A HUGELY popular Indian restaurant which began life on Bradford’s Horton Grange Road is celebrating 30 years in business.
Prashad, which serves up vegetarian delights, has come a long way since Kaushy and Mohan Patel converted a laundrette into a tiny deli back in 1992.
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Their son Bobby took on the reins back in 2004 with his wife and head chef Minal.
He said: “Mum thinks it doesn’t feel like five minutes since we opened up the doors.
“But somehow, it’s been 30 wonderful years.”
Now based in Drighlington, there are fond memories of where it all began in Bradford, where customers would queue down the street to get their fix of Kopra Pethis – garlic-infused coconut in crispy potato casing. It’s a dish that remains on the Prashad menu to this day.
The deli expanded into a small restaurant and shot to fame when it was runner-up in Gordon Ramsay’s 2010 television programme Ramsay’s Best Restaurant.
The restaurant expanded once again in 2012, making the move to Drighlington after having to turn away up to 30 guests each Friday and Saturday night.
At the time, Bobby said the restaurant had initially been looking to relocate to the Shipley or Saltaire area but was unable to strike a deal on the right premises.
Whilst the ‘home’ of the restaurant has changed and its customer base has continued to grow, there are some things that have always stayed the same.
Bobby said: “We have new customers every day, but we still see the same faces that used to queue up around the block all those years ago.
“Even after 12 years, people still recognise us from Gordon Ramsay’s show. Our biggest joy is still getting to share our wonderful Gujarati food with everyone.”
After the move, Prashad’s star continued to rise, as Minal spent time finessing her skills in the kitchens of Gordon Ramsay and her other hero, Atul Kochar.
The restaurant has been awarded Michelin’s coveted Bib Gourmand every year since 2014 and has retained the AA’s two rosette rating since 2015.
When the pandemic hit in 2020 – a hugely unsettling time for those in the hospitality sector – Prashad launched Community Chaat to provide free meals for key workers, carers and their families.
Bobby said: “It kept us focused, and we were more than happy to help.
“The ethos of Prashad has always been about giving and giving back. We’ve been so blessed over the years and we just want to say thank you for all the years of support.”
The team will be doing ’30 good deeds’ over the next month in honour of their anniversary, while a special menu featuring Prashad classics will be available until Sunday (October 16).
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