A Rugby chef is celebrating a major national achievement after being crowned Best Curry Chef of the Year 2026 at the prestigious Curry Life Awards.
Syed Usmani, chef at Indian Queen Takeaway on Bilton Road, Rugby, has received the national accolade in recognition of his passion, dedication and contribution to Indian cuisine.
The award comes just one year after Indian Queen was named Best Takeaway of the Year 2025 at the Curry Life Awards, making it an incredible two consecutive years of national recognition for the Rugby-based business.
For Syed and his family, the latest achievement is a particularly proud moment:
Iβm incredibly grateful and honoured to receive this award. Cooking has always been a passion of mine, and to have the hard work and dedication behind Indian Queen recognised nationally means so much to me.
Winning Best Takeaway last year was already a huge achievement for our family and our team, so to now receive the Best Curry Chef award personally is something Iβm extremely proud of. Iβd like to thank my family, my team and, most importantly, all our customers in Rugby who have supported us over the years. This award is for all of us.
Indian Queen has become a familiar name in Rugby, with the family-run business focusing on authentic Indian cuisine and providing food for customers across the local community.
The success also represents a proud moment for Rugby, with a local independent business competing on a national stage and continuing to receive recognition within the UKβs curry industry.
For Syed, however, the award is ultimately about the food, the customers and the people around him:
Iβve always believed that good food starts with passion. We put a lot of care into what we prepare and we want every customer to enjoy their food. To see that recognised at a national level is incredibly rewarding.
Syed and the Indian Queen team are now looking forward to continuing to build on the success and representing Rugby within the UKβs Indian food and curry industry.
Indian Queen Takeaway is located at Bilton Road, Rugby and is open daily from 5 pm to 10:30 pm.