Restaurant India Summit & Honours Brings UK’s Indian Restaurant Community Together in Manchester

The Global Indian Restaurant Summit & Honours brought together restaurateurs, chefs, hospitality entrepreneurs and foodservice leaders at The Edwardian Manchester under the theme “The Global Rise of Indian Food Brands.”

The Summit explored the evolution of Indian cuisine beyond traditional curry houses, highlighting Michelin-starred dining, chef-led concepts, contemporary restaurants and opportunities for scalable Indian food brands in the UK and internationally. The event was supported by Nestlé Professional and Cobra Beer, with the British Asian Trust as charity partner.

The evening Awards recognised excellence across 28 categories, with Dishoom named Indian Restaurant of the Year, Opheem winning Chef-Led Restaurant of the Year, and Sanjay Anand receiving Asian Hospitality Entrepreneur of the Year.

Vishakha Yaduvanshi, IFS, Consul General of India in Manchester, highlighted the growing opportunities for UK–India collaboration, including the 2026 UK–India CETA provisions supporting professional mobility and easier access for Indian professionals. She also presented around 20 awards during the evening, recognising excellence across the Indian restaurant and hospitality industry.

The event also brought together a distinguished line-up of industry speakers and hospitality leaders, including Atul Kochhar, 2-Time Michelin-Starred Chef & Restaurateur; Sanjay Anand MBE, Chairman and Founder of Madhu’s; Nouman Farooqui, Director of Asha’s; Chef Bobby Geetha, Chef, Restaurateur & Author; Neill Collier, Pubs and Casual Dining Lead at Nestlé Professional; Samson Sohail, Head of Global Sales at Cobra Beer; and Rhea Agarwal, Commercial Director – UK & EU at Haldiram’s Overseas Ltd. Their perspectives covered restaurant leadership, chef-led businesses, brand building, hospitality operations and the changing landscape of Indian food in the UK.

The Summit was also attended by distinguished guests including Vishakha Yaduvanshi, IFS, Consul General of India in Manchester, Navendu Mishra, MP for Stockport, Councillor Vimal Choksi MBE, Assistant Executive Member for Environmental Services and Neighbourhoods; and adding further representation from civic, political and diplomatic circles.

Sachin Marya, Editorial Director, Restaurant India and Entrepreneur Media APAC said, “After more than two decades of building industry platforms in India, we are delighted to bring that experience to the UK. The Summit is about bringing the community together, sharing knowledge and recognising the people and businesses shaping the future of Indian food.”

The Awards were independently tabulated by Ernst & Young (EY) and evaluated by an expert jury comprising Atul Kochhar, 2-Time Michelin-Starred Chef & Restaurateur; Guy Parker, Founder and Editor of Curry Culture; Fatima Patel, Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Asian Standard, Asian Sunday and Style; and Sachin Marya, Editorial Director, Restaurant India & Entrepreneur APAC.  The jury brought together expertise spanning culinary leadership, restaurant media, hospitality and the wider Indian food industry.

The event brought together established restaurant groups, independent operators, emerging brands, chefs and hospitality professionals from across Manchester and the wider UK Indian restaurant community, creating a platform for industry recognition, knowledge exchange and networking.

2026 Award Winners
Indian Restaurant of the Year:  Dishoom; 

Contemporary Indian Restaurant of the Year: Bukharaa Street Zaika; 

Independent Indian Restaurant of the Year: Dadar – Bombay Kitchen and Bar; 

Fine Dining Indian Restaurant of the Year: Raval Restaurant;

Regional Indian Cuisine Restaurant of the Year: Dhamaka Cramlington; 

South Indian Restaurant of the Year: Kerala Canteen; Vegetarian Restaurant of the Year: Meat Free Planet; 

Chef-Led Restaurant of the Year: Opheem; 

Women in Hospitality Leadership:Bombay to Mumbai; 

Best Indian Restaurant – Manchester:  Mumbai Flavours; 

Best Indian Restaurant – Liverpool:  Shantii Restaurant; 

Best Indian Restaurant – Leicester: Paddy’s Marten Inn; 

Best Family Restaurant: Hungamaa; 

Best Casual Dining Restaurant: Tava Tynemouth; 

Best Emerging Restaurant Brand: Taste of Himalayan; 

Best Customer Experience:  Delhi House Cafe; 

Best Indian Street Food Concept: Bombay Hut; 

Executive Chef of the Year: Omkar Mestry – Novotel London West; 

Regional Cuisine Champion: Mansa South Indian Restaurant; 

Best New Restaurant – North of England: TYGA Manchester; 

Asian Hospitality Entrepreneur of the Year: Sanjay Anand; 

Asian Restaurant of the Year: Zouk Tea Bar & Grill; 

Asian Emerging Brand of the Year: The Grand by Ikkayes.

The Summit was supported by Nestlé Professional, Cobra Beer, Khoki United, Heer Rice, British Asian Trust, Ethical Workforce Recruitment Specialists, EY and WIRE, with Entrepreneur APAC and Entrepreneur’s Restaurateur as media partners. The Manchester edition follows Restaurant India’s first UK edition in London in May 2026, marking the continued expansion of its international industry platform and its commitment to connecting restaurant and hospitality leaders across markets.