Wiltshire Indian restaurant is named ‘best’ in national awards

A Wiltshire Indian restaurant has been named the 'best' at a national awards ceremony. The family-run Taj Mahal restaurant won the Best Recommended Restaurant category at the Curry Life Awards 2023, which took place at a gala ceremony in London’s West End.

The Curry Life Awards 2023, which took place on October, 15, celebrated the 'elite in the UK's multi-billion-pound curry industry' and featured 44 awards across five categories, including Editor’s Choice, Best Restaurant, Best Takeaway, Best Chef and Best Recommended Restaurant. The awards attracted an audience of over 500 people, including beer magnate Lord Karan Bilimoria, who founded Cobra Beer and is a current House of Lords member, and representatives from headline sponsor Just Eat.

Chippenham ^[1]'s Taj Mahal owner MBE Arju Miah, said: “We’re so pleased to have won an award and to be recognised as providing quality Indian food in the area. The award will raise our profile so much more and help us share our food with more people."

Established for more than three decades, the business says it has been focusing on perfecting its classic curry dishes to maximise the flavours. While the chef’s garlic chilli chicken, korma and masalas are firm favourites, Arju’s son, Ahkik, who runs the business with his father, has seen a growing trend in customers wanting to try dishes with more heat, including vindaloos and jalfrezis.

The business invests in giving back to its community, with Ahkik getting involved in a number of charitable works, including the Syrian earthquake appeal. The Curry Life Awards, in its 14th year, was the brainchild of brothers Syed Pasha and Syed Ahmed, who came to the UK from Bangladesh in the 1970s and were surprised by the British appetite for curry.

Syed Pasha said: "We wanted to build upon and celebrate a cuisine that has found its home from home outside the Indian subcontinent. The Indian food here is unique and continues to flourish."

References

^{^} Chippenham (www.wiltshirelive.co.uk)
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