Nimi Sunil Kumar lives in Munnar, India with her husband and kids. She is a traditional mother and wife who always puts her family first. But her second love is cooking! She's an award-winning cookbook author!

Each day at home she works on making innovative recipes for her family that always keeps them on their toes. She experiments with dishes she sees at different restaurants and tries to incorporate them into her home cooking. One day, her husband suggested she write a cookbook and she fell in love with the idea, so she did. Her cookbook, Lip Smacking Dishes of Kerala, dives deep into the traditional recipes of her region and makes them easy for people to learn how to make, as well as healthy and delicious. It has won many awards including 'Best Local Cuisine Book Of India!'

Her story shows the importance of food in her state, Kerala – as well as a poignant perspective on the challenges of being a working woman in a family that loves its traditional gender roles. Nimi studied electronics and communication in college (skills that helped her produce her cookbook herself!) but was persuaded to engross herself in family by her husband and peers. She has learned to balance her family, cooking and her job at the local school where she manages the cafeteria, a job that allows her to bring her healthy recipes to school and feed over 900 kids per day! Nimi is a shining example that proves traditions can be broken while still holding true to your beliefs!

She recently also published another cookbook, "4 o'clock temptations of Kerala."

To check out her cookbook or learn more about Nimi, you can go to her website or Facebook page!

This beautiful video was produced, shot and edited by Sarah Sellman and Greg Grano of American Bear Films. To see more videos like this, check out our HooplaHa YouTube Page.