Cheltenham based restaurant The Curry Corner has taken another step towards national fame, by becoming one of only three finalists in the Chak 89 Restaurant of the Year category at this year’s World Food Awards.

The World Food Awards, now in their third year have been created by the World Foods Association and recognise not only the incredible growth within this sector, but also the diversity of cultures and communities that the industry is inspired by.

The winners of the World Food Awards will be announced at a glittering gala ceremony hosted by comedy legend Lenny Henry on Saturday 1st October at London’s prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel.

The Chak 89 Restaurant of the Year category promises to be a hotly fought contest, with the newly opened and widely acclaimed oriental Mayfair eatery Hakkasan, the Covent Garden branch of Jamie Oliver’s ‘Italian’ chain and independently owned Cheltenham based restaurant The Curry Corner, which shot to fame courtesy of Gordon Ramsay’s F Word, all vying for the top spot. The Awards are open exclusively to companies specialising, promoting or stocking products from the following countries: Asian, Oriental, African, Afro-Caribbean, European, East-European, Middle Eastern, South American and Mediterranean.

Monrusha Krori, who is the brainchild and creative force behind the development and growth of the restaurant, said of the short-listing: “It has been an incredible twelve months for us. The success of the F-Word and now the World Food Awards shows that my father’s quiet but steadfast determination is truly justified. He and my mother both deserve recognition and I am incredibly proud and pleased that they have been selected as one of the three finalists. Jamie watch out.”

A secret hidden gem, The Curry Corner is one of the oldest and most highly regarded Bangladeshi restaurant in the UK. Run by the Krori family, The Curry Corner has made a name for itself through its exquisite menu and famous visitors including chef Rick Stein and comedian Michael Palin, who described it as offering “the best curry from pole to pole”.

Husband and wife team Shamsul and Saleha first opened the doors of The Curry Corner in 1977 and 33 years on, 60 year-old Shamsul, one of the most experienced spice chefs in the industry, still does the cooking, never missing a service. Daughter Monrusha has since joined them, having left a successful career in law behind, to help her parents take the restaurant to the next level.

Other finalists in the World Food Awards this year include Marley’s Mellow Mood, a range of philanthropic soft drinks created in the name of the iconic reggae legend, as well as Portuguese chicken kings Nando’s who are in the running for Best Packaging of the Year award, for their new range of Peri Peri sauces.

The World Food Awards 2011 will be broadcast on Star Plus to over 1 million viewers in the UK alone. Sponsors include ASDA, Chak 89, East End Foods, Jaguar, Madhu’s, Morrisons, Patak’s, and Rajah.