International, a 46-year-old restaurant in Bradford, serving curries to patrons has been crowned the people’s choice ‘Best Restaurant’ at the Bradford Curry Awards.
In a grand event, hosted by stand-up comic Abdullah Afzal, attended by over 250 people, International was announced as the Best Curry restaurant in the city.
Up in the race were, other marvellous restaurants, Bala Hissar, My Lahore, Akbar’s, Lala’s and Prashad.
‘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 the verge of completing 50 years soon.
International has had a long 46-year journey. It went through a complete makeover in 2000, where the management refurbished and renovated the restaurant from the scratch. In 2019, International added, “Ultimate Dining” to its name, in an attempt to showcase the dining experience.
Last year, International had won the Bradford Curry Awards for the best dish, Lamb on the Bone.
Before winning the award, Asian Standard, had the chance to interview Mr Safeer, who said, “It is an award, which will reward you, if you get it, it will be around 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.”
Mr Safeer, running the restaurant was ecstatic after winning the award, people were witness to a rather animated celebration by the International team.
Asian Standard caught him right after he was handed the trophy.
“This win is, very very important. It’s what we wanted to have, wanted to win. It was something which we were working towards. It is the people who had chosen us, for us to be in the business for so long. Our grandfathers, fathers passed it on to us. I’m sure they are going to be happy. I’m literally shaking, after winning this award, because it’s a massive award for us. We are happy and inshallah we will continue to go strong and International will be here again next year.
“We believed that we would win, I had that in my heart. But winning the people’s choice, that was, the best thing for us. Everybody has won, what they wanted to win. For us, having the people on our side, it means everything.”
Speaking about the plan ahead and how does the award help him pursue it, Mr Safeer says, “Like my brother mentioned, two more branches on the away, and there are many more to come.”
Giving out a message to his team and staff at International’s, Safeer says, “They have been wonderful, it’s been fantastic, they are brilliant, they stick along with us, and we have stuck along with them. I’m very proud of them!”
