A CURRY chef was hoping to cook up a storm when he represented the UK at an international food festival.
Juber Ahmed, master chef of the Fetcham Tandoori, demonstrated his skills at the Taste of Britain Curry Festival in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on Thursday.
Mr Ahmed, of Cobham Road, Fetcham, was be among seven British chefs chosen by Curry Life magazine and tasked with winning over food fans from ten European countries.
Before he left for Slovenia, Mr Ahmed said: "It's a real privilege to be going. To be asked to present my unique range of dishes from Fetcham Tandoori on the European stage is an honour.
"Obviously, it is very good news for the restaurant, as it means we are doing the right things and people in Fetcham have access to some real, traditional Indian cuisine."
The festival is a joint initiative by the Government and Curry Life magazine, in an attempt to galvanise the British curry industry in the European market.
The effort comes after Government statistics revealed that curry now outsells British stable takeaway fish and chips in the UK.
As well as being open to food lovers from all over the continent, potential buyers, importers and distributors from several central European countries will be in attendance.
Jehangir Haque, owner of the Fetcham Tandoori and Mole Valley District Councillor for Fetcham, was due to be attending the festival along with his chef. He said: "We are thrilled to be selected and confident that diners will be impressed with the selection of dishes on offer. We are very proud to be representing both Fetcham and the UK abroad."
The seven chefs were chosen from among hundreds of contenders by curry masters and had to introduce unique specialities ranging from the Balti dishes to chicken tikka massala.
Syed Belal Ahmed, editor of Curry Life magazine, said: "We are confident that there is an appetite for our unique range of British curries in Europe."
