Worldwide TV audience for Barnard Castle's international chef of the year

A WORLDWIDE television audience will have the chance to see an award-winning Barnard Castle chef showcase his skills.

Just three days after he was judged International Indian Chef of the Year at a gala dinner in London, Spice Island's Milon Miah met up with one of the best known cooks on Bangladeshi TV to film a segment for a forthcoming programme.

Mr Miah, 36, earned his place as one of the seven finalists in the international competition – founded by noted restaurateur and entrepreneur Tommy Miah – after being crowned the North East’s top Indian chef in a reality TV programme earlier this year.

He reproduced the starter which had proved a hit on that occasion – borta roulette (flavoured crispy potato balls) – and teamed it with a main course of venison and pan fried asparagus.

However, preparing the food was not so straightforward.

A week before the awards night, Mr Miah and his fellow finalists – which included two from the subcontinent – first had to cook their dishes at a catering school in Billingsgate, East London, under the watchful eye of the judges.

They then had to transport their dishes across to King’s Cross and serve them to the judges on board a train travelling north to York.

He received his award from Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, who was special guest at the awards in her role as patron of the event’s chosen charity Columba 1400.

Mr Miah said he had set out to show there was much more to Indian food than simply curry and rice and described the competition as the “ultimate” test of skills.

After returning to Teesdale with his trophy, Mr Miah then had to prepare for an outdoor cooking demonstration with TV chef Keka Ferdosi for her programme Desh Bidesher Ranna (Cuisine of Many Countries).

The TV crew chose to use The Bowes Museum as the backdrop for the segment, which will be broadcast on Channel I Europe (Sky 833) and in Bangladesh.

Ms Ferdosi has been making cookery programmes in Bangladesh for more than 20 years and is the author of a number of cookery books.

Mr Miah choose to cook a chital fish bhuna, a traditional Bangladeshi dish, under the watchful eye of Ms Ferdosi.

It was filmed by the same crew responsible for The Chef reality TV show and which is due to begin its second series later this year.