EXPERT INTERVIEW WITH THE SPICE ANGEL
This week we’ve been incredibly lucky to speak with Rani Pathare, owner of awesome cookery school; The Spice Angel. Rani appeared on Master Chef in 2014, making it to the quarter finals by showing off her authentic Indian cookery. And now you can learn to cook like Rani by taking a class at her cookery school in Surrey! Have a read to find out more about Rani’s story.
Please could you tell us a bit about the history of The Spice Angel and why you started offering these cookery classes?
TheSpice Angel cookery classes were founded in the summer of 2014. I was a Subject Librarian with a teaching background and had always enjoyed teaching. I’d been wanting to launch the cookery classes for a long time.
Taking part in MasterChef 2014 and being a quarter-finalist gave me the confidence to finally make my dream into a reality. My father was a fantastic cook, The Spice Angel is a tribute to him and the wonderful way he instilled a love of cooking and using fresh ingredients.
What encouraged your passion for Indian cookery?
I was born and raised in Mumbai; the spice capital of India! I come from a foodie family where food was always prepared from scratch every day. I have cooked all my life, having learned a great deal about food from my parents. I love to cook and feed people. It gives me tremendous joy to see people appreciate the real flavours of Indian cooking.
My approach to food was to create simple, nutritious and delicious recipes. Real Indian cooking is not over spiced and greasy like found in most restaurants. I wanted to show people how to create healthy and rightly spiced curries at your home, so I thought of spreading the curry love by the way of The Spice Angel.
What would you say is the best thing about the experiences you offer?
The students have an added benefit of having a private teacher just for themselves. Our prices are also better value for money than other independent cookery classes. I cater for all dietary experiences and the students are made to feel at ease instantly. It is as much about learning to cook authentic Indian food as much as having fun and laughter at the same time. They leave my classes with a feeling of accomplishment and a new found confidence in cooking great tasting Indian food.
What makes your cooking experiences different to others?
The class size is limited to only two. I personally provide the tuition, so the participants have plenty of time to ask questions, unlike other classes. We taste the food as we go along and at the end participants take some for their family and friends to try. They get the opportunity to have a personalised experience unlike other cookery classes where there are confined workspaces with too many participants, which might make the experience less enjoyable. It is often difficult to ask questions in a group situation due to time restraints and fewer allocated staff, but this is not the case with my classes.
Are the experiences suitable for everyone?
Yes, I take meticulous care in designing the classes for all levels. Once a booking confirmation is received, I then send a booking form to complete, which allows me to understand the level of knowledge and expectations. Accordingly, I then create the class as per their requirements.
Have you got any new exciting news to share with us?
I am constantly devising ways to improve my classes so that the participants will get 100% enjoyment and satisfaction. Due to popular demand, I will be creating some more Indian street food and classic dessert classes soon.
Lastly, is there anything else you’d like to add?
If you are a lover of Indian food wanting to learn the traditional cooking techniques, then look no further and learn a skill for life. The Spice Angel will let you accomplish your dream of creating a restaurant style, healthy curry in the comfort of your own home. Our classes are perfect as a special occasion or Christmas gift for your spice lover friends and relatives.
Thanks so much for taking the time to speak with us Rani! Your cookery classes sound fantastic. What a great skill to learn.
Buy a gift voucher for one of Rani’s cookery classes buy following the links below:
Exclusive Indian Cooking Class Surrey
Introduction to Curry Cooking Surrey
Restaurant Style Indian Cooking Class Surrey
Vegetarian Indian Street Food Class Surrey
