Reza Mahammad

Reza Mahammad was born in London was educated at St Peters boarding school in Panchgani, India. When his father died, Reza inherited the family business and he spent many years managing The Star of India on the Brompton Road.

Reza first came to public attention on UKTV Food Channel’s Delhi Belly, an entertaining 15-part series which explored the origins of some of Britain’s favourite curry-house dishes, which he co-hosted with Goodness Gracious Me/The Kumars star Sanjeev Bhaskar.

Reza also became of the three principles in A Place in France: An Indian Summer, in which he bought into an Indian restaurant with writer Nigel Farrell in the Ardèche region of France. The programme ran for three series and attracted a huge following for its many memorable episodes.

Cooking is a real passion for the energetic, history, opera, arts and culture lover Reza.

Having learnt to cook using his heart and instincts. “I am not saying that cooking is an inborn talent,” he says, “but one needs interest and flair to excel. When I inherited the Star of India from my father, I had no clue about cooking. I picked up a few recipes from my mother and improvised on the restaurant’s existing menu. My mantra is to go easy on oil and make food appear as appetising as possible.”

He has made many TV series for the Food Network including Reza’s African Kitchen and Reza, Spice Prince of India and Reza, Spice Prince of Thailand and Spice Prince of Vietnam. He also co presented Reza and Jenny’s Food Academy, for them.

His relationship with UKTV resumed with Coconut Coast in 2003 and was followed by United States of Reza in 2004.

A Food Festival Cicuit regular at The Good Food and Wine Shows Durban, Cape Town, Jo’burg and Kuwait Food Festivasl. Reza also demonstrates dishes at the The Taste of Dubai, the Taste of Abu Dhabi, Leicester Food Festival, Russia Food Festival as well as BBC Good Food Shows.
Hejoins ranks with his great friend Phil Vickery and they open the Padstow Christmas Food Festival wowing the crowds every year.

On the speaking front Reza is also a fine raconteur and he peppers his wonderful TV travel anecdotes with historical stories.  Reza delivers hugely popular lectures onboard Cunard and P&O cruise liners and he is the author of Reza’s Indian Spice and Rice, Spice and all Things Nice

Another Night, Another Restaurant

We all go to restaurants but do we ever any thought how they came to be?  Reza Mahammad was thrust into the cauldron of restaurant ownership by his father who owned the famous Star of India on the Brompton Road.    The running of the restaurant is always highly practical but also mysterious. Millions of pounds can be spent on a forsaken concept whilst a small café can open and flourish into a multi- million-pound empire. Have you ever wondered why?  Reza will give his personal insight into the ups and downs of owning and running a restaurant.

Through the Murghal Kitchen

The Mughals ruled India for 300 years. Who were they and how did they leave such a lasting influence on Indian cuisine to this day?  Reza will dip into the history of the Mughal kitchen from Babur to Aurangzeb bringing historical data to life describing theses emperors whose names are synonymous with power and uncountable wealth, their courtiers, queens and ladies and jewels they wore, extravagant banquets and glimpses of grandeur beyond imagination.

The Spice Trail

Reza talks in depth about spices, where they came from, their uses and their benefits and give a historical account as to how they were introduced into European cookery and daily life.  He has travelled extensively and filmed in many of the places on route for his numerous series for the Food Channel.  He has a wonderful delivery and his descriptions are deliciously detailed and delightful.