Curry Favoured in Hot New Survey

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3 What s inside facebook.com/currylifemagazine Editor in Chief Syed Nahas Pasha pasha@currylifemagazine.com Editor Syed Belal Ahmed ahmed@currylifemagazine.com News & Feature Editor Zoe Renfrew Contributor Steve Watkins Mabub Rahman Shamsul Islam Daniel Pasha Samuel Ahmed Amjad Suleman Director Stephen Clive H Jennings MA FCA Commercial Manager Peter Renfrew Consultant Chef Abul Monsur Curry Favoured in Hot New Survey 18 Media Sales Executive Habibur Rahman General Manager Taslima Akhter Photographer Kois Miah Correspondence Address Curry Life Magazine 23 Keswick Gardens Ilford, Essex IG4 5NF United Kingdom Tel info@currylifemagazine.com PM announces new Masala Bond 25 Saucy Singh s Secret of Success 32 Issue 61 Price - 3 (UK,where sold), $5 (USA) Curry Life is a bi-monthly, bi-lingual magazine, widely regarded as the authoritative voice of the Indian and Bangladeshi restaurants, take-away and allied industries all over Britain. Curry Life is distributed free to Indian and Bangladeshi restaurateurs in Britain, several European countries and in North America. It can also be obtained by subscription 15 a year (UK) and 30 elsewhere. Postage and packing is included. Reproduction of its contents in whole or part without written permission is not permitted. We regard ourselves as an ethical magazine committed to fair, responsible reporting and comment. We cannot be held responsible for editorial or advertising errors, omissions or claims. Brick Lane Curry Festival is back! 1 34

4 MAX THE TASTE MAX THE MADRAS BOOST YOUR PROFITS WITH Pepsi, Pepsi MAX and the Pepsi Globe are trademarks of PepsiCo Inc.

5 We re delighted to see that the Brick Lane Curry Festival is back after a break of four years. The restoration of the festival is one of several initiatives launched by Tower Hamlets Council in partnership with business owners and stakeholders to re-energise the Banglatown and surrounding areas. Brick Lane is known all over the world as the centre of Britain s curry industry. Given the right support it can be one of London s major tourist attractions generating income and employment, also celebrating multi-cultural Britain. As we know Brick Lane has changing fortunes over the years. Home first to French Huguenots in the 18th century, then the Irish and Jewish community who worked in the rag trade, it was populated with migrants from Bangladesh from the 1960s onwards, who established restaurants and created a market for curry cuisine. From the near dereliction of the 1980s to the boom years of the new millennium when around 50 restaurants touted for business, recent years have seen curry houses closing and an influx of restaurants selling different types of cuisine. Hopefully, further initiatives, projects and funding announced by the council will see Brick Lane curry restaurants thriving once more. Boishakhi Mela It was the former London mayor Ken Livingstone who ran a campaign to promote tourism called Totally Brick Lane, along with Totally London. In July this year, Tower Hamlets council stepped up to the mark to ensure the Boishakhi Mela, the annual event to celebrate the EDITORIAL Welcome back to Brick Lane Curry Festival Bangla New Year, took place, also returning the Mela to Brick Lane and Banglatown, its original home. The Mela is the largest celebration of Bengali culture outside Bangladesh, and bringing it back to the Lane caused some concern about public safety. Despite these misgivings on the part of a minority, the event was a great success and ran smoothly with no attendant hiccups or troubles. Running the Boishakhi Mela has always been controversial with disagreements about whether it should be run by the council or private trust. Troubles reached a head in 2007 after the Mela was at the centre of accusations of people trafficking. From 2012 the event was run by the Boishakhi Mela Community Trust but uncertainty and rumours about the fate of the Mela were rife when the new mayor, John Biggs came into power as the council had cancelled the contract with the organisers. Happily, the council decided to go ahead and run the Mela on the Weaver Field where it was attended by many thousands of people. We applaud them for this and congratulate the council on its success. Banglatown is emblematic of multi-cultural London, and provides a vibrant cultural and social space upon which to centre key celebrations. Joyful events like the Mela and Brick Lane Curry Festival highlight the British-Bangladeshi community, attract publicity and bring much needed investment in to the area. Hollow immigration pledge of Brexit The anger of curry industry leaders about the government s betrayal over immigration is well founded. Prior to the referendum pro-brexit politicians were lining up to assure Asian voters that Brexit would mean a relaxation of immigration rules. Prominent Conservatives including Boris Johnson, Priti Patel and Michael Gove assured us that an exit from the EU would bring about the introduction of a points-based system of immigration like the one used in Australia. Accordingly, many in the curry industry and organisations such as the BCA supported a Brexit vote because they believed the hollow promise that more people would be brought in from abroad to save Britain s great curry industry. The situation is grave. For years now curry restaurants have been struggling to find skilled chefs to cook the Brits favourite food. Recently, chronic staff shortages have caused the closure of up to two Indian restaurants a week. Curry colleges, apprenticeships and measures designed to encourage home-grown chefs, heralded by the coalition government have not worked. Even worse, many restaurants who took on EU workers as kitchen assistants will be left high and dry once Brexit takes effect. Now, in a blatant about turn, ministers have made it plain that there are no plans to make more visas available to skilled chefs and we hear that the PM is dedicated to getting net migration down to below 100,000 a year, a figure that would mean significantly less immigration not only from EU countries but also from outside the EU. On her recent trade visit to India Mrs May, who allegedly wishes to forge a new global role for the UK, rejected calls to raise the visa quota offering the vague assertion that the UK may improve the visa offer only if more Indians who overstay their visa can be returned swiftly. Instead, rather than making provision for the skilled workers British restaurants so desperately need, her government intends to make it easier for a small group of wealthy Indian business executives to come to the UK. Restaurateurs, community and business leaders in the curry industry should now unite. We need to hold the politicians to account. We are tired of listening to false promises. 3

6 NATION S BEST Crowned at the Curry Life AwArds 2016 More than 600 guests, excitement, glamour and buzzing conversation; VIPs from the worlds of business, politics and TV; mesmerizing Indian music performed on tabla and violins; mind-blowing and bodybending feats of athleticism on stage, authentic Indian banquet, and last but not least, a host of talented chefs and professionals from the curry restaurant industry these were just a few of the elements that made up the Curry Life Awards evening at Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel. The momentous event will live long in the memory of those who were there. Now in its seventh year the Curry Life Awards is ever growing with demand for tickets at such a record level that many late applicants had to be turned away. Hosted by Louise Minchin, journalist and broadcaster who was also a successful contender in Celebrity Masterchef, the Curry Life Awards recognise and celebrate the achievement of talented performers, hard workers and dedicated professionals within the industry. And, after this year s event, the conclusion is that the Indian restaurant and takeaway sector is very much alive and ready to face whatever challenges the future may hold. A total of 24 Best Chef awards went out to chefs in Indian restaurants across the country with 11 new categories for Best Restaurant and Best Takeaway, plus one accolade for Best Curry Chef in Europe. There was also a special honour for Lifetime Achievement in the curry industry for Mohammed Mahmud Miah of Spice Venue in Consett who has devoted a staggering 50 years service to the curry industry. 4

7 NEWS Curry has become not just part of our national staple food, but has become a feature of British society, British community and integration. - Rt Hon Priti Patel MP Chief Guest was the Rt Hon Priti Patel, Secretary of State for International Development and Conservative MP for Witham. Other VIP guests who took to the stage to voice strong support for the curry industry included Lord Karan Bilimoria of Chelsea, CBE, DL, Crossbench Peer and chairman and founder of Cobra Beer; Virendra Sharma MP for ; Wes Streeting MP for Ilford North; Conor Burns MP for Bournemouth West; Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith; Paul Scully MP for Sutton and Cheam and Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the British Curry Catering industry, and the Worshipful Mayor of Brent, Cllr Parvez Ahmed. The annual Curry Life Chef awards were founded by Syed Belal Ahmed and Syed Nahas Pasha, editors-in-chief of Curry Life magazine, who have a passion for promoting the curry industry and its unsung heroes. Now, having visited and eaten at more curry restaurants than anyone (probably!), their mission is to reward, motivate and achieve high standards in the sector, inspiring a new generation of entrepreneurs and chefs whilst educating the general public about the UK s dynamic curry industry. The Brits have a long-standing love affair with curry dating back to 1809 when the first Indian restaurant opened in London, explains Syed Belal Ahmed. Indian restaurants and takeaways now serve 2.5 million customers a week and generate revenues of 4.2 billion a year for the UK. Curry has become one of the most traded currencies in the culinary arena of Great Britain. The uncertainty will be here for years to come, but we will not just survive, we will thrive and we will keep contributing to the economy with pride. - Lord Karan Bilimoria 5

8 NEWS CURRYLIFE AWARDS 2016 Best Restaurant Award - Arfan Ali, Anayas, Ashbourne, Derby Best Restaurant Award - Shaz Rahman, Blue Tiffin, Stoke on Trent Best Restaurant Award - Mohammed Azad, Cafe Saffron, Shrewsbury Best Restaurant Award - Abdul Ahad, City Spice, Brick Lane Best Restaurant Award - Imran Choudhury, Grand Indian Lounge, Leeds Best Restaurant Award - Atikur Rahman, Indian Sizzler, Watford Testing times for UK and curry industry In his keynote speech, Syed Nahas Pasha began by offering apologies to those who were unable to get tickets for the event which had attracted more entries and guests than ever before: Our phone has been ringing a lot the last few days, he said. To those who couldn t make it, see you next year! On a more serious note, he went on to say that although it had been a very busy year for Curry Life magazine, it had been a testing time for the curry industry. Up and down the country, restaurants and takeaways are closing down. We are yet to see a comprehensive plan to address the skilled staff crisis which has plagued the curry industry over a number of years, he said. Despite all of this, it is a credit to the people in this room that we are still thriving as a multibillion pound industry. He spoke about the biggest event of the year in Britain the EU referendum, commenting that although Curry Life supported democracy, the promises and rhetoric used in the referendum campaign had still to be met. We will pressure the government to keep the trade opportunities pledged, the skilled migration promised; and on the problems our industry continues to face. If we don t get what we want, we will hold them to account! Lord Karan Bilimoria also referenced the changes wrought by the EU referendum. A year ago, what a different world it was, he reflected. In the three and a half decades in this country, I have never faced any form of racism and yet I could now list in pages, tweets, s and letters I have received. This is not the UK I know, he continued. The UK that I know is in this room, diverse, open, vibrant, outward looking, the entrepreneurs, the chefs who win the awards in the hardest 6

9 CURRYLIFE AWARDS 2016 NEWS Best Restaurant Award - Askor Ali, Mahaan, Worthing Best Restaurant Award - Mohammed Shah Islam, Malabar, Wolverhampton Best Restaurant Award - Azad Miah, Shikara, Whitley bay Best Restaurant Award - Abul Monsur, Taj Cuisine, Chatham, Kent Best Restaurant Award - Shaista Miah, Voujon, Orsette, Essex Lifetime Achievement Award - Mohammed Mahmud Miah, Consette profession working day in, day out, at weekends, producing the delicious food that this country loves so well. Lord Bilimoria concluded his speech by affirming his confidence in the curry Syed Pasha industry: With the atmosphere in this room, I am not worried referendum or no referendum, Brexit or no Brexit, he said. The uncertainty will be here for years to come, but we will not just survive, we will thrive and we will keep contributing to the economy with pride. Paul Scully MP Addressing guests, Priti Patel, thanked Syed Nahas Pasha and Syed Belal Ahmed for their outstanding 7 Shelim Hussain MBE commitment and dedication shown to the curry industry. She said she welcomed the opportunity to celebrate the enormous talent on display around the country. Curry has become not just part of our national staple food, but has become a feature of British society, British community and integration, she continued. It is one of the many contributions of the diaspora which has driven business, growth, and has made a profound contribution to British life in terms of community representation. Priti Patel claimed she was a great believer in the curry industry. We have a government who will ensure the brightest and best will come to the UK.

10 CURRYLIFE AWARDS 2016 It is not just about immigration but about making sure this sector will continue to thrive and grow, she said. Speaking about the UK s decision to leave the EU, Priti Patel welcomed the opportunity for change and the potential for the UK to become part of a growing global market. Importantly everyone in this room tonight, the entrepreneurs, the business people, the small businesses, the innovators, will all be part of that project going forward in terms of wealth creation, job creation but supporting industry around the country as well. She concluded: The Curry Life annual Awards ceremony is a great opportunity to celebrate the enormous talent that is on display, not just in this room but around the country through this industry and to celebrate the success of that great institution that is now known as the Great British Curry! Other speakers at the event included Conservative MP Paul Scully, who praised home-grown British initiatives in the restaurant industry such as kukd.com, also stressing his belief that the referendum would result in a fairer immigration system that would not leave skilled workers from Bangladesh and India behind in the queue. Following spectacular musical entertainment from Storm Bollywood Strings, Pandit Sudarshan and an amazing mirror ball Acrobalance performance that held the audience spellbound, guests were served a five-star authentic Indian banquet meal created by Madhu s caterers. THe Winners of THe Curry LiFe AWArds 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award For 50 years of service to the UK Curry Industry Mohammed Mahmud Miah, Spice Venue, 23 Newmarket Street, Consett DH8 5LQ Best Chefs 2016 Chef Asharaf Valappil (Manager: David Macrae) Dawaat Flavours of India, London WC2 OJJ Chef Lutfur rahman (Manager: Amir Hussain Chowdhury) Bengal Lodge, Stone, Staffordshire ST15 OQT Chef Abab Miah (Manager: Abdul Hay) inaga Restaurant,West Wickham BR4 9HY Chef Mohammed shah islam Malabar Restaurant, Wolverhampton WV4 5QF Chef Mohammed Anwar Hussain (Owner: Abdul Malik) The Jaipur Spice, Thirsk, North Yorkshire YO7 4EQ Chef Jubar Ahmed (Manager: Kabir Miah) Alcombe Tandoori, Somerset TA24 6BD Chef Mohmmed nazim uddin (Manager: Shahidul Islam) Biggles Lounge, Biggleswade SG18 0AP Chef shaher Miah (Owner: Azad Miah) Indian Night, Chelmsford, CM2 8TE Chef Akhtar Hussain (Manager: Mohammed Rahman) Taj Mahal Restaurant, Bournemouth BH4 9DW Chef Monaim Choudhury (Owner: Mahbu Noor) Three Spices, Ruddington, Notts NG11 6LB Chef Ansar Miah (Owner: Gyash Uddin) Markyate Spice, Markyate, Herts AL3 8PJ Chef Taus Ahmed (Owner: Mohammed Majid) Magna Tandoori, Bognor Regis PO21 1EB Chef Abdul Manik (Owner: Manjur Choudhury) Zara Indian Dining, Bishop s Stortford, CM23 2QS Chef Bheem singh negi (Owner: Arun Handa) Mehfil, Southall UB2 4AR Chef Babul Miah (Owner: Ruhul Islam Selim) Spice Village, Milton Keynes MK5 6JG Chef Mahboob rahman (Manager: Hassan Miah) Dine Bangla Restaurant, Beverley, East Yorkshire HU17 0DG Chef Mustaq Qureshi (Manager: Shakir Quraishi) Le Raaj Restaurant, Sedgefield, Durham TS21 2JX Chef Amjad Ali (Manager: Shamim Haque) Eurasia Tandoori, Bridgnorth, Shropshire WV16 4B Chef shahin Miah (Manager: Ahchanul Haque Shubin) The Shahin Restaurant, Sunbury on Thames TW16 5QF Best european Curry Chef Chef nahid Hassan Shanti Ultimat Karlbergsvagen 70, Stockholm Best Takeaway 2016 Chef Fahmida Choudhury (Owner: Rahat Monsur) Taj Cuisine, Lower Stoke, Kent ME3 9RA Chef Akter Miah Stopsley Surma Indian Takeaway, Luton LU2 7UG Chef Mohamed Mujammel Hoque (Manager: Mohammed Samiuel Hoque) Everest Tandoori, Canvey Island SS8 9JS Chef Muhamad Foysal Ahmed (Manager: Syed Shamsul Kabir) Aroma of Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 1DR Best restaurant 2016 Malabar restaurant Mohammed Shah Islam 315 Penn Road, Wolverhampton WV4 5QF Café saffron Mohammed Azad 25 Hill s Lane, Shrewsbury SY1 1QU Mahaan restaurant Askor Ali Montague Street, Worthing BN11 3DA shikara indian Cuisine 181 Whitley Road, Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear NE26 2DN City spice Abdul Ahad 138 Brick Lane, London E1 6RU Grand indian Lounge Imran Choudhury 40 Wakefield Road, Swillington, Leeds LS26 8DJ indian sizzler Mohammed Atikur Rahman Longspring, Watford, Hertfordshire WD24 6PU Anayas Arfan Ali 25 Dig Street, Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 1GF Blue Tiffin Shaz Rahman 1003 Uttoxeter Road, Stoke on Trent ST3 6HE Voujon indian restaurant Mohammed Shaista Miah Stanford Road, Orsett, Grays, Essex RM16 3BL Taj Cuisine Abul Monsur 1 Walderslade Centre, Walderslade Road, Chatham, Kent ME5 9UD Curry Life would like to thank all our sponsors and supporters: 8

11 CURRYLIFE AWARDS 2016 Chef Abab Miah - inaga Chef Abdul Manik - Zara Chef Akhtar Hussain - Taj Mahal Chef Akter Miah - Stopsley Surma Chef Amjad Ali - Eurasia Chef Ansar Miah - Markyate Tandoori Chef Anwar Hussain - Jaipur Spice Chef Asharaf Valappil Chef Babul Miah - Spice Village Chef Bheem Sing Negi - Mehfil Southall Chef Fahmida Chowdhury - Taj Cuisine Chef Foysal Ahmed - Aroma Wilmslow Chef Jubar Ahmed - Alcombe Tandoori Chef Lutfur Rahman - Bengal Lodge Chef Mahboob Rahman - Dine Bangla Chef Mujammel Haque - Everest Tandoori Chef Monaim Choudhury - Three Spices Chef Mustaq Quraishi - Le Raaj 9

12 CURRYLIFE AWARDS 2016 Chef Nizam Uddin - Biggles Lounge Chef Mohammed Shah Islam - Malabar Chef Shaher Miah - Indian Night Chef Taus Ahmed - Magna Tandoori Chef Shahin Miah - Shahin Restaurant Chef Nahid Hassan - Shanti Altimatum, Stockholm Entertainment by Storm Bollywood Strings 10

13 CURRYLIFE AWARDS 2016 Guests Dr Kowsar Haq and guest Pandit Sudarshan and his team Grand Slam Entertainment Mahbu Noor Stephanie Mann and Paul Scully MP Nobab Uddin, Ayesha Qureshi MBE and Abdal Ullah 11

14 CURRYLIFE AWARDS 2016 Guest of Markyate Tandoori From Le Raaj Restaurant From Eurasia Tandoori Mohammed Mahmud Miah and family From Dawaat Restaurant From the Grand Indian Lounge From Dine Bangla Restaurant From Stockholm, Sweden with Curry Life team

15 CURRYLIFE AWARDS 2016 From Markyate Tandoori Syed Nahas Pasha and Rt. Hon Priti Patel MP Curry Life s guests Malabar Restaurant From KUKD.COM Dawaat Restaurant Guest from Turkish Airlines with Chief Guest. From COBRA BEER From KUKD. COM From Stopsley Surma

16 Taste of Britain Curry Festival This extraordinary festival is more than just a journey to promote British curry and talented chefs. It is also an opportunity for our participant chefs to trace food influences and cultures across India. If you are a chef and wish to be part of this oncein-a-lifetime culinary tour experience, get in touch with our festival team at Curry Life. Register early for our 2017 festival tour to India, phone:

17 CURRYLIFE AWARDS 2016 Turkish Airline ticket winner (2nd from left) From City Spice, Brick Lane Syed Nahas Pasha and Chief Guest Priti Patel MP Guests of Shahin Restaurant Dominic Chapman, Andy Hayler with Curry Life team Guests from Bangla Beer and Amber Glen with CL team From Cafe Saffron From Zara Indian Guests of Three Spices Guests of Alcombe Tandoori From Spice Village Guests of Taj Mahal Restaurant 15 From Voujon with Paul Scully MP

18 CURRYLIFE AWARDS 2016 Curry Life s guests with Lord Bilimoria Curry Life Team with Lord Bilimoria From Mehfil Southall From Jaipur Spice Chef Abul Monsur and his family Guests of Curry Life Mr and Mrs Dutta Blue Tiffin Guests of Curry Life with Shelim Hussain MBE Paul Sagoo and Illy Jafar Guests Guests of Curry Life 16 Anayas Ashbourne

19 CURRYLIFE AWARDS 2016 Guests with Paul Scully MP Samson Sohail and Sanjay Anand MBE Voujon Restaurant Community leaders Shikara Restaurant Life Time Achievement Winner Mahmud Miah Dominic Chapman, Mr and Mrs Andy Hayler Mehfil restaurant with Lord Bilimoria Curry Life Guests Naresh Makijha and guests inaga Restaurant Friends from Bangla Media 17 Curry Life team with Lord Bilimoria

20 NEWS KINGFISHER BEER launches new Asian Cider into the uk on-trade Kingfisher Beer Europe Ltd announces the launch of Peacock Cider, a new cider brand created specifically to pair with Asian food. The launch brings an opportunity for the UK s 12,500 Asian restaurants to capitalise on the growing popularity of cider with UK consumers. Created in collaboration with cider experts Aspall, Peacock Cider is an easy drinking apple cider that has been designed to complement the vast flavours in Asian foods, providing a burst of refreshment to balance aromatic spices. A premium product offering, the cider has an ABV of 4.8% and features 100% fresh pressed culinary and bittersweet cider apples. Celebrated across Asia, the Peacock was the natural emblem for the brand design. Not only is it the national bird of India, Peacocks roam wild in China and symbolise love and kind heartedness in Japan. The distinct packaging aims to encapsulate the vibrant colours of countries across Asia from Pakistan to Indonesia. The launch is a response to an increasing consumer demand for cider, an opportunity which is current untapped in the UK s Asian restaurant segment, with 38% of restaurants not currently selling cider in any format. As well as category growth, market research* underlines the appetite for the brand, with 73% of consumers saying they would choose a cider with Asian food and 97% of cider consumers saying they would drink an Asian cider if available. Gemma Watkins, Senior Brand Manager, Kingfisher Beer Europe, says, We are excited to be bringing an innovative and premium new offering to the restaurant market that will broaden our customers existing drinks offer and provide incremental opportunities to sell more. An extremely positive pre-sale period has proved this new cider is a welcomed addition to the category. Peacock Cider will be available to the on-trade from 21st November, in 12 x 500ml cases. For further information please contact info@peacockcider.co.uk Curry Favoured in Hot New Survey Heading out for a cracking curry is a man s favourite thing to do with his mates, according to new poll data. Kingfisher, India s No.1 Beer, commissioned a survey in 2016 ahead of the annual National Curry Week. It remarkably revealed that nearly 50% of men go out for a regular curry with their mates and even prefer it to a game of golf, going for a drink or watching a movie. Less than 10% said they would go out to eat French or Spanish food with their friends, putting Indian restaurants at the top of the leader board as the best place for guys to unwind with a pint or two of India s finest. Kingfisher s poll also found that whilst the guys are tucking into a tip-top tikka masala, 94% of their conversations revolved around personal problems including both work and relationships.from these prominent poll results, Kingfisher recognised the importance a cracking curry has within male bonding sessions, and as the proud partners of National Curry Week they collaborated with esteemed print and digital media outlets to reinforce the great curry occasion. One of their activities included teaming up with some fab Indian outlets around the UK to give guys the chance to win a Curry & Kingfisher for themselves and three mates; these competitions were advertised in top regional newspapers and were a superb success! 18

21 Join Now! What our service includes Our packages include: Your Businesss listed on Online for restaurant businesses Free order processing g App Yo our own Fre eee fully To be part of t he Your own Free fully y To be part of the scheme Free online dashboard Automatically Automatically becoming a partner in the You can have all this for 10% +VA % T +VAT The KukdLink can process multiple orders which will allow you to increase your takeaway orders. o +VAT Option A (Cash, Card or Cheque) +VAT Option B VAT Option C (Other charges include a 25p +VAT bacs transfer and kukd link data charge of VAT per week) (In addition 1% of the transaction value will be charged to you and returned to the customer in the form of Kukdpoints) (To be paid over 2 months) m (Deducted from your orders) t: +44 (0) e: info@kukd.com

22 NEWS downing street visit for Tiffin Cup winners saffron (L-R) Naz Islam, owner, David Mackintosh, Conservative MP for Northampton South and Bodrul Islam, Executive Chef. Staff from a restaurant in Northampton, which won a Parliamentary competition to crown the nation s top curry house have visited Downing Street to celebrate their success. Saffron, in Castilian Street, fought off competition from across the UK to win the coveted Tiffin Cup earlier this year, following a cook-off held in the kitchens of Bellamy s restaurant in Westminster. The staffs were invited to 10 Downing Chesterfield s Indian and Bangladeshi restaurant, Delhi 41, has been named as the Best International Restaurant for the third year running at the town s annual Food and Drink Awards. Judges of the 2016 Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards described Delhi 41 as having good, well-prepared food and knowledgeable staff who made a real effort. Delighted to win the prestigious title again, Shah Kamali, owner of Delhi 41, said; We work as a team in our familyrun business. We work hard to maintain the quality of our food. Our atmosphere and food really set us apart. Delhi 41 was one of 14 food and drink establishments, producers and individuals were named as Chesterfield s finest at the sell-out awards ceremony hosted by celebrity chef and couture cake maker to royalty and the stars, Mich Turner. Speaking at the glittering award ceremony Mich Turner said: There is Street to be officially presented with the coveted trophy by Northampton South MP David Mackintosh. Saffron owner Naz Islam said: Winning the Tiffin Cup has been incredible and raised our profile immeasurably. We have been on an amazing journey throughout the competition, going headto-head with some of the best restaurants in the country. Cooking in the House of Commons was amazing clearly a cornucopia of food talent in Chesterfield, and the Food and Drink Awards brought us a banquet! I was thrilled to see the emerging taskforce in the town s food and drink sector actively involved in the awards ceremony as well as those who have established family businesses. What a wonderful awards ceremony an inspiration and celebration of the past, present and future. Organised by Destination Chesterfield, in 20 and now to have been invited to Number 10 is the icing on the cake. It is a huge honour for us all and we are extremely grateful to David Mackintosh, who nominated us for the award, for helping to make it happen. Saffron was the first Northamptonshire restaurant to ever make it through to the national finals of the Tiffin Cup. Executive chef Bodrul Islam prepared a stunning dish of ginger and lime sea bass with curried lentils and pilau rice for the guest judges, who included TV chef and Strictly Come Dancing star Ainsley Harriott and House of Commons Speaker John Bercow MP. David Mackintosh said: I was delighted when Saffron were named winners of the Tiffin Cup. It s a huge achievement for Naz and his team and also excellent news for Northampton. The Tiffin Cup is awarded every year by the Tiffin Club of MPs, formed in 2006 by former MP John Barrett, Michael Fabricant MP and Keith Vaz MP. The aim is not only to applaud the quality of South Asian food in Britain but also to raise much-needed money for charity. This year the competition is in aid of World Vision and Water Aid. Chesterfield s Best international restaurant is delhi 41 The owners of Delhi 41 receiving the award on stage with Mich Turner and Ivan Fomin from MSE Hiller 20 association with Chesterfield College, more than 100 hospitality students prepared and served the food on the evening for 250 guests at the events which, once again, was a complete sellout.

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24 NEWS (L-r) Chef Vijay Singh Panwar, chef Syed Zohorul Islam, Lord Karan Bilimoria, founder and chairman of Cobra Beer, chef Abbas Ahmed and chef Abul Monsur. ToP recognition For CHeFs CHAMPioninG BriTisH Curry From Great Britain to an international curry festival in Delhi, India. Now, the chef who has received praised throughout India,has been given top recognition for showcasing the best of British curry. Chef Abul Monsur from Taj Cuisine, Chatham, Kent, chef Syed Zohorul Islam, from the Capital Restaurant, County Durham, chef Abbas Ahmed from the Chilli Lounge, Baldock, Herts and chef Vijay Singh Panwar from the Red Fort in London s Soho, were given top recognition for their enormous contribution for making British curry popular in India. The accolades were given in a glittering ceremony held at the Park Plaza Riverbank London hotel. Top curry chefs from various part of the country were invited to travel across to New Delhi, the capital of India earlier this year, to show off their best dishes in the country where their cuisine was born. The Taste of Britain Curry Festival was held at the luxury ITC Maurya in the city, which is acknowledged, as the preferred 'Residence for World Leaders and Global Icons' The event organised by the UK trade magazine Curry Life, promotes the skills of British curry chefs abroad and introduces diners to the unique phenomenon of British curry, which has replaced fish and chips as the country's favourite food. One man who has probably visited and eaten in more Indian restaurants than anyone else is Syed Belal Ahmed, event organiser and editor of Curry Life magazine. He said: "Indian food has improved dramatically during the past 20 years to the extent that we are now seeing Michelin stars being awarded. "That's a wonderful achievement and we want our chefs to keep raising the bar because the curry made in this country is unique and has developed independently of its birthplace on the Indian subcontinent." Lord Karan Bilimoria, Founder and Chairman of Cobra Beer, who handed out the crest to the chef at the Curry Life Awards ceremony in London, said: "The achievements of British curry chef like, Abbas Ahmed is commendable and we salute those chefs who took part in this 'Curry Challenge' in Delhi earlier this year." 22

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27 NEWS Midlands Asian Wedding Awards A unique awards event took place at the Vox Conference Centre on 30th October. The inaugural Midlands Asian Wedding Awards, organized by Monsoon Venue Group and The Asian Today, recognizes and awards all those who have proven excellence within the booming Asian wedding sector. The black-tie event attended by the glitterati of the Asian wedding industry, was hosted by Sunny and Shay of BBC WM Entertainment was laid on in true Asian style with drumming and dance performances, plus stand-up from the actor, writer and comic Abdullah Afzal of the hit show Citizen Khan. Awards covered every possible category relating to weddings ranging from the best grooms and brides wear collections to honeymoon providers, photographers, wedding transport operators and cinematography. Winners included Excellency Event Services - Best Event Management Award; Aariya Diamonds - Best Accessories Provider, with the award for Best Asian Wedding Caterer going to Mahirs Experience. PM announces details of Masala bonds Theresa May has announced four new 600million so-called Masala bonds to further boost trade relations between UK and India. The bonds, first announced by ex-chancellor George Osborne when the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi visited London last year, will be used to invest in infrastructure in India. Over 900million bonds already launched in the UK have provided a boost to Indian railways and have proved popular with investors in the city. The announcement came during the British Prime Minister s recent visit to India. Speaking at a press conference, Mrs May said that the bonds were a vote of confidence in Britain s world leading financial services and further proof that Britain is open for business. This government will continue to work closely with both India and our financial services sector to ensure our growing rupee bond market continues to help finance India s ambitious infrastructure investment plans, she said. Turmeric flavoured ice cream We re used to ice-cream being enhanced with exciting flavours such as cherry amaretto or salted liquorice. Now there s a new trend spicing up the popular dessert Indian turmeric. Turmeric ice cream is based on full-fat coconut milk flavoured with spices like cardamom, cinnamon and black pepper and turmeric. The golden ground spice provides it with a golden hue and health giving properties for which turmeric is renowned, rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. With a small splash of maple syrup to offset the spices the ultra-thick, creamy dessert is not only the ultimate comfort food, it s also healthy! 25 25

28 NEWS Special menu by Chef Abul Monsur and Syed Islam Curry lovers flock to the Beehive Dominic Chapman is a life-long curry fan, but the chef who has worked in many Michelin stared eateries was surprised by customers response to a Flavours of India night held at the Beehive, his new country pub and eating house in White Waltham, Berkshire. The event, featuring two of the country s top curry chefs, sold out within four hours of being posted on social media. Dominic said: We organise various guest chef nights at the pub but everyone goes crazy for curry even on a Monday evening. It was a great night and we look forward to hosting it again. Chefs Abul Monsur from Chatham, Kent and Syed Islam from County Durham helped prepare the menus with Dominic before travelling down for the event. Dominic added: You never stop learning in the kitchen and these guys are masters of a completely different style of cooking to what I do. It was a real pleasure and everyone worked well together. I am looking forward to going to India next spring as part of the Taste of Britain Curry Festival. It will be my fourth visit and will give me the chance pick up some more tips about one of my favourite cuisines. 26

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31 Bestway Wholesale strengthens Foodservice support Bestway Wholesale is stepping up its support for the catering and foodservice sector, making key appointments alongside a programme of targeted offers and new product development. Tony Holmes takes on an expanded role to become sales director for foodservice and retail, while Meena Jhita has been appointed customer marketing manager for foodservice. Jhita, previously Compass Group UK&I marketing manager, will develop the group s marketing strategy to the catering sector across the national network of Bestway and Batleys depots, as well as through direct delivery to operators. To support the strategy in the field, Bestway has also further invested in recruiting to its network of depot-based sales managers focused on foodservice customers. Holmes said, We have a huge amount to offer operators, and the catering sector is a real opportunity for Bestway. From cafés, pubs and restaurants through to care homes, educational and institutional caterers, we have the products, pricing and support needed to support businesses to grow profitably. Jhita s marketing expertise will ensure that support for our programme of offers, including our two-monthly Price Hold Guarantees, and Fantastic Deals, is effectively planned and communicated. She will also focus on marketing our full range of products and services, including our expanding Essentially Catering range. Our sales network also has an essential role in understanding local markets, and supporting individual operators to compete. Whether it s nutritional information for care home operators, bespoke local sausages and burgers made for a pub or café by our in-house butchers, our unrivalled range of specialist spices and sauces for the world food market or exclusive NEWS premium wines for a restaurant, targeted sales support can make all the difference to an operator. Alongside its investment in personnel, Bestway Wholesale is also stepping up its product development programme, with further expansion planned for both the Essentially Catering and Essentially Catering Premium brands, as well as across world foods, licensed and nonfood ranges. Holmes concluded, Our support for the foodservice sector continues to grow. With specialist catering advice available in depots, online, telesales ordering with free delivery, as well as the Bestway and Batleys depot network, we are a genuinely 7-day, 24-hour wholesaler. Design & Print Restaurant Menu Special l Offer n f r 50, MENU 650 Only FREE E DELIVERY T-Shirt t Print t FAITH PRINTING, Micro Business Park, 46F Greatorex Street,London E1 5NP Design & Print Love to Print 1000 A5 Flyer 65* 1000 Business Cards 45* Instant Banner Printing 5x2ft only for 35 Print only F RI For your N PRINTING u G NEEDSS Bannerner Bill book Business cardd Flyers Letter head Web Design t: m: e: print.faith@gmail.co Mug Printing e: print.faith@gmail.com

32 NEWS sussex Curry CHeF Winners Top chefs across Sussex congregated at the Assembly Hall in Worthing as the winners of a county-wide competition were announced. Mohammed Ali, 28, from Worthing, won the Worthing category of the Sussex Bangladeshi Caterers Association Curry Chef of the Year for The Mahaan in Montague Street, Worthing. Guests included the Mayor of Worthing Sean McDonald and the deputy mayor of Eastbourne Borough Council, Mohammed Harun Miah. Mr Ali, who has worked at The Mahaan for six years, said he felt very proud to have won the inaugural award and hopes to get better and better. The competitors had to impress judges with a starter, a side dish and a main course using chicken within 75 minutes at Shoreham Academy on Sunday, September 18. Ten finalists were picked out of 18 competitors. The winners were: Restaurant of the year 2016, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton: Ahsan Kabir, Cinnamon. Restaurant of the year 2016, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton runner up: Mofijur Shah Rahman, Reema. Restaurant of the year 2016, Brighton and Crawley: Osman Ali, Zari Restaurant of the year 2016, Brighton and Crawley runner up: Mujibur Rahman, Shapla Takeaway of the year 2016, Brighton and Crawley: Sayed Chowdhury, Kashmir Balti Takeaway of the year 2016, Brighton and Crawley runner up: Majid Ali, Velvety Ginger Restaurant of the year 2016, Worthing: Mohammed Ali, Mahaan Restaurant of the year 2016, Worthing runner up: Maruf Ahmed Pathan, Shaan Takeaway of the year 2016, Worthing: Abdullah Mukul, Original Curry Land Takeaway of the year 2016, Worthing runner up: Koyrul Islam, Sunderban Takeaway. 30

33 Unit E, Langland Way Reevesland Park Industrial Estate Newport, Gwent NP19 4PT Tel:

34 SAUCy SINGH S secret of success Hardev Singh was fed-up with the quality of chilli sauce on supermarket shelves he decided to make his own. Mr Singh s Hot Punjabi Chilli Sauce is now sold in hundreds of stores around the world including ASDA, Sainsbury s and Selfridges. Dad was always coming up with crazy ideas so we didn t pay much attention when he spent the evening making a mess in the kitchen, recalls eldest son Kuldip. Several hours, a few dirty pots and a fed-up wife later Pops declared he had made the mother of all chilli sauces fit for his beloved family BBQ. His family agreed and he began serving it to customers in his social club in east London where word spread about Mr Singh s special sauce. Several corner shops agreed to stock it but his entrepreneurial flame could have simply flickered and died there until his son made it a family affair. Kuldip, 34, said: My dad came in one night soaked to the skin looking miserable. I asked him where he had been and he said he had been trying to sell his sauce. Fate intervened a week later. Kuldip saw an advert for the Good Food Show and, on the spur of the moment, booked a stall for the event which offered businesses the chance to showcase their products to the public. I had a gut instinct it was the right thing to do, said Kuldip who is now chief executive of Mr Singh s. There were several immediate challenges. The show started in ten days, they didn t have any sauce and the recipe had never been written down or produced in any large quantity. The family set up shop in the garden shed and proceeded to burn the midnight oil drafting in wives, 32

35 children and grandparents to help empty countless tins of tomatoes and deseed hundreds of chillies as part of the still secret recipe. They were so focused on getting the sauce ready that no-one spared a thought about what to expect when they turned up at the show with 1,000 bottles of Mr Singh s Hot Punjabi Chilli Sauce. Then something unexpected happened. People began buying the sauce before the family had finished unpacking it and kept buying until the entire stock was sold by the end of the weekend. It was a dream coming true, recalls 62-year-old Hardev who had always wanted to run a business with his three sons. The Singh s subsequently came to the attention of a TV production company looking for small family-run businesses trying to break into the big time. High Street Dreams attracted an audience of more than four million and the company website subsequently crashed as thousands of people tried to log on and buy the sauce. Moderate success followed but the family began to feel the strain of holding down full-time jobs as well as trying to make a go of the company in their spare time. Once again, Kuldip followed his instincts and successfully pitched the sauce and its potentially hot sales to a group of investors in Kuldip and his father gave up their jobs in estate management and teaching three months later to become the company s first full-time employees. His brothers, Butch and Ravi, followed with responsibility for sales, marketing and social media. Kuldip said: There is no guidebook to running a business. We have just picked things up as we have gone along. One thing I have learnt is that people are a lot more capable than they think they are. It just takes the right attitude. A good example is former bus driver Ravi who has shown a talent for social media. As a result, Pops has become something of a social media star where his mimed rendition of The Spice Girls hit Wannabe went viral attracting more than half-a-million hits (see facebook.com/mrsinghssauce). The spoof video saw a 40% increase in sales and was shown on one of America s largest TV networks. Pops was far from convinced about becoming a spice boy but a lively presence on social media is now one of the driving forces behind the company s success. It gave me sleepless nights for a week before we filmed it. My sons wouldn t leave me alone until I agreed to do it. It really opened my eyes to social media so I just do what I am told now. Ravi s job includes thinking of new ways to make his father break out in a cold sweat including an equally popular clip rapping to the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. The boys - in the true martial tradition of the Sikh faith - are also filmed collectively eating the world s hottest chilli with painful results. So what is their secret of their success on social media? Ravi said: It is all about story-telling. It is the simplest and most effective way of communicating with people. Everyone has a story to tell and, if you make it engaging enough, people will take notice. We don t use social media to hard sell. We use it to reach out, connect with people and make them smile. It certainly pays to have sense of humour at Mr Singh s and even their diminutive grandmother doesn t escape being gently teased on camera where she shares her cooking tips online. She is one of the contributors to the company s latest venture, Mr Singh s Fabulous Fiery Cookbook, which contains 80 of the family s favourite recipes. At present, the company offers five brands of sauce and pesto on high street shelves with the inclusion of 2.2/5 litres for cafes, restaurants and pizza outlets. A recent crowdfunding campaign recently valued Mr Singh s at more than 1 million allowing it to expand its operations with individuals contributing anything for 12 to 10,000 to be part of the story. A new customer that bought a smile to Pop s face was a supermarket chain in Kenya where he grew up. My chilli sauce was inspired from the flavours I grew up with in Africa so that means a lot to me personally. We just want to keep growing and see how far we can take things. One thing that strikes you about Mr Singh s is how much fun they are having and the power of a can-do attitude. Kuldip was recently invited to speak at the Bright Ideas Trust, a charity run by The Apprentice winner Tim Campbell which encourages young people to start their own business. If you have a good idea put it into action regardless of how small that first step is. Don t overthink it. Just get started. It is all about taking action. I always tell people if Mr Singh s can do, so can you. For more information, see mrsinghssauce.co.uk 33

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37 SpECIAL StoRY After a gap of four years, the Brick Lane Curry and Food festival was back with a vengeance on 30th October. Curry Life looks at how businesses and key stakeholders hope to regenerate the area which has seen the closure of many curry restaurants in recent years Brick Lane is famous throughout the world as the centre of curry in the UK. The area is steeped in history ranging from the weavers of Spitalfields, to the Jewish immigrants who worked in the rag trade, to the enterprising British-Bangladeshi community who founded their curry houses there. But recent years have seen a decline in the number of curry houses on the Lane. High rents and rates have forced some restaurants to close, bad publicity about issues such as touting and unsocial behaviour has taken its toll, whilst measures introduced by the Tower Hamlets Council under its former mayor,, Lutfur Rahman, are thought by many restaurateurs to have had a negative impact. It s a scenario that greatly worries Cllr Josh Peck, Tower Hamlet s Cabinet Member for Work and Economic Growth, who has been a key player in driving projects and supporting business in Brick Lane. When I first moved to Tower Hamlets in 1995 there were curry restaurants from the bottom of Osborn street to top of Bethnall Green and on all the side roads as well, he told Curry Life. Now we ve got about 30 left and it s pretty clear that if we don t do anything there probably won t be curry restaurants here in 10 years time. That would be awful! He continued: The history of Brick Lane is rich varied but it s very much about the history of the Bangladeshi community here and we absolutely have to have curry restaurants still here for 10, 20 or 30 years to come. Even as the community alters and moves, curry restaurants are the absolute future of Brick Lane but some are really struggling. This year, change has come. Now under different leadership, Tower Hamlets Council has kick-started a borough-wide Town Centres regeneration programme with projects to help the curry industry. On Brick Lane this is being delivered in partnership with businesses, other key stakeholders and organisations such as the Bangladeshi Restaurant Association, to enable better management of the area, support new and established businesses and maximise their potential. At present, the top of Brick Lane is doing well but the bottom end is struggling, said Cllr Peck. That s why we ve launched this big regeneration programme to work very closely with those businesses and give them some support. Brick Lane is open for business The festival saw thousands of visitors flock to the Lane to join in the family fun. The event was combined with a special free activity day for children with a theme of Halloween. Sightseers could see giant stilt walking witches, attend haunted Halloween workshops, and watch Bangla brass and drumming musical performances with live acts and entertainers throughout the day. But the key theme of the day was curry and there was ample opportunity to sample spicy foods with tasting sessions, community stalls, special offers and discounts at restaurants. Tower Hamlet Council members and MPs were out on the Lane in full force. The festival was officially opened by John Biggs, Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lord Karan Bilimoria, founder and CEO of Cobra Beer, Cllr Josh Peck, Cabinet Member for Work and Economic Growth, and Rushanara Ali MP for Bethnall Green and Bowes. Other speakers included GLA member Umesh Desai, and Gulzar Khan, Chairperson of the Banglatown Restaurant Association. The project is close to the heart of the mayor John Biggs who wants to encourage investment and increase footfall in the Lane. Brick Lane s world famous reputation for its curries helps to bring in millions of visitors to the area each year, supporting jobs and local businesses, he said. This weekend provides a great opportunity to taste some of what the area has to offer, and to enjoy the special music, arts and crafts, and entertainment provided for all ages. Opening the festival, Rushanara Ali told of her determination to work together with the borough council to help the area thrive. Brick Lane has been suffering, the business community has been suffering for a long time. We are determined to make this the vibrant heart of the East End it always has been. It s the heart of the British-Bangla community but it s also the heart of Britain. It s a place of great history and heritage, not just great cuisine, not just Bengali cuisine, but other forms of cuisine which make it such an interesting place. Lord Bilimoria, whose company, Cobra Beer, is one of the main sponsors, has a longstanding involvement with the area. He remembers delivering his fledgling brew to curry houses Photos: Rehan Jamil 35

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39 SpECIAL StoRY Mayor John Biggs, MP Rushanara Ali, Lord Karan Bilimoria, Chairman of Cobra Beer among local guests at the Brick Lane Curry Festival launch on Brick Lane, out of the back of a Citroen van 25 years ago. Since then his company has grown to become a multi-millionpound business, but he has remained a vocal and prominent supporter of Brick Lane and the Bangladeshi restaurant community. He welcomed the council s decision to hold the festival once more, saying that he was delighted that his company was supporting it because it also highlighted the enterprising hard work of the British-Bangladeshi community who had made curry the food of Great Britain. Brick Lane is at the heart of curry and the heart of curry in London and curry in Britain, he said. Tourists from all over the world come to visit Brick Lane because it is vibrant and it is cosmopolitan. People used to joke about British food, he continued. Today, London is the food capital of the world. We have the widest variety of food here and the favourite food of it all is curry. Will it make a difference? Local businesses on the Lane gave the festival an enthusiastic thumbs-up. Guljar Khan, who is a restaurant owner and chairperson of the Banglatown Restaurant Association, welcomed the additional support businesses are getting from the council. The festival will definitely have an impact, he told Curry Life as the event got underway. You can see yourself we ve got so many people on the street this day so this is a huge boost for local business especially the curry businesses. Any changes, any promotion or media coverage attracts people and that is a help. The curry industry is suffering now because of the migration problems; we re suffering because rents and rates in Brick Lane have gone humongously high. Any publicity that raises awareness helps. He praised the new mayor and initiatives taken by the council: The last festival was in 2012 but since then, as you know, there was a lot of shuffling around in the council, he said, referring to the troubles surrounding the previous administration. We need the council s help but they need ours as well. After Mayor Biggs was elected we told him that we 37 need to be promoted and he promised to reinstate the festival and help us run the event. Cllr Josh Peck has been a lead member assisting us to organise this, also one of the main sponsors, Cobra Beer, who have always helped us through thick and thin. To host a festival like this involves huge costs of around seventy to eighty thousand pounds to close the street, put on security and everything, so therefore restaurants and council must go hand in hand. But I m sure from now we will carry on doing an event every year. We also have another event on Brick Lane organised by council on 4th December when the Christmas lights go on. With the previous administration, we haven t had our lights changed for the last 10 years! Abdul Ahad of City Spice restaurant on Brick Lane agreed that the festival should be a permanent addition to the calendar. It was a lovely day and it all keeps the heritage of Brick Lane going, he told Curry Life. I m hoping, fingers crossed, it will be a yearly event. It boosts the business but it also regenerates the Lane. It reminds people that we are here and have been here all this time. We ve had a lot of restaurants closing because of various reasons. Brick Lane has always been tough with the area quite difficult to manage, but lately it s got a bit tougher. But we ll have to weather it out. Like all businesses we have a good patch and a bad patch and we re going through a slight bad patch now. He also welcomed the involvement of Tower Hamlets. The council has been very helpful this year. They have directed businesses to promote themselves online and got them moving into the 21st century. But the festival definitely attracts a crowd. It is much better than a normal day. The Sunday market doesn t usually bring this many people here and the restaurants are pretty busy as well. It gets the vibe back in Brick Lane. Breathing the life back When Lutfur Rahman was made to stand down as Tower Hamlet s mayor in April 2015 after being found guilty of multiple corruption allegations by the High Court the festival

40 SpECIAL StoRY was panned for four years. Many businesses claimed that Rahman had shown little leadership in developing a coherent strategy for businesses on Brick Lane. Moreover, his imposition of a midnight curfew for restaurants made them feel they had been unfairly targeted as the source of anti-social behaviour putting their businesses in jeopardy. The current mayor of Tower Hamlet s, John Biggs explained to Curry Life why he thought it was important to reinstate the annual event. I can t account for why the festival hasn t taken place in recent years but I was very keen when I became mayor that we should bring it back, he said. It is part of a planned programme of activities to breathe life into Brick Lane. The Lane is still a very lively and vibrant area for the restaurant trade and for entertainment and recreation but it has got a few problems with antisocial behaviour and with some of the restaurants closing recently, so what we want to do is maintain our position as a centre for curry in the UK. Under my predecessor there seemed to be a lot more Million pound programme to be announced The mayor told Curry Life that the council was about to announce a big programme of about a million pounds of expenditure in Brick Lane, using planning benefit money. We will spend money on things like the environment, and on antisocial behaviour to make sure this is an attractive place to invest, he said. We want to look at the way the highways work, the street cleansing contract and how that operates. We re also very keen to work with the police and others on the problems of anti-social behaviour which sometimes has brought challenges to the area. We think that by working in partnership with businesses in the front line is one of the ways we can help them to survive and prosper. Cllr Josh Peck works with businesses across the borough to make sure that it is a viable place to do business. His job takes him to Brick Lane more than any other area. If the council gets Brick Lane right, he believes it will be one of the top destinations in London. different disputes going on between different groups and organisations and some of the traders. I ve been very keen to pull people together and I ve used Josh Peck, my cabinet member to do that. An area like Brick Lane is always changing so people need to adapt their business to keep up with that. One of the things that s happened is that the value of property has gone up enormously which means people need to make more profit to pay their rent. So, the way in which curry restaurants work needs to change. However, we think the industry can survive and prosper with a bit of support from us, with a bit of business nous in the community, which is already there. His predecessor was also criticised for failing to deal coherently with the ongoing issue of touting on Brick Lane, which some believe contributed to the public s disenchantment with some of the curry houses. We have a bye law which says touting shouldn t happen, explained mayor Biggs. It s a bit like a domino effect; if one restaurant does it then others are tempted to do it as well. What we want to do is allow Brick Lane to sell its success on the quality of the food so that people naturally gravitate to Brick Lane because it s a great place to eat and not about people scrapping with each other; it s about a quality offer and a good night out. Brick Lane is surrounded by many busy places - Spitalfields Market, Petticoat Lane, Whitechapel Gallery the Lane is at the absolute heart of all that, he explained. Our vision is that the thousands of visitors who come to this part of London every day should come to Brick Lane and spend their money there. The absolute key to Brick Lane working is for those restaurants to be attracting those people in and serving them great food every day so they can make a lot of money. I sit down with the restaurateurs about every two months to discuss what s going to happen. It s a real partnership and I look forward to working with them for a long time to come. He continued: Today was the first of several events. We ve got a big one at Christmas as well. The festive period is a key time for those businesses because they get a lot of trade from people going out for meals to celebrate so for the first time for a while, there ll be Christmas events on Brick Lane. We are also giving them additional training and support, marketing support so there s a lot going on. What s key is that the council can only play a part in this, the restaurants need to play their part as well. So, I m pleased about the strong partnership we ve got with restaurants. But it s not going to change overnight; it s a long-term project and we re going to be here for the long term. 38

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43 profile CURRy QUEEN Fahmida Chowdhury Madhur Jaffrey is the matriarch of Asian celebrity chefs while modern day counterparts Anjum Anand and Meera Sodha have written best- selling cookery books and regularly appear on TV. However, the number of female chefs working in the curry industry remains negligible with the notable exceptions of pioneers like Romy Gill who owns Romy s Kitchen in Gloucestershire. Award winning chef Abul Monsur says cultural attitudes towards women working in what is still a largely male environment are slowly changing. He points to his wife and business partner Fahmida Chowdhury who is head chef at the Taj Cuisine Takeaway in Lower Stoke, Kent. Fahmida is, by her own admission, a late starter and admits her cooking skills were at best basic when she married Abul as an 18 year-old. Her mother-in-law and husband taught her the basics and it wasn t until her children had grown up that she thought about cooking as a career. My children and husband encouraged me and I started at the bottom peeling potatoes and onions like everyone else. That might surprise some people but you have to earn your place in a kitchen whoever you are. Today, she heads a team of four producing up to 100 meals a day and follows her husband s mantra of consistency regardless of the number of customers coming through the door. Abul said: It s important to stay on top of your game and not become complacent. You are only as good as your next meal so it s important to always do your best and not let standards slip. Fahmida remains modest about her success saying the success of the takeaway is a team effort and harmony in the kitchen is reflected in the food. Abul is only a phone call away if she needs to call on his encyclopaedic knowledge of Indian food and spices but even he is surprised by how well his wife has adapted. He added: It s a tough business because the hours are long and the work hard but Fahmida has taken it all in her stride and proved herself in the kitchen. Her efforts are recognised by the local community and she says she still enjoys being stopped in the high street and complimented on the takeaway s food. In 2013 and again in 2016 Fahmida was awarded Curry Life chef of the year award. Everyone likes to be recognised for what they do and it still puts a spring in my step when someone says they enjoyed the food. Fahmida Chowdhury with husband Abul Monsur, four daughters and son in law Shakir Uddin in far left. 41

44 IMRAN CHOUDHURY at the driving seat of the Grand Indian Lounge

45 profile THE GRAND INDIAN LOUNGE Raising the bar for Indian cuisine The Grand Indian Lounge was founded in December Situated in Swillington on the outskirts of Leeds, the restaurant is housed in an imposing white building, a former hotel and pub, which stands within its own sizeable car park. The family owned venue is managed by Imran Choudhury, a passionate supporter of the curry industry and the community. With longstanding links with Swillington and Leeds, the family has run several restaurants in the area. Now, the Grand Indian Lounge is the culmination of many years hard work, with a concept of relaxed dining, delicious fresh food, top notch service and great conversation, all served up in a friendly atmosphere. We wanted to create a homely, cosy environment where the guests know they can have a chat and a joke with us if they want, without being too intrusive, explains Imran. Every single customer is of value to us and we aim to let them know it. Inside the cool white walls reflect the calm mood. The entrance faces an integral bar with comfy bucket seats that runs almost the whole width of the interior, is stocked with a good range of ales, wines and spirits. There s even an expansive cocktail selection to transport customers to exotic climes. To the left is a more private dining area, with arches looking into the main 100-seat restaurant behind with pristine white tablecloths, immaculately folded napkins and taupe and cream leather seating. Paintings and wall art are predominantly red offsetting the white theme, with the atmosphere of the Indian sub-continent created by mood-setting music. Three head chefs in the kitchen create fresh food daily with many years practice blending spices to produce the restaurant s special recipes. Hand-picked dishes on the menu are trawled from India and the wider regions of Bangladesh with painstaking attention to detail, history and custom. Many recipes with roots in Asian cuisine have been updated with a contemporary flavour. The menu includes regional seafood curries using fish such as tilapia along with inspired choices of quail cooked on the bone, a recipe passed down by one of the chefs through family custom. The best-selling dishes however are the Agni Karahi, a spicy dish cooked in a wok with red chillies, peppers, garlic and hand picked spices to make a succulent sauce, or the Murgh Hyderbadi cooked with tangy spices, with a distinctive flavour. Imran s role is predominantly at the front of house although he has enough knowledge of cooking to don the chef s hat in the kitchen when required. He personally visits wholesalers and markets to select fresh, local produce every morning. With a lifelong passion for the curry industry, Imran s main inspiration came from his mother whose prowess in the kitchen was the catalyst for many dishes on the menu. My mum is a very good cook who I have to thank for my love of Indian food and cooking, he comments. She made many of these dishes at home; in fact, the chefs even came to the house to learn her secret spice recipe. Now, when she visits the restaurant she comes incognito as a mystery shopper to make sure the same standard and consistency is maintained. The Grand Indian Lounge has been open a relatively short time but already it has begun to garner accolades and awards. A wall in the bar area has been put to good use showcasing the ever-growing number of certificates, reviews, plaques and plates. Only a few months ago the restaurant picked up the Yorkshire Post s prize for Best Indian Restaurant; other recent accolades include runner up in the Yorkshire category of the Masterchef Promotion recognising the best in Indian cuisine. With a growing local fan base, customers are also starting to visit the restaurant from farther afield, many returning for a second or third time, praising the friendly, attentive service and delicious food. On the day of Curry Life s visit the venue was already filling up with guests at six o clock. At the moment (touch wood), we re steadily building up business, says Imran. That s largely down to top quality food, a clean and welcoming environment, professional trained and friendly staff, and a willingness to look at ways to improve and achieve even higher standards. Staff training is carried out with a short meeting taking place once a week and a longer meeting every month. Team building is an important part of Imran s management strategy and he organises staff activities including bowling and cinema nights. We see each other all the time so we inevitably have to have a close relationship, he explains. Happily, with such a tight knit team the restaurant has not suffered any significant problems associated with staffing unlike many others in the curry industry. Imran is a great believer in supporting the local charities and the community. The restaurant sponsors local sports teams such as football and rugby. This philanthropic approach has created a lot of support in the area and wider afield as well. Local boys are proud to wear their Grand Indian Lounge hoodies and The Grand Indian Lounge billboard is displayed prominently outside the Leeds Rhinos stadium underlining the restaurant s investment in the culture of the city. It s all money well spent. Without our local clientele we wouldn t be where we are today, says Imran. Grand Indian Lounge, 40 Wakefield Road, Swillington, Leeds LS26 8DJ Tel:

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47 spice Lounge An up-market Venue There are few Indian restaurants with such an impressive location as Spice Lounge. Tucked into the beautifully restored Victorian market hall, the restaurant fronts the market place and is watched over by the statues of King Neptune and Marquess of Londonderry mounted on his trusty steed. The market place is the focal point of the city, and invariably full of people sightseeing, shopping or just sitting and watching the world go by. Its unique setting means that Spice Lounge should be visited for its quirkiness alone. However, the venue also has an impeccable reputation for the quality of its food and service. Little wonder, as it has the same owners as the famous Capital Restaurant on Durham s Claypath - Syed Zohorul Islam who is executive chef of both restaurants, in partnership with Mohammed Shibir Miah and Syed Akram. Chef Zohorul is an award-winning masterchef who has participated in international festivals all over the world cooking for a hundreds of high profile guests. From experience, I can vouch that all his food is served with passion, flair and meticulous attention to detail. Being in a historic market hall does have its own set of challenges Spice Lounge is sweetly bijoux and there is nowhere to expand. Strict planning regulations apply although the team has managed to eke out a little more much needed space by changing the entrance. Its modest size only adds to the charm; the atmosphere is mellow and cosy the interior has an exposed stone wall of the market hall, a reminder of the historic and dignified location. Lack of size does not mean compromise on any customer comforts. The bar has a full range of beers on tap, the wine is palatable, the menu is long, the décor is modern and seats are comfortable. What more could one want? Shibir Miah oversees Spice Lounge whilst Zohorul is mainly based at The Capital. The chef at the former is Syed Noor Hussain who has been with the restaurant since it opened. An experienced operator, Syed Noor recently participated in a food festival at ITC Windsor Hotel in Bangalore, India where he demonstrated that some of the best curries in the world come from Great Britain. Shibir is friendly and gently spoken with a lilting local accent (as he lives Chef Syed Noor Hussain in Sunderland I should point out that this is known as mackem rather than geordie ). He has a background in the restaurant industry albeit he was initially reluctant to enter the profession. I was at college doing business studies, he says. My dad had a takeaway nearby which had been established for around 30 years. He used to push me to work there as a part timer. I was only about 16 and I must admit I didn t 45

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49 REVIEW Syed Akram like it at first. But gradually I started learning and I realised that this was an art. Indian cooking is not like Italian or English where you simply put ingredients on a plate, you have to have brains to create Indian food. When he left college he went to work full-time in the takeaway and subsequently moved to The Capital. I was there for years and I gained experience and learned a lot working with Mohammed and Zohorul, he said. The Capital was the first restaurant and then we thought it was getting so busy we decided we needed another place. Obviously this venue s was in a fantastic location. They said it s time for you to run something so I came to Spice Lounge and it s going really well. That was around 10 years ago and Shibir has never looked back. Business is brisk. The clientele is made up of locally based regulars and during the summer season, tourist and international visitors. When everyone has gone back I concentrate on the students, says Shibir. The university is very big and one of the best in the country so it brings a lot of people in from other towns as well as professors, lecturers and of course students, so they are the bread and butter as it were. Shibir describes Spice Lounge as a Bangladeshi-fusion Indian restaurant. Chef Syed Noor Hussain is originally from Sylhet in Bangladesh where he started his training, later perfecting it under the tutelage of Zohorul. Main courses are divided into poultry dishes, poulty tikka dishes, lamb and lamb tikka dishes duck, seafood, fish chef s recommendations, specials and vegetable options. Fish choices include a mouthwatering selection of Bangladeshi fish including pan fried, lightly spiced Mach Beeran served with sweet and sour sauce and Fillet of Ayre cooked in a korai with green chilli fresh ginger, garlic, tomatoes onion and capsicum. Lamb Chop Korahi is Shibir s personal favourite s he says he likes his meat. The Lamb Chop Special is cooked with plum sauce and coriander, marinated in special spices and cooked in the tandoor. This brings back sweet memories of one of chef Zohorul s signature dishes sampled on more than one occasion. Chef s recommendations include Thali dishes with selections including sheek kebab, tandoori king prawn, chicken tikka, tikka mutton, tikka chicken masala, pilau rice and peshwari nan. Vegetable options include pumpkins and vegetable dumplings, or tender okra stir fried with herbs and spices. All in all, the menu is the kind where you could quite happily order anything and everything! We opted for starters of Fish Momos and Mutton Liver, mainly because it was a novelty to see these items on the menu. The former, an authentic dish of Bangladesh had a crispy casing outside and succulent inside, it was obviously freshly cooked. The mutton liver had a smoky barbecue flavour, lightly spiced and melted in the mouth. For mains the unique Macher Molee beckoned - finest fish fillet with fried garlic, cooked with onions, almonds, fresh cream, fresh coriander bhuna style, and a delicious Exclusive Chicken Breast, a special cut of spring chicken served on the bone in a traditional manner, aromatic and light, all served a fragrant pilau rice and feathery nan to mop up the delicious sauces. Shibir tells me that the most popular choice with customers is the Staff Curry. Not many restaurants offer that. People used to ask us what we eat so we decided to put it on the menu. We keep it nice and balanced, not too hot and it s now our bestselling option. All dishes were served in a friendly and relaxed manner, in keeping with the peaceful atmosphere of the venue. There are 10 members of staff in total with six working at front-of-house. Shibir ensures they are all fully trained when they take up employment. Fortunately, he has not yet experienced any problems staffing the kitchen but recognises that other restaurants are struggling because of immigration policy. As a bit of a social media fan, Shibir carries out most of the marketing himself rather than paying an expensive PR company to do the job. However the restaurant speaks for itself and Shibir is quite confident of its unique selling proposition. It s a fantastic building with a great history, the food is great and the chef is amazing, he smiles. Spice Lounge, St. Nicholas Cottage, Market Place, Durham DH1 3NJ Tel:

50 NEWS High praise for Lived Brutalism photography exhibition by Kois Miah Lived Brutalism: portraits exhibition by our own photographer, Kois Miah received high praises. An extraordinary exhibition of photography was held, which records the lives of residents at Robin Hood Gardens, Poplar, Tower Hamlets. The experimental Brutalist council estate by pioneering British architects Alison and Peter Smithson, in the estate s last years before demolition. Over the last two years, local resident and photographer Kois Miah visited families in the soon-to-be-demolished Robin Hood Gardens and took these portraits, capturing the dignity of their existence in an estate condemned by many as a brutalist eyesore. Completed in 1972, the streets in the sky development has long been described as a sink estate and a concrete monstrosity. Against such representations, and the social cleansing agenda they serve, photographer Kois Miah and Sociology lecturer Nick Thoburn from University of Manchester have chronicled the complex lives, emotions, and routines of the estate s residents. Few council estates have been photographed as much as Robin Hood Gardens. Kois Miah, said: We have explored resident relationships and experiences of living and socialising on this estate, many of whom have lived there for decades. Whatever they think, there s a huge sense of community here. Pat Murray Moyna Miah with grand children 48

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