On 17^th December, 2020, UK-based Café Spice Namaste co-founder, Pervin Todiwala was awarded the ‘Inspirational Woman Of The Year’ at the prestigious 2020 British Curry Awards, which were held over a virtual ceremony, and hosted by comedian Rory Bremner. The award was announced by the Mayor of London – Sadiq Khan.

Pleasantly surprised on receiving the award, Pervin said, “I am thrilled as I have always felt that there are many Asian women who are behind the scenes who sometimes don’t get recognised. I also feel that people are now starting to recognise that we are doing a good job and there are more of us coming to the forefront. It’s amazing. We don’t have to be in the background. This award is not just for me, but for all of us together.”

Mayor Sadiq Khan shared, “It has been an extremely difficult year for curry restaurants who have faced immense challenges as a result of the Covid pandemic. Restaurateurs and their staff have shown extraordinary resilience and worked tirelessly to adapt and provide a safe environment for their customers while continuing to deliver excellent service throughout these uncertain times. Despite these difficult times, it is heartwarming that many restaurateurs have gone out of their way to provide a vital helping hand to those in need during the pandemic.”

Pervin added that she and her husband Cyrus always supported each other, and that he calls her ‘the boss’, while Cyrus quipped, “She holds the whip!”

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[Courtesy: Malcolm M Deboo, ZTFE President]