Patak's

Last updated

Patak's
Company typeIndian food
IndustryFood manufacture
Founded1957
Founder Shanta Pathak and Lakshmishankar Pathak
Headquarters Leigh, Greater Manchester, England, United Kingdom
Key people
Chairman, Kirit Pathak OBE (1952-2021)
ProductsReady meals, Indian sauces
Parent Associated British Foods
Website pataks.co.uk OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Patak's is a UK brand of Indian-style curry pastes, sauces and spices. It was founded in 1957 by wife-and-husband team Gujarati-British entrepreneurs Shanta Pathak and Lakshmishankar Pathak, who came to Britain, penniless, with their family as refugees from Kenya, and acquired by Associated British Foods in May 2007 for £200 million. [1] [2]

A Patak's bread company Patak's Breads Ltd, Cumbernauld - geograph.org.uk - 128827.jpg
A Patak's bread company

The company supplies 75% [1] of British curry houses with sauces and mixed spices, and supplies major retailers throughout Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curry</span> Spicy Asian-influenced dishes

Curry is a dish with a sauce or gravy seasoned with spices, mainly derived from the interchange of Indian cuisine with European taste in food, starting with the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch and British, and then thoroughly internationalised. Many dishes that would be described as curries in English are found in the native cuisines of countries in Southeast Asia and East Asia. The English word is derived indirectly from some combination of Dravidian words such as the Tamil kaṟi (கறி) meaning 'sauce' or 'relish for rice'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Condiment</span> Substance added to food for flavour

A condiment is a preparation that is added to food, typically after cooking, to impart a specific flavour, to enhance the flavour, or to complement the dish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">English cuisine</span> Culinary tradition

English cuisine encompasses the cooking styles, traditions and recipes associated with England. It has distinctive attributes of its own, but is also very similar to wider British cuisine, partly historically and partly due to the import of ingredients and ideas from the Americas, China, and India during the time of the British Empire and as a result of post-war immigration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curry powder</span> Spice mix

Curry powder is a spice mix originating from India, adapted from but not to be confused with the native spice mix of garam masala.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicken tikka masala</span> British dish consisting of boneless chicken pieces in curry sauce

Chicken tikka masala is a dish consisting of roasted marinated chopped chicken in a spiced sauce (masala). The sauce is usually creamy and orange-coloured. The origins of the dish are debated, with many believing it was created by Bangladeshi or Pakistani cooks in Britain. It is offered at restaurants around the world and is similar to butter chicken.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korma</span> Dish originating in the Indian subcontinent

Korma or qorma is a dish with its origin in the Indian subcontinent, consisting of meat or vegetables braised with yogurt, water or stock, and spices to produce a thick sauce or gravy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Butter chicken</span> Indian gravy chicken dish prepared with butter

Butter chicken, traditionally known as murgh makhani, is an Indian dish originating in Delhi. It is a type of curry made from chicken with a spiced tomato and butter (makhan) sauce. Its sauce is known for its rich texture. It is similar to chicken tikka masala, which uses a tomato paste.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chili powder</span> Spice made from chili peppers

Chili powder is the dried, pulverized fruit of one or more varieties of chili pepper, sometimes with the addition of other spices. It is used as a spice to add pungency (piquancy) and flavor to culinary dishes. In American English, the spelling is usually "chili"; in British English, "chilli" is used consistently.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Associated British Foods</span> British food company

Associated British Foods plc (ABF) is a British multinational food processing and retailing company headquartered in London, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Japanese curry</span> Japanese-style curry dish

Japanese curry is commonly served in three main forms: curry over rice, curry udon, and curry bread. It is one of the most popular dishes in Japan. The very common "curry rice" is most often referred to simply as "curry".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian Chinese cuisine</span> Fusion cuisine combining Indian and Chinese traditions

Indian Chinese cuisine, Chinese Indian cuisine, Indo-Chinese cuisine, Sino-Indian cuisine, Chindian cuisine, Hakka Chinese or Desi-Chinese cuisine is a distinct style of Chinese cuisine adapted to Indian tastes, combining Chinese foods with Indian flavours and spices. Though Asian cuisines have mixed throughout history throughout Asia, the most popular origin story of the fusion food resides with Chinese labourers of Calcutta, who immigrated to British India looking for work. Opening restaurant businesses in the area, these early Chinese food sellers adapted their culinary styles to suit Indian tastes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fish and chip shop</span> Restaurant that sells fish and chips

A fish and chip shop, sometimes referred to as a chip shop or chippy, is a restaurant that specialises in selling fish and chips. Usually, fish and chip shops provide takeaway service, although some have seating facilities. Fish and chip shops may also sell other foods, including variations on their core offering such as battered sausage and burgers, to regional cuisine such as Indian food.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British cuisine</span> Culinary traditions of the United Kingdom

British cuisine is the specific set of cooking traditions and practices associated with the United Kingdom, including the cuisines of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. According to food writer Colin Spencer, historically, British cuisine meant "unfussy dishes made with quality local ingredients, matched with simple sauces to accentuate flavour, rather than disguise it".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicken curry</span> Curry with chicken

Chicken curry or curry/curriedchicken is a South Asian dish originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is common in the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent, Caribbean, Southeast Asia, Great Britain, and Kenya. A typical curry from the Indian subcontinent consists of chicken stewed in an onion- and tomato-based sauce, flavoured with ginger, garlic, tomato puree, chilli peppers and a variety of spices, often including turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cardamom. Outside of South Asia, chicken curry is often made with a pre-made spice mixture known as curry powder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malaysian Indian cuisine</span> Cuisine of ethnic Indian communities of Malaysia

Malaysian Indian cuisine, or the cooking of the ethnic Indian communities in Malaysia, consists of adaptations of authentic dishes from India, as well as original creations inspired by the diverse food culture of Malaysia. Because the vast majority of Malaysia's Indian community are of South Indian descent, and are mostly ethnic Tamils who are descendants of immigrants from a historical region which consists of the modern Indian state of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka's Northern Province, much of Malaysian Indian cuisine is predominantly South Indian-inspired in character and taste. A typical Malaysian Indian dish is likely to be seasoned with curry leaves and whole and powdered spice, and to contain fresh coconut in various forms. Ghee is still widely used for cooking, although vegetable oils and refined palm oils are now commonplace in home kitchens. Before a meal it is customary to wash hands as cutlery is often not used while eating, with the exception of a serving spoon for each respective dish.

Barbadian cuisine, also called Bajan cuisine, is a mixture of African, Portuguese, Indian, Irish, Creole, Indigenous and British background. A typical meal consists of a main dish of meat or fish, normally marinated with a mixture of herbs and spices, hot side dishes, and one or more salads. The meal is usually served with one or more sauces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gulai</span> Indonesian curry dish

Gulai is a Minangkabau class of spicy and rich stew commonly found in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. The main ingredients of this dish are usually poultry, goat meat, beef, mutton, various kinds of offal, fish and seafood, as well as vegetables such as cassava leaves, unripe jackfruit and banana stem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shanta Pathak</span> Co-founder of Patak food brand

Shanta Gaury Pathak was a British businesswoman of Indo-Ugandan descent, and the co-founder, alongside her husband Laxmishanker Pathak, of the Patak's brand of Indian-style curry pastes, sauces and spices.

Curacha Alavar, sometimes referred to as curacha con salsa Alavar in Chavacano a Spanish-based creole language, is a Filipino dish made from spanner crabs (curacha), garlic, ginger, salt, and Alavar sauce. The key ingredient is the Alavar sauce, a secret blend of coconut milk, taba ng talangka, and various spices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curry in the United Kingdom</span>

Curry, a spicy Indian-derived dish, is a popular meal in the United Kingdom. Curry recipes have been printed in Britain since 1747, when Hannah Glasse gave a recipe for a chicken curry. In the 19th century, many more recipes appeared in the popular cookbooks of the time. Curries in Britain are widely described using Indian terms, such as korma for a mild sauce with almond and coconut, Madras for a hot, slightly sour sauce, and pasanda for a mild sauce with cream and coconut milk. One type of curry, chicken tikka masala has become widespread enough to be described as the national dish of the United Kingdom.

References

  1. 1 2 Founding family sells Patak's, The Guardian , 29 May 2007
  2. Wallop, Harry (30 May 2007). "Family sells Patak's curry firm for £200m". The Telegraph. London.