Video: Hot stuff as Leeds prepares for world curry first

Business consultant Zulfi Karim, the director of the World Curry Festival, said he wanted the event, which coincides with the 200th anniversary of the curry arriving on British shores, to promote Yorkshire's world-class food business.

"I want it to be seen as the Mardi Gras of curry," he said. "The event is about international tourism and reaching out to developing markets like India and getting different communities within Yorkshire to work together."

He added: "We want to attract Yorkshire businesses that have new and innovative products they want to launch. Fifty per cent of businesses are independent – sole traders or new start-ups. I think it is very important to get more businesses to showcase new products in the area.

"The Indian food sector is worth 4bn to the UK economy through restaurants, suppliers and food manufacturing, and it needs to be taken more seriously."

It's taken two years for Mr Karim to put the festival together with the help of sponsors and partners. The three-day event, which will take place from October 1-3, aims to transform Millennium Square, in Leeds, into an exotic world of Bedouin-themed marquees serving up culinary delights and demonstrations.

The first day, which has attracted support from a dozen countries worldwide and 80 Yorkshire suppliers, will be devoted as the Business Day and will include community events throughout the morning attended by local groups and schools.

Business networking will take place during the afternoon, followed by a corporate entertainment evening, including a meal for 100 guests created by guest chef Hemant Oberoi, executive grand chef of the Taj Mahal Palace in India.

Mr Karim said: "There is nothing like this anywhere and we want to show why the UK should be the curry capital of the world. We have an amazing array of talent in this country and we plan to celebrate not just Indian and Kashmiri curries but Chinese, Thai, Malay, South American and African."

The festival will include a "meet the buyer" event to help firms sell into big organisations along with other workshops for businesses.

Mr Karim said: "The challenge for me and this event is how to get different sectors of the ethnic food market together on one platform to create a world class offer."

Part of making Yorkshire a top food destination, said Mr Karim, involves attracting prestigious chefs. "We have a good selection of home-grown talent but Leeds doesn't have a Michelin-starred chef or restaurant," said Mr Karim.

"We also need to push for Indian restaurants to achieve the same status as other restaurants. Some of our restaurants are great businesses that have been established for many years but maybe need help and encouragement in becoming world class.

"There are only a few Indian Michelin-starred chefs in the UK, all within the M25."

The future of the industry, Mr Karim believes, lies in developing the talents of the second and third generation Asian entrepreneurs.

"The second- and third-generation of Asian family businesses see the food industry as the key the future of their business," he said.

"A growing number of younger people are now coming back into the businesses and making it to the next level. They are growing and increasing production and capacity and product development nationally and internationally.

"People are now more interested in what they put into their food and their mouths and in making better lifestyle choices, which opens up new opportunities for entrepreneurs that can feed into that market."

Mr Karim also hopes the festival will highlight some of

the opportunities and challenges the industry is currently facing.

"The biggest concern is skills and training because of the change in the work permit and immigration laws last year, which left a big void in recruitment," he said. "Homegrown talent is a big issue."

He added: "I want to build a supply chain from within the region, putting growers and buyers together in one place to cut down on food miles."

Mr Karim believes Indian businesses have generally fared well during the recession.

"The main reasons are the family connections and organic growth," he said.

"These businesses are less reliant on the banks. I'm sure the consumer impact has been an issue but how they have managed to ride through has put them in a much stronger position."

CURRY IN BRITAIN

The first curry house is believed to have opened in 1810 when Sake Dean Mahomed established the Hindoostane Coffee House in George Street, central London.

The Indian entrepreneur has been honoured with a green plaque, which celebrates the achievements of former Westminster residents.

The Hindoostane Coffee House served Hookha with real Chilm tobacco and Indian-style dishes.

Mr Mahomed's plan had been to serve "Indianised" British food which would appeal to the Indian aristocracy in London as well as British people who had returned from India.