Tandoori Magazine

September / October 2014

www.tandoorimagazine.com

Marketing:

Asma Khan the Foodie

Back of house Chef Palash Mitra

Chef Chad Rahman’s Love of Hilsa Fish

001_TM_Sep_Oct_Cover.indd 1

04/09/2014 07:10

Discover The

I M P O S S I B LY SMOOTH BEER COBRA BEER ACHIEVES HIGHEST DRAUGHT VOLUME SALES IN 5 YEARS*

The huge growth in Cobra Draught Beer is because of the impossibly smooth taste, our multi awardwinning recipe and your continuing support.

In 2014 we have launched our heavyweight ‘Meet the Boss’ marketing campaign. This means that your customers will see the advert on TV, and expect to see Cobra Beer in Indian Restaurants. Please make sure you stock up on all Cobra Products.

live smooth

73 gold medals

*MCBC Sales Data 2013

002_TM_Sep_Oct14.indd 2

27/08/2014 06:29

in this issue

www.tandoorimagazine.com

T

andoori may have been off the grid as it were for a year or so, but you’ll be happy to know that it’s back in full force!

Not only that, we are making our website better than ever with news, features and much, much more.

So feast your eyes on this month’s issue – there’s the latest industry news, features galore and all the hot and blazing updates on immigration as given to us by the person at the heart of it all, Maria Fernandes. On our marketing page, we have the queen of supperclubs and all things foodie Asma Khan talking to us about what she’s been up to this yeat and even more importantly how she’s created her tamarind chutney.

Two AA Rosette winning chef Chad Rahman talks about his love of hilsa fish and gives us a fabulous recipe too. Then we have the perennial favourite Chilli Pickle of Brighton and its profile. This is a restaurant, which never fails to amaze and delight us. All this and more – from talented chefs such as Palash Mitra to Hrishikesh Desai – there’s talent here to boot!

Humayun Hussain Ajay Patel EDITOR .................................... Humayun Hussain DESIGNER ...................................................... Ian Blaza CONTRIBUTOR .................................... Chris O’Leary EDITORIAL CONSULTANT ................. Pat Chapman PUBLISHER

p25

EDITOR’S LETTER

.................................................

www.tandoorimagazine.com

003_TM_Sep_Oct_Contents.indd 3

4 6 12 15 17

News

All the latest

National News

p5

From around the UK

Cobra News

Awards and accolades

Immigration

Latest restrictions

18 p17 21 23

Marketing

Foodie Asma Kham

Feature

A chef ’s favourite

Reviews

Wines and books

Naturally Indian

The Chilli Pickle

25 27 30

Back of House

Chef Palash Mitra

Front of House

Teaching cookery

Movers & Shakers

Shamim Huseinmiya

September/October 2014 2014 // T A N D O O R I

3

27/08/2014 11:31

news

Hot curry stops bowel cancer A study has found that a chemical compound found in spicy curries could help reduce the risk of developing bowel cancer.

Researchers gave capsaicin, which gives chilli peppers their heat, to mice genetically prone to developing multiple tumours in their gastrointestinal tract.

The capsaicin triggered a pain receptor in the cells lining their intestines, setting off a reaction that reduced the risk of growing colorectal tumours.

Scientists found that the treatment extended the lifespan of the mice by more than 30 per cent. It was even more effective when combined with celecoxib, an anti inflammatory drug already approved for treating some forms of arthritis.

Bowel cancer is the third most common type of cancer in the UK, with doctors diagnosing an average of 41,000 new cases of

the disease every year.

The study, published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, recommended that patients at risk of getting colon or rectal cancers should be given capsaicin as part of their diet to inhibit tumour growth.

Capsaicin is already used as an analgesic in topical

ointments, where it acts as an irritant overwhelming nerves reducing their ability to report pain for extended periods of time. It is also used in pepper spray.

Data observed by scientists suggests that individuals at high risk of developing recurrent intestinal tumours may benefit.

came out top and the proceeds of the evening going to the international children’s charity, World Vision.

Food was provided for guests

by Madhu’s restaurant from Southall whose lamb biryani brought out the distinct and delicate flavour of mira ice.

Tony O’Connor, CEO of Amira, said, “The calibre of meals served was exceptional and all the competing restaurants

combined flavour in a way that was truly inspirational. It has been an honour and a pleasure for Amira to take part in this year s iffin u .

Winner of numerous prestigious international awards and recognitions, Amira Nature Foods Limited was found in 1915 and is a family business that has evolved into a leading global provider of speciality rice with sales in over 40 countries.

Amira rice wows the Tiffin Cup Launched this summer as the newest and highest quality aromatic, speciality, basmati rice brand on supermarket shelves, making its debut its debut at Tesco stores nationwide, Amira rice also wowed participants and guests at the iffin Cup Awards, by sponsoring the event.

Hosted by MP’s Martin Horwood and the Right Honourable Keith Vaz, with a celebrity judging panel included Ready Steady Cook chef Ainsley Harriott and actress Nina Wadia, the cook-off event was won by Purple Poppadom, ardiff, whose monkfish dish

4

T A N D O O R I // September/October 2014

004_005_TM_Jun_Jul14_News_NEW.indd 4

Scientists create a seedless mango As the ban imposed on mangoes coming into the EU from India takes hold, scientists there have reportedly successfully grown a “seedless” mango.

Researchers at the Bihar Agriculture University (BAU) have borne a fruit that is sweet and juicy – but without that large stone in the centre. The new variety, called Sindhu, which the university claims also has good export potential, weighs around 200g and is less fibrous than other ty es of mango.

Mango lovers though need to take caution: V B Patel, chairman of the horticulture department at the university, said, “Neither have we developed this mango nor is it seedless. We simply tested this variety.

But we are happy and enthusiastic as well as confident and ho eful of improving the seedless mango variety.”

BAU planted its own mangoes in 2011 and this is the first year that produce has been yielded. The university is now working to make the fruit available to local mango growers on an experimental basis.

A major producer of mangoes, Bihar, according to the National Horticulture Mission (NHM), produced 1.5 million tonnes of the fruit last year.

www.tandoorimagazine.com

02/09/2014 12:53

Leicester’s Red Hot World Buffet It’s Curry The city of Leicester has seen its biggest restaurant open during the summer with the latest launch branch of the Red Hot World Buffet.

With several sites to its name, including Manchester, Leeds and Nottingham, Red Hot World Buffet’s new operation has come courtesy of a £2 million renovation and amounts to Leicester’s single biggest restaurant investment.

Located on the corner of the High Street and Highcross shopping centre, the site, which is set over two floors and

seats up to 420 covers, covers £16,000 sq foot, with a bar and live entertainment facilities. The restaurant’s successful dining formula is the same as its sister establishments with an ‘all you can eat’ concept, with cuisines ranging from Indian, Italian and British through to Mexican, Chinese and Japanese.

James Horler, CEO of the Red Hot World Buffet group, said of the opening, “The venue has everything under one roof including a fantastic choice of food to suit every taste from pizza and pasta to sushi and a

world grill serving meats and fish. ot forgetting the range of quality desserts including 14 varieties of cake, four types of fruits, two Indian desserts and a chocolate fountain with all the trimmings.

“We hope to offer something for everyone. It’ll be a great destination for families to enjoy a meal out together plus with the variety and quality of food on offer, it’s an ideal place for groups of friends, work colleagues or students to have a night out. learly for fire fighters, all they need is the hot stuff!”

Mridula Baljekar Gets World Gourmand Recognition Famed Indian cookery book author and chef Mridula Baljekar has once again made a name for herself on the international culinary circuit by scooping the ‘Best Indian Cookbook in the World’.

Awarded by the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, considered to be the Oscars of the cookbook world, this is Baljekar’s second ‘Best in the World’ by Gourmand.

The awards ceremony in

Beijing, China, had participants from around the world totalling 187 countries. i finalists were chosen from each category and Baljekar won for UK-India for her latest book, The Complete Indian Regional Cookbook.

Published by Lorenz Books, the cookery book is

a compilation of recipes exploring well-known as well as unknown territories of India.

“I was just numbed by the award announcement,” said a jubilant Baljekar. “It was such a surprise. I was shocked and completely overjoyed, all at the same time. I’m next working on a book, which is really uniquely different, but I won’t say just yet as to what it is!”

The Mint Room to Launch in Bristol Bath’s famed and awardwinning modern Indian restaurant The Mint Room is launching a second site in the south-west, in Bristol, Somerset.

Located in the city’s upmarket Clifton area, the premises, formerly a short-lived Indian, are multi-level and will be larger than its original counterpart, with a large bar area by the entrance. Though the name of the new restaurant will remain the same as the Bath site, the menu concept will change, with

www.tandoorimagazine.com

004_005_TM_Jun_Jul14_News_NEW.indd 5

plans for a bar menu and a tasting menu running alongside the a la carte.

“This is an exciting next step in our expansion plans for the Mint Room,” said Luthfur Rahman, owner and managing director of the group. “We have achieved a tremendous level of success with the restaurant in a very short of space of time in Bath, winning just about every award possible on a local level as well as nationally at the British Curry Awards and being Michelin listed. I could not have asked for more.”

“In Bristol, we are going to do even better,” he added.

for National Heroes A national survey commissioned by UniformDating.com, the UK’s top dating site for uniformed professionals, has shown that curry is never quite far from the stomach of national heroes in places such as wards, police stations, hos itals, fire stations and on patrol.

Curry has been voted as their favourite dish, whilst coming up next as their favourite were fish and chips, and soups.

Topping the polls overall , with curry, fire fighters were articularly keen on the spicy treat with 29% choosing it as their favourite dish. The British classics, however, of gammon and chips and a full English breakfast were less popular with not a single vote.

Both doctors and nurses came out as being the healthiest of the bunch in their meal choices, with them being the only professions to include a salad in their top three dishes.

Although the various professions had a similar taste in food, they all displayed a very different relationship to food and meals whilst at work. eals for fire fighters were central to their day, with of fire fighters who eat meals at their workplace doing so with their work colleagues on a regular basis. om ared to fire fighters, doctors rarely ate with their work colleagues, with over half (56%) who eat at their workplace rarely or never enjoying meals with their colleagues.

September/October 2014 2014 // T A N D O O R I

5

27/08/2014 07:29

national news

Chef award for Cinnamon Soho 16,000

Raju Ramachandran, head chef of the modern Indian restaurant Cinnamon Soho, has won the prestigious Ethnic Chef Award at The Craft Guild of Chefs Awards 2014.

Held at London’s Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel and attended by more than 650 guests, the awards recognise leaders across the industry, from fine dining restaurants through to pubs, military units and in contract catering.

Up against strong contenders from Indian and Moroccan restaurants, chef Ramachandran joined other winners on the night including Eric Chavot from Brasserie Chavot, Gymkhana and Martin Powell from the RAC Club.

Chef Ramachandran said: “Being recognised as a top chef

in my field and winning the thnic Chef Award is a real achievement for me. Myself and the team at Cinnamon Soho work hard to develop and modernise Indian cuisine, producing innovative and unique dishes to keep diners coming back for more.”

Cinnamon Soho is the third restaurant from executive chef Vivek Singh, sister restaurant to The Cinnamon Club and

Cinnamon Kitchen. Offering an accessible menu with sharing plates and comfort food classics, sample dishes includes fat chillis filled with root vegetables and paneer, stir fried shrimp with curry leaf and black pepper along with mains such as chargrilled rump of Kentish lamb with saffron sauce and ucknow style free range chicken biryani.

Desserts may feature mango and cardamom brulee whilst afternoon tea is also served.

The restaurant has won a host of accolades since opening including; ‘Best Menu’ at the London Restaurant Festival Awards; ‘100 Best Small Dishes in London 2012’ for its Bangla Scotch egg dish and came second place in ‘Best in Taste of London’ for the lamb’s brain dish.

Dipna Anand gets beyond brilliant

Very much the “face” of the famed Brilliant restaurant in London’s Southall, Dipna Anand, who along with her father Gulu Anand, owns the establishment, has published her first cookery book entitled Beyond Brilliant.

Anand, who also heads up the cookery school at the restaurant and is a chef lecturer at the University of West London, has stated that she found the experience of writing the

6

T A N D O O R I // September/October 2014

006_007_TM_Jun_Jul14_National News.indd 6

SQUARE FOOT AND CATERING FOR 420 CUSTOMERS IS THE CAPACITY OF THE NEW RED HOT WORLD BUFFET SITE IN LEICESTER

7

IS THE STREET NUMBER IN THE ADDRESS OF THE NEW INDIAN RESTAURANT IN WEYBRIDGE, NO 7 TEMPLE

cookery book – with recipes inspired primarily by the dishes on Brilliant s un abi style menu as well as some of Anand’s own – as being quite “strange as well as intriguing.”

Diligently promoting the new book, Anand stated: “I have been actively involved in the restaurant industry now for over ten years, from helping dad manage the restaurant, assisting chefs in devising new dishes and more. All of a sudden I was being being called a chef and author as opposed to a chef or a lecturer and to me it was something positive that added to my image and role in the sector I’m in.”

The book includes 54 recipes in total of which 40 are from the Brilliant, whilst others are those which Anand has learnt from her mother. The remaining ones are, which she teaches her students at the university and the others are healthy option recipes, which she won her national A’level’ award for from the British Nutrition Foundation.

www.tandoorimagazine.com

27/08/2014 11:24

in brief...

The Imperial Durbar launches in Tooting The days of India’s 1940s Raj are given a new lease of life at The Imperial Durbar, an all-day café-cum-bar, which evokes the old East India Company. Owned by brothers Alastair and Nicholas Heathcote, environs here are replete with a sense of tradition – ranging from period furniture and artefacts to sanded oorboards. Decent cocktails are accompanied by daytime treats of pastries ans snacks whilst evening time food can be ordered via the cardamom Club takeaway nearby.

Racism case against Le Gavroche dismnissed A racism case in which a receptionist of the two-Michelin starred restaurant was suing the establishment has been dismissed. The receptionist, who is Spanish, was sacked from her job after only being in her post for three weeks and replaced by a white woman. Though the receptionist claimed that the decision was based on race, the claim was rejected by a tribunal, which said it found no evidence of any discrimination by her employer.

Asha’s to open in Manchester The restaurant brand inspired by Bollywood playback singer Asha Bhosle, Asha’s is to get a new site in Manchester this autumn. With the original UK branch already doing business in Birmingham, the new premises will cover a large 6,000 square foot space, encompassing two oors. riginally, launching in Dubai, in and spreading across the Middle East ever since, the Manchester restaurant will be overseen by Peter Warden, who has played a strong role in other restaurants in Manchester. It’s been revealed that the new opening will have Bhosle in attendance at the launch party.

Go Indian with cheese The cheese manufacturing company Pilgrims Choice have launched a brand new range of 80g additive cheeses in bright and colourful packaging to inspire and encourage cheese lovers to try something just that little bit different. The Pick N Mix range is available in six varieties - Vintage, Smokey and Wensleydale and Cranberry are the three core avours plus three limited edition avours ndian pice, Firecracker and Apple. ne would think the Indian would be the most spicy, but it’s the e ican avours of the Firecracker which make the palate jump!

Visits from India to Britain are up isits from ndia to the were up by in the first three uarters of 1 compared to the same period the year before. That’s according to new figures from isit ritain, which hit a high profile tourism mission in Mumbai and New Delhi earlier this year. The number of visits from ndia hit a record , visits and spending reached £ million over the period.

www.tandoorimagazine.com

006_007_TM_Jun_Jul14_National News.indd 7

September/October 2014 2014 // T A N D O O R I

7

27/08/2014 11:24

008_TM_Sep_Oct14.indd 8

27/08/2014 10:47

news

The Ambrette Opens In Canterbury Dev Biswal, chef patron of The Ambrette award-winning restaurants in Margate and Rye, has launched The Ambrette @ Canterbury.

The TV chef, who champions a ‘curry-free menu’ of south Indian style dishes utilising locally sourced seasonal ingredients with a modern twist, has taken over the site of the former Beer Cart Arms and moved from Ramsgate to Canterbury as a more central, 100-cover location, to his growing operations. The site is bigger in size than both Ramsgate and Rye. “Canterbury is a fantastic historic town with a great food heritage and perfect demographics for my style of cooking,” said Biswal, “We

have over 2,000 people on our customer database with a Canterbury postcode who have already made the trip to the restaurants in Margate or Rye. One of the things we certainly plan to explore is all-day dining with an Indian accent and offer

breakfast and afternoon teas,” he added.

Biswal had been looking for suitable premises to open a restaurant in the cathedral city after three successful pop up restaurant events held at the Kent & Canterbury Club in

October in 2012.

Canterbury will also serve as a training and development site, with centralised production of marinades and sauces, to ensure consistently high standards across the group, as operations expand. Biswal hopes to open a fourth restaurant, somewhere between Canterbury and Margate specialising in seafood and vegetarian cooking, with the emphasis on gluten and allergen free foods. The chef has also set his sights on locations in Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells, Brighton and London.

The two existing Ambrette restaurants are recommended by all the leading guides including Michelin, AA, Waitrose Good Food and Harden’s.

Indian Platform steams ahead with new site

It’s been a mere few months after opening in Glasgow’s West End, but the founders behind The Indian Platform restaurant have opened a second restaurant in the rapidly expanding chain – The Indian Platform 2 (Southside) – in Newton Mearns, just outside of Glasgow.

The owners have transformed the former Ivy India Restaurant on Ayr Road into The Indian Platform 2 (Southside) with the 130 cover eatery, including a 150 seat function room and a 50 seat rivate suite, benefitting from a fresh makeover to bring it up to the standards of the Indian Platform branding.

A new menu includes an extensive tandoori selection, including such dishes as: murgh tikka, tandoori jhinga and tandoori machi. House specialities include murgh palakdaar, roshan lal, ginger chicken and saag keema mutter; karahi king prawns, lamb rogan josh, machi masala and

www.tandoorimagazine.com

009_TM_Jun_Jul14_News.indd 9

south Indian chilli garlic chicken.

Former Scottish Asian Business woman of the Year Nasreen Aksi, co-founder of the Indian Platform brand alongside Chetan Parmar, said: “The opening of our second Indian Platform restaurant just four months after the launch of the brand, signals our intention to go full steam ahead with our fast track growth plans.

“The Indian Platform 2 (Southside) is a new familyfriendly restaurant for Glasgow’s southside, offering both buffet and a la carte menus, with a large function room and private suite allowing us to cater for a range of social and business occasions.”

Set apart from the main dining area, The Indian Platform 2 (Southside) features an upstairs chef’s table offering an exclusive, fine dining o tion where head chef Neeraj Dhatwalia presents his tasting menu and offers individually prepared dishes to diners to suit their unique tastes.

September/October 2014 2014 // T A N D O O R I

9

27/08/2014 11:11

news

The Taj re-opens the courtyard The Taj hotel group’s site in central London 51 Buckingham Gate has reopened for the summer season with a new menu under the guise of executive chef Vikas Milhoutra.

He oversees the á la carte lunch and dinner menu with summer dishes such as Scottish scallo s with citron salt flakes, masala s iced fish with mango kachumber and BBQ favourites such as tenderloin burgers and ribs.

Milhoutra has also paid attention to the UK’s resurgent passion for traditional afternoon tea by creating a selection of afternoon teas to tie in with some key calendar events. uests can en oy floral tea including chocolate flower

Investment in Indian tapas restaurant concept estaurateur and food entre reneur a Bo arai, who runs the successful Chilli restaurant in Barnsley, orkshire, has given the restaurant a , makeover as art of the changes he wants to introduce

ots, rose macaroons and orange blossom scones , or the extravagant “24 karat gold afternoon tea , which includes

Luxor Pure Gold 24K Brut ham agne, gold leaf elly, flaked gold strawberry tart and white chocolate and gold leaf.

All teas include a selection of scones and finger sandwiches. t the sister hotel, a s t. ames ourt, the new oyal Vintage Summer Experience to celebrate the best of the British summers of yesteryear, has been launched. he oyal intage erience starts from £395 based on two sharing, and includes accommodation in a classic room with breakfast, three hours use of a vintage car – ranging from the Queen Mother’s Mother’s favourite Jaguar DS420 Daimler limousine ‘Grand rincess , the famous ownton bbey olls oyce abriella to Lord Mountbatten’s vintage Daimler ‘Silver Baroness’ - and an afternoon tea for two.

for Indian tapas-style dining. he businessman, who o ened his restaurant in 2004 and who last year launched his own line of supermarket ready meals hilli at ome, said a as style dining promises a gastronomic journey.

“It allows you to choose smaller taster dishes to share with friends. Whether it’s a uick lunch or an evening out, this is a stylish alternative for

adventurous diners. The idea has proven successful in Scotland and London so why not in orkshire, where we love a good curry e added he restaurant has survived the recession and difficult economic times although we’ve sought to develop other revenue streams like Chilli at Home which is now selling 250 units a year and stocked in Budgens, ostcutter and a

number of farm shops.

Bo arai, also runs neighbouring restaurant Grille Steakhouse and champagne bar Chill - all on Barnsley’s Market Street. or now though, he stated, “we’re focusing heavily on the Chilli restaurant because we’re seeing strong signs of recovery and want to ensure we’re serving our customers the very best food and freshest ideas.

ADVERTORIAL

British made Indian cider new alcoholic drinks brand, ukhra remium edium ider, is aiming to capitalise on the continuing growth in cider sales and Britain’s love affair with Indian cuisine.

Pukhraj Medium Cider is available in the ever 500ml bottle size with an ABV of 5.4%. Fermented from 100% pressed nglish a les from erefordshire, orcestershire and loucestershire, the cider comes without added concentrates. erved chilled, ukhra ider has a golden

10

T A N D O O R I // September/October 2014

010_TM_Jun_Jul14_News.indd 10

colour with a hint of sparkle and an aroma of dried fruit aromas and flavour of caramel, butterscotch and apples. uresh atel, who along with award-winning cider maker Allen ogan, created the cider, said “I was offered a huge selection of Indian beers to compliment my meal, but what always really wanted was a good quality cider.

Given the continued growth in

popularity of cider and the complimentary nature of cider with spicy food it seemed cra y that couldn t find the erfect cider to go with my meal. I didn’t believe I was alone in thinking this and my market research confirmed that not only was there a gap in the market for such a product but also that cider is the perfect accompaniment to spicy ndian dishes. e added he reaction to Pukhraj Cider so far has e ceeded my e ectations.

www.tandoorimagazine.com

27/08/2014 11:45

011_TM_Sep_Oct14.indd 11

27/08/2014 10:54

news

Quality recognised th ve o d meda s and special award Cobra Beer’s status as one of the foremost World Beers is recognised today with a full house of five gold medals from Monde Selection.

After three successive years of gold medals success, Cobra is also awarded an International High Quality Trophy. ll five obra roducts were awarded gold medals in a clean sweep which include Cobra, King Cobra and Cobra Zero. ince first entering the onde Selection awards in 2001, Cobra Beer has now won a total of 78 gold medals, making it one of the most awarded beers in the world.

The awards come as Cobra Beer rapidly increases its share in the UK’s upmarket bars, having seen 77pc volume growth in the sector following the launch of a major advertising campaign in February.

The brand is already stocked by 98.2pc of the UK’s Indian restaurants and extensively in multiple supermarkets and the independent retail sector. Cobra exports regularly to 30 countries, across the EU and as far as Chile, New Zealand and Japan.

Judged by an independent panel of industry professionals, the onde election wards

Lord Bilimoria installed as Chancellor of the University of Birmingham The University of Birmingham has announced that Lord Bilimoria of Chelsea, CBE, DL, has been installed as the University’s seventh Chancellor.

The India-born founder of Cobra Beer was installed during an official ceremony held recently at the University. Lord Bilimoria follows a long line of distinguished University of Birmingham Chancellors.

Professor Sir David Eastwood, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, said: “I am delighted that Lord Bilimoria has agreed to become Chancellor of the University of Birmingham. “He embodies the character, spirit, and ethos of the University. We know that,

12

like those Chancellors before him, Lord Bilimoria will make a powerful and lasting contribution to this University.”

The Chancellor acts as the ceremonial figurehead of the University and has an important ambassadorial role, working with the Vice-Chancellor and the Pro-Chancellor to raise the niversity s rofile.

On accepting the role, Lord Bilimoria said: “The University of Birmingham is a wonderful institution with such an illustrious history dating back to its foundation by Joseph Chamberlain in 1900. It is also the University where my mother, my uncle and my maternal grandfather studied.”

T A N D O O R I // September/October 2014

012_TM_Jun_Jul14_Cobra.indd 12

assess 2,830 products from over 80 countries each year, and are the leading kitemark of quality for consumer goods.

The medals are being awarded by onde election today at its Annual Award Ceremony in Bordeaux.

Lord Bilimoria CBE, founder and chairman of Cobra Beer, comments: “We are delighted that onde election has again recognised the quality and consistency of the Cobra Beer portfolio. The competition for these awards is fierce and these results are a testament to our unrelenting commitment to quality and ambition to become the No. 1 World Beer in the UK. “This year we are looking to break into new markets, and become the beer of choice for drinkers in pubs and bars.

“The impact of our new advertising campaign has already been significant in helping the brand reach new segments of the market, and today’s awards are a timely acknowledgment that the quality of our beers will continue to underpin the growth and development of the Cobra brand.”

Lord Bilimoria CBE awarded Honorary Doctorate from Exeter University Lord Bilimoria CBE, the founder and chairman of Cobra Beer, has been awarded an honorary doctorate by Exeter University in recognition of his contribution to both British enterprise and public life.

The honorary doctorate, presented by Exeter University chancellor Baroness Floella Benjamin OBE DL, is Lord Bilimoria’s seventh; following accolades from Brunel University, Heriot Watt University, Staffordshire University, London etro olitan niversity, ranfield University and the University of West London.

The ceremony, which took place in the Great Hall of the University’s Streatham Campus on Tuesday 15 July, saw a total of 14 honorary degrees awarded, with other notable recipients including Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Director of the Stephen Lawrence Trust and Sigrid Kaag, Special Coordinator with the United Nations.

Lord Bilimoria’s career has seen extensive involvement in Higher Education. In 2005 he become the youngest ever chancellor in the UK when he was instated as chancellor of the University of West London.

This year Lord Bilimoria was named as the chancellor of the University of Birmingham, making him the first ndian born chancellor of a Russell Group university.

Lord Bilimoria said: “I have been fortunate enough to have enjoyed a long and rewarding career, not only in business, but also in working to give something back to this wonderful country through my work in public life.

Britain is a global leader in many ways, but none more so than with its universities.

www.tandoorimagazine.com

27/08/2014 07:33

013_TM_Sep_Oct14.indd 13

27/08/2014 10:59

014_TM_Sep_Oct14.indd 14

04/09/2014 08:53

Sponsor Licencing for Staff If you are struggling to find good chefs and other staff, you need a sponsor licence. You will though need to think carefully about the licencing criteria, says solicitor Maria Fernandes

Maria Fernandes has been an immigration lawyer for 28 years and is accredited by the Solicitors Regulation Authority

I

n the trade you are in, there is a strict control of staff you can employ. Furthermore, as restaurants are classified as “high risk� you are likely to have to put up with unannounced as well as announced visits. You also need to understand that the a roach of officers who visit has shifted from being helpful to being downright officious.

If you are thinking about obtaining a licence, the first ste is to ensure that you have a good employment processes in place.

You should have a contract for each member of staff, collect

www.tandoorimagazine.com

015_TM_Jun_Jul14_Immigration.indd 15

contact details, check and copy passports, check that the visas on the passport or biometric cards permit work, and that visa expiry dates are recorded. Steps must also be taken to act upon them where necessary.

Needless to say, anyone thinking of having a major role in the business (its Authorising fficer must not have criminal convictions and being an undischarged bankrupt also dis ualifies you from holding a responsible position within the company. The process is relatively easy, involving an online application, followed up by the submission of supporting documents (either original or certified by a solicitor within set time limits.

With restaurants, it is more than likely that there will be a visit and therefore a delay in the grant of a licence. At the visit, the processes that the business adopts are reviewed and if all is in order a licence is granted.

When applications are made to renew licences it usually triggers a visit.

Once the licence is issued,

in focus it is vital to ensure that the paperwork is maintained and updated on a regular basis and that you regularly report a number of changes on the Sponsor Management System, which is the an online system.

There is also a requirement to keep a number of documents and you must produce them if requested.

Once a licence is issued an employer (called a Sponsor) can issue staff under restricted permits or unrestricted permits.

It is vital from the start to understand the distinction between them. Restricted certificates are used to bring in staff from abroad and are restricted to 1725 per month.

Sponsors can only bring chefs from abroad if their restaurant is classified as a high class establishment, where all food is cooked from fresh ingredients, does not offer a take away service or buffet.

Even 1% of takeaway food is likely to affect the outcome (although funnily enough hotels seem to be able to get away with some of these conditions).

The process of applying for a ertificate of onsorshi or CoS as it is normally referred to) is to put the application

Sponsors can only bring chefs from abroad if their restaurant is classified as a high class establishment, where all food is cooked from fresh ingredients, does not offer a take away service or buffet.

before a panel of Managers who meet once a month to decide all applications. Points are awarded for salary, and job title and the highest scorers are granted permission to issue CoS. nrestricted ertificates are allocated for in country staff who are already in a category which permits them to transfer their employment (although their positions for some inexplicable reason have to be advertised). The positions they are allowed to enter will depend on what category and when they obtained their status. Requests are made each year for a number of ro osed certificates that will be required. However despite the fact that these are unrestricted positions, the numbers are usually controlled by the Sponsor Licencing unit.

Instead of stopping the issue of permits to restaurants, a clever move was devised. Overtly, the salary requirements were raised swo high as to make them unreasonable and unworkable in practice, control was put into the Managers who make decisions and are not subject to scrutiny.

More worrying is that, surreptiously, positions such as restaurant managers have been removed completely by claims these are not at a high enough skill level!

Restaurants have received the worst of the clamping down on immigration. On top of all of this there is a needless media campaign which names and shames. It is a wonder that ethnic restaurants still exist after the constant battering that they have endured over the last few years.

Maria Fernandes has been in practice exclusively in immigration for the past 28 years. Fernandes Vaz is based at 87 Wembley Hill Road Wembley in Wembley and can be contacted by telephone on 020 8733 0123, by email on info@ fernandesvaz.com. n

September/October 2014 2014 // T A N D O O R I

15

27/08/2014 07:34

* Interior Design Package is chargeable per design or 250sqm space, whichever is more. Price quoted is exclusive of VAT and subject to site survey. Quotation for works and or materials also excluded.

016_TM_Sep_Oct14.indd 16

27/08/2014 11:07

marketing

A multitalented

T

foodie

ake a look at the various social media platforms and Twitter in particular and when you scan all its foodie crowd and cooks and chefs, the one name you can’t miss out on is Asma Khan. Her supper clubs, under the banner of the rather elegantly named Darjeeling Express have made lovers of Indian regional cooking a mustattend event.

From a domestic cook to a supperclub star for sure, but even that is not enough for her.

Khan has this year - along with her ongoing supperclubs – had an 8 week chef’s residency at a central London pub, The Sun and 13 Cantons, which she says went very well.

“I kept the menu very small and changed it weekly,” she says. “The food was traditional Calcuttan dishes - prawn malaikar, chicken chaa , fish with mustard seeds, sirka gosht and more.

The unexpected hit was the puchkas (pani puri). It was interesting to see many first time English and European customers bravely ordering a dish they had never heard of and some ending up with tamarind water all over their suits!

Khan’s real scoop so far this year has been though as a startup for a smartly packaged and marketed tamarind chutney – the first in a new range from her.

She states: “I thought about launching a chutney after getting very positive comments from my supperclub guests about the chutneys during the dinners. As

www.tandoorimagazine.com

017_TM_Jun_Jul14_Marketing.indd 17

From being a leading London supperclub host to a caterer and resident guest chef, Asma Khan has now even launched a chutney to boot. She talks to Tandoori

to call the tamarind chutney a tamarind sauce so no one bought the bottle and was disappointed there were no chunky bits in it!

Over four days at the festival, we had buyers from Selfridges, Wholefoods, Fenwicks and Not on the High Street visiting our

stand and we sold the bottles to the general public.”

The reaction to Khan’s chutney has been overwhelmingly positive and is available on Not on the High Street www. notonthehighstreet.com/ darjeelingexpress. n

we had the chutney fresh in India, I was unsure about the bottling process. But when I spoke to a couple of friends of mine, they gave me invaluable advice on how to bottle the chutney. Then when some customers came to my pub residency asking for the chutney to take back to the office, I realised the time had come to bottle it. I came back that night and ordered the bottles online – and the business began.”

As luck would have it, Khan was very fortunate to get a good platform to launch the chutney.

“I was enrolled at the School of Creative Startups,” she says, “for their one year business course for creative businesses. At the end of the course was a pop up MakeGoodfestival at Selfridges Old Hotel. I launched my chutney ‘Imli Timli’ at the show. I did some market research and realised there was a difference between the British idea of a chutney (they expected it to have chunky bits in it!) and the south Asian concept of a chutney. I decided

September/October 2014 2014 // T A N D O O R I

17

27/08/2014 12:08

fish recipe

A classic

Bengali fish Two AA Rosette winning chef Chad Rahman of Chez Mumtaj, in St Albans, gives Tandoori an insight into his love of hilsa fish

18

I

n my culinary journey as a chef and as a well-travelled individual, my passion and love for fish is aramount. have tasted and had the good fortune to cook with many varieties of fish from all around the world, but my favourite fish undoubtedly is the hand ur hilsa. his articular fish hold very dear to my heart. t brings back mouth watering memories of my childhood years. n a family tri to Bangladesh on board a flight from ondon eathrow to haka at the age of years old, can still recollect the vivid and vibrant imagery of the terrain.

As the plane descended at haka remember looking out to see a vast expanse of blue turquoise water, meandering through lush emerald green fields. could see small boats casting their nets on the mighty adma iver. t is at that moment the revered hilsa fish flashes through my mind having tasted it prior by the hands of my mothers’ culinary repertoire back in ngland. here is an overwhelming sensation as my mouth starts to salivate uncontrollably. he reci e have given here hails from my mother s ancestral roots of hand ur, Bangladesh. t is un uestionably the king of fish dishes from the ndian sub continent. he ilsa fish hits all the right notes taste, flavour, aroma and te ture. t s

T A N D O O R I // September/October 2014

018_019_TM_Jun_Sep_Oct_Feature.indd 18

the national fish of Bangladesh and is a o ular seasonal delicacy on Bengali tables. t is a tro ical and oily sea fish, but it lays its eggs in large rivers. fter being born, the young hilsa known as atka then swim back to the sea. hey are caught before they swim to the sea because those caught from the sea are not considered to be as tasty as those caught from the river and tributaries. he fish is full of tiny bones which re uire trained eating hands to handle.

As it is anadromous in nature (an uncommon phenomenon in tropical waters), the hilsa lives in the sea for most of its life, but migrates up to 1,200 km inland through rivers in the ndian sub continent for s awning during the monsoon season. istances of km are usually normal in the Bangladesh rivers. n Bangladesh, hilsa is mainly caught in the Padma (lower Ganges), Meghna (lower Brahma utra , and amuna rivers. hose from the adma are considered to be the best in taste. t is said that the more u stream the hilsa fish travels, the tastier it gets.

By the time the hilsa travels u the adma iver to hand ur, it has already swam to less muddy waters and attained a fine taste. n Bangladesh, hilsa can be smoked, fried, steamed, baked in young banana leaves, prepared with mustard seed paste, curd, aubergine, different s ices like cumin and so on. t is said that eo le can re are hilsa in more than ways, re uiring very little oil to cook whilst its roe is also popular as

It is a tropical and oily sea fish, but it lays its eggs in large rivers

www.tandoorimagazine.com

27/08/2014 07:33

CHANDPURI HILSA FISH INGREDIENTS 5 Hilsha Fish Steaks 1Tbs Kasundi Mustard Paste 1tsp Black Mustard Seeds ½ tsp Cumin Seeds 4 Green Chillies White Pepper 1Tbs Chopped Garlic 2Tbs Mustard Oil 2Tbs Vegetable Oil 1 Chopped Shallot Onion 1 Fresh Coriander a Tbs side Chopped dish. ½ Juice of Lemon Salt to taste 1tsp Turmeric Powder ½ tsp Cumin Powder ½ tsp Chilli Powder 2Tbs Yoghurt 2Tbs Water Pinch Of Saffron 1Tbs Butter 300ml Chicken Stock 3 Cherry Vine Tomatoes 5 Baby Potatoes 5 Baby Aubergines

www.tandoorimagazine.com

018_019_TM_Jun_Sep_Oct_Feature.indd 19

METHOD

Marinade For Hilsa Steaks Wash the hilsa steaks thoroughly under running water making sure that all the scales are removed. Pat dry with paper towel removing any excess water place in mixing bowl add salt, white pepper, 1/2tsp chilli and 1tsp turmeric powder, juice of half a lemon and 1tbs of vegetable oil. Mix all the ingredients gently massaging the spices into the flesh of the hilsa steaks set aside for 30 minutes for the marinade to permeate.

Heat non-stick pan with 1tbs of vegetable oil bring to temperature shallow fry the hilsha steaks, till golden brown. Keep aside.

Poached Saffron Baby Potatoes Peel and wash potatoes place in a saucepan add chicken stock, 1tbs salted butter, pinch of saffron bring to boil reduce heat to simmer until potatoes are cooked. Set aside.

Preparation of Sauce In a saucepan, heat 2tbs mustard oil add 1tsp black mustard seeds, 1/2tsp cumin seeds until seeds pop and crackle add 3 slit green chillies, finely cho ed shallots and garlic. Sauté until translucent add 1tsp turmeric, 1/2tsp cumin powder, 1tbs kasundi mustard paste and stir for two minutes add baby aubergines and cook for five minutes then add 2tbs of yogurt and 2tbs of water.

Simmer for 10 minutes place fried hilsha steaks into saucepan and simmer for further three minutes add 3 cherry vine tomatoes until sauce thickens add salt to taste.

Finally, add freshly chopped coriander to sauce and take off heat. Serve with steamed rice.

September/October 2014 // T A N D O O R I

19 27/08/2014 07:33

The iPad menu which doubles as a take-away app.

020_TM_Sep_Oct14.indd Tandoori JUNE JULY PART202.indd 36

27/08/2014 31/07/2013 06:27 23:23

reviews Wines

Books Atul’s Curries of the World Atul Kocchar

Gerard Bertrand Saint Chinian, Syrah/Mourvèdre,

Absolute Press £20

Languedoc, France 2010 £11.99

Always a bit of an event, whenever uber-chef Atul Kochhar launches something new. So it’s nice to know that his latest cookery book, Atul’s Curries of the World, is reason enough to celebrate as it’s a fine addition to one’s book collection. The title says it all – with recipes from around the globe encompassing different meats such as lamb, beef, goat, duck and game, and even vegetables are given a look in and brought to us in very easy-to-replicate recipes. Good on you Mr Kochhar!

Owned by the vineyard’s namesake and ex-rugby player, Gerard Bertrand is one of southern France’s largest vineyards. This red blend is a part of the Saint Chinian appellation, which has seen its reputation improve drastically for warm and spicy reds in recent decades. This wine’s colour is medium, rich garnet and its nose offers berry jam and peppers. On the palate it has a medium body, tickling tannins and subtle fruit.

Pair this tasty wine with mild lamb and game.

Jerusalem Yotam Ottolenghi

Gerard Bertrand Gris Blanc

Ebury Press £27

France, 2012 £9.99

With each passing year it seems that chef extraordinaire Yotam Ottolenghi gains ever more in reputation. And deservedly so. He’s supremely talented and given his Middle Eastern origins, brings forth the kind of imaginative and flavoursome recipes that would put even the most high-profile of British chefs to shame. In his new book, he takes to the city of Jerusalem and brings us a superlative concoction of recipes that bind different cultures, religions and ingredients into one delicious pot.

Gris Blanc is a mutation of the red wine grape Grenache and is a popular varietal in southern France.

This one’s colour is particularly pretty in the glass, light yellow with the faintest hints of pink. Its fresh and pleasant bouquet transparently reveals this wine for what it is – a quality but unfussy potable perfect for the warm, beautiful weather for which its region of provenance is famous. Once sipped it has a good acidity and refreshing notes of peach. Pair with mild to medium grilled seafood.

The Breakfast Bible Seb Emina & Malcolm Eggs

Sula Sauvignon Blanc Nashik, India, 2012 £8.99

Bloomsbury £16.99

Breakfast isn’t just a highly pleasurable experience, it has always been perceived as probably the day’s most important meal – and appropriately so, as it sets you up for an energetic day. What the authors of this new title have done is to not only bring us a breakdown of the ‘full English’, with each of its said ingredients being put under the microscope, as it were, but also to bring us a myriad of contemporary influences – from coffees and smoothies to juices and even mango lassi.

This is a vineyard that I have come to know intimately during my travels in India, and despite always producing quality wines, their 2012 vintage demonstrates vast improvement. In the glass it shows a crystal light gold, whilst on the nose it is rather pleasant with notes of tropical fruit and herbaceous grass. On the palate these flavours persist with a light chalky texture and a medium acidity. I think this wine is begging for some local Marathi or Gujarati vegetarian cuisine!

Beyond Essence David Everitt-Matthias

Fratelli Chenin Blanc

Absolute Press £30

Maharastra 2011 £11.99

Michelin-starred chef David Everitt-Matthias is very much in the league of the world’s best culinary talents, and his restaurant Le Champignon Sauvage, in Cheltenham, one of the finest in the UK. No surprise then that Everitt-Matthias has taken yet again to writing a recipe book – one that goes a notch or two above his previously published Essence and brings us an array of well-executed and highly skilled dishes. Thumbs up for that. But being so cutting edge, is it for the layman?

Chenin Blanc is one of the more common varietals grown in India, and the Fratelli version surprisingly grew on me after a few sips. Its colour is medium gold, and its aroma offers tasty notes of ripe mango and pineapple. On the palate it is medium dry and at first tastes of an Indian wine that has still not arrived…

But then its tropical fruit, slight nuttiness and utter drinkability seduce you and make you crave some spicy chicken!

www.tandoorimagazine.com

021_TM_Jun_Jul14_Reviews.indd 21

September/October 2014 // T A N D O O R I

21

27/08/2014 07:34

022_TM_Sep_Oct14.indd 22

27/08/2014 06:55

NO. OF RESTAURANTS: 120 AVERAGE SPEND PER HEAD: £15 at lunch, £30 at dinner MOST EXPENSIVE DISH: The Chilli Pickle Kebab Platter at £18.50 CHEAPEST DISH: The Tamil

Masala Dosa at £9.50 CRITICAL REVIEWS: “The menu gives sub-continental clichés and curry house standards a swerve, dealing in smartly reworked thalis, dosai and Indian street-food-

inspired dishes at lunchtime.”

The AA Restaurant Guide.

“This “inventive” spot has won a vast following with the “unmatched flavours and sheer inventiveness” of its cuisine.” Hardens

restaurant pro le

Naturally Indian Chef-patron Alun Sperring and his wife Dawn, who is the co-owner and general manager, have made The Chilli Pickle, a huge success in Brighton. Sperring talks to Tandoori

What made you want to open your own restaurant?

As a chef, I’d been classically trained in European cooking and worked in a number of different countries for over 20 years, but I always held a particular fascination with Indian cuisine.

Subsequently, when I worked briefly at he innamon lub under chef Vivek Singh, I learnt a lot from him, but also felt confident enough that could do what he was doing. I then travelled to India and by the time I had returned, it felt like a natural decision to open a restaurant.

What made you want to open a restaurant in Brighton? his is where was brought u and lived. Brighton has a very eclectic crowd, who are also well-informed and well-travelled.

So it seemed like the right thing to do to launch here.

What has been the upside and downside of being a chef and a restaurateur? he u side is that you see your business grow and all the faith and hard work that has gone into it, not just by myself but also my wife Dawn and all the people that have helped us and those that are working with us. he downside is that on a

www.tandoorimagazine.com

023_TM_Jun_Sep_Oct_Restaurant profile.indd 23

personal level, you have very little time for anything. My son is six years old now and were it not for the support we’ve had from the grandparents, it would have been very difficult. he business almost takes on a 24/7 aspect. Dawn is very much the face of the restaurant and is very good at multi-tasking, and when we get home she’ll pick up on various things, as I will her. So the work goes home with us.

at as youngsters themselves and how they deal with spices and ingredients. It’s just so fascinating for me.

What is your secret to running a good business operation? here are a few things to bear in mind, but I think that the important thing is that whilst I remain very hands-on in the business, as I have seen it grow, you have to start delegating some of the core duties to others. hat means that you find some good, trustworthy people to work with who can continue to execute your vision and keep the business on the right path.

What does the future hold for your restaurant? e have ust launched the hilli ickle anteen delivery service in Brighton and Hove, and we have a number of other things for our business which we are planning.

What was the initial investment you made in the business? hen we first o ened, with our own savings and the assistance we have received from my fatherin-law plus all the well-wishers, it was in excess of £200,000.

How would you describe the cooking style at your restaurant?

Authentic, traditional and very regional, and made with local ingredients and individual flair.

I’ve always made a point of having a number of regional chefs in the kitchen so that they can bring their own knowledge and training into the cooking. urrently, for instance, have nine regional chefs, though it is always changing. I have picked up so much from them and quiz them incessantly about what they ate

September/October 2014 // T A N D O O R I

23 27/08/2014 12:11

024_TM_Sep_Oct14.indd 24

27/08/2014 07:01

back of house

Mastering EastWest Flavours

O

Ex-Cinnamon Club chef Palash Mitra is conquering Indian and European flavours at the stylish Scarfe’s Bar, at London’s new Rosewood Hotel. He talks to Tandoori

pening its doors at the end of last year, the new Rosewood Hotel site in London’s casseroles”. The notion being Holborn, is yet another example that this would be the first high of the capital’s vibrant and everend London hotel whereby Indian sophisticated Hotel scene. Very and European dishes would sit much a 5-star venue, this is one by side on a menu. Uniquely of those glossy, magazine-photo different for sure. haunts, which promises lots of To oversee it, the Rosewood lu ury, fine eriod detail and food recruited the Cinnamon Club’s and drink of the finest kind. sous chef – and one of the most Like any good hotel, there are talented chefs working in the several options to dine here yet UK today, Palash Mitra. The the one getting the most attention Calcuttan-born maestro had for its uniquely different take is its honed his skills in Continental opulent bar – Scarfes Bar to be cooking from an early age before precise. perfecting his art at the famed If the name rings a bell – the Oberoi Rajvilas in Rajasthan. He first conclusion you reach will be then moved to the fine dining the right one - the interior pays Veda restaurant in Hong Kong homage to the great British artist before joining his and caricaturist, longtime colleague even lending his Vivek Singh from paintings and Rajvilas at Cinnamon drawings to the Club. bar. But there’s “My stint at Veda,” much more to CURRIES says Mitra, “coincided this very British Murgh makhani Hyderabadi lamb korma with the UK gradually bar, steeped as it Kari meen seeing a shift in modern is in a classical, Paneer palak methi Indian restaurants almost timeless becoming much more mode than just refined and elevated. what’s hanging CASSEROLES Spring lamb stew So not only did I then on the walls. One Baked potato, braised fit into the innamon sits in the shadow beef, spring onions Club nicely, my move to of bookcases King prawns, garlic, Scarfes Bar made a lot stacked with parsley Ratatouille, fried egg of sense. The brief to antique books, steer a kitchen churning there are velvet out grounded, but armchairs, lots of very distinctive ndian flavours knick-knacks and even a roaring matched by modern European fire. nd then there s the food. dishes alongside on the menu, is Lunchtimes being the only interesting to say the least.” period when Scarfes bar serves “It may have presented a main meals, the hotel’s director learning curve for all of us,” of food, beverage and kitchens admits Mitra, “but the feedback Bjorn van der Horst came up with has been very positive. I had to the novel concept of “curries and

be conscious of the fact that all the items had to be light as they were only being served during lunchtime service, with evenings not being so food orientated at the bar and that the price points were kept reasonable.

“There isn’t a single decent Indian restaurant in the vicinity of the hotel,” says Mitra, “and

that has certainly helped Scarfes Bar secure lovers of Indian food to come to us as customers.

Even the in-house guests of the hotel have been quite taken with what the kitchens are producing here and to my surprise, hotel customers booking for weddings here have even started asking for Indian food at their weddings!” n

Sample Menu

www.tandoorimagazine.com

025_TM_Jun_Jul14_Back of house.indd 25

September/October 2014 2014 // T A N D O O R I

25

27/08/2014 07:12

026_TM_Sep_Oct14.indd 262.indd 32 Tandoori JUNE JULY PART

27/08/2014 31/07/2013 06:38 23:23

Imparting the e g d e l know

S

Having vacated his previous post as the head chef of the brasserie at Lucknam Park, Hrishikesh Desai is back. He talks to Tandoori

afely ensconced as the head chef of the brasserie at the five star luxury country house hotel Lucknam Park, near Bath, aharashtran born Hrishikesh Desai enjoyed a osition under e ecutive chef Hywel Jones at the hotel’s Michelinstarred restaurant.

Kesh went on to win the Roux Scholarship in 2009, which led to a stint at the world renowned The French Laundry in the He adds: “It dawned on me US, and then in 2010 he won that teaching in a cookery school the prestigious National Chef allows me both the creativity of of the Year Award. Quite an a chef because I’m still cooking achievement. as I would do in a functional ike any motivated young chef, restaurant kitchen, and yet also in though, Kesh decided to explore front of customers and in a way other o ortunities, and moved where the interaction with them is on from Lucknam Park. But things very immediate. didn’t quite go according to plan. he one day courses, which last “I had certain expectations of from 9am to 4pm, cost £175 per the kind of post I was looking person. In terms of content, Kesh for,” he admits, “which would devises each course ensuring have been on ar or even more that each dish – and ambitious than what I there are six dishes was already doing at CHOICE per course, with three Lucknam Park. But with OF COURSES being demonstrations a family to support and and three practical, the economy being what An introduction to Patisserie where the students it is, really couldn t find actually cook them – is anything suitable.”

Health is Wealth done within the relevant s luck would have it, Meat Cookery timeframe. meeting over drinks one Fish and Shellfish Courses range from day, Jones made Kesh It’s All About Pasta “great hot and cold an offer he couldn’t Seasonal Brasserie canapés” to “traditional refuse, which was to Dishes British cookery”, head up their planned seasonal vegetarian state of the art cookery cookery” and much more. When school onsite at Lucknam Park, it comes to the Indian cookery with the bonus of the title of head course, Kesh has put together chef. owever, esh did refuse, two: “the spice route of India”, and on more than one occasion. which encompasses dishes from But eventually he gave in and he the north, south, east and west says he’s glad he did.

www.tandoorimagazine.com

027_TM_Jun_Jul14_Front of House.indd 27

front of house

of India, and “the street food of India”, which he says allows him to indulge in the kind of street food items that were the love of his childhood.

“The thing that I’m trying to do here with my Indian dishes,” states Kesh, “is not to offer the kind of dishes the public normally associates with popular ndian style food, such as tikkas, kormas, vindaloo, etc. t s im erative for me that eo le

learn authentically made dishes that have a certain richness about them and may not even be all that familiar. If I can impart that kind of knowledge, which isn’t always obvious or readily available, then feel very roud of what m trying to do here.” ou have to consider each and every element of the dish and then break it down so that it can be re licated easily by the novice chef.” n

September/October 2014 2014 // T A N D O O R I

27

04/09/2014 06:47

028_TM_Sep_Oct14.indd 28

27/08/2014 07:28

URGENT REQUEST TO ALL READERS

RENEWAL OF YOUR FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO TANDOORI MUST BE RENEWED ONLINE The registration process is QUICK AND EASY and will not take you more than a couple of minutes

To regularly keep receiving a copy of Tandoori Magazine and our monthly newsletter with the latest news, interviews, marketing tips and much more you are required to update your contact details online.

You can update your details on www.tandoorimagazine.com/subscriptions/register If your details are not updated before our next mailing you will automatically be removed from the database

029_TM_Sep_Oct14.indd 29

28/08/2014 08:53

s r e v Mo kers a h S & news

pany m o c g in l cater Tandoori u f s s e c o he suc iya, talks t t f o r directo im Huseinm g n i t e k Sham mar , d s r n e a v i R les The sa taurant Five s and re

What made you want to become the sales and marketing director of Five rivers catering company, and subsequently its restaurant offshoot?

I’d studied business and marketing at university and one of my dreams had always been to have my own restaurant. So when the opportunity came up to join Five Rivers, it seemed like the perfect culmination of various things I wanted to achieve. In any case, I’ve always been very passionate about food.

As a catering operation, the company started in 2004 in the West Midlands, with you joining in 2007 just as you were fi nishing university. Then its fi ne dining restaurant, the £1.1m Five rivers A la Carte, opened just over a year ago in Walsall. Did you feel you were thrown in at the deep end?

It wasn’t the work ethic that bothered me because I’d been working from a very young age, but more so that I was entering an industry that I knew almost nothing about.

Then again, that was an exciting prospect.

The one aspect that I came up against were the long hours. Doing a 13 hour day was a bit of an eyeopener for me!

How do you fi nd working for both the catering end of the company and its restaurant?

On the catering front, my diary gets really full-up between the months of June and August because that’s the prime summer season, particularly for weddings and various other events. We have a massive team of people to oversee, with just the chefs numbering up to 18. We’re contracted and approved to cater for the Hilton and Marriott hotel groups as well as a host of prestigious venues such as Blenheim Palace. The work is very fl uid and you are having to build a whole event to fi t into the brief of your client, and putting it together very quickly. The

30

T A N D O O R I // September/October 2014

030_TM_Jun_Jul14_Movers & Shakers.indd 30

restaurant is very much an extension of our catering business, operating like a showcase for our clients and being a permanent base for ourselves.

What’s the upside of what you do and what’s the downside?

The upside is that no two days are the same and you get to meet some wonderful people.

The downside are the hours you are having to put in and virtually spending more hours at work than you are with your family.

What makes a good sales and marketing director?

You have to be super organised. Be creative and have an eye for things that others may not be able to spot.

You are in a profession where you are very much a female in a man’s world. Do you find that to be the case?

It can be tough and sometimes you have to fi ght to make your voice heard. But if you are determined you will get there in the end.

What do you fi nd so satisfying about the work that you do?

For the catering side, it’s the satisfaction of seeing the months of planning it has taken for an event fi nally take fruition.

For the restaurant, it’s the smile that our food and service bring to our customers’ faces.

How would you like to be remembered?

As a hard working and passionate individual.

www.tandoorimagazine.com

27/08/2014 07:35

031_TM_Sep_Oct14.indd 31

27/08/2014 10:50

032_TM_Sep_Oct14.indd 32

27/08/2014 10:56