Ashok curries favour as chef of the year

An Indian and Bangladeshi restaurant chef is celebrating after winning Chef of the Year at the Scottish Curry Awards 2018.

Ashok Ram, head chef from The Radhuni restaurant in Edinburgh’s Loanhead, scooped up this award at the awards show in Glasgow, naming him the best in the business for Scottish curry.

This isn’t a first for Ram, as he adds this title to his previous honours, including Chef of the Year for Scotland and Northern Ireland at the Bangladeshi Caterers Association (2012).

After moving to Edinburgh from Nepal, Ashok was trained by proprietor of the restaurant, Matin Khan, who also runs the sister restaurant Itihaas in Dalkeith, Edinburgh.

Ashok said: ‘I can’t believe I have won this award. There were so many great chefs in the running, and to be named Chef of the Year means the absolute world.

‘It’s fantastic to work in a restaurant that has as much passion as I do for great cooking, and I’m so proud of the whole team for helping us win this award.’

This title is added to a list of awards won by the restaurant, including five consecutive years of Excellence in the Trip Advisor Hall of Fame (2013-2018), being listed as one of The Telegraph’s Top 10 Curry Restaurants in Britain (2014), one of Trip Advisor’s Top 10 Indian Restaurants in the UK (2013), and being given an Award of Excellence by The AAA Guide of Excellence (2013).

Matin Khan, owner of The Radhuni, added: ‘We are tremendously proud of Ashok and all his achievements. This award is well deserved and we are glad his talents are being recognised.’