Shampan at the Spinning Wheel, in Westerham, Kent, the flagship restaurant of the renowned Shampan Group, which is often spoken of affectionately as the restaurant group which is the “Jewel of the South-East England”, has been appropriately crowned as the “Best in the South-East” category at the celebrated British Curry Awards 2022.
A credit to the restaurant’s excellence and ongoing success, this is the fourth time that Spinning Wheel has won in the same category, with the previous wins being in 2012, 2013 and 2015, respectively.
Headed by the group’s Managing Director Sufian Miah, the Shampan staff members, who were present at the awards could not have been more elated to have picked up the esteemed trophy.
“I think we were all pleasantly shocked at being announced as the winner,” said Miah, “because we were amongst a great list of restaurants and it’s a privilege and an honour to be nominated with them. The accolade though really belongs to all the Shampan team, who have not only continued to work hard, kept believing and kept moving forward, particularly during the harsh COVID period which has had such a drastic impact on the restaurant sector over a long period of time. Coupled with the current downturn of the economic climate, we are very fortunate to have a worthy brand name, a superlative reputation based on our first-rate food, drinks, affable service and a spacious and eye-catching interior with expansive dining rooms, that our guests have been giving us a loyal following for many years.”
The 18th annual ceremony of the “Curry Oscars” as dubbed by former Prime Minister David Cameron, was not without a tinge of sadness as it was the first without its founder Enam Ali MBE FRSA, who sadly passed away earlier this year.
Acknowledging his restaurant’s win, Miah paid a touching tribute to the late Ali:
“The curry restaurant sector is hugely indebted to Enam Ali whose legacy and tireless work to take the industry to unparalleled heights will not be forgotten. He has left a behind a tremendous legacy and he will be sorely missed.”