Gourmet classes

To spread "the good word about Asian cuisine and to showcase its heritage, intricacy and yet simplicity and its huge adaptability to present day British culture and cuisine, as well the plethora of fine British produce available today and the farmers and producers we all need to support and cherish,” Cyrus Todiwala of London’s Café Spice Namaste has been conducting master classes in gourmet cookery at his establishment.

One aspect of his work has been "to raise vital funds for Springboard UK, our industry’s charity tasked with promoting our industry to young people and those looking for a change of profession,” he notes in an e-mail to Parsiana.

Todiwala writes that he had requested Sam Coulstock from Springboard "to ask for feedback after my classes and to ask what people would want me to ideally do in the classes to help broaden their knowledge and the feedback has been very positive indeed. With this in mind we have set out a program of events for the forthcoming year which no doubt includes classes by some of my better known and wiser colleagues in the industry, but also a series of classes by me which widens the breadth of elements within the cuisine of South Asia.

Cyrus Todiwala conducting a class in gourmet cookery

"As has been the case in the past, my plan is to donate an element (of the fees — my classes only) towards each of the following bodies in turn. These are Springboard UK, The Academy of Culinary Arts, The Master Chefs of Great Britain, The Craft Guild of Chefs and Hospitality Action and, my own two charities Learning for Life (giving the gift of education to very poor kids in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan) and The Time and Talents Association of which I am the president (giving hope to the elderly, under-privileged and sick people of South East London primarily in the Rotherhithe Basin).

"This way not only do we share our knowledge and skills with chefs, foodies, managers, etc and increase their own knowledge, but at the same time help our associations in doing the stellar jobs they do in promoting our industry to youngsters and raising the profile as well as collecting money for those amongst us who may fall on troubled times.”

Todiwala has been a willing campaigner for re-educating youths who have dropped out of school, enabling them to learn culinary skills and stand on their own feet. His social work has won him an MBE (Member of the British Empire) in government recognition.