Food adds spice to Indian investment in UK - Indian Express

Food adds spice to Indian investment in UK - Indian Express Until some time ago, people of Indian origin or visitors from India would complain that the so-called 'Indian' food available in Britain is not the real thing -- it is customised to the British taste, and is not tingling enough to satisfy the 'desi' palate.

The situation cannot be more different now, with several well-known Indian restaurant chains opening branches in various towns, and recent immigrants opening outlets offering authentic fare from their respective culinary regions in India.

As Indian investment grows in Britain across various sectors -- from steel to luxury cars to IT to finance -- Indian restaurant chains are also expanding.

Branches of well known restaurant chains such as Chennai Dosa and Sarvana Bhavan offering south Indian fare at modest prices can now be seen doing brisk business in various towns here.

Chennai Dosa, considered the fastest growing chain in Britain, opened its first restaurant in East London in 2003, and has now opened its 11th branch in Trafford, Manchester.

Sarvana Bhavan has five branches in London, Leicester, Essex and harrow.

Since 1810, when Sake Dean Mohamed from Patna opened the first Indian restaurant in Britain, the 'Hindoostanee Coffee House' in George Street, central London, the Indian food industry has grown exponentially as Britain's love affair with spicy Indian food continued over the years.

Today, there are over 12,000 Indian restaurants across Britain and the industry is estimated to be worth 4.2 billion pounds annually, including the revenue from the large volumes of packed Indian food sold in supermarkets.

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