Nirmala Narine is a World Traveler, Author, Executive Producer, Television Host, and Founder of Nirmala’s Kitchen, the go-to company for spices, grains, sauces and much more. She was born in Guyana and at the age of six Nirmala began to cook in a tiny kitchen with no running water or electricity. It was Nirmala’s grandfather, an Arya Samaj Hindu Pandit, who schooled her in the ancient Indian arts of holistic cooking and Ayurvedic living. When she was 11, her family immigrated to New York City, and she grew up in the culinary melting pot of Queens.
In 2002, Nirmala had an epiphany while chewing cloves atop a clove tree in Zanzibar. Upon her return to New York, she quit her corporate job for a marketing firm and launched Nirmala’s Kitchen, a gourmet food company. Today, she travels the world regularly in search of new additions for this thriving enterprise. Her line of products –includes spices and exotic ingredients for creating simple, delicious and nutritious meals from around the world without leaving the comforts of home.
In a 2008 interview with www.abcdlady.com, Nirmala noted that Guyana’s mix of cultures introduced her to the various Asian, Middle Eastern and South American flavors that inspire her recipes. “Not only did we have a mix of heritages in our village, but we would visit family in Mauritius where it was also common to mix flavors,” she says. Even when I was a little girl in Guyana, I knew I had something special inside. I believe this is true for every woman. The spark is always there, but it takes something in the form of a person, a special memory, even fear or frustration–to bring it to light. For me, it was spices. They connected me to my past and I wanted to share that. I knew I was in business when one day after presenting at the Fancy Food Show in New York City, I was in New York Newsday.
Nirmala has been featured in The New York Times, Bon Appetit, O: The Oprah Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens, Food & Wine and numerous other publications. She has appeared on Martha Stewart, The Today Show, CNN and The CBS Early Show.
Nirmala has published two cookbooks: In Nirmala’s Kitchen: Everyday World Cuisine (Lake Isle Press, 2006), and Nirmala’s Edible Diaries (Chronicle Books, 2009).
In 2013, Nirmala debut with her first television series “Nirmala’s Spice World” as she takes viewers into a world of exotic spices from around the globe. She’ll open her spice library to reveal ancient secrets of spices that for generations have transformed plain dishes into unique and flavorful experiences. Watch as she unveils the curative properties of spices that not only flavor your food, but may also heal your body, nurture your mind, and rejuvenate your soul.
Nirmala is an intrepid traveler who prefers spontaneity to the safety net of reservations. She has visited more than 137 countries, sourcing ingredients for her company and searching out exciting new flavors and people. Today, Nirmala is a sought after speaker and consultant on global trends, flavor, and fragrance. She has spoken and conducted interactive seminars on food, culture, yoga, ayurveda, farming and ancient civilization at The American Museum of Natural History, the Smithsonian and several Public Schools.
Nirmala has been practicing yoga since the age of two. Her name is Sanskrit for “pure.” She has homes in Guyana, South America and in New York’s Hudson Valley.
To read more about Nirmala check out her website http://www.nirmalaskitchen.com/
Follow: Twitter @NirmalaNarine and Nirmala’s Spice World TV Show
