The much-awaited Bradford Curry Awards is back with its fourth edition on 10 July. More than 200 establishments competed for the coveted title to be the Best of the Best 2023, with around 30 making it to the finals, in nine categories, ranging from best restaurant, eatery, caterer and best marketing.
Each day, we hope to introduce you to a finalist, so you can find out more about their food and their journey as a finalist. We introduce to our finalist, International, competing for the Best Restaurant category.
The category, will look into an all-round experience of the restaurant, including food, ambience, presentation, and experience.
‘International’ located in Morley Street since 1976 and a brand-new second branch on Sticker Lane which has been opened for around a year is on a verge of completing 50 years soon.
Image: International Website
Mr Safeer, who runs the restaurant, looks back over the long period of time: “It was my dad who started the restaurant. I was not even born when this was set up. The journey has been remarkable from what it was to what it is now.
“We became quite well known in 10 or 15 years; my dad’s curry was quite famous. People used to travel all the way from Manchester for the chicken masala.
“There are many restaurants that were around with us and are still open, but they have not moved on and evolved like us. They have not modernised their menu like us.”
Speaking of the major changes made through the 46 odd years. Mr Safeer tells us that a major change was done in 2000, when the restaurant shut for 18 months and moved to a temporary location. The changes involved a complete makeover and refurbishment from scratch.
When asked, what has changed since 1976 in terms of challenges, Mr Safeer tells us: “There is a lot of competition now. If a customer does not like your food, he will walk to another restaurant, it is as simple as that.
“Now, you cannot really have too many bad days. You have to keep relooking at the menu. In the 1980s and 1990s, there were just like six dishes on the menu, now the game has changed.
“The customers now have become more aware,” Safeer add.
Image: International website
When asked, what dishes out of the menu, Safeer would like diners at International to try, he said: “It is not just one dish, there are a set of dishes. There are restaurants that have that one dish, which they specialise on. For us, it is not just one dish. In the 90s everybody looked forward to the chicken masala, but now they menu has evolved now people want everything.
“Last year we got nominated for the Best dish at the Bradford Curry Awards, for the lamb on the bone, and we won the best curry, so obviously that is our signature dish. This year we have put chicken and spinach karahi on the menu, with the same concept that my dad had, so that is the dish which people enjoy.”
In 2019, International added a tagline to its name, “Ultimate dining”.
Speaking of challenges during the pandemic, Safeer said: “Like everyone, it was hard for us. That is when we had to do something and that is the time we introduced deliveries, for the first time in 44 years. It is something that Covid made us do. Throughout the two years of Covid, we opened and closed a couple of times, it is the deliveries that kept us going.
“Had it not been for deliveries, we may have lost out on our chefs and staff, they would have gone to other restaurants who were doing deliveries.”
Asked what the winning the title for Best Restaurant would mean to International, Safeer said, “It would mean a lot. My dad was always old schools, he just wanted to focus on food and serving people. For him, it was about making a proper curry and give it to the people.
“We were born in a generation that understood that these recognitions are indeed important.
“Last year, we missed out getting in the finals, as I was in Pakistan.
“The Bradford Curry awards is a big thing, and to win the Best Restaurant in Bradford will mean so much to us. It is an award, which will reward you, if you get it, it will be around the social media and other media outlets. As a result, it will affect your business as well. It will bring in people, we wish to bring in. That is why, the award would mean so much to us. We have got our fingers crossed; we hope it happens. It would mean so much.”
Will International manage to leave its mark behind at the Curry Awards and be awarded the ‘Best Restaurant’ in Bradford? For answers, we will have to wait till 10 July.
Watch this space for updates on the 4th annual Bradford Curry Awards.
