Asian Business Chamber celebrates Diwali

A budding chef’s inspiring journey through challenges to launch two cookbooks and land a dream contract with a major retailer was the highlight of yesterday's networking and Diwali Celebrations.

The event, sponsored and held at Birmingham Conference and Events Centre was organised by the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce. The headline sponsor was Aston University.

Diwali – the festival of light - celebrates the victory of good over evil and light over darkness and is a time of year when families, friends and communities come together in a spirit of celebration and joy. It is an important celebration among Hindus, Sikhs and Jains.

The event was compered by ABCC committee member Aulfat Bi and president Omar Rashid welcomed the guests.

The keynote speech was given by Chef Nitisha Patel, a self employed expert food consultant who had gone onto launch two cookbooks and recently won a contract as a development technologist to develop 33 ready meals for Tesco supermarkets.

Speaking about her journey, Nitisha said: “Quite early on, food and cooking became my entire life. I attended University College Birmingham to study Culinary Arts Management and I later graduated with a bachelors advanced degree and soon got a corporate job.

“For the next six years, I dedicated my time into climbing up the corporate ladder and thought I was living my best life. Now looking back, what I didn’t realize was that I was actually living my worst life, but with rose tinted glasses.

“As a means of escape, I used to come home and start writing recipes. I later sent this manuscript of recipes to publishers across the country, but I got rejected everywhere until I received an email from London based publishers Ryland Peters and Small.

“I signed a contract for my first cookery book ‘My Modern Indian Kitchen’. It went on sale across the UK, Europe, Asia and America in March of 2017.

“Later I set up my small food consultancy company and after seven months of unemployment, I won a contract as a development technologist to develop 33 ready meals for Tesco supermarkets.

“If this experience of getting my first contract taught me anything, it was that I had to create a new version of me.

“When my grandparents came to this country, there were still signs up in public buildings that read no dogs, no blacks and no Indians. 60 years on, I have been fortunate enough to live in a time where I have the privilege to seize the amazing opportunities that have come my way.”

Speeches were also given by Dheeram Vadgama, managing director of ABCC’s latest patron Gloss, Aston University’s executive director of business engagement Mark Smith and Sarah Dainty from Birmingham Conference and Events Centre.

Dheeram Vadgama said: “Gloss is a creative agency that has been in the industry for over a decade. We operate from over five continents and have the facility to provide a marketing outlet to your brand and do campaigns from all over the world.

“Collaboration is a key ethos of Gloss and we can fill the gaps for all your business creative and marketing needs.”

Mark Smith highlighted Aston University’s proven track record as one of the leading universities in Birmingham.

Sarah Dainty showed how Birmingham Conference and Events Centre could be an easy fit for all business functions being at the heart of the city with only a five-minute walk from New Street train station.  

Pictured from left to right: ABCC director Anjum Khan, executive director of business engagement of Aston University Mark Smith, ABCC committee member Aulfat Bi, ABCC president Omar Rashid, chef Nitisha Patel, managing director of Gloss Dheeram Vadgama, and Sarah Dainty from Birmingham Conference and Events Centre