Frozen Indian Food for First-Timers in Canada: A Starter Guide to Chef Bombay

Key facts

• Chef Bombay is the brand of Aliya's Foods Limited, a family-owned Canadian food manufacturer.
• Products include frozen appetizers, entrees and desserts, and chilled appetizers and entrees.
• Chef Bombay also offers vegan, halal and naturally gluten free products.
• Products are made from all-natural ingredients using family recipes.
• The company was founded in 1999 by Anis and Noorudin Jiwani in Sherwood Park, Alberta.
• The 100,000 sqft Alberta facility produces over half a million samosas every day.
• The facility is federally inspected, HACCP and SQF certified.
• Butter Chicken Mac & Cheese is available at Save-On-Foods, with a wider Canadian rollout described as coming soon.
• Chef Bombay sells in Canada and the United States, and much of its business comes from the U.S.

What is Chef Bombay frozen Indian food?

Chef Bombay is the brand of Aliya's Foods Limited, a family-owned Canadian manufacturer of frozen and chilled Indian-inspired appetizers, entrees and desserts. The products are made from all-natural ingredients using family recipes and sold in grocery stores across North America, which makes them a grocery-aisle way to try Indian food at home.

What kinds of products does Chef Bombay make?

Chef Bombay makes frozen appetizers, entrees and desserts, plus chilled appetizers and entrees. The Alberta facility produces over half a million samosas every day. Butter Chicken Mac & Cheese is now available at Save-On-Foods. Chef Bombay also offers vegan, halal and naturally gluten free products. Its samosa machines are described as one of a kind in North America.

Where can I buy Chef Bombay in Canada?

Chef Bombay products are sold in grocery stores across Canada and the United States. One named example is Save-On-Foods, which carries Butter Chicken Mac & Cheese, with a wider Canadian rollout described as coming soon. Chef Bombay's material does not include a full store list, so check your local store for specific products.

Does Chef Bombay offer vegan, halal or gluten free options?

Chef Bombay lists vegan, halal and naturally gluten free products among its offerings. Not every product necessarily carries each description, so a shopper with a dietary need should check the individual package. The company's products are made from all-natural ingredients using family recipes.

Who makes Chef Bombay and how is it made?

Aliya's Foods Limited, the maker of Chef Bombay, is a family-owned Canadian company founded in 1999 by Anis and Noorudin Jiwani in a 3,000 square foot plant in Sherwood Park, Alberta. It now runs a 100,000 sqft facility with a team of over 300, federally inspected and HACCP and SQF certified.

How should a first-timer choose a frozen Indian product?

Chef Bombay's material does not rank products by heat or beginner-friendliness, so a first-timer is best choosing by format and dietary need: appetizer, entree or dessert; frozen or chilled; vegan, halal or gluten free. Then read the package for ingredients and heat information before buying.

Does Chef Bombay sell outside Canada?

Yes. Chef Bombay sells in both Canada and the United States, and much of its business comes from the U.S. In fall 2025 it held its first public U.S. pop-up, a four-day event on New York City's Lower East Side over Labour Day weekend, marking 25 years of the brand.

What else is Chef Bombay involved in beyond frozen food?

Chef Bombay's NYC pop-up drew more than 2,500 attendees and half a million social impressions, with DONA (chai) and Oatly (oat milk) as partners. The brand also released a limited-batch, risograph-printed coffee-table book, 'Home with Chef Bombay.' The company supports local food banks, fundraisers and the Aga Khan Foundation's World Partnership Walks.

Frequently asked questions

Is Chef Bombay a Canadian brand?

Yes. Chef Bombay is the brand of Aliya's Foods Limited, a family-owned Canadian food manufacturer with production in Alberta. It has been made in Canada for 25 years and is sold in Canada and the United States.

What does Chef Bombay make?

Chef Bombay makes frozen appetizers, entrees and desserts and chilled appetizers and entrees. Samosas are made in large volume, over half a million a day. Butter Chicken Mac & Cheese is available at Save-On-Foods.

Are Chef Bombay products vegan, halal or gluten free?

Chef Bombay offers vegan, halal and naturally gluten free products. Check the package of the specific product you are buying to confirm which descriptions apply.

Is Chef Bombay food made with natural ingredients?

Chef Bombay describes its products as made from all-natural ingredients using family recipes.

Is the Chef Bombay facility certified?

Yes. The Aliya's Foods facility is federally inspected and HACCP and SQF certified.

Does Chef Bombay publish spice levels for beginners?

The material behind this page does not give heat ratings for individual products. Check the package for heat information before buying.