Vegan Chef, Writer
Website: Sareta Puri, Made In Hackney
Total years spent working within the industry?
4 years
How did you get into Hospitality?
I grew up in hospitality in my dad’s Indian takeaways and restaurants but never saw my own career going that way. In 2015 I ran my first supper club and it all grew from there. I left my charity sector career in 2017 and started working in street food alongside running events, doing retreat catering and cooking lessons.
What do you most enjoy about this industry?
The ability to bring joy to people through food! I’ve been lucky to work across a range of settings from street food to restaurants to retreats to community kitchens. You meet so many different people with varied experiences & can learn from everyone.
What does a typical day look like for you?
I work freelance across a number of projects so not many days are the same! No matter what I rise early for a routine of hot lemon, nasal cleansing, yoga, mediation & movement. If I don’t start the day this way I feel out of kilter.
At Made in Hackney we cook two days a week. Then I’m on site before 8am and the first hour or so is working through donations, supporting the team to set up & get on with their dishes, cooking, managing the kitchen generally and dealing with anything that comes up. By 1pm I get information on what food is going where which we then portion out 450 meals from 2pm for collection at 4pm. Then we clear down & I usually have some admin to do ahead of future cooking days.
The single most important piece of advice given to you?
Follow what you believe in and that should start at yourself. Not letting others knock you down, even if they are on paper more experienced than you. If you’re in it for the right reasons you will go far.
Three dinner guests - who would they be?
Christopher Sebastian – an insightful and on point activist who’s also incredibly warm and funny. Michaela Coel – who isn’t obsessed with MC? Have loved her since Chewing Gum and have been inspired by speeches and essays she has done. Sara Pascoe – always good to have a comedian at the table but Sara is a proud feminist and writer so there’d be loads to talk about.
They’re all also vegan so ideal dinner guests for me!
Finish the sentence, the future in hospitality is…
Inclusive, diverse and accessible.