'Just being part of Leeds, feeding the people - that’s the focus' - Manjit's Kitchen on 10 years at Kirkgate Market

When Manjit’s Kitchen moved into Trinity Kitchen in 2013 as the first vendor to set up shop in the Leeds city centre food court, it marked a huge leap from the festival circuit where the business had begun.

For founder Manjit Kaur, the seven-week residency was a test of endurance that ultimately gave her the confidence to put down permanent roots in Leeds. This month, Manjit’s Kitchen celebrates 10 years at Kirkgate Market - a place that has shaped both her life and her business.

“I'm born and bred here in Leeds, and that clothes shop just over there - my mum used to work there back in the 80s,” Kaur told the Yorkshire Evening Post, gesturing across the market. “So it's kind of like I grew up in this market.”

If Trinity Kitchen proved the business could survive, Kirkgate Market became its home. Kaur still remembers the demands of those early weeks in Trinity Kitchen.

“For seven weeks, you had to be there seven days a week, doing 10 to 12 hours a day,” she said. “We'd only ever done festivals, maybe two days a week. But being there seven days… oh my god, I hit the wall.

“It’s made me proud of myself. It’s toughened me up. If you can do that, you can achieve anything.”

That resilience has helped Manjit’s Kitchen navigate a decade of challenges, from the pandemic to rising costs and staffing difficulties.

“During our journey it’s been tough,” Kaur said. “But with the support from the local crowd and the support we had from our street food friends, they lifted us. We’re still here after 10 years.”

The food itself is rooted in family tradition. Growing up in a Punjabi household in Leeds, Kaur remembers large family cooks in her grandmother’s garden, with relatives coming together to prepare food for celebrations.

Those experiences later inspired her mission to champion vegetarian food at a time when options were far more limited.

“When we were growing up, there wasn't a very large amount of vegetarian food out there,” she said. “Vegetarian food was always pushed to one side. I wanted to bring that out and show that, you know what, we can do this: vegetarian.”

In the early days of trading at festivals, Kaur remembers customers walking straight past her stall towards meat-based offerings. But she refused to compromise.

“We were strictly vegetarian because we were kind of strict growing up,” she said. “There was a big meat scene where we were just a small independent vegetarian.

“Now it’s all vegan and veggie, so it’s kind of like I stuck to my guns.”

Today, dishes such as cauliflower and paneer wraps and bhajis remain among the market stall’s bestsellers, combining Kaur’s Punjabi heritage with influences from her travels across India.

But the journey has been about more than food.

As a British-Asian woman running her own business, Kaur says one of the biggest challenges was overcoming expectations about what women could achieve.

“Just believing in yourself has been the biggest challenge,” she said. “Our culture sets me back, because we’re not allowed to have a voice back then.

“I thought, you know what, I can do this. I’ve made my parents proud, my team proud and everybody who’s been part of this journey.”

Her Kirkgate Market team is made up entirely of women, many from similar cultural backgrounds.

“With me being on my own, I wanted to bring those ladies in because not many ladies have actually worked,” she said. “I’m proud of that. They love working here because it’s for them to actually get out and serve the community of Leeds.”

Community remains central to everything the business does. Whether through small giveaways, supporting customers or simply serving regulars, Kaur says giving back has always been part of the ethos.

“Just being part of Leeds, feeding the Leeds local people - that’s the focus,” she said.

Her connection to the city has also been recognised beyond the market. Near Leeds Playhouse, a sculpture celebrating more than 200 independent women includes Kaur among its figures.

“There’s a sculpture just near the Playhouse where I’ve been chosen out of over 200 independent women,” she said. “To see that is just an honour.

“My legacy will live on because every time I come into the market and do what we do, I also see that sculpture and it brings a tear to my eye. I think, you know what, that’s a permanent fixture of Leeds - and that’s who I am.”