CURRYLIFE AWARDS 2021 (WINNERS) by CURRY LIFE MAGAZINE

www.currylife.uk

SUNDAY 10TH OCTOBER 2021 Nine Kings Suite ROYAL LANCASTER HOTEL Lancaster Terrace, London W2 2TY 6:30pm - 11:00pm WESTBOURNE SUITE 12noon - 6:30pm Supported by

EDITORIAL TEAM Editor in Chief

Syed Nahas Pasha pasha@currylife.uk

Editor

Features Editor

ahmed@currylife.uk

kim.benjamin@currylife.uk

Syed Belal Ahmed

Kim Benjamin

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This brochure is published by Curry Life Awards 2021, which is part of Curry Life Events Limited and Curry Life Media Group. Reproduction of its contents in whole or part without written permission is not permitted.

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FOREWORD

benchmark in terms of excellence awards. Expert professionals and their peers judge each entrant.

Syed Belal Ahmed Editor, Curry Life

ollowing many months of business interruption owing to the global pandemic, the Curry Life Awards are back for 2021. Many congratulations to all this year’s winners in the various award categories, which you will find on the following pages. The Curry Life Awards, supported by headline sponsor Just Eat, remain the curry industry’s highest

Curry Life Awards for 2020 did not occur because of the pandemic, but that did not stop us from marking some of the curry industry’s achievements. With our ‘Curry Heroes’ initiative, we recognised the bravery and unprecedented effort by the industry to help prepare and deliver free meals to those working in the NHS, care workers, the elderly and the vulnerable. Curry Life readers received this national recognition of our ‘Curry Heroes’ with enthusiasm and much support. Despite the challenges faced by the hospitality industry in the last year, when many businesses had to close, we continued publishing Curry Life, reaching out to curry houses and providing them with vital information and guidance. We also launched a new publication in Bengali, aimed at the Bangladeshi catering industry. We are pleased to say that our new magazine Curry Chef has gone from strength to strength and is also gaining in popularity, helping to promote the efforts and endeavours of curry chefs, who are the backbone of our curry industry. The pandemic has changed the hospitality world forever. We have all had to learn different ways of doing business, which has meant adopting new technology, focusing on opportunities provided by the takeaway business model, and dealing with

considerable challenges in a post-Brexit business world. Earlier in the summer, we held our Culinary Workshop and Networking Dinner, which focused on how the curry industry can rebuild and recover post-pandemic. The event was a huge morale boost for the entire industry, with many attendees coming together face-to-face for the first time in over a year. The message from the floor was unequivocal: that we will work hard and focus on collaborative opportunities to recover the losses incurred during the pandemic. While it is a fantastic feeling to be back with the Curry Life Awards 2021, it is also a very emotional time. Many prominent industry figures sadly passed away during the pandemic. We will never forget their sacrifices and excellent work, and we also stand by those friends and colleagues within our industry who are still suffering from the effects of long Covid. I would also like to take this opportunity to recognise all the winners of the Curry Life Awards, and for those who missed out this year, we wish you the best of luck next time. On behalf of Curry Life Media Group, we would like to extend a massive thank you to all our sponsors, advertisers and supporters. My gratitude also goes to the Curry Life team and their work towards delivering this event.

GOLDEN JUBILEE OF BANGLADESH & MUJIB CENTENARY The Curry Houses across Great Britain marked the month of March 2021 to celebrate 50 years of Bangladesh independence. It’s not widely known in the big outside world that most of the UK’s 12,000 ‘Indian restaurants’ are run and owned by people of Bangladeshi origin. Despite pandemic, Bangladesh and Bangladeshi diaspora across the globe celebrated 50 years of Bangladesh independence and marked the birth centenary of its founding father Mujib (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman). We are delighted to start our event this evening with a tribute to mark the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh and at the same time pay homage to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. We have a particular song by the UK’s legendary Bangladeshi singer Himangshu Goswami, a Freedom Fighter during the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971.

SONG: SHONO EKTI MUJIBORER THEKE Lyrics: Gauriprasanna Majumdar Original Music: Angshuman Roy PRESENTED TO YOU TONIGHT BY:

HIMANGSHU GOSWAMI

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.

HOST

Jon delivered the prestigious MacTaggart Lecture at Edinburgh’s International Television Festival in 2017.

AWARDS HOST 2021 JON SNOW

on Snow is the presenter of the 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 – 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 4

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. Jon’s latest project is chairing a quiz show for More 4. 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.

MESSAGE J

ust Eat is delighted again to sponsor the Curry Life Awards, which celebrates and honours such a vibrant and iconic industry and shines a light on culinary excellence. With more than 9,000 Restaurant Partners in this category, curry remains one of the most popular choices for Just Eat’s millions of UK customers. The curry industry has done a fantastic job since the start of the pandemic, playing an important role in local communities by using food to bring people together and helping those in need. We know that two-thirds of our partners in

the curry sector provide food to local charities or care homes, while a similar proportion sponsor local sports teams or community events. This is something we should all be proud of and Just Eat is thrilled to support Curry Life in the excellent work it does to support communities up and down the country. Our role is to support the industry; elevating standards across the board, and using our scale and influence to play an active role in tackling some of the industry’s biggest challenges. And as we look ahead with optimism to the next chapter, we have so much to build on. We live in a rapidly changing world, and we work in a dynamic sector. Consumer habits have fundamentally changed and demand for food delivery now adds over £7bn to the UK economy each year. This industry is well positioned for continued success, but for that to be realised, we must continue to meet consumers’ changing needs. Many more want to make healthier choices, they want a seamless ordering experience, and they rightly want to help reduce their environmental footprint. We’ve proven we can withstand the unthinkable, so let’s ensure we take on board everything we’ve learnt, and together make the curry industry deliver on its exciting potential. It’s wonderful to see the Curry Life Awards back again. We wish you all good luck and extend our huge congratulations to all the winners.

Matt Bushby UK Marketing Director

MESSAGE M

any congratulations to Curry Life Magazine on the occasion of the 2021 Curry Life Awards and gala dinner. This will be the first dinner in two years. The awards are always usually well attended by restauranteurs, chefs and members of their team along with members of the curry industry from all around the UK. This year the awards will be even more special than ever as it will be the industry getting together in person after having endured so much for over 18 months. The lockdowns caused by Covid-19 has meant that restaurants have been closed for a majority of that time. The awards always recognise the dedication, hard work and success of the members of the curry industry in the UK as well as the industry’s tremendous contribution to the British economy – the Curry Industry employs over 100,000 people with sales of billions of pounds and contributes hugely to the Exchequer every year. Sadly, this has been a tragic time for so many families in our industry who have lost loved 6

ones, our thoughts have been with them throughout. This year the awards will be recognising the resilience and courage of members of the industry more than ever. The country has been inspired by the unprompted acts of generosity and compassion by so many restauranteurs who, in spite of suffering so much themselves, prepared meals and personally delivered them to their local NHS hospitals. These are true heroes. Cobra beer started its journey in the curry restaurants and these restaurants will always be our foundation. It is thanks to the curry restaurants that Cobra is a household name today. We will always be grateful to the industry and for its continued support. The industry has shown huge resilience and has been supported throughout by Curry Life magazine. Curry Life is an irreplaceable regular source of vital and useful news and information for the restaurants, helping them to be able to continue to strive, improve and excel. Throughout the pandemic Curry Life has never faltered and never ceased to provide the industry with vitally important information in a time of crisis. It has been a bedrock of support for our industry. Curry Life magazine will always play a vital role in helping restaurants in the future. I congratulate all the nominees and winners of the Curry Life Awards 2021. They are an inspiration to us all and particularly to the younger members of the curry industry families, who I am sure will be inspired by these awards and will aspire to achieve themselves in the future. With many thanks and many congratulations to Syed Ahmed and Syed Pasha and all the Curry Life team.

Yours ever

Lord Bilimoria CBE DL

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SPO N CUR SOR OF RY AWA LIFE RD 2021 S

CHANDINI RESTAURANT SAWBRIDGEWORTH, HERTFORDSHIRE

Owner Abu Mojid (2nd from left)with his team

CURRY LIFE EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARD 2021

Dishes on offer include signature appetisers such as ‘Chandini Wings’, chicken marinated in herbs and spices taken from a secret family recipe and chargrilled in the tandoor clay oven, and ‘Chana Kofta Mitaas’, vegan chickpea patties coated in a sweet tangy sauce made using a combination of garlic, tamarind and mango pulp. Signature mains include the Punjab dish of Chicken Tikka Tawa and King Prawn and Courgette Curry, a homemade dish enjoyed in many Bangladeshi households. You’ll also find traditional dishes, including Chicken Korma and customer favourites, such as Chicken Tikka Biryani. Mojid says he is ‘over the moon’ to have been shortlisted for a Curry Life award. ”We strive to be the best at what we do and go above and beyond for every customer to ensure the end-to-end service is second to none. To be recognised and nominated makes us feel honoured.”

handini Indian is based in a quaint early 18th century Grade II-listed former pub in the village of High Wych, Sawbridgeworth. The restaurant has been tastefully modernised while keeping many of the original features, which creates an atmospheric setting for diners. Owner Abu Koyes Mojid says that this, combined with the type of dishes and exceptional service, helps the restaurant to stand out from the crowd.

The restaurant has exciting plans for the future, including a planned interior makeover and the launch of a new menu. “We are extremely excited to have come out of a difficult time from the pandemic,” adds Mojid. “This wouldn’t have been achievable without our customers.”

Chandini Restaurant

High Wych Road Sawbridgeworth CM21 0HY www.chandinifineindiancuisine.co.uk

RADHUNI RESTAURANT PRINCES RISBOROUGH, BUCKS

Owner Akthoraz Miah with his team

Akthoraz Miah

CURRY LIFE EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARD 2021

that dates back to the 16th century and which was once a former library. “Radhuni has always strived to offer the best experience to its customers and this is apparent through our diligent focus on providing top quality cooked food and on cultivating a good approach to customer service,” says Miah. “With regards to quality, it goes without saying that any restaurant can have good food and service - what makes Radhuni stand out is our ambition to further improve ourselves in providing different Indian food and a customer service which goes beyond that of the typical restaurant.” House specials include the ‘Radhuni Stir Fry’, a dish of sliced chicken or lamb stir fry with onion, pepper, curry leaf, cherry tomato, coconut milk, and black pepper, the Goan curry ‘Shoo Coo Tee’ and ‘Anarkali’, a breast of chicken stuffed with spicy minced chicken and served with roasted chilli and onion sauce.

kthoraz Miah, the owner of Radhuni, located in the market town of Princes Risborough, says there are three elements that contribute to the restaurant’s stellar reputation: quality, service and ambition. Customers praise the ‘friendly and helpful staff with good recommendations’ and the ‘lovely ambience’ and say that Radhuni is ‘way above the usual Indian restaurant’. They are also big fans of the decor - the restaurant is located in an atmospheric Grade-II listed building - a wealden house

Miah says that he is very excited and honoured to be nominated for a Curry Life Award. He has exciting plans for the months ahead, including an expansion of the existing site, a refurbishment and some new dishes.

Radhuni Restaurant

The Old Library Church St, Princes Risborough HP27 9AA www.radhunihp27.co.uk 15

THE INDIAN OCEAN HISTON, CAMBRIDGE

Owner Ruhel Hoque Shamim with his team

CURRY LIFE EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARD 2021

Owner Ruhel Hoque, whose father established the restaurant some 25-plus years ago, says The Indian Ocean only uses the best quality and the finest ingredients available, combining this with great service at incredible value. “We have adapted and changed the business over the years, incorporating the latest technology as it has become available,” says Hoque. “We have our own e-commerce website, mobile app and electronic point of sale and we also have an extensive customer database which we communicate with through social media platforms, alongside marketing, SEO and data capture technology. A high percentage of diners are repeat customers and we are an integral part of our local community, supporting various charities and sporting activities.”

Owner Ruhel Hoque Shamim

andoori restaurant The Indian Ocean is no stranger to awards, having previously won Curry Life accolades in both 2018 and 2019. The restaurant says its mission is simple, with a statement on its website saying: “We wish to delight our customers with the rare taste of authentic Indian cuisine and to excite them with rich, aromatic sauces and authentic flavours.”

Regular praise from customers singles out the ‘delicious food’ and the ‘quick and friendly service’, while others say that the ‘food tastes wholesome,’, with ‘beautiful curries, poppadoms, naan bread, for a price that’s well worth the taste’. Signature dishes include ‘Satkora Chicken or Lamb’, with the meat flavoured with citrus fruit from Sylhet, and Labbada, a smoky-flavoured dish of chicken tikka or lamb, with almonds, fresh cream, methi leaves and spices.

The Indian Ocean

Unit 4, High Street.Histon, Cambridge, CB24 9JE www.theindianocean.co.uk 17

EVEREST ABERCORN

STANMORE, MIDDLESEX

Owner Milan Bhattarai (4th from left) with his team.

CURRY LIFE EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARD 2021

attracts diners of all ages and its location, with ample car parking. “It’s an absolute pleasure to be nominated and we are honored to be part of the Awards,” says Krishnan.”We are looking forward to enhancing the reputation of the restaurant. We want to continue to stand out in the industry, maintain high standards and create a wow factor through word of mouth. We also want to introduce more promotions to attract guests and enhance the restaurant’s ambience.” Customers have praised the ‘good service’, ‘great food’ and the atmosphere, as well as the cocktails. Dishes on the menu include ‘Lamb Kadai’, tender lamb cooked in a traditional kadai sauce with peppers and ‘Desi Chicken Curry’, a home-style chicken curry on the bone. The restaurant also has a function room that can host corporate events, cocktail dinners and launches for 120 guests.

Chef Chet Narayan Aryal

ith a prime location on Stanmore Hill, one of the highest points in London, Everest Abercorn brings diners a fusion of Indian and Chinese cuisine from the streets of northern India, Nepal and the south-east Asian subcontinent. For manager Vineeth Krishnan, the restaurant’s appeal lies in its culinary expertise, with chefs having more than 20 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, the fact that it

“We have a wide range of seating and can accommodate 200 diners at any one time and we are also the only venue in the area with an exclusive function suite, “ adds Krishnan.

Everest Abercorn

78 Stanmore Hill Stanmore, Middx HA7 3BU www.everestabercorn.com

BOMBAY 8

WARRINGTON, CHESHIRE

Owner Mofozul Miah with his team

CURRY LIFE BEST RESTAURANT

2021

“I always make a point of asking my staff to picture going out for a meal and to think about how they would like to be treated by the staff and the management,” he says. “We always like to give something back to the customers, to do something a bit unexpected. Our dishes contain a lot of vegetables you may not usually see in curries, such as kidney beans, broccoli and peas, alongside different kinds of chilli. All of this enhances the flavours.” The menu also has a big seafood section, with dishes including ‘Sea Bass Biran’, ‘Salmon Chut Putta’, ‘Salmon Tikka Shashlik’ and ‘Fish Chilli Massala’. Miah adds: “Being nominated for a Curry Life Award is something very special. We have previously won an award and it has been a great benefit to us and our customers and a testament to our trade and the quality of the restaurant.”

or Bombay 8 owner Mofozul Miah, looking after your customers is key to any restaurant being successful. The Warrington-based establishment - one of the most popular in the area, has built up a loyal clientele over the years, thanks to its superlative service, an attention to detail and an interesting range of dishes. For Miah, if you set out to deliver high quality, this has to cover all bases, from the food, to the ambience, to the customer service.

Overcoming the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in the last year has been Miah’s biggest challenge. “We are getting back to normal but we have to be cautious; at the same time we have to move on and try to be the best we can, taking each day as it comes.”

Bombay 8

Under Travelodge, Gemini 8, off Charon Way Warrington, Cheshire WA5 7YA www.bombay8.co.uk

BOMBAY QUAY

NORTHWICH, CHESHIRE

Johirul Alom (third from left)with his team

CURRY LIFE BEST RESTAURANT

2021

“We have been working really hard over the last 18 months and the award nomination is very exciting,” says Alom. “We try our best to keep our customers happy, from the moment they enter through the door. We pride ourselves on good food; our chef is a business partner so everything food-wise has to be perfect.” Alom describes the cuisine as ‘authentic Indian dishes’ and house specials include ‘Balti Shan Chicken or Lamb’ with the choice of meat marinated and cooked in a tandoor, transferred to a pan and combined with a balti sauce containing herbs and spices, and finished with fresh green chillies and coriander. ‘Deli Zaal’ features shredded tandoori chicken with minced meat cooked in aromatic spices, red and green peppers and green chillies, served on a sizzler.

ombay Quay, an Indian restaurant, bar and lounge, describes itself as offering ‘real wholesome food from the Indian subcontinent in a modern setting’. For owner Mohammed Johirul Alom, keeping customers happy has been key to the restaurant’s success since it opened five years ago, alongside his experienced staff, many of whom have been working in the trade for between 15-20 years. Bombay Quay has an enviable waterfront location too.

“Our plan in the next few months is to refresh the decor, from the lighting to the chairs and tables, to give everything a more modern touch,” says Alom. “We’re also looking to recruit younger staff. Our employees look after their own section so they have a level of responsibility.”

Bombay Quay

Hayhurst Quay London Road Northwich CW9 5EU www.bombayquaynorthwich.co.uk

INDIAN SIZZLER WATFORD, HERTS

Atiqur Rahman with his two sons

CURRY LIFE BEST RESTAURANT

2021

and the ‘Indian Sizzler Special’, with a sauce including tomatoes, garlic and capsicums. “It’s an honour being nominated for an award. It’s great to be recognised for the work that we do and we are proud of our offering, people in the local area take notice of these awards,” says Rahman. “We pride ourselves on using produce of the highest quality and many of our spices come direct from India. We have a lot of repeat customers who have been dining with us over the years.” While the restaurant was closed during the Covid pandemic, Indian Sizzler focused on its takeaway business, ensuring that its regular customers could still enjoy their favourite dishes.

ndian Sizzler opened in Watford just over 10 years ago, in 2009, and Mohammed Atiqur Rahman now runs the family business with his two sons. The restaurant has built up a loyal following among the local community, with many diners enjoying dishes such as ‘Chilli Sizzler’ - meat marinated in a hot sauce, flavoured in an array of spices and finished off with a fiery hot gravy. Other versions that are just as popular include ‘Garlic Sizzler’, featuring a medium garlic sauce

“We sold a lot of takeaways, with the local community supporting us over the lockdown, and it was great to see our customers still enjoying their food and stopping for a chat,” recalls Atiqur. “We also got support from the government.” In the next few months, Indian Sizzler will be introducing some new dishes to the menu, including vegan choices.

Indian Sizzler

97 Longspring Road Watford WD24 6PU Hertfordshire www.indiansizzler.co.uk

INAGA RESTAURANT

WEST WICKHAM, NEAR BROMLEY

iNaga front of house team

CURRY LIFE BEST RESTAURANT

2021

“I wanted to create a curry house that would not compromise but would win over my diners by sheer quality and taste,” says Hay. ‘When I open my doors at 5pm, ‘I am opening them to my guests and cannot help but treat them as though they are sitting at my own table.” Customer reviews say ‘the food is incredible and the staff are always brilliant. Abdul and the team are so attentive and dedicated to providing the best service’ and that the restaurant is the ‘best in Bromley.’ On the menu you’ll find signature dishes such as ‘Lamb Morisa’, grilled lamb cooked with pickled chillies and a combination of crushed spices in a hot sauce, and ‘Methi Gosht Special’, a dish of lamb cooked with spring onions, tomatoes, ginger and fenugreek.

iNaga owner Abdul Hay

-naga, located in West Wickham, just a short drive from Bromley, describes its concept as ‘fine Indian dining’. Established a decade ago, the restaurant is known as much for its food as it is for its charismatic owner, Abdul Hay. It has won numerous awards and prides itself on using quality ingredients and providing a service with a personal touch. The dining area has also been recently refurbished.

Hay is proud of his standing in the community and is looking to launch a weekly Bengali curry night in the near future. “I take great pleasure in sponsoring most of the local sports teams’, says Abdul, ‘I contribute a significant amount of money each year to them because I know such activities are crucial to keeping a community alive and thriving.”

iNaga Restaurant

84 Croydon Road, Coney Hall West Wickham BR4 9HY www.inaga.co.uk

WESTBOURNE TANDOORI WESTBOURNE, BOURNEMOUTH

CURRY LIFE BEST RESTAURANT

2021

“The décor is fresh and cool – more of what one would expect from a London restaurant,” he says. “I have developed a free app and an efficient website ordering and booking system. We also have huge support on social media and a strong following, which was a big success and comfort to our customers during lockdown.” Anwar adds that he is very proud of his team. “They keep standards high – they embrace my ideas and the chef maintains an incredibly high level of cooking. The menu is regularly updated, and I keep my prices competitive. I design weekly offers for my customers and my team treats everyone with the utmost respect.” Customers have praised the restaurant’s ‘warm and inviting atmosphere’ and the weekly offers posted on social media.

Saydur Hussain Anwar

ith an extensive and varied menu, including vegetarian, vegan and children’s dishes, options for larger groups and special daytime deals, Bournemouth’s Westbourne Tandoori has a wide appeal. Diners can also enjoy a range of nonalcoholic cocktails and beers and for those preferring a takeaway, the menu won’t disappoint. And with regular live entertainment, as owner Saydur Hussain Anwar explains: ‘everyone is welcome’.

Anwar has plans to expand the restaurant and double its capacity and is full of praise for the team, which worked tirelessly during the 2020 lockdown measures. “We took advantage of the time to renovate the restaurant while operating a full takeaway and delivery service; now we have welcomed our loyal customers back in-house and our Curry Life Award nomination has made us all so humble. Our customers are excited about our chances to walk away with the top prize.”

Westbourne Tandoori

42 Seamoor Road, Westbourne Bournemouth BH4 9AS www.westbournetandoori.com 31

THE FAT BUDDHA BERKHAMSTED, HERTS

Owner Shorif Ali (centre) with his two colleagues

CURRY LIFE BEST RESTAURANT

2021

a range of roles, Ali says it’s important for his team in both the front of house and the kitchen to have a passion for what they do. He believes that customers are happy to pay the right price for food as long as it is of a very high standard. The restaurant features a cocktail bar with a trained mixologist on hand, alongside a special gin menu, while the dining area is candlelit, providing an intimate, inviting atmosphere. People are welcome to stay for drinks only or for dinner and drinks. “I want the service to be of a high standard but not too formal,” he says. “I want my staff to build a rapport with the customers who I look to as friends. In my time in the restaurant industry, I have met some wonderful people and this is what keeps me motivated, as well as striving to be the best.”

he Fat Buddha opened in Berkhamsted in November 2015 and has gained a reputation for producing some of the best food in Hertfordshire, alongside winning numerous awards. For owner Shorif Ali, giving people an experience they will remember time and again, alongside quality food and beautiful presentation, is key to the restaurant’s success. Having previously worked in many restaurants in

He adds that winning a Curry Life Award would be the pinnacle of success and a recognition of the great food and service provided at The Fat Buddha. Ali opened a second branch under the same name in Maidenhead in March 2020.

The Fat Buddha

378 High Street Berkhamsted Herts HP4 1HU www.thefatbuddha.co.uk

BENGAL BRASSERIE BURLEY LEEDS, WEST YORKSHIRE

Owner Shakeel Ahmed (2nd from left) with his team

CURRY LIFE BEST RESTAURANT

2021

“We have taken the time to create a nice atmosphere, customers love the setting and food when the environment is more personal, with the service to match,” says Ahmed. “The space is not too big and we can speak to customers like we would if they were in our home.” Ahmed’s father has also put his own stamp on the food, creating dishes such as ‘Murgh Mahoni’ (named after himself), a favourite among customers for many years, with the dish featuring pan-fried chicken tikka or lamb with fresh tomatoes, peppers, garlic and coriander. Other house specialties include ‘Murg Kandahari’, a flavoured barbecued chicken cooked with spiced mince meat in a thick sauce and ‘Naga Chilli Chicken’, barbecued chicken cooked with naga chillies in a thick sauce with selected herbs and spices.

hakeel Ahmed has been in the restaurant business for many years and has been in charge of Bengal Brasserie Burley for the last five. He manages the front-of-house operations at the 60-seater restaurant while his father focuses on the food. Family values are important to Ahmed, with regards to both the restaurant and its customers, helping to create a reputation for good food enjoyed in a friendly environment.

For Ahmed, the Curry Life Award nomination represents a big achievement. In the year ahead, he hopes to continue his father’s legacy by opening more branches and is eyeing up locations in the south of England. “At a time when many might be thinking of leaving this type of business, our plan is to open more restaurants,” he says. “ We get recognised by online reviews and social media.”

Bengal Brasserie Burley

65 Haddon Road, Leeds, LS4 2JE West Yorkshire www.bengalbrasseriehaddonroad.com

SHOZNA RESTAURANT ROCHESTER, KENT

CURRY LIFE BEST RESTAURANT

2021

Chef Jamal Uddin Ahmed

amal Uddin Ahmed is owner and head chef at Shozna, located in the historic town of Rochester in Kent. He learnt the trade by working alongside a number of experienced chefs. and enjoys preparing and serving traditional dishes with a twist. The restaurant features a casual dining area downstairs and a fine dining section upstairs. On the menu, you’ll find ‘Bombay Kazana’, chicken, lamb and king prawn cooked in Bombay-style spices,

flavoured with garlic and green chillies and Bangladeshi dishes such as ‘Batera Jolmol’, a whole quail marinated with fresh herbs and spices and garnished with fried chillies. “Being nominated for an award is a wonderful honour, it’s recognition for all the hard work that has gone into building this restaurant,” says Ahmed. “We like to put our own stamp on the food with some more unusual dishes but customers also love our creamier, more traditional curries, such as masala and korma. We make our own spices, grinding and roasting and try our very best to be as authentic as possible.” Ahmed has carried out a refurbishment in the last year and plans to reopen the fine dining area in the near future (it has remained closed throughout the pandemic). Dishes here have included ‘Cod Ajwaini’, cubes of fresh cod marinated with yoghurt, spices and carom seeds and ‘Bhatti Ka Murgh’, chicken prepared in a mild marinade of yoghurt, cheese and cream and grilled in a clay oven. “The fine dining side is well-established but for the present time, it remains closed. I have focused on providing a safe environment for in-person dining and reassuring our customers,” says Ahmed. “Safety first has been front of mind.”

Shozna Indian & Bangladeshi Cuisine 153 Maidstone Road , Rochester ME1 1RR www.shozna.com

MONSOON MAJESTIC INDIAN DINING

NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME

Owner Juned Ahmed (4th from left) with his team

CURRY LIFE BEST RESTAURANT

2021

mixture of fresh green herbs with green chilies, coriander, green pepper and fresh garlic. “Being nominated is a brilliant feeling,” says Ahmed. “It really helps to raise the profile of the restaurant. We stand out from the competition with our attention to the food and the restaurant decor. We have water features and a big bar with a seating area.” Ahmed adds that Monsoon’s range of fish dishes are both varied and unusual, helping to attract customers from far and wide. Fish is showcased on the menu through a number of dishes, including ‘Sea Bass Aug Sag Aloo’, a sea bass fillet marinated with fresh herbs and aromatic spices and shallow fried to produce a crispy finish. There’s also ‘Salmon Tandoori’, featuring pink Scottish salmon infused with a tikka spice marinated in yoghurt and fresh lemon juice, and then roasted in a clay oven.

he 90-seater Monsoon opened in September last year, with owner Juned Ahmed keen on creating a restaurant that offers Indian cuisine with a fusion twist. Popular dishes on the menu include ‘Karara Nimbu Murgh’, chicken in a creamy sauce with lemon zest, offering a sweet and sour flavour, curried with a hint of lemon grass, curry leaf and seasonal peppers. Customers also enjoy the ‘Chicken Green Massalla’, a dish cooked with a special

“Our chef is hugely experienced and we are always looking to add new dishes and feature some unusual ones,” says Ahmed. ‘Our fish dishes are very popular.”

Monsoon Majestic Indian Dining 19-21 George Street Newcastle-Under-Lyme Staffs, ST5 1JX www.majesticmonsoon.co.uk

ZYKA

READING, BERKS

Manager Faisal Alam

CURRY LIFE BEST RESTAURANT

2021

focuses on producing simple, flavourful authentic dishes, rather than having a huge menu. “During the lockdown we had a big increase in the volume of takeaways, we have been meeting orders and keeping in mind customers’ levels of satisfaction,” says Khan. “We’ve only recently reopened the restaurant as we have also extended the kitchen in the last few months, and we wanted to wait until this was fully operational so we could manage both takeaways and in-house dining.” There has also been a slight refurbishment of the dining area and while Khan has secured planning permission to expand the restaurant further, these plans have been put aside until the end of the year.

t Zyka, the emphasis is on traditional styles of cooking, using the best produce possible, the majority of which are locally-sourced. For owner Zakir Khan, being nominated for the award is inspiring for the team, all of whom are passionate about the restaurant and its food. Standout dishes include house favourites such as ‘Pathia’ and ‘Dhansak’ curries, with customers loving the sweet and hot blend of spices. As Khan explains, the restaurant

“We want to wait and see what the government does [with regards to Covid-19] before we decide,” says Khan.”At the moment we can seat 50 and we will be able to accommodate around 110 people if we expand. Takeaways are still booming, even with restrictions lifted. We have a great team and I am now at the stage where I don’t have to be at the business every day.”

Zyka

6 Park Lane, Tilehurst, Reading www.zyka.co.uk

CAFE SPICE

DARLINGTON, COUNTY DURHAM

Brian Mohan Miah (centre) with his front of house team.

CURRY LIFE BEST RESTAURANT

2021

Brian Mohan Miah and his son Ismail Miah

Opened in 2008, Cafe Spice is located in Darlington town centre and aims to give customers an authentic Indian cuisine experience with distinct flavours. Owner and chef Brian Mohan Miah oversees the dishes, ensuring that these have been prepared with care and attention to detail. He says there is one element that helps his restaurant stand out from the competition: the rapport it has built up with its customers.

“We spend a lot of time and put in considerable amounts of effort when building relationships with customers and aim to create one with every diner,” he says. There is an extensive menu on offer, split into several categories, including ‘Premium Mains’, ‘Usual Suspects’, ‘Balti’ and ‘Tandoori;. Some of the regular diners’ favourites on the menu include ‘Dheli Korai’, a medium hot dish of chicken tikka simmered in garlic, green chillies and peppers, which Miah says is more spicy than a regular ‘korai’. Another dish which is highly rated by customers is the ‘Shatkora Gosht’ , a medium hot curry containing a citrus macroptera (wild lemon), found in the Sylhet region of Bangladesh. Miah says this creates a unique aroma and a slightly sour yet mouth-watering taste. MIah is delighted to have been shortlisted for a Curry Life Award. In his words: “We have put our blood, sweat and tears into this restaurant and finally feel we are getting recognised for our hard work. We are so grateful for this opportunity.” His plans for the future are to continue maintaining a strong relationship with customers and showcasing both the quality of food and service.

Cafe Spice

19 Clark’s Yard Darlington DL3 7QH www.cafespicedarlington.co.uk

DESHI SPICE BEDFORD, BEDS

Surman Ali (4th from left) with his front of house team.

CURRY LIFE BEST RESTAURANT

2021

Deshi Spice Chef Abdul Asad

eshi Spice opened its doors in 2012 and says that the ‘good things in life - friends, family and great food’, is what defines the restaurant. Its dishes aim to showcase the very best in Indian cuisine, with many of them homemade recipes passed down through the generations. Deshi Spice has previously won a Curry Life Award but owner Surman Ali says it is very exciting to be nominated again, a

recognition of the hard-working staff and the restaurant’s high levels of customer service. “Our focus is on fresh food and quality ingredients and we have a range of dishes that are unique to the restaurant, you won’t find them anywhere else,” says Ali. “We have been established for 10 years now and we’ve made some changes in the last six months to the lighting and the furnishings.” On the menu there are a range of Chef’s Signature dishes, featuring ‘Sea Bass Special’ and ‘Salmon Delight’, while house specials include ‘Silsila Taste’, tandoor chicken combined with spices, including spring onions, tomatoes and green peppers in a special sauce. Another favourite is ‘Bakara Chi/Lamb’, with the meat roasted in an tandoori oven, cooked with tomatoes, onions, green peppers and fresh coriander and curry leaves and served in a special sauce. “Over the next year I am looking forward to continuing with the business and growing the restaurant’s reputation,” says Ali. “We want to provide a truly authentic Indian dining experience at its best.”

Deshi Spice

60 Tavistock Street Bedford MK40 2RD www.deshi-spice.com/

TASTE OF INDIA

OLD HATFIELD, HERTFORDSHIRE

Chef Junayd Ullah

CURRY LIFE BEST RESTAURANT

2021

quality of food and service in a relaxed environment. “We are overjoyed to be nominated as a finalist in the Curry Life competition,” says Ullah. “It has breathed new life into our motivation at just the right time as we move forward, living with Covid-19. If it wasn’t for our customers, the restaurant would not be here so their feedback has been most humbling.” Dishes on the menu include clay oven specialities, and ‘Mo’s specials’, such as ‘Woodlands Duck’, cooked in a spicy orange and whisky sauce, ‘Sizzle Murghi’, garlic chili chicken with mint and ‘Anowar Gosht’, lamb with ginger, mint and pepper. Ullah adds that running a restaurant is always a challenge, no more so than in the last years, against the background of Covid-19. .

Owner Mofiz Ullah

ofiz Ullah, the owner of Hatfield’s Taste of India restaurant, says he and his staff are delighted with their nomination for a Curry Life Award. Ullah, who originally had a career in engineering, has created a number of dishes inspired by his mother’s cooking, and based on authentic, regional cooking techniques, particularly those from East Bengal. Taste of India aims to provide the highest

“Taste of India will continue to strive to produce the best food using the best ingredients. Moving forward, I plan to keep the restaurant traditional, putting Old Hatfield on the map and ensuring Indian food remains part of the Great British menu.”

Taste of India

33/34 Salisbury Square Old Hatfield Herts AL9 5AF

BARTON BANGLA BRASSERIE BARTON, PRESTON

Barton Bangla Brsserie team

CURRY LIFE BEST RESTAURANT

2021

“Many chefs cook the same type of curries but the resulting dish could be very different depending on how long they have cooked the curry for and the different spices,” says restaurant owner Firoz Ali. “You have to be consistent otherwise it impacts on the quality of the food. Everything could be heavily spiced in one place compared to another.” Customers’ favourite dishes include those featuring king prawns, such as ‘King Prawn Rangoon’, with large king prawns cooked in the shell in a medium sauce with onions and peppers and ‘Surma Chingri’, large tiger king prawns cooked in an exotic special sauce.

Owner Firoz Ali

arton Bangla Brasserie says it is ‘ecstatic’ to have received its Curry Life nomination, and hopes the accolade will help to ‘put the business on the map’. As a family-run business, the restaurant has built its reputation by offering excellent customer service and helping the local community to discover the different flavours of Indian cuisine, with a motto to ‘treat people like you would want to be treated yourself’.

“Our customers become regulars very quickly, we recognise that we are local people and that we are part of the community,” says Ali. “Indian food is very diverse and often it’s about educating customers. We get our king prawns seasonally, for example and keep the shells on as that helps to maintain the texture. When customers do try the dish, they automatically taste the intense flavours.” Ali hopes to pass the business onto the next generation and to get his children involved in the business, although he admits that this could be a struggle.

Barton Bangla Brasserie

913 Garstang Road Barton, Preston PR3 5AB www.bartonbanglabrasseriepreston.co.uk

KUSHBOO RESTAURANT BARTON LATIMER, KETTERING

Kushboo front of house team

CURRY LIFE BEST RESTAURANT

2021

“We are a family-run restaurant and our guests come not just for dinner but for an evening out,” says Shebul Miah, managing director at Kushboo. “We aim to provide food of the highest quality and create our own dishes, so you get something different to the standard menu of other Indian restaurants.” Specialities on the menu include ‘Tawa’, meat grilled over charcoal, lightly seasoned with herbs and spices, cooked with garam masala and ‘Roshney’, dishes featuring either king prawn, lamb or chicken, cooked with garlic, green chilli, tomato, green peppers and onions. There is also ‘Hyderabad’, strips of chicken or lamb cooked with garam masala and onions and the restaurant’s ‘Sizzler’ dishes, with a choice of king prawns or chicken grilled over charcoal and seasoned with herbs and spices.

Shebul Miah

stablished 18 years ago in 2003, Kushboo prides itself on offering guests a dining experience with a difference. The restaurant and wine/ cocktail bar seats more than 100 people and many of the dishes are created inhouse. The chefs enjoy putting their own twist on traditional recipes or creating dishes based on customers’ suggestions over the years. Cocktails are also made fresh to order.

“It’s amazing to be nominated for an award,” adds Miah. “We have a very loyal customer base and we have created a restaurant with quite a laid-back atmosphere, where diners do not feel rushed. People don’t just come here for dinner, they come for an evening out.”

Kushboo Restaurant 31-33 High Street Burton Latimer Kettering NN15 5LB www.kushboo.co.uk

ASHUKA TANDOORI

GUILDFORD, SURREY

Ashuka owner Fayzun Noor with his two son Fahad and Mehdi

Ashuka Restaurant Team

CURRY LIFE BEST RESTAURANT

2021

“Our restaurant stands out from the crowd by providing excellent customer service and premium standards of food while constantly innovating and inventing new dishes,” says Noor. We also go the extra mile for our customers, delivering far and wide so they can be happy during Covid-19. Our family is involved in all aspects of the restaurant so customer service is always the best it can be.” Noor adds that he is proud of the hard work and determination that has gone into making the restaurant as successful and popular as possible.

he award-winning Ashuka Tandoori has developed its menu over the last 25 years, trialling and testing suggestions from its customer base and always striving to improve its dishes. Owner Fayzun Noor has more than 50 years of experience in the industry and says popular dishes at the restaurant include ‘Pahari Chicken’ and ‘Goan Chilli King Prawn’ and what is often said to be the nation’s favourite, ‘Chicken Tikka Massala’.

“We appreciate all the nominations and support we have received,” he says. “My passion is for the hospitality sector as I have always worked in the industry and I want to keep pushing forward, be resilient and develop further products and services for my customers. I have worked in every position within a restaurant, and have mastered the skills and expertise needed to manage an award-winning one.”

Ashuka Tandoori

251-253 Epsom Road Merrow Guildford Surrey GU1 2RE www.ashukatandoorionline.co.uk

SPICE CLUB

BRIDGWATER, SOMERSET

CURRY LIFE BEST RESTAURANT

2021

Owner Moudud Ahmed Kamali

he historic market town of Bridgwater in Taunton, Somerset has a rich legacy as a port and commercial centre and is home to a famous street carnival which has the largest illuminated procession in Europe. Bridgwater is also where you will find Spice Club, which specialises in contemporary Indian cuisine. Its modern interior reflects this approach, with warm colours designed to make diners feel at home. Its aim is to provide a high standard

of service and excellent cuisine, using the best selection of freshly-ground spices to create mouth-watering flavours to suit all tastes. The restaurant has previously won awards and believes it is important to support the local community. During the Covid-19 pandemic, it donated meals to staff at the local hospital. On the menu you’ll find a range of ‘Club Specials’, dishes inspired by the chef ’s vast knowledge of food from the Asian subcontinent. These include ‘Blue Elephant On Parade’, with chicken or lamb tikka marinated with authentic spices, barbecued and glazed and infused with mustard seeds, herbs and spices. Another tempting dish is ‘Drunken Duck’, crispy duck cooked in spices with fresh garlic, bell peppers and green and red chillies. “Our restaurant when full creates a buzz that is on par with restaurants in the larger cities,” says owner Moudud Ahmed Kamali. “Customers enjoy the fast service, great food and the atmosphere that comes along with it. Our plans are to carry on with serving delicious food and service to the local community.”

Spice Club

10 Eastover, Bridgwater TA6 5AB www.spiceclubbridgwater.com

MAHAAN RESTAURANT WORTHING, WEST SUSSEX

Owner Askor Ali and some of his team members

Owner Askor Ali

CURRY LIFE BEST RESTAURANT

2021

The restaurant prides itself on original dishes such as ‘Murgh Sylhety’, with gently spiced chicken served with green peppers and onion in a soya sauce and ‘Chatga Prawn’, featuring king prawns marinated in a mixture of spices and cooked in a clay oven, curried in a medium hot sauce with onions, green peppers, tomatoes and coriander. Another customer favourite is ‘Chicken Naga Curry’, a home-styled dish cooked with homemade chilli sauce. The meaning of ‘Mahaan’ is great and the restaurant is certainly looking to live up to this name, now and in the future. Ali says the restaurant’s size and design is appealing from the start.

ahaan, which was established in 1981 in the popular seaside town of Worthing in Sussex, specialises in Bangladeshi cuisine. Many items on the menu are created in-house by its chefs, who between them have a combined experience of more than 35 years. Askor Ali, head chef and owner, says he is incredibly proud of the entire staff for working as a great team and for the effort they put into the restaurant, so it can always ‘reach the extra mile’.

“We have an entrance to the bar and takeaway area which is almost the size of a small restaurant in itself. We have updated the restaurant recently and mixed traditional features with modern ones. We pride ourselves on always going a step further for our customers, be it in service or in our cuisine. We hope we can continue with this business for a very long time.”

Mahaan Restaurant

177-181 Montague Street Worthing BN11 3DA www.mahaan.co.uk

VILLAGE INDIYA RESTAURANT

SOUTH WOODFORD, LONDON

Village Indiya Team

CURRY LIFE BEST RESTAURANT

2021

illage Indiya, located in South Woodford in London, opened two years ago, with manager Alamin Khan at the helm. In that time, the restaurant has built up an enviable reputation among the local community, with customers praising ‘the great variety of dishes’, ‘the friendly and professional team’ and the ‘well designed’ decor. They say it ‘offers a good alternative to others in the area’ and that the ‘portions are generous’.

The restaurant prides itself on its varied menu, which features seafood dishes including ‘Salmon Zafrani’, grilled salmon cooked with coriander, lime leaves, cherry tomatoes and a hint of chilli and ‘Goanese King Prawn’, king prawns cooked with roasted garlic, lime, orange zest and fresh tomatoes. There are a range of ‘Exclusive Mains’, including ‘Venison Karahi’, venison steak cooked with aromatic spices in a thick sauce and ‘Komola Lamb’, tender braised lamb cooked with saffron, orange zest and almond with mild spices in a sweet sauce. On the starters, you’ll find ‘Mini Rabbit Rolls”, pastry filled with rabbit meat and potatoes and ‘Lamb Dossa’, a pancake stuffed with spiced lamb and potatoes. Village Indiya says it is delighted to be nominated for an award, having only been open for a short time and says its customers like the ‘unusual’ flavours and dishes on the menu. Plans for the future include maintaining a high standard of cuisine, food and service, looking at ways to improve and listening to customer feedback.

Village Indiya Restaurant 241 - 243 High Road South Woodford London E18 2PB

TAJ MAHAL RESTAURANT CHIPPENHAM, WILTSHIRE

Arju Miah MBE (3rd from left)with Taj Mahal Team

CURRY LIFE BEST RESTAURANT

2021

‘the friendly yet professional welcome’, the ‘exceptional food’ and the fact that the restaurant makes the effort to ‘introduce diners to new dishes.’ “The customers love our consistent approach with our food and service even when we get busy, we maintain our standards, “ says Miah. “They also love the fact that they can enjoy a nice meal and a conversation with our staff. I am very grateful for the support from our customers. We were all very surprised and feel very honoured to receive the award nomination. He adds: “We are a small restaurant in a village town centre and to be nominated and to be recognised is a huge achievement on its own. We have won numerous awards throughout our 32 years of service and being nominated reflects all the hard work and dedication we put in, each and every day and week, into our dishes.”

aj Mahal is a family-run business, operating since 1989 and located in Wiltshire, in Chippenham’s town centre, within a listed building. Having served customers for more than three decades, delivering quality food and exceptional service to the local community has been key to its ongoing success. The restaurant’s managing director, Arju Miah MBE, says the restaurant provides a ‘homely environment’ for diners. Customers praise

Miah hopes to continue to provide high levels of service and food and says the restaurant is always looking to experiment with different flavours and create unique dishes, but without losing the essence of its traditional Indian background.

Taj Mahal Restaurant

51 The Causeway Chippenham Wiltshire SN15 3DD www.tajmahal-chippenham.co.uk

PAPRIKA CLUB

LEAMINGTON SPA , WARWICKSHIRE

Paprika Club team

CURRY LIFE BEST RESTAURANT

2021

“We’ve had great customer feedback on sites like TripAdvisor - we’ve had loyal customers coming back time and again, but our renovation has attracted a new customer base too,” says Mohammed Azad, who manages the restaurant’s front-of-house operations. Alongside standard dishes that you would find at most restaurants, Paprika Club has a range of innovative signature dishes on the menu. These include ‘A Sylheti Special’, featuring diced chicken with selected spices and scotch bonnet chilli, ‘Tamarind Chicken’, with meat cooked in a range of herbs and spices and ‘Potato Straws’, with meat prepared in a hot and spicy sauce, garnished with potato straws. “We get many customers asking for vegetarian and vegan options, and we always do our best to adapt to customers’ requests,” says Azad. “We have something for everybody and we have more healthy options too.”

he family-run Paprika Club restaurant opened just over 25 years ago in Leamington Spa and has impressed diners with its high-quality food and attentive service. The restaurant has recently undergone a renovation and reopened in May this year to rave reviews. The interior is modern and sleek, new dishes have been added to the menu, food presentation has been enhanced and customer loyalty cards have been introduced too.

Azad adds that it’s an honour to be nominated for an award, and a testament to the passion and dedication the family has put into the business. In the future, the aim is to have several Paprika Club restaurants, and to take the brand to the next level.

Paprika Club

22 Regent Street Leamington Spa Warwickshire CV32 5EH www.paprikaclub.co.uk 63

SONARGAON RESTAURANT

WHITECHAPEL, LONDON

Sonargaon front of house and kitchen team

CURRY LIFE BEST BENGALI FOOD RESTAURANT

2021

The extensive menu features a range of signature dishes, including ‘Kala Bhuna’, fried meat, beef and shatkora (a fruit similar to a lime), ‘Chicken Biriani’, and ‘Lamb’ or ‘Chicken Bhuna. There are a number of fish specialities, such as the Bengali-style fish curry, ‘Mrigal’, on the bone and ‘Mackerel Bhorta’. Reviews have highlighted the fact that ‘the restaurant offers a huge choice of Bangladeshi food to cater for all ages. Meat, fish and chicken curries were really tasty.’ and the ‘excellent prices’. Other customers have said: “The diversity of the buffet selection is excellent which is available all day every day. Much of the food is on the spiced side.” and “You will often find many other diners here of Indian and Bangladesh heritage, so some that are familiar with this cuisine certainly consider this place a good choice.”

Owner Tufazzal Alam

onargaon Restaurant is a traditional Bangladeshi buffet restaurant. Based in Whitechapel in east London, it has been serving Bangladeshi food in an all-day buffet-style format for many years. The restaurant says it has ‘built its premise upon bringing the people of East London a quality Bangladeshi food experience, and where there are not many similar options available, we make sure that we deliver this experience with perfection’.

Diners have also said that it is ‘great to sit with friends or colleagues to eat in a relaxed environment’, and a place to go to enjoy authentic cuisine.

Sonargaon Restaurant

199 Whitechapel Road London E1 1DE wwwsonargaonwhitechapel.co.uk

CHEF JAFOR SOLIM UDDIN

THE FAT BUDDHA MAIDENHEAD, BERKS

The Fat Buddha, Maidenhead

CURRY LIFE BEST CHEF 2021

flavours and quality ingredients’, as well as the restaurant’s ‘cool and funky vibe’. Dishes on the menu include ‘Punjabi Chicken Lollipops’, ‘Chomchom’, ‘Tandoori Monkfish’ and ‘Badami Murgh’, grilled chicken with peanut sauce. With praise for the restaurant coming so soon after opening, it’s no surprise that owner Shorif Ali is tempted to open a few more branches in the future. However, he is taking a cautious approach to expansion. “I don’t want to grow too fast and have standards suffer as a result, the phrase quality not quantity comes to mind,” he says. “I have started an outdoor catering company with food being produced by The Fat Buddha called The Outdoor Tandoor. We have mobile tandoori ovens that can be taken to events and venues where our chefs will cook live in front of the guests.”

Chef Jafor Solim Uddin

hef Jafor Solim Uddin has more than made his mark at The Fat Buddha in Maidenhead, which opened in March 2020. It is the sister restaurant to the well-established one of the same name in Berkhamsted. The cuisine blends traditional and modern dishes from across India, using the freshest ingredients and with food prepared from scratch every day. Customer feedback on TripAdvisor praises the ‘delicious’ and ‘tasty’ food, with ‘fresh

He says this summer has been very successful for the concept. “People love the idea of Indian food being cooked live in front of them and watching our chefs make naan breads in the tandoor.”

The Fat Buddha

3 Bridge Street Maidenhead Berks SL6 8LR www.thefatbuddha.co.uk

CHEF MAJADUR ROHIM

BLUE TIFFIN

NEWTON-LE-WILLOWS, ST HELENS

CURRY LIFE BEST CHEF 2021

Chef Majadur Rohim is ‘excited’ and ‘happy’ to be nominated for an award. Having worked for many years as a chef, he says it is important to use both local products and his own version of spices, to add his own twist to meals. “I like creating dishes and tasting them when you make dishes from scratch, you are inspired to try new things and I’m keen to change dishes,” he says. “As a restaurant, we are still quite new and it was challenging starting just before the pandemic took hold, but we were very busy with takeaways over the lockdown.” Blue Tiffin’s menu is extensive but some of Rohim’s favourite dishes include “Chicken Sweet Chilli’, ‘Chingri Ambotik’, a sweet and sour marinated Tandoori king prawn dish, cooked with garlic, ginger, onions, green pepper and tomatoes and ‘Rezala Chicken’, barbecued chicken tikka, sliced onions, peppers and garden mint, cooked with a special sauce.

Chef Majadur Rohim

he Blue Tiffin brand of Indian restaurants has existed for many years. Three separate restaurants bear the name in the north of England. While all three restaurants operate independently, they are all owned by different members of the same family. The newest one is Blue Tiffin in Newton-le-Willows, which opened for business in October 2019. Two years on, it has built up an enviable reputation among the local community for its food and service.

Blue Tiffin

56-58 Market Street Newton-le-Willows Merseyside WA12 9BW www.bluetiffinnewton.com

CHEF MOHAMMED RAJ

VILLAGE INDIAN DINING UPMINSTER, ESSEX

Village Indian Dining Team

CURRY LIFE BEST CHEF 2021

On the menu, you’ll find imaginativelynamed ‘exclusive mains’, such as ‘Gurka’s Revenge’, barbecued chicken sprinkled with fresh herbs, cooked with minced lamb and oriental spices and ‘Aladdin’s Kari’, barbecued pieces of chicken cooked with potatoes and ginger in a delicately spiced sweet chilli sauce, with a playful side note saying this is the ‘Genie’s favourite’.’ ‘Kama Sutra’ is an award-winning dish of barbecued chicken or braised lamb in garlic and chilli sauce, with the note stating ‘this is addictive’. ‘Lahori Meat’ is another dish singled out by the chef, a slow-cooked medium spiced lamb dish infused with fresh herbs, onions, ginger and the restaurant’s own garam masala spicing, alongside ‘Pista Malai Chicken’. This is a fragrant dish of grilled chicken, simmered in a mango cream sauce, with pistachios and cinnamon.

ohammed Raj is the chef at Upminster’s Village Indian Dining Restaurant, which was established two years ago. Its website statement says: ‘In Indian culture, eating isn’t just about feeding the body, but also feeding the soul - our takeaway and restaurant engages all of your senses. We offer a world of flavours and spices, which all comes together to create a dining experience that will transport you to another world.’

Raj adjusts the spicing to suit diners’ tastes and the restaurant says being nominated for a Curry Life Award is a great honour. Customers describe Village Indian as a ‘real gem’ and praise the signature lamb Kama Sutra, alongside the ‘great service and lovely decor’.

Village Indian Dining

207 St. Marys Lane Upminister RM14 3BU www.villageupminster.com

CHEF KABIR UDDIN

HASTINGS SPICE HASTINGS, SUSSEX

Chef Kabir uddin

CURRY LIFE BEST CHEF 2021

“I’ve been in the business for 30 years and it’s a good feeling to be nominated, I enjoy cooking and creating dishes,” says Uddin. “I was head chef at a restaurant previously, running a takeaway is less hectic.” The most popular dishes among customers are ‘Chicken Thakursan’, a Goan classic, cooked in a medium spice, with yoghurt, methi leaves, onion, green pepper, tomato, fresh lemon juice and herbs and ‘Chicken Tawa’, with meat cooked with garlic, coriander and a selection of aromatic spices, topped with onion and green pepper. At the height of the pandemic, the takeaway was very busy and Uddin says the support of customers has been vital. “We know many local people, they supported me when I moved from the restaurant to the takeaway and when we stayed open during the various lockdowns,” he says.

abir Uddin has been in the hospitality business for three decades and was head chef at a restaurant for many years, before stepping up and starting his own business. Hastings Spice Takeaway is located in the seaside resort of Hastings in East Sussex, with a mission to offer authentic and imaginative traditional and fusion dishes. Uddin also takes a healthy approach to cooking, minimising any additives used in the dishes.

In the next year, Uddin is looking forward to creating new dishes and continuing to look after customers. He says it is tempting to look at opening another takeaway, but with staff shortages continuing to plague the industry, he wants to concentrate on the one business for the present time.

Hastings Spice Takeaway 51 Bohemia Road Hastings Saint Leonards-on-Sea TN37 6RE www.hastings-spice.co.uk

CHEF ABDUL MALIK

LITTLE INDIA BOLTON, LANCS

CURRY LIFE BEST CHEF 2021

Little India makes its own spices, which Malik says is unusual for a takeaway business. He enjoys cooking traditional dishes and adding his own touches, as well as devising more unique takes on curries. Receiving a nomination for Best Chef means a lot to him. “We’ve been open since 2004 and we’ve put everything into the business - for 17 years we’ve been providing great service and maintaining the quality of the food, which is really the most important part of the job,” he says. “Maintaining the same standards with regards to taste and our health and hygiene rating and knowing that our customers appreciate this means a lot. It inspires us to keep on developing new flavours and dishes.” As a chef, Malik is also inspired to make healthy choices, which he can in turn share with customers. This means putting less oil in dishes and increasing the number of vegetarian options.

Chef Abdul Malik

bdul Malik likes nothing more than sitting down to a meal with friends and family. As head chef at Bolton’s Little India Takeaway, he also loves creating dishes using regional produce, spices and herbs, bringing out different tastes and flavours for customers to enjoy. As he puts it: “good food makes people happy and it’s great to see our customers coming back for more because they enjoy the food.”

Recommendations from the chef on the menu include ‘Robja’, a north east Bangladeshi dish of chicken tikka cooked in minced meat and chickpeas with an exotic balti sauce and ‘Sylheti Tarkhari’, pieces of chicken or lamb cooked in mild spices with fresh cream and almond powder, forming a rich creamy sauce.

Little India Takeaway

582 Blackburn Road Bolton BL1 7AL www.littleindiabolton.co.uk

CHEF SHAZ RAHMAN

BLUE TIFFIN

STOKE-ON-TRENT, STAFFS

Chef Shaz Rahman

CURRY LIFE BEST CHEF 2021

“I like to experiment with different flavours,” says Rahman. Being nominated for an award is a great feeling; operating during Covid times has been tough but we have not let ourselves down. We have worked all the way through and given it one hundred per cent.” He is particularly proud of his ‘Chingri Ambotik’ dish, featuring sweet and sour marinated king prawns, cooked with garlic, ginger, onions, green peppers and tomatoes. Other specialities include ‘Pista Korma’, with chicken cooked with ground pistachio nuts and fresh mild spices, herbs, cream, yoghurt and garnished with roasted pistachio nuts. The extensive menu also has Tandoori charcoal barbecue dishes.

he award-winning Blue Tiffin in Stoke-on-Trent has been established for 14 years and has built a solid reputation in the local community for its quality of service and its ‘beautifully-flavoured’ food. Owner and chef Shaz Rahman describes the cuisine as ‘traditional Indian with an added twist, providing fusion tastes, with dishes that are familiar to everyone but which taste that little bit different.’

The restaurant has proved very popular over the years, with many people having to be turned away over busy periods such as the weekend. Rahman is looking to expand the restaurant in the next year, increasing it from the current 90-seater size , and making the bar and the kitchen bigger too. He admits that finding staff is a challenge but hopes that the situation will ease by the time he opens the planned extension.

Blue Tiffin Restaurant 1003 Uttoxeter Road Stoke-on-Trent ST3 6HE www.blue-tiffin.com

CHEF NAZRUL ISLAM

BIGGLES LOUNGE BIGGLESWADE, BEDS

CURRY LIFE BEST CHEF 2021

“We are a modern Indian restaurant and I enjoy working in hospitality,” says Niton. “We have plans to do a franchise in the future and we want to be the number one restaurant in Bedfordshire on TripAdvisor.” One of the chef’s specials, and also one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes is Naz Ki Bahar, a dish from Bangladesh featuring fresh chicken cooked with garlic, rosemary, onions, green and red pepper, tomato and traditional Bengali spices that are sweet and sour. Another standout dish is ‘Morisas’, made with thin pieces of chicken or lamb to the chef’s unique recipe, using aromatic hot chillies to create a fairly hot dish.

Chef Nazrul Islam

iggles Lounge is located in the quaint market town of Biggleswade, within easy reach of London. There is an experienced team at the helm; the modern Indian eatery’s chef Nazrul Islam has more than 35 years experience in Indian cuisine and has previously won several accolades. The restaurant’s owner, Shahidul Islam Niton, has also worked in hospitality for many years and is committed to offering top-quality food with first-class service.

“Our chef is really creative, having learnt his trade from many other cuisines and built up his experience over the years - whatever he turns his hand to, is absolutely delicious”, adds Niton. “We make our own spices and some of the ingredients from our supplier are imported directly from India. That’s why our curry is completely different from other places.”

Biggles Lounge Restaurant 4-6 Shortmead Street Biggleswade Beds SG18 0AP www.biggleslounge.co.uk

CHEF ATIKUR RAHMAN

CHILLI GREEN

WESTCLIFF-ON-SEA, ESSEX

CURRY LIFE BEST CHEF 2021

Chef Atikur Rahman

hef Atikur Rahman, who has more than 30 years experience in the industry, has based his dishes at Chilli Green on the traditional, classic style of cooking passed down from his grandmother and mother. The takeaway, which was established around seven years ago, has gone from strength to strength, winning several awards in the last few years, and growing a loyal customer base in its location in Westcliff-on-Sea.

“There are dishes on my menu that my grandmother and mother fed me - these are the dishes I am bringing back to the industry,” says Rahman. “My masalas and kormas do not use any artificial colours, they are authentic with spices enhancing the flavours.” Popular dishes include ‘Fodina Chingra’, juicy marinated king prawns cooked in spice and mint, and the range of ‘Deshi’ dishes, such as ‘Deshi Korai’, featuring chicken or lamb and cooked ‘home-style’ with cinnamon, garlic, peppers and onions. “I was privileged growing up and seeing my grandmother’s style of cooking - she made bamboo chili chicken, with tender bamboo shoots, green chillies and tomatoes, it’s one of those styles of dishes that has basically been lost,” adds Rahman. While Chilli Green’s prices may be perceived as being expensive for a takeaway, Rahman says the majority of his customers are happy to pay the higher prices. “They care about quality rather than quantity - I use high-end premium products and they recognise this,” he adds. “We cook a certain quantity every day; if it runs out, then people have to wait until the next day. Everything is fresh.”

Chilli Green Takeaway

363 Westborough Road Westcliff-on-Sea Southend SS0 9TS www.chilligreen-westcliff.co.uk

HAWELI INDIAN RESTAURANT EALING, LONDON

Haweli team with owner Manik Miah (centre)

CURRY LIFE CUSTOMER’S CHOICE 2021

“We’ve got a lot of new vegan dishes on the menu to appeal to different tastes and we’ve also created some mocktails which will appeal to a younger generation, “ says owner Manik Miah. “It’s amazing to get nominated for an award, it’s a great achievement. At the end of the day, it’s not so much about the certificate or a trophy but more about being recognised in the community. It might inspire another ten restaurants to achieve what you have done.” Alongside the vegan choices, the menu also has a number of more unusual fish dishes, such as Indian-style salmon with garam masala spice with black mustard seeds and marinated and grilled tuna steaks with a special salad, serviced medium-spiced, with fish sourced from London’s Billingsgate Market. For Miah, when it comes to running a restaurant, the presentation of the food is just as important as its taste, and the dinein atmosphere plays a big part too.

aweli has been serving food to customers in Ealing, West London for more than 30 years but the restaurant is eager to stay on top of trends and is keen to try new approaches. Its dining room is inspired by a number of themes, ranging from the Rajasthan era to kitsch local curry houses, creating a space that the restaurant describes as both ‘regal’ and ‘nostalgic’.

“We want to make sure our customers are sitting comfortably and we recently revamped the furniture,” he adds. “We want to create a dining experience for every customer. My long-term goal is for the restaurant to be recognised on a national basis.”

Haweli Indian Restaurant 127-129 Uxbridge Road Ealing London W13 9AU www.haweliofealing.com

HIMALAYA RESTAURANT

BRIDGNORTH, SHROPSHIRE

Dave Miah

CURRY LIFE CUSTOMER’S CHOICE 2021

Indian meals I have ever had. Everything was so tasty and fresh, and all the staff were so attentive.’ Owner Dabir Ahmed says he is delighted to be nominated again for an award and says the traditional Indian food that the restaurant serves within a friendly and homely atmosphere has attracted many customers. “We pride ourselves on making good quality food with fresh ingredients,” he says. “Our customers come back time again and have been doing so for nearly four decades. We look after our customers and make sure they enjoy each and every meal.” Popular dishes range from ‘Chicken Jalfrezi’ to ‘Chicken Makhani’ to ‘Shahi Korma’ (featuring mango, cream, nuts and sultanas). There are a range of vegan dishes and ‘healthier’ chicken dishes too, such as a lower-calorie meal of chicken fillet strips marinated with fresh herbs and spices and baked in a clay oven, served with Indian vegetables.

ridgnorth in Shropshire was once one of the busiest river ports in Europe. It’s here you’ll find The Himalaya Tandoori, one of the oldest restaurants in the town, which has been serving customers for more than 35 years. It has previously been the winner of a Curry Life Award, with customers full of praise for the cuisine. Feedback ranges from ‘the best in town, the best takeaway I’ve had for a long time,’ to ‘this was hands-down one of the best

Himalaya Restaurant

12 Whitburn Street Bridgnorth Shropshire WV16 4QN www.himalayabridgnorth.co.uk

THREE SPICES

RUDDINGTON, NOTTINGHAM

CURRY LIFE CUSTOMER’S CHOICE 2021

food and its presentation, with the service referred to as ‘friendly’ with ‘helpful, polite staff’. “It’s a great feeling to be shortlisted for the Award, particularly after everything the hospitality industry has been through in the last year,” says Noor. “Over the years, the restaurant has become more of a social space than a workplace, we’ve built a casual atmosphere and our customers like this.” There are a range of popular dishes, such as ‘Garlic Chilli Chicken’ and ‘Rogan Josh Masala’ and Noor is continuing to look at ways to improve the restaurant’s dishes.

Owner Mahbu Noor (centre) with colleagues

hree Spices describes itself as an elegant, stylish and contemporary Indian restaurant. For owner Mahbu Noor, who started the business in 2010, the restaurant has built a reputation as a friendly, social place in which to enjoy fine food in a relaxed environment. The restaurant menu has a select range of dishes, ranging from traditional curries to its own Bangladeshi specialities. Customer reviews praise both the quality of the

“This includes reducing the use of ghee as it puts a lot of customers off, so we are using vegetable oil instead to try and offer healthier options,” he says. “We’ve also had a small refresh. When I first started, I was very business-focused but setting business goals can become a bit repetitive. Being up for an award makes all the hard work worthwhile and gives you a sense of achievement.”

Three Spices

23 Easthorpe Street Ruddington Nottingham NG11 6LB www.threespices.co.uk

LOVE CURRY TAKEAWAY CARDIFF

CURRY LIFE BEST TAKEAWAY 2021

overcame the challenges of the last year by focusing on Covid safety guidelines training and ensuring he used government support where available. Google reviews and feedback on sites such as TripAdvisor highlight ‘lovely flavours’, ‘great food and service’ and affordable prices. Customers have praised Love Curry for offering a menu that ‘gives you the opportunity to adjust the food to your exact requirements’ and its ‘reasonable delivery times’. Popular dishes include ‘South Indian Garlic Chilli with Chicken’, ‘Chicken Jalfrezi’, ‘Lamb Shatkora’ and ‘Chicken Chum Chum’. “We are proud of our quality of food and excellent customer service,” says Rashid. “We are among one of the very few Indian takeaways that have achieved a five-star food hygiene rating in Cardiff. For the last 10 years, the curry industry in general has faced a huge shortage of staff. In our case, it was really tough after Brexit and Covid-19 was also a major challenge.”

ove Curry Takeaway owner Mahbub Rashid acknowledges that the takeaway business is a very competitive industry, and says that his passion for authentic Indian dishes and quality management has played a pivotal role in the success of his business. Testament to this is the fact that many customers who choose to collect their food live outside of Love Curry’s delivery area. Providing excellent customer service has also been key to success and Rashid also

Rashid is hoping to explore a franchise model in the future, but for the present time, he is focusing on maintaining his takeaway’s reputation for high quality.

Love Curry

452 Cowbridge Road East Cardiff CF5 1BJ www.love-curry.com

TARLETON TANDOORI TARLETON, NEAR PRESTON

Tarleton Tandoori Team

CURRY LIFE BEST TAKEAWAY 2021

in the area where the takeaway is located,” he says. “We were open all the way through the pandemic but we had to reduce the hours.” Customer reviews highlight how tasty and fresh the food is, as it is cooked right in front of them. “Winning the award would encourage more people to order from us and put us on the map,” adds Rashid. “If everyone gets to know that you have achieved something, it is good for the business. Many of our customers are repeat ones from the local village but it’s great to be able to spread the word.” Tarleton Tandoori does not provide a delivery service; instead, it focuses on providing freshly-cooked food within 20 minutes of an order being placed.

Owner Abdul Rashid

bdul Rashid, the owner of Tarleton Tandoori, is thrilled with his nomination, particularly after having endured tough trading conditions in the last 18 months. The takeaway has earned a reputation for providing the best authentic Indian cuisine in the Tarleton area. “There were many challenges from the pandemic, such as staffing issues for example, there are not many skilled people

“People come to us - they like the fact that everything is cooked in front of their eyes and we try and turn orders round within 20 minutes or it can be up to 30-35 minutes if we are very busy,” explains Rashid. “Everyone wants food at the same time and sometimes it is mission impossible to meet these targets, but we need to focus on what we can do to the best of our ability.”

Tarleton Tandoori

102 Church Road Tarleton Near Preston PR4 6UP www.tarletontandoori.com

FUSION FOODS MARKYATE, ST ALBANS

Fusion Foods Team

CURRY LIFE BEST TAKEAWAY 2021

Sheek Gilafi’, minced lamb marinated in aromatic spices and topped with red onion and coriander. “These Awards recognise the work we have done throughout the pandemic and it’s a boost for curry houses in general,” says Uddin. “Our main focus is customer service. We always aim to serve delicious food at a fast pace.” Customers are full of praise for the takeaway, with reviews stating: ‘very good curry and the best service’, ‘the food is incredibly hot and tasty all the time,’ and ‘the standard of food and service from this place is just stellar. It’s consistently good every time we order and, as a result, we are reluctant to order from anywhere else or have any other type of takeaway food’.

usion Foods says it is very honoured to be nominated for a Curry Life Award. For owner Gyash Uddin, it’s an opportunity to thank customers and for the takeaway restaurant to be recognised. Fusion Foods aims to use the finest ingredients and a health-conscious approach to provide quality, contemporary Indian cuisine with efficient, friendly service. The menu offers classic regional dishes as well as Tandoori Specials, such as ‘Salmon Tikka’ and ‘Lamb

Fusion Foods has built up a loyal customer base, with its service helping to convert new customers into repeat ones. Uddin has plans to expand the takeaway to surrounding areas in the near future.

Fusion Foods

121 High Street Markyate St. Albans, Herts AL3 8JG www.fusionfoodsmarkyate.co.uk

MYA’S SPICERY

MORPETH, NORTHUMBERLAND

Goyas Miah (right) and his chef Syed Muzzak

CURRY LIFE BEST TAKEAWAY 2021

and even if a dish previously on the menu is no longer included, the takeaway is happy to prepare this if a customer requests it. Mya’s Spicery also prides itself on its quick service. “It’s unbelievable to be nominated for an award, we are really very proud,” says Miah. “Every takeaway or restaurant is different and will have their own way of cooking dishes. At our takeaway, there are quite a few specials favoured by our customers, such as ‘Mya’s Special Balti’ with lamb or chicken, which is cooked from scratch.” With its location within a housing estate, Miah says the takeaway very much relies on residents rather than passing trade.

oyas Miah, manager of Mya’s Spicery, has been working in the industry for nearly five decades. In keeping with the name, the takeaway is very much focused on reinforcing how Indian food does not have to be overly spiced to be enjoyed, highlighting instead how the art of Indian cookery lies in the delicacy of the spicing.

“We are tucked away within an estate so everything we do has to be spot on - from the food to the service, a friendly nature is very important,” he says. “When customers come in, they don’t just want to wait, they want to interact and chat so we speak to them about how their day went and what their plans are.”

Mya’s Spicery

31 Grange Road Stobhill Grange Morpeth Northumberland NE61 2TW www.myasspicery.com

The level of spicing across almost all of its dishes can be tailored to different tastes 101

THE BOMBAY SPICE

BONNYRIGG, SCOTLAND

Tkeaway is run by Jamil and his father Rahul

CURRY LIFE BEST TAKEAWAY 2021

1970s). The Bombay Spice is also keen to adapt Scottish favourites by adding an Indian twist, with its starter of ‘Haggis Pakora’ also proving popular. “Our ingredients are fresh and we try to use the finest ingredients, “ says Jamil. “Our service goes above and beyond with every customer who walks through our doors. We always make time to ask how they are and have a conversation about their week.” Jamil adds that the Curry Life Award nomination ‘feels amazing’, and is a testament to how hard the restaurant has worked during the last year, against the background of the Covid-19 pandemic. “It shows that our hard work hasn’t been in vain,” adds Jamil. “We’d like to say a big thank you to all of our customers who have stuck with us during the last 20-plus years, supporting their local takeaway during the pandemic and always being cheerful and happy with members of our staff.”

he Bombay Spice takeaway, established in 2000, is located a short drive from Edinburgh in the former mining town of Bonnyrigg. Run by father and son Rahul and Jamil Amin, the takeaway focuses on contemporary Indian and Bangladeshi food. The takeaway’s ‘Chicken Tikka Massala’ is its most popular dish, and is fittingly in tune with its Scottish heritage (with the dish believed to have been invented in Glasgow in the

Looking to the future, Jamil’s aspirations include opening a dine-in restaurant under the same name and continuing to serve customers in the local area.

The Bombay Spice

55 High Street, Bonnyrigg EH19 2DB www.thebombayspice.co.uk

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AROMA OF WILMSLOW

WILMSLOW, CHESHIRE

CURRY LIFE BEST TAKEAWAY 2021

“My business does well in providing restaurant-quality food despite only being a small takeaway,’ says Ahmed. “I take pride in the food that I serve and many customers have noticed this, with many of them complementary of our food both in-store, over the phone and on our online reviews. They even go so far as to call it the best in the area and liken us to the many restaurants nearby.” Ahmed says receiving word of the nomination for a Curry Life Award was a relief, having been nominated a few years ago. “To finally be nominated again after all this time feels like a vindication of the improvements we have made since then,” says Ahmed. “Ideally in the future, I’d like to expand the premises; at times, we struggled to cope with the boom in business that came with lockdown and I’d like to expand a little so that we can cope better with any busy periods in the future.”

Chef Foysal Ahmed

ocated in the heart of Wilmslow, Aroma’s mission is to deliver an innovative twist on the coastal cuisine of Southern Bangladesh. Its menu incorporates a mix of contemporary, traditional and original dishes. The takeaway is run by Muhammad Foysal Ahmed, its chef, and it has previously won the Takeaway of the Year prize at the Curry Life Awards.

Specials at the restaurant include ‘Mango Delight Chicken Tikka’ and ‘Oriental Fusion’, a dish of chicken tikka cooked with fresh ginger, spinach, baby potatoes, onions, peppers and mushrooms, combined with the chef’s own special spices.

Aroma of Wilmslow

8 Grove Street Wilmslow SK9 1DR www.aromawilmslow.co.uk

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BAABZI TAKEAWAY WARWICK

Baabzi team

CURRY LIFE BEST TAKEAWAY 2021

“Being nominated gives me and my team a chance to take a moment and be proud of what we do,” he says. “These awards are testament to our hard work. Our customers genuinely appreciate our offerings. Over lockdown we went that extra mile during a period when no one was open and we wanted to cook and deliver food because it was needed. This was appreciated by our local community. Our social media pages are filled with wonderful feedback.” Miah adds: “Our takeaway is a wonderful gem in the heart of our local community. We love creating and serving hearty, delicious and nutritious food for our valued customers.” Baazbi’s menu includes ‘Garlic Doniya Chilli’, a slightly hot bhuna-style dish cooked with extra garlic, coriander and green chilli and ‘Chicken Assar’, featuring mixed pickles, green peppers and tomatoes in a semi-dry sauce.

Baabzi Miah

aabzi Miah, owner of Warwick’s Baabzi Indian Takeaway, says he owes his business to his grandfather, mother and father. They taught him everything about food and flavour, giving him the knowledge and experience to run the business alongside a ‘great team’. Miah says he is delighted and honoured to be nominated for a Curry Life Award, and that it is both ‘humbling’ and ‘rewarding’.

“Regarding the future, we take it one day at a time here, we make sure that what we do day by day is good,” adds Miah. “This gives us the necessary confidence to expand our coverage, so that we can cater to a wider community.”

Baabzi Indian Takeaway

35 Coten End Warwick CV34 4NT www.baabziindiantakeaway.co.uk

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PINK CHILLIZ

CANVEY ISLAND, ESSEX

CURRY LIFE BEST TAKEAWAY 2021

Customers enjoy traditional curries such as the ‘Massala’, ‘Biriani’ and ‘Bhuna’ dishes on the menu but the takeaway also offers a number of in-house specialities. These include ‘Chicken Hasina’, with chicken barbecued with green pepper, tomato and onion, coated in a sauce, ‘Bangla Murg Shatkora’, grilled chicken cooked with a special lime only available in Bangladesh and ‘Pink Chilliz Special’, chicken cooked with tamarind and garlic in a sweet and savoury hot sauce. “Over the first lockdown we were shut to be on the safe side, until we knew more about the pandemic,” says Hussain. “When we re-opened we were unbelievably busy. Things tend to slow down over the summer when people are away but we’re finding that takeaways are still booming, even with restrictions easing. We refresh the menu every now and again with different dishes.”

Chef Mohammed Ashraful Rahman

ink Chilliz describes itself as a ‘contemporary Indian takeaway’ and was established around 10 years ago. Co-owner Shamsul Hussain says the takeaway provides quality Indian cuisine with a focus on healthy eating. The dishes are cooked with the least amount of oil possible but without compromising on taste, with the aim of providing authentic home-style food, with spicing adapted to different taste buds.

In the near future, Hussain would like to start a franchise of takeaways, but says the challenge is being able to provide the same quality and service across different sites.

Pink Chilliz

354 Long Road, Canvey Island Essex SS8 0JU www.pinkchilliz.co.uk

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CHUTNEY EXPRESS

CASTLE BROMWICH, BIRMINGHAM

CURRY LIFE BEST TAKEAWAY 2021

Chutney Express team

hutney Express has been established for just over seven years and has built a reputation as a top choice for Indian cuisine in the area. Run by Sohel Ahmed and Mahmud Rahman, the takeaway has a loyal customer base in Castle Bromwich and the surrounding areas. Ahmed and Rahman say there are several elements that have made the takeaway a success over the years. These include having an open-plan kitchen, moderate prices and a speedy delivery service.

“Customers are able to see their food being prepared and handled in safe and hygienic conditions and it also gives them the opportunity to see what happens behind the scenes of a commercial kitchen,” says Rahman. “We don’t claim to be the best Indian takeaway in the world. Instead we express the basics: customers can expect authentic, quality food and a great service.” Chutney Express recreates dishes using authentic recipes, and roasts and grinds spices in its kitchen. It also serves all the classics, which are reinvented using these in-house ground spices. Signature dishes include the ‘Bullet Raja’ and the ‘Bollywood Burner’, invented in the restaurant’s kitchen, and inspired by the streets of north India. Another is the ‘Naga Fire’, hot and spicy pieces of flame-grilled chicken in a naga chilli paste. Chutney Express has also introduced a new dish this year - the Duck Shatkora, cooked with Bengali wild orange. “We have an extensive menu choice which allows us to cater for the wider community from mild dishes to hot and spicy ones,” says Rahman. ”We also focus on vegan trends and have a separate menu.”

Chutney Express

8 Hurst Lane, Castle Bromwich Birmingham B34 7HR www.chutneyexpress.net

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BEST SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR 2021

CURRY LIFE SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR AWARD 2021

Mahfuj Sardar

Innovative Product of Excellence The Sardar family has been involved in the food manufacturing, import and export business since 1990, with the founder, Mahfuj Sardar, having more than 25 years experience in the food business in countries as diverse as Bangladesh, Japan and the UK. Now based in Reading in

Berkshire, Sardar Foods is a Halal fresh and frozen meat processor and wholesale distributor. The business provides packed meat, mince, poultry and frozen fish products for restaurants and takeaways. A statement on its website says: “Our meat is low in fat, in curry pieces and vacuum packed”. Sardar food products are not only vacuum packed; their meat, chicken, and fish are cut into small pieces and ready for the cook. They are specially cut and packed for the catering trade. Cartons are 20kg and in 2.5 kg individual packs. Mahfuj Sardar said the products are halal, and it saves time and money. “The curry industry is going through a challenging time because of staff shortages. Our products could make life a little easier in the kitchen,” says Sardar. Sardar Food Products offers many goods such as lamb minced meat (keema), which it says is ideal for making shish kebabs in tandoori ovens, burgers, keema naan and keema curry. Other products include mutton/sheep mixed meat on the bone, or off the bone, king prawns, and ‘Rohi Fish’, and ‘Mirgal Fish’, both imported from Bangladesh. It says its products are of the ‘highest quality at affordable prices’ with ‘supermarket standard quality and packaging.”

Sardar Food Products

441 Oxford Road, Reading Berkshire RG30 1HD www.sardarfood.co.uk

AWARDS PARTNERS 2021

UNISOFT SOLUTIONS LIMITED Unisoft is delighted to support this year’s Curry Life Awards. The magazine and its associated events have made a major contribution to the restaurant and takeaway industries, providing an effective platform for communication and delivering positive messages, insight and analysis. Curry Life magazine is an indispensable ‘A to Z’ for restauranteurs and caterers, helping them to connect with suppliers and giving a comprehensive overview of the curry trade, in what is an intensely competitive industry. Curry Life’s genuine expertise and support of the industry is something we at Unisoft admire, and its core values match our own. At Unisoft, we have developed inhouse customised EPOS software for the restaurant and takeaway industries, helping them to save time and increase efficiency. The idea was based on my own experience, having previously been a restauranteur in east London and Chelmsford, and my desire to do something positive for the restaurant and takeaway industries. In 1998, having identified a technology gap in the market, my aim was to help change the existing restaurant business culture at that time by introducing this technology, and by removing the fear and hesitancy of change to make a positive difference. In 1999, the software business moved to Hanbury Street where we remain today, further developing, customising, and marketing the business. We operate the business from part of a building which was home to my father’s restaurant business Sonar Bangla, a celebrated Bangladeshi restaurant in London. 116

Our system is designed for small and medium sized businesseses and we have more than one thousand Emdadul Hoque Tipu restaurant Managing Director and takeaway Unisoft Solutions Limited customers, based locally, nationally and internationally. We help make the ordering system, such as online sales, more efficient and facilitate other essential business tools that are vital for today’s hospitality industry. The pandemic has shown the extent to which businesses must be willing and able to adapt to new technology tools. The unforeseen economic and social circumstances of the pandemic illustrate how the presence of technology for both restaurants and takeaways has been crucial, allowing them to survive and prosper.

UNISOFT SOLUTIONS LTD Level One, 46 Hanbury Street London E1 5JL Tel: 020 7377 2627

www.unisoftsolutions.co.uk

TRAVEL LINK WORLDWIDE LTD Travel Link Worldwide was established in 1993 and has been supporting Curry Life and its associated products since the magazine’s inception. We are delighted to continue extending our support at this year’s Awards. As a London-based travel agency, we provide travel services aimed at both the Bangladeshi and wider communities. We offer a broad range of travel products and services, including flights (wholesale/ retail air tickets), car hire, hotel bookings and accommodation, bespoke package holidays, business travel, leisure travel and eco-tourism. The Curry Life Awards are an important element of the UK curry industry, as they recognise achievements alongside highlighting those individuals and businesses in the industry who have gone the extra mile. The curry sector is very close to the British Bangladeshi community and we salute those who established the UK industry early on, overcoming a number of challenges, such as language barriers and financial hurdles, and who have paved the way for its present-day status. In the last year, we have seen the dedication of the Bangladeshi community and the curry industry in the face of adversity, with many restaurants and chefs contributing food parcels to NHS frontline workers, supporting people and providing some much-needed inspiration. We also extend our deepest sympathies to those who have lost loved ones during the pandemic. As we emerge from one of the world’s darkest times, the overriding message is one of hope: the curry industry has stood together

with various local communities during one of the world’s most challenging times, and we are all Sami Sanaullah facing the CEO future with Travel Link Worldwide optimism and a renewed sense of resilience. In the last year, the travel industry has also been one of the sectors most affected by the pandemic and here at Travel Link, we are also thankful for the generous support we have received in the last 18 months. It has been a very difficult and challenging time, testing all the skills and experience we have built up in the last three decades but we are now seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. We look forward to serving the community and working with Curry Life in the foreseeable future.

Travel Link worldwide Ltd 6 Brick Lane London E1 6RF 020 7375 1661 sales@travellink.co.uk

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WORKPERMIT CLOUD LIMITED WorkPermitCloud is a specialist immigration advisory firm in the UK that provides sponsor licence applications and HR software services to a range of domestic and international clients. I established this organisation based on my 20 years of experience in this field. WorkPermitCloud offers state-of-theart UK Visa and Immigration skilled worker route-compliant HRMS solutions. Many big corporate houses and smaller companies like hotels and restaurants, cash and carry, TV channels, professional and charitable organisations, governments, start-ups and sponsoring organisations find our HRMS solution beneficial to apply for sponsorship licences or to maintain compliance. Our distinctive services are sponsor licence applications, renewal, suspension, revocation, compliance, skilled worker visas, intra-company visas, investor visa applications, UK start-up visas, innovator visas, indefinite leave to remain, naturalisation, British citizenship guidance, HR file preparation and management services. At WorkPermitCloud we understand that no two clients are the same. Therefore, our highly competent team takes a deep understanding of client business issues and manpower challenges and reviews existing HR processes to give a highly personal and focused service. Our clients appreciate that we resolve complex issues. We spot problems before they arise. We help employers to avoid hefty penalty fees and thus we build long-lasting business relationships with them. 118

Over the last few decades, Curry Life has become the curry industry’s standout magazine Md Lutfur Rahman FCILEx and we have Managing Director a longWorkPermitCloud Ltd standing relationship with the business. Back in 2004, Curry Life published an article about our organisation, and we have also been recognised by the UK Home Office as a ‘best representative for bringing overseas staff’. Our specialised immigration service has helped many hundreds of restaurant owners and cash and carry organisations to obtain and maintain sponsorship licenses, and we have expanded our services to a wider audience. Being the voice of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani, Nepalese and Sri Lankan restaurants, we found it a natural choice to partner and sponsor the Curry Life Awards. We believe that through a partnership with this prestigious event, we will be able to help other members associated with this industry to accelerate their business growth. WorkPermitCloud Ltd 2nd Floor, 112-116 Whitechapel Road London, E1 1JE 020 8087 2343 info@workpermitcloud.co.uk www.workpermitcloud.co.uk

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About the Our vision is of a South Asia that is free from poverty, where everyone can meet their full potential. Who we are

The British Asian Trust wants to see a South Asia that is prospering and fair for all. Our work supports large-scale, sustainable solutions, in areas of education, mental health, livelihoods and anti-trafficking, that enable poor and marginalised people to achieve their full potential. Since we started in 2007, we have had a positive impact on the lives of 6.6 million people in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. By enabling our supporters to turn their values into action, we transform lives. Together we support a South Asia that is better for all.

How we work

The scale and complexity of the challenges in South Asia demand innovative and ambitious approaches to tackling them. We are driven by a powerful belief that

traditional approaches to philanthropy and development will not, alone, solve the challenges of the region. We work in partnership with others to design and deliver programmes, raise funds and convene partnerships that combine new social finance tools, philanthropy and technology to deliver impact at scale. We focus on outcomes-driven programmes, so that we are delivering and measuring real change for the communities we serve. Through the guidance of our in-country teams, our Advisory Councils and Board of Trustees, we do all we can to be costeffective, accountable and make the greatest possible impact with the money entrusted to us.

‘The British Asian Trust is able to empower local communities by offering innovative and practical solutions to social and economic problems.’ HRH The Prince of Wales, Royal Founding Patron

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A TRADE SHOW ABOUT ALL THINGS CURRY EXHIBITORS 2021

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THANK YOU HEADLINE SPONSOR

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

JUST EAT

Curry Life Team Curry Life Chefs Club Madhus Samson Sohail Emdadul Hoque Tipu Sanjay Anand MBE Lee Lixenberg Nobab Uddin Musleh Uddin Ahmed Junaid Chowdhury Mustak Ali Babul Chef Abul Monsur Chef Vijay Singh Panwar Chef Syed Zohorul Islam Shamsul Islam Janomot J4 Security Bengiz London All Advertiser Sargunan Venugopal

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British Asian Trust

CURRY LIFE

CHARITY PARTNER