Priya Krishna is the American food writer, cookbook author, and New York Times food staff writer whose 2019 cookbook Indian-ish helped reframe Indian-American cooking in the mainstream food media conversation. Born in 1990 to Indian-immigrant parents in Dallas, Texas, Krishna spent her early career at Bon Appetit as a regular video contributor, became one of the most-discussed casualties of the 2020 BA Test Kitchen racial pay disparity scandal, and emerged from that period as a defining food writer of her generation through her NYT staff position and ongoing cookbook work.
TL;DR
- American food writer and cookbook author, born 1990 in Dallas, Texas to Indian-immigrant parents
- Indian-ish (2019), her debut cookbook with mother Ritu Krishna, became a New York Times bestseller
- Former Bon Appetit YouTube cast member 2018 to 2020; departed during the 2020 racial pay disparity scandal
- New York Times food staff writer since 2021, with regular food reporting and recipe development
- Notable cookbook follow-up: Priyas Mixtape and ongoing food journalism work
Key facts about Priya Krishna
| Real name | Priya Krishna |
| Born | 1990, Dallas, Texas |
| Nationality | American (Indian heritage) |
| Education | Dartmouth College |
| Major book | Indian-ish (2019), co-authored with mother Ritu Krishna |
| Current position | NYT food staff writer (since 2021) |
| Previous role | Bon Appetit video contributor (2018 to 2020) |
Origins from Dallas to Bon Appetit
Priya Krishna was born in 1990 in Dallas, Texas, the daughter of Indian-immigrant parents Ritu and Shailen Krishna. Her mother Ritu became central to her food writing career as the recipe-source figure behind Indian-ish, where the cookbook framed Rituas casual American-Indian cooking as a legitimate cuisine category rather than a compromise version of either tradition. Priya attended Dartmouth College, then began her food writing career at outlets including Lucky Peach, Bon Appetit, The New Yorker, and others before becoming a regular on-camera presence at the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen.
The Bon Appetit YouTube role from 2018 to 2020 made Priya a recognizable face in food YouTube, particularly through her Making Perfect series and Test Kitchen guest appearances. The June 2020 racial pay disparity scandal at Bon Appetit Test Kitchen became a defining moment for Priya alongside other non-white cast members. She publicly stated that white editors had received video compensation while she had not, contributing to the cascade of departures that reshaped food YouTube. She eventually joined the New York Times food desk in 2021 as a staff writer.
Priya Krishna career timeline
- 1990 Priya Krishna born in Dallas, Texas to Indian-immigrant parents Ritu and Shailen Krishna
- 2008 to 2012 Attends Dartmouth College
- 2012 to 2018 Writes for Lucky Peach, Bon Appetit, The New Yorker, and other outlets as a freelance food journalist
- 2018 Becomes a regular Bon Appetit video contributor, appearing in Test Kitchen content alongside the core cast
- April 2019 Publishes Indian-ish: Recipes and Antics from a Modern American Family with mother Ritu Krishna; the book becomes a New York Times bestseller
- 2019 to 2020 Continues regular Bon Appetit appearances including Making Perfect and other series; her profile grows substantially
- June 2020 The Bon Appetit Test Kitchen racial pay disparity scandal breaks; Priya publicly states she had not received video compensation given to white colleagues; departs the BA Test Kitchen YouTube cast over the following months
- 2021 Joins the New York Times food desk as a staff writer; continues regular cookbook and journalism work
- 2022 to 2024 Publishes additional cookbooks; develops the Priyas Mixtape recipe brand
- 2023 to 2024 Released childrens cookbook Priyas Kitchen Adventures
- 2025 to 2026 Continues NYT staff writing alongside cookbook and brand work; remains one of the most-cited food journalists of her generation
Priya Krishna signature style and editorial approach
The Priya Krishna editorial signature is family-centered Indian-American cooking that refuses the authentic-vs-fusion binary that older food media used to organize Indian cuisine coverage. Indian-ish frames her mother Ritus everyday cooking as a legitimate cuisine category in its own right, not a compromise version of either Indian or American food. The framing has been influential in how food media now covers immigrant family cooking generally, with explicit attention to the actual food families eat rather than the museum version of any cuisine.
The writing voice is warm, conversational, family-anchored, and often funny, with the recipe development happening in real conversation with her mother as primary source. The on-camera presence during the Bon Appetit years carried the same warm conversational tone into video, which was part of why she became a recognizable face on the channel. The NYT staff writing extends the editorial voice into newspaper journalism while maintaining the conversational and family-anchored frame.
Notable work: Indian-ish and the NYT food desk
Indian-ish (April 2019, with co-author Ritu Krishna) became a New York Times bestseller and is considered a defining contemporary Indian-American cookbook. The book is structured around Ritus actual recipes rather than aspirational restaurant-style dishes, with chapter framings that emphasize how the food fits into family life rather than abstract cuisine categories. The follow-up cookbook work has extended the editorial voice while staying anchored in the family-cooking frame.
The New York Times staff position since 2021 has positioned Priya as one of the most-read American food journalists at one of the most influential food publications globally. Her writing has covered Indian-American food culture, restaurant scene coverage, and recipe development for the NYT Cooking platform. The NYT role represents the post-Bon Appetit phase of her career most cleanly, where the food writing has matured into mainstream journalism alongside the continuing cookbook work.
Awards and recognition
- April 2019 Indian-ish becomes a New York Times bestseller
- 2019 to 2020 Builds substantial food media profile through Bon Appetit YouTube appearances
- 2020 Becomes a defining voice in the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen racial pay disparity reckoning
- 2021 Joins the New York Times food desk as a staff writer
- 2022 to 2024 Continues cookbook and journalism work including Priyas Kitchen Adventures childrens cookbook
Impact and cultural relevance
Priya Krishna is one of the defining food writers of her generation, with influence stretching across cookbook publishing, video food media, and mainstream food journalism. The Indian-ish framing of immigrant family cooking has been particularly influential, opening editorial space for other writers to cover their own family cuisines without the authentic-vs-fusion binary that older food media imposed. The cookbook is regularly cited as a turning point for how American food media covers immigrant cuisine.
The 2020 Bon Appetit Test Kitchen role Priya played in the public reckoning over racial pay disparity was significant beyond her individual career. Her willingness to publicly document the compensation gap helped drive the editorial accountability moment that reshaped Bon Appetit and food YouTube broadly. Alongside Sohla El-Waylly, she helped establish that on-camera food talent could push back on editorial-brand inequities rather than absorbing them silently. The subsequent NYT staff writer position formalized her position as one of the senior food journalists of her generation.
Priya Krishna FAQ
Who is Priya Krishna?
Priya Krishna is an American food writer, cookbook author, and New York Times food staff writer born in 1990 in Dallas, Texas to Indian-immigrant parents. She is best known for Indian-ish (2019), her debut cookbook with mother Ritu Krishna, which became a New York Times bestseller.
What is Indian-ish?
Indian-ish: Recipes and Antics from a Modern American Family is Priya Krishnas 2019 debut cookbook, co-authored with her mother Ritu Krishna. The book documents Ritus everyday Indian-American cooking and became a New York Times bestseller, influencing how food media now covers immigrant family cuisine.
Did Priya Krishna leave Bon Appetit?
Yes. Priya Krishna departed the Bon Appetit YouTube cast during the 2020 racial pay disparity scandal. She publicly stated that white editors had received video compensation while she had not, contributing to the broader BA Test Kitchen editorial reckoning that summer.
Does Priya Krishna work at the New York Times?
Yes. Priya Krishna joined the New York Times food desk as a staff writer in 2021, where she has continued to publish food journalism, restaurant coverage, and recipe development alongside her ongoing cookbook work.
Where is Priya Krishna from?
Priya Krishna was born in 1990 and grew up in Dallas, Texas to Indian-immigrant parents Ritu and Shailen Krishna. She attended Dartmouth College before starting her food writing career.
What is next for Priya Krishna
Priya continues her work as a New York Times food staff writer alongside ongoing cookbook releases and food brand projects. Follow her on Instagram (@priya.krishna).
