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An
acclaimed chef who was invited to cook for 5,000 guests at the 2007
Indian Bollywood Oscars was hailed Ethnic Chef of the Year at the
recent glittering Craft Guild of Chefs Awards.
Mohammed
Aslam, managing director and executive chef of the Aagrah Group of
Restaurants in Yorkshire, picked up the accolade after being heralded
key ambassador for the cuisine from the northwest region of the
Indian subcontinent.
Colleagues
said he not only aided the development of one of the UK's largest
chains of Indian restaurants, but was instrumental in bringing
Kashmiri flavours to the UK in the first place.
Over
the past few years, Mohammed Aslam has started to receive long
overdue recognition, winning International Chef of the Year 2006, the
Booker Prize and Entrepreneur of the Year in quick succession. He is
also founder and patron of the UK South Asian Chef of the Year competition.
At
the ceremony at the Hilton, Park Lane, he staved off competition
from shortlisted hopefuls Tuncay Kurnaz from Bistro 1 and the
excellent Jasvinderjit Singh from Brilliant Restaurant. Vivek Singh's
Cinnamon Kitchen took the "New Restaurant of the Year" category.
Nick
Vadis, chairman of the Craft Guild of Chefs - the most respected
association dedicated to culinary excellence in the UK - said: "The
awards are in their 16th year and go from strength to strength. We
had a phenomenal number of entries this year, which really goes to
highlight the passion and skills in all sectors of our industry."
Hundreds
of top people from across the industry and beyond, including the
Craft Guild of Chefs' royal patron, HRH The Countess of Wessex,
flocked to see 13 finalists pick up an award, from Apprentice Chef to
Ethnic Chef of the Year. There was also a special award for one
overall industry high flyer.
All
nominees were judged on merit and did not have to be members of the
Craft Guild of Chefs.
Full
list of winners:
Apprentice
Chef - Samantha Rowles, Sheraton
Skyline sponsored by Compass Group
Banqueting
Chef - Nigel Boschetti, Royal
Lancaster Hotel sponsored by Nestle Professional
Competition
Chef - Simon Hulstone, The Elephant
sponsored by Thorns Catering Equipment
Contract
Catering Chef - Dennis Mwakulua,
Fujitsu Services sponsored by Loyd Grossman
Cost
Sector Chef - Michael Godfrey,
Bekynton, Eton College sponsored by McCormicks
Development
Chef - Brian Eastment, Major
International sponsored by Elior Uk
Education
Chef - Simon Stocker, Westminster
Kingsway sponsored by Aramark
Ethnic
Chef - Mohammed Aslam, Aagrah Group
of Restaurants sponsored by Kavis
New
Restaurant of the Year - Cinnamon
Kitchen sponsored by Cherry Valley
Pastry
Chef - Benoit Blin, Le Manoir aux
Quat'Saisons sponsored by Kraft Foods
Pub
Restaurant Chef - Dominic Chapman,
Royal Oak, Maidenhead sponsored by Bisto
Restaurant
Chef - Izu Ani, Vanilla sponsored by
Essential Cuisine
Young
Chef - Will Torrent, Bachmanns
sponsored by Blue Arrow Catering
Special
Achievement Award - Heston Blumenthal
sponsored by Sodexho |
