Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and reportedly the driving force for a new ‘curry college’ for British nationals, will be in attendance to watch the winners receive their awards.
There are 12 ‘Chef of the Year’ awards at stake, covering nine regions across the UK, in addition to the ‘Caterer of the Year’ awards and four Honour Awards, which will recognise ‘outstanding achievement in civic society’.
Hosted by TV presenter Tasmin Lucia Khan, the awards will take place at the Park Plaza Hotel, Westminster on 4 December, in front of a 1,000 strong audience including Pickles, Anne Main MP, and Britain’s first Bangladeshi MP, Rushanara Ali.
"Trials and tribulations"
The BCA’s president Bajloor Rashid said: "BCA are looking forward to celebrating the success of many of the UK’s greatest curry House entrepreneurs. They have had to face many trials and tribulations, however they continue to strive to ensure the authentic taste of curry is delivered to UK’s curry connoisseurs.”
The BCA’s 51st awards come as the ethnic restaurant industry is fighting government efforts to cut immigration from outside the EU. Under the current system, non-graduates from outside the EU – the main source of staff for much of the UK’s $4.1 billion curry house industry – struggle to obtain visas, which has caused a skills gap in the industry.
Earlier this week it emerged that the government, led by Pickles, is seeking to back a so-called ‘curry college’ to train British nationals in the arts of ethnic catering.
The BCA represents the UK’s 12,000-strong British Bangladeshi restaurants and takeaways.
Full list of nominees below.
North East
Shuhel Ahmed, The Spice Island, Barnard Castle
Rofiquezzaman Chowdhury, Char Masum, Northumberland
Sabu Miah, Lal Qilla Restaurant, Northumberland
Suroth Miah, Tandoor Mahal, Northumberland
North West
Gulam Muktadir, Double Tree Indian Restaurant, Preston
Mohammed Mainul Amin, Deeba Restaurant, Stockport
Mohammed Ali, Shajan Indian Restaurant, Blackburn
Ruhul Amin Chowdhury, The Rani, Hadfield, Manchester
West Midlands
Sadiq Miah, Kaben, Quarry Bank
Shahidul Islam, Zeera Restaurant, Bloxwich
Abdul Shahed, The Stafford Balti Restaurant, Stafford
Jahangir Alam, Monsoon, Tomworth
East Midlands
Robby Malique, Melford Valley Tandoori, Long Melford, Suffolk
Islam Uddin, Star of India, Sawbridgeworth, Herts
Misbaur Rahman Choudhury, Star of India,Boston, Lincolnshire
East of England
Mohammed Jitu Miah, Dhansiri Indian Cuisine, Burnham on Crouch
Suruk Miah, Drovers Arms, Steppingley, Beds
Mohammed Faizul Haque, Cumin Bar & Restaurant, Hertfordshire
Firuzul Haque, Café Masala, Dunstable, Bedfordshire
Manik Miah, Maharani Indian Cuisine, Ipswich
Emran Khan, Shapla Tandoori, Attleborough, Norfolk
Abdul Hamid Sikdar, Passage to India, Norwich
Mohammed Abdur Rouf, Nimmi Indian Cuisine, Thetford
South West
Syed Abdul Wahid, The Jaipur Palace Restaurant, Plymouth
Mohammed Hafizur Rahman, Spice Lodge Pan Asian Cuisine, Cheltenham, Gloucs
S K Shahjahan Ahmed Tarafdar, Shah Indian Cuisine, Highbridge, Somerset
Enamul Haque Chowdhury, Ganges Restaurant, Wooton Bassett, Swindon, Wiltshire
South East
Rezaul Kabir Raja, The Raja of Kent, St Michaels, Kent
Anisul Hoque Choudhury, Rajmoni, Bromley, Kent
Jubair Zaman, Curry Inn, Cranleigh
Shamim Ahmed, Golden Curry, Hampton Court
Riaz Ali, Alishan Restaurant, 149 High Street, Tonbridge
Shalim Karim, Tandoor Mahal, Maidstone, Kent
Mustafizur Khandaker, Curry Lounge, New Romney, Kent
Shahidur Rahman Chowdhury, Mughal Dynasty, Maidstone
Masud Ahmed, Café Tusk, Fareham
Shiraj Ali, Dewana, West Wickham, Kent
Shitab Ali, Raj Palace, Bromley
Helal Malik, Blue Bengal,Carshalton, Surrey
London
Khairul Islam, Indian Fusion, Towerbridge Road,
Mizanur Rahman Elachi, Essence of Spice, Forest Hill
Subud Ranjan Sen, Samrat Tandoori Restaurant, Plaistow
Jubair Yusuf, Ruchita Tandoori, Avery Hill Road
Abdul Khalique Chowdhury, Forest of India, Abbots Langley
Syed Wasel Ali, Curry Paradise, South End Road
Shohidul Haque, Bengal Spice, Middlesex
Salim Chowdhury Jaflong Restaurant Harrow
Wales
Abdur Rahman, Chillies Indian Restaurant, Swansea
Abul Lais Shikdar, Jaflon Bangladeshi, Penarth
Amir Ali, Shahinoor Tandoori, Cwambran
Abdul Khalique, Verandah Restaurant, Llanelli
Scotland
Ahad Sheik, Nazma Tandoori, Aberdeen, Scotland
Ruhal Amin, The Bombay Spice, Edinburgh
Shahin Khan, Gandhi's, Edinburgh
Md Bodrul Zaman, Tiger Coast Restaurant, North Berwick