Kokova Magazine

Imagine heading to Manchester's Curry Mile, London's Brick Lane, or even just to your local curry house and seeing boarded-up windows and empty streets; finding the wafts of tempting turmeric and coriander have vanished, along with a £3.5bn industry.

Could Britain’s curry crisis be so serious?

Bradford, 2012’s Curry Capital of Britain thinks so. In the curry crisis climate, Britain's 2012 Curry Capital winner brings education and buzz to an industry soaked deep in tradition.

The UK curry apocalypse is not as imminent as other trending doomsday tales, however, it is very real and Bradford, who has held the Curry Capital of Britain title for two consecutive years, is doing something about it.

In response to legislation that has made it increasingly difficult in the UK to employ qualified chefs from the Indian subcontinent, the city has turned to the International Food Academy at Bradford College.

"We're keen to promote and encourage British born chefs," says Colin Burt, Head Chef at the International Food Academy in Bradford, where students are learning the skills that many 2nd and 3rd generation immigrants are leaving behind.

Bradford College, one of the biggest in the country, says it is proud to respond to the needs of the local community.

This not only means providing training to youngsters and those seeking a career change, but to also provide much needed follow through job placement in a country where about one in 12 students are without work six months after graduation, according to a recent study by Higher Education Careers Service Unit.

Bradford is a city that has lost its textile industry and has higher than average unemployment figures. Unemployed learners can study [at the International Food Academy] without affecting their benefits. Local restaurants recruit these learners directly from the course and 90% of them are now working.

Colin Burt (in an interview with Curry Capital sponsors hungryhouse.co.uk)

Initiatives such as this, along with seriously good curry, has made Bradford Britain's official Curry Capital for three years and counting.

Lord Mayor of Bradford Councillor Dale Smith declared the 2012 Curry Capital win as "Magical" and particularly enjoyed learning how to make a curry in the pop-up restaurant.

The curry pop-up restaurant element of the Bradford Curry Capital bid involved top restaurants Shimla Spice, Aagrah Shipley, Zouk, and Akbars coming together to create a unified menu of all their cuisines, for special charity dinners.

It's these top restaurants who look to Bradford College for talent and encourage training local young chefs in their own kitchens.

"I have been involved in the Apprenticeship Scheme, giving young people a chance in this industry at this very difficult time," says Akbar’s restaurant chain founder Shabir Hussain, who trained as a chef at Bradford College himself in the 80s, back when he says he was "the only Asian guy in the whole of the three or four hundred catering students.

According to hungryhouse records, Bradford residents have ordered slightly more pizza delivery this year than curry.

But with the curry college raising the bar for home-grown skills and the promise of 'even more exciting events' for next year's Curry Capital campaign, Bradford rightfully deserves this year's Curry Capital of Britain crown.

It’s precisely this time of economic and social change that Britain's favourite cuisine needs a little love.

The surge of public attention and interest that the Curry Capital of Britain brings to the industry is amazing.

Shane Lake, founder of hungryhouse.co.uk