Meet Celebrity Chef
Sanjay Patel

Destined for Hollywood

Destined for Hollywood, Celebrity Chef Sanjay Patel was raised in Bombay, India. Son of a hard-working hotel owner and the nephew of a successful Bollywood movie producer, Sanjay learned at an early age, the value of hard work. The oldest boy of six siblings, Sanjay relished the time he spent with his mother, helping her prepare large meals for their extended family to enjoy after a long day’s work.

Every meal was crafted with great pride, love, and attention to decadent detail. What Sanjay noticed more than anything was the immense gratitude everyone expressed to his mother for her cherished meals. Because of the joy and the love shared around the table, Sanjay decided at the young age of 12, “I want to be a chef one day!”

Global Flavor Profiles

At age 13, Sanjay began taking cooking classes and working as a cook at an Indo-Chinese restaurant in Bombay. With dreams of coming to the United States, after high school, Sanjay moved with extended family in Panama where he attended culinary school—and built his expertise in a variety of cuisines—including Italian, Central American, South American, Spanish and American dishes.

Chef to the King of Pop

Sanjay eventually moved to the United States and landed a job as a sous-chef at the world-renown Four Seasons in Beverly Hills. As fate would have it, THE King of Pop, Michael Jackson himself, fell in love with Sanjay’s unique culinary style and exotic flavors.

Building Bollywood Bites

In 2009, Sanjay began building his catering business, and in order to meet his growing demand, he launched his first “Bollywood Bites” Food Truck in 2009. In 2012, Sanjay opened his first Bollywood Bites restaurant in Westwood on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles. In 2018, Sanjay opened his second Bollywood Bites restaurant on Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, California.

The success of Sanjay’s businesses is built upon his ability to curate amazing, authentic and creative cuisine that is prepared to perfection and served with love. Voted “Best Indian Food” 5 years in a row, Sanjay’s food speaks for itself. When Sanjay is not greeting customers or cooking up a creative masterpiece, he cherishes the time spent with his lovely wife and two young children.