'From one chaiwala to another': Who is Akhil Patel, the Indian-origin man who served masala tea to Modi in London?

The UK has always had a soft spot for tea. So when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose early days as a tea seller are widely known, visited the country, it was only fitting that “chai pe charcha” made its way to the agenda.

The moment took place at Chequers, the official country home of British PM Keir Starmer, where the two leaders marked the signing of a major Free Trade Agreement (FTA) over a shared cup of masala chai. But what drew even more attention than the tea itself was the man serving it.

Dressed in a simple kurta and wearing an easy smile, Akhil Patel, the founder of London-based Amala Chai, served up freshly brewed Indian-style tea to both leaders. As he handed over the cups, he looked at PM Modi and said, “From one chaiwala to another.”

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The sweet moment quickly went viral on social media, shining a spotlight on the story of Akhil Patel and his homegrown chai label that’s been quietly carving out its space in the UK. Here’s what we know about the ‘London Chaiwala’.

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Who is Akhil Patel?

Akhil Patel is the founder of Amala Chai, a London-based brand dedicated to bringing real, flavourful Indian masala chai to the UK.

His family’s roots in Britain run deep. His grandmother moved there over five decades ago in search of better opportunities. Patel studied management at the London School of Economics and began his career as a data analyst. But in 2019, he decided to take a different path, fuelled by the memories of drinking chai with his grandmother.

Sharing those memories in a LinkedIn post, Patel wrote: “I grew up with masala chai — my dad brewed it every morning, and every time I arrived at my grandma’s, she would offer to put some chai on.”

Over time, he noticed that the chai served in most British cafés didn’t taste quite right. It lacked the depth and familiarity of the chai he knew from home. That led him to start Amala Chai, using his grandmother’s original recipe, made with single-origin tea from his family-run farms in Assam and spices sourced from Kerala.

Speaking in an interview shared by the British Museum earlier this year, Patel said he was struck by how chai was often misrepresented in the UK. “It was often overly milky, too sugary, and lacked the complexity of real masala chai,” he said.

In another LinkedIn post, he added, “She’s still wondering why I’m in the tea business, but I’m proud to say her chai masala recipe is now loved by thousands.”

The story of Amala chai

Amala Chai started out in 2019 as a small stall on Brick Lane, one of London’s most vibrant food streets. Each cup was brewed fresh on the stove, the traditional way, just like it’s made in Indian homes.

It didn’t take long for the stall to draw attention. People were clearly looking for something more authentic than the overly sweet “chai lattes” served in most cafes. The name Amala comes from Sanskrit, meaning “pure.”

Today, Amala Chai offers loose-leaf tea blends, spice mixes, and even chai-making tools like milk pans and strainer mugs. According to their social media page, the brand has served over 400,000 cups so far.

Their work hasn’t gone unnoticed. In May, the British Museum featured Amala Chai in a short video, showcasing its commitment to sourcing directly from farms and preserving Indian chai traditions in the UK.

While Akhil Patel himself didn’t post anything about the recent event with PM Modi, the official Amala Chai Instagram shared a behind-the-scenes video from the big day. The caption read: “Just a casual Thursday serving chai for @narendramodi @keirstarmer What a crazy day! Beyond honoured. We’ll be sharing the full story with you next week so keep your eyes peeled!”

With input from agencies