Health coach and food writer Manjri Agarwal talks about clean eating

The food writer talks about the food scene in Kolkata and Nigella Lawson
Agarwal believes healthy eating needs to be a lifestyle, not a fad
Agarwal believes healthy eating needs to be a lifestyle, not a fad

Health coach and food writer Manjri Agarwal has influenced us all to opt for clean eating this 2020. Her Instagram page Big Plates Small Plate is a haven for those looking for a more conscious lifestyle, and we spoke to her about the challenges of leading the healthy eating charge

How did you get your start?

A few years ago, I had just given birth in Singapore and I didn’t want to go back to a regular job. I wanted something different. I started going to cooking classes in Singapore. They asked me if I knew how to make Indian food, and I started teaching there. Then of course, when I came back we hosted around 50 workshops in the city in some of the top-rated hotels who also supported us a lot. I also wrote two books.

What's your take on the conscious eating spectrum of Kolkata?

Of course, healthy eating is not a fad, it is an entire lifestyle. You can't pick and choose aspects of it. It's not temporary you have to keep working on it

The food scene is still male-dominated. Have you struggled to be taken seriously?

The scene is male-dominated yes. There are plenty of women who are coming up and doing newer things. There have been times when I've felt at a disadvantage in a room full of men, especially when you're speaking to someone who's older and has been in the profession for a while I have felt I am not being taken seriously. 

Beetroot, our mango salad with a chilli vinaigrette dressing by Agarwal
Beetroot, our mango salad with a chilli vinaigrette dressing by Agarwal

Women who inspire you

Has to be my mum, she inspires me a lot of course, she runs her own translation business and works with languages. I also met Nigella Lawson in Delhi last year, who is someone who's had an obvious impact on me, but I was quite disheartened to meet her finally, because I she came across as someone who's a little too full of herself

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