A RESTAURANT in Cheshire West was recognised by the Asian Curry Awards 2023 - dubbed the 'Curry Oscars' - among the finest in the country.
The Asian Curry Awards cover the complete range of Asian and Oriental cuisines: Bangladeshi, Burmese, Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Malaysian, Middle Eastern, Pakistani, Singaporean, Sri Lankan, Thai, Turkish and Vietnamese.
Judges from the Asian Catering Federation (ACF), which organises the event, visit each restaurant in order to determine the finest curry houses around.
Junoon Indian restaurant, located in Helsby was Highly Commended by the Asian Curry Awards at a glamorous ceremony at Grosvenor House in London on Sunday, November 19.
The evening was hosted by the BBC news anchor Samantha Simmonds, with guest of honour London Mayor Sadiq Khan leading the plaudits.
In an inspiring speech London Mayor Sadiq Khan, spoke of the important contribution that the Asian catering industry has made to the economy and the cultural significance Asian cuisine has made to our lives for the better.
Sadiq Khan, The Mayor of London, said: "Asian cuisine has a very special place in British society. I was delighted to be back to support The Asian Curry Awards and meet so many inspiring business owners and chefs who have shown incredible resilience and ingenuity in the face of many challenges, from the pandemic to the cost-of-living crisis.
"On behalf of Londoners, I want to commend all the restaurants, chefs and service staff that took part and congratulate the winners.
"These businesses don’t just feed us amazing food, they have become an integral part of our everyday lives and I’m committed to doing everything I can to ensure they continue to thrive, enrich our communities and support our economy as we work together to build a better London for everyone."
Top national accolades went to: Colonel Saab - Asian Restaurant of the Year, Barbur - Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year.
Individual cuisine awards went to: Issa Sushi (Japanese) Tien Thai, Bournemouth (Thai), Kasa & Kin, Soho (Filipino), Ottoman Kitchen, Southampton (Middle Eastern), MyMakan, Norwich (Malaysian). Balo Brasserie, Brighton (Asian Oriental), Grand Sapphire (Event Venue of the Year).
Yawar Khan, Chairman of the ACF said: "We are competing against quick food, which is often produced in factories and warehouses – without the personal attention, authentic skill and attention of our top chefs, then shipped out to customers eager to take advantage of the convenience of the click-to-order online buying phenomenon.
"Our winners tonight are the guardians of fresh food cooking – the vanguard protecting and promoting quality in Asian cuisine and in many ways, keeping the high streets alive."
To combat the adversities which hit independent local restaurants, lacking the resources of chains and multi-national chains, the ACF will be unveiling a unique initiative for which the top hundred venues shortlisted for these awards will be eligible to participate. A nationwide roadshow will demonstrate how the curry sector – which is often notoriously slow to adopt the advantages of new technologies.
Participants will be educated on how to use social media platforms, build and exploit invaluable customer databases, create marketing calendars, communicate new customer offerings, and increase footfall on what are mistakenly deemed slack trading periods.
The full list of local and regional winners of the Asian Curry Awards are available to view on the competition's website.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here