A COLCHESTER Indian restaurant is celebrating after being crowned one of the best in the country.

Rimjhim Spice, in Villa Road, has won in the Best Restaurant category at the Curry Life Awards 2023, being crowned restaurant of the year for 2023.

The awards, which took place at a ceremony in London’s West End, celebrate the elite in the UK's multi-billion-pound curry industry.

There are 44 awards across five categories, Editor’s Choice, Best Restaurant, Best Takeaway, Best Chef and Best Recommended Restaurant.

Rimjhim Spice is run by owner and business manager, Farhana Khan.

After completing a business degree, Farhana decided to start her own business and set on finding the right building to open the restaurant she dreamt about.

Her vision has come to fruition and now Rimjhim Spice provides great Indian dishes in an authentic, modern setting.

Head chef Akhlak manages a team of six staff who work together to manage the orders, prepare fresh ingredients each day and put the dishes together.

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Farhana’s son, who has a first-class honours degree in business and accounting, now wants to follow in his mother’s footsteps, and plans to help with the day-to-day restaurant management.

Commenting at the awards, Ms Khan said: “It has always been important to me that we give our customers what they want. A personalised service is so important.

“Winning this award is the absolute icing on the cake for us and shows we have been doing it right.”

Witham MP Priti Patel congratulated the restaurant on being in the final stage of the awards, which took place at the London Marriott, Grosvenor Square, presented by broadcaster and television presenter Lucrezia Millarini.

The Awards were created by brothers Syed Pasha and Syed Ahmed, who came to the UK from Bangladesh in the 1970s.

They launched Curry Life magazine 20 years ago, and the debut awards were held in 2009.

Speaking at the awards, Syed said: "We travelled thousands of miles this year visiting restaurants up and down the country, and it made me realise precisely why the curry industry will not only survive, but also thrive.

“It is the sheer determination, hard work, and a positive attitude from employees and employers alike and their sheer commitment to what they do.”