10th franchise of Asha’s.
By Tathagata Mitra
BANGALORE: Asha Bhosle, the leading yesteryears singer of Bollywood, is going to open a brand new Indian restaurant in Manchester, England. The restaurant is to be a part of the group known as Asha’s, owned by and named after Bhosle.
She has been a successful restaurateur and has restaurants in Delhi and Kuwait. Asha’s in the Wafi City Development in Dubai was the first of its kind, opening in 2002. In Kuwait, she has three restaurants: in The Avenues Mall, the Marina Mall and at the Spoons Complex. She also has restaurants in cities like Abu Dhabi, Doha and Bahrain. Her only branch in the UK is located in Birmingham.
Asha’s offer traditional North Indian cuisine, and also includes the singer’s personal notes on dishes, many of which are inspired by Bollywood stars she has collaborated with over the years.
Peter Warden, a management expert in the restaurant industry, told Manchester Evening News, “We are tremendously excited about our new upcoming cocktail bar and restaurant in Manchester. This will be our tenth Asha’s around the world and for the Manchester venue we have taken a major leap forward in the evolution of the brand. I am sure that the good people of Manchester will be delighted with the fantastic decor, delicious drinks and award-winning food that they will be able to enjoy when we open in October.â€
Peter also confirmed that she will attend the launch of the restaurant this autumn. A long time ago, Bhosle had shared with The Times of India, that if her singing career had not taken off, “I would have become a cook. I’d have cooked in four houses and made money.” According to Manchester Evening News she has said of her business, “Cooking is a lot like singing, it brings joy and pleasure to my audience; or as I choose to think of them, my special guests.â€
Bhosle has been one of the most popular singing sensations of all time. She has sung in more than 20 languages and for more than 1000 films. Her achievement in singing can only be paralleled by her sister Lata, who is fondly called “The Nightingale of India.â€