Bigger India
5 Indian women shaking up London’s food scene
There’s a lot of debate about why there aren’t enough women in the food industry – but in fact, Indian women have been actively involved for decades.
One of London’s first modern Indian restaurants, Chutney Mary, was set up in 1990 by two sisters, Namita and Camellia Panjabi – and became the talk of the town. They went on to open other highly acclaimed restaurants; and were the original spice girls. If we’re going to get more women into STEM, we need to get more girls reading about science Indian women are there in family-owned restaurants, quietly cooking in the kitchens. They’re there making artisanal products off-site for the restaurants to sell. They’re there overseeing the menus or being the financial brains behind the scenes while their husbands are busy cooking up a storm on TV or signing yet another book deal.