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{{EngvarB|date=July 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox chef
| name = Cyrus Todiwala
| image = Cyrus Todiwala headshot.jpg
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1956|10|16}}<ref>{{cite web|title=TODIWALA, Cyrus Rustom|url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U251534|publisher=Who's Who 2012|accessdate=24 August 2012}} {{Subscription required}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Mumbai]], [[India]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouse = Pervin Todiwala
| style = [[Parsi cuisine]]
| education =
| ratings = 
| restaurants = {{plainlist|
*''Café Spice Namasté''
*''Mr Todiwala's Kitchen''
*''The River Restaurant by Cyrus''
*'Assado''
}}
| prevrests = {{plainlist|
*''Namasté''
}}
| television = {{plainlist|
*''[[Saturday Kitchen]]''
*''[[Market Kitchen]]''
}}
| awards = {{plainlist|
*2005 Catey Award for Education and Training
*2005 Springboard Awards for Excellence special award
*2012 Craft Guild of Chefs special award
}}
| website = {{URL|cafespice.co.uk/}}
}}
'''Cyrus Rustom Todiwala''' [[OBE]], [[Deputy Lieutenant|DL]], (born 16 October 1956), is an Indian chef proprietor of ''Café Spice Namasté'' and a [[celebrity chef|celebrity television chef]]. He trained at the [[Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces]] chain in India, and rose to become executive chef for eleven restaurants within those hotels. He moved to the UK in 1991 with his family, and following some initial financial difficulties after taking over a restaurant, Michael Gottlieb provided investment funding, allowing Todiwala to open ''Café Spice Namasté'' in 1995, the restaurant for which he is best known.

He has subsequently launched a range of condiments and sauces called ''Mr Todiwala's'', and a second restaurant called ''Mr Todiwala's Kitchen'', which is located at the Hilton at [[Heathrow Airport]] near Terminal 5. He was awarded an [[Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire|MBE]] in 2000, and an OBE in 2009. He has also been awarded an [[honorary doctorate]] and been made an [[honorary professor]]. In 2012, he cooked for Queen [[Elizabeth II]] and [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]] as part of the [[Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II|Diamond Jubilee celebrations]]. He has appeared on numerous television and radio programmes, such as the BBC radio 1 Saturday Cook show.

==Biography==
[[File:Cafe Spice Namaste.jpg|thumb|left|Todiwala's restaurant, Café Spice Namasté, in London]]
Born and brought up in [[Mumbai]], [[India]], he lived with his family in a house split into ten flats. His father worked for the [[The Automobile Association|Automobile Association]] as Chief of Road Service for Western India.<ref name=masterbio>{{cite web|title=Cyrus Todiwala|url=http://www.masterchefs.co.uk/component/content/article/3/48-cyrus-todiwala|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130420171841/http://www.masterchefs.co.uk/component/content/article/3/48-cyrus-todiwala|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 April 2013|publisher=The Master Chefs of Great Britain|accessdate=24 August 2012}}</ref>

Todiwala graduated from Sophia Shree B K Somani Polytechnic having studied Hotel Administration and Food Technology.<ref name=glabio/> His first job was as a [[busboy]].<ref name=revel>{{cite news|last=Afiya|first=Amanda|title=Chef Revelations – Cyrus Todiwala|url=http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/04/03/2011/337333/chef-revelations-cyrus-todiwala.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130118194414/http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/04/03/2011/337333/chef-revelations-cyrus-todiwala.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 January 2013|accessdate=24 August 2012|newspaper=Caterer and Hotelkeeper|date=4 March 2011}}</ref> He trained as a chef with [[Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces]] in India, eventually becoming Executive Chef for all of the chain's hotels in India, some eleven restaurants with 160 staff. He moved to Australia in 1991, and moved to the United Kingdom with his family,<ref name=hottodi>{{cite news|title=Hot Todi|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-203955825.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140610220554/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-203955825.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 June 2014|accessdate=24 August 2012|newspaper=The Mercury|date=17 July 2009}} {{Subscription required}}</ref><ref name=dubaito>{{cite news|last=Anderson|first=Chris|title=Cyrus Todiwala|url=http://www.timeoutdubai.com/restaurants/features/3750-cyrus-todiwala|date=9 November 2008|accessdate=24 August 2012|newspaper=Time Out Dubai}}</ref> having been invited to run a restaurant in Alie Street in London called ''Namasté'', which Todiwala describes as having been "pretty lousy".<ref name=newtricks /> The owners of the restaurant went into financial difficulty despite critical acclaim for Todiwala's work. Being faced with unemployment whilst on a work visa, he took over the restaurant with the help of his wife, Pervin.

With banks refusing to give him loans, he turned to family members to help support his restaurant.<ref name=newtricks /> They were given multiple small sums, but won a car in a competition and sold it, enabling them to place a deposit on a new home. However, the [[Home Office]] began to be interested in Todiwala's work, as he was a foreign business owner without any investors. At around the same time, Michael Gottlieb, the owner of 'Smolensky's' restaurants in London, wished to invest in a new Indian restaurant on E1's Prescott Street and approached [[The Cobra Good Curry Guide]]'s [http://www.patchapman.co.uk/cobra-good-curry-guide/ website]{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} editor [[Pat Chapman]] seeking a chef. Chapman, proposed Todiwala. ''Café Spice Namasté'' opened in 1995, although the Home Office would continue to pursue Todiwala for deportation.<ref name=glabio>{{cite web|title=Cyrus Todiwala|url=http://www.london.gov.uk/cyrus-todiwala|publisher=Greater London Authority|accessdate=24 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819145437/http://www.london.gov.uk/cyrus-todiwala|archive-date=19 August 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name=newtricks />
[[File:Cyrus Todiwala working.jpg|thumb|right|Cyrus Todiwala with actress [[Nina Wadia]], at a charity event in 2012]]
He has since worked with the [[National Health Service]] to create ethnic menus for hospitals alongside [[Lloyd Grossman]], and with the London East [[Training and Enterprise Council]] to create an Asian and Oriental cooking school with an onsite restaurant so that students could be trained in a real working kitchen.<ref name=goodfoodbio/><ref>{{cite news|last=Nichols|first=Michelle|title=TV chef's hospital food given a grilling by critic|newspaper=The Scotsman|date=19 December 2001|id={{ProQuest|326984558}}}} {{Subscription required}}</ref> However, the school closed after a few years following a change in funding.<ref name=indianchefs>{{cite news|last=Lander|first=Nicholas|title=Indian Chefs|newspaper=Financial Times|date=28 March 2008|id={{ProQuest|229139478}}}} {{Subscription required}}</ref> While he was facing threats of deportation from the Home Office, he was also on the National Advisory Council for Education and Training Targets alongside former [[Home Secretary]] [[David Blunkett]].<ref name=newtricks />

In 2006, he opened Café’t’, a coffee shop / restaurant hybrid.<ref name=dubaito /> He launched a range of cooking sauces under the brand name ''Mr Todiwala's'' in 2010, which added to an existing range of [[South Asian pickle|pickles]] and [[chutney]]s.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lane|first=Diane|title=Cyrus Todiwala launches a range of cooking sauces|url=http://www.caterersearch.com/blogs/product-junkie/2010/05/cyrus-todiwala-launches-a-range-of-cooking-sauces.html|accessdate=24 August 2012|newspaper=Product Junkie|date=10 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620055432/http://www.caterersearch.com/blogs/product-junkie/2010/05/cyrus-todiwala-launches-a-range-of-cooking-sauces.html|archive-date=20 June 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2011, he launched a new restaurant named ''Mr Todiwala's Kitchen'', which is located within the [[Hilton Hotel]] at [[Heathrow Terminal 5|Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5]].<ref name=newtricks>{{cite news|last=Kühn|first=Kerstin|title=New tricks from the Todiwalas|url=http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/23/12/2011/341576/New-tricks-from-the-Todiwalas.htm|accessdate=24 August 2012|newspaper=Caterer and Hotelkeeper|date=23 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120827015110/http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/23/12/2011/341576/New-tricks-from-the-Todiwalas.htm|archive-date=27 August 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Mr. Todiwala's Kitchen|url=http://cafespice.co.uk/mr-todiwalas-kitchen/|publisher=Café Spice Namasté|accessdate=24 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120611082315/http://cafespice.co.uk/mr-todiwalas-kitchen/|archive-date=11 June 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> He has appeared regularly at Taste Festivals, including those in London and in Dubai.<ref name=dubaito />

As part of the [[Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II]], Todiwala cooked for the Queen and the [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Duke of Edinburgh]] at Kirishna Avanti school in [[Harrow, London|Harrow]]. He cooked a version of [[Country Captain]] using rare breed mutton from [[North Ronaldsay]] in the [[Orkney Islands]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Stanford|first=Janie|title=Cyrus Todiwala cooks for the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh|url=http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/30/03/2012/343044/Cyrus-Todiwala-cooks-for-the-Queen-and-the-Duke-of-Edinburgh.htm|accessdate=24 August 2012|newspaper=Caterer and Hotelkeeper|date=30 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426183439/http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/30/03/2012/343044/Cyrus-Todiwala-cooks-for-the-Queen-and-the-Duke-of-Edinburgh.htm|archive-date=26 April 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> The dish has since been added to the menu at Café Spice Namaste.<ref>{{cite web|title=A'la carte|url=http://cafespice.co.uk/menus/ala-carte/|publisher=Café Spice Namasté|accessdate=24 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110107145540/http://cafespice.co.uk/menus/ala-carte/|archive-date=7 January 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In December 2014, after having established four premiere restaurants in London, Cyrus returned to India to establish The River Restaurant, his first restaurant in India, at the Acron Waterfront Resort in Baga on the banks of the Baga river in Goa.<ref>{{cite web|title=The River Restaurant|url=https://acronwaterfrontresortgoa.com/cyrus-todiwala-river-restaurant-goa.php|publisher=Acron Waterfront Resort|accessdate=11 April 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Cyrus Todiwala opens his first restaurant in India|url=https://www.thecaterer.com/articles/354691/cyrus-todiwala-opens-his-first-restaurant-in-india|publisher=The Caterer|accessdate=11 April 2015}}</ref>

In 2017 Todiwala became the [https://www.rbst.org.uk/ Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST)]'s first ever chef ambassador. This role enables Todiwala to combine his interests in food and conservation.

===Awards===
In 2000, Todiwala was awarded an MBE for services to the restaurant and catering industry.<ref name=bbcfoodbio>{{cite web|title=Cyrus Todiwala|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/chefs/cyrus_todiwala|publisher=BBC Food|accessdate=24 August 2012}}</ref> He was subsequently appointed an OBE in the 2010 New Year's Honours List.<ref>{{cite news|title=Honours List: Order of the British Empire, OBE (names L-Z)|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/honours-list-order-of-the-british-empire-obe-names-lz-1853556.html|accessdate=24 August 2012|newspaper=The Independent|date=31 December 2009}}</ref> He was given a special award at the [[Craft Guild of Chefs]] awards in 2012 for "outstanding contribution to the industry".<ref name=specialaward>{{cite news|last=Kühn|first=Kerstin|title=Cyrus Todiwala receives special award at Craft Guild of Chefs Awards|url=http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/14/06/2012/344049/cyrus-todiwala-receives-special-award-at-craft-guild-of-chefs-awards.htm|accessdate=24 August 2012|newspaper=Caterer and Hotelkeeper|date=14 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120617032527/http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/14/06/2012/344049/cyrus-todiwala-receives-special-award-at-craft-guild-of-chefs-awards.htm|archive-date=17 June 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> He has subsequently become a judge for [[The Catey Awards]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Cateys 2012: Education and Training Award – David Cochrane|url=http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/06/07/2012/344716/Cateys-2012-Education-and-Training-Award-David-Cochrane.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130119002905/http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/06/07/2012/344716/Cateys-2012-Education-and-Training-Award-David-Cochrane.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 January 2013|accessdate=24 August 2012|newspaper=Caterer and Hotelkeeper|date=6 July 2012}}</ref>

He has long been a proponent of staff training, and earned an [[Investors in People]] for Café Spice Namasté.<ref name=support>{{cite news|last=Withers|first=Malcolm|title=Supporting staff is hot item on the Cafe menu|newspaper=Evening Standard|date=8 July 2002|id={{ProQuest|329646382}}}} {{Subscription required}}</ref> This training approach also saw him awarded an Education and Training Catey award in 2005. Also in 2005, he won the special award at the Springboard Awards for Excellence.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kühn|first=Kerstin|title=Todiwala wins top industry award|url=http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/01/11/2005/303239/Todiwala-wins-top-industry-award.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130119022640/http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/01/11/2005/303239/Todiwala-wins-top-industry-award.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 January 2013|accessdate=24 August 2012|newspaper=Caterer and Hotelkeeper|date=1 November 2005}}</ref>

In 2009, he was given an [[honorary doctorate]] by [[London Metropolitan University]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Stagg|first=James|title=Cyrus Todiwala awarded honorary doctorate degree|url=http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/04/12/2009/331280/Cyrus-Todiwala-awarded-honorary-doctorate-degree.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130119111400/http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/04/12/2009/331280/Cyrus-Todiwala-awarded-honorary-doctorate-degree.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 January 2013|accessdate=24 August 2012|newspaper=Caterer and Hotelkeeper|date=4 December 2009}}</ref> He was also made an [[honorary professor]] of [[Thames Valley University]] and a [[Deputy Lieutenant]] of Greater London.<ref name=glabio /> He was also named in the [[foodie]] section of the ''[[Evening Standard]]'''s list of London's one thousand most influential people in 2010. This saw him listed alongside other chefs such as [[Gordon Ramsay]], [[Heston Blumenthal]] and [[Jamie Oliver]].<ref>{{cite news|title=London's 1000 most influential people 2010: Foodies|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/standard-home/londons-1000-most-influential-people-2010-foodies-6536247.html|accessdate=24 August 2012|newspaper=Evening Standard|date=15 November 2010}}</ref> He was first listed in ''[[Who's Who (UK)|Who's Who]]'' in 2011.<ref name=masterbio />

===Television and radio work===
Todiwala regularly appears on [[cooking shows|cooking television shows]] such as [[BBC One]]'s ''[[Saturday Kitchen]]'', [[UKTV Food]]'s ''[[Market Kitchen]]'',<ref name=goodfoodbio/> [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]'s ''[[Daybreak (2010 TV programme)|Daybreak]]'' and [[Channel 4]]'s Drop Down Menu.<ref name=masterbio /> On radio, he has appeared in slots on channels such as the [[BBC Radio]] stations [[BBC Radio 4|Radio 4]], [[Radio 5 Live]], and the [[BBC World Service]].<ref name="goodfoodbio">{{cite web|title = Cyrus Todiwalla|url = http://goodfood.uktv.co.uk/search/?q=cyrus+todiwala&page=1|publisher = Good Food Channel|accessdate = 24 August 2012}}</ref>

In 2013 Todiwala partnered with [[Tony Singh (chef)|Tony Singh]] to present their own cookery show on BBC Two, ''The Incredible Spice Men: Todiwala And Singh''.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Incredible Spice Men: Todiwala And Singh|url=http://www.incrediblespicemen.com/|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130817170310/http://www.incrediblespicemen.com/|archivedate=2013-08-17}}</ref>

He has also appeared on "Britain's [[Natural World]]: Unnatural History of London" discussing his love of British birds.

In 2018 Todiwala appeared on BBC Ones's of Royal Recipes<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09g47y6|title=BBC One - Royal Recipes, Series 2, Pies and Puddings|website=BBC|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-05-20}}</ref> to recreate the pudding that was served by him on [[Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II|Queens Diamond Jubilee]] function.

==Personal life==
Cyrus is married to Pervin. The two met at the Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai. They have two sons together, and it was Pervin's idea for the family to move to the UK in 1991.<ref name=newtricks />

He aims to use sustainable materials in his restaurants, including [[sustainable agriculture|agriculture]].<ref name=newtricks/> Todiwala believes in the [[Herbal medicine|medicinal effects of spices]]. He would phone his father in India to look up details of spices in a book written in [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]. After his father died at the age of 97, the book passed into his care but he has since found the language too difficult to read clearly.<ref>{{cite news|last=Doyle|first=Christine|title=Hot, healthy – and healing|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/expathealth/4192459/Hot-healthy-and-healing.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114172211/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/expathealth/4192459/Hot-healthy-and-healing.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 November 2012|accessdate=24 August 2012|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=18 May 2004}}</ref> While he states that his favourite type of cuisine is [[Parsi cuisine|Parsi]], he will eat anything although [[aubergine]]s give him indigestion.<ref name=revel />

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
https://web.archive.org/web/20100410135959/http://www.patchapman.co.uk/page/cobra-good-curry-guide

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website| MrTodiwala.com}}
* {{IMDb name|2930454}}
* {{url| BBC.co.UK/programmes/b0394f74/profiles/cyrus| Cyrus Todiwala}} profile at [[BBC Online]]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Todiwala, Cyrus}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:British television chefs]]
[[Category:Indian television chefs]]
[[Category:British people of Parsi descent]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Mumbai]]
[[Category:Chefs of Indian cuisine]]
[[Category:Indian emigrants to the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Deputy Lieutenants of Greater London]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Indian restaurateurs]]
[[Category:British Zoroastrians]]

Cyrus Todiwala - Revision history

>GreenC bot at 01:59, 6 July 2021