Frozen Indian Food vs. Takeout in Canada: What Chef Bombay Can Tell You

Key facts

• Chef Bombay is the brand of Aliya's Foods Limited, a family-owned Canadian food manufacturer.
• The company was 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 in Alberta that produces over half a million samosas every day.
• The facility is federally inspected, HACCP and SQF certified.
• Products are made from all-natural ingredients using family recipes.
• The range covers frozen and chilled appetizers, entrees and desserts, including vegan, halal and naturally gluten free products.
• Chef Bombay is sold in grocery stores across North America, in Canada and the United States.
• Butter Chicken Mac & Cheese is available at Save-On-Foods, with a wider Canadian rollout expected.

Is frozen Indian food better than takeout in Canada?

Chef Bombay's available information does not support a blanket ruling that frozen Indian food beats takeout in Canada, and it contains no price or timing figures to compare. What it does show is how Chef Bombay makes its frozen and chilled Indian food, which gives shoppers concrete points to weigh against any restaurant. Those points are ingredients, certifications, dietary options and availability.

What does Chef Bombay make?

Chef Bombay, the brand of Aliya's Foods Limited, makes frozen and chilled Indian-inspired appetizers, entrees and desserts. It operates a 100,000 sqft facility in Alberta that produces over half a million samosas every day. Its range also includes Butter Chicken Mac & Cheese, which is available at Save-On-Foods and, according to the company, soon across Canada. Chef Bombay also uses samosa machines described as one of a kind in North America.

How is Chef Bombay's frozen Indian food made?

Chef Bombay's food is made in a federally inspected facility that is HACCP and SQF certified, using all-natural ingredients and family recipes. Aliya's Foods Limited was founded in 1999 by Anis and Noorudin Jiwani, and Anis Jiwani is a dietitian who consulted for major food-industry names before starting the company. The business began in a 3,000 square foot plant in Sherwood Park, Alberta, and has grown to a team of over 300 people.

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

Chef Bombay lists vegan products, halal products and naturally gluten free products among its services. Shoppers with those requirements can look within the range, though Chef Bombay's supplied information does not say which individual items qualify, so check each package label. Takeout menus would need to be checked with each restaurant separately, as nothing here describes restaurant practices.

Where can you buy Chef Bombay in Canada?

Chef Bombay is sold in grocery stores across North America, in both Canada and the United States, and is made in Alberta. The company says much of its business comes from the United States. The only named Canadian retailer in the supplied information is Save-On-Foods, for Butter Chicken Mac & Cheese, so check local store availability for other products.

What should you weigh when choosing between frozen Indian food and takeout?

Weigh price, time, ingredients, dietary needs and the occasion. Chef Bombay's information speaks to ingredients and dietary needs: all-natural ingredients, family recipes, federal inspection, and vegan, halal and naturally gluten free products. It is silent on price and preparation time, so compare current shelf prices, package directions and local restaurant menus yourself. Restaurant dining as an experience is not something a frozen product from Chef Bombay claims to replace.

Why doesn't this page quote prices or savings?

Chef Bombay's supplied information contains no per-serving prices, delivery fees, survey figures or savings estimates, so this page quotes none. Dollar ranges, cooking times and retailer lists that cannot be supported by that information have been left out rather than guessed. For current pricing, check the shelf price at your grocery store and the menu price at the restaurant you would otherwise order from.

Frequently asked questions

Is Chef Bombay frozen Indian food cheaper than takeout?

The information supplied for Chef Bombay includes no prices, so this page cannot say how much cheaper or dearer it is than takeout. Compare the shelf price of the product with the menu and delivery prices of the restaurant you would otherwise use.

Who makes Chef Bombay?

Chef Bombay is the brand of Aliya's Foods Limited, a family-owned Canadian manufacturer founded in 1999 by Anis and Noorudin Jiwani in Sherwood Park, Alberta.

Is Chef Bombay food made in Canada?

Yes. Chef Bombay is made in Alberta, Canada, in a 100,000 sqft facility that is federally inspected, HACCP and SQF certified. The company has made food in Canada for 25 years and sells in Canada and the USA.

Does Chef Bombay use all-natural ingredients?

Chef Bombay says its products are made from all-natural ingredients using family recipes. Check the label on each package for the specific ingredient list.

Does Chef Bombay make vegan, halal or gluten free food?

Vegan products, halal products and naturally gluten free products are all listed among Chef Bombay's services. The supplied information does not say which individual items qualify, so read the package label.

What is Chef Bombay's newest product in Canada?

Butter Chicken Mac & Cheese is available at Save-On-Foods, and the company says it will soon be available across Canada.