London Mayor Sadiq Khan at Asian Curry Awards

AVRUPA TIMES/LONDON-Over 700 VIP guests attended the Asian hospitality sector’s most prestigious event, the Asian Curry Awards in Association with Just Eat, at the Grosvenor House in London’s Mayfair on Sunday 17th November.Guest of Honour, Sadiq Khan, the Labour Mayor of London, took the opportunity to attack the “Government's 'wrongheaded' approach to immigration which is making it difficult to recruit the chefs and skilled workers.”On a positive note Sadiq Khan praised the contribution of the British Asians. “By bringing the best of Asian culinary traditions to these shores, these restaurant owners have expanded not only the choice of food available to the British public, but our very identity as an open, inclusive and multicultural nation,” he said.

Benares in Mayfair scooped the prestigious Fine Dining Award. Dishoom in Covent Garden has named Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year. Three restaurants shared the Just Eat Takeaway of the Year title – Chilli Tuk in London N12, Golden Dragon in Swansea and Rogan Josh in Cheltenham. Sanctua in Leicester was name Best Vegan and Vegetarian Food Studio Cardiff, Best Vegetarian. Royal Nawaab, Manchester is Buffet Restaurant of the Year. Spice Village in Croydon won Best Event Caterer. Rehmat’s in Aberdeen was announced Newcomer of the Year.

Crooked Skewer, Hull, claimed the Innovative Restaurant of the Year award.

Individual cuisine titles were awarded to Zuma, London W1 (Japanese), Romulo Café, London W8 (Filipino), Ottoman Kitchen, Southampton (Middle Eastern), Feng Wei Shi Tang, Soho (Chinese). The Nepalese Restaurant of the Year was shared by Everest Inn, Ashford Kent and Panas Gurkha, London SE13

Zaman’s in London W1 received the Pan-Asian Restaurant of the Year crown and Hakkaland, Harrow, the Best Asian Fusion award.

Hospital Venue of the Year went to Maida in Manchester, whilst Spice Village, Croydon, was revealed as Best Event Caterer.

Shahin Malek (Rivaaz, Lymington) won Best Maitre D’.

A special Social Responsibility of the Year award went to Millennium Balti, Royal Leamington Spa and there were Entrepreneur awards for Ajmal Mushtaq (Mushtaqs, Hamilton) and Habib Chowdhury (My Curry Club, Cheshire).

There were also a number of local and regional awards. The full list can be viewed at www.asiancurryawards.co.uk

Addressing an audience of ambassadors to London, high commissioners, senior politicians, embassy officials and business, Yawar Khan, Chairman of the Asian Catering Federation, which hosts the Awards, congratulated the winners, but warned them not to rest on their laurels. He said: “We work in a dynamic, fast developing sector where customers’ dining habits are constantly evolving.” He encouraged them to embrace change and welcome the challenges.

The biggest round of applause went to the Asian Curry Awards’ longstanding Chairman of Judges Pat Chapman, editor of the Cobra Good Curry Guide – who on the eve of his 80thbirthday – was too ill to attend. Accepting the award on his behalf, fellow judge George Shaw said, “Everyone who works in the curry sector owes Pat a huge debt and never has a Lifetime Achievement Award so richly deserved.”

The evening, with lavish hospitality and live entertainment was hosted by the brilliant stand-up comedian, Call Beaton.

The Asian Curry Awards shortlist was determined by over 100,000 votes from spice-loving members of the public. A team of judges, led by Pat Chapman, editor of the Cobra Good Curry Guide, toured the country to determine the winners with preference shown to restaurants, with healthy, authentic regional dishes with modern gastro influences.

The Asian Curry Awards are design to recognise the best in the industry, encouraging ever higher standards and to inspire the next generation of chefs and restaurateurs to join this dynamic sector. The Awards are organised by the Asian Catering Federation (ACF) and the Federation of Bangladeshi Caterers UK, representing 35,000 UK restaurants and takeaways.

Sadiq Khan: Government has made it difficult to recruit the chefs we need

Sadiq Khan, the Labour Mayor of London, is addressing the annual Asian Curry Awards taking place on Sunday 17th November at the Grosvenor House Hotel. He will praise the contribution of the industry, as well as British Asians to London and the UK. He will also attack the Tory Government's 'wrongheaded' approach to immigration which is making it difficult to recruit the chefs and skilled workers businesses need, and he will call for a migration system that is flexible enough to ensure we can fill key jobs in our food and hospitality sectors.

On the Asian Curry Awards, Sadiq Khan said:

“I’m delighted to be here at the Asian Curry Awards celebrating all the amazing businesses and restaurants that have been nominated for an award this evening.

“I have the best job in the world because I get to represent the greatest city on earth. A city that is defined by its incredible diversity, energy, entrepreneurship and wealth of opportunities.

“By bringing the best of Asian culinary traditions to these shores, these restaurant owners have expanded not only the choice of food available to the British public, but our very identity as an open, inclusive and multicultural nation.

“They help to show that our diversity makes us stronger as a society, not weaker. That it makes us richer, not poorer. And that our diversity isn’t the cause of our problems - as some try to make out right now - but rather, it’s a source of pride, progress and prosperity for all.”

On the contribution of the British Asians, he is expected to say:

“The triumph of the British curry industry is indicative of the massive contribution British Asians have made - and continue to make - to our cities, our towns and our villages.

“And its achievements are part of a much bigger success story - about the role of amazing Asian businesses, which number in the tens of thousands and - together - fuel growth and generate over £60 billion for our economy.

“These companies employ thousands of workers across our country, brighten our high streets, improve the quality of life in our neighbourhoods and enrich our society and culture

On the impact of the current immigration system on the industry, he is expected to say:

“Unfortunately, however, I believe our Government doesn’t always fully appreciate all the benefits that businesses like these deliver for our society.

“If they did, they wouldn’t have adopted such a wrongheaded approach to immigration that has made it so difficult for businesses to recruit the chefs and skilled workers they urgently need.

“That’s why I’m calling on the Government to put in place - as a matter of priority - a migration system that is flexible enough to ensure we can fill key jobs in our food and hospitality sectors. Because the last thing we should be doing is clipping the wings of businesses like these, which deserve our backing and support.

“I’m here to get the message out there that London is – and always will be – open. Open to food, talent and influences from around the world. Open to people of all faiths, customs and cultures. And open to brilliant businesses like the ones here tonight.”

Asian Curry Awards 2019 – Winners

ASIAN RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Region CategoryName of BusinessTown

LondonMango IndianLondon Bridge

London SuburbsThali HoSurbiton

South Coast Of EnglandRivaazLymington

South East Of EnglandTaj CuisineChatham, Kent

South East Of EnglandTamashaLindfield

South Of EnglandIndia GateChichester

Home CountiesTamarind LoungeKemsing

Central EnglandThird PlaceShrewsbury, Shropshire

West MidlandsMalabar Indian RestaurantAldridge, Walsall

East MidlandsThe RajKettering

East Of EnglandNavdhanyaCambridge

South West Of EnglandAromaGloucester

South West Of EnglandCafé DiwaliSalisbury

West CountryDenley’s Essence Of IndiaTopsham, Devon

North of EnglandAchariBolton

South WalesShampan Indian CuisineCowbridge

North WalesMaahisWrexham

North of ScotlandPanache RestaurantElgin

Northern IrelandCinnamonBelfast

Northern IrelandBanglaBangor, Belfast

Northern IrelandBengal SpiceBelfast

TAKEAWAY OF THE YEAR in Association with Just Eat

Region CategoryName of BusinessTown

LondonChilli Tuk TukBarnet

South West of EnglandRogan JoshCheltenham

ScotlandMushtaqsHamilton

WalesYasminsNewcastle Emlyn

NationalChilli PickleBrighton

ChineseGolden Dragon TakeawaySwansea

CASUAL DINING RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Region CategoryName of BusinessTown

LondonDishoomCovent Garden

South Coast of EnglandMemories of IndiaBosham

BEST VEGETARIAN & VEGAN RESTAURANT

Name of BusinessTown

SanctuaLeicester

Vegetarian Food StudioCardiff

BUFFET RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Name of BusinessTown

Royal NawaabManchester

Royal NawaabPerivale

W2 World BuffetMiddlesborough

BEST EVENT CATERER

Name of BusinessTown

Spice Village Event CaterersCroydon

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Name of BusinessTown

Rehmat’s RestaurantAberdeen

ASIAN CHEF OF THE YEAR

Region CategoryNameTown

London SuburbsFardous Ahmed BabluCurry Leaf, Old Coulsdon

London SuburbsLitu KhanHouse Of Spice, Raynes Park

LondonAvadhoot KamatZaman’s Restaurant, Marble Arch

North of EnglandMohammed Zahed MiahChutney Massala, Mossley

Home CountiesMohammed Kamal HussainIndian Diner, West Wickham

FINE DINING RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Name of BusinessTown

BenaresMayfair

INNOVATIVE RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Region CategoryName of BusinessTown

EnglandThe Crooked SkewerHull

ScotlandRiksha Streetside IndianAberdeen

NEPALESE RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Region CategoryName of BusinessTown

NationalEverest InnAshford

LondonPanas Gurkha RestaurantLewisham

JAPANESE RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Name of BusinessTown

ZumaKnightsbridge

FILIPINO RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Name of BusinessTown

Romulo Café and RestaurantKensington

MIDDLE-EASTERN RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Name of BusinessTown

Ottoman KitchenSouthampton

CHINESE RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Name of BusinessTown

Feng Wei Shi TangGerrard Street, London

PAN-ASIAN RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Name of BusinessTown

Zaman’s RestaurantMarble Arch

BEST ASIAN FUSION RESTAURANT

Name of BusinessTown

HakkalandHarrow

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR

CategoryName of BusinessTown

MaleAjmal MushtaqMushtaqs Restaurant, Hamilton

FemaleHabiba ChowdhuryMy Curry Club, Cheshire

Young EntrepreneurSafwaan ChoudhuryBritish Raj Express

HOSPITALITY VENUE OF THE YEAR

Name of BusinessTown

Al MaidahManchester

SOCIAL RESPONSABILITY THE YEAR

CategoryName of BusinessTown

EnglandMillennium BaltiRoyal Leamington Spa

ScotlandMuhammed SultanCharcoals, Glasgow

BEST MAITRE D’

Region CategoryNameTown

EnglandShahin MalekRivaaz, Lymington

ScotlandAshish SharmaCharcoal Café, Glasgow

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

Name

Pat Chapman – The Good Curry Guide

KNIGHTS OF THE RAJ LEGEND AWARD

NameTown

Abdul MalikCheam

Somuj Ali ChoudhuryCroydon

Manik MeahLondon

Mahmadur RashidSurrey

Shamsuddin KhanClapham

Ashraf UddinLondon

ATMW Saad GhaziWallington