Cornish-born chef and entrepreneur Kate Attlee has carved out one of the most inspiring food stories in the South West. With Iranian and British roots, she blends her dual heritage into the vibrant dishes at Sabzi, the business she founded in 2019 after Michelin-level training in London and a memorable run to the quarter-finals of MasterChef UK. What began as a single deli and takeaway in Truro has grown organically into a beloved Cornish brand, now with sites in Falmouth, Padstow, and Nansledan. Every plate reflects Kate’s belief that food should be seasonal, flavour-packed, and accessible — and her team-first ethos has built a workplace where hospitality careers flourish. We sat down with Kate to find out what fuels her creativity, the decisions that shaped her journey, and what’s next for Sabzi.
What does your Monday morning routine look like?
It always starts with coffee — and I mean always! I have two daughters, one who is at school, so Mondays are that familiar blur of coffee, uniforms, and the school run. Every week is different for me, but the constants are an early start, coffee before anything else, and then figuring out what’s happening at Sabzi over the coming days. We actually have our own bespoke Sabzi coffee blend, created with Rising Ground in Wadebridge. Hugo Hercod, who owns the roastery, was my first boss in hospitality — we now collaborate every year to build a unique blend for Sabzi, which I also drink at home. It’s become a bit of a ritual and a lovely full-circle connection.
What was your first full-time job?
My first full-time job was working as a waitress for Hugo, actually — in his café, which had a little deli attached. Before that I’d done the usual summer jobs, including in a fish and chip shop, but that café was my first real experience of service. At the time, I thought hospitality was just something you did before a “proper” career, which is how so many of us see it. But I quickly realised it was my vocation. That’s partly why I’m so passionate now about changing how people view hospitality — it’s such a rewarding and dynamic career path, and it deserves to be recognised as one.
What can’t you live without?
Aside from my family — my husband, children, and our animals — it has to be food and drink. Eating and drinking are my biggest pleasures in life. I love building my days and weekends around meals because that’s where the joy is: sharing something delicious with the people you love. I get to combine the two things I can’t live without!
If you could build a house anywhere in the world, where would it be?
In a dream world, it would be in Iran. It’s such a beautiful, untapped country, for obvious reasons. Full of history, colour, and warmth, and it’s a real sadness for me that I can’t currently travel there or take my children. So, yes, a family home somewhere in Iran would be my dream. Failing that, somewhere coastal, hot and fabulous! Perhaps Corsica. I went there as a teenager, and it was just stunningly beautiful.
What has been the best moment in your career?
Last year we celebrated Sabzi’s fifth anniversary with a big party at our newest site in Nansledan. We invited customers, friends, and our whole team. There was about 250 people in total. Our team is so big we had to rotate who was working the event and we put on a coach to bring all the staff and their guests! There were speeches from all the key people in the team, laughter, and this amazing energy that captured everything Sabzi stands for. All of my senior team are women, many balancing family or caring responsibilities, and seeing them stand up and speak so powerfully about their roles was one of the proudest moments of my life. It felt like we were showing what’s possible — that you can have a fulfilling, long-term career in hospitality while raising a family or managing other commitments.
And the worst moment?
Without question, the start of COVID. I’d just opened the first Sabzi in November 2019, and by March 2020 everything stopped. We were told we could technically stay open but also that no one should leave their homes — it was devastating. I had one part-time team member, two small children, and no government support because we could ‘technically remain trading!’. The whole Sabzi model relies on freshness — we cook daily and sell daily. If I couldn’t sell my food on the day it would all go to waste. Those months were pure survival. But what came out of it was this extraordinary connection with our customers; they became like friends. People would come in for their one bit of human contact in the day. It built such strong foundations for everything that’s come since. I remember someone giving me the analogy of stretching an elastic band, building the foundations and once things become more manageable again, you’re going to let go of the band and things will suddenly start happening and there was a real sense of exactly that happening for Sabzi.
If you could time travel and have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be and why?
I’d love to have dinner with Nelson Mandela or Martin Luther King — people who were unbelievably brave in standing up for others. Human rights law was actually what I thought I’d do before food took over, so I’ve always been drawn to those stories. I’d also quite like to meet some of the old kings and queens — though I’m not sure I’d eat what they were serving! Tudor banquets don’t sound particularly appetising…
What job has been your favourite, and what made it special?
It feels so cliché to say this but honestly, this one. Sabzi is my dream job. It’s not just a business; it’s my passion. Over the last six years I’ve shaped it into exactly what I want to run — a place that reflects my values, my heritage, and my love of food and people. It’s incredibly hard work but also deeply fulfilling and it’s not done growing yet.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
I feel like I’ve had loads of good advise, most of which revolves around ‘Keeping Going‘ — even when it feels impossible. Success doesn’t happen overnight, even if it looks that way from the outside. It’s very easy to look at other peoples social media and businesses and think “How did they do it so quickly?” I love that saying, “It took me 20 years to become an overnight success.” That’s exactly how Sabzi feels sometimes. It’s about resilience, patience, and remembering that the slow build often creates the strongest foundations.
What hobbies or interests do you have that might surprise us?
People are often surprised that I’m actually very good at doing absolutely nothing! I’m quite high-energy at work. Sabzi is full-on but I’ve learned how to turn the battery right down very quickly. Give me a couple of hours of doing absolutely nothing, maybe reading a good book, slobbing out… I think that is really helpful.
What decision completely changed the course of your life or career?
100% when I signed the lease for our Falmouth site. That was the turning point. A real “line in the sand” moment. It took Sabzi from being one small site in Truro to something much bigger. I could have chosen to stay small, cheffing every day and serving or go down this road that led somewhere else. It was terrifying, but it changed everything. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I go back behind the counter to serve customers — it reminds me why I started: to cook food I love and connect with people.
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
Aside from Sabzi and the mayhem of parenthood? My husband and I met when we were still at school. When I was 17, we went traveling a few times before life became a bit more adult. We did some big trips. Travelled a chunk of Europe, and up through parts of Africa — starting in Cape Town, where my husband grew up . We were basically teenagers with backpacks and no mobile phones! Looking back, I’m amazed our parents let us go. It was wild, a bit naïve, and totally formative.
What’s your favourite food or drink product on the market right now?
I’m obsessed with good olive oil — we sell some beautiful ones at Sabzi. Honest Toil, a Greek olive oil, is one of my current favourites, along with Núñez de Prado, a Spanish organic oil my dad says is closest to what he grew up on in Iran. We also sell a fantastic tamarind chutney and Kashmiri chilli oil from a small producer I love, Third Culture Kat. Closer to home, we’ve got the amazing raw Cornish Honey from the Lizard — so floral and delicate. It’s one of our bestsellers.
What would your last meal be?
Either a really spicy, flavour-packed curry with all the accompaniments or a perfect roast chicken with crispy roast potatoes cooked in the chicken fat and a really good salad. When my husband and I were travelling in Corsica, we were basically eating vegetables cooked over the BBQ every day. When we got our A-level results we celebrated with a rotisserie chicken and some bread and salad by the campsite — it’s such a simple meal, but it’s one that’s stuck with me. My favourite comfort food is chicken, chips and salad! My other favourite is Curry. Those two… I’d find it hard to choose.
What would you like to be doing in five years’ time?
Still doing Sabzi, definitely. We’re at a crossroads right now — do we grow bigger, move to a larger kitchen and add more sites, or develop from within? I’m torn between opening more locations and keeping our model as it is, expanding into ready meals and other projects. I love the fact that we have financial control right now. I can make choices for Sabzi based on what matters most – staying true to our principles: great food, made with care, that’s accessible and sustainable.
What’s happening in your life that you’d like a shout-out about?
I’m really proud of how our senior team has evolved this year. We’ve built a group of brilliant women who are progressing their careers in hospitality right here in Cornwall — buying homes, building futures. It’s exactly what I hoped Sabzi could be: a place that offers real, lasting careers. And we’ve got something new launching soon too — Sabzi frozen dinners, which we’ll be rolling out by the end of the year. It’s our way of bringing that same fresh, flavourful cooking to even more people.
You can contact Kate through the deli website and follow Sabzi on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with their news.
