Just what is the Tiffin Cup? None of the Curry Focus team had heard about the award until we spotted a blog aout it.
The Tiffin Club is a group of MPs who run an annual competition to find the best South East Asian restaurant. The restaurant can be from any of the South East Asian countries, including Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, etc. In fact, the restaurant can serve food from any South East Asian country from all the way from Pakistan to Vietnam. The competition is not limited to Indian curry houses.
There are about 60 MPs in the Tiffin Club and they ask their constituents to vote for their favourite constituency with the most popular restaurant being put forward. The competition is usually heavily promoted within the constituencies by the MPs with lots of local newspapers getting behind the event and encouraging the readers to vote.
A shortlist of about a dozen restaurants is compiled and the chefs from the selected restaurants are asked to take part in a “cook off”, in Parliament’s own Bellamy’s Restaurant, where one of the restaurants is chosen as the winner of the Tiffin Cup.
The objectives of the Tiffin Cup award are to raise the awareness of South East Asian cuisine and also to raise money for charity.
This year’s charity is World Vision and food made during the “cook off” is sold to all those present at the event.
The Tiffin Cup has been awarded each year since 2006, with the following past winners.
| Year | Restaurant | Location |
| 2006 | The Taj Mahal Indian Restaurant | Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire |
| 2007 | Bekash Restaurant | Romford, Essex |
| 2008 | Mint and Mustard | Cardiff, Wales |
| 2009 | Tamasha | Bromley, south London |
Nominations for this year’s Tiffin Cup closed over a week ago on July 20th so you’ve missed your chance to vote this year.
We’ll keep an eye open to see who wins this year’s Tiffin Cup.