This Winner of Food Network's "Chopped" Created a Personal Brand Like None Other, with Palak Patel
Dear FoundHer...Real Founder Stories for Women Small Business Owners
Lindsay Pinchuk
4.9 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 6 August 2024
⏱️ 40 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
“I think you have to do what is kind of right for you and your soul,” says Palak Patel. In this episode, Lindsay Pinchuk talks with Palak, a culinary star who has made significant strides in the food industry. Palak shares her journey from leaving a stable corporate job to pursuing her passion for cooking, which led her to culinary school and eventually the Food Network. There, she competed on Chopped and emerged victorious, beat Bobby Flay, and became a finalist on Food Network Star Season 14.
Palak’s story highlights the impact of following your passion and the opportunities that arise from taking bold risks. She recounts key moments in her career, from her initial reluctance to compete on Chopped to how winning the show opened numerous doors. Despite setbacks like the pandemic disrupting her plans to open a restaurant in New York City’s Hudson Yards, Palak continues to grow and adapt.
Beyond her TV success, Palak is also an accomplished author. Her cookbook, “Food is Love: Plant-Based Indian-Inspired Recipes to Feel Joy and Connection,” reflects her deep connection to food and her cultural heritage. She emphasizes the importance of authenticity, staying true to one’s values, and building a personal brand that aligns with one’s beliefs.
This episode of Dear FoundHer… explores the challenges and rewards of being a public figure in the culinary world, the importance of community, and the impact of meaningful partnerships. Palak’s journey is a reminder that it’s never too late to pursue your dreams and that the experiences and setbacks along the way add depth to your story.
Quotes
- “Food is Love” represents the culmination of my entire relationship with food. When I began writing this book two years ago, I started to dig deep into what I wanted to bring to the cookbook. It is an extension of me and reflects the idea that food is one of the ultimate connectors in our lives—it’s been that way since the dawn of time. Food is a beautiful way to get to know someone and express how you feel.” (12:55 | Palak Patel)
- “Whenever I’m looking at partnerships or long-term engagements with brands, it’s definitely about alignment. It’s similar to selling a service: does this match my value system? Does the brand align with the things that are important to me? And do we have similar goals?” (16:39 | Palak Patel)
- “Staying true to what you stand for and knowing what aligns with your guardrails and what falls outside of them is really important.” (19:30 | Palak Patel)
Connect with Palak Patel:
https://www.chefpalakpatel.com/
https://www.instagram.com/chefpalak/
Get on the Dear FoundHer... email list for more: https://lindsaypinchuk.myflodesk.com/foundherfridays
Grab some time with Lindsay to build and grow your business. Set up a 1:1 Accelerator Call today: https://calendly.com/lindsaypinchuk/1-1-marketing-strategy-session-with-lindsay-pinchuk
Don't forget to follow Lindsay on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsaypinchuk
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hi guys, it's me Lindsay Pinchuk, founder and host of Dear Founder. |
| 0:04.7 | In a few minutes, you're going to hear me talk to today's guest, Pallac Patel, |
| 0:08.7 | about making a true pivot in business and in life. |
| 0:12.7 | She left a stable job to go back to culinary school. |
| 0:16.0 | This is really similar to my path in making the decision to leave my corporate job |
| 0:20.6 | to start my first |
| 0:21.4 | company and now my second. And guess what? I've never looked back. Which brings me to some news. |
| 0:28.4 | Deer Fountain is way more than just a podcast. It's a community. For nearly three years, we've |
| 0:34.8 | been building this community not only through our podcast and social |
| 0:37.7 | media, but also through live events that we host. This fall will be adding more workshop, |
| 0:43.4 | seminars, and even more live events as well, all with the goal of helping women 40 plus to build |
| 0:48.7 | solid businesses through simple strategies. There's no gatekeeping around here. As you know, |
| 0:54.1 | I insist that we're |
| 0:55.1 | better together. If you want to stay in the know about everything coming your way, |
| 0:59.5 | please make sure you sign up for the Dear Founder newsletter, which is also getting a facelift. |
| 1:04.5 | You've shared a ton of feedback with me, and so now I'm taking the time this summer to pull |
| 1:09.1 | all my resources and to put them all into play. |
| 1:12.6 | You can click the link in the show notes and make sure that you stay in touch as there is so |
| 1:16.9 | much more coming your way and very soon. And now on to today's episode. |
| 1:22.7 | Sometimes one decision or one circumstance can change the entire trajectory of your career. And that's what |
| 1:28.8 | happened to Palak Patel. The owner of the culinary school that she was attending submitted her to the |
| 1:34.1 | Food Network to appear Unchopped. She didn't want to go on the show, but not only did she appear on the show, |
... |
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