After five years away, I took a spontaneous leap back to my roots in Bangladesh. In this episode of The Culinary Leap, I’m taking you on a sensory tour of Dhaka—from the bustling streets of Puran Dhaka to the sleek new patisseries that rival anything I’ve seen in California.

I dive deep into the specific flavors that defined my trip and my childhood, including:

• The Nostalgia: Why Shumi’s "Black Forest Delight" and Sausly’s sandwiches still "hit different" decades later.
• The Discovery: My first encounter with Chunga Pitha—sticky rice smoked inside bamboo—and the art of the perfect, slow-cooked Khirsha.
• The Royal Treatment: Recreating the fragrance of Shahi Polao and the creamy depth of  ...