Kushi Chefs Among Asian & Oriental Chef Awards Contestants
House of Lords Presentation
Two chefs at the award-winning, family-owned chain of Kushi restaurants and takeaways in Essex, are among 12 chefs who will compete in the national Asian & Oriental Chef Awards.
The cook-off will take place at on Monday 21st June 2021 in the Pillars Kitchen at the University of West London in Ealing.
The eventual winners will be revealed at a special presentation dinner at the House of Lords on Monday 5th July 2021, hosted by Lord Sheikh.
The two Kushi chefs taking part in the live event are Humayun Rashid, head chef at the group’s Grays restaurant and Kamrul Hoque head chef at the Gidea Park branch.
Following nominations from the public, leading chefs were invited to submit descriptions and background, recipe details and photos of an original two course meal.
Chef Rashid will be preparing a starter of King Prawn Crepes – succulent freshwater king prawns cooked in homemade spices atop butter pan fried bread paratha. To follow the main will be a Duck Dum Biryani of Barbary breast of duck and flavoured basmati rice cooked in a sealed vessel (dum) served with pomegranate raita & Kushi salad.
Chef Hoque will be cooking a “perfect summer treat” of Chicken Kursaan with Taaftan – a tandoori chicken salad with mini Afghan parathas. His main course will be a spicy, flavourful, Goan Fish Curry with coconut and mustard seeds – a staple from the palm-fringed sandy beaches of the former Portuguese colony.
The awards were open to professional chefs working in Bangladeshi, Burmese, Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Malaysian, Middle Eastern, Pakistani, Singaporean, Sri Lankan, Thai, Turkish and Vietnamese restaurants and takeaways.
“To have one of our chefs make the national final in an incredible achievement, but to have two is fantastic,” said Kushi co-owner Sharif Uddin, adding, “We are immensely grateful to the many people who enjoyed our deliveries during lockdown and nominated us.”
During lockdown, the group donated over 15,000 complimentary meals to frontline NHS staff, key workers, care home residents, elderly and vulnerable people in Essex and North Kent.
Known for their exceptional dining experience, distinctive décor and mouth-watering food, the six-strong Kushi group has venues in Grays, Romford, Canvey Island, Brentwood, Ockendon, Linford and Tilbury.
Commenting on Kushi’s entry in the Asian & Oriental Chef Awards, chairman organiser Yawar Khan, Asian Catering Federation chairman said: “Our judges were particularly impressed by the chefs’ use of fresh, locally sourced produce, their unique weekly changing menus and commitment to supporting the vulnerable and key workers in their local communities.”
