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Two
hundred years ago, in 1809, the same year that the 2000 guineas horse
race was first run at Newmarket ; the Royal Opera House in London
opened ; Napoleon defeated Austria in the Battle of Abensberg,
Bavaria ; the population of Britain was less than 11 million ; the
Treaty of the Dardanelles between Britain and the Ottoman Empire was
concluded ; and, ironically, Shoja Shah of Afghanistan signed a
treaty with the British, Dean Mahomet, born in 1759 in Patna, Bihar,
opened the Hindoostanee Coffee-House, the first dedicated Indian
restaurant in Britain.at 34 George Street, Portman Square in London.
In 2009
we have over 9000 Indian. Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Sri Lankan
restaurants serving a population of over 61 million and 23 million
people eat curry out on a regular basis each year. It is these curry
fans that the eleventh running of National Curry Week (22nd-28th
November) is aimed at, with the invaluable support this year of
headline sponsor the Cobra Beer Partnership. As a coincidence, the
popular brand celebrates its twentieth year alongside curry
restaurants celebrating two hundred years.
In the
coming weeks organiser Peter Grove, and the sales team from Cobra
will be inviting restaurants all over the country to register free to
support the week.
The fun
aspect of the celebration of Britain's favourite cuisine includes a
Samosa Speed Challenge and the World Poppadom Tower Challenge.
However, the underlying principle is for diners to agree to have just
£1 added to their bill to go to The Curry Tree Charitable Fund
to help disasters and malnourishment and educate the kitchen and
front of house staff in restaurants to the highest possible
standards. In return donors will have access to a unique ebook of
recipes from top chefs all over the world.
First to
show his support for the new Charitable Fund was Sir G.K.Noon, often
dubbed 'the Curry King' and Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP, First Minister
of Scotland has also been quick to indicate his support.
Grove
said "If we could raise just £1 a year from the curry
loving public, think how many million we would raise to help the less
advantaged from something we all enjoy. Curry is hot news nowadays
and very different from those early days in 1809 and by donating so
little think how much good can be achieved'.
Curry
fans all over Britain will be getting the clarion call over the
coming weeks from restaurants and the media and for the first time
ever National Curry Week will have influence beyond its active seven
days. Fund raising will carry on for the year after the event so that
National Curry Week 2010 becomes a celebration of the achievements of
the previous twelve months.
YOU
CAN REGISTER YOUR RESTAURANT FREE NOW BY EMAILING YOUR RESTAURANT
NAME, ADDRESS & TELEPHONE NUMBER TO groveint@aol.com
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