British-Indian celebrity chef known for creating healthy meals dies at 43

London, November 13 

Gurpareet Bains, a celebrity British Indian chef, who described himself as a “food disrupter”, and known for creating healthy meals packed with superfoods, has passed away at the age of 43.

London-based Bains was believed to have suffered a heart attack on Thursday and his marketing agency announced the tragic news of his demise on social media on Friday.

“We’re absolutely devastated about the tragic passing of Gurpareet Bains,” said Palamedes PR on Twitter.

“The international bestselling author, Indian superfoods pioneer and creator of ‘the world’s healthiest meal’ was a close friend and long-standing client. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends,” the statement read.

Bains was the co-founder of Vedge Snacks, a venture through which he helped develop vegetable-based snack bars.

He first hit the spotlight in 2009, when he created what was dubbed as the “world’s healthiest meal” – a simple chicken curry with blueberries and goji berry pilau – which contained antioxidants equivalent to 23 bunches of grapes.

Bains’ debut recipe book, ‘Indian Superfood’, which was published by Bloomsbury a year later, proved to be a huge hit.

As a food writer and nutritionist, his culinary concept revolved around the finding that nearly one-fourth of the top antioxidant-rich foods available to us are spices.

According to his website, he focused on combining these spices with nutrient-dense vegetables, fruits, low-fat proteins and nuts – widely known as superfoods – to create the ‘Indian Superfood’, a collection of “the world’s most antioxidising recipes”.

His second recipe-book and culinary concept, ‘Indian Superspices’, includes recipes that are believed to help alleviate everyday ailments.

“It proves the robust Indian kitchen is the ideal laboratory in which to explore the medicinal and culinary possibilities of spices together,” Bains had said.

Bains’ third recipe-book, ‘The Superfood Diet’, was a multi-cuisine, healthy cookery book.

In 2011, he was crowned Chef of the Year at the inaugural English Curry Awards.

During the 2020 lockdown, Bains created what he dubbed the world’s healthiest cookie, which consisted of fruits and vegetables.

Bains’ fans included Hollywood star and Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow. PTI

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