The live competition, held at Cambridge Regional College, brought together chefs representing 15 regions of the UK. Competitors were selected following more than 1,200 nominations for restaurants and takeaways nationwide.
Participating chefs were given an extensive choice of fresh ingredients, including king prawns, rack of lamb, chicken, sea bream, seasonal vegetables, pulses, herbs and spices.
This freedom allowed each chef to demonstrate their knowledge of ingredients, technical ability, adaptability and creativity while working under the pressure of a professional competition kitchen.
Judges assessed the chefs on hygiene, technique, creativity, use of ingredients, presentation, flavour, texture, appearance and aroma.
Fifteen regions represented
The competing restaurants and takeaways were:
Tikka Town, Birmingham – West Midlands
Two Chefs Indian Restaurant, Weston-super-Mare – South West
The Vine Indian Cuisine, Mosborough, Sheffield – North East
Ruhit’s Indian Cuisine, London – North London
Elaichi, Carmarthen – Wales
Spice Merchants, Southsea, Portsmouth – South Central
Spice Village Indian Restaurant, New Ash Green – Kent
Junoon, Helsby, Frodsham – North West
Gurkha Kitchen, Ellon – Scotland
New Anarkali Indian Restaurant & Takeaway, East Molesey – Surrey
Kusturi Indian Restaurant, Colchester – Essex
Bangla, Bangor – Northern Ireland
Aroma Lounge, Hatfield – Hertfordshire
Jomidar Mahal, Littleport, Cambridge – East Anglia
Spices of Paradise, Bedford – East Midlands
The judging panel included culinary educators, experienced restaurateurs and professional chefs from Cambridge Regional College and the wider hospitality industry.
Executive chef and ARTA judge Chad Rahman praised the unusually diverse selection of ingredients, saying it gave competitors the freedom to show how they combined flavours and adapted under pressure.
Graham Taylor, Assistant Head of Department and Commercial Lead at Cambridge Regional College, said there had been a noticeable improvement in food safety, core culinary skills and the fluidity with which chefs worked in the kitchen.
Students from Cambridge Regional College also joined the event, preparing and serving lobster for competitors and guests. Their involvement helped bring established industry professionals together with the next generation of culinary talent.
Dr Mohammed Munim, founder and chairman of ARTA, said Asian restaurants and takeaways had made an extraordinary contribution to British food culture, employment, entrepreneurship and communities.
Now in its seventh year, ARTA is widely deARTscribed as the “Oscars of the Curry Industry”. Its judging considers food and service quality, value for money, hygiene standards and customer feedback posted through Google and Tripadvisor.
The identity of the National Chef of the Year remains a closely guarded secret. The winner will be revealed at the ARTA Grand Finale and Gala Evening at the London Hilton on Park Lane on Monday, 12 October 2026.