Meet Deepa Patke

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Deepa Patke. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Deepa , so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

I like to identify as being unique because I have built my business primarily as a wholesale and ecommerce business. You see, as an independent entrepreneur, it can feel a bit isolating, never really being able to connect with my customers face to face. It almost feels like being on an island unto myself at times, in an industrial complex, away from the retail environment, thinking, planning, executing and managing.

I delight in being able to talk about my products to my customers, that makes me the happiest! I am always grateful for the invitations and opportunities to participate in specialty markets, pop up markets, even demos of our products that give me a platform to interact with customers, to introduce them to different flavor profiles and help them understand how the world of spices can expand their ability to enjoy food in different ways. It is sheer joy to see our patrons stop by to say hello and tell us how much they enjoy our freshly roasted and ground spices in their kitchens!

I have also started sharing stories through our newsletter, albeit, when I get time to sit down and actually put pen to paper or rather, weave my thoughts on the computer.

Our growing number of patrons have continued to fuel my passion for what I do, that is, slow roast organic spices, grind, blend and pack them in perfect quantities so that one receives only the freshest blends at all times which has led me to bring Aromatic Spice Blends as a business to mainstream retail. The strong wind beneath my wings from my husband, my son and my mom, and being able to hop off my island every now to talk to those who love flavors and cooking have been instrumental in bringing us to our 15th year as a business!

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Do you know how long your spice blends, yes, the ones you purchase from the stores or online, have been sitting there waiting for you to pick them up? Do you know if they have been just mixed together as powders or roasted the traditional way, then ground and blended for you? And that too in there United States of America!

Well, that is what Aromatic Spice Blends is all about. We select the best organic and single origin spices from around the world, we then dry roast each spice in our factory kitchen in northern Virgina, because every single spice has its own optimum temperature that brings out its oils and provides their best flavor profile. We grind and blend these together so that all the oils from different spices actually come together and create a complex, robust flavor that you will fall in love with. Our blends are salt free, except for 4 of them and always free of additives and preservatives or any external oils.

Roasting spices is like reveling in aroma heaven and this is what gets me going. I grew up in the midst of fantastic home cooks, my mom, my husband, all of my aunts and uncles too! And I learnt that flavors are to be built with all of your senses, always fresh. It is something that I will always carry with me for the rest of my life.

We use all of our blends in our own everyday home cooking, and we invite you to try our blends to experience the delicate, yet robust, flavor profiles in the simplest of your dishes. You will think twice before reaching out for any other.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I have a doctorate in microbiology with several years of research in immunology. This has influenced the way I create our blends knowing the immunological benefits of whole spices. The rigor of a research environment has had a direct impact on precision, training, consistency and hygiene in our production protocols. My brief stint in the corporate world of science further contributed to a grasp of customer service, business development and the financial aspects of doing business.
Secondly, perseverance has always served us well through these 15 years. There are times when sales and revenue are affected, and it can be unsettling when you know that mortgage payments, employee payroll, light and utility bills, taxes are all dependent on those aspects. However, I strongly believe that if you have believe in what you do, focus on unwavering quality of your product and importantly if you have complete faith in the Universe, the puzzle always comes together.
Above all, the belief that my husband and I have always had in food as medicine, helps us strive to bring together spice blends that are not only the tastiest and freshest, but also key ingredients in the journey towards maintaining one’s health.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

Our knowledge of the flavor profiles of spices and our ability to create blends using organic and single origin whole spices would benefit anyone who loves to cook! We are therefore always looking to collaborate with other food entrepreneurs, restaurant chefs, cookbook authors and butchers who want to bring their unique rubs and seasonings to the market. We have our own factory kitchen in Sterling VA and anyone interested can reach out to us by visiting us in person or by sending us an email to explore collaborative opportunities. I would also like to mention here that we have created a commercial kitchen space and invite emerging small businesses to establish their ideas.
We are here to support a community of entrepreneurs, both big and small.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Jess Michetti
Ria Deshmukh
Sachin Patke

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