The Pakistani culinary industry, much like the country’s drama and entertainment sectors, has been blessed with talented people who have successfully represented them on television. This trend was pioneered by the popular PTV cooking expert, Kokab Khawaja, and was later adopted by multiple television networks. Eventually, media groups launched dedicated 24-hour cooking channels such as Masala TV, Zaiqa, and ARY Zauq. These platforms introduced the public to iconic culinary figures, including Zubaida Tariq, Chef Shireen Anwar, Zarnak Sidhwa, Chef Gulzar, Farah Jahanzeb, Zakir Qureshi, Sara Riaz, Tahir Chaudhry, Naheed Ansari, Rahat Ali, and many others. All these chefs showcased their talents and built huge fan followings, but unfortunately, many of them have passed away. Here, we have a list of chefs who passed away.
Zubaida Tariq
Zubaida Tariq was a very well-known chef, cooking expert, and herbalist. Zubaida Aapa passed away due to heart failure on January 4, 2018. She was 72 years old when she left this world. Zubaida Aapa was the younger sister of Anwar Maqsood and Fatima Surraiya Bajia.
Tahir Chaudhry
Chef Tahir Chaudhry was an internationally certified Pakistani chef who began his cooking career at an international hotel in Dubai. He also worked in France and Italy. In Pakistan, the chef hosted many cooking shows and was known for sharing budget-friendly recipes. Chef Tahir passed away due to cardiac arrest on October 6, 2018. His sudden and unexpected death shocked his fans, who considered his passing one of the biggest losses to the culinary industry.
Chef Farah Jahanzeb
Farah Jahanzeb was a young and talented chef who appeared on multiple channels and made a big name for herself. Chef Farah was diagnosed with breast cancer and was undergoing treatment when she passed away. She left behind beautiful daughters and a husband.
Chef Sara Riaz
Chef Sara Riaz was a popular Pakistani television chef who appeared in cooking shows on ARY Zauq. Sara had over 20 years of cooking experience and was a well-respected food expert. She was suffering from breast cancer, after which her condition deteriorated, and she passed away on April 18, 2014. Cooking experts were of the view that Chef Sara trained an entire generation of chefs.
Chef Fatima
Chef Fatima Ali, also known as Fati, was a celebrated Pakistani-American chef and television personality who gained widespread recognition after her appearance in the American cooking show Top Chef (Season 15), where she was voted the fan favorite. Soon after Top Chef ended, she was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare form of bone and soft tissue cancer. After an aggressive battle with cancer, she passed away at the age of 29 in January 2019.
Naheed Ansari
Naheed Ansari was a famous Pakistani chef. She had 35 years of experience in culinary arts. Naheed was known for her popular television appearances. She appeared on multiple cooking shows on renowned TV channels. She was the director of Creative Hands by Naheed Ansari. Naheed Ansari was also a well-known figure because of her cooking and baking courses. She was an expert teacher and a very decent, kind, and soft-spoken person. In July 2024, Naheed Ansari passed away after a long battle with cancer.
Chef Zakir Qureshi
Zakir Qureshi was a renowned Pakistani chef who gained recognition through his television appearances on Hum TV’s cooking channel, Masala TV. Chef Zakir taught thousands of recipes to people through his live cooking show. He was an expert in Pakistani as well as international cuisine. The chef had a huge fan following in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and other countries. Chef Zakir Qureshi passed away at the age of 58 in April 2025 after a long battle with kidney disease.
Chef Rahat Ali
Chef Rahat Ali was one of the most popular names in the Pakistani culinary industry. She had been a part of Geo TV and other channels as a cooking expert. Her daughter, Chef Maida, was also a renowned chef. The beloved Chef Rahat Ali recently passed away. The family did not share the cause of her death and requested privacy while confirming her death on social media.
