Aktar Islam

Aktar Islam
Born Aktar-Ul Islam
1980 (age 34–35)
Birmingham, West Midlands, England

Culinary career

Cooking style Indian cuisine
Website
www.aktarislam.co.uk

Aktar-Ul Islam (Bengali: আরো উল ইসলাম; born 1980) is an award-winning English chef, restaurateur and entrepreneur. In 2009, his restaurant Lasan became the first Indian restaurant in the United Kingdom to be selected as the "Best Local Restaurant" by Gordon Ramsay on Channel 4's The F Word. In June 2011, he won the fish course in the final of the BBC Two series Great British Menu.

Early life

Islam was born[1] and brought up in Birmingham, England.[2] His parents are moderate Muslims from Bangladesh who came to Britain in the late 1970s.[3] He is the second eldest of five sons.[4]

His academic father was a political scientist in Bangladesh. However, shortly after his parents settled in Birmingham, his father decided to open a standard Indian restaurant in Solihull called The Indian Palace.[3] Islam began helping his mother cook at home from the age of seven.[3]

Islam attended Prince Albert School.[5] At the age of 13, Islam's first job was working at his father's restaurant[1] called Karma. Whilst at college, he worked for Shimlapinks in Birmingham.[6] At the age of 16, he left school and went to work in his father's kitchen full-time.[3] At the age of 18 he took a job in an Italian restaurant. After two years he went back to The Indian Palace, ran it for two years and turned it into a profitable business for the first time.[3]

Career

In April 2002,[6] at the age of 22,[1] Islam, along with Jabbar Khan, co-founded Indian restaurant Lasan in St Paul's Square, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham. Islam is the head chef as well as director.[1]

In 2007, he launched his cookbook and DVD, called the Spice of Life, in collaboration with Warwick University Medical school.[7]

In 2010, Islam and sous chef, Aysan Shaikh, won the "Best Local Indian Restaurant" category for Lasan on Channel 4's The F Word after beating Curry Corner from Cheltenham in the semi-final.[8] They then went onto win the overall final,[7] after beating The Pheasant from Keystone.[9][10][11][12][13]

In June 2011, Islam won the Central regional heat[14] to reach the final of the BBC Two series Great British Menu.[15][16][17] He went on to win the fish course in the final. Islam's other television appearances include Market Kitchen, Perfect, Saturday Kitchen, and The One Show. He is a regular judge at the South Asian Chef Competition. Along with other celebrity chefs, he attends the BBC Good Food Shows, Autumn Fair, Heart of England Fine Foods,[18] Food & Drink Expo, Taste festivals, Grand Design LIVE[19] and Sharon Osbourne's Mrs. Osbourne Presents.[20][21]

In 2012, along with Jabbar Khan and Andrew Kleanthous, he launched Restaurant Angels, a hospitality consultancy service offered to restaurants nationally and internationally.[22] In December 2012, he embarked on his first non-Asian food concept, launching Fiesta Del Asado, an Argentinean Asado restaurant in Edgbaston, Birmingham. In October 2013, Aktar launched Raja Monkey, an Indian Dhaba (roadside café) in Hall Green, Birmingham.

Islam co-owns Indian restaurants; Lasan, Lasan Eatery[23] (now known as Raja Monkey) and Argentinian restaurant Fiesta Del Asado.[4] The Lasan Restaurant Group also includes a corporate catering, higher education catering.[10] Aktar is also the director of Restaurant Angels, a hospitality consultancy providing hands-on support and advice to restaurants.

Islam has also attended a reception at Buckingham Palace, invited by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip for his contribution to the British hospitality industry. Islam was selected by Marketing Birmingham to represent the city in their Birmingham Bites campaign.[7]

Awards

In May 2012, Islam was named Birmingham Young Professional of the Year at the ICC. He won the overall title after being named winner of the Entrepreneurial category.[24][25]

Personal life

Islam lives in Birmingham and has a son, Alex (born 2007).[26]

Islam also supports charities including Birmingham Children's Hospital, NHS Organ Donor Campaign, Oxfam and NHS/Warwick University Spice for Life campaign.[27]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Stuart, Paul (8 November 2009). "Brummie chef Aktar Islam calls Gordon Ramsay a pussycat". Birmingham: Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  2. ↑ "Lasan's dynamic duo". Tandoori Magazine. September 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Islam, Aktar; Levin, Angela (18 July 2011). "Ban the balti: Drunks, tinned food and tikka masala – top chef says Indian restaurants have got it all wrong". Daily Mail. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Aktar Islam: TV has really changed the way people think about food". Daily Post. 13 April 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  5. ↑ "Aktar Islam". Prince Albert School. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Lasan Birmingham ~ F Word Finalist". Eat-the-midlands. 6 January 2010. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Indi (9 February 2010). "Aktar Islam & Jabbar Khan of Lasan". DESIblitz. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  8. ↑ Indi (7 January 2010). "Lasan victory on The F Word". DESIblitz. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  9. ↑ "Birmingham restaurant Lasan wins Ramsay's 'F Word'". BBC News. 8 January 2010. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Paskin, Becky (8 January 2010). "Gordon Ramsay names Lasan as F Word restaurant winner". Big Hospitality. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  11. ↑ "Lasan wins Gordon Ramsay's 'F Word' contest". Redhotcurry.com. 7 January 2010. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  12. ↑ "F-antastic! Lasan is Britain’s Best Local Restaurant". The Asian Today. 2 January 2010. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  13. ↑ Moriarty, Chris (8 January 2010). "Brum's Lasan wins The F Word". Birmingham: Brum Notes Magazine. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  14. ↑ Manzoori-Stamford, Janie (29 April 2011). "Great British Menu: Aktar Islam beats formidable rival Richard Bainbridge". Satellite Dishes. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  15. ↑ "Aktar Islam: Kicking it with the Big Boys!". The Asian Today. 16 June 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  16. ↑ "Aktar Islam: Kicking it with the Big Boys!". Desi Xpress. 16 June 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  17. ↑ "Chef Aktar Islam to feature in this year's BBC TWO series Great British Menu". Rewired PR. 15 April 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  18. ↑ "Aktar Islam". Good Food Channel. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  19. ↑ "Aktar Islam". Restaurant Hall of Fame. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  20. ↑ "It's celebrations all round for top restaurant with award winning touch". Masala Magazine. 15 April 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  21. ↑ "Lasan Riding High on Recognition and Award Wins". Menu Magazine. December 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  22. ↑ "Aktar Islam, Lasan Group". The Hospitality Show. 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  23. ↑ Indi (September 2008). "Aktar Islam talks to Tandoori". Tandoori Magazine. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  24. ↑ "Aktar Islam named Birmingham Young Professional of the Year". Birmingham Post. 18 May 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  25. ↑ "Lasan chief feasts on top award at BYPY". TheBusinessDesk.com. 18 May 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  26. ↑ "Aktar Islam's perfect weekend". Express & Star. 12 September 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  27. ↑ "Aktar Islam". Birmingham Future. Retrieved 1 July 2013.

External links