Dev Biswal, the owner-chef of The Cook's Tale and Cafe Marrakech restaurant in Canterbury plus The Cook's Adventures tour company, has received two more prestigious awards to add to his impressive collection.
Biswal, was named National Chef of the Year and The Cook's Adventures won the accolade for Culinary Tourism for his in-bound and international gastronomic food tours, at the 10th Asian Food and Restaurant Awards held at the Dilly Hotel in London before Christmas.
The Cook's Tale has also just been included in the new 2026 edition of Harden's Best UK Restaurants. The authoritative hospitality guide says:
"Exciting fusion cooking using adventurous ingredients ... which promotes the cuisine of Odisha in East India ... the food is always interesting and delicious."
"I'm indebted to my dedicated and hard working team for consistently producing dishes of such high quality, our local farmers for their excellent produce and am grateful to the loyal clientele who continue to nominate us for these awards," said Biswal.
Other awards have included. 'Best Restaurant' at the Taste of Kent Awards; 'Best Indian Restaurant' by Morrisons magazine; 'Best Restaurant in the Southeast' by the Cobra Good Curry Guide, Asian Chef of the Year at the Asian Restaurant Awards, Best Asian Chef – Outside London at the Asian Oriental & Chef Awards, Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year - Kent from the Good Curry Guide and Excellence in Culinary Tourism from International Travel Guides.
The Asian Food & Restaurant Awards [AFRA] is an annual black-tie gala dinner dedicated to recognising excellence across the Asian food and hospitality sector. The awards celebrate outstanding achievements among restaurants, takeaways, chefs, food and drink brands, catering companies, retailers, and suppliers that have made an indelible mark on the eating habits of the British public.
Attul Haq, AFRA’s CEO, said:
“The British-Asian food and hospitality industry plays a significant role in the UK economy and contributes greatly to the country’s cultural and economic growth. These awards highlight the contribution of the people and brands that are driving Britain’s food industry forward.”
Dev's latest venture, Cafe Marrakech, which launched in November is already receiving rave reviews, offers a curated mixture of Moroccan elegance, authentic flavours, and traditional hospitality. with slow-cooked tagines, charcoal-grilled meats, hand-rolled couscous, vibrant salads, flaky pastries, freshly baked khobz, and sweet delights like semolina basbousa.
Biswal became inspired by north African cuisines after recruiting a Moroccan chef to join his brigade at The Cook’s Tale. He quickly added the destination to his destinations of his small group culinary tours operation, The Cooks Adventures.
"This tourism award should help us boost numbers of gastro tourists coming to east Kent in 2026 for our ‘culinary pilgrimages’, taking in the local area’s beautiful countryside," added Biswal.
