When not working on her next book or piece as a full-time author and food writer, Shahnaz Ahsan (Br’15) can be found dabbling in watercolours, hosting brunches and teas, and raising her two children. From studying social policy as a Thouron Scholar to having two published books within five years of each other, Shahnaz is precisely the Alumnus we are honoured to have in our Thouron Community.
While Shahnaz spent her formative years in Keighley, West Yorkshire, it is her Bangladeshi heritage that has been interwoven into her journey thus far.
“As an undergraduate, I read History and English at Hertford College, University of Oxford [and] earned my master’s degree in International Politics and Security Studies from the University of Bradford’s world renowned Peace Studies department,” Shahnaz shares. After years of working in the educational non-profit sector following her studies at the University of Bradford, Shahnaz had a desire to gain a deeper understanding of the inner workings behind the sector — and thus, left her full-time career to pursue another graduate degree.
First Course: The Thouron Award
Cost was a significant prohibitive factor for Shahnaz when she considered applying to the University of Pennsylvania. Aware of the University’s standing as a leading institution in social impact and enterprise research, she did not allow it to deter her.
“At the time, I worked for the U.S.-U.K. Fulbright Commission as the Alumni and Development Manager and saw first-hand the power of international scholarship awards. I knew of the Thouron Award’s incredibly generous awards and its quirky and unique application process — it was a no-brainer to apply,” Shahnaz recalls.
During her interview for our Award, Shahnaz fell in love with the intentional focus on the whole applicant, not simply their academic performance. She knew her love of travel, connecting with people, and willingness to try new things made her an ideal applicant, but even if she didn’t receive the Award Shahnaz would have cherished the day because she enjoyed it so much. Thankfully that ending was not in the cards!
“The Thouron Award made my time abroad: not only did it generously fund my tuition fees and stipend, but with organised group trips such as the ski weekend, I had the chance to visit and try things I never had before. I cooked a huge meal for the whole cohort and Thouron Family (almost 20 of us in total)…and that meal became the inspiration for me to start running supper clubs when I returned to London,” she explains.
With her second master’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership from the School of Social Policy and Practice in tow, Shahnaz could have furthered her career in the non-profit sector but the foundation was laid for her inevitable career as an author and food writer. “[While] the Thouron Award allowed me to complete my master’s degree at UPenn, it [also] afforded me time to pursue what I really knew I wanted to do: which was write a novel,” Shahnaz admits.
Main Course: Non-Profit to Published Writer
It was during her year at Penn that Shahnaz found she had more time to work on her manuscript, writing half of what became her debut novel, Hashim & Family. The freedom to pursue such a dream was incredibly invaluable to Shahnaz.
“When I returned to London, I knew that writing and food were what I wanted to pursue. So I got a part-time job at the London School of Economics as a programme manager at the Department of Finance to pay the bills, and spent every spare moment writing the rest of my novel, running supper clubs, and Bengali cooking classes,” she shares.
Now a full-time author and food writer for newspapers and magazines, Shahnaz also teaches creative and food writing. By regularly appearing on national and international radio and podcasts, she has the opportunity to share her love of her work and the variability it affords. “I feel fortunate to be doing something that suits my family life so well: my husband is a diplomat so we move around often for his work — Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and now Rwanda. And with two young children, I really value the flexibility that my career offers in terms of hours,” Shahnaz details.
Thus far her first novel, Hashim & Family, has won the Observer Best Book of 2020 recognition and has led to Shahnaz receiving grants from the Society of Authors and the Guild of Food Writers. In July 2025, she wrote The Jackfruit Chronicles: Memories and Recipes from a British-Bangladeshi Kitchen — the same year of her daughter’s birth! “I feel especially proud to have brought two babies into the world in the same year,” she exclaims.
It is safe to say that Shahnaz will always take any excuse to get people together and eat delicious food.
Just Desserts: The Future
As a Thouron Alumni, Shahnaz counts some of her fellow Alumni as being among her best friends. With such a strong relationship tied to being a part of the Thouron Community, they have attended each other’s weddings, welcomed babies, celebrated career highlights, and more together.
“I wasn’t expecting to end up with such rich and lasting friendships when I was offered this Award but it has been one of the sweetest outcomes,” Shahnaz shares.
As for the continued growth of the Thouron Award and how she hopes it evolves in the future, Shahnaz would love to see it grow and diversify in terms of disciplines that applicants can pursue — particularly in the creative arts.
What Could Your Future Look like as a Thouron Scholar?
Learn more about the Thouron Award — one of the most prestigious and generous academic scholarships in the world, offering funding and cultural exchange between the University of Pennsylvania and U.K. institutions.
Applications for the Award are open from July to October for candidates from Penn, and July to November for U.K. candidates.