Opheem

At Opheem, I’ll be using the same paints as I’ve always done, to create a very different picture, on a very, very different canvas. Why? Because to evolve and adapt is what makes us human, and cooking is what sets us apart from the animals. I think that India is home to the most incredible food on the planet. From a culinary point of view, it’s managed to take invaders, and keep the best from their cuisine. Indian food has truly evolved, and I think it’s time to bring a little slice of that to the UK. When people originally left India, Pakistan and Bangladesh to come and live in the UK, it was (on the whole) to work. There was always the promise that they would go back home. In my parent’s words, “it was always going to be temporary.” That dream, for lots of families, is dying now. They’re British, they just don’t realise it, and they cling on to the food and culture of yesterday for familiarity and comfort. The food we cook at Opheem, is definitely not that.