Curry Award 08

The Festivals Company announce the return of their popular curry competition, so take your seats for the hottest competition in Wales!

Chefs across Wales are preparing to tantalise your taste buds, seduce your senses and pamper your palettes as they compete to become Welsh Curry House of the Year 2008.

The search is now on to see who will win the coveted award, now in it second year, with more than 300 Indian restaurants in Wales eligible to compete.

"South Wales based restaurants were well represented during the inaugural competition securing 9 out of the top 10 places, but they were pipped at the post by Caernarfon base winner Sopna," said Berwyn Rowlands from the Festivals Company who are organising the competition.

Speaking at yesterday’s launch of the competition at Sopna, Pontrug, Caernarfon, he added: "People who eat out tend to take the local curry house for granted. Some of the best meals I’ve ever had have been in Indian restaurants," added self-confessed curry fan Berwyn.

Shadek Ali (pictured above), manager of Sopna, said: "The Sopna has always been a busy restaurant but nothing prepared us for the coverage we got following winning the Welsh Curry House of the Year 2007. We’ve definitely had our busiest year ever."

The 2008 competition will see the country divided into three regions: North, Mid & West, and South Wales. The winners of the three regional rounds will then go on to the national final and that prestigious title.

Between now and the end of January 2008 diners will be able to cast their votes to decide the top five from each of the three regions by visiting www.welshcurryhouse.co.uk. Those 15 short listed restaurants will be announced on February 4.

Over the following three weeks the independent judges will then visit each of the successful restaurants before choosing one winner from each of the three regions. The three regional winners will be announced at the end of February.

The judges will spend a full day visiting all three of the restaurants competing in the final. During the visit each restaurant will be invited to impress the judges with one of their signature dishes, available from the public menu. The visit will also include a second challenge, with each restaurant being invited to create a new dish using the very best Welsh produce.

The all-Wales winner will be announced at the Senedd in Cardiff on March 12, 2008.

ITV Wales will be filming the competition for the popular series Some Like it Hot presented by Hywel James. The competition is once again sponsored by Kingfisher and Meat Promotion Wales.