Iqbal Wahhab
Encyclopedia
Iqbal Wahhab, OBE
is a British Bangladeshi
restaurateur, being born in Bangladesh
and coming to Britain
at the age of eight months. Wahhab is the founder of Tandoori Magazine, and multi award winning restaurant Cinnamon Club.
and is a graduate of the London School of Economics
. After working as a journalist
in the national press for three years, in 1991 he set up his own PR
firm which specialised in food, drink and restaurants and then in 1994 he launched Tandoori Magazine.
He sold out of the magazine to launch the multi award winning Cinnamon Club in 2001 - a restaurant and bar aimed at changing the way the British view Indian dining. The Club initially suffered critical and financial difficulties, and Wahhab's relationship with his investors reached the point of litigation. In 2003, he co-authored The Cinnamon Club Cookbook and in 2005 opened Roast, a restaurant in Borough Market
presenting traditional British food with an emphasis on "using the best of British seasonal produce".
In 2006, Iqbal became chair of the Department for Work and Pensions
' ethnic minority advisory group, set up to discuss ways to reduce ethnic minority unemployment
levels and sits on a Task Force with six ministers to formulate policies to this end.
Wahhab was awarded the Order of the British Empire
(OBE) in the 2009 New Year's Honours List, for public service and services to the hospitality industry.
Arts:
Board Memberships:
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
is a British Bangladeshi
British Bangladeshi
A British Bangladeshi is a person of Bangladeshi origin who resides in the United Kingdom having emigrated to the UK and attained citizenship through naturalisation or whose parents did so; they are also known as British Bengalis...
restaurateur, being born in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
and coming to Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
at the age of eight months. Wahhab is the founder of Tandoori Magazine, and multi award winning restaurant Cinnamon Club.
Biography
He was educated in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and is a graduate of the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
. After working as a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
in the national press for three years, in 1991 he set up his own PR
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
firm which specialised in food, drink and restaurants and then in 1994 he launched Tandoori Magazine.
He sold out of the magazine to launch the multi award winning Cinnamon Club in 2001 - a restaurant and bar aimed at changing the way the British view Indian dining. The Club initially suffered critical and financial difficulties, and Wahhab's relationship with his investors reached the point of litigation. In 2003, he co-authored The Cinnamon Club Cookbook and in 2005 opened Roast, a restaurant in Borough Market
Borough Market
Borough Market is a wholesale and retail food market in Southwark, London, England. It is one of the largest food markets in London, and sells a large variety of foods from all over the world.-Information and History:...
presenting traditional British food with an emphasis on "using the best of British seasonal produce".
In 2006, Iqbal became chair of the Department for Work and Pensions
Department for Work and Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions is the largest government department in the United Kingdom, created on June 8, 2001 from the merger of the employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security and headed by the Secretary of State for Work and...
' ethnic minority advisory group, set up to discuss ways to reduce ethnic minority unemployment
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
levels and sits on a Task Force with six ministers to formulate policies to this end.
Wahhab was awarded the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(OBE) in the 2009 New Year's Honours List, for public service and services to the hospitality industry.
Awards
- Businessman of the Year 2008, The Drinks Business
- Honorary DoctorateHonorary degreeAn honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
in Business Administration, University of East LondonUniversity of East LondonThe University of East London is a university located in the London Borough of Newham, East London, England, based at two campuses in Stratford and Docklands areas...
2007 - Voted Restaurant Personality of the Year by Menu Magazine
- Voted one of the Top 10 Restaurateurs in Britain in an Independent on Sunday survey
- Retailer of the Year, Pig and Poultry Marketing awards 2009
- Director of the Month January 2010, The Director magazine
- Entrepreneur of the Year, Muslim News Awards 2010
Positions held
- Patron, Concern Worldwide
- Chair of Advisory Board of The Quilliam Foundation http://www.quilliamfoundation.org/
- Chair, The Mayor’s Fund for London Business Club
- Visiting Professor, London Metropolitan University Business School
Arts:
Board Memberships:
- The Prince's Mosaic
- Race for Opportunity - Business in the Community
- Bright Ideas Trust
- The Mayor’s Fund for London
- Founder of Roast Restaurant
External links
- Wahhab's columns for Director Magazine