The third-annual Bradford Curry Awards is back and bigger than ever with a two-day mela event planned before the prestigious award ceremony that celebrates the very best of what curry houses in Bradford have to offer.
Launched to much fanfare in 2018 by the founder, managing director and editor of Asian Standard, Fatima Patel, the third Curry Awards was due to be held in April 2020 before being cancelled due the Covid-19 pandemic.
Picking up where it left off, the Curry Awards will feature a host of new categories and will include an exciting two-day mela leading up to the glitzy award ceremony, which will take place at the Bradford Hotel on Monday 25 July.
The Curry Mela will be held at Centenary Square on Saturday 23 July and Sunday 24 July and will include food stalls, entertainment and master classes from renowned chefs from the region, who will show attendees how they cook up their much-loved traditional dishes and burgeoning fusion blends. The Mela is a free event, but masterclasses will need to be booked in advance to avoid disappointment.
The Bradford Curry Awards made history by getting leaders from the city’s sizable curry sector together for the first time under one roof in 2018 to celebrate the half-a-billion-pound industry.
Following two years lost to the Covid-19 pandemic, the return of the Bradford Curry Awards is perhaps the most looked forward to celebration in the region’s calendar.
The prestigious annual awards night brings together the crème-de-la-crème of Bradford’s booming curry industry and is a celebration of the city’s vibrant Asian culture and the culinary craftsmanship that goes into making Bradford, Britain’s curry capital, one of the UK’s most treasured curry destinations.
The awards will aim to bring curry lovers together to celebrate this rich heritage, highlighting the finest examples of South Asian cuisine and praising the industry dedicated to serving up our most gratifying menu.
From recognising the best restaurants to the best dishes, the Bradford Curry Awards will also aim to recognise the people who work hard behind the scenes, such as the chefs, who ensure locals and tourists are served the most amazing selection of food.
The glamorous evening will certainly be rolling out the red carpet, with entertainment, inspirational speakers, comedy and a delicious four-course meal.
Above all, it’s the only event where you will find all of Bradford’s curry industry movers and shakers in one room and get a chance to meet decision-makers, business leaders, politicians and community leaders.
Nominations for the Curry Awards will go live from Wednesday, 15 June where the public can nominate their favourite curry houses until Tuesday, 5 July, when nominations will be verified and shortlisted.
A panel of esteemed judges will take over and crown the winners, which will be announced on the night.
Fatima Patel, founder, editor and managing director of Asian Standard, said: “Due to the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020, we had to sadly cancel our third-annual Bradford Curry Awards, which is why I’m delighted to say that after a two-year delay, the Bradford Curry Awards is back and will be bigger and better than ever.
“For the first time, we have organised a two-day Curry Mela which will be a celebration of South Asian heritage, food and culture at Centenary Square in the city centre. We will have renowned chefs putting on mater classes, stalls to sample delicious food and entertainment for the whole family to enjoy, followed by our prestigious award ceremony that recognises the absolute best working in Bradford’s curry industry.”
Director Shiraz Ahmed of Saveco Cash and Carry, which is the official shopping partner for the Mela, said: “It’s an honour to be part of a ground-breaking event that’s coming hot on the heels of Bradford winning the UK City of Culture 2025. It’s a really exciting time and we are fully confident this is going to be a great event for Bradford and the north region.”
Sponsors of the event include The Bradford Hotel, Fever FM, Visit Bradford, Bradford BID, The Great Victoria Hotel, SaveCo Cash and Carry and The Meat Company.
The Bradford Curry Mela will be held on 23 and 24 July at Centenary Square in BD1. The event will run 11.30am to 8pm on both days and entry to the event is free.
The third-annual Bradford Curry Awards will be held on Monday, 25 July at The Bradford Hotel, BD1 5SH. This is a ticketed event, for tickets email tickets@bradfordcurryawards.co.uk.
For more information visit www.bradfordcurryawards.co.uk
