LONDON: Renowned celebrity chef, Cyrus Todiwala best known for appearing on The Incredible Spice Men and BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen, has announced he will be opening his fifth restaurant alongside Café Spice Namasté and Mr Todiwala’s Kitchen, in his first move outside of London. In late August, Todiwala will be launching Tandem, a celebration of authentic Indian cuisine and cocktail mixology located in a picturesque and decorative Grade II listed building in the heart of Leicester city.
The restaurant and bar will offer accessible luxury, with the memorable interior taking inspiration from both Portuguese and Goan influences. The heavily anticipated restaurant will seat 150 diners, but the structure and striking interior will allow for an intimate experience with five distinct spaces, including an exclusive chef’s table for executive dining and a stunning rooftop terrace.
Having teased the launch on BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen, Todiwala said: “I have always wanted to expand my restaurants outside of London with Tandem having been in the pipeline for a long time and I’m thrilled to bring the vision to life in Leicester. The foodie scene in Leicester is taking flight and we’re excited to launch Tandem in such an exciting and vibrant city.”
Tandem will remain true to Todiwala’s Indian routes and beliefs with the menu carefully crafted using traditional Indian cooking techniques and ethically and sustainably sourced British produce, ensuring each dish is fresh and beautifully presented. The unique menu blends traditional flavours that span the Indian subcontinent with ethically sourced, primarily British produce.
“Tandem is an exciting concept which offers something different to my other restaurants but takes inspiration from what we know our customers love. It was important to me to fully showcase the beauty of Indian cuisine by using traditional cooking techniques and influences from my personal experience.”
Iain Mitchell, UK Commercial Director at Hammerson, said: “The fact that an award-winning chef like Cyrus Todiwala has chosen Highcross for his first site outside of London is a real vote of confidence both in Highcross, and in Leicester as a city. Leicester already has a thriving food and drink scene, and Tandem is going to be a great addition to that. Tandem is exactly the sort of innovative, immersive offer that we are looking for across our portfolio, as we know our customers are looking for unique experiences.”
Cyrus Todiwala was born and brought up in Bombay. He was first inspired to become a chef by his mother’s unforgettable cooking which has led to now over 42 years working with food. From India to Australia and the UK and running four restaurants in London, Cyrus has achieved many things including, transforming Café Spice Namaste restaurant into a renowned culinary institution.
Today, Cyrus is known for his refined, elegantly spiced and sophisticated cooking. He has cooked for royalty, presidents and international celebrities and is often invited to be a regular guest chef on BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen and the Radio 4 Food Programme.
Ever the keen environmentalist and a champion of sustainability, Cyrus chooses to cook with organic and sustainable products wherever possible and firmly believes in ‘buying British’. Furthermore, Cyrus has a deep passion for education and training, often devoting his time to training fresh talent and influencing tomorrow’s chefs.
Cyrus works hard for charity and the future of the culinary arts, and has been awarded both an MBE and an OBE. Above all else, Cyrus is a family man at heart with his two sons and his devoted wife, Pervin strongly by his side throughout his entire career. No matter who he has cooked for, according to Cyrus, his wife and sons are still, and will always be, the most difficult to please!
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