The Tiffin Cup is an annual British competition run by the Tiffin Club to find the best South Asia

South Asia

South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...

n restaurant in the United Kingdom. Nominees are selected by their constituency and then put forward by their local MP

Member of Parliament

A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...

s. One restaurant from every region is then shortlisted and invited to participate in the Grand Final cook-off event held in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, as judged by MPs and guest celebrities, with the proceeds going to a selected charity.

History of Tiffin

The name tiffin is given to the containers that transported light meals. The tiffins, or tiffinboxes are made up of three porcelain round trays with handles and lids in which lunches are delivered to workers. They are delivered through a complex network of Dabbawallahs

Dabbawala

A dabbawala ; also spelled as dabbawalla or dabbawallah; literally meaning , is a person in India, most commonly found in the city of Mumbai, who is employed in a unique service industry whose primary business is collecting the freshly cooked food in lunch boxes from the residences of the office...

, who set off with the dishes after the men have left for work. This practice is still in use in India today.

The word tiffin

Tiffin

Tiffin is lunch, or any light meal. It originated in British India, and is today found primarily in Indian English. The word originated when Indian custom superseded the British practice of an afternoon tea, leading to a new word for the afternoon meal. It is derived from the obsolete English slang...

 is also used to refer to taking a little light snack, including a cup of tea. It probably came into use when it became more popular to have a full meal in the evening rather than mid-afternoon, thus requiring a lighter meal at around midday that need a name.

Past Winners

2006 - Taj Mahal Indian Restaurant, Preseli Pembrokeshire

Preseli Pembrokeshire

Preseli Pembrokeshire was one of six local government districts of Dyfed in West Wales from 1974 to 1996. Until 1987 the name of the district was Preseli...

2007 - Bekash, Romford

Romford (UK Parliament constituency)

Romford is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...

2008 - Mint and Mustard, Cardiff North

Cardiff North

Cardiff North or North Cardiff can refer to the collections of mainly middle class suburban communities in the north of Cardiff, Wales. The population of the north of Cardiff is around 85,000 and is represented by the Conservative Party on most levels of government...

2009 - Tamasha, Bromley and Chislehurst

Ongoing Competition

2010 - A record 74 nominations have been received by the Tiffin Club! The Launch of the Newby Teas Tiffin Cup 2010 will be on Tuesday 14 September 2010.

This year the competition is in aid of World Vision

World Vision

World Vision, founded in the USA in 1950, is an evangelical relief and development organization whose stated goal is "to follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice and bear witness to the good news of the Kingdom of...

which works globally to speak out for children affected by injustice and poverty.

2006

B. Raj Tandoori, Banff and Buchan

Banff and Buchan (UK Parliament constituency)

Banff and Buchan is a constituency of the British House of Commons, located in the north-east of Scotland within the Aberdeenshire council area...

The Mirch Masala, Tooting

Tooting (UK Parliament constituency)

-Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:- See also :* List of Parliamentary constituencies in Greater London* London Borough of Wandsworth-External links:****...

Royal Al Faisal, Birmingham

Birmingham (UK Parliament constituency)

Birmingham was a parliamentary constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for the city of Birmingham, in what is now the West Midlands Metropolitan County, but at the time was Warwickshire.-Boundaries and History:...

Taj Mahal, Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Pembrokeshire was a parliamentary constituency based on the county of Pembrokeshire in Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.- History :...

Pan Ahar, Blyth Valley

Blyth Valley (UK Parliament constituency)

Blyth Valley is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...

Aagrah Shipley, Shipley

Shipley (UK Parliament constituency)

-Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:-Elections in the 1980s:-Elections in the 1970s:-Elections in the 1910s:...

Bombay Dreams, Brent South

Queen Spice, South Queensferry

South Queensferry

South Queensferry , also called Queensferry, is a former Royal Burgh in West Lothian now part of the City of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located some ten miles to the north west of the city centre, on the shore of the Firth of Forth between the Forth Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge, approximately 8...

Sukhi's Indian Cuisine, Darwen

Darwen (UK Parliament constituency)

Darwen was a county constituency in Lancashire, centred on the town of Darwen. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election....

The Royal Bengal, Lowestoft

Lowestoft (UK Parliament constituency)

Lowestoft was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Lowestoft in Suffolk. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system...

Bombay Spice, North London

North London

North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...

The Tandoori Parlour, Castle Point

Castle Point (UK Parliament constituency)

Castle Point is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.It was created in 1983, primarily...

Bengal Spice, Hemel Hempstead

Hemel Hempstead (UK Parliament constituency)

Hemel Hempstead is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...

2007

Queens Spice, Edinburgh West

Edinburgh West (UK Parliament constituency)

Edinburgh West is a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom , first used in the 1885 general election...

Maharaja, Castle Point

Castle Point (UK Parliament constituency)

Castle Point is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.It was created in 1983, primarily...

Passage to India, Stroud

Stroud (UK Parliament constituency)

Stroud is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....

Tower Tandoori, North Southwark and Bermondsey

Taste of India, Surrey Heath

Surrey Heath (UK Parliament constituency)

Surrey Heath is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. Since the 2005 general election the MP has been Michael Gove, a senior figure in the Conservative Party...

Bekash, Romford

Romford (UK Parliament constituency)

Romford is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...

Shimla Spice, Shipley

Shipley (UK Parliament constituency)

-Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:-Elections in the 1980s:-Elections in the 1970s:-Elections in the 1910s:...

4,500 miles from Delhi, Nottingham South

Nottingham South (UK Parliament constituency)

Nottingham South is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....

Moonlight Tandoori, Banff and Buchan

Banff and Buchan (UK Parliament constituency)

Banff and Buchan is a constituency of the British House of Commons, located in the north-east of Scotland within the Aberdeenshire council area...

The Gulshan, Wolverhampton South East

Shahi Quila, Blackburn

Blackburn (UK Parliament constituency)

Blackburn is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The town currently elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. It has elected Labour MPs since its re-creation in 1955.-Boundaries:The constituency...

2008

The Chilli Raj, St Albans

St Albans (UK Parliament constituency)

St Albans is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Established in 1885, it is a county constituency in Hertfordshire, and elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.From 1554 to 1852 there was a...

Chilli Chutney, Streatham

Streatham (UK Parliament constituency)

Streatham is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...

The Third Place, Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury (UK Parliament constituency)

Shrewsbury was a parliamentary constituency in England, centred on the town of Shrewsbury in Shropshire.It was founded in 1290 as parliamentary borough, returning two members to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and of the...

Mint and Mustard, Cardiff

Cardiff (UK Parliament constituency)

Cardiff was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Cardiff in South Wales which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1542 until it was abolished for the 1918 general election.- MPs 1542-1645 :- MPs 1645–1832 :...

The Royal Spice, Peterborough

Peterborough (UK Parliament constituency)

Peterborough is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, formally styled The Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past...

Bombay Blues, London

London

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...

Spice Lodge, Cheltenham

The Spice Bazaar, South West England

South West England

South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...

Azad Manzil Restaurant, North West England

North West England

North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...

Pan Ahar Restaurant, Havering

2009

Kareem's, Vale of Clwyd

Vale of Clwyd (UK Parliament constituency)

The Vale of Clwyd is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....

Tamasha, Bromley and Chislehurst

Jalsagor, Herefordshire

Herefordshire (UK Parliament constituency)

The county constituency of Herefordshire, in the West Midlands of England bordering on Wales, was abolished when the county was divided for parliamentary purposes in 1885...

Saffron, Leeds North East

Leeds North East (UK Parliament constituency)

Leeds North East is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...

Haweli Indian, Maidenhead

Maidenhead (UK Parliament constituency)

Maidenhead is a county constituency in Berkshire which returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system...

Lawthorn Farm Indian, Central Ayrshire

Central Ayrshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Central Ayrshire is a constituency of the British House of Commons, located in the south-west of Scotland within the North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire council areas...

Shajan, Ribble Valley

Ribble Valley (UK Parliament constituency)

Ribble Valley is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....

Planet Poppadom, Great Yarmouth

Great Yarmouth (UK Parliament constituency)

Great Yarmouth is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....

Godalming Tandoori, South West Surrey

The Spice Bazaar, Totnes

Totnes (UK Parliament constituency)

Totnes is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament , using the first-past-the-post voting system....

Sources

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/4988828.stm
• http://www.dictatenow.com/DictateNow_TiffinCup2007.html
• http://iwc2.labouronline.org/166359/6d3075ad-f24e-e3f4-3599-2e6f177b686d
• http://www.keithvaz.labour.co.uk/3ab18d0c-0a46-9094-d92b-0512f6c28bbc
• http://www.politics.co.uk/mps/press-releases/party-politics/conservatives/the-tiffin-cup-2009-$1281864.htm