‘Curry king' Vijay Bhagotra dies the night after winning curry award
Hotelier and restaurateur Vijay Bhagotra, died last Wednesday at the age of 65, the night after his restaurant Bokhara Brasserie was named the best Indian eatery in Wales for the second year running.
Bhagotra, who had been dubbed the ‘curry king', won the Welsh category in the British Curry Awards for his Bokhara Brasserie restaurant in the Court Colman Manor hotel at Penyfai, Bridgend.
Enam Ali, the awards' founder said Bhagotra was "a wonderful man and very well respected in the industry. We have lost one of our greatest caterers and restaurateurs. He had been so happy to win the award as it's a big achievement, especially for the second year in a row. Our awards are tough - he was really proud to win and called his award an Oscar."
Bhagotra was from Jammu, India, and came to the UK in 1970, working in Harrogate, Sheffield and Manchester before settling in Cardiff with Crest Hotels.
He was married with two children and set up his own specialist cafe in the city before taking over the Court Colman Manor in 1999.
His funeral took place at Coychurch Crematorium, Bridgend, today (13 November).
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By Emily Manson
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