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Friday, 02 December 2011
Anjali Pathak of the Indian food giants, Pataks, was back at
Bolton School to deliver a captivating cookery demonstration.
Anjali, who is Brand Ambassador for the family business, Pataks,
was delighted to return to her former school where she met up with
her former classmate, Natalie James (nee Whittle), who is now part
of the Food Technology Department, which organised the lunchtime
seminar.
The packed audience of students and staff were engrossed and
inspired as Anjali explained about her family business and how
her grandmother and grandfather grew the business in London after
arriving on these shores in 1957 with just £5 in their pocket.
The company is now the largest producer of Indian food in the
world. Her parents moved north to Bolton where the wetter
climate suited the spices more.
Anjali spoke about her life in food and how after leaving Bolton
School she became a qualified chef in London; she said she now
travels the world getting to 'demystify spices and Indian
food' whilst eating in some of the very best restaurants.
She regularly appears on television and leading media channels
and talked about her great love of food, telling the girls her
current favourite tv programme is Saturday Morning
Kitchen. She advised girls that if they ever go on a foodie
holiday then Kerala in South-West India is the place they
ought to visit where 90% of Indian spices are grown. Anjali
told the audience that they should keep their spices in tins but if
they had time they really should grind their own spices as this
releases essential oils and there is nothing better than
freshly ground spices.
Anjali went on to explain how her parents had come to
recognise how time poor we all are in this country and that is
what had made them develop the Pataks' range of curry cooking
sauces. She then treated the audience to a demonstration of
how to cook perfect onion bhajis.
After the demonstration Anajli, who left in 1999, caught up with
her former classmate and there was much hilarity as they reviewed
their Leavers' Yearbook. Two of Anajli's brother also
attended Bolton School, one of them now works for the company in
Dubai and the other is an actor.
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