Be inspired
As living costs rise, we’re all thinking more carefully than ever before about what we eat. These three women show that it is love and thought that make lasting food memories, not expensive ingredients
‘Food gets all the senses going – Ieat with my eyes’
Arti Chudasama, 42, from Leicester, was a fashion designer before she decided to pursue her love of food. Now, she has created a colourful cookbook full of plant-based recipes that is a visual feast.
Coming from an Indian background, food is a massive part of our culture. So, we have always had very large family get-togethers, where everybody makes a dish and, when I was young, my mum made it clear I was expected to do jobs in the kitchen. My first passion was fashion and I studied clothing design and technology, then worked in Manchester and London, designing ladieswear for high-street brands through a supplier. In 2017, I wanted a change and took a job in Leicester, where I grew up. It was an easy choice to move back in with my mum. The only thing I missed was the variety of food. I had switched to a mostly plant-based diet, as it made me feel healthier, but there seemed to be little choice in Leicester compared to what I was used to, especially where I worked.
After 17 years in fashion, it didn’t feel a challenge any more and it was on one of those days when I was searching for something to eat that I decided I wanted to give Leicester something it didn’t have – a plant-based Indian deli. I gave up my job and, in March 2018, using my savings, I opened The Pantry in Leicester city centre, with all the food freshly home-made. My mum made the curries, my auntie baked the cakes, and I made the flatbreads, the burgers and the Buddha bowls. It was a family affair and their support meant a lot to me.
Starting my first business was a big learning curve. I was apprehensive about whether people would like it, but The Pantry took off immediately. After a year, I opened a second deli at the University of Leicester. There were some unexpected outcomes. In May 2018, I met an old friend, Chatan, when he was walking past The Pantry. We’d been at college 20 years before and had dated briefly but hadn’t kept in touch. It was the start of our love story and we are now married.
NEW PROJECT
But the pandemic had a huge impact on my business. My main customers were local workers and store owners, so even when I tried to do home deliveries, it didn’t work. I had to make the heartbreaking decision to close The Pantry. It was so disappointing, but it did lead to me embarking on a new project to write and self-publish
