Meet Samina and Baljimder, the husband-and-wife duo who have brought the flavours of India and a passion for helping Helensburgh locals discover the best of Northern Indian cuisine.
Nine years ago, when they first arrived in Australia as students, neither of them imagined they’d one day be running a bustling café by day and a beloved Indian restaurant by night.
“I have a Masters in Accounting,” Samina laughs. “Sometimes I think, how did I end up running a restaurant?”
But like most great stories, everything unfolded, just like it was meant to be.
After starting out in Sydney, the couple visited Wollongong and instantly fell in love.
“We said we’d never return to Sydney, it’s just so beautiful down here,” Samina recalls.
After settling in Wollongong, Samina, who had hospitality and retail work experience, started looking around for business opportunities and noticed something surprising.
While Wollongong was inundated with restaurants, Helensburgh, perfectly placed between Sydney and Wollongong, had no Indian restaurant within 20 kilometres.
When a café in Helensburgh came up for sale, Samina and Baji took a leap. They bought it — and Samina now runs it as a café by day. Then, most afternoons at 4:30pm, the space transforms into Chef’s Signature, their vibrant Northern Indian restaurant. With only a short two hour window to switch over each evening, the couple and their team reset the entire space and prepare for a busy night of cooking and serving.
Samina is from Bangladesh, and Baji is from Punjab in Northern India. They wanted their food to reflect those bold, regional flavours, so they brought in a chef from that same part of India.
“Our chef is just amazing,” says Samina. “He has 16 years of experience in Sydney restaurants. He only makes the very best.”
Ingredients are sourced fresh from Sydney markets. The menu changes regularly, with specials shared on Facebook. Among the most‑loved dishes are butter chicken, goat curry and fish Malabar, alongside an extensive range of vegetarian and vegan plates.
“Indian food is not just curry — it’s fish, chicken, naan, so many flavours,” Samina says.
“I promise, if you come to eat with us, we will serve you something you will love.”
Running two businesses in one space isn’t easy, especially as the cost of living rises.
“There’s not a lot of personal time,” Samina admits. “Having a business is like having a baby!”
But the joy outweighs the exhaustion.
Samina and Baji, as he is known affectionately by locals, have been warmly welcomed by the Helensburgh community. They have customers who come in every single week.
“I remember their orders! And if they don’t order their usual, I always ask my staff, ‘Are you sure?’” she laughs.
Chef’s Signature has also become a must‑stop for visitors to the Helensburgh Temple, many of whom identify as South Indian.
One of the things that really brings joy to Samina is the pride she feels when locals bring international friends to eat at Chef’s Signature.
“Some customers bring visitors from the UK, and they tell us our food is better than any Indian restaurant there.” she says. “It makes me very proud.”
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