A WORCESTERSHIRE chef was praised by Jamie Oliver for her Indian cooking which "looked delicious, smelt delicious, tasted delicious."

Suki Pantal, from Malvern, appeared on the latest episode of Channel 4's Great Cookbook Challenge.

The home cook served up Murgh Makhani, also known as butter chicken, for the judges to win a cookbook deal.

Throughout the show chef Jamie Oliver was tweeting his support for Mrs Pantal:

"How DELICIOUS does @sukipantal Murgh Makhani look?! Anyone else really hungry right now…?"  

Penguin Michael Joseph tweeted: "We think Suki’s butter chicken looks delicious But what will the judges make of her cookbook idea? #CookbookChallenge"

 

Jamie replied: "Looked delicious, smelt delicious, tasted delicious".

Jamie Oliver also tweeted support for her pitch saying: "@sukipantal did a fantastic pitch."

Mrs Pantal, a passionate home cook who teaches people to cook online, explained to Jamie that she was a north Indian, Punjabi Sikh who came to the UK seven years ago.

She missed home-cooked food and started cooking and maintaining a journal of all her recipes.

She wants to release a cookbook of favourite vegetarian and non-vegetarian regional recipes influenced by her family.

 

Judges Jimi Famurewa, Georgina Hayden and Louise Moore said it was 'utterly delicious' and with perfect levels of spices but said that it was a crowded market for Indian cookbooks.

She told them: "I'm not somebody who has visited India as a childhood memory, I've lived there.

"When I came here seven years back I realised I missed that home cook food, I had to recreate that in my kitchen.

 

"So, for me it is all about offering something that is happening back in India."

Deliberating, Mr Famurewa said Mrs Pantal: "The butter chicken, it was fantastic but is it enough to help her stick out in what is a crowded field?"

READ MORE: Malvern cook will appear on Jamie Oliver's The Great Cookbook Challenge

Sadly, the journey ended there with the judges opting for Dominique and Sarah's cookbook ideas.

Mrs Pantal, who runs Suki's Curries and Spices, said: "Memories of an extraordinary experience that I will carry in my heart.

"Thank you Jamie Oliver, Louise, Georgina, Jimi.

"Thank you Worcestershire for rallying and rooting for me! Lots to accomplish now!"