Staff at an Indian restaurant in Wiltshire are thrilled after they scooped a major award in the English Curry Awards.
The Palm Indian Restaurant, which sits on the edge of the A4 between Marlborough and Froxfield, won Curry Restaurant of the Year South West at the twelfth edition of the annual awards night.
The Palm was one of a number of restaurants across the country recognised at the event earlier this month, and manager Agnelo Desa paid tribute to his staff after learning of their victory.
He said: “I am very proud of my staff because they are so nice and hardworking, they’re very flexible and they never say no.
“We knew we had been nominated but we were so busy we weren’t even able to attend.
“It’s excellent to win an award and it’s a very nice feeling, so we’re very happy.”
Mr Desa has managed the restaurant for the last three years, but the Palm has been a popular destination for Wiltshire curry lovers for over two decades.
Management believes their latest recognition is a just reward for the effort they have put it over those years.
Mr Desa added: “The Palm has been in this industry for 23 years, we have good service and good food.
“We don’t ever cook in bulk, we cook each dish to order and that’s the secret to our good taste and how we have brought our customers back again for almost 25 years.”
Moving forward, Mr Desa has plans to introduce a variety of exciting new dishes at the restaurant and has hired a “brilliant” new chef.
There are also some plans to renovate the building in the long-term, although he added this may not be for some time.
The English Curry Awards 2023 were held in Birmingham this August and over 400 guests attended.
The prestigious event recognised and celebrated dozens of the top venues across the country in several different categories, including Curry Restaurant of the Year, Takeaway of the Year and Chef of the Year.
A spokesperson for the event said: “We have celebrated the finest in the English curry scene, recognising the creativity, innovation, and exceptional service that have become synonymous with this beloved cuisine.
“The curry industry is a vital part of our culture, and these awards recognised the exceptional talents of the individuals and businesses that make it so special.
“Congratulations to all the winners and nominees and thank you to everyone who participated and supported this event.”
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