Hi, I’m Paula Mohammed, welcome to my podcast: In My Kitchen with Paula. This podcast is a gathering place for culinary adventurers who love to travel. Here’s a little about me… My parents came from very different backgrounds, so I grew up with cultural influences from Pakistan, Japan, Italy, and New Zealand. In our family kitchen, the different traditions, recipes, and stories mingled together to create meals that were fun, inspiring, and memorable. This inspired a love of travel and cooking in me that continues today. AND a curiosity about the people behind the dishes. I’m also the founder and CEO of In My Kitchen. We teach in-person and online cooking classes where my team of passionate home cooks from diverse cultures invite you into their kitchens to share their recipes, stories and travel gems. On this podcast, we’ll explore the people, cultures and recipes from your travel bucket lists. Every week we’ll come together with a new guest and their unique dish. Using the dish as the vehicle, we’ll take a ride into the ins and outs of their culture and country. Along the way we’ll gather some insider travel tips that only a local knows, have a new recipe to try and basically just hang out…in my kitchen. So grab your favourite beverage and join me on a culinary adventure!
What if you could supercharge your travel experiences, with just a little perspective?
In this episode I wrap up the four-part series 'Flavourful Bonds' by delving into the character strengths of humility, gratitude, and legacy within the culinary traditions of Pakistan, Mexico, and Croatia. I share personal anecdotes, cultural insights, and practical exercises to help travelers and food enthusiasts recognize and practice ...
How do food and culinary traditions reflect resilience, forgiveness, and hope?
In this episode I look at the character strengths of forgiveness, hope and perspective through the lens of food in Pakistan and also Vietnam and Portugal. Three countries that have experienced upheaval and rupture. Through personal stories and culinary traditions I illustrate how these strengths manifest in the kitchen and during travels, emphasizing t...
How do honesty, integrity, and fairness shape our culinary adventures and deepen our connections across cultures?
Join me in episode two of 'Flavourful Bonds' as I explore these character strengths through stories and culinary experiences from around the world. Learn how honesty varies in different cultures, the importance of culinary integrity in places like Italy and Pakistan, and how fairness is shown in community-base...
Haver you ever wondered how food can create deeper, meaningful relationships?
In this first episode of our special four-part series, Flavourful Bonds, we delve into the VIA character strengths and how they manifest in different cultures. This week, we're kicking off with 'Kindness Served Warm' and exploring love, kindness, and gratitude through memorable meals and personal stories.
We’ll travel from my own kitchen to...
What if your best travel companion isn’t your passport—but your personality?
In this solo episode, host Paula Mohammed continues the conversation on character strengths—those deeply personal yet often overlooked qualities that shape how we connect, cook, and travel.
Building on episode 33, Paula explores how our signature strengths like curiosity, kindness, and humor show up in everyday moments—from bustling street markets to quiet ...
Ever wondered what makes you truly shine?
In this episode we go on an exciting journey to discover our unique character strengths using the VIA Character Strengths framework. Developed by positive psychologists Martin Seligman and Christopher Peterson, this framework identifies 24 universal strengths that help individuals not just get by, but truly flourish.
We Talk About:
😀How knowing and applying these strengths can boost happine...
What if the best way to experience the world was to live in it—one month at a time?
In this episode, we meet Michael Motamedi: former MasterChef Canada contestant, marketer-turned-full-time traveler, and passionate culinary explorer. For the past three years, Michael has been traveling the globe with his wife and young daughter—living in one city at a time, uncovering local food gems, and sharing stories through his podcast No ...
What does it mean to fight a war—with food?
In this episode, we meet Anna Voloshyna: chef, cookbook author, and passionate culinary activist. Born and raised in Ukraine and now based in California, Anna shares how her deep love of Ukrainian cuisine has become a powerful tool for cultural preservation and resistance amid war.
From feeding soldiers on the frontlines in bulletproof vests to writing cookbooks that celebrate regional Ukra...
What can food tell us about history, identity, and resilience?
In this episode of In My Kitchen with Paula, I sit down with Hélène Jawhara Piñer — historian, professor, and author of Matzah and Flour — to explore the powerful stories behind Sephardic cuisine. With a PhD in medieval history and the history of food, Hélène shares how her research into Inquisition trials and Jewish food traditions unearthed a rich, global culinary heri...
What if your next meal could take you back in time—and across continents?
In this episode, Paula reconnects with longtime friend and accomplished equestrian coach Selena Pellizzari, whose story weaves together family heritage, global exploration, and rich culinary traditions.
From Ukrainian cabbage rolls to Italian minestrone, Selena shares how she’s traced her roots through food—and how those recipes carry stories of the past.
Togeth...
Did you know one of the simplest ways to boost your happiness might be sitting right at your dinner table?
In this solo episode, I dive into a fascinating chapter of the World Happiness Report 2025 that explores something near and dear to my heart: the power of sharing meals.
From the data to the dinner table, I’m connecting the dots between science, culture, and personal experience — showing how something as ordinary as a shared mea...
Want to explore the world more meaningfully — one dish, one market, one moment at a time?
In this final installment of my three-part series, I’m wrapping things up by sharing the simple framework I use to explore culture through the lens of food. It’s a method I unconsciously developed during my 22 years in event planning, and it’s become the secret sauce behind some of my most memorable and meaningful travel moments. This approach ...
Ever wonder how to create deeper connections through travel — and how food can be the key?
In this special solo episode, I’m continuing a three-part series where I share my personal story, travel philosophy, and the principles that help me discover the world in a more meaningful way.
This week, I’m diving into the power of micro-moments — those small, spontaneous connections that can transform a trip — and how they’ve shaped both my ...
Ever wonder how to create deeper connections through travel — and how food can be the key?
In this special solo episode, I’m kicking off a three-part series where I share my personal story, travel philosophy, and the principles that help me discover the world in a more meaningful way.
I’ll take you behind the scenes of my own culinary adventures, from childhood memories of fragrant curried peas made by my Bibi to spontaneous moments...
What does it really mean to care for others through food — and how does that shape who we are?
In this episode, Paula takes us on a journey to New Zealand, where her earliest memories of generosity, gathering, and good food were formed. From fishing, harvesting for mussels on the beach to backyard hangi feasts and the comfort of warm pikelets, she shares the simple, soulful flavors that defined her childhood.
But this conversation is...
Have you ever wondered what makes Goan cuisine so special? What if the secret ingredient isn’t just the spices, but the sun itself?
In this episode, Paula sits down with Lara Victoria, a food and wine expert with deep roots in both Bombay and Goa. Lara shares her journey from pastry chef to sommelier, weaving in the rich cultural influences that have shaped her love for food and hospitality.
Together, they explore the vibrant flavors...
What if the best way to experience Italy isn't through checklists and tourist attractions, but by slowing down and savoring each moment?
In this episode, Paula is joined by Sonia Bozzi, entrepreneur and founder of Cultour Italia, who curates immersive culinary and cultural tours in Italy. Sonia shares her journey from growing up in the Alps of Lombardia to managing hospitality ventures across Mexico, Canada, and Italy—all of wh...
Did you ever drive by a village when traveling and wonder what people do here day to day and what is their story?
In this episode, Paula talks with Alfredo Cunhal Sendim, a former fisherman turned organic farmer from the Alentejo region of Portugal.
Alfredo shares his journey from the sea to farming, championing the Montado agro-ecological system in Freixo do Meio (a former estate). He discusses his family history, the importance ...
Curious about the real Lisbon and Alentejo outside of tourist guides and google? Get a local’s take with Maria João Carros on our latest episode.
Maria shares her experiences and insights into Portuguese culture and cuisine. Maria explains her approach to enjoying food and wine in Portugal, highlighting the importance of socialization and savouring meals. She recounts her life growing up in Portugal, her education in the UK, her mov...
Have you ever been traveling and asked a local person a question and they are saying yes, but the meaning you realize later is no?
Join Paula as she dives into the art of understanding different communication styles, Paula serves up a hearty discussion on how different countries have different communication styles. She sprinkles in personal stories, insights from Erin Meyer's 'Culture Map,' and practical tips to help ...
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