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Curry Lounge spices up learning for Nottingham students

4th May 2010 Print
Arfan (Raz) Razak teaches a NCN student how to make an Onion Bhaji.

Catering students at New College Nottingham have been given a lesson in cooking authentic Indian cuisine from the owner of the Curry Lounge restaurant.

Arfan Razak (known as Raz) spent the afternoon with a group of Level 3 Professional Cookery learners to pass on his expert knowledge of Indian food, as well as offering them an insight into the restaurant business.

As part of the session, Raz also spent some time discussing his experiences with Gordon Ramsay, when the Curry Lounge appeared on the Channel 4 Kitchen Nightmares series back in 2007.

“I wanted to present the students with the reality of the restaurant industry,” commented Raz. “The Curry Lounge is testament to the fact that a venue can be turned into a multi-award-winning eatery with a lot of hard work and dedication. This is certainly something that anyone entering the business needs to be prepared for.”

Raz also cooked a variety of dishes from the Curry Lounge’s menu, including Karahi Chicken and Balchao King Prawn, helping to highlight the differences between traditional Indian cuisine and westernised variations.

Faye Boucher, Curriculum Leader for Apprenticeship and Train to Gain in Catering and Hospitality at New College Nottingham, added:

“The students really benefited from spending time with Raz and learning how authentic Indian food differs from many of the curries served in the UK. It provided them with a real understanding of the history behind the dishes and also the intricacy of blending spices to create a truly traditional taste.

“We have a variety of guest chefs showcasing their skills as part of the course, but it was a real advantage to have a demonstration focusing on just one cuisine.”

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Arfan (Raz) Razak teaches a NCN student how to make an Onion Bhaji.