A top TV chef has been forced to close her beloved restaurant after 50 years – despite having and as two of its guests. The Brilliant, located in Southall, will say its final goodbye next month after first opening its doors back in 1975.
The top venue is best known for serving Punjabi cuisine infused with Kenyan influences, and is run by top chef Dipna Anand, whose father Gulu first opened it in the seventies. Dipna starred alongside on ’s Ramsay’s Best Restaurant in 2010, which searched for the best local eateries in Britain.
Gordon got involved with the kitchen staff and got some hands-on knowledge of cooking Indian cuisine. Gulu Anand said at the time: “The restaurant got extremely busy but he managed to get his dishes out on time. He was absolutely fantastic working in the kitchen. He said this was one of the best organised Indian restaurants he had ever seen and added he loved the food.”
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Gordon Ramsay featured the restaurant on his show (Image: Brilliant Restaurant)
Sadly the restaurant lost out in the second episode of the show to Prashad, located in Bradford. Other venues celebrated included Italian eatery Casamia in Bristol, Thai place Nahm Jim in St. Andrews and Chinese joint Yu and You in Blackburn.
Prashad, meanwhile, rocketed all the way to the final and took the top gong, up against fellow eatery Casamia.
Now the restaurant is offering its fans one final chance to say goodbye on April 4 with a closing night dinner, with masala chicken, karahi gosht and samosa chaat all on the menu. Last orders will be taken on April 7 before the restaurant closes for good.
King Charles and Queen Camilla visited the restaurant (Image: Brilliant Restaurant)
Dipna explained: “It may be the end of an era for Brilliant Southall, but after 50 years, the Brilliant brand has gained an iconic status in Indian dining.
“We have to ensure that it is constantly evolving to both reflect the preferences of diners, and the food I love to eat, so there’s something delicious for everyone.”