Soi Kitchens wins second best restaurant in the UK and best restaurant in the East Midlands region after Final Cook-off at Houses of Parliament

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We are pleased to announce that Soi Kitchens based in Milford near Belper has won second best restaurant in the UK and best restaurant in the East Midlands region after reaching the final of the Tiffin Cup. The Tiffin Cup is in its 14th year and is a British competition set up by MPs and their colleagues to find the best South Asian restaurant in the United Kingdom. MP’s from around the country nominate the best restaurants from their constituencies. Restaurants throughout the whole of the UK were nominated of which only thirteen were short listed by secret diners, based on decor, ambience, service and of course food. Soi Kitchens was shortlisted as one of the thirteen in the whole of the UK. The final thirteen restaurants were then invited to participate in the Grand Final cook-off event held in the House of Commons, judged by MPs and guest celebrities including TV Chef Ainsley Harriot. Soi Kitchens' Head Chef Sidharth Bakshi was part of the Final cook-off. Sidharth's dish was Fish Kolivada - pan fried sea bass served with curried mash potato, topped with a tomato and mango coulis and served with a side of dosa rolls, an eclectic dish beautifully presented with an array of exciting flavours.

The award was presented by TV Chef Ainsley Harriott, celebrity author Chetna Makan and Speaker of the House of Commons Rt Hon John Bercow MP.

Pauline Latham OBE MP for Mid Derbyshire was extremely proud of the win and was looking forward to announcing it in Parliament as a huge success story for her constituency.

What makes Soi Kitchens’ success in the competition so far even more impressive is that the restaurant has only been open since January but it has already been busy building a strong reputation. Soi Kitchens is run by the same team that run Slice of India (a Derby institution for over 8 years now). With Soi Kitchens the team have developed a broader range of cuisines not just limited to Indian Cuisine. The format is also a little different as we look to entice those who might not normally frequent buffet restaurants with a smaller and more cosy environment in pleasant surroundings. What remains constant however are the core values of great food, great service and great value which are still central to everything we do.