Sunderland's My Delhi chef named best in Britain at national Indian food awards

Gaurav Dayal, the Executive Chef at My Delhi, which has branches in Borough Road, Sunderland, and Newcastle, joined colleagues from the restaurant to attend the ARTA (Asian Restaurant and Takeaway) Awards, dubbed the Oscars of the curry industry, going on to win Regional Chef of the Year, then beating all regional winners to clinch the National Chef of the Year 2022.

Sunday night saw the nation’s best restaurants and takeaways come together at the ARTA Awards in London after being nominated by 700,000 customers.

The restaurants were shortlisted by judges and then invited to a national cook-off competition.

Gaurav took part in the cook-off and created a dish which he named Kundan, a tribute to the founder of the world-famous Butter Chicken.

The winning dish was a two-way tandoori roasted chicken roulade with a stuffing of Malai Tikka and served on a bed of butter masala sauce. Served alongside it was a deconstructed Aloo Tikki, green chutney Indian hummus topped with spiced potato balls and drops of tamarind and date chutney.

And to crown the dish, a ring made of shortcrust pastry flavoured with black onion seeds.

My Delhi was selected as the winner by a panel of judges comprising of Chand Rahman, Executive Chef and multi-award-winning Celebrity Chef; Mohammed Mujibur Rahman, ex-Mayor of Corby; and Graham Taylor, Senior Chef Lecturer, Cambridge Regional College.

Executive Chef Gaurav Dayal has been with the street food restaurant since the start helping to make it one of the best Indian restaurants in the UK after a succession of recent awards including the winner of BBC’s Britain’s Top Takeaways.

Serving the popular street food and cuisines of Delhi, Chef Gaurav has created an exciting and modern menu which pays tribute to the street hawkers of India’s bustling capital city.

Chef Gaurav said “I’m overwhelmed and still lost for words. This award means a lot to me and the team at My Delhi. It’s an amalgamation of what I’ve learnt in my culinary journey, those who have inspired me, those I’ve learnt from.

“I want to pay a special tribute to the street hawkers of Delhi who have inspired me with the menu here at My Delhi. They are the real magicians, the artists who create amazing food with minimal ingredients. The food I grew up eating in Delhi.

“Thanks also to my team at My Delhi without them I would be incomplete. And of course, our diners, our customers whom I now regard as My Delhi-ites, who have supported us and been with us on our journey. We are ever so grateful.”

Elahi Shah Amin, Director of My Delhi, said “We are tremendously honoured and absolutely delighted to win these awards. We would have been happy with just winning the Regional Chef of the Year, but to then win the National Chef of the Year competing with the best chefs from every region in the UK is just very special.

“It’s an amazing achievement for My Delhi and Chef Gaurav, and we’re so proud to have him bring the very best of Delhi and North Indian street food to our diners here in the North East.”