Weekly Bangla Mirror | Bangla Mirror, Bangladeshi news in UK, bangla mirror news
By Matiar Chowdhury:
The Bangladesh Caterers Association (BCA) has shortlisted 48 restaurants from across the United Kingdom for its prestigious Restaurant of the Year 2026 competition, following a rigorous selection process involving hundreds of entries.
The winners will be announced at the 19th BCA Awards ceremony on November 1, 2026, at the five-star Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel in London. The event, held under the theme “Honouring Today’s Achievements, Inspiring Future Success,” is expected to attract celebrities and distinguished guests from Britain and abroad.
BCA leaders announced the shortlist at a press conference held on the evening of October 8 at Neijzen Restaurant, 290 North Street, Romford. However, the names of the shortlisted restaurants in each region were not disclosed.
Established in 1960 by British-Bangladeshi entrepreneurs, the BCA has played a significant role in promoting Bangladesh in Britain and recognising outstanding achievements in the British curry industry. For the past 19 years, the association has organised its annual awards to celebrate excellence across the sector.
The BCA confirmed that the judging process for the Restaurant of the Year category had reached a significant milestone, with 48 restaurants selected from hundreds of applications submitted from across the UK. The shortlisted establishments represent 12 regions, with the judging process designed to identify outstanding performers in the country’s British-Bangladeshi restaurant industry.
The selection criteria included food quality, service, hospitality, presentation, consistency, innovation and overall customer experience. The judges assessed the entries and awarded scores to determine the shortlisted restaurants. The final recognition will be based on the judges’ scores, with 12 restaurants—one representing each region—set to receive recognition.
BCA President Oli Khan MBE, Awards Convener Atik Rahman BEM, Restaurant of the Year Committee Chairman Abdul Subhan, Secretary General Tipu Rahman, Chief Treasurer M. Faizul Haque and Press and Publication Secretary Naz Islam were among the association’s leaders involved in the selection process.
The judging panel comprised Samson Sohel, representing Cobra Beer; Sandeep Dewan, representing Kingfisher Beer; Sabrina Hossain, chief executive officer of NTV Europe; Hafiz Alam Baksh, chief executive officer of ATN Bangla UK; and outgoing BCA President M. M. Kamal Yakub.
BCA President Oli Khan MBE said the association was delighted by the unprecedented response to this year’s Restaurant of the Year competition.
“We are delighted by the unprecedented response to this year’s Restaurant of the Year category. Forty-eight restaurants from 12 regions have been carefully selected from hundreds of applications received across the UK. This reflects the exceptional quality, dedication and diversity of our industry,” he said.
He added that the judging process provided an opportunity to recognise restaurants that had consistently demonstrated excellence in food, service and hospitality.
“I extend my best wishes to the 48 selected restaurants and look forward to celebrating their success at the BCA Awards 2026,” he said.
BCA Secretary General Tipu Rahman described the competition as a showcase of the community’s determination, creativity and commitment to excellence.
“This competition is a magnificent showcase of our community’s indomitable spirit, creativity and excellence. Each of the 48 participating restaurants represents the highest standards of British-Bangladeshi hospitality,” he said.
He emphasised that the association was committed to ensuring a fair, transparent and rigorous judging process that recognised the hard work and dedication of restaurant owners, chefs and staff.
Rahman also thanked the judges for their time and expertise, extending his appreciation to all participating restaurants. He said that taking part in the competition was itself an achievement worthy of recognition.
Atik Rahman BEM, convener of the BCA Awards, said the exceptionally high standard of applications had made the selection process particularly challenging.
“The quality of the applications received this year was exceptionally high, making the process of selecting 48 restaurants from hundreds of entries quite challenging,” he said.
He explained that the shortlisted restaurants represented 12 regions across the UK and that the judges would determine the final recognition through a fair and rigorous assessment.
“We are proud to have created a platform that celebrates the hard work, dedication and achievements of our restaurant industry,” he added.
This year’s BCA Awards theme, “Honouring Today’s Achievements, Inspiring Future Success,” reflects the association’s commitment to celebrating the accomplishments of hospitality professionals while encouraging the next generation to build on their achievements.
The awards continue to serve as a platform for recognising the contribution of British-Bangladeshi restaurateurs to the UK’s hospitality sector, highlighting their role in promoting culinary excellence, strengthening community ties and sustaining the industry’s growth.
