Cambridge Regional College, ARTA and ChefOnline launch upskilling program for Indian and Bangladeshi communities chefs

The shortlisted restaurants and takeaways have been unveiled for the annual Asian Restaurant and Takeaway Awards (ARTA), the most prestigious celebration of Pan Asian cuisine in the UK, which will take place this year on Sunday the 6th October at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London. 

ARTA 2024 is powered by Work Permit Cloud, with ChefOnline as the Strategic Partner, Guavapay, Super Pollo, and Cobra Beer as Associate Sponsors, Madhus as Catering Partner, and Wheels to Heal as Charity Partner. 

ARTA 2024 is also proudly supported by Cambridge Regional College, Khorshid Rice, Squire Mile Insurance, and Lexpert Solicitors. Cambridge Regional College, in partnership with ARTA and Chef Online, is launching a specialized training program in January 2025 to upskill chefs in the Indian and Bangladeshi communities. 

The program will incorporate modern culinary trends to develop current and future professionals. Graham Taylor, Chef Director at Cambridge Regional College, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, having supported the ARTA cook-off since 2018. 

He said: “We’ve seen remarkable dedication and talent, and it’s exciting to help shape the future of this vibrant industry. The program is designed to meet the specific needs of chefs in the Asian catering sector, focusing on high-quality training and development. 

Among the award categories set to recognise the UK’s top Asian restaurants and takeaways; from Regional Restaurants of the Year to Newcomer of the Year, is the National Chef of the Year award.

 Finalists for the National Chef of the Year have to battle it out at ARTA’s cook-off competition on Monday, 16th September 2024, where restaurants’ chefs prepare their finest dishes for a panel of judges. 

The contenders for the national qualifiers were selected based on nominations by customers from across the UK, including over 900,000 customers from ARTA’s strategic partner ChefOnline. 

ARTA 2024 National Chef of the Year Finalists: 

• Raj Bari, Bristol 
• The Vine Indian Cuisine, Sheffield 
•  Colombo Kitchen, Surrey 
• Raj Kitchen Pure Indian Cuisine, Swansea 
• Tamarind Indian Restaurant, Isle of Wight
• Jilani, Sudbury, Suffolk 
•  Imli Restaurant, Heywood, Rochdale 
• The Coriander, Essex 
• Abbots Tandoori, Watford 
• The Empress, East London 
• The Spice Lounge, Rushden, Northampton 
• Nway Oo Pokhara, North London 
• Ayo Gorkhali, Stafford 
• Gurkha Fire, Chatham

Asian Restaurant & Takeaway Awards (ARTA) is a distinguished celebration of Asian cuisine dubbed “OSCARS OF THE CURRY INDUSTRIES” by the BBC & SKY. It recognises outstanding individuals and businesses in 12 categories in this vibrant sector, with over 1,250 businesses nominated from across the UK for this year’s event. 

The strategic partner of ARTA, ChefOnline, one of the popular platforms for ordering food and booking tables on the go, also invited nominations from over 900,000 customers. ARTA uses a two-phase process to select finalists. 

The public nominates their preferred restaurants or takeaways based on the Quality of Food, Quality of Service, and Value for Money. ARTA evaluates nominees using Trip Advisor, Google Reviews, and Food Hygiene Ratings. 

A panel of judges conducts the final phase. The process concludes at the Grand Finale & Gala Evening, where the ultimate winner is announced and honoured with prestigious awards in various categories. 

We also collaborate with colleges to nurture aspiring chefs and promote the future generation of culinary professionals. We anticipate the presence of prominent MPs, ministers and dignitaries at the gala event, further highlighting and promoting the Asian Culinary Industry.