Over 1000 leading Asian restaurateurs, VIPs and embassy dignitaries gathered to honour the winners of Asian Curry Awards 2013, a joint venture organised by the Federation of Bangladeshi Caterers and the Asian Catering Federation.
Dignitaries who attended the event included the Rt Hon Tom Brake, Deputy Leader of the House of Commons, the Rt Hon Sadiq Khan, Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, Rushanara Ali, Shadow Minister for International Development, the Ambassador of Indonesia, Teuku Mohammed Hamzah Thayeb and other diplomats.
The judges
Pat Chapman, editor of the Cobra Good Curry Guide chaired a team of judges, which included Dev Biswal, owner of the Michelin-listed Ambrette Restaurants, Geraldine Higgins, Chef Lecturer EWHL college and Annette Allmark, Head of Professional Standards, People 1st.
Special Awards
Special Honorary awards were presented to – The Rt Hon Tom Brake MP for Carshalton and Wallington and Deputy Leader of the House of Commons, Neil Jameson, CEO of Citizens UK, John Walker, the immediate past National Chairman, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and Lutfur Rahman, Mayor of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
The winners
Shamim Syed of Durbar Tandoori in Bayswater was named ‘Chef of the Year’ and Sabbir Karim of Bloombury’s Salaam Namaste, London WC1 won ‘Best Innovative Chef’. The Cinnamon Club’s Jai V Kadam was revealed as ‘Young Chef of The Year’ and Hesan Choudhury of The Purple Rooms in Birmingham is ‘Young Restaurateur of the Year’.
‘Best Restaurant’ went to Tops Buffet, Manchester (Chinese) – pictured above, Oishii Japanese Eatery, London (Japanese), Stay House London , (Malaysian), Everest Inn, Hythe, Kent (Nepalese) ‘Best Thai’ was shared between Mai Thai in Peterborough and Thai Lounge, Lingfield in Surrey.
Regional awards
Regional awards for ‘Best South Asian Restaurant and Takeaway’ went to: London – Anokha, EC3 (Overall Winner) Salaam Namaste (WC2) ‘Newcomer of The Year’, Dewaniam, SE23, ‘Best Take Away’; London Suburbs – Coriander, Hatch End, Stoneleigh Brassiere, Epsom ‘Newcomer of The Year’, Mahan, Bexley (Best Take-Away), Swad, New Malden (Newcomer/Take Away of The Year), South Coast – Memories of India (Bosham) and Cosham Balti ‘Best Take Away’; South East – Shakil’s, Bicester (Overall), Desi Indian Dining Club, Grays (Newcomer of The Year) and Mahan Indian Take Away, Bexley (Best Take Away); South – Indi’s, Bournemouth; Devon & Cornwall – Maha Bharat, Kingsbridge; East of England – Zafran, Westcliff-on-Sea and Riverside Spice, Earls Colne (shared); East Midlands – Royal Tandoori, Corby; West Midlands – Agra Palace, Nuneaton; North East – Days Of the Raj, Gosforth (Overall), Jewel in the Crown, Birtley (Best Take Away); Yorkshire & Humber -The Original Dil Raj, Barnsley; Wales – Sheesh Mahal, Llanelli; Scotland – Nawaabs Tandoori, Aberdeen.
International award
The Swedish city of Stockholm was chosen as the representative in the International category with accolades going to Waipo Stockholm (Best Chinese Restaurant), Pong Buffet, (Buffet) and Shanti Touch of Bengal( Best Bangladeshi Restaurant).
For more details of the event and a complete list of winners click here