Pervin Todiwala recognised at the British Curry Awards 2020
Pervin Todiwala, Co-Founder of Café Spice Namaste, was recognised at the 16th annual British Curry Awards, streamed live on 17th December 2020 with comedian Rory Bremner as the host. Pervin was honoured with the Inspirational Woman Award for working tirelessly behind the restaurant businesses, raising two sons, and supporting highly demanded celebrity TV chef Cyrus Todiwala OBE.
The British Curry Awards, sponsored by Just Eat, are a landmark event in the hospitality industry calendar. Yesterday’s extravaganza recognised the efforts of restaurants, chefs, and industry stalwarts, and the extraordinary efforts of this amazing, resilient industry, which is worth £5bn to the British economy. Celebs and politicians assembled virtually to mark the 16th Annual British Curry Awards which celebrated the fact that British curry houses give away five million free meals during Covid-19 pandemic
The ceremony also paid tribute to the unsung heroes of the pandemic who have gone the extra mile for their local communities; the country’s first-generation curry restaurateurs who are now elderly with underlying health issues and as well as the early ‘curry pioneers’ who created the industry we know and love today in the 1960s and 1970s.
Five million free meals with £45 million donated to key workers
New analysis by the British Curry Award and industry’s trade journal Spice Business Magazine found UK curry houses have given away more than five million free meals to key workers and the vulnerable during the course of the coronavirus pandemic. The average cost of a curry with rice is around £9. This means the industry has donated more than £45m in food to key workers, including frontline NHS staff and the needy, since the first lockdown in March.
This generosity has taken place despite the acute economic pressure on curry houses and the wider hospitality industry throughout the crisis. The curry industry was already struggling with a skills shortage, which was contributing to an alarming rate of restaurant closures pre-Covid.
A recent documentary, The Curry House Kid, estimated that half of all the country’s 12,000 Indian restaurants could close in the next decade.
Enam Ali MBE, founder of the British Curry Awards, said:
“I am delighted that we have been able to keep the Curry Oscars going even through this traumatic time. The winners this year are among the most exceptional we have known, feeding our friends, loved ones, and those who have defended us throughout this awful pandemic.
“More broadly, it’s extraordinary how the whole industry has kept so many people fed this year. The great British curry is not only central to British life, it is a key part of seeing us through this pandemic. As an industry worth around £5bn, we also have a crucial role to play in the recovery.”
Winners of the British Curry Awards 2020
Best London Restaurant in the Pandemic – Atul Kochhar Kanishka, London
This award is for Best London Restaurant for Takeaway Service in the Pandemic. A pioneering chef and TV personality, they have adapted their service during the pandemic, providing takeaways and extending the government eat out to help out scheme
Inspirational Woman Award – Pervin Todiwala Café Spice Namaste
This award is for a woman who has co-founded Namaste, playing an instrumental role in the family businesses. Trained as a chef at Bombay’s Institute of Hotel Management and working at the Taj Mahal Intercontinental, she faced cultural obstacles in a male dominant environment. She has worked tirelessly behind the restaurant businesses, raising two sons and supporting highly demanded celebrity TV chef Cyrus Todiwala OBE.
Entrepreneur Award – Jalf Ali Dabbawal/Khai Khai Newcastle
This individual has operated many restaurants through the Dabbawal brand across Newcastle. He recently launched a unique concept restaurant, Khai Khai, in the challenging pandemic despite all the obstacles and restrictions faced.
Family Restaurant Team of the Year – Gulu Anand Brilliant Restaurant, Southall
This award is for a well-established restaurant that continues the legacy handed down through four generations. They have built a family brand and, through the restaurant, father Gulu Anand has helped to create and pave the way for his daughter, celebrity tv chef Dipna Anand
Inspirational Person – Dabirul Islam Choudhury OBE
This humble centenarian had a restaurant in St Albans during the 60s. He has raised more than £420,000 to help people affected by Covid-19. His initiative surpassed expectations and went on to help many charities, including people in the UK’s Bangladeshi and Muslim communities.
Outstanding Service to Local Community in the Pandemic – Zakir Khan, Zyka Restaurant Reading
This restaurant has helped NHS staff with discounts, as well as assisting those who needed grocery/ pharmacy shops and reaching out through Facebook to those who may need free meals.
Special Recognition for Media Coverage of the Curry Industry – Chief Reporter Mohammad Jubair, Channel 5
This recipient is a selfless humanitarian and community activist journalist for Channel S for over many decades. He has tirelessly kept the community well informed with his unique style of reporting, and fair analysis, and delivering groundbreaking stories on chef shortages, the vindaloo visa, restaurant closures, as well the continuous government guidelines policies surrounding the pandemic.
Best Takeaway Award during the Pandemic – Safwaan Choudhury, British Raj Takeaway
This award is for a young man whose father is shielding due to various illnesses. The NHS has provided great care for his father and, having witnessed NHS staff going to supermarkets with empty shelves, he donated over 3,000 free meals. Another 500 meals will be donated to the NHS and to the local vulnerable during this Christmas. He was recently announced hero of Hertfordshire for his service to his local community of Hertfordshire.
Outstanding Service during the Pandemic – Habibur Khan, Radhuni Scotland
This restaurant has shown great initiative and community spirit, creating an outdoor glass fibre canopy above their gardens to allow for outdoor dining safely. They also served 4,000 free meals to the NHS, blue light workers, ambulance, fire, police, pharmacy, and care home staff.
Leadership Award in the Pandemic – Salim Choudhury, President of the British Bangladeshi Caterers Association
This recipient through his leadership has tirelessly campaigned for his member to come together for NHS frontline heroes, as well as campaigning for various policies and changing guidelines affecting
the curry industry. Through his leadership, BBCA members have served over 25,000 meals to the homeless, NHS, and hospices.
Outstanding Service in the Pandemic – Naz Islam, Saffron Restaurant, Northampton
This award is for the remarkable efforts they have gone through to donate thousands of free meals to doctors and nurses at Northampton General Hospital, as well surplus stock to food banks. They also launched a local hero competition for the community members. A true community champion.
Outstanding Service in the Pandemic – Sujit D’Almeida, Urban Tandoor, Bristol
This restaurant has gone out of its way to help those in quarantine as a result of coronavirus by delivering free food.
Unsung Chef Award – Rahman Shah, Eastleigh
This particular award winner was nominated by his daughter, who praised father’s tireless hard work in the kitchen, building a life for his family here in the UK. He, along with many others, represent the unsung chefs who are the backbone of the curry industry, but never had an opportunity to be recognized.
For further information, visit http://www.britishcurryaward.co.uk/
