At the tender age of six, Nirmala Narine began to cook in a tiny kitchen with no running water and electricity. She was born in Guyana to parents of Indian descent. Her grandfather, an Arya Samaj Hindu pandit, schooled her in the ancient Indian arts of holistic cooking and Ayurvedic living. Her aunt Daisy, an Afro-Guyanese woman, taught Nirmala how to make wonderful West African dishes in a mud oven. The native Arawaks taught her how to make condiments from wild berries and yucca juices, and how to barbecue everything from iguanas and guinea pigs to all sorts of exotic fish.
Nirmala’s main kitchen tool was a machete, which she used to chop firewood and coconuts, peel papayas, clean fish and even kill chickens (only for dinner). Her other tool was a masala brick used for grinding spices. More than 125 years old, it was a dowry gift, which her great-great grandmother brought from India to British Guiana.
At the age of 11, her family immigrated to New York City, and she grew up in the culinary melting pot of Queens.
Cooking extraordinaire
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 at 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.
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). Additionally, in the U.S. magazine Country Living, Nirmala was named ‘2007 Women Entrepreneur of the Year’.
In 2013, Nirmala debuts 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 flavourful experiences. Her recipes reflect the multi-ethnic landscape of the globe. She wants to give cooks easy-to-follow recipes with relatively inexpensive ingredients found in local supermarkets. It is amazing to watch this phenomenal culinary expert unveil the curative properties of spices that not only flavour your food, but may also heal your body, nurture your mind, and rejuvenate your soul.
A plateful of activities
Nirmala literally has her plate full with her activities, but she also firmly believes that literacy fosters exploration; gardening provides children with some measure of self-sufficiency, while independence fosters pride and instils hope.
Founded by Nirmala in 2009, A for Apple Foundation, is dedicated to providing seeds, gardening tools and books to vulnerable children near and far. The foundation educates children on how to organically farm as a first step toward gaining some measure of independence and self-sufficiency.
It is her mandate to continue in her efforts in helping her foundation to be even more successful.
As an intrepid traveller who prefers spontaneity to the safety net of reservations, Nirmala has visited more than 137 countries, sourcing ingredients for her company, and searching out exciting new flavours and people. Today, Nirmala is a sought-after speaker and consultant on global trends, flavour, 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.
