Curry Chef award winners (From Asian Image)

Curry Chef award winners

12:00am Thursday 13th October 2011 in Business By Asian Image reporter

The winners of the Curry Life Magazine's best Curry Chef Awards have been announced.

The Curry Life Magazine has been recognising excellence in the industry since 2009.

Over 300 guests attended the awards ceremony at the Cumberland Hotel, London.

Syed Ahmed, who is known for his appearance in the BBC reality show The Apprentice, presented the awards.

As many as 20 Curry Chefs from across the country has been Crowned with the best Curry Chefs title.

The Special Recognition Awards were also given to an International Curry Chef Utpal Mondal from India, Restaurateur Late Nazir Ud Din Ahmed, who opened Manchester's first Curry House in 1938 and Bangladesh born, Mime Artist who worked with Marcel Marceau and recently achieved highest cultural honour from France for his achievement, Partha Majumder.

The Chief Guest at the glittering night, Eric Pickles MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government spoke about the importance of curry in British life.

He said, "Curry may not have been born in Britain, but it has found a welcome home here. With over 12,000 establishments turning over £4.3 billion each year it’s not difficult to see that British curry is a great success story.

"This Government wants to support the industry’s growth and development.

"The Curry Life Awards are a chance to recognise not only the talent, creativity and hard work of the nation’s curry chefs but also their huge economic contribution to British life.

"I congratulate all the winners and look forward to the British curry industry going from strength to strength".

Syed Belal Ahmed, Editor of Curry Life Magazine and founder of Taste of Britain Curry Festival, said: "The awards were a runaway success. These awards highlight the special achievement of a select band of chefs who have made their culinary mark on the Indian restaurant scene in the UK.

"The British Curry has its own identity and we are now influencing Curry Restaurants globally including India, where Curry originate from," he added.