There’s little doubt Bradford is the undisputed King of curry having won Britain’s Curry Capital award six years in a row and are still the current title holders. But who is the best of the best, as locals get to decide who should receive the city’s own prestigious accolade.
In the 1960s and 70s, following the demise of the British Empire, Britain saw an influx of Indian and Pakistani communities. Many of these settled in industrial centres such as Birmingham and Bradford. The majority of immigrants who came were men, with most ending up working in the mills. Kashmiri and Indian men emigrating to Bradford around this time weren’t used to cooking, and there were no Pakistani or Indian restaurants around.
It was then restaurants such as The Sweet Centre, and Karachi, established to serve the demand for South Asian cuisine from Britain’s new immigrants. Both restaurants are still trading today, and the city now boasts more than 200 curry establishments. Each one serves some of the best and award winning South Asian cuisine in the Bradford District.
Following years of success, the people of Bradford think the time is right to celebrate the finest examples of South Asian cuisine. Enter, an inaugural awards night charged with highlighting both city pride and profiling the industry dedicated to serving up the finest cuisine. The awards will aim to celebrate this rich heritage, while also recognising the best restaurants, and those people who work hard behind the scenes creating Bradford’s culinary craftsmanship. This magical evening will unashamedly be a platform to lobby for the industry, and to inspire and nurture future talent.
Fatima Patel, Event Director for Bradford Curry Awards said, “Curry is at the heart of Bradford’s heritage and culture and now we can bring the industry together to celebrate their collective achievements and the pride of Bradford’s most successful industry. I am really looking forward to showing off our great curry industry that has become the crown of Bradford.”
Patricia Tillotson, Visitor and Business Manager at Visit Bradford added to that and said, “Bradford is Curry Capital of Britain and these awards will now showcase the best of Bradford. It’s great that the people of Bradford can vote for their favourite restaurant and look forward to the awards”
The official charity partner for this year’ Curry Awards is the international humanitarian aid organisation Penny Appeal, Aamer Naeem, CEO of Penny Appeal says: “Curry is something that is loved by so many and so when Fatima approached us for the inaugural Bradford Curry Awards, we were simply delighted to be chosen as the official charity partner. It’s so wonderful for Penny Appeal to be aligned with a city that’s won Britain’s curry capital title for six consecutive years. We have every confidence it’s going to be a great event and via the awards night, we hope to raise funds which in turn will help many people abroad and at home who are in need of help”.
These inspiring awards will provide an opportunity for the public to nominate who they feel deserve to win the Bradford Curry Award. There are eight categories to choose from, with nominations going live on Thursday 1 February and closing on 18 March midnight.
All public votes will then be verified and shortlisted for a panel of esteemed judges from within the industry to then take over and find the final winners of the inaugural Bradford curry awards, who will be revealed at a glittering awards ceremony in April.
The ceremony will be host to an entertaining evening of music, inspirational speakers, comedy and above all great food. There’ll be a buzzing ambiance of business leaders, politicians, members of the community, and above all the crème de la crème of Bradford’s curry industry.
No other City can boast winning the Curry Capital Award so many times – in this sense they really are the nation’s best. It’s a perfect excuse to share both the love and the glory in one of Britain’s most treasured curry destinations.
Nominations are now open. To nominate your favourite visit: http://bradfordcurryawards.co.uk/index.php/nominate/
