Minal Patel: Head chef at Bradford restaurant Prashad named in the Michelin Guide suggests best places in Yorkshire to eat for people on a budget who want to enjoy quality food
The head chef at Bradford-based restaurant Prashad Minal Patel has suggested her favourite places to eat in Yorkshire for people on a budget and why it’s important to source ingredients locally.
Minal Patel is the head chef at Prashad, a popular Indian restaurant in Drighlington, Bradford, and her mother-in-law Kaushy is its founder.
Prashad has been named in the Michelin Guide under the ‘Bib Gourmand’ rating which recognises friendly establishments that serve good food at moderate prices.
She also, on behalf of her colleagues at Prashad, reached the final of the Channel 4 show Ramsey’s Best Restaurants in 2010 which she considers one of her most proudest moments.
Ms Patel has had a passion for cooking since she was a child and puts a lot of thought into every dish. Her cooking icons are Gordon Ramsey, Atul Kochar and Sanjeev Kapoor.
In an interview with The Yorkshire Post, she shared her favourite and most affordable places to eat in Yorkshire.
“Leeds has too many great places to eat that serve up quality food that’s friendly on the wallet,” Ms Patel said.
“Sarto is a great spot with fresh handmade pasta, and plenty of vegetarian and vegan options.
“The menu is short and always has something new to try. Order a few small plates, and make one of them whatever they’re currently serving in that delicious masala cream.
“The lunch express deal at Bundobust is a steal, and includes some of my all time favourite dishes, like the Bundo Chaat and Tarka Dhal with rice.
“And if you’re eating with friends, the combos work out around £15 per person, so you can enjoy a bit of everything… which is especially great when everything tastes THAT good. “If you’re looking for an upgrade on a lunch time meal deal, head to Things In Bread. Their sandwiches are made to order on freshly baked bread, stacked high with fillings that are packed with flavour.”
Ms Patel said that using the freshest locally sourced ingredients ‘makes cooking delicious food easier’.
“Yorkshire is such a beautiful place to live and eat,” she said.
“We’re lucky to have such a huge variety of cuisines from all over the world, right here on our doorstep. Not to mention the number of incredibly talented chefs we have. We’re spoilt for choice! “And you can't beat the quality of local Yorkshire produce; working with the freshest ingredients makes cooking delicious food that much easier. From micro-greens to gourmet mushrooms, we really do have the most fantastic suppliers.”