Humans of Shakespeare North: Mama Sood’s

Fri 25 Apr, 2025

“They say there’s no better cook than a Mum, and it’s true!” Neetu (Mama Sood) and Paalan are a mother and son powerhouse, combining a unique blend of traditional dishes and contemporary flavours to share Indian culture with the world.

FINALLY: Mama Sood’s second exclusive Supper Club is back at Shakespeare North Playhouse on Friday, 9th May. We sat down with them and asked about their creative process, the importance of local collaborations and how Mama Sood’s came to be.

“We’re excited to bring our event to Shakespeare North. It’s a beautiful, beautiful venue and I’d like more people to see it. because it’s a hidden gem at the minute. I think many people don’t associate Prescot with Shakespeare, so I hope Supper Club will be a fun experience for people, as well as allowing me to showcase my own food.” – Neetu

“We’ve been big fans of the Playhouse for years, and it’s really exciting to have an important cultural landmark right here in Prescot. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves. We’re hoping to not only showcase our food but also bring new audiences to this amazing venue for an event that’s a little different from what it usually sees. We’ve been to a couple of plays, and Mama Sood has been a number of times separately. We’ve loved it every time! It’s a really special space and we’re thrilled to be returning to host our own event.” – Paalan

“A couple of years back, we went to see A Comedy of Errors with the team at Sood. It was fantastic – we really enjoyed it and loved the ambience. We also took part in the Global Roots Festival recently, where I brought my homemade food and chutneys. Fortunately, people enjoyed them! I’ve been living in Prescot for the last 25 years, and this used to be my town centre. Over time, things started slowing down, but the Shakespeare North Playhouse has really uplifted the area. The town feels more alive, with new restaurants opening and a fresh energy in the community. I love coming to this theatre with my friends – it’s given Prescot a much-needed facelift.” – Neetu

“It’s so important that the local community collaborates with one another – both to stimulate the economy and to showcase the wonderful people we have in our area. Buying local matters to us, but so does giving back. We want to see Prescot thrive, and living here ourselves means we’ve got a good grasp of the community and want to continue building
those relationships. My first job was at a newsagent in Prescot, and it gave me real insight into the town and its people. I was able to take that experience and transfer it directly into Mama Sood’s, and we want to use it to give back to the local community in the same way.

Community is our bread and butter. Our business has been growing because of our online community and now we really want to build our roots offline. Markets have been a huge part of that, with our regular customers showing us so much love and support. At the same time, our online community has driven us to millions of views, and it’s a great way for them to connect with us and experience what it’s like to be a part of our family. Mama Sood’s dream was to open a cafe, and now she gets to share her food with our followers while connecting with them in a really cool way.” – Paalan

“We attend a lot of local markets to share our chutneys, and Paalan works very hard on that. I do the cooking at home, and he’s the one who goes out and speaks to people and encourages them to try our chutneys. They’re all from my roots in India. Some recipes, we’ve been cooking in the family for generations. I learned basic cooking skills from my Nani – very simple food, not too many spices, oils or butters, so you could really taste the food itself. When I moved to the UK, I found it difficult to find the right balance and have those flavours come through. They say there’s no better cook than a Mum, and it’s true! One of our most popular flavours, Date & Tamarind, used to be an everyday side condiment for us.

In India, every 22 miles, the language and food change. If you go up north, you’ll find Punjabi food. The same food is cooked differently on the Eastern side. It’s the same with the Southern and Western sides. When I came to the UK, I made Bengali friends who introduced me to Tomato & Pineapple chutney. I started experimenting with adding my own tastes and spices, and made it my own.

Community has always been important to me. When we first moved to the UK, it was difficult to find other Indian families and to expose my children to our culture. We started going to temple because it’s a proper community get-together. We would all cook and share food (prasad) at the end of each service, and I made a lot of new friends. Through the temple, I was invited to Liverpool Museum to host a Diwali festival. I went in blind but somehow managed and it was a success! I even designed rangoli patterns for visitors who didn’t have their own traditional outfits, which the museum printed and handed out. We ended up doing three Diwali events and even a Holi celebration. Over time, I found myself getting more involved in cultural activities, including Durga Puja, one of the biggest festivals at our temple. It’s been amazing to stay connected to my roots while also sharing my culture with others. Food, community, and celebration go hand in hand, and I love that Mama Sood’s allows me to bring people together.

I’d love for our supper club to open the door to even more cultural events at Shakespeare North. It’s a fantastic way to share Indian culture with Prescot. If this helps inspire more events like it, I’ll be very happy.” – Neetu

“Above all, we just hope people have a great time – enjoy the food, make new connections, and appreciate the Playhouse for the brilliant venue it is. We’re also excited to bring people in from outside the area, which will be amazing not only for the Playhouse, but for the town itself. Ultimately, if people leave full, happy, and having had a good time, we’ve done our
job!” – Paalan

There are only a few tickets left to join the 2nd Mama Sood’s Supper Club at Shakespeare North Playhouse!

Book now!