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Cyrus Todiwala, owner of London's award-winning Café
Spice Namaste in Prescott Street, just five minutes from The Tower of
London, has been awarded an OBE to follow on from his MBE. It is the
second time for Cyrus on the Honours list, after being made an MBE in
2000, both times for services to the hospitality industry.
His restaurant, one of the top Indian restaurants in the country, is
one of the few Indian outlets to regularly get a coveted BIB award in
the Michelin Guide.He is also an 'ambassador' for the Investors in
People programme and has been involved with the National Advisory
Counsel for Education & Training Targets as well as raising
considerable sums for charity.
Mohammed Aslam, is the executive chef and managing director of
the Aagrah restaurant group based in Shipley, and has been awarded an
MBE for services to the hospitality industry.
The award is also in recognition of creating opportunities for black
and minority ethnic people and under-represented cultures in the
South Asian community through the South Asian Chef Competition of
which he is founder and patron.
The honour caps a huge year for the father-of-five, who won the Craft
Guild of Chefs Ethnic Chef of the Year award 2009 in June, two months
after opening the curry chain's 12th venue - the £4 million
Midpoint Suite and Restaurant, in Thornbury.
Founded in Shipley in 1977 by his elder brothers, the Aagrah Group is
the largest chain of Kashmiri restaurants in the UK. Its restaurants
across Yorkshire employ about 350 people and produce an annual
turnover of about £5 million.
Restaurateur and onetime editor of Tandoori Magazine, Iqbal Wahhab
was awarded an OBE in the New Year's Honours List. The founder of The
Cinnamon Club and British restaurant Roast, won the title jointly for
his public service duties as well as for services to the hospitality industry.
Iqbal has been chair of the Department of Works and Pensions Ethnic
Minority Advisory Group for over three years. He also sits on the
boards of two of the Prince of Wales's charities and was recently
made chair of the Mayor's Fund for London Business Club.
Iqbal has also been appointed as the new chair of the
counter-extremism tink-tank Quilliam’s advisory board. Quilliam
directors welcome Iqbal’s business insights and strategic
thinking skills .
A Quilliam spokesperson said: “Iqbal Wahhab has a wealth of
experience in the business sector , government and media industry, as
well as in the interfaith field and in the charity sector. His
experience and knowledge will help Quilliam continue its mission of
challenging extremism, helping foster a Western Islam, and making the
UK a more successful, united and cohesive society.”
Quilliam’s advisory board currently consists of Reza Aslan, Dr
Musharraf Hussain Al-Azhari, Catherine Fieschi, Canon Dr Giles
Fraser, Professor Timothy Garton Ash, David Goodhart, Michael Gove
MP, Dr David Green, Sheikh Dr. Ali al-Saleh al Najafi, Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui
In coming months, Iqbal will help bring new energy and greater
diversity to Quilliam’s advisory board.
Iqbal's plans for 2010 include developing the Roast brand and also a
major social enterprise project around food, details of which will be
announced in due course. |
