INTERNATIONAL INDIAN CHEF OF THE YEAR 2008
(25 February 2008)

A Staffordshire chef, D.Vassaramo, of 'Thornbury Hall Rasoi, beat off stiff competition from seven other expert cooks on 25 February to win the International Indian Chef of the Year 2008 title and a £1000 prize. The free-to-enter competition for both amateur and professional cooks was founded by Tommy Miah to promote innovation and quality in Indian cuisine. This year's Chairman of Judges was Lord Fraser of Carmyllie Q.C.

Two women and six men, chosen for the excellence of their menu for a four-dish meal, had two-and-a-half hours to cook their meal in the training kitchens of Edinburgh's Telford College and present it to table for judges to taste. Judges, who monitored the cooking before sampling the finished product, were united in choosing D.Vassaramo, of Thornbury Hall Rasoi, Kingsley Holt, not only for the quality of cooking but also for his presentation of the meal.

Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, chairman of the judging panel, said the standard of all entries was the highest encountered in his many years as a judge. "There were so many enticing and well balanced dishes that it was difficult to single out only one winner," Lord Fraser said. He added that all the finalists could count them-selves winners by reaching the final of the prestigious contest.

Second place went to Arbroath student Sharmila Raj, who also carried off the £250 Lady Fraser Prize for her vegetarian dish -- a unusual spicy combination of Curly Kale, onion and tomato. Third place went to Birmingham College lecturer Michael Gilbert.

FINALISTS

This year's finalists were:

• Ms Sharmila Raj, 37, Student, Arbroath
• Ms Najma Kazi, 55, Journalist, Harrow, Middlesex
• Joynul Abedin, 29, Chef, The Curry Garden, 24 Church Street, Rushden, Northants NN10 9YT
• Michael Gilbert, 49, Lecturer, Birmingham, West Midlands
• Vivek Kashiwale, 30, Head Chef, Ashoka Shak, 1, Woodside Court, Coatbridge, Lanarkshire ML5 5LE
• Nesar Miah, Chef, Tripti Restaurant, 29 Market Place, Chalfont St Peters
• Tipu Rahman, Chef, Tamarind Restaurant, 151-153 Wellingborough Rd, Northampton NN6 0JT
• D. Vassaramo, Chef, Thornbury Hall Rasoi, Lockwood Road, Kingsley Holt, Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire ST10 2DH 01538 750831

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