Creative, Chef, Founder, and Mom
Maryam Ishtiaq is a private chef, culinary innovator, and founder of It’s Actually, known for crafting immersive dining experiences and developing culturally rooted recipes that honor tradition while embracing modern flavor.
Built on memory and spice
🌶️
Built on memory and spice 🌶️
Dream it
〰️
Dream it 〰️
Culinary Innovation
& Recipe Development
Partnering with brands and restaurants to develop recipes rooted in culture, functionality, and flavor. From product ideation to menu creation, each concept is crafted with intention and storytelling at its core.
Private Chef
& Dining Experiences
Curated private dining experiences designed to bring people together through thoughtful menus and elevated hospitality. Each gathering blends seasonal ingredients, global inspiration, and the warmth of Maryam’s Pakistani roots.
Business Mentorship &
CPG Guidance
Supporting founders and food brands through product development, brand storytelling, and market positioning. Maryam offers strategic guidance shaped by her experience building It’s Actually from concept to consumer shelves.
Founder of Its Actually
During a challenging pregnancy, Maryam turned to the comforting warmth of broth for healing. Disappointed by store-bought options filled with preservatives and lacking flavor, she turned to her South Asian heritage for inspiration. With bold, wholesome ingredients and traditional techniques, she crafted broths that brought both nourishment and authenticity back to the table.
About Maryam
Maryam Ishtiaq is a chef, storyteller, and founder of Its Actually, a premium halal bone broth and cooking essentials brand rooted in honesty, heritage, and flavor.
Her career began in creative strategy, where she led brand direction for mission-driven companies and shaped digital experiences that connected with families and modern consumers. That same curiosity for storytelling eventually guided her into the kitchen, where she explores food through history, science, and culture.
Maryam now cooks, teaches, and hosts fine dining experiences across the country, bringing together modern technique and the vibrant flavors of her Pakistani roots. Through Its Actually and her work as a chef, she continues to celebrate the intersection of creativity, heritage, and meaningful nourishment.
Maryam was a contestant on Next Level Chef, where her Tandoori Chicken earned praise from judge Gordon Ramsay for its bold, heritage-driven flavor on national television.
FROM SCREEN TO TABLE…
Following the show, she co-hosted The Seventh Course, a multi-city dining series alongside fellow contestants, bringing immersive culinary experiences to West Palm, Chicago, and New York.
Recipes
