We take chai with acclaimed restaurateur and ambassador of Indian and Asian cuisine, Cyrus Todiwala, who rose from being a ‘busboy’ to receiving an MBE for services to the restaurant and catering industry as well as an OBE, and the Craft Guild of Chefs’ award for his ‘outstanding contribution to the industry’. Cyrus also cooked for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, marking the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
Cyrus and I meet at the exuberant of décor, ‘Café Spice Namaste’ at the City’s fringes. In recognition of its good value offer and what one reviewer called ‘magically quirky Indian dining’, it has held a Bib Gourmand for two decades.
After an invigorating handshake, Cyrus shares his story. Having studied Hotel Administration and Food Technology, he rose the ranks of TAJ Hotels and Resorts, where he serendipitously met his wife, Pervin, a fellow chef. ‘She came for training in the kitchen of the TAJ Mahal Hotel, Mumbai,’ he grins. Allying distinct flair with doggedly hard work, Cyrus became Executive Chef, subsequently leading all 11 of the company’s restaurants in India.
Seeking global perspective, Cyrus ventured to Australia, then London, where he would settle with his family. Here, he upgraded what he recalls as being a ‘pretty lousy’ restaurant, crafting plates which Indian expats felt were ‘akin to their palates’ using predominantly seasonal, local, and enduringly, British ingredients.
The First Namaste
However, life’s course ran ruggedly. A property dispute ensued. ‘In one week, I had no job, no home and no money, and a wife and two tiny little kids to support.’ Fortunately, Cyrus won a car, sale of which supplemented the deposit on a new home. However, further issues arose, care of the Home Office. ‘They tried to throw me out of the country because I broke a rule, becoming an employer from an employee, albeit to save the jobs of those working with us.’ Ironically, while under the threat of deportation, Cyrus served on the National Advisory Council for Education and Training Targets alongside then Home Secretary, David Blunkett.
Life was difficult. ‘To give my kids a life and a livelihood, we were constantly under pressure just to make ends meet.’ Cyrus recalls how such penury influenced family holidays. ‘We used to rent the cheapest of caravans on the Isle of Wight!’
At the same time, Cyrus recalls a wider lack of understanding as to what authentic Indian cuisine constituted amongst the majority of British diners. ‘Some didn’t understand the menu and even walked out,’ he recalls. ‘But then, critic, Fay Maschler walked in; she gave us a glowing review in the Evening Standard. She wrote: “Goan, and not to be forgotten…” We started getting a very discerning guest from that moment on.’
To date, Cyrus has built a small empire of restaurants in London, including, in addition to Café Spice Namaste, Portuguese-Goan ‘Assado’ (Waterloo), ‘The Park Café’ (Victoria Park East) and ‘Mr. Todiwala’s Kitchen’ (Hilton Heathrow), as well as one in Goa, the menu-free ‘The River at the Acron Waterfront Resort’ on the banks of the Baga. He has also launched a range of condiments and sauces under the Mr. Todiwala’s moniker.
Work Ethic
I ask Cyrus, who tells me he rises before dawn, ‘hitting my e-mails at 4:45am’, from where his work ethic stems? ‘My father,’ he responds, instantly. ‘He was the first Indian to be employed by the AA, working up from road patrol to chief of road service for all of Western India. A perfect gentleman. I held him in a kind of aura.’ He also cites education as being extremely important. ‘I want to bring the prestige of Asian cooking high. Competitions help young people’s confidence.’ One example of Cyrus’s initiatives is ‘Zest Quest Asia’, a nationwide scheme whereby UK students must produce a four-course Asian menu, complete with a 15-minute presentation detailing the cultural journey they took. ‘Last year’s winning team won a tour to Sri Lanka. They’re our future chefs.’
But, having sipped two cups of sweetened tea, our interview must conclude, because Cyrus, a notable critic of the government’s stance to stymy immigration, preventing Indian restaurateurs from importing specialist Indian talent into Britain, is now due at the House of Commons.
However, before he leaves, Cyrus, who believes the future is ‘Technicolor!’ and ‘never wants to stop working’ wants to share details of an upcoming project. He is, he reveals, in the early stages of establishing what he describes as ‘a semi-social enterprise’ in Spitalfields. There, he will renovate a trio of disused shops into a Bombay-style small plates café ‘which offers free barista training once a week,’ furniture workshop, and a shop selling the rare meats of this country from his suppliers. ‘Farmers have become a close-knit family,’ he says. ‘In fact, we’re filming them for a YouTube series, starting with Langley Chase and their famous four-horned sheep, then we’ll visit the Rhug estate, Wales.’ He pauses, briefly. ‘Strangely enough, I’m ambassador for our most rare of pig breeds, the British Lop. It’s funny to imagine an Indian in that role.’
