Palak Patel is a classically trained chef, entrepreneur, educator, and author working at the intersection of food, health, and behavior change. She brings a rare combination of culinary expertise, consumer insight, media reach, and experience translating complex ideas into experiences that drive engagement. She’s the author of a new plant-based cookbook called "Food Is Love: Plant-based Indian Inspired Recipes To Feel Joy and Connection,” published by HarperCollins (Harvest). 

A TEDx speaker, she’s made multiple on-camera appearances on the TODAY Show, Food52 digital, and Good Day Atlanta. A graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education, Palak built a national platform through Food Network, winning Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay, appearing on the TODAY Show and other national media, and authoring Food Is Love, published by HarperCollins. Palak produced and hosted a digital series called The Diwali Menu on Food Network Digital and appeared as a guest judge on the network’s competition series, Money Hungry. She has partnered with organizations including Apple, BMW, Microsoft, Whole Foods, Barclays, and EY. 

Earlier in her career, Palak was a charter member of NeuroFocus. This pioneering neuromarketing company used neuroscience and biometric research to understand consumer behavior and decision-making and was later acquired by Nielsen. She also worked with NIQ, which was later acquired by GfK, one of Europe’s leading market research and consumer intelligence firms. These experiences shaped her understanding of how people make decisions—and, critically, what drives behavior change beyond information alone.

Today, Palak applies that expertise to healthcare. Through years of working with physicians, registered dietitians, and health-focused organizations, she identified a persistent gap: healthcare professionals can prescribe what patients should eat, but patients are rarely given the culinary skills, confidence, cultural context, and practical tools to turn those recommendations into sustainable behavior.