Indian restaurant in Flitwick scoops top title at Curry Life Awards

An Indian restaurant in Flitwick is celebrating after winning a prestigious award at a national event showcasing Indian cuisine.

Olive Naturally Indian won the Curry Life Editor’s Choice category at the Curry Life Awards 2023, which were held at a gala ceremony in London’s West End.

Speaking after the ceremony, owner Suhel Ahmed said: “It’s truly fantastic we’ve won this award! It’s made us so proud about how far we’ve come as a business and to be recognised in this way is an honour.”

The restaurant is one of a chain of three across the UK, opened by Suhel Ahmed and his partners, Abul Choudhury and Mohammed Suleman Miah, in 2021.

The menu features a range of dishes from different Asian countries, including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and mainland India, with mango and coriander chicken a notable favourite among customers. The concept behind the food is to use natural ingredients, creating dishes that use less oil and cream, making them healthier while retaining all the flavour.

The Curry Life Awards, celebrating its 14th year, was the idea of brothers Syed Pasha and Syed Ahmed, who came to the UK from Bangladesh in the 1970s and were surprised by the British appetite for curry.

Syed Pasha said: "We wanted to build upon and celebrate a cuisine that has found its home from home outside the Indian subcontinent. The Indian food here is unique and continues to flourish. We have several awards categories, including Curry Life Editor's Choice, Best Restaurant, Best Chef and Best Takeaway of the Year.

The awards night, supported by Just Eat, also highlighted the industry's tenacity, which has survived despite the pandemic and cost of living crisis.

Matt Hopper, head of partner and courier marketing at Just Eat said: “Just Eat is once again honoured to be sponsoring the Curry Life Awards. We’re all here to celebrate success and the hard work you and your teams put in. We’re here to celebrate how delicious your food is and how much your business has grown and to applaud what you do for your local communities. It’s been Just Eat’s honour to sponsor the Curry Life Awards as we are only successful when our partners are successful. We commend all of the winners.”