Kay Shah spent most of the week celebrating his Indian restaurant’s success in a nationwide competition.
He also spent part of his time explaining that a printer’s error put his Littleport restaurant as best in NORFOLK and not CAMBRIDGESHIRE.
The error was not noticed until after Mr Shah picked up his trophy at gala awards dinner in Essex and posed with a photo of the winner’s certificate without spotting the mistake.
His adoring fans back in Littleport – Cambridgeshire – were quick to spot the error, however, but they felt the award well deserved, for whichever county.
Based six miles outside the Norfolk boundary, the Indian Garden in Victoria Street, Littleport, is one of East Cambridgeshire’s least well-kept secrets.
Mr Shah – who recently opened a second restaurant and takeaway in Fordham (that’s Fordham, Cambridgeshire, not Fordham, Norfolk) is delighted.
And of the printing error he remarked “a small error from their side”.
Indian Garden won Best Indian Restaurant in the county at the 2021 Euro Asia Curry Awards.
Held at Mayfair Venue in Romford, Essex, the annual awards celebrate the best curry eateries in the UK and the talented, hardworking people behind them.
More than 200 restaurants and takeaways serving curries, from Indian to Thai, were nominated for this year’s awards. A panel of expert judges travelled around the country to find out who offered the finest cuisine, customer service and atmosphere, before picking the winners.
The Euro Asia Curry Awards were set up in 2015 by Bangladeshi chef Shorif Kahn, who has 20 years of industry experience behind him. He has cooked for a number of well-known figures, including Theresa May.
Shorif said it was more important than ever to celebrate excellence in the industry, when so many restaurants had been badly hit by the pandemic.
He added: “After such a difficult period for restaurants up and down the country, it feels fantastic to be able to showcase and celebrate some of the most talented and hardworking people in our industry.
“Not only do these businesses contribute a huge amount to the UK economy, they’re also loved by their communities. It’s wonderful to see them all open again and thriving.”
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