# Tiffin Cup

The Tiffin Cup is an annual British competition run by the Tiffin Club to find the best South Asian restaurant in the United Kingdom. Nominees are selected by their constituency and then put forward by their local MPs. One restaurant from every region is then shortlisted and invited to participate in the Grand Final cook-off event held in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, as judged by MPs and guest celebrities, with the proceeds going to a selected charity.

## History of Tiffin Cup

MP's are asked to put forward a restaurant to challenge for the Tiffin Cup. The restaurants are then visited and shortlisted, with the finalists going forwards to a live cook-off in the Houses of Parliament. In 2019 81 restaurants were nominated for the Tiffin Cup and 13 shortlisted restaurants were asked to cook for a panel of judges at the Palace of Westminster.
The competition was created by a group of MPs to celebrate quality South Asian food in Britain and to raise money for charity. All of the money raised goes to the World Vision charity. The Chairman of the Tiffin Cup is Keith Vaz MP and Chief Judge is Ainsley Harriott. The trophy is usually presented by the speaker of the house of commons.

## Past winners

2019 - Kuti's Brasserie, Southampton, Hampshire
2006 - Taj Mahal Indian Restaurant, Preseli Pembrokeshire
2007 - Bekash, Romford
2008 - Mint and Mustard, Cardiff North
2009 - Tamasha, Bromley and Chislehurst

### Ongoing Competition

2019 - Kuti's Brasserie restaurant from Southampton, Hampshire won the Tiffin Cup at Parliament, London. Chief of judging was celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott and the first prize trophy was awarded by Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow. 13 restaurants from around the country took part. The winning dish was Sikandari Royal Lamb which the judges commented was fresh, seasonal and extremely tasty.
The other shortlisted restaurants were Black Pepper's (Wales) nominated by Ian Lucas MP, Red Chillies (east Anglia) nominated by Sir David Amess MP, Vivasa (South East) nominated by Prime Minister Theresa May MP, Al-Nawab (Yorkshire) nominated by Paula Sheriff MP, Indi's (South East) nominated by Conor Burns MP, Rajnagar (West Midlands) nominated by Julian Knight MP, Himalayan Kitchn (London) nominated by Ellie Reeves MP, Indique (North West) nominated by Jeff Smith MP, Prithi (London SW) nominated by Sir Edward Davey MP, Soi Kitchens (East Midlands) nominated by Pauline Latham MP, Dabbbawai (north west) nominated by Chi Onwurah, Nakodar Grill (Scotland) nominated by Paul Sweeney MP.
2015/15 - Mushtaqs Restaurant from Hamilton, Scotland won the Tiffin Cup. Ainsley Harriot, famous TV chef, said of the victorious Mushtaqs "Mushtaqs food has some of the best flavour combinations I have ever eaten."
2013 - The competition included Ainsley Harriet as the chair of a panel of judges.
Notable mention to the Bilash Balti in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, which was the first restaurant in the Fylde to win the Best in the North West category.
2010 - A record 74 nominations were received by the Tiffin Club! The Launch of the Newby Teas Tiffin Cup 2010 was on Tuesday 14 September 2010.
In 2010, the competition was in aid of World Vision.

## Grand Finalists
### 2006

B. Raj Tandoori, Banff and Buchan
The Mirch Masala, Tooting
Royal Al Faisal, Birmingham
Taj Mahal, Pembrokeshire
Pan Ahar, Blyth Valley
Aagrah Shipley, Shipley
Bombay Dreams, Brent South
Queen Spice, South Queensferry
Sukhi's Indian Cuisine, Darwen
The Royal Bengal, Lowestoft
Bombay Spice, North London
The Tandoori Parlour, Castle Point
Bengal Spice, Hemel Hempstead

### 2007

Queens Spice, Edinburgh West
Maharaja, Castle Point
Passage to India, Stroud
Tower Tandoori, North Southwark and Bermondsey
Taste of India, Surrey Heath
Bekash, Romford
Shimla Spice, Shipley
4,500 miles from Delhi, Nottingham South
Moonlight Tandoori, Banff and Buchan
The Gulshan, Wolverhampton South East
Shahi Quila, Blackburn

### 2008

The Chilli Raj, St Albans
Chilli Chutney, Streatham
The Third Place, Shrewsbury
Mint and Mustard, Cardiff
The Royal Spice, Peterborough
Bombay Blues, London
Spice Lodge, Cheltenham
The Spice Bazaar, South West England
Azad Manzil Restaurant, North West England
Pan Ahar Restaurant, Havering

### 2009

Kareem's, Vale of Clwyd
Tamasha, Bromley and Chislehurst
Jalsagor, Herefordshire
Saffron, Leeds North East
Haweli Indian, Maidenhead
Lawthorn Farm Indian, Central Ayrshire
Shajan, Ribble Valley
Planet Poppadom, Great Yarmouth
Godalming Tandoori, South West Surrey
The Spice Bazaar, Totnes

## Sources

* https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/17748293.39-s-official-kuti-39-s-crowned-uk-39-s-best-curry-house/
* http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/4988828.stm
* http://www.dictatenow.com/DictateNow_TiffinCup2007.html
* http://iwc2.labouronline.org/166359/6d3075ad-f24e-e3f4-3599-2e6f177b686d
* http://www.keithvaz.labour.co.uk/3ab18d0c-0a46-9094-d92b-0512f6c28bbc
* http://www.politics.co.uk/mps/press-releases/party-politics/conservatives/the-tiffin-cup-2009-$1281864.htm
* http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/what-s-on/going-out/currying-flavour-with-mps-1-5808638