‘From serving street food to running a big restaurant’: Chef Sunita Kumar named Business Woman of the Year

Chef Sunita Kumar has been named as the Chamberlains Law Firm – 2020 Canberra Business Woman of the Year. Mrs Kumar says it was a moment of pride when she realised that she is the first Indian immigrant to receive this prestigious award.

Chef Sunita Kumar (wearing black and orange) at the Canberra Women in Business (CWB) Gala Dinner and Business Awards 2020 Source: Supplied

Highlights

• Chef Sunita Kumar has been named as Canberra Business Woman of the Year
• She claims to be the first Indian immigrant to receive this award
• Chef duo Sunita and Sanjay Kumar arrived in Canberra from India in 2012
• In 2015 they launched an eatery named Daana in a shipping container

Chef duo Sunita and Sanjay Kumar arrived in Canberra with their family on a one-way ticket from India in 2012.

In 2015 they launched an eatery named Daana in a 40-foot shipping container on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra, as part of the pop-up village.

The chef duo moved from serving Indian street food from the shipping container to a full-fledged restaurant when they moved Daana to commercial premises in Curtin, ACT in 2016.

Chef duo Sunita and Sanjay Kumar launched their eatery venture named Daana in 2015. Source: Supplied

Mrs Kumar told SBS Punjabi that she remembered every part of this ‘challenging yet intriguing’ journey when she attended Canberra Women in Business (CWB) Gala Dinner and Business Awards held at the National Arboretum in Canberra on 5 November.

And yes, she was awarded Chamberlains Law Firm – 2020 Canberra Business Woman of the Year.

“I'm still pinching myself in disbelief to make sure I'm not dreaming,” says Mrs Kumar.

“In 2012 if someone was to have predicted this for my future in 2020, I would have laughed. What a journey it has been for my husband Sanjay and myself!”

Source: Supplied

Mrs Kumar says she is also proud of her venture Daana which has received many local and national awards since it first started in 2015.

Our aim has been to redefine Indian cuisine in Australia.

“You won’t find a butter chicken or vindaloo on our menu. We started Daana on the belief that we could change how Indian cuisine is thought of, eaten and enjoyed in Australia. "All the tears and failures, ups and downs of the business have pushed us to work harder to make our dream come true," she explains. 

Outside view of Daana eatery at Canberra. Source: Supplied

Mrs Kumar says that winning this award is both an emotional and happy experience given that she also became the first Indian-Australian to receive this honour in the 13 years of the awards’ history.

“Being named the 2020 Canberra Business Woman of the Year reminds me that daring to be different, following your passion and having faith in your dreams is the recipe for success in business,” she adds.

“I am deeply proud of our new home in Canberra and I hope my award, the first for an Indian origin Australian woman and in the hospitality industry, will encourage other businesswomen in Australia to follow their dreams as well”.

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