The best chefs and restaurateurs recognised at the Curry Life Awards 2021 in London

The foodie and Curry Industry professionals all gathered in one place on Sunday, October 10, for the annual Curry Life Awards and gala dinner at the Royal Lancaster Hotel London.

The UK may have a soft spot for old favourites like bangers and mash and fish and chips. Still, the British appetite for Indian sub-continental food is widely known throughout Great Britain, as the Curry Cuisine remains unrivalled.

The Curry Life Awards and World Curry Expo restaurant trade show marked the end of the National Curry Week Celebration, which took place from 4-10 October 2021. 

The programme started with a sad mode by remembering Covid Loss and fallen heroes during pandemic at the UK Curry Houses, the vast majority of which are run and operated by the people of Bangladesh.

Curry Life Awards also paid special tribute to the founding father of Bangladesh to mark the Mujib Centenary and Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh. The UK’s leading Bangladeshi artist and Freedom Fighter Himangshu Goswami dedicated ‘Shono Ekti Mujiborer Theke’ to honour the Mujib centenary tribute. 

Curry Life Magazine, widely regarded as the most authoritative voice of the Bangladeshi Restaurants, organises this awards ceremony to recognise the best in the profession every year.

More than 600 guests will be attending the awards at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, Central London, hosted by veteran journalist and broadcaster Angela Rippon and Mike Bushell, have unveiled awards winners for the following categories: 

Best Editor’s Choice of the year

Chandini Sawbridgeworth, 

Radhuni, Princes Risborough, 

Indian Ocean, HISTON, Cambridge

The Everest Abercorn, Middlesex.

Best Curry Chefs of the year

Chef Jafor Solim Uddin, the fat Buddha, Maidenhead, Berks

Chef Majadur Rahim, Blue Tiffin, Merseyside

Chef Mohammed Raj, Village Indian Dining, Upminster

Chef Kabir Uddin, Hastings Spice, Sussex

Chef Abdul Malik, Little India, Bolton

Chef Shaz Rahman, Blue Tiffin, Stoke

Chef Nazrul Islam, Biggles Lounge, Beds

Chef Atikur Rahman, Chilli Green, Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend

Best Curry Restaurants of the year

Bombay 8, Warrington 8, Cheshire

Bombay Quay, Northwich, Cheshire

INAGA, West Wickham, Bromley

Westbourne Tandoori, Bournemouth

The Fat Buddha, Berkhamsted

Bengal Brasserie, Burley, Leeds

Shozna, Rochester, Kent

Monsoon Majestic, Newcastle-Under-Lyme

Zyka, Tilehurst, Reading

Café Spice, Darlington

Deshi Spice, Bedford

Taste of India, Old Hatfield, Herts

Barton Bangla Brasserie, Preston

Kushboo, Barton Latimer, Kettering

Ashuka Guildford, Surrey

Spice Club, Bridgewater, Somerset

Mahaan, Worthing, West Sussex

Village Indiya, South Woodford, London

Taj Mahal, Chippenham, Wiltshire

Paprika Club, Leamington Spa

Sonargaon, Whitechapel, London

Best Curry Takeaways of the year

Love Curry, Cardiff

Tarleton, Preston

Fusion Foods, Markate, St Albans

Mya’s Spicery, Morpeth, Northumberland

Bombay Spice, Bonnyrigg, Scotland

Aroma, Wilmslow, Cheshire

Baabzi, Warwick

Pink Chilliz, Canvey Island, Essex

Chutney Express, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham

Best Customer’s Choice of the year

Himalaya, Bridgnorth, Shropshire

Three Spices, Ruddington, Nottingham

Haweli Restaurant, Ealing

Best Curry House Supplier of the year

Sardar Food Products

Reading Berkshire

Matt Bushby, the UK Marketing Director for Just Eat, added: “We are thrilled to sponsor the Curry Life Awards, celebrating one of our most treasured and iconic industries; one that has helped so many communities in so many ways over the last 18 months. 

We are delighted to play a part in showcasing the hard work and imagination of chefs and owners who continue to improve and impress in producing fantastic, value-for-money and creative cooking. 

Our congratulations go to all of those who have won awards. You fully deserve them for standing out in this excitingly crowded and competitive industry.”

Commenting on the importance of the awards, President of the CBI and Chairman of Cobra Beer, Lord Karan Bilimoria CBE, said: “Like many business sectors over the past couple of years, the hospitality industry has been through the wringer because of the Covid pandemic.

“It is great to see it not only emerging from this dark period but also leading the way for other business sectors. Now that the economy is gathering momentum, it is truly heart-warming and instructive to hear of some of the stories of innovation, and pure hard work, emerging from this year’s Curry Life Awards.

“Well done to Curry Life for once again throwing a spotlight onto these examples of best practice and the brilliant people behind them.”

The Curry Life Awards celebrate the unique fusion cuisine of Indian food in the UK. They are part of a broader organisation that organises the British Curry Festival around the world.

The editor of Curry Life Media Group, Syed Belal Ahmed, said: “Over the years, we have been organising the awards. We have seen a significant stepping up of standards and quality being offered to customers to the point where several restaurants are in a position to challenge for accolades such as Michelin stars.

“One of the principal aims of the awards has always been to highlight best practices going on across the country so that everyone can have the opportunity to learn from the best. And that indeed has always been a driving principle behind Curry Life itself.

Other guests at the event included: Gaggan Mahindra MP, Aaron Bell MP, Greg Smith, Charlotte Nicols MP, Wes Streeting MP, Celebrity Chef Atul Kochhar, Dominic Chapman and Mridula Baljejkhar. 

The Curry Life raised over £2,000 for the British Asian Trust at this year’s Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner. 

 For further information, interview or photos, contact: Syed Belal Ahmed on 07956 439458