Manju’s Cookbook

Authentic Indian food from Manju, the world's oldest chef, and her award-winning restaurant in this homage to the vegetarian cuisine of Gujarat.

2022 She Awards Outstanding Culinary Skills winner Manju Patel.

The food being served at Manju’s fabulous restaurant in Brighton is a homage to the cuisine of Gujarat, where vegetarian cooking is both a religious belief and an environmental cause. Living and growing up in Uganda, Manju was passionate about cooking and was taught to cook by her mother. At the age of 14, she was cooking and supplying 35 tiffins a day, just to make ends meet.

In 1972, all East African Asians were exiled from Uganda, and Manju arrived in London with little money and went to work in a factory where she stayed until she retired. Her dreams of owning and running a restaurant were forgotten for six decades, until her two sons realised her dreams by opening a restaurant in her honour.

Every dish on the menu is cooked alongside her daughter-in-law and head chef, Dipali, a highly trained chef, born and raised in Gujarat. So, if eating authentic Indian food intrigues you, then try this wonderful collection of authentic Indian recipes, which includes delights such as Samosa Chaat, Surti Shark, Palak Paneer, and Masala Dosa.

For anyone passionate about cooking and curious about the rich flavours of Gujarat, Manju’s Cookbook offers an inspiring journey through India's vegetarian heritage.