Last week’s first ever British Curry Awards ceremony took place in a typically desi fashion - over dinner, with the food served late. Curry is big business in the UK, with restaurants serving 2.5 million customers a week and grossing £3.2 billion a year. The British invaded India in the 19th century with gunpowder, now we have … transformed whole swathes of British society with curry powder
The event was similarly a big deal, with 1,200 people in attendance in the Ballroom of London’s swanky Grosvenor House Hotel. It was televised to 126 countries around the world and no less a personage than Tony Blair sent a message of support.
The industry refers to itself as “Curry” or “Spice” and not as “Indian food” because 95% of the restaurants are owned by Bangladeshis. In fact, the awards ceremony was organized by the “Guild of Bangladeshi Restaurateurs.”
In a swaggering speech, Sir Gulam Noon (a leader in the ready made meals industry) said:
“The British invaded India in the 19th century with gunpowder, now we have come back and a century later landed in the UK and transformed whole swathes of British society with curry powder. Without the success of the curry restaurant I could not have built my business to what it is today. I have ridden on the back of your achievements.” In a slight exaggeration, Noon urged his audience to celebrate the vibrancy of their business tonight but not to forget to open for business tomorrow evening on time otherwise, as he claimed, half the British population would be starving. [Link]
So, what do you serve over a thousand chefs and food entrepreneurs for dinner? Madhu’s of Southall “brought out a series of dishes many in the room have established as British culinary favourites:”
chicken tikka; masala fried tilapia flown in from Lake Victoria in Kenya, that other bastion of the British Empire; chicken tikka masala; rogan josh; delicious aloo ravia, small aubergines stewed with new potatoes; vegetable biriani and terrific tandoori naan bread. [Link]
The awards for the night went to:
Best Restaurant in Central London and the City
Bombay Brasserie, Kensington SW7
Most Innovative Restaurant in London:
Tamarind, Mayfair, W1
Best Restaurant in Greater London & Suburbs
Curry Mahal, Harrow
Best Restaurant in the South of England
Malik’s, Cookham, Berkshire
British Curry Award Most Innovative Restaurant in the South
Aziz, Oxford
Best Restaurant in the Midlands
Rajnagar International, Solihull
Best Restaurant in the North
Aagrah, Shipley, West Yorkshire
Most Innovative Restaurant in the North
Vujon, Newcastle
Best Restaurant in Wales
Juboraj Rhiwbina, Cardiff
Best Restaurant in Scotland
Britannia Spice, Leith [Link]
