Why Toronto Was the Perfect Backdrop to Tell This Story of Food, Family, and Identity
After 25 years of being a freezer-aisle staple in Canada, Chef Bombay is stepping into the spotlight with intention. In its first ever brand campaign, the frozen Indian food brand leans into the heart of what it’s always represented: family, flavour, and the emotional power of shared meals. But rather than chasing food trends or overly stylised visuals, the brand chose something more intimate and more real.
Shot in a lived-in Toronto home with a real family (piano and all), the campaign offers a warm, honest glimpse into what food really means when it’s passed between generations. Speaking with Chef Bombay CMO Khadija Jiwani about why now was the right time to tell their story, LBB’s April Summers learns about the creative thinking behind the bold decision to reject traditional ad tropes in favour of truth, and why Toronto served as the perfect backdrop for a story that’s anything but frozen.
LBB> Why now? What made this the right moment for Chef Bombay’s first brand campaign?
Khadija> After 25 years of showing up in people’s freezers, and on their family tables, we realised it was time to show up in their feeds, too. We’ve built trust through taste and quality, but we’d never told our story at scale. The way people relate to food, culture, and even frozen meals has evolved, especially among younger generations. For them, Indian food isn’t a once-in-a-while “ethnic night”, it’s part of their weekly cravings, their identity, their routine.
This campaign is about stepping into that cultural moment with intention, showing that Chef Bombay isn’t just still here - it’s more relevant than ever. We wanted to honour our legacy while making a bold statement about where we’re headed next.
LBB> What was the overarching strategy or business goal behind launching this campaign? Awareness, expansion, emotional connection?
Khadija> This was never just a brand awareness play. The strategy was rooted in emotional connection and cultural resonance. Our goal was to reintroduce Chef Bombay as not just a product, but a presence. A brand that shows up in real moments, on real tables, for real families.
We wanted people to see their own kitchens, families, and rituals reflected in the work. From a business standpoint, we’re focused on expansion across North America, but we knew that kind of growth couldn’t come from just shouting louder, it had to come from meaning more.
LBB> Can you walk us through the creative brief? What were the non-negotiables creatively and strategically?
Khadija> Strategically, the brief had two immovable pillars: emotional truth and cultural authenticity. We weren’t interested in another food commercial filled with generic family tropes or stylised close-ups of steam rising off a plate. We wanted something that felt lived in, where you could almost hear the laughter between bites or feel the awkward pause before a family argument.
At the heart of this was a universal truth: food is never just about food. It’s about the people you share it with — the chaos, the warmth, and the comfort that comes from being around a table with the ones you love. That’s what Chef Bombay has stood for all along: real taste, real connections, no trade-offs.
Creatively, it had to be rooted in truth. The families had to be real. The home had to feel familiar. And the story had to unfold with warmth, humour, and honesty, not gloss. We gave ourselves permission to lean into imperfection, because that’s where the magic lives.
LBB> How did you land on the decision to use “real families, no actors”? Was that a creative decision, a budgetary one, or both?
Khadija> Honestly? It was both. From a creative standpoint, we knew we wanted real chemistry rather than rehearsed banter or picture-perfect moments. We wanted the kind of unscripted energy that only happens when people truly know each other. A cousin interrupting mid-sentence, someone stealing the last samosa, inside jokes that don't need explaining — that’s the emotional texture we were after.
But yes, we were also working within the realities of a budget. What could’ve been a constraint actually became an opportunity. As an agency, Hunting the Hunter leaned into that challenge. We found a real family with incredible warmth and dynamic, and built a production environment that allowed them to be themselves.
In the end, it made the work better. You can’t fake familiarity, and you can’t script chemistry. Choosing real people gave the spot its soul — and gave us a creative edge that a more polished production never could’ve delivered.
LBB> Also, what led you to the decision to shoot in a real Toronto home?
Khadija> Because that’s where the story actually happens. You can’t replicate the soul of a home that’s lived in. We wanted the kind of kitchen that’s seen a thousand meals, where the fridge is covered in magnets and the corner still has half-deflated birthday balloons. That lived-in texture gives the story its emotional weight — and that’s something a set just can’t fake.
Shooting in Toronto was also intentional. It’s where our creative agency (Hunting the Hunter) and production partners (Junkie Studio) are based, and we wanted to collaborate with people who understood the nuance of what we were trying to build. There’s a shorthand that happens when you work with people who share the same city, cultural context, and creative language — and we knew that would show up on screen.
Toronto itself is a character in this story. It’s one of the most multicultural cities in the world, and that spirit of intersection – between cultures, generations, and traditions – is at the heart of this campaign. This is a story about food, family, and identity, and Toronto gave us the perfect backdrop to tell it with honesty and care.
LBB> The brand spot doesn’t lean heavily into overt ‘ad tropes’ — was that intentional? If so, what was the thinking behind that restraint?
Khadija> Absolutely intentional. We didn’t want to rely on product shots or voiceovers telling you how to feel. The restraint was the strategy. We trusted the food to speak for itself and the family to carry the story.
Our goal was for someone to watch the spot and say, “Yep, my uncles fight exactly like that,” or “That’s exactly how it is when everyone talks over each other.” That recognition, that little spark of realness, is what builds connection. Because if the family feels real, then the brand becomes part of something real too.
We want Chef Bombay to live in those kinds of moments. Not just on your plate, but in your memories — from the everyday dinners to the milestone celebrations.
LBB> Can you share some behind-the-scenes moments or challenges from the shoot day that helped shape the final spot?
Khadija> The biggest challenge? The house itself. We shot in a real Toronto home which meant working around all the quirks and constraints that come with lived-in spaces. The location was tight. There was literally a full piano in the middle of the living room that we couldn’t move. Every time someone absentmindedly placed something on it, someone else would pipe up to remind them, “Not the piano!” — it became an ongoing joke on set.
But that space, with all its limitations, gave the spot its soul. We didn’t want a perfect, polished home, we wanted real memories baked into the walls. And Junkie Studio, along with their DOP Daniyal, made it work beautifully. They lit the space so thoughtfully (along with our art director, Hiral), working around furniture, narrow entryways, and a crowded kitchen without ever compromising the intimacy of the scenes.
Even with a limited budget, we had 30 people on set that day. Everyone, from crew to client, was completely aligned on the vision. That collective commitment is what brought it to life.
LBB> How do you balance cultural authenticity with the need to appeal to broader North American audiences who might not be as familiar with Indian cuisine?
Khadija> We didn’t water anything down, and we didn’t need to. The key was starting from a place of truth, not translation.
Cultural authenticity doesn’t mean exclusivity. In fact, the more specific we were – the exact way someone eats a samosa, the familiar bickering at the table – the more universal it became. People don’t need to share your background to understand warmth, humour, and family tension.
The spot speaks to anyone who’s ever had to fight for the last bite at dinner. And that’s everyone.
LBB> And finally, is this the beginning of a broader brand platform? Should we expect more storytelling in this style moving forward?
Absolutely! This is just chapter one. We’re building a long-term brand platform rooted in cultural storytelling, warmth, and emotional resonance. Chef Bombay has always had soul, it’s just never been articulated this way before. This campaign opened the door to a new voice, one that’s honest, charming, and rooted in lived experience. More stories are coming. Different tables, different families, same heart.
