I had the great pleasure of celebrating the start of Diwali (pronounced Divali), the Indian Festival of Lights on Friday afternoon. This Hindu festival is celebrated throughout India and around the world to mark the beginning of the lunar New Year, which falls today.
I was a guest at a special lunch hosted in Jaipur by the charming Kirit Pathak and his beautiful wife Meena, of Patak's Foods. We dined on specially chosen dishes prepared from the Patak range, as cooked by the culinary experts in Jaipur. It truly was a sensory overload and absolutely delicious.
Having been in business for nearly 50 years, Patak's, a family owned Indian food company, is an internationally successful brand, distributing it's products to over 40 countries around the world. Renowned for creating authentic Indian food that is quick and easy to prepare, there really is no excuse for not being able to prepare an Indian banquet at home. Thanks to William Rochford of BR Marketing, the Patak's range is available in Ireland at a good food store near you.
Patak's was founded by Kirit's father in the late '50s. L.G. Pathak arrived in the U.K. from Kenya with his wife, 6 shildren and just £5. He believed there was an opportunity to sell authentic Indian food to the Indian community in the U.K. and Patak's, the food company, was born. In order make the brand name easier for European's to pronounce, the family dropped the 'h' from Pathak.
"I personally select the ingredients from around the world, whilst my wife, Meena, develops the products using traditional spice blends, the recipes for which have been handed down through the generations of our family" Kirit told me.
It's this hands-on approach that has ensured that Patak's are market leaders and that the Pathak family are so successful. Kirit, who went to school in Dublin as a child, was awarded an OBE in 1997 and Meena received one in 2002, both for services to the food industry. As well as developing and approving around 20 new recipes every year, Meena is also the author of two best selling cookbooks, Indian Cooking for Family and Friends and Flavours of India.
After lunch I bumped into Benny, who is one of the managers of Jaipur and he told me that the George's Street restaurant is on the lookout for a new premises. The building is due for development and it's time to move on up. They have also just opened in the town of Greystones to much acclaim. If it were up to me I'd want a Jaipur for every town in Ireland.
Tonight though I shall attempt to do justice to one of Meena Pathak's mouth-watering dishes. Happy Dewali.
