Saliha Ahmed voted ‘Best Chef’ at British Restaurant Awards 2019

MasterChef 2017 champion Saliha Mahmood Ahmed was voted the country’s ‘Best Chef’ last night at the 3rd annual British Restaurant Awards.

The NHS doctor trumped some of the UK’s leading chefs including Michelin-starred Gordon Ramsay, Nathan Outlaw, Daniel Clifford and Heston Blumenthal.

With over 205,000 public votes received, the winners were announced at the annual gala red carpet awards show in London.

This is the first time that a Muslim chef has been voted ‘Best Chef’ since the awards began in 2017.

A shocked Saliha announced on Facebook: “Oh my Goodness!!! I won BEST CHEF 2019 at the British Restaurant Awards thank you all for voting for me, it means the world. 20,000 votes were registered this year, making it the most exhilarating and heart warming experience to win. Some absolute legends in the food industry who I look up to as role models were also nominated. Thank you, thank you and thank you! [sic]”

She added: “me and hubby @ozzy_ahmed1 had a great evening together. life is bloody hard work and full of disappointments and turns – here’s to enjoying the happy times and working your cotton socks off @britishrestaurantawards. [sic]”

Saliha recently published her first cookbook, Khazana, which not only showcases Indo-Persian recipes inspired by the Mughals of India, but was also shortlisted for the ‘Travel Cookery Book of the Year’ at this year’s Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards.