;
Saturday, May 30, 2026
Home Blog Page 566

Britain’s £3.6BN curry industry to be celebrated at annual British Curry Awards amidst star studded attendance

-
0
Britain’s £3.6BN curry industry to be celebrated at annual British Curry Awards amidst star studded attendance

Enam Ali MBE (Founder of British Curry Awards) British Curry Awards 2012-Jenny Bond, Dipna Anand, Enam Ali, Francis MaudeUK’s Top Indian Restaurants Set To Receive Top Accolades at Awards Gala.
The UK’s favourite cuisine will once again be honoured as the eighth annual British Curry Awards takes place on 26th November 2012, at a glittering gala event at Battersea Evolution in London.
With the UK curry industry boasting 10,000 restaurants and 80,000 employees, the awards have become a highlight on the UK social calendar, and each year showcases the vast allure of the £3.6bn a year curry industry. The curry industry is not only a lucrative mainstay of the economy but also an integral part of the nation’s social and culinary fabric.
A pioneer in the UK catering and hospitality sector, the British Curry Awards has been lauded as a pivotal UK institution, with Prime Minister David Cameron calling the awards ‘the curry Oscars’. He went on to say: “The British Curry Awards is an uplifting and inspiring evening.”
This year’s event will once again see a plethora of high-profile guests in attendance, and will include celebrities, dignitaries, politicians, business leaders, and of course, top names from the culinary industry in the UK. The gala dinner will also feature quality entertainment amidst a gourmet banquet. This year’s event will also celebrate a Best of British theme as it reflects on the UK’s remarkable achievements during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The nomination process for the awards encourages people to put forward their favourite Indian eatery for a well-deserved accolade and the awards are estimated to draw a record number of nominations. It is stated that an Indian meal is now the preferred choice of take-away amongst the British population, and has overtaken previous favourites such as Chinese and Italian take-away food. To reflect this, a new award category of ‘Best Delivery Restaurant / Takeaway” has been added this year, in association with Just Eat, the online takeaway ordering service. This will be open to restaurants that are take-aways, as well as restaurants that offer a home delivery service, and will be judged on a nation-wide basis.
Each year the British Curry Awards also gives the ‘Special Recognition Award’ to an influential culinary personality and past winners of this award include Madhur Jaffrey, Cyrus Todiwala OBE, Anjum Anand, Heston Blumenthal OBE and Shelim Hussain MBE.
The British Curry Awards was established by British entrepreneur Enam Ali MBE who the founded the event in 2005. He has been tirelessly promoting the British curry industry globally for the past 30 years. In speaking about the event, he says: “The British Curry Awards recognise and honour the integral contribution made by the UK’s Asian restaurants and take-away outlets to the social and cultural fabric of the United Kingdom.
Curry may be born in India, but British Bangladeshis globalised it. The humble curry has come a very long way since it first came to these shores. Indian cuisine has now become the favourite food of the nation, and is enjoyed by millions of people across the UK, from students to professionals and pensioners. Most people will have a favourite curry that they will order when they go to a restaurant, meaning that Asian cuisine is deeply embedded in the psyche of the British people.
“The curry dish that Britain has given to the world – Chicken Tikka Masala – again features on the British Curry Awards menu in recognition of the important part it has played in helping to establish the UK curry industry’s reputation internationally.”
Prime Minister David Cameron: “Its often said that curry is Britain’s national dish and it’s easy to see why. It’s not just the flavour served up in the thousands of the curry restaurants across the country, it is the welcome too. Those who work in the curry industry enliven Britain’s high streets, boost local economies and contribute to local communities.”

Jenny Bond: “I have driven 220 miles through the floods of Devon to be here tonight at the most prestigious awards in the curry industry.”

Chris Grayling MP: “This ceremony goes from strength to strength each year. It is a fantastic occasion to celebrate new restaurants and rising stars of the future.”

The Winners

  •  Best Delivery Restaurant/Take-away by Justeat.com – MUSHTAQS (Hamilton, Lanarkshire)
  •  Best Restaurant Scotland – TAJ INDIAN (Prestwick)
  •  Best Restaurant North East – AAGRAH (Leeds)
  •  Best Spice Restaurant North West – INDIAN OCEAN (Ashton-u-Lyne)
  •  Best Spice Restaurant Midlands – ITIHAAS (Birmingham)
  •  Best Newcomer Restaurant Midlands – FIVE RIVERS A LA CARTE (Walsall)
  •  Best Restaurant Wales – RASOI INDIAN KITCHEN (Swansea)
  •  Best Restaurant South East – HAWELI INDIAN RESTAURANT (Twyford, Berkshire)
  •  Best Newcomer Restaurant South East – SHAMPAN 4 – THE SPINNING WHEEL (Westerham, Kent)
  •  Best Restaurant South West – SPICE LODGE (Cheltenham)
  •  Best Restaurant South West – THE MINT ROOM (Yeovil, Somerset)
  •  Best Restaurant Central London & City – BOMBAY PALACE (Paddington)
  •  Best Newcomer Restaurant Central London & City – CHAKRA (Notting Hill)
  •  Best Restaurant London Suburbs – CHAK 89 (Surrey)
  •  Best in Casual Dining – THE CHILLI PICKLE (Brighton, East Sussex)
  •  Special Inspiration Award – Dipna Anand of Brilliant Restaurant – Female Chef

Asian Sunday is Watching: Claims Management Companies

-
0
Asian Sunday is Watching: Claims Management Companies

Have you had an accident or been mis-sold payment protection insurance? You could be entitled to thousands of pounds in compensation.

Sound all too familiar? The barrage of telesales calls from Claims Management Companies, especially since the High Court ruling on banks and their mis-selling of PPI, which the banks lost and are not appealing against is no surprise. And the chances are that even more adverts will appear promising to get you money back on PPI, getting you compensation or helping you become debt free.
With statements like ‘Write off all your debt’ and ‘Reclaim mis-sold PPI’, they are designed to grab your attention.
‘Claims management’ may conjure images of solicitors dealing with personal injury claims, but there are a large number of claims firms which specialise in financial services claims – from consumer credit agreements such as credit cards and loans to bank charges and PPI.
Many CMCs also advertise themselves as being able to write off credit agreements, especially credit cards and loans. They claim that they can wipe out debts on credit agreements taken out before April 2007. As tempting as their offers may seem, we don’t feel that this is strictly true.
If you’re thinking about using a claims management company (CMC), we suggest that you think again.
Which? underwent an undercover investigation of claims management companies, of the 45 companies they called about reclaiming PPI and bank charges, almost a third had serious shortcomings – exaggerating success rates, discouraging customers from pursuing claims themselves or failing to be upfront about charges.
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) has also expressed concern about whether such companies are of any benefit to consumers, particularly because of their high fees.
Since late 2006, these firms have been regulated by the Ministry of Justice, which has also issued warnings about upfront fees and misleading statements – such as ‘guaranteed’ and ‘100% success rate’ – and a number of companies dealing with financial services have had their licences cancelled or suspended by the MOJ.
How CMCs can work
PPI makes loan or credit card repayments if you’re unable to work or lose your job. But it has often been mis-sold, with consumers believing that PPI was mandatory or not knowing it was included. Some policyholders would never have met their policy’s criteria for a payout.
If PPI has been mis-sold, you can reclaim premiums paid in the last six years, either from the company that sold the policy or, if it doesn’t cooperate, you can take your case to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).
A CMC will try to persuade you to let it process this claim on your behalf, taking commission of upwards of 25% if it’s successful. While this could take some hassle out of claiming yourself, a recent review by the FOS noted that many PPI cases overseen by CMCs lack adequate information, which can delay the process.
Some CMCs also offer to claim back unfair overdraft charges, even though their chances of getting a good result in the short term are slim.
We went undercover on three leading accident management companies to see if they were ‘ambulance chasers’ as labelled by many. We questioned them on whether they offer cashback/referral fees on claims, how the claims process works, and would our claim (if we were to proceed) be sold off to a solicitor?

Premier Accident Management

Spoke with a gentleman called Shokat
He immediately stated we do not offer any referral fees or cash back. Was very firm with his decision on this. He went on to say “we take our fees straight from the third party insurers and do not take it anything from the clients compensation” When asked if they would sell on my case to a solicitor, Shaukat told me “we have our own in house solicitors who will deal with your case. Shokat did not try to hard sell or ask me to put my claim through his company. After I finished asking my questions he let me go off the line immediately.
Premier Accident Management have their own offices, situated on Heidelberg Road, BD9

Active Claims

Spoke with a gentleman called Ashfaq
He told me their procedure would initially be to vet the case and then have their own panel of solicitors who the case will be passed to deal with. So without being direct the company would sell on the case to a firm of solicitors that they have approved as their panel.
I asked if he would offer me cashback on my claim. His response “we have a couple of models. It gets complicated when cashback is offered, and it’s better not to do it that way, as it will just be deducted off your claim. But if you want cashback then that model is also available”
As I finished asking my questions, and was about to go off the phone, Mr Ashfaq continued to sell their services
“Come in and meet us. Some claims companies don’t even have an office or a set up. They could be running from a barbers shop. Come and see our set up. I am also a qualified teacher, so you know you are dealing with professionals”
Active Claims have offices based on Leeds Road, BD3

ClaimsBradford

Spoke to a female called Rachel, Initially she just wanted my contact details so she could pass on to a solicitor to call me back and the solicitor would go through my claim. She told me she deals with administration only, but after a little persuasion helped answer my questions.
Claims Bradford will offer upfront fee, based on nature of claim. She also went on to tell me that they wouldn’t sell my case to another solicitor as they have their own solicitors, which I later learnt, were not their own in house solicitors but my claim would be passed to their approved solicitors called Clear Law, so it means that the case would most likely be sold on to Clear Law solicitors.
Rachel asked for my details again, but I asked if I could come see them instead. She told me they don’t have offices and that everything is done electronically. I later discovered Claims Bradford is a trading name of KSure Marketing Ltd, which is an advertising company registered in Liverpool. However, according to the ClaimsBradford website their head office is based at Dalton House | 60 Windsor Avenue | London | SW19 2RR
Wanted my details to pass on to a solicitor.

One of our female readers, who wishes to remain anonymous wrote in with her horrific ordeal with Claims Management Companies.

“I had an awful experience with a local claims management company, I was approached straight after my accident as the company that had towed my car from the motorway collision was in association with this company. My accident involved 6 other vehicles one of which was a lorry which collided with my car, leaving it un-repairable. The claims manager was pushing for me to make a decision there and then, even though I was visibly still in shock from my accident. Unfortunately for me I went ahead with the CMC. The CMC assured me my claim was a ‘dead cert’ and I would get a free courtesy car. It sounded too good to be true and it definitely was. After many phone calls, forms and emails building my claim, it ended up that the police were unable to establish blame for a certain party, so my claims company ‘advised’ me to say I was badly injured to try and push my claim. As this was not the case and I was not prepared to lie about it, the solicitors dropped my case and I was liable for my own damages, the claims company said that they were going to have to pay for my courtesy car. I started to receive nagging calls from the courtesy car company, who were trying to make me pay for its usage and I soon found that the claims company were very hard to get hold of. Not surprisingly the courtesy car company had not heard anything from the claims company suggesting they would pay the bill. What followed was another new statement for me to sign which was different from that which I sent to the police and the solicitors. I am so glad that I was smart enough to photocopy all of my statements and forms, so I could prove that this was not what I had said before. I was very lucky that the pursuit for money from me was dropped. So I would advise anyone considering a claim with a CMC to do your homework and make copies of everything!”

The good news is that from April 2013 there will be a ban on referral fees in personal injury cases. Any breaches of the ban would be subject to appropriate regulatory action by the relevant regulators, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), Financial Services Authority (FSA), the Bar Council and the Claims Management Regulator.
Those claims management companies currently receiving referral fees for providing access to claimants in personal injury cases will no longer be able to operate in their current form.
If you have used a claims management company for a PI claim or to ger PPI redress, tell us about your experiences by writing in to newsdesk@asiansunday.co.uk

Gaza! A Plight for the Innocent or an Opportunity for ‘charities’

-
0
Gaza! A Plight for the Innocent or an Opportunity for ‘charities’

The horrific images of innocent children and their families injured and killed during the recent attacks in Gaza have lead to numerous protests and of course numerous initiatives to raise funds for those affected in this monstrous Middle East war.
The Israel and Palestine conflict has always been a sensitive subject internationally but also to the growing Muslim population in Bradford. After all the Palestine issue was one of the main topics that brought George Galloway into power as Bradford West MP. As with every crisis our British charities are always at the forefront to ensure aid reaches the affected areas, quickly and in the most cost effective way….well cost effective, but in who’s opinion? Before we go any further, let me clarify one point, donating to charitable causes is not wrong and is most certainly a good deed, so let’s not be discouraged to do this.
However, as the consumer let’s encourage transparency with our charities. After all it is our money and we have a right to know how it is being used. Research by ipos MORI found that 37 per cent of the public surveyed felt charities played an essential role in society – up by seven per cent from two years ago. However, the most common reason for distrust was highlighted to the perceived lack of transparency around the spending of funds. We’ve seen the scenario often, where as humans we become more charitable when a disaster strikes and this is the most opportune moment for charities to raise money. The question is, is the money for them (their costs) or for the cause? Currently the emergency fundraising for Gaza. So in this emergency situation, whilst innocents are being killed, people have lost their homes, dying of starvation, some of us agree to attend charity dinner’s, dressed in our best, going to top restaurants or hotels, enjoying a fine 3 coursemeal and we’ve done our bit, as we’ve paid for the ticket and the money from that will be used to help the affected in Palestine!
There’s nothing wrong with charity dinners, if that helps raise money for needy causes then it’s got to be done. The real question here is about transparency. Someone has to pay for the marketing of such events, the food and the venue, along with the entertainment. When transparency is lacking, how can the consumer determine a genuine charity from a rogue?
We were horrified to learn when a reader called in to inform us about a Facebook friend promoting and raising funds via Facebook for a charitable cause, later discovering that the bank account he was requesting people send donations to belonged to an individual and not an organisation. We spoke with the advertising standards agency to learn more about transparency on such promotions for donations to charitable causes. They told us “It is up to the Charity commission to look into the accounts of the Charity in question.
However, we do have a ruling on advertising that is misleading to the consumer” said the ASA spokeswoman
We also spoke to two charities in Bradford who hosted charity dinners on 24 November and 25 November respectively on their thoughts on transparency.
Here is what they had to say:

Islamic Relief

What percentage of the donations from the Gaza fundraiser will go to the Gaza appeal and what percentage (if any) will go towards administration costs?

Islamic Relief strives to ensure that all the money that is raised is used for the intended cause. On average the cost to implement the delivery of aid varies from crisis to crisis but on average: 90% goes directly on emergency relief and development projects, 4% supports the delivery of relief, 3% goes into campaigning on essential issues, and 3% is used to generate future income. The funds received through Gift aid is spent directly where there is a need.
Islamic Relief has an office in Gaza and is not working through partners. This enables Islamic Relief to respond to the crisis quickly and with established distribution channels working with experienced staff. The 4% is effectively our admin fee. It’s what we spend to support the delivery of relief and allows Islamic Relief to ensure the funds we receive from the public goes to the right people and the work in the field is of a high standard with clear accountability at all levels.
Your promotional material (see above) does not highlight how much of the money will go to charity (whether it is 100% of all proceeds or a certain percentage).

Do you as a charity feel it is NOT necessary to inform the public about this, as it has clearly been missed from your promotions?

At Islamic Relief, we strive hard to ensure that your donations are used in the most effective way possible. Islamic Relief is transparent about our costs. We ensure that our accounts are audited internally and externally by PricewaterhouseCoopers and our transparency was recently recognised with an award from the prestigious Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). http://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/annual-reports.aspx We also explain how donations are used on our website.
http://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/How_Your_Donations_Are_Used.aspx We respond to all sorts of queries on our FaceBook and Twitter site as well as through our call centre and charity shops. We are always open to questions from our donors. Not all of our promotional material can feature this message as we have limited space to get key information out about appeals.

How will the funds once raised reach the affected in Gaza?

Islamic Relief has an office in Gaza which means we can transfer the funds immediately. Islamic Relief has already provided £1 million worth of essential drugs and surgical supplies to Gaza’s hospitals to help them cope with casualties from this month’s bombardment and tackle chronic shortages that preceded the conflict. Our immediate focus will continue to be medical supplies but we are also likely to be involved in further emergency relief, depending on whether the ceasefire holds. We are determined to help the people of Gaza with the provision of food and further medical supplies if the ceasefire breaks down.

Interpal North

What percentage of the donations from the Gaza fundraiser will go to the Gaza appeal and what percentage (if any) will go towards administration costs?

100% of our donations for emergency go towards the appeal, we do not take administration costs here at the Head Office. Our admin costs are covered by other sources such as unspecified general funds, GiftAid
and donated interest money. Your promotional material (see right) does not highlight how much of the money will go to charity (whether it is 100% of all proceeds or a certain percentage).

Do you as a charity feel it is NOT necessary to inform the public about this, as it has clearly been missed from your promotions?

Interpal has a long standing policy of 100% donations going to the beneficiaries and delivery costs on the ground. Of course we feel it is very necessary to inform the public of this, we would specify if were taking an admin cost, however as we are not, and we feel we have established this over the years, we do not always include this information in all our publicity materials. It is always communicated to donors when they call and enquire.

How will the funds once raised reach the affected in Gaza?

This will depend on the type of aid being provided. Some will be in kind, such as equipment and supplies whilst the rest will be transferred in the usual way, via bank transfers- which are heavily regulated and in compliance with UK law. Human Relief Foundation, who has an office in Bradford also didn’t declare what percentage of donations would go directly to the cause on their web appeal. However, their publicity did talk about how the funds would reach the affected.

We will let you conclude on the answers provided by the charities and would be interested in learning your thoughts on whether charities are transparent enough on how they spend your money? Do you feel tighter controls are needed? You can join the conversation on Twitter @AsianSundayNews or email newsdesk@asiansunday.co.uk with your thoughts.

Pakistan Fashion Week 2012

-
0
Pakistan Fashion Week 2012

Last weekend I attended the highly prestigious Pakistan Fashion Week which was held in Covent Garden,London. The splendid central London location was home to 39 designers for the weekend, showcasing everything from casual prêt lines to stunning one-off bridal gowns.
Here is a round up of the most striking collections on show over the weekend.

YCC’s fantastic support for Movember

-
0
YCC’s fantastic support for Movember

Yorkshire County Cricket Club players and staff have generously temporarily donated their upper lips and grown a ‘mo’ for Movember in honour of Prostate Cancer UK.
Players Jonny Bairstow and Ryan Sidebottom are both supporting ‘tashes for the month to raise money for charity, and their progress is coming on rather well with just 9 days left – as you can see in the gallery at the top right of the page!
Jonny, currently touring India with the England Test Match team, regularly tweets his moustache’s growth updates and is actively campaigning for the cancer charity. Ryan Sidebottom has joined in with friends and colleagues and is part of the Cricket Family’s team – who are collectively raising money with their facial hair.
Joining in their plight is Yorkshire’s Head of Hospitality and Events Simon Pixsley who’s progress is also available to view in the above gallery.
Please support Jonny, Ryan and Simon in their efforts for a very worthy cause. To donate, click on their ‘mobro’ giving pages below, where the money raised goes direct to the Prostate Cancer Charity.

Robinson Loans Good

-
0
Robinson Loans Good

City boss Phil Parkinson has made his second loan swoop of the day this Thursday afternoon by agreeing a deal with Premier League side Newcastle United for the temporary transfer of central defender Curtis Good.
Good, 19, has put pen to paper on a loan deal with City that will keep him at the Coral Windows Stadium until 2 January 2013.
Subject to receiving the relevant clearances, the Australian will then be given the green light to take his place in City’s travelling party for their npower League 2 fixture at Bristol Rovers this weekend.
The 6′ 1” left-footer will wear squad number 27 during his time at Valley Parade.
Good’s arrival will see the Melbourne-born defender act as a direct replacement for John Egan following the Irishman’s broken leg suffered this week while on loan from Newcastle’s North East rivals Sunderland.
With the loan window due to shut at 5:00pm this Thursday evening until January, Good’s move to City is Parkinson’s second deal of the day after earlier borrowing winger Blair Turgott from West Ham United.
After a busy day of deal-breaking, Parkinson declared himself happy with the outcome of his hard work.
“I’m pleased that we have been able to bring in two talented young players in Blair Turgott and Curtis Good,” said Parkinson.
“I’m sure they will add a lot to the squad, which is going to be important to us ahead of another busy period of fixtures.
“With three out of our next four matches after Saturday cup ties, it was key that we brought in players who could help us in the cup competitions.
“The signings of Blair and Curtis is the culmination of a lot of hard work behind the scenes to make sure we have the cover needed in the right areas for the games ahead.”
Good joined Newcastle on a six-year deal last summer from A League side Melbourne Heart.
The 19 year-old made 25 appearances for Heart the previous season after graduating from the famed Australian Institute of Sport in 2010.
Good, who has won caps at Under 20 level for Australia, has captained Newcastle Under 21s on a number of occasions this season and travelled with the first-team squad for their Capital One Cup tie at Manchester United in September this year.

Ghap Shap: Enam Ali – Founder of the British Curry Awards

-
0
Ghap Shap: Enam Ali – Founder of the British Curry Awards

He is known as the ‘Prince of Curry’ and after speaking to him, it certainly is not wrong to say that Enam Ali MBE is the heart and soul of British curry industry. Born in Bangladesh in 1960, he came to Britain to study Hospitality and Management and started the now famous, Le Raj restaurant in 1989, one of the first to achieve Michelin star status. He has been frequently called to give expert opinion on issues relating to Asian community and hospitality sector. He brought out Spice Business Magazine in 1998 which is very popular in the world of British curry businesses.
We caught up with Mr Ali, ahead of the prestigious Annual British Curry Awards.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I came to this country as a first generation. When I came here, I realised food wasn’t the first choice for a night out. It was more lets go for a beer. Then we developed a lovely concept with curry. Seen my own self, hard work, emotions. Sometimes smelly, sometimes I lost, but I never gave up and made lots of sacrifices. We were very humble. It was an experience. Meeting people, sharing their struggles and making money at the same time. Now look at the industry. 30 years in the curry industry and I love it.

And how did the idea of British Curry Awards come up?

I thought to recognise the services of unsung individuals of the curry industry last 60 years. At that time awards were doled out to people who did not even serve a proper meal at their restaurants. I worked two years on the idea of the awards and formally launched them in 2005, which is now regarded the Oscars of hospitality industry. At the time I set out to create the awards, not many believed in me. It was a struggle. The banks didn’t support my idea, there were limited if any sponsors. Everyone said it was a difficult task, and that no one can achieve such a professional scale of awards. I so badly wanted to do something for my community. I wanted to give something back, I wanted an opportunity to celebrate the hardwork of the Curry industry in the UK. I wanted to bring celebrities to meet my community, to offer them an opportunity to have pictures and feel special.
I was very fortunate to have celebrity friends who backed me and supported my event, by giving me their time.

With the UK curry industry boasting 10,000 restaurants and 80,000 employees, the awards have become a highlight on the UK social calendar, and each year showcases the vast allure of the £3.6bn a year curry industry. What do you feel is the main reason for the success of curries in the UK?

Hospitality industry belongs to all of us, English or not. If someone has a curry here that isn’t good they won’t blame India or Bangladesh for the poor curry. So it’s the hard work, passion and dedication we bring to our work, that I feel has been the success of the Curry industry. If we look at Bradford, I think of Aagrah, look at their hard work. If they gave up and didn’t survive these years, then what else would be there. So it’s the dedication of the industry people, that I feel attributes to the success of the Curry Industry.

What is your favourite dish?

Any good quality food. I am a perfectionist and extremely sensitive when it comes to food. I can tell you whether the lamp chop is male or female. I can tell you on the spot. I am a true connoseaur of food. I can tell you how happy the dish is. I am blessed to have this skill and hence why I don’t often eat out at other restaurants, as I will be able to totally Sensitivity of the behind the scenes. I want to leave this legacy, its the respect I have built over the years, therefore I don’t visit many at all. It’s a great industry.

In just half an hour I learnt how and why the British Curry industry stands at a staggering value of £3.6bn. The passion and dedication with which Mr Ali spoke and the sheer knowledge and determination.
With the UK curry industry boasting 10,000 restaurants and 80,000 employees, the awards have become a highlight on the UK social calendar, and each year showcases the vast allure of the £3.6bn a year curry industry.
The curry industry is not only a lucrative mainstay of the economy but also an integral part of the nation’s social and culinary fabric.
A pioneer in the UK catering and hospitality sector, the British Curry Awards has been lauded as a pivotal UK institution, with Prime Minister David Cameron calling the awards ‘the curry Oscars’. He went on to say: “The British Curry Awards is an uplifting and inspiring evening.”
This year’s event will once again see a plethora of high-profile guests in attendance, and will include celebrities, dignitaries, politicians, business leaders, and of course, top names from the culinary industry in the UK.
The gala dinner will also feature quality entertainment amidst a gourmet banquet. This year’s event will also celebrate a Best of British theme as it reflects on the UK’s remarkable achievements during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The nomination process for the awards encourages people to put forward their favourite Indian eatery for a well-deserved accolade and the awards are estimated to draw a record number of nominations.
The humble curry has come a very long way since it first came to these shores. Indian cuisine has now become the favourite food of the nation, and is enjoyed by millions of people across the UK, from students to professionals and pensioners.
Most people will have a favourite curry that they will order when they go to a restaurant, meaning that Asian cuisine is deeply embedded in the psyche of the British people.
The star studded 8th British Curry awards are set to take place on Monday November 26 at Battersea Evolution, Chelsea Bridge Entrance, Battersea Park, London, SW11 4NJ. For more information please visit www.britishcurryaward.co.uk

 

Introducing… Qawwali artist: Hamid Ali

-
0
Introducing… Qawwali artist: Hamid Ali

Hamid Ali, a British Asian Qawwali artist, and a unique talent set to embark on a musical journey in 2012. Inspired by the traditional sound, Hamid is a young, fresh voice who combines his Western upbringing and influences with classical Qawwali music.
The new singer from Bradford released his debut single ‘Jadoo’ October 11 2012.
In the last two years, Qawwali music has continued to broaden its reach to the mass South Asian community around the world. In the UK, the sounds of Qawwali is most common amongst the World Music circuit, through the continued presence of the work of the late great Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Qawwali is now a hugely popular sound in contemporary Bollywood music, after the global hits of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.
Hamid Ali is a new British Qawwali voice, and ‘Jadoo’ is a stunning first taste of what is to come from an immensely gifted singer. Hamid explains:
“I grew up listening to the sounds of Qawwali. From a young age, I learnt how to sing some of the famous songs of the great Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. To me he is the most iconic artist in the world. I hope one day my music and my voice can reach out to the extents that his did and I’m excited about my first release ‘Jadoo’ to start my journey. Given that I am British, I hope that the British Asian community will support me and my unique style of music. I hope that in the next couple of years my voice will be heard in Bollywood.”
‘Jadoo’ is the debut release from Hamid Ali and is a beautiful ballad showcasing the tremendous range of young Hamid’s vocal ability. The video takes Hamid to the exotic island of Malta, and has a distinct Bollywood feel to it, adding stunning visuals to one of this year’s most heartfelt love songs.
Hamid recently performed to hundreds of fans at Pasha Shisha Lounge in Bradford.

Zack Knight releases ‘When I’m Gone’

-
0
Zack Knight releases ‘When I’m Gone’

WATCH THE BRAND NEW VIDEO HERE: http://youtu.be/WFoHX1YiFjI
Zack Knight, formally known as Zee Kay, a singer/songwriter/producer of Pakistani descent has just released his new single “When I’m Gone” on Prestige Records.
After already gaining major support for his debut single “All Over Again” from National & Regional TV / Radio stations including The Box / Kiss / SmashHits / BBC 1xtra / Virgin Media / UTV Networks and 2nd single “Who I Am” which was iTunes “New & Noteworthy” picks of the month as well as celebrity appearances in the Sunday People / Heat Mag / Yahoo / Bent Mag / Flava Magazine + more, Singer/songwriter Zack Knight is back with his new single entitled “When I’m Gone”.
The new single represents an entirely new sound with a fusion of Qawwali (Sufi Music) and RnB sounds.
“When I’m Gone” is Out Now and available at all major online stores.

RDB’s massive video to We Doin It Big featuring a whole host of big music names!

-
0
RDB’s massive video to We Doin It Big featuring a whole host of big music names!

The UK’s defining Urban Bhangra music pioneers RDB thrill their fans across the globe with their exclusive new track – ‘We Doin It Big‘, available for from iTunes.
The positive, upbeat track has the musical production of RDB and features leading new Urban Hip-Hop artist Smooth as well as the newest addition to RDB‘s record label Three Records, Raftaar, who is being debuted on this single with a Punjabi rap verse. The cutting-edge video for the song is directed by artistic supremo Shaz from The Frame Lab.
Alongside RDB brothers Manj and Surj, ‘We Doin It Big‘ features 34 of the UK’s biggest musical sensations, for a never before seen collaboration on one definitive track. Talents include Harjog Singh, Jazzy B, Jassi Sidhu, Juggy D, Apachi Indian, PBN, DJ Sanj, Bups Sagu, Dr Zeus, Balwinder Safri, JK, Shin DCS, H Dhami, Jaz Dhami, OMG, UDN, Jind Mahi, Binder Pasla, Herbie Sahara, Surinder Rattern, Metz ‘n’ Trix, Panjabi MC, KE, Culture Shock, JD, DJ AK, Paul, Bunny, Dholi Tanveer, Rana, Baadshah, and The Frame Lab, who join forces with RDB.
Speaking about the track, Surj and Manj say: “We Doin It Big is a positive song aimed at all those people who feel that they have accomplished something in life. It can be from the smallest thing to a huge achievement, but this song makes you feel larger than life….simply put, it makes you feel BIG“.

1...565566567...569Page 566 of 569
© Newspaper WordPress Theme by TagDiv