A Stoke-on-Trent chef could be heading to the House of Lords in Westminster for an award ceremony after being shortlisted in the 'Chef of the Year' category.

Muhammad Ali, the head chef and owner at Ali's Kitchen on The Strand, Longton, has been shortlisted in the National Curry Awards 2026.

The winners will be honoured at the National Curry Awards ceremony on 19 October, which will take place in the prestigious Cholmondeley Room and Terrace in The House of Lords.

Muhammad said: "We would like to thank all of the customers that voted for us.

"We would not have had the privilege of being a finalist at the National Curry Awards without you all.

"We hope to receive tour continued love and support in the future."

This is not the first time Muhammad has been recognised for his work.

This announcement comes after the restaurant owner was crowned 'Best Chef of the Year' at The Curry Life Awards 2025 in October.

In June this year, Muhammad was also one of the finalists in the chef of the year category in the second British Curry Championship 2026.

Ali's Kitchen has been a firm favourite with customers since it opened 2022.

The restaurant, which has a food hygiene rating of five, provides vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options as well as having a large selection of items to cater to individual tastes.

Muhammed describes his award-winning cooking as "fresh, modern ingredients with a twist."

He added: "We always help the customers to get whatever they need, and we don't keep same menu every year.

"We have old-style, favourite curries plus we add new dishes for people who want to try something different."

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