Chef Arshiya grew up in India with ties to small family farms, lived in Paris to train professionally in pastry arts, and is now the executive chef and owner of Verzênay, a French patisserie/bakery in Lincoln park, Chicago. She started Verzênay in 2014 at Green City Farmers Market and catered to hotels and coffee shops.

Arshiya values her close relationship with farmers and sources from them to help support the local community. She makes food with focus on flavor and quality, using locally sourced and clean ingredients.