10 OUT OF 10 FOR AZIZUR’S PRAWN DISH
Now 51-year-old named Chef of the Year
A Stoke-on-trent takeaway is celebrating after scooping two top awards in a competition judged by Masterchef host Gregg Wallace.
Yahya’s Indian Grill, on Leek New Road, took Chef of the Year for the Midlands and Best Regional Takeaway of the Year at the Bangladesh Caterers Association (BCA) awards night.
Azizur Rahman, aged 51, from Cobridge, entered the competition after being persuaded by his brother Atiqur Rahman. The awards evening was held at Crown Plaza, in London.
Azizur – who had to cook in front of four judges for the competition – and his brothers recently took on Indian Grill which they have rebranded as Yahya’s, after Atiqur’s son.
Atiqur said: “We were pushing him for years to enter and he would always say no.
“We were really pushing because he’s a really good chef.
“He was nervous but he went and did it and came back saying he was surprised as they were really impressed.’”
Azizur said he ‘went with the flow’ on the day of the competition and cooked a Sylhet spice dish.
The judges marked the preparation, hygiene, presentation and the food itself. Three of the four judges gave him 10 out of 10.
Azizur was shortlisted to the finals and in between the two rounds, a mystery shopper popped into Yayha’s to rate the takeaway for a separate award.
Atiqur said: “We didn’t know they were giving us Takeaway of the Year. They actually send people out to test the takeaway to check the service.
“Sometimes, when staff first start they don’t know how to talk to customers. I drill it into them, ask them how they are, smile, ask them about work, have some banter.
“They must have come in when one of my nephews was in, he can talk for England. They said the staff took time out to speak to us.”
Azizur cooked a king prawn dish for the final of the competition where he was crowned Chef of the Year for the Midlands.
Atiqur said: “We’re really happy. My brother is 51 and he’s going to retire in a few years’ time. The takeaway is something our sons can take it on if they wanted to. It’s a recognition that their dad or uncle has won this award so we are happy he’s won it for them, rather than himself.
“There’s so many really good chefs that probably don’t get recognised. They work day and night, they feed people, they’re putting smiles on people’s faces and giving them good food.
“You don’t have to be a celebrity to enter as anyone can enter and try their best. Azizur was competing against very skilled people. The quality would have been a really high standard and we’re happy for him.”