Ana Farooq
Ana Farooq, Founder of Arth Ayurveda
Ana Farooq holds a BA in Biology from Claremont McKenna, USA, and is a certified Ayurvedic
Lifestyle and Nutrition Practitioner from the Ayurveda Institute UK. Additionally, she is a
Functional Hormone Specialist certified by The International Association for Functional
Hormone Health.
Since 2019, Ana has practiced Ayurveda in Lahore, where she provides subscription-based
balanced meal services. Her venture, Arth, was founded with a vision of offering fresh,
wholesome, homemade meals in Lahore. Arth specializes in supporting improvements in gut
health and chronic inflammatory conditions through their Vedic meals. It is the only establishment in Lahore with an exclusive focus on serving vegetarian dishes aligned with seasonality and Vedic cooking principles. Ana's meals are made fresh, with organic veggies as far as possible, utilizing unrefined oils, Himalayan salt, and only home-ground spices. The establishment also avoids the use of toxic cooking materials such as non-stick and silver-coated pans.
SUNDAY Sunday 3rd March
Extra Tarka! Preserving Culture Through Cuisine Moderator: Sonya Rehman Gulalai Khan, Founder, Pakistan Professional Women Forum Hiba Dar, Director Communications, Coca Cola Pakistan Ana Farooq, Founder of Arth Ayurveda
Location: Hall 3
Exploring the economic empowerment of women through traditional Pakistani cuisine, preserving cultural heritage, and shaping a nation's identity. The panel discussion at the WOW Festival ‘24 will highlight and detail how home chefs in Pakistan are leveraging their culinary skills to create economic opportunities and empower themselves.
What’s more, by tapping into our local recipes, these women are not only earning extra income but also preserving the cultural legacy of their region. This is no less than a culinary ‘movement’ which is not just about cooking; it's about empowerment and economic growth.
These women are gradually gaining business acumen, access to finance, and expanding their business networks. But how did this start? Was the Covid-19 lockdown the impetus for the birth and rapid growth in the home chef sector on local turf? This panel explores that and more.