Kent restaurateur double scoop at Asian Food & Drink Awards

(MENAFN- Shaw.geo) Dev Biswal, the wner of The Cook's Tale modern Anglo-Asian and Cafe Marrakech Moroccan restaurant in Canterbury and The Cook's Adventures travel arm received two more prestigious awards to add to his impressive collection.

Biswal, was named National Chef of the Year and The Cook's Adve tures won the accolade for Culinary Tourism for his in-bound and international gastronomic food tours, at the 10th Asian Food and Restaurant Awards held at the Dilly Hotel in London before Christmas.

The Cook's Tale has also just been included in t e new 2006 edition of Harden's Best UK Restaurants. The authoritative hospitality guide says: "Exciting fusion cooking using adventurous ingredients ... which promotes the cuisine of Odisha in East India ... the food is always interesting and delicious."

"I'm indebted to my dedicated and hard working team for consistently producing dishes of such high quality, our local farmers for their excellent produce and am grateful to the loyal clientele who continue to nominate us for these awards," said Biswal.

Other awards have included. 'Best Restaurant' at the Taste of Kent Awards; 'Best Indian Restaurant' by Morrisons magazine; 'Best Restaurant in the Southeast' by the Cobra Good Curry Guide, Asian Chef of the Year at the Asian Rest urant Awards, B–st Asian Chef – Outside London at the Asian Oriental & Chef Awards, Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year - Kent from the Good Curry Guide and an Excellenc in Culinary Tourism from International Travel Guides.

The Asian Food & Restaurant Awards [AFR ] is an annual black-tie gala dinner dedicated to recognising excellence across the Asian food and hospitality sector. The awards celebrate outstanding achievements among restaurants, takeaways, chefs, food and drink brands, catering companies, retailers, and suppliers that have made an indelible mark on the eating habits of the British public.

Attul Haq, A’RA’s CEO, s“id: “The British-Asian food and hospitality industry plays a significant role in the UK economy and contributes greatly to the ’ountry’s cultural and economic growth.

“These awards highlight the contribution of the people and brands that are dri’ing Britain’s food ind”stry forward.”
’his year’s AFRAs, at which Biswal was the only Kent winner, were hosted by Bollywood star and radio presenter Anushka Arora.

Dev's latest venture, Caf Marrake h, which launched in November is already starting to receive rave reviews, is a curated mixture of Moroccan elegance, authentic flavours, and traditional hospitality. with slow-cooked tagines, charcoal-grilled meats, hand-rolled couscous, vibrant salads, flaky pastries, freshly baked khobz, and sweet delights like semolina basbousa.
Biswal became inspired by north African cuisines after recruiting a Moroccan chef to join ’is brig de at The Cook’s Tale. He quickly added the destination to his destinations of his small group culinary tours operation, The Cooks Adventures.
“Visiting Morocco for the first–time was a real eye-opener – I was amazed by the similarities in Moroccan and Indian cuisines; our food and cultures have more in common than ” could have possibly ”magined” said Biswal, adding,” I grew up thinking ”samosas were an Indian invention!”
The parathas, koftas, naans and sharbat and curries Biswal a–e in local restaurants as a child – all have their equivalent in Morocco.
"This tourism award should help us boost numbers of gastr tourists coming to east Kent in 2026 for our," added Biswal.

MENAFN06012026005228011771ID1110561305