, I focused on creating simple, wholesome vegan recipes, especially Indian recipes, along with Instant Pot and air fryer recipes that make cooking easier for busy families. As the blog grew, I learned everything along the way from recipe development and food photography to writing, SEO, social media, and running an online business.
One of the milestones I am especially proud of was becoming a cookbook author. I published a vegan Indian Instant Pot cookbook, which gave me another way to help people enjoy Indian food at home without making the cooking process feel complicated.
After years of developing and sharing recipes, I decided to take the next step and create my own line of homemade spice blends. I wanted to offer the same kinds of fresh, flavorful spice combinations I use in my own kitchen and recipes. I started making them in small batches using carefully selected spices, without artificial flavors, colors, or unnecessary additives.
Starting the spice business pushed me far outside my comfort zone. I had experience cooking and blogging, but selling a physical product was completely different. I had to learn about packaging, labeling, pricing, inventory, farmers markets, online sales, and most importantly, how to talk to customers face-to-face.
Today, I sell my handcrafted spice blends online and at local San Diego farmers markets and community events. Meeting customers in person has become one of my favorite parts of the journey. I love when someone tastes or smells one of my blends, asks me how to use it, and later tells me what they cooked with it.
Looking back, I didn’t start with a big business plan. Each step grew naturally from the one before it from cooking for my family, to sharing recipes online, to writing a cookbook, and eventually creating products people can use in their own kitchens.
There have definitely been challenges and a lot of learning along the way, but I am proud that I have built something around what I genuinely love: helping people make flavorful food at home. I am still learning, growing, and figuring out what comes next, and that is one of the most exciting parts of the journey.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely has not always been a smooth road. When I started my blog, I had to learn everything from recipe photography and writing to SEO, social media, and running a website. The blogging world is always changing, so learning and adapting has been a big part of my journey.
Starting my spice business brought new challenges, especially packaging, pricing, marketing, and finding the right customers. Some events are successful, while others are slower, but each one teaches me something.
Balancing family life, blogging, and running a small business can also be challenging. Through it all, I have learned to be patient, keep improving, and celebrate the small wins along the way.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am the creator of Simple Sumptuous Cooking, where I specialize in simple vegan Indian recipes that make home cooking easier and approachable. I share traditional Indian flavors along with Instant Pot and air fryer recipes for busy families and beginner cooks.
I am also a cookbook author and the founder of my own line of handcrafted Indian spice blends. My spices are made in small batches with carefully selected ingredients, and I use the same blends in my own kitchen and recipes.
What sets me apart is that I am not just selling spices I teach people how to use them. Through my recipes, I can show customers how one spice blend can turn simple ingredients into a flavorful meal.
I am most proud of how something that started as a small food blog has grown into a brand that includes recipes, a cookbook, and my own spice business. Most of all, I am proud when someone tells me that my recipe or spice blend helped them cook a delicious meal for their family.
What does success mean to you?
For me, success is finding happiness in each step of the journey. It is not only about sales, numbers, or how big the business becomes. Every small achievement matters to me.
Every compliment from a reader, customer, or someone who has tried my recipe or spice blend feels like a success. When someone tells me they enjoyed a recipe, their family loved the meal, or my spices made cooking easier, it motivates me to keep going.
I believe success is enjoying what I do, continuing to grow and learn, and making a positive difference in someone’s kitchen, one meal at a time.
Pricing:
- Handcrafted spice blends (50 g jars): starting at $10
- Spice gift sets and bundles: starting at $18
- Available for purchase through my online store and at select San Diego farmers markets and local events
- Visit shop.mrishtanna.com for current products, bundles, and pricing
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shop.mrishtanna.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplesumptuouscooking/
- Other: https://www.mrishtanna.com
