Nisha Katona

Nisha Katona MBE is the founder and CEO of Mowgli Street Food, a celebrated TV chef, author of six cookbooks, and chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University. A former barrister of 20 years who transformed her passion for Indian home cooking into one of the UK's fastest-growing restaurant chains, she chairs the Mowgli Trust, which donates over £500,000 annually to local and global charities. Known for her engaging appearances on programmes including Great British Menu, This Morning, and her own ITV series, Nisha empowers audiences with practical insights on entrepreneurship, hospitality leadership, and building purpose-driven businesses that enrich communities.

After two decades protecting vulnerable children as a barrister on the Northern Circuit, Nisha Katona MBE walked away from the security of her legal career to open a single restaurant in Liverpool with her life savings. That bold leap in 2014 launched Mowgli Street Food, which has since grown into one of the UK's fastest-growing restaurant chains with 24 sites across the country. Named in The Sunday Times Fast Track 100 for its exceptional growth and awarded Best Management Team, Mowgli has also earned recognition as one of the Top 25 Best Large Companies to Work For in the UK. In 2022, Nisha became chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University, the first alumna to hold the position, and in 2019 she received an MBE for services to the food industry.

Nisha's mission extends far beyond creating exceptional dining experiences. As founder and chair of the Mowgli Trust, she channels the success of her restaurants into meaningful social impact, donating over £500,000 annually to local and global charities. Her approach to Indian home cooking, which she describes as curry evangelism, champions fresh, seasonal ingredients transformed simply and quickly into vibrant, flavour-packed dishes. Author of six cookbooks including The Spice Tree, Pimp My Rice, and Bold, Nisha demystifies Indian cuisine for home cooks whilst staying true to the authentic street food traditions that inspired her. Her television work has made her a familiar face across British screens, from judging on Great British Menu and Cooking with the Stars to presenting her own series Recipes That Made Me on BBC2 and Nisha Katona's Home Kitchen on ITV. She regularly appears on This Morning, Sunday Brunch, and BBC Radio 4's The Kitchen Cabinet, and provides expert commentary on business and hospitality matters for BBC and Sky News.

Nisha equips audiences with practical insights on building purpose-driven businesses that enrich communities whilst achieving commercial success. Whether speaking on entrepreneurship, hospitality leadership, or career transformation, she draws on her unique journey from courtroom to kitchen to demonstrate how passion combined with strategic thinking creates lasting impact. Her engaging, warm presentation style and authentic storytelling help business leaders understand how to scale operations without compromising values, embed charitable giving into company culture, and inspire teams to deliver excellence. Looking ahead, Nisha continues to expand her influence, launching the We Are PoWEr Summit in 2027 to champion recognition, advocacy, and leadership development, ensuring her audiences leave with actionable strategies for creating businesses that truly matter.