Mr Ahmed Ali and his team at the Masala restaurant in Llanelli have scooped up one of the UK’s most prestigious restaurant awards. They have won the Bangladesh Caterers Association Caterer of the Year Award 2013 Wales Region. The restaurant situated in Llanelli’s West End was also nominated this year by Nia Griffith MP for Parliament’s Tiffin Cup.
On November 3rd Mr Ali and his son Tanvir travelled to the glamorous awards ceremony, the 8th Annual Bangladesh Caterers Association Awards 2013 in Westminster Park Plaza Hotel, London, an event which was also a celebration of 53 years of the finest British Bangladeshi Cuisine within the UK.
The Association represents 1200 Bangladeshi restaurants across the UK, which make a very significant contribution to the British economy with a turnover of over £4 billion and employing over 100,000 people.
Nia Griffith, MP for Llanelli and Shadow Wales Minister who was at the ceremony to present the Wales award, said,
“ I was absolutely thrilled to hear that Mr Ahmed Ali from Llanelli’s Masala restaurant had won the 2013 BCA Wales award. The competition must have been extremely tough. Just think that here in Llanelli alone we have a number of excellent restaurants which are in fact Bangladeshi, although we call them Indian, and the Masala has beaten off competition from across the whole of Wales. I know that many local residents appreciate the absolutely delicious food and very welcoming atmosphere at the Masala, and Mr Ali and his staff have also been very helpful to local groups who have held fundraising dinners there.”