Entrepreneur Kirit & Meena Pathak OBE

Career : Patak's was established in Britain in 1957 L.G.Pathak. Kirit Pathak was forced to leave his studies at the age of 17 to help his father as his business had taken a turn for the worse. Since that day he has spearheaded the company's rise to one of the leading brands in the UK Indian food sector. Kirit saw the potential in the Indian food market and had a vision that still holds true today - to manufacture and sell quality authentic Indian food worldwide. On a buying trip to India in 1976 he met his wife to be, Meena, and 3 months later they were married. Unbeknown to Kirit at the time, Meena had completed a degree in Food Technology and Hotel Management. Only when she first visited the family's factory did Kirit realise his wife's talent and enthusiasm for food and offered her a job. Meena started to experiment with tandooris and tikkas, the authentic popular Indian flavours, and in 3 months created a tandoori paste, which could be manufactured in a jar. Company bought buy AB Foods in 2007 and Kirit Pathak is now Chairman of the Patak's/Blue Dragon sector with meena a director. Kirit Pathak received an OBE in 1997 and Meena received the same accolade in 2002. They have 3 children.