The Raj Restaurant On The Shore

This unique annual competition was founded in 1991 by Edinburgh entrepreneur Tommy Miah to promote innovation and quality in Indian cuisine.

It attracts a world-wide entry from experts in the art of Indian cookery. Numbers have grown steadily from 400 in the first contest - launched by then M.P. Edwina Currie - - to around 5,000 in 2003/2004.

The contest is open equally to men and women, amateur or professional, without heed to nationality or ethnic origin. The oldest finalist was a 69-year-old Australian businessman, the youngest 20-year-old Chinese woman from Malaysia.

Entrants submit a menu for the ideal four-dish Indian meal -- two meat or fish and two vegetarian dishes.

Finalists come to Edinburgh, where they are given three hours in the (location tbc) to prepare, cook and present the meal to table. Queen Margaret has been host to the event since the outset. Cooking is closely monitored by the judges, who taste the finished dishes before awarding the title and £1000 prize. Richard Shepherd, Sir Michael Caine's partner in Langan's Brassiere, is chairman of a judges panel which includes food trade experts, writers and curry lovers such as Sir Tom Farmer and Lord Fraser of Carmyllie QC.

The final is followed by Edinburgh’s annual Curry Ball, a prestigious black-tie event at which the prizes are awarded. Ball profits go to the Dhaka orphanage founded by British Airways hostess Pat Kerr.

Past winners include an Englishman who makes in-flight meals for first-class airline passengers, the head chef of Britain’s oldest Indian restaurant, two housewives and a Bangladeshi man whose deportation was delayed to allow him to compete. Finalists included a Bombay restaurateur, a French housewife, a German secretary and a Royal Navy submarine cook.

Further information about the competition may be found at the International Indian Chef of the Year web site.