The driving force behind Café Mumbai is Salam Tarafdar whose long dream it was to open this stunning Indian restaurant in Southampton.
Salam's father Askor opened only the second Indian Restaurant in Southampton in1966 – the famous ‘Bombay' in Onslow Road, Bevois Valley and this magnificent restaurant just had to be called Café Mumbai in his memory.
Askor then opened the equally famous ‘Pride of India' in 1971 and it remained a very successful family restaurant for 26 years.
Salam joined his older brother Shab in running the Pride of India eventually selling it in 1996 when they concentrated on running the very popular Passage to India in Lyndhurst on the outskirts of Southampton. The Passage to India continues to be a very successful Indian Restaurant and is now run exclusively by Shab.
‘Jewell' Rahman, Richard Mandair and Sabba Khela, make up the three other directors in Café Mumbai and along with Salam they all believe one of the most important secrets of their success, along with outstanding Indian Cuisine is that they have always believed customers are much more than just customers - they are friends.
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The whole ethos of the restaurant is to completely re-define ‘Indian Food' and to achieve this it is necessary to have the very best Chefs that money can buy.
Head Chef Uday Seth has been preparing fine Indian cuisine for over 20 years having trained in India working for the legendary 5 star TAJ Hotel group. He opened the famous Indian Pavilion in Dubai as Head Chef and also opened a 5 Star Hotel in Agra – the City of the Taj Mahal.
After working for the Miller Group in London for the past 5 years Uday felt that the aim of his group boss in educating the London palate to the many special dishes that are so much more than a curry, had been achieved and he wanted a new audience and a new challenge – that challenge is Southampton!
Every separate recipe created by Uday is different to some degree with dishes coming from the many different regions of India he mixes his own special fresh locally sourced spices to create his own very special flavours and taste experiences.
Number two in the kitchen is Ramesh who has over 17 years experience of preparing varied and delicious Indian cuisine having also started with the TAJ group in Delhi where he first met Uday in 1988 and who was to become a lifelong friend and colleague.
Ramesh decide to leave London and the famous La Porte de Indies in Marble Arch where he weaved his own brand of culinary magic for 5 years to join his friend at Café Mumbai.
Both these superb chefs stressed the necessity for not only deep roots of knowledge in Indian cuisine but also deep personal relationships plus a very special experienced brigade.