Veggie pioneer

Bindu Patel, Sanctua, Leicester

After years of studying law and farming, Leicester-born Bindu Patel then swapped lecture theatres for professional kitchens, gaining experience at Gymkhana and Trishna in London. In April 2019, Bindu realised her dream of opening her own low-waste, sustainable vegan restaurant when she launched Sanctua back in her home city. With its plant-based menu, the fusion food at Sanctua has a global influence that reflects Bindu’s background (Bindu has a Kenyan coffee farmer father and Malaysian mother) and also the multicultural city of Leicester. Asian in style, the seasonal dishes might fuse with Italian or Spanish. Typical dishes on the fortnightly changing menu includes an amuse-bouche of bonfire-smoked toffee apple chilli and rosemary cheesecake with an oat, hazelnut crumb, and a main course of vegetable, chickpea and coconut Bombay potato hotpot served with garlic butter naan and tarka green beans. Although a vegan herself, she didn’t open her restaurant specifically aimed at vegans, just people who appreciate really good food. “I wanted to show that vegan food can be really exciting and adventurous without compromise,” says Bindu, who proves you can achieve incredible textures and flavours from humble vegetables and herbs. sanctua.co.uk

Head judge Laura Rowe says: We really couldn’t believe Bindu’s dishes didn’t contain ghee and meaty stocks. She really understands how to deliver flavour – through rounded, well-balanced spicing – as well as texture, whether that be a crisp onion bhaji on top of a velvety, fiery, tangy tomato rasam soup, or an oaty crumble on a smooth quenelle of ‘cheese’ cake. Leicester is lucky to have her back.