CURRY LIFE 74 by CURRY LIFE MAGAZINE

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SPECIAL AWARDS EDITION 2018

Editor in Chief: Syed Nahas Pasha pasha@currylifemagazine.com Editor: Syed Belal Ahmed ahmed@currylifemagazine.com News & Features Editor: Ritika Gupta info@currylifemagazine.com Contributors:

Steve Watkins Lee Lixenberg Shamsul Islam Mahbub Rahman Daniel Pasha Samuel Ahmed Amjad Suleman

Commercial Advisor:

Emdadul Hoque Tipu Consultant Advisors:

Dominic Chapman Mo Gherras Rupert Rowley Mark Poynton Abul Monsur Utpal Mondal General Manager:

Taslima Akhter Photographer:

Kois Miah Director:

S C H Jennings MA FCA

Media Sales Managers:

Leroy Thompson Habibur Rahman

CURRY LIFE ISSUE 74 Price - £3 (UK,where sold) Curry Life is a bi-monthly magazine and widely regarded as the authoritative voice of the Curry Houses and allied businesses in Britain. Part of the Curry Life Events Limited, the Curry Life Magazine is distributed free to Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Sri Lankan restaurants in Britain. It can also be obtained by subscription £30 a year (UK) and £50 elsewhere. Postage and packing is included.Reproduction of its contents in whole or part without written permission is not permitted. We regard ourselves as an ethical magazine committed to fair, responsible reporting and comment. We cannot be held responsible for editorial or advertising errors, omissions or claims.

Sunday 7th October 2018 Royal Lancaster Hotel, Lancaster Terrace, London W2 2TY

OUR PARTNERS

Our thanks tO Curry Life Team Sanjay Anand MBE Samson Sohail Emdadul Hoque Tipu Abdul Hannan Kois Miah Lee Lixenberg Ritika Gupta Suchita Patel Mo Gherras Damon Swarbrick Matthew Greenslade

Shamsul Islam Abul Monsur Syeduz Zaman Kamran Syed Zohorul Islam Vijay Singh Panwar Kamrul Hussain Habibur Rahman Musleh Uddin Ahmed Abdus Salique (Founder of Saliques Restaurant)

Late M A Rahimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Family Nazrul Islam Bashon Molay Chandan Shaha

www.currylifeawards.com 3

Sayantan Das Adhikari Jenny Guo JUST EAT Team Cobra Beer Team Madhus Team Unisoft Team KBE Team Channel S Weekly Janomot Curry Life Chefs Club Association of Indian Restaurants (AIR)

Syed Belal Ahmed Editor are grateful to our travel partner Travel Link Worldwide for bringing him here in UK tonight. We should never forget people whose tireless efforts and dedication to the curry industry has led to the creation of some unique dining places and bigger industry as it is today. Since the inception of Curry Life Awards, we have tried to connect to some of those people and recognise them. Late Mohammed Abdur Rahim (M A Rahim) was a pioneering caterer, who once very skilfully led Bangladesh Caterers Association and worked relentlessly to raise the standard in Curry Houses and certainly one of the best advocates for our Industry. We have dedicated an award in memory of his inspiring life and work, which was dedicated to this industry. We are absolutely delighted to dedicate this special M A Rahim Memorial Award to one of his close confidant, Mr Bajloor Rashid MBE, who also inspired thousands of caterers within British Curry Industry with his hard work, like late Mr Rahim throughout his life to unite the Curry Houses and Restaurateurs across the nation. The highlight of the day is the spectacular introduction of the inaugural edition of a new magazine Oriental Food Life by Curry Life Group. After 16 successful years of publication of Curry Life magazine and through various Curry Life Events, we have strengthen the national community of curry professionals. We have raised our voices against stringent immigration policies, unfair practises, collectively helped with staff crisis by organising training to enhance skills and will continue to do so. We wants to do the same by launching our new publication the Oriental Food Life Magazine, covering Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Indonesian and Malaysian cuisines. We are also incorporating Middle Eastern Cuisine with our new publication. The Oriental Food Life magazine will be published quarterly and will have its reach across, Oriental and Middle Eastern cuisine restaurants accross the UK. We promise to continue encouraging and inspiring chefs and restaurateurs with our signature events such as Curry Life Awards, World Curry Expo, Culinary Workshop and Taste of Britain Food Festival. Last but not the least, a very special thank you to all our Partners Just Eat, Cobra Beer, Unisoft, Pepsi and Travel Link Worldwide, without whose support, this event would not be the same. I am very grateful to Curry Life team for all their hard work and those who are associated with making tonight event a success. A big thank you to all of you. We are extremely grateful to our good friend and most inspirational entrepreneur in our Industry, Lord Karan Bilimoria, CBE, DL. No matter what Curry Life does, we cannot and will not forget the support and encouragements we receives from Karan and his team. While we do pray for a positive BREXIT outcome, we hope good things are in store for us as we look forward to a 10th Year Special for Curry Life Awards on October 20, 2019.

e welcome you all to be a part of our wonderful journey as we unveil winners of Curry Life Awards for the Best Chefs, Best Restaurants and Best Takeaway in the Curry Industry, across Great Britain. It has been already established, the Curry Life awards showcase the very best of the best in this industry has to offer, rewarding those who strive towards providing a unique experience, with excellent food, service and ambience. Whenever we plan an event, we are always trying to add value to what we do for our readers and our industry. This is why always trying to come up with new ideas to help our industry, which is facing the challenge of acute staffing and skills shortage. Our culinary workshop offers a unique opportunity for chefs and restaurateurs, to network, share and gain inspiration and information from industry experts. We are celebrating the 9th year of the Curry Life Awards and Gala Dinner is indeed remarkable and to make it even more special we have organised the World Curry Expo alongside our awards ceremony, where our industry people can come together under one roof and join in the celebration of this daylong event for all things curry. The World Curry Expo today we hoped has helped our industry suppliers to directly engage with our restaurateurs, chefs, managers and anyone who are associated with this industry. There are no short of food and drinks show, but nothing exclusive to curry and this is something we are trying to build as a show to do with all things curry. We are very grateful to those who have supported us to build this new show and hoping this will be bigger and better next year. For our awards this year, we have introduced a new category, which is the Best Customer Choice. For all the different foods available to us, the British fascination and love for CURRY shows no sign of waning. That is a testament when we have received thousands of nominations directly from their customers for their favourite curry houses through our new awards website and emails. Like every year, we do have some special awards. One of which is Curry Life International Honour Award. We are pleased that this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recipient of this international honour award is Chef Kazi Hassan who has travelled all the way from Singapore. We

Awards Host Jon Snow

on Snow is the presenter of Britain's awardwinning Channel 4 News. Jon joined ITN in 1976 and became Washington Correspondent in 1984. Since then, he has travelled the world to cover the news â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from the fall of the Berlin Wall and the release of Nelson Mandela, to Barack Obama's inauguration and the earthquake in Haiti. His many awards include a BAFTA fellowship, the Richard Dimbleby BAFTA award for Best Factual Contribution to Television (2005), and Royal Television Society awards for Journalist of the Year (2005 & 2006) and Presenter of the Year (2009 & 2010 and 2012). He collected the BAFTA award for news coverage for the 2011 Channel 4 News'

coverage of the Japanese Tsunami. Jon delivered the prestigious MacTaggart Lecture at Edinburghâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Television Festival in 2017. He has also presented a wide range of discussion programmes and a number of high-profile documentaries for Channel 4. He presented coverage of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Paralympics and also hosted a nightly programme in the run up to the Paralympics - Jon Snow's Paralympic Show. He has presented a number of Dispatches programmes including Can You Trust Your Bank and the two-part Landlords from Hell. Other documentaries include Drugs Live, Genius of British Art - the Art of War, Jon Snow's Tsunami, War on Terror Trial, Bloody Sunday Debate, Snow in Japan, The Emillionaire Show and Secrets of the Honours System. Jon hosted the live Channel 4 debate for the Scottish Referendum in September 2014. Jon also chairs conferences and seminars and is a highly skilled conference facilitator and after dinner speaker. He has a wealth of experience hosting events and award ceremonies, both at home and abroad.

CURRYLIFE INTERNATIONAL HONOUR AWARD 2018

KAZI HASSAN Executive Chef Hilton Singapore

Oktoberfest and coming up with new specialties. Experimenting with food is always a delight for him, especially as Sri Lanka seemed to be a treasure trove of natural food resources - the seafood, exotic fruits and vegetables, spices and tea – something one misses in Europe or the Middle East. His ability to translate such resources into delicacies is something he cherishes. His favourite project during his 3-year-stint has to be the implementation of the Graze Kitchen – Hilton Colombo’s unique restaurant, which serves food from the Mediterranean, Italian, Japanese, Indian, East Asia and Sri Lanka. Hassan broadened his horizon working with two Michelin-starred chef and his role model Chef JeanGeorges Vongerichten, renowned for Market, a modern a la carte all day dining restaurant which was the first culinary concept restaurant in Middle East, that fuses French cooking techniques with Mediterranean flavours. Kazi is also an active member of Chaine de Rotisseurs. Among the multitude of awards and accolades, being part of the winning team as Hilton Colombo bagged 10 medals at the FHA 2018 (Food & Hotel Asia) in Singapore is very special for Kazi. Earlier in February, his team of chefs also participated in Emirates Salon Culinaire 2018 in Dubai, from where they proudly brought back 11 Medals and 4 Merit awards. Blessed with an unconquerable will to succeed, Chef Kazi is a role model for hundreds of chefs and his stint in Singapore will only add more feathers to his cap.

he vibrancy of the city of Singapore is a perfect match for the culinary genius, Chef Kazi Hassan. With over 15 years of global experience at top five-star hotels and a Michelinstarred restaurant, the 38-year-old’s penchant for food and amazing people’s skills has taken him places. Hassan was born in Bangladesh, and subsequently packed his bags for Melbourne to pursue his passion – culinary arts. He graduated with a Diploma in Hospitality Management from Holmsglen Institute in 2002. After successful stints at Crown Resorts Melbourne, The Westin in Sydney, W Hotel in Doha, Sheraton Hotel, Sydney, Hilton Hotels in Malaysia and Sri Lanka, for now Singapore is what he calls home. Hassan leads a kitchen brigade of over 80 chefs as he takes charge of Hitlon’s hotel operations – right from menu enhancements to managing six F&B outlets, room service, large banquet and outside catering events. His last experience in Sri Lanka since 2015 has been an enriching one where as an Executive Chef he was instrumental in launching concepts such as

MOHAMMED ABDUR RAHIM A true visionary fondly remembered by the Bangladeshi community

lmost 20 years have gone by, but the contribution of Late Mohammed Abdur Rahim, a true visionary and a great personality who led the Bangladeshi community, will remain close to everyone’s heart. Mr Rahim was born in Sylhet’s Lalteck, Biswanath in Bangladesh in January 1951. He arrived in the UK in 1974 for his higher education and pursued business thereafter. He was known for his quiet demeanour but strong and constructive views. At 48, Mr Rahim passed away after suffering a heart attack on October 9, 1999, leaving behind a great legacy. He is survived by his wife, Nasima Rahim, and a son, Newaz Iftekar Rahim Emon, and two daughters, Pina Rahim and Anika Rahim. Currylife Magazine has chosen to name this prestigious award after him time as his memories live on and he continues to inspire us each day. The recipient of this award is none other than Mr Bazloor Rashid MBE, former President of BCA (Bangladesh Caterers Association), who shared his vision and worked very closely with him in the 90’s. Setting foot in the restaurant business, Mr Rahim started Kensington Tandoori in 1982 in London and swiftly opened at least 10 eateries in and around London, employing nearly 150 people. Perhaps forming the largest chain of curry restaurants then, the period between 1988-1991 was a thriving one for him. His business prowess led him to diversify into property market in both UK and Bangladesh, followed by travel, garment industry, export and import.

His successful stint in the restaurant business opened doors for him in the Industrial sector of Bangladesh. As Chairman of Savar Garments Ltd and Honeywell Garments at Mirpur, Mr Rahim’s export turnover was a whopping US $10 million as both factories flourished with 1300 people employees. He then went on to establish BCC Ltd in 1988 as the only Bangladeshi products display centre to promote bilateral trade. He also participated in many international exhibitions and trade delegations in many countries of the world promoting Bangladeshi products under the banner of Bangladesh British Chamber of Commerce in 1991 and Bangladesh Caterers Association the following year. While the Bangladesh British Chamber of Commerce (UK) was initiated and founded (1991) to promote bilateral trade, Mr Rahim revitalised and reorganised the BCA nationwide and internationally as President in 1992. Mr Rahim’s knack for number and statistics drew huge support as he presented the economic data of 10,000 Bangladeshi Restaurants in the UK and its contribution i.e. the turnover of £1.5 billion employing over 60,000 people. Not only did he organise the launch of Bangladeshi Cuisine internationally in the House of Commons, he is also the brain behind the concept of the National Curry Day in UK to enhance the industry in support of International Charity ‘Save the Children Fund’. He also arranged many International seminars and organised training programs for caterers and raised funds for the Caterer’s Building in 1996.

CURRYLIFE M A RAHIM MEMORIAL AWARD 2018

BAJLOOR RASHID MBE President, UKBCCI

In the past, Mr Rashid’s work has been recognised by Prime Ministers both in UK and Bangladesh and also by Mr Ed Miliband, Former Leader of Opposition, earning praise for his contributions to the curry industry. Mr Rashid was made chairman of Progressive Life Insurance Company in Bangladesh in 2013 and in the subsequent year he became president of the UKBCCI. He strongly believes in assisting and creating future entrepreneurs. Mr Rashid is also passionate about social wellbeing and environmental issues. In the past, he has extended help and support to rebuild communities back in Bangladesh, who faced natural disasters such as floods and cyclones. Mr Rashid’s dedication and hard work has been acknowledged in the form of multiple awards in recent years. He not only made it to the Muslim Power 100 - an initiative promoting the most powerful and influential Muslim people within the UK and world at large - but has also been named in British Bangladeshi Power 100, which celebrates the greatest talents and most inspiring British Bangladeshi people. In addition to being accorded The British Bangladeshi Who's Who Award 2014 in recognition for his outstanding contribution, he has also been acknowledged in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014 for his work in catering and communications. In 2015 he was listed for his influence in the Business & Community sector. From the multiple awards received by Mr Rashid, the Bangladesh Caterers Association (BCA) Honours Award 2012 and the Bangladesh Caterers Association (BCARegional) Award 2014 is of great significance in his life. He also received the Channel S Television Awards Business Personality of the Year in 2013.

ajloor Rashid MBE is a prominent BritishBangladeshi entrepreneur and philanthropist. Currently, he is the founding president and cofounder of the UK Bangladesh Catalysts of Commerce and Industry (UKBCCI), an organisation that aims to improve trade ties between the UK and Bangladesh. His prolific business portfolio includes state-of-the art restaurants, a property firm, an insurance company, a hospitality resort and three healthcare institutions including a 500-bed medical college & hospital in Bangladesh. Mr Rashid is also the director of a Bangladeshi travel and tour company and chairman of a company specialising in gas filling station outlets. Overall, he holds positions as Chairman and Director in over 10 companies. Mr Rashid was awarded an MBE in 2012 for his contribution to the Bangladeshi catering industry, where he spent a considerable amount of time acquiring and establishing successful restaurants. As President of the Bangladeshi Caterers’ Association from 2006-2012, he took the community to new heights and has been the driving force behind many noteworthy events to raise awareness of the issues impacting the curry industry. Mr Rashid spearheaded the mass demonstration in Trafalgar Square, London over immigration rules, which sparked a debate in the House of Commons.

BEST CHEFS

Askor Ali Owner and head chef

Mahaan Restaurant 177-181 Montague Street, Worthing, West Sussex BN11 3DA

Restaurants maybe aplenty and competition tough in this seaside town but Mahaan stands out with its unique dishes. While the aromas of each dish are different, the traditional Tikka Masala and Korma top the list for bestsellers. Ali’s secret to great food is the intelligent use of spices. The vibrant colours of various spices - the rich orange-red of paprika, the golden yellow of turmeric and the bright red of saffron strands – used in the right proportions, adds to the beauty of the dish – taste wise and the appearance. All Ali hopes is to keep up serving hundreds every week with lip smacking dishes.

wner and head chef Askor Ali takes immense pride in the authenticity of Mahaan Restaurant and also the fact that he never compromises on quality - using premium quality meat and fresh herbs and spices, which enhance the taste and the overall product. Though the restaurant was established in 1993, Ali took charge from 2005. Located in West Sussex’s Worthing seaside town, Mahaan restaurant has emerged as a local favorite, renowned for its excellent food and spectacular service. The 150-seater restaurant, which is one of the largest and most established eateries in town, boasts of a 5-star food hygiene rating.

Chef Abdul Hai Owner: Ruhel Haque

The Indian Ocean Unit 4, High Street Histon, Cambridge CB24 9JE

f you are around Cambridge and craving for some spectacular Indian curry, your search stops at the Indian Ocean in Histon. The restaurant offers a chic ambience along with their innovative menu, which incorporates traditional classics as well as new dishes with a modern touch. You cannot help but be impressed with the hospitality of the courteous and friendly staff, who thoroughly know their food and drinks. Describing their food as “Classical British Indian Food”, owner Ruhel Hoque believes that authenticity is the secret to success. “People think altering the food and menu with time works better for the business, but I don’t believe so. Contrarily, we aim to stick to the origin and authenticity

of the dishes,” says Hoque. Ruhel’s father has played a pivotal role in the structure and function of his business. Being one of the pioneers in the curry industry, back in 1976, he first brought Indian and Bangladeshi food to the locality catering to the British palate. Chef Abdul Hai has been with them for over 5 years and his attention to detail and drive for perfection has contributed to the flourishing business. Their specialities include Lamb Rogan Josh, Lamb Dhansak, Keralan Sea Bass Tandoori and Biryani apart from the Tikka Masala and Korma.

Chef Sheik Kamrul Islam Owner: Sheikh Nurul Islam

Cliffe Spice 17 Parkside Parade, Cliffe Woods Rochester Kent ME3 8HX

ituated in Cliffe Wood Rochester, Cliffe Spice is a family-run restaurant with a welcoming atmosphere, high quality food and excellent service. Apart from winning multiple awards and maintaining a 5-star food and hygiene rating, it has won many hearts.

Cliffe Spice also offers a four people combo meal known as Sagorika Chicken, which includes rice, breads, curries and sundries. So don’t worry, the next time you’re stepping out in large groups -- you know what exactly to opt for. Once here, you can be completely confident of the quality and taste of every dish as expert and experienced chefs create them.

Functioning for over 17 years now, Cliffe Spice offers a great ambience and outstanding food. Apart from the regular curries, Chicken Naga is a must try. Other specialty dishes are Begum Bahar, Fish Chaldine, Blue Nadim Tikka and Fish Nowreen, which he has named after his daughter.

Treasuring his chef Sheik Kamrul, Islam says, “He has been with us for six years now and the experience he brings to the table has brought us many accolades.”

Chef Alam Hussain Owner: Sujatur Reza

Taste of Paradise Rear of 2-4 High Street Newport TF10 7AN Shropshire

aste of Paradise was established in Newport in 2001 and ever since has solidified its position as a reputed Indian restaurant in Shropshire. Aiming to provide the best quality food and service, Sujatur Reza strongly believes in only serving food that he is proud of. “I personally ensure that everything is fresh, clean and up to the mark,” Reza asserts. The menu features popular dishes like Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Naga and Chicken Rajasthani and the taste is definitely worth relishing. The Chicken Rajasthani is their signature dish and both Reza and chef Alam Hussain never miss an opportunity to recommend it when asked for a suggestion.

In this business for 17 years, Reza believes his chefs and staff are key to his thriving restaurant. “This talented and dedicated team help serve up fantastic meals day in, day out and a unique experience for customers,” he says. The restaurant offers a set menu on Tuesday nights and also caters for events as per requirements. They can provide a full Indian dining menu for up to 250 guests within a 10-mile radius of Telford. Raza and the team like to give back to the community so they support nominated charities - Newport Rotary Club and Newport Cottage Care Centre, in a bid to give back to society.

Chef Ansar Miah Owner: Gyash Uddin -

MARKYATE SPICE 73 High Street Markyate Herts AL3 8PJ

at least 100, ours is fairly modern and chic, so we get a lot of new guests.” Both the chefs have participated in various cookery events, creating their own unique dishes and customizing it according to people’s taste. While the restaurant has banquet nights on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, serving 4course set meal at an affordable price, the a la carte seems to be more in demand. Chef Miah has added his trademark style to old favourites such as Chicken Madras, which diners testify is like no other they’ve tasted before. His most popular dish is the chicken Malaya Pineapple in which a whole Pineapple is hollowed up and stuffed with cooked chicken meat.

arkyate Spice adorns the small village of Markyate in northwest Hertfordshire serving Indian, Nepali and Bangladeshi delicacies for three years now. The combination of cuisines doesn’t come as a surprise as two chefs – Safiyur Rahman and Ansar Miah - who run the kitchen have previously built on experience in Bangladesh and many top restaurants in UK and now work in tandem as they churn out dishes. Although Markyate does not have too many restaurants to up the competition, restaurant owner Gyash Uddin points out that there is one restaurant, which is double their size but still looked at as their toughest competitors. “While we are a 50-seater restaurant and their capacity is

Chef Steven Lee Manager: Amit Kadam

HAKKALAND Indo-Chinese Restaurant 364-366 Station Road Harrow HA1 2DE

hef Steven Lee, who has his roots from Kolkata, India and is living in the UK for 18 years now, infuses Chinese cooking techniques with Indian flavours and tastes, to produce fantastic dishes one can only dream of. After his successful stints at Dalchini, Spice N Ice, Bombay Wok, Lee started his own restaurant Hakkaland, Harrow-on-the-Hill, to bring before diners the magic of Indo-Chinese cuisine. Lee gives equal credit to his work in Mumbai that led him to master his trade as he spent some precious years working at the famous “China Garden Restaurant” before moving to London. When asked about Hakkaland’s signature dish, Lee’s smile

said it all -- It has to be Kolkata Chilli Chicken. They have a wide range of starters with both vegetarian and nonvegetarian options Chow Chu Cauliflower, Chicken Lollipops, Tai Pai Paneer and Vegetable Szechuan Wonton topping the list. The most popular ones in mains include Ocean Delight (mixed platter of prawn, squid, tilapia and crab claws), Vegetable Manchurian, Hunan Chicken, and Hakka Veg Noodles. Lee attributes his success to his co-workers and staff. “It was my life’s biggest decision to start my own restaurant. But the confidence I got with support from my staff and people who I worked in the past and have joined me now, is something I really cherish.”

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CUSTOMERS CHOICE MUMTAZ LOUNgE 187 Kettering Road, Northampton NN1 4BP

CUSTOMER CHOICE

ith a transformed look, revamped menu and delectable dishes on the table, Mumtaz Lounge in Northampton has struck the right chord. While existing customers have found their way back into the restaurant, the response from new comers is overwhelming too. “The change in the décor, approach and menu has certainly made a difference. We are doing very well now and the response is wonderful,” partner and general manager Shahidul Islam Niton says. Chef Foyaz Ahmed may have taken over from the very experienced previous chef but his innovative dishes still stand out from the menu. Chicken Shiraaz Masala, Bengal Flame and Mexican slowcooked lamb are their three bestsellers. The Sunday buffet too which is a lavish spread of 22 dishes including sundries, popadums and chutneys is very popular. According to Niton, Foyaz is very good young chef with lots of innovative ideas about cooking. Mumtaz Lounge’s complete redesign has worked wonders for them and they are pleased to become popular among the locals once again. They are also working for social issues like homelessness and organizing fundraiser events for such causes.

Shahidul Islam Niton

BIggLES LOUNgE 4-6 Shortmead Street Biggleswade Bedfordshire SG18 0AP

CUSTOMER CHOICE

iggles Lounge is a popular Indian restaurant in Bedfordshire, with a modern setting and unique food. Manager Mohammed Abul Hasnath have been in this industry for many years now. Biggles Unique is their signature starter and from the mains, Mexican slow cooked lamb and Nalli Gosht is customers’ favourite. The restaurant is located near the Town Centre and they have a lot of new customers. For evening meals, it’s mostly regular guests. Manager Hasnat said, "we believe in quality food and service, all our dishes are freshly prepared from the finest ingredients and cooked to order by our experienced chefs." He said after the success of of Biggles Lounge, they have opened another restaurant last year in Northampton. Both the restaurants are doing very well.

Manager: Mohammed Abul Hasnat

CUSTOMERS CHOICE iNAgA RESTAURANT 84 Croydon Road Coney Hall West Wickham BR4 9HY

CUSTOMERS CHOICE

ituated in Coney Hall, West Wickham, iNaga boasts of serving quality Indian food cooked to perfection, with a good blend of spices. What makes the food outstanding is the use of fresh local produce and a big no to frozen chicken and meat. Established 10 years ago, Abdul Hay has been working on all aspects of the business with the able support of his chefs and staff. His former chef, Abab Miah, who retired last year, has passed on his Midas touch to Chef Ruhael, who has remarkably taken his place in a way where one cannot distinguish the dishes have been made by different people. Ruhael has been working in the restaurant since the past 8 years and his promotion is a decision Hay is pleased of. iNaga’s bestsellers include Sizzling Lamb Masala, which is marinated for two days and slow cooked in oven, and Chicken Naga, where they use Naga chillies to give it a fiery taste. Other delicacies are Lamb Shatkora, Bangladeshi Fish Kofta and Garlic Aubergine, stuffed and baked with cheese and potatoes. The kitchen of this 56-seater restaurant is always busy and bustling as they usually have a huge demand for takeaways too. The restaurant also offers sumptuous banquet nights MondayWednesday with a 5-course meal.

Abdul Hay

AKASH TANDOORI 70 Northcote Road London SW11 6QL

CUSTOMERS CHOICE

ith a budding idea of a takeaway business and later evolving into a full-fledged Indian cuisine restaurant, Akash Tandoori has come a long way. Starting in 1981, this contemporary restaurant has become one of the known landmarks in South London’s busy Northcote Road. Owner and head chef Mohammed Nasir Uddin thrives in treating customers to a culinary delight with the supreme quality of food and consistency in service. Being in business for over 35 years, the restaurant has had its own set of challenges. However, each time they’ve only came out stronger. The restaurant now boasts of successfully running under the same family ownership since day one. Nasir Uddin shares his secret of success – locally sourced produce and fresh ingredients infused with authentic spices result in exquisite dishes. Our authentic Chicken/Lamb Tikka Masala still rules the menu while Chicken/Lamb Bhuna, Chicken/Lamb Manchurian and Tandoori dishes are most recommended. With the on-going successful stint, Nasir Uddin believes there’s always room for improvement. “I just want to continue being consistent, maintain the standard and keep our customers happy.”

Mohammed Nasir Uddin

THREE SPICES RESTAURANT 23 Easthorpe Street, Ruddington Nottingham NG11 6LB

CUSTOMERS CHOICE

naugurated in 2010, Three Spices is a chic and sophisticated restaurant in Ruddington village, close to West Bridgford and Nottingham’s famous Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, serving Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine. Mahbu Noor, who also owns two other restaurants, believes the secret of success lies in the hands of the chefs. “As owners and managers one can get orders executed and implemented, but the magic in the food rests solely on chefs,” says the young business graduate. He describes Monaim Chowdhury, his executive chef as “a great chef who thinks out of the box.” Cooking and creativity is their passion, which is very evident in the menu they’ve drawn up. With complete range of Tandoor delicacies, Baltis, Korais, and Achari and Naga curries are hot sellers. Monaim’s popular signature dishes include Zeera Chicken, Lamb Tikka Rezela and King Prawn Aftabi. Customers are also spoilt for choice in the diverse freshly prepared flatbreads including rotis, chapatis, puris and fragnant naan breads ranging from cheese and chili to crispy naan crowned with a golden fried egg.Dishes such as Garlic Chill Chicken and Crispy Chicken sound simple but because of the unique cooking style, its just spectacular. The restaurant offers a Banquet Night on Tuesdays with a special 4-course menu, consisting of, appetiser, starter, main course, accompaniments and dessert.

Manager: Mahbu Noor

JASHN RESTAURANT Whickham Bank, Swalwell, Newcastle upon Tyne NE16 3BP

CUSTOMERS CHOICE

rom managing restaurants in Whitley Bay to opening his own in Newcastle, Mohammed Kucon and his awardwinning head chef Gulap Mian have led Jashn to many celebratory moments since 2010. The 8-year-old restaurant has bagged English Curry Awards in 2013, 2014 and 2016. In 2015, they were received the Curry Life Chef of the Year Award. This fine dining restaurant adds a royal touch to its menu with the elaborate Maharaja and Maharani meals that enchants guests with the luxury and grandeur one would only experience in Indian palaces. The food, notably, is cooked in the healthiest way possible with a minimal use of oil, colouring agents and salts. Specialities from the kitchen include Moglai Shashlik, King Prawn SIlchar and Mixed Kebabs Platter. The restaurant is also popular for vegetarian delicacies – Dakeshwari Aloo Paneer and Rawlpindi Aloo, Chana Saag Black Pepper and Mushroom Sizzler to name a few. When asked about the secret recipe to success, Kucon says, “A limited menu and freshly cooked meals makes a winning restaurant. I don’t believe in extensive menus as that requires advance preparations and the whole idea of cooking and serving fresh food is lost.” With old and new customers thronging the pub-convert Newcastle restaurant, one should be ready to be taken back in time to the dining halls of Maharajas and Maharanis!

Mohammed Kucon

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BEST TAKEAWAY Captain Korma The Broadway Grays, Essex RM17 6EW

BEST TAKEAWAY

ased in the heart of Grays, Essex, Captain Korma will never disappoint you with its varied takeaway range of Indian curries. Putting together traditional recipes with authentic taste, this family-run business takes care of every tiny detail – right from packing and presentation to cleanliness and hygiene. Even during the busiest of times, they ensure to get the packages intact in no-spill containers and sealed boxes to preserve rich aromas and flavours, the key for takeaways.Back in 1991, Chowdhury established Thames Tandoori in South-West London, followed by Captain Korma in Clapham Junction in 1994 as a takeaway joint. The success led to more branches -- Garratt Lane, Wandsworth in 1999 and Battersea in 2000, all going by the same name. Flourishing in an area where there are quite a few Indian restaurants and takeaways, Chowdhury believes that competition is very important to maintain one’s own quality and standard. Captain Korma, Grays was launched in April this year and business has brisk ever since. Chowdhury, who enjoys challenges and not somebody who’ll give easily says, “I am satisfied with the way the takeaway has picked up. We already have a strong customer base and with time, I’m very confident, that it’ll only grow.” The most popular dishes include Chicken/Lamb Rezala and Butter Chicken. Lamb/Chicken Shatkora, an aromatic dish that has a citrus fruit native to Sylhet district of Bangladesh, is one of their most tempting delicacies.

Shuhel Ahmed Chowdhury

BEST RESTAURANTS

BEST RESTAURANT London

Matsya Restaurant Owner: Vikkas Puri Chef: Uttam Karmakar 54-55 Curzon Street Mayfair, London W1J 8PG

What are your near future plans?

What inspired you to get into restaurant business?

It’s not even been 6 months since Matsya was inaugurated, so there’s still a long way to go. We have a pilot project running for an online restaurant – bytebite.com, where we are experimenting with Mexican, Indian and Oriental food.

ndia is about diverse food from different states. I felt something was lacking here in the UK when it came to diversity, hence came up with this concept of “celebration of food”.

How do you think your food stands out from the rest? Our menu is quite large and the best part is none of the dishes taste similar to another. Every flavour is unique. Apart from the rare, unusual mains, we have savouries, soups and salads, with an Indian touch that are outstanding.

What are the specialities the restaurant has to oﬀer? There are delicacies from different parts of India like Kashmiri Lamb, Mangalorean Clams, Sondhia Tiger Prawns, Kottayam Monkfish Curry to name a few.

What do you think is the most challenging aspect of the business? Restaurant industry is not an easy one. Whatever the challenge is, you have to be at the top of your game. Being experimental and innovation is the key. You’ve got to be a trendsetter.

What is your relation with your chefs? We have top chefs from different parts of Asia, so they bring along with them a different skill set, which just combines to form a great culinary experience.

How do you attract customers? We are very much part of the technological regime. Though word of mouth is most robust, following social media trends is an advantage.

How do you react to reviews and criticism? To understand the market and customers, it is very important to go through reviews. There are things that you might have missed and if someone else points it out, isn’t that great!

BEST RESTAURANT Kent

Shozna Indian & Bangladeshi Cuisine Jamal Uddin Ahmed 153 Maidstone Road Rochester, Kent ME1 1RR

food according to taste and preference. We have vegetarian options, grilled selections and adopt healthy cooking techniques.

What drew you to the restaurant industry?

am lucky to have to found my calling at the age 14 when I started working part time at a restaurant. By 16, I was working full time and there’s no looking back since then.

What is the biggest challenge you face today? One major problem everyone would agree to is staff issue. Another big concern I personally feel is most of the Bangladeshi and Indian curry houses are under-priced.

Do you think it is important to get training or degree in hospitality and management to be in this business? Not really. A lot of things you happen to learn on-the-job and lessons you pick up from your colleagues. What matter is how you grow as a person and your experience.

Would you want your children to join your business? Right now my children are too young. I would want them to decide for themselves.

What is special about your restaurant that makes it diﬀerent from the rest? We have two sections in the restaurant (upstairs and downstairs) – fine dining and standard restaurant. Both menus are very different in the aspect that standard one has all the regular dishes like Chicken Tikka Masala and Tandoori Chicken, while fine dining has authentic dishes namely Railway Lamb Curry, Lamb Shank Chettinad and Nimbuwali Jhinga being most popular.

Do you believe in advertising and social media promotions? We have a very strong customer base – 95 per cent guests visit us regularly. During weekends we strictly follow reservations only policy and encourage customers to book in advance. Regarding social media, with changing times it is nice to be up to date on digital platforms but again it’s not the most important thing.

How do you react to criticism and negative reviews? I don’t let it bother me. Mistakes can happen once in a while, you apologise and get on with the work.

Are there special demands for healthy food? If yes, how do you cater to that? Yes we do cater to all kinds of people and can customise

BEST RESTAURANT West Yorkshire

Cinnamon Lounge Owner: Shamsul Miah 97 Bridge Road, Horbury Bridge Wakefield WF4 5NN

Yes indeed. We always pay attention to customers’ requests and if someone asks for healthy options, we recommend tandoor items and grilled stuff.

When did you get into restaurant business?

have been in this industry since the last 26 years and started Cinnamon Lounge 9 years ago.

How well do you take criticism and reviews? I take criticism on the chin. There are times when everything is not perfect. So when there is a problem, I do pay attention and improve if something is really not up to the mark.

Why did you choose Wakeﬁeld and how challenging was it then? I was living and working around Bradford. It just so happened that I liked the place in Wakefield but was a slightly apprehensive – like a village, more of a farmland, doubtful whether people would visit. Initially it all seemed very challenging. But there was constant support from my brothers, family and friends.

Do you pay attention to health and hygiene? Most certainly! We’ve always maintained our 5-star rating in food safety and hygiene. And it is very important for all restaurants to do so if they want to achieve success.

What tip would you like to give to someone new stepping into this industry?

What do you think is the most challenging aspect now? Staff problem is damaging the industry. Firstly, youngsters these days don’t want to work in restaurants - they want to go for 9 to 5 jobs. Even if there are people who want to work in restaurant they mostly like front operations – serving etc. The main problem then becomes kitchen staff. It is difficult to match minimum salary and get skilled people.

I would love to welcome anybody new to this industry but with a word of caution – Nothing is easy here. The best advice would be to get hand-on experience in a busy restaurant and learn from experienced people on a day-today basis.

What is your relationship with your head chef and staﬀ ? My head chef, Anwar Ali has nearly 30 years of experience and has been working with me since the very start of the restaurant and it’s all going well. He used to work with me previously too and I have trained him.

How oen do you get new customers? We rarely get new customers. There are 3-4 villages close by from where we have regular customers. What I’d like to add is previously we only had elder and older guests but now it’s a very mixed crowd of different generations.

What are the most popular dishes? Darren Gough Special Platter and Nawabi Khana. The Sizzler Mix is quite popular too. In vegetarian, Saag Aloo is a very good option and we also have the massive-sized Family Naan on the menu.

Do you have special recommendations for people who are more health conscious?

BEST RESTAURANT Buckinghamshire

The Don Milton Keynes Owner: Aki Rahman 502 Elder Gate, Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire MK9 1LR

generation diners are hooked on to social media, so the presentation of the food needs as much attention as the taste. A lot of times it works well to attract more customers.

For how long have you been in the restaurant industry?

fter a degree in Accounts and Finance, choosing to be a restaurateur was not a very welcome decision in my family. I had been with Don Restaurant in Hertfordshire for 5 years, following which I gave up my shares there and started my own venture in Milton Keynes three years ago.

What according to you is the secret to success? If you want to achieve success, you have to be ready to give your 100 per cent. You have to have a goal and focus on achieving it wholeheartedly.

Was it a diﬃcult decision to opt for this industry? To be honest, I was looking for something challenging and exciting. Running your restaurant is not easy but I like the challenges. I also like the fact I am free to call the shots and make my own luck.

How are you meeting people’s demands for healthier food? From the very start, we pay a lot of attention to healthy food and use the best ingredients. We are creating a new menu as well for health conscious customers.

What keeps you going apart from daily challenges? There are few things that boost your morale and those around you. I was recently invited to a game show on Channel S and made it to the final and won.

Do you encourage your staﬀ and chefs to participate in events and workshops? Working for long hours in the kitchen on a daily basis can become exhausting and mundane. So I always encourage my chefs and staff to be involved in other activities apart from work for all-round development.

What is your reaction to online reviews? Personally I despise review sites. It’s either your competitors writing bad reviews or restaurateurs writing good stuff about their own and you don’t know what is genuine and what’s not.

How useful is social media for your business? It is essential to move ahead with changing times. New

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BEST RESTAURANT Nottinghamshire

Ashiana Restaurant & Hotel Owner: Saiqul Miah North Road, North Muskham Newark, Notts NG23 6HN

What attracted you to this industry?

relations and customer experience is the key to success.

was working in a mortgage business until the 2008 financial crisis. Opening a restaurant seemed like a viable option as I had quite a few friends in the industry already and was ready to take the risk.

How do you react to reviews and criticism?

There are times I have come across reviews online that are not true. Or sometimes customers have a great experience with the food and ambience but a slight delay could lead to a 2 star rating instead of a 4 or 4.5. That I believe is not fair. Having pointed that, I still think it is a system and should be there so that you can find out where you’re going right or wrong.

What is the most important skill one must possess to survive in this industry? Your relationship with customers and with your own staff is very important. The way you treat your staff is how they’ll treat you in return. The same applies for customers – if you are cordial and make them comfortable, they will cherish the experience.

How have customers changed over the years? Most of our customers are ones visiting for years now. They enjoy the fine dining experience. By fine dining I don’t mean heavily priced dishes. Fine dining is about the ambience, atmosphere, authentic food, variety and knowledge of drinks, courtesy and approach towards customers.

What are the specialities in your restaurant? I can vouch for all the dishes on the menu. We have a great variety of seafood selection – king prawns and lobsters are our specialities.

What makes your restaurant diﬀerent from the others? I treat my customers just as I would treat guests visiting me at home – serving them the best food and making them feel comfortable and at home.

What is the biggest challenge the industry is facing today? Under pricing of food is prevalent in most of the curry restaurants. Even for good quality, people are scared to increase their prices assuming competitors will make the most of it. That should not be the case.

What’s your advice to someone coming into the industry? To successfully operate a restaurant the basic factors one must look at is cleanliness, hygiene, quality produce, attitude towards staff and customers. Hence, consistency, quality, staff

BEST RESTAURANT Derbyshire

Anayas Premier Indian Dining Arfan Ali 25 Dig Street, Ashbourne DE6 1GF

for me and I totally respect that. It is a vicious world and everyone should be treated the same.

What drew you to this industry?

y father has been in this business for over 50 years, so this was an obvious choice. I used to frequent the restaurants he owned and my interest grew in the business even before my teenage years.

What are some of the specialities at your restaurant? Rajasthani Lamb and Aloo Gosht Lamb are most popular. Lamb/Chicken Bhuna, Honey chilli chicken/King Prawns, Lamb Chettinad are among other specialities.

What made you decide on Ashbourne as a venue for Anayas? I have lived around Derbyshire all my life and about 4 years ago, this opportunity came my way (in terms of property) and I started Anayas. The procedures and permissions were lengthy but I just kept at it.

Do you have many competitors in and around the area? There’s an Indian restaurant on my left and one my right. That’s how close the competition is in terms of proximity. But I’m confident of my business and can vouch for the quality and standard of my food.

How oen do you get new customers? We get a good mix of new customers and also those visiting us regularly. We have a lot of holidaymakers who are absolutely amazed by the experience.

How useful is social media for your business? People these days just fall prey to anything that goes on social media. Everyone wants their food to look pretty and the current trend is pictures first. I agree it does help promote the business.

How do you take criticisms and reviews? I usually go through reviews at the end of the day, because if someone writes something nasty or untrue I get upset and it spoils my day. I don’t mind if something is bad and people point out. But I strongly despise rumours and fake reviews.

What is your relation with your head chef ? I am very friendly with my head chef and the staff as I am one of them when I’m at the restaurant. There are people who I have worked for in the past, who are now working

Specialised events caterer for weddings and corporate functions Official catererS at HILTON RADISSON BLU COPTHORNE MERIDIAN GRAND PARKLANDS PORCHESTER FENNES

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL AWARD WINNERS Contacts

Telephone: 020 3302 7870 Email: info@mintcaterers.co.uk 13 A Rigg Approach, Leyton, London E10 7QN w w w. m i n t c a t e r e r s . c o . u k 33

BEST RESTAURANT Cheshire North

Bombay 8 Mofozul Miah Unit A1-A2, Charon Way Gemini Retail Park, Westbrook Warrington WA5 7YA

What are your immediate plans for future?

What’s your earliest memory of being involved in this industry?

The restaurant is doing very well and my aim is to continue giving the best customer service and maintaining the quality of food.

had been working in restaurants since a very young age – during school days doing part time jobs. I worked in various restaurants, in different towns across UK.

What drove to have your own restaurant? I came across an opportunity where I got a share in the business and I took it up. I’ve lived in Warrington for over 20 years and this opportunity came at the right time. I’ve been in this business for 6 years now.

How oen do you get new customers? There is a Travelodge in the same premises, so we get a lot of new and returning customers. We also get a lot of fixed regular customers from neighbouring areas.

What are the most popular dishes? Murg Tanga - a chicken dish with onions and peppers and a tamarind sauce, Lamb Shank and King Prawn Palak is some of our specials.

How do you react to reviews and criticism? To be honest, I don’t get too involved with reviews and comments. When there are serious complaints, I look into them; otherwise I don’t spend too much time looking at reviews.

What is your formula for success? Having a strong team is very important. There are two good chefs and two front managers, who form the core of the business. That way the kitchen and the dining area both are taken care of.

Would you encourage your children to join this industry? I would let them pursue what they like. I would not like them to face the hardships and challenges I went through. Moreover, this industry is very demanding in terms of time. Family time is precious and I try my best to spend as much time as possible but it’s still not enough.

BEST RESTAURANT Staffordshire

Blue Tiffin Shaz Rahman 1003 Uttoxeter Road Stoke-on-Trent ST3 6HE

What do you think the future holds for restaurateurs?

What made you decide you wanted to open a restaurant?

The future of the curry industry is really bright. You’ve got to stay on top of your game.

have been in this industry for more than 25 years. After years of experience, in 2007 I realised the time was right to start a restaurant.

Blue Tiﬃn sounds unique for a name. Why did you choose that? The main idea behind this business was to cater to office crowd and attract lunchtime customers. Tiffins sounded a bit common and boring, so we got innovative and came up with Blue Tiffin.

Do you’ll have more of takeaways than eat in customers? When we started off, it was 50:50. Now we have 70 per cent diners and 30 per cent is collections.

How do you think the curry industry has changed over the years? You will definitely find more variety in the menus now. And, also these days a lot of youngsters and families join in for dinners, which was not the case earlier.

What is the biggest challenge you face today? With my own business, I am pretty much working 7 days a week, so I don’t get to spend much time with the family. That becomes very challenging.

Are any of your children following you into the business? My older son joins me sometimes but I don’t pressurise him to get into this business. He wants to pursue a career in engineering and I fully support his decision.

What makes your restaurant unique? The dishes in Indian and Bangladeshi restaurants all sound similar but it is the style of cooking, which makes dishes and restaurant unique. We have quite a lot of innovation going on in our kitchen too. Phil’s Special (Chicken/Lamb) is our award-winning speciality.

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BEST RESTAURANT Essex

Riverside Spice Abdul Hamid & Abdul Ahad 44 Lower Holts Street Earls Colne, Colchester Essex CO6 2PH

What is your word of advice to young people who join the restaurant business?

What drew you to the restaurant business?

y cousin Abdul Ahad and I wanted to start something of our own, together so we came up with the idea of Riverside Spice.

Experience is very important. You cannot just wake up one day and say you want to start a restaurant. Give yourself enough time to gain experience before you take the plunge.

Are you happy with the ways things are going for your business? There are a lot of challenges but definitely business is growing every year. Even on a Monday we almost have a full house, which shows goes on to show people’s love for good curry.

What is your formula for success? I create my own dishes and then train my staff to follow. All my dishes taste like something I would eat at home and I like to pass on that authenticity in my dishes.

What are your most popular dishes? Lamb/Chicken Lahori and Sylheti Lamb.

What kind of relationship do you share with your chef and staﬀ ? Trust and belief is very important, as you cannot be everywhere all the time. Luckily, I’m blessed with friends and cousins who also come and help me in my business.

Would you encourage your children to join this industry? I have two daughters – one is married and the other is still studying. I don’t think they are interested in doing business. If they were, I would have encouraged them to join.

Do you think customers have changed over the years? Customers are more knowledgeable now. They know what they want and a lot of focus these days has shifted to presentation and look of the food. Apart from taste, the food has to look appealing on the camera too.

BEST RESTAURANT Somerset

Alcombe Tandoori Jubar Ahmed & Kabir Miah 67 Alcombe Road Minehead Somerset TA24 6BD

What is your secret for success?

How do you think the industry has changed over the years?

My business partner Kabir Miah and I share a very good relationship and take our work very seriously. This has resulted in the growth of our friendship and business.

assively. After being in the industry for almost 20 years, I’ve seen a transition in terms of food, menus, varieties and more importantly competition.

Overall, what do think matters the most when running the restaurant? Good service and superior quality of food is something people will always remember you for.

What would you like to say about chef and staﬀ these days? There are more opportunities for them now. During our time, we didn’t get special training and workshops etc. Everything had to be picked up on-the-job.

Do you have many competitors in and around the area? Not many. Ours is a modern, contemporary restaurant with a pleasant ambience, so the place and food speaks for itself.

What are the specialities of your restaurant? Seaside delicacies. We offer an enormous variety of fish – salmon, sea bass, tiger prawns, lobsters.

Do you pay attention to health and hygiene? Yes, everyone likes to come to a nice and clean restaurant. We got a young designer to do all the interiors of the restaurant and the look of the restaurant just makes so much of a difference.

How do you divide your time between family and work? I am usually at the restaurant in Somerset from Thursday to Sunday, whereas Monday to Wednesdays I’m in London. So sometimes my family joins me in Somerset or we just spend time during the week.

BEST RESTAURANT Tyneside

Shampan Restaurant Kamrul Hussain 185 Whitley Road Whitley Bay NE26 2DN

Do you get a lot of new customers?

What inspired you to get into this business?

Often people just drop by to try Indian cuisine. And because it’s close to the town centre, we have a mix of regulars and new customers.

always had a dream of having my own restaurant. So I started working towards it. I began with a takeaway business and now this – Shampan makes me feel I’m on the right track.

What is the competition like considering the number of restaurants you are already surrounded with? We are next to the town centre, so the area is anyway busy. There is a stiff competition as there are quite a few restaurants, all in a row.

When was this restaurant established and what are your future goals? Shampan was established in 2016 and the success of this has only made me dream bigger.

What are the challenges you face? Staff problem is a common challenge I think all restaurant owners are currently facing. Another challenge is serving customers. These days customers are well travelled and familiar with different kinds of cuisines. What becomes challenging is they may have liked some dish cooked in a particular way and the preparation in our restaurant may be slightly different, which may leave customers unhappy.

What is your relation with your chef ? The head chef has more than 20 years of experience. He has worked for me in the past as well when I was running a takeaway.

What is the most popular dish? Lamb Tok Jal Mishti, Shampan Handi (Chicken/Lamb) and Fish Chilli Korai are some of our special recommendations.

Do you check reviews and criticism on social media? We have top ratings on various websites and have a 5 star for hygiene and food safety. Sometimes people write negative things but we don’t let that bother us too much.

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BEST RESTAURANT Lancashire

The Whitecroft Indian Restaurant & Bar Rahibur Rahman Chowdhury Haslingden Old Road, Oswaldtwistle, Accrington BB5 3RJ

Tell us about your initial days with this business.

ith an aim to bring authentic Indian cuisine to locals in Lancashire, as I was born and brought up here, The Whitecroft Indian Restaurant & Bar was inaugurated 4 years ago.

So, is this your ﬁrst own business? No, this is a family-run business, where my father and brothers are very involved too. We do have another takeaway and a restaurant here in Lancashire.

Do you have to deal with new customers oen or mostly cater to regulars? We have a lot of local customers who live within the 5-mile radius. Some people travel 15-20 miles for our food.

Is social media helpful for your business? The response on social media pages is spectacular. It not only helps us build our connections but we can gauge all the things we are doing right and wrong and act accordingly.

What role does the chef and staﬀ play in the success of your business? We’ve had the same head chef, manager and few other staff fsince the opening day of the restaurant. Others who have joined later also contribute to the success, and we value each and every one.

Do you enjoy cooking or are you more of a manager? I am a trained chef as well. So, there are times when I just get into the kitchen and enjoy the culinary experience.

What are the signature dishes of the restaurant? Apart from the traditional Tikka Masalas, Kormas and Madras chicken and lambs, we have specialities like Punjabi Lamb Special, Naga Delight Special and Bangladeshi Fish.

What is the capacity of the restaurant? The main dining area can easily seat 120 guests. We also have a conservatory for private parties and small gatherings

BEST RESTAURANT Hertfordshire

Indian Sizzler Mohammed Atiqur Rahman 97-99 Longspring Watford, Herts WD24 6PU

For how long have you been in this business?

have been in this industry since 1994 and Indian Sizzler is almost 10 years now.

What is the biggest challenge you face today? Maintaining the standard of the restaurant is very important. We are among the top Indian restaurants in Watford. Hence, the pressure is more to keep up the standard and continue enjoying the top spot.

Would you encourage your children to join your business? My sons are already part of my business and it’s great to see them shoulder the responsibility and grow the business.

What is the most popular dish at your restaurant? True to our name, we offer 15 different kinds of sizzlers of which the Garlic Chicken Sizzler is very popular. Chicken Roomy and Tenga Tenga Chicken are other hot sellers.

Do you think social media helps for the business? Yes, it certainly does. Nowadays, people post everything online – from pictures to reviews. We do have guests who say they read reviews online and decided to walk in.

What would you cherish as one of the best moments in the restaurant? We’ve had Olympic Skating Gold medallists Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean visit our restaurant and thoroughly enjoy the food and experience.

Are there special demands for healthy food? If yes, how do you cater to that? We have highly experienced chefs who are very innovative with the dishes. So if someone asks for healthy options we note their preference and customise the dish.

What is the recipe for success? There are no shortcuts in life. You have to work hard and be dedicated to what you’re committed to.

BEST RESTAURANT Cheshire Central

Bombay Quay Jangir Alam Hayhurst Quay London Road, Northwich CW9 5EU

What were your early days like in the industry?

started working in restaurants from the age of 14 and over the years have been part of many businesses too.

Being in the restaurant business, what is your take on competitions? I don’t think too much about competition. I am enjoying my business and my sole focus is my work.

What is the most challenging aspect of the business? Staff problems rule this industry. It is very difficult to find the right people. Curry industry bears the brunt of strict visa rules as they primarily depend on kitchen staff from the Indian subcontinent.

What is your relation with your head chef ? Since the opening of the restaurant in October 2016, we’ve had the same head chef. He is very dedicated, hard working and a spectacular cook.

What is more important for you – targeting new customers or retaining old ones? Both are equally important. If you want your business to expand and grow, you have to target new customers. And retaining existing customers is equally important because of the relation you’ve built over time.

What is the most popular dish at your restaurant? To be honest, all the dishes are amazing. Our menu comprises mild and medium curries as well hot and fiery ones, if the customers prefer. It is difficult to pick out few.

What is your personal favourite? I love the Desi Lamb – it is one of the signature dishes.

What’s your advice to someone starting out in this business? Whatever you do, give your best shot. There will be mistakes, there will be up and downs, you just have to keep at it.

BEST RESTAURANT Shropshire

Himalaya Restaurant Dudu Miah 12 Whitburn Street Bridgnorth, Shropshire, WV16 4QN

For how long have you been in this business?

have been running this business for 40 years now, but have been in the industry for 55 years. My head chef is with me for 35 years and he feels like a part of my family now.

Any particular reason why you chose Bridgnorth? I have lived here for many years and it’s a nice town in Shropshire. During those times, there weren’t any curry restaurants around here.

How have customers changed over the years? I have seen three generations of customers who still say that the taste of the food hasn’t changed over the years. So our customers haven’t really changed.

What do you believe is the secret of success? Ensuring that customers are happy with the food and service is priority.

What is the biggest challenge you face today? Staff problems. Nobody wants to work in the kitchen. And with tight immigration and minimum salary requirements it is difficult to get people from outside.

How are you meeting people’s demands for healthier food? We offer healthy food options, less use of ghee and oil and make it a point to cook fresh food everyday. We also cater to requests by diabetic patients and people with other health problems.

What are some of the special dishes at your restaurant? Chicken Makhani, David’s Special King Prawns, Kadai Gosht and Kachi Biryani

What’s your advice to someone coming into the industry? Never compromise on quality even if you have to increase the price because good quality always sells.

BEST RESTAURANT East Sussex

Ocean Spice Ridwanur Rahman Siddiqur Rahman 43 White Rock Hastings, East Sussex TN34 1JL

How long have you been in this business?

his is my first business – started this restaurant in 2015. It is a good opportunity and experience and I want to make the best of it.

What are the challenges of a new business? Maintaining the quality of food and standard of the restaurant is vital. Another important factor is having dedicated staff with the right work attitude.

What is your relation with your chef ? I maintain very good relations with my chef and staff. The chef here is blessed with opportunities and choices where he gets to innovate and experiment with dishes. The outcome is always good.

What is the most popular dish at your restaurant? Lamb Lajawab and Mangalore King Prawn Curry are two favourites.

How do cater to speciﬁc requests such as healthy options? We make it a point to check with our guests whether we have preferences such as vegan, pescetarian, dairy free products, processed food, nut allergens etc. We avoid using unhealthy fats and colouring agents.

Are you worried about the competition in the industry? Not really. I am very confident about our food and we have a lot of customers who keep coming back regularly. Since Hastings is a coastal town, we do have many tourists visiting us.

Do you believe in advertising your food and oﬀers? More than word of mouth, we believe in advertisement brochures, leaflets and pamphlets. There are many tourists around, so that really helps.

How do you take criticism and reviews? For me reviews and criticisms, matter a lot. I take it positively and work on the areas where we are lacking.

BEST RESTAURANT Cheshire West

Forts of India Akhtar Miah Chester Road Hampton Malpas, Cheshire SY14 8JH

What is the recipe for success?

What drew you to this industry?

Just follow your passion and dream and everything else will fall in place.

y passion for cooking and interest in restaurant business started from the age of 15. After working in restaurants for many years, I finally opened my own in 2011, jointly with my uncle and cousins.

If you weren’t a restaurant owner, what do you think you’d be? I have studied law, so probably a solicitor.

Tell us about your customers and how they have changed? It hasn’t really changed over the years. We are not on the High Street in Cheshire but on a busy A-road, which connects to London and Birmingham. There are quite a few hotels and Bed & Breakfast places, so we get new customers often and regulars from nearby places also visit us regularly.

What do you do to address customers’ interest in healthier options? At the moment we just do the basic like suggest grilled options, use less oil and spices. But I am working on a separate menu, which will cater to health enthusiasts.

Would you like your children to join the business? Right now my uncle and cousins help me with my business. It is too early to decide if my children should join my business.

What are some of the special dishes at your restaurant? Apart from regular Tikka Masala and Kormas, our Punjabi Lamb and Aje Baji Chicken is very popular.

How do you react to criticism and reviews? I feel reviews and criticism helps to understand where we should improve. But often, online reviews are not from verified sources and they turn out to be untrue. That hampers the business.

BEST BENGALI VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT IN EU

Shanti Culture Club Chef Nahid Hassan Hantverkargatan 47, 112 21 Stockholm Sweden

How has your journey been so far in the restaurant business?

What is your message for people pursuing the food industry?

opened my first Shanti restaurant in Södermalm in 2000. The latest one was inaugurated in March this year. With six restaurants - Classic, Soft Corner, Touch of Bengal, Gossip, Ultimate and Culture Club, the journey so far has been a thrilling one. What is the competition like in Stockholm? There are roughly about 120 Indian restaurants in the city. But I am not worried about competition as our concept and the food we serve is very uncommon.

Understanding the importance of food and culture and how they are related. Some people don’t know what they are serving in their restaurants – that should not be the case. Food helps you connect different kinds of people and different cultures.

What is unique about Shanti Culture Club? The interiors of the restaurant have a cultural appeal dedicated to Bengal and Bengali cuisine. The menu mostly comprises of seafood and snacks, interesting there’s no meat at all served. What are some of the specialties of the restaurant? Mixed Fish Thali, which includes Fish Kofta, Salmon curry and grilled shrimps is very popular. There is a huge variety of snacks like Palak Paneer Pakora, Spicy Vegetarian Burger and Aloo Masala Roll. The food complements the drinks.

Aer having lived in Sweden for so many years, what is the most special thing? My restaurants have won several international awards for Best Bengali Restaurant in Europe. I have become an ambassador for Bengali cuisine in Sweden, and that makes me feel proud.

What is your relation with your head chef ? My head chef has worked with me for past 12 years and we get along very well. I’m from the chef background as well and like to create my dishes.

What is your future immediate plan? I am really looking forward to my recipe book launch, which is on October 9. This will be the first of its kind – incorporating Indian and Bangladeshi food.

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THE POWER OF

social media

“

Should you post on your social media everyday?

”

This is great exposure for a restaurant and was achieved by posting just one piece of content every single day. In order to really experience the benefits of social media marketing, you need to be posting something unique, and most importantly, something interesting on a daily basis. (Posting the same advert every single day will rarely lead to the success you want). High quality, real photos and authentic videos of your food and chefs are crucial to getting lots of engagement (and reaching lots of people)! This will enable you to stand out from your local competitors and will encourage people to try your food. Remember: ‘people eat with their eyes’ when deciding whether to book a table at a restaurant so make sure your social media reflects this! All of our curry restaurants around the country take great pride in their freshly made food and it’s so important that we showcase the care and attention that goes into their dishes. The British public love curry, so social media marketing is a great way to remind them of what you have to offer. To find out how our social media partner, Really Social, can help your restaurant with posting fantastic content every day, please call 01733 806 404. They’ll even send a photographer to your restaurant to capture the true atmosphere.

he key with social media is quality not quantity! We often get asked if a restaurant should post on social media everyday and the simple answer is yes. Do you need to post 5 times a day though? Almost certainly not. Out of sight is out of mind and you want to make sure your restaurant is seen as often as possible by potential customers, but only with the right content. In just the first month of posting on social media, Tarana restaruant in Rainham was seen over 15,000 times locally on Facebook.

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Call 0203 370 9922 Quote “Curry Life”

1. New sign-ups (NSU) must stay online for 2 months before payment is made, or as soon as the NSU pays the fee in full. 2. Owners cannot refer themselves as part of a 2in1 restaurant. 3. Your invoice will be credited two weeks after rule 1 has been complied with. 4. Not to be used alongside any other offer and exclusive for CurryLife partners. 5. Offer valid until the 31 December. Just Eat reserves the right to withdraw the offer at any time without prior written notice and/or to alter or amend these terms and conditions at any time.