Food: Brilliant Restaurant’s Curry School

Currying flavour

From Africa to Southall: the story behind one of London’s best Indian restaurants - and how the gurus behind it are passing on their culinary nous

Article by Sophie Aghdami

Who doesn’t like curry? I’m a huge fan and simply can’t, and won’t, imagine life without the flavours of Indian cuisine: there seems to be a limitless variety of taste sensations and flavour explosions that derive from this part of the world. It’s top of my list to visit for the ultimate culinary adventure. I’m also a huge fan of Gordon Ramsay, so when I saw that Mr Gourmet himself had recommended the Brilliant Restaurant in Southall on his Channel 4 ‘Best’ series, I couldn’t resist investigating it for myself as part of a personal quest to find the best Indian cookery in London. The day only got better when I found out that they also ran cookery classes, so I got in touch and was booked on to a lesson quicker than it takes to bake a naan bread - but more about that later.

A brief history: the award-winning North Punjabi restaurant actually had its beginnings in Africa. Passionate master chef Bishen Dass Anand opened the first Brilliant eatery in Kenya in the 1950s, which was closely followed by the successful opening of a nightclub and hotel of the same name in Nairobi. The company grew once again with the opening of an outside catering business, which impressively produced food for up to 10,000 people at a time.

In the 1970s, the late Bishen’s family moved to the UK where sons Kewal and Gulu opened the first branch on British soil in 1975 in Southall, which has grown from a modest 30-seater to the impressive 220-seat establishment it is today. Following Kewal’s retirement it’s now run by the wonderful Gulu alongside his equally charming children Dipna and Shanker, who also co-manage the outside catering business and cookery school. Tummy Rumble No. 1 begins when I research the different courses available online. There are six cookery courses to choose from and, although they all look excellent, I book the ‘Nutritious Maza’, which includes learning how to make masala fish curry, tarka dal, mixed vegetable masala and Kesari rice.

When I arrive, Tummy Rumble No. 2 makes itself known and never really goes away, developing into rumbles three, four, five and six, each louder and more insistent than the last as the afternoon goes on. The class with five other curry lovers is in full swing with the first dish (masala fish curry) and the venue smells wonderfully of spices. With Dipna stationed at the front of the room in chef whites and with a mic, Dulu himself comes to my rescue having started the first dish for me so I don’t fall behind the rest of the group.

The set-up is great: each person has their own table station, complete with gas burner, set of ingredients to chop and slice, and carefully measured spices. A recipe and method sheet is also available, however Dipna’s step-by-step instructions and Dulu’s attentiveness to each student mean that these are predominantly left untouched.

The course is fantastic: as well as detailed cooking instructions, both Dulu and Dipna explain the reasoning behind certain methods, which provides a fabulous insight into how to create truly authentic Indian food. Each dish we make requires different cooking methods and techniques so the course feels very comprehensive. To my absolute joy the completed dishes are all also boxed up for us to take home that evening to enjoy (and, let’s be honest, show off). After igniting our inner Indian chef with the first two dishes, there is a short break and the bar is open for anyone who fancies a tipple. Nice added value.

The best possible finish to the afternoon unfolds when Dulu offers to show me around the kitchen and gives me a demonstration of baking a traditional naan bread, which transforms from a ball of dough to the finished product out of the tandoor oven in less than three minutes. The hot, butter-slathered, freshly baked naan bread made by the guru himself is one of the best things I’ve tasted all year. I could have devoured the whole thing there and then, however I remember my manners and have three-quarters of it wrapped up to share with friends later with the curry at home (mental note for next time: it didn’t taste as good later on - I should have gone with gut instinct and gobbled the whole thing as it came out of the oven).

I leave the restaurant smelling like an Indian spice rack but beaming and laden with my edible treasures. To finish off my wonderful Indian experience I invest in Dipna’s book, Beyond Brilliant. Later that evening, I leaf through the book, nodding knowingly at the methods described and feeling like a true professional. With a plate full of curry, I can’t help but feel a little smug: there’s something satisfying about eating one that you’ve made yourself, with an indirect stamp of approval from Gordon Ramsay, and having been taught by passionate professionals.

A huge Tuhāḍā dhanavāda to the Brilliant team for such an excellent experience, and I am looking forward to my next visit.