LEELA’S KITCHEN
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eela’s Kitchen is committed to producing vibrant healthy and exotic Indian food and is educating and inspiring the Isle of Man’s residents to pick up the mantle and create their own dishes by bringing ingredients and dishes to the Island’s shores from India. Kumar Menon, who moved to the Island from Kerala thirteen years ago, created the company initially by providing Indian cookery classes and dinner parties. Dishes were made using family recipes passed down from his mother and grandmother, who was the original Leela and the inspiration for his company. He also runs his very popular cookery workshops where customers can learn how to cook, and then enjoy, authentic Indian cuisine all in the comfort of their home. Its like hiring your very own personal chef without the premium price tag, and all dishes are tailor made to clients requirements. However, having two family members as inspiration wasn’t enough and as Kumar re ects, his grandfather and father’s passion for spices has inspired another side to the business – his Leela’s Kitchen range of six freshly ground and whole spices. The range features black mustard seed, black peppercorn, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and tumeric powder. Each of the six has been specially selected as an iconic and integral part of most traditional Indian dishes and can trace their origins as
DO BUSINESS IN STYLE
In what is surely the ultimate in traceability, a staple part of artisan producers, he gets his ingredients from a London based importer who buys direct from Kumar’s father in India.
cooking ingredients back hundreds of years. Every one is ground fresh before being packaged and shipped, which adds to the great taste and avour.
Kumar believes it is ironic that it is only on settling on the Isle of Man that he has actually become involved in what is a family industry as his grandfather began trading spices in India in the 1950’s. In what is surely the ultimate in traceability, a staple part of artisan producers, he gets his ingredients from a London based importer who buys direct from Kumar’s father in India. The ingredients are then packaged on the Isle of Man and, highlighting the company’s base, every spice container carries the Manx triskelion. However, like all successful entrepreneurs, Kumar isn’t resting on his laurels. He’s already looking to create an export market after receiving enquiries from America and is grateful for the advise and support that he has received from Peter McEvoy at the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture as he looks to build his business and grow his market. His ingredients are already used by many of the Island’s leading restaurants and he’s stocked on the shelves of some of the leading specialist retailers including Robinsons and some of the Independent health shops but is always keen to hear from more. He’s also developing new lines and is looking to
develop a ready to cook Onion Bhaji mix in time for next year’s British Taste Awards. And when he eventually decides to hang up his ladel, he’s already identified his successor – his own daughter Leela, the next generation of the family to bring spice into people’s lives.
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