Light bites: Hurry with your curry

One of my favourite jobs of the year is the annual curry chef competition. I have been judging it for several years now and it always delights me that the standard is so high, the chefs so enthusiastic, and that they all recognise the importance of high standards of hygiene in their kitchens. Which is a good thing as to enter they need to have reached a standard set by the city Council’s vigilant Safety Team.

The Food Safety Team at the City Council are currently organising their third Brighton & Hove Curry Chef of the Year. The competition is an opportunity for local curry restaurant and takeaway chefs to celebrate and show off their skills.

Previous chefs that have been awarded the accolade of being Curry Chef of the Year have been Khanchit Nimnual-Anant of Krua Anne, Kensington Gardens in 2010 and Sabu Joseph of The Chilli Pickle, Jubilee Street in 2011.

I know how much the chefs who have entered in the past have valued the experience of entering and for some winning the now much coveted prize. If your favourite curry chef has achieved the prerequisite four or five stars in the Scores on the Doors ratings then encourage them to enter and join in the fun. This year the cook off is planned to take place in the kitchens of Brighton Racecourse, and once again I will be part of the team deciding which korma cuts the mustard, which biriani is the bee’s knees and which dansak bites the dust.

All businesses that cook curry as a traditional part of their menu and currently have a food hygiene rating of 4 or 5 stars have all been invited to enter the competition by 12 October 2012. For further information contact Brighton & Hove’s Food Safety Team on 01273 294491.”