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Canterbury's Ambrette restaurant to be renamed The Cook's Tale as chef Dev Biswal adds takeaway 'curry'

09:04, 26 July 2022

updated: 15:44, 26 July 2022

The award-winning Ambrette Restaurant in Canterbury is to change its name.

The fine-dining outlet in Beer Cart Lane will now be known as The Cook's Tale.

The Ambrette in Canterbury is now known as The Cook's Tale
The Ambrette in Canterbury is now known as The Cook's Tale

It comes just four months after owner-chef Dev Biswal called time on the Ambrette restaurant in Margate which he had operated for 12 years.

At the time, he said he wanted to focus on just one outlet having "reassessed his ambitions during the pandemic" and wanted an enhanced work/life balance, "to free up time to create more dishes and develop other business interests".

As part of the rebranding, The Cook's Tale is to refresh its concept as a "hyper local culinary journey". It takes its new name from Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

All ingredients will now be sourced from within 30 minutes of the kitchen.

Explains Mr Biswal: "The name Cook’s Tale is taken from the character of the apprentice Perkyn Revelour, who is rather fond of wine, women and song.

Dev Biswal is rebranding his award-winning food outlets in the county. Picture: Manu Palomeque
Dev Biswal is rebranding his award-winning food outlets in the county. Picture: Manu Palomeque

"There’s a certain irony to the choice, given that Perkyn was also known for selling rotten meat infested with flies and maggots – we won’t follow the mood too faithfully!”

In addition, his delivery kitchen based in Ashford, will be separately rebranded as Bombay Cooks.

The takeaway outlet opened during the lockdown and was named Takeaway of the Year at last year's Asian Curry Awards.

For the first time in his career, Biswal will offer ‘curry’ on his menu. He had always avoided the generic term for the rich and diverse culinary styles from across the Indian subcontinent.

He explained: "It’s an English term, possibly from a French or Portuguese root. But I’ve relented because ‘cury’ appeared in print in cookbooks during Chaucer’s lifetime.”

He will also revive his popular cookery master classes for small groups. Before the pandemic, the owner-chef had also planned to launch a gastro tours arm, taking groups to overseas and domestic destinations to learn how to prepare local dishes and about the history and culture behind them. This will be revived, with details to be announced in the autumn.

The Ambrette restaurant in Margate was closed earlier this year
The Ambrette restaurant in Margate was closed earlier this year

Dev Biswal has won a host of accolades during this career, among them being named Asian Chef of the Year at the Asian Restaurant Awards in 2019, and winning a string of 'best restaurant' awards for the Ambrette.

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