StrEATfood Awards interview
We speak to Simran Kang, regional chef manager for BM Caterers, who made the final last year with his delicious fusion of Indian favourites.
What’s your everyday role?
In my role as a regional chef manager for BM, no two days are the same. My job involves travelling across the company to support our sites, covering head chef and manager positions when needed and providing hands-on help wherever it’s required. It’s a role that allows me to experience a wide variety of kitchens, teams and customers, which keeps things exciting and constantly evolving.
How important is street food in contract catering?
One of the biggest influences on modern catering right now is street food. It’s everywhere, and for good reason. Street food offers endless creativity – you can put your own twist on classic ideas, mix different cuisines together and experiment with bold flavours. It can be quick and simple or more refined and extravagant, depending on the concept.
For contract catering, this style of cooking is especially important. Customers want food that’s fast, exciting and full of flavour. If menus don’t evolve, people quickly lose interest in eating the same dishes again and again. Street food keeps things fresh, vibrant and engaging.
What was your signature dish and how did you come up with it?
My signature dish was a butter chicken burger. The idea was to combine two favourites: the much-loved British curry, butter chicken, and the classic fast-food burger. The dish featured a tandoori-spiced, crumbed chicken thigh, coated in a rich butter chicken sauce, topped with Cobra-sautéed onions and pickled mooli, all served in a soft milk bun.
I wanted the dish to capture the experience of going out for an Indian meal, with the familiar pairing of curry and beer. The bun represented the naan element, while the onions sautéed in Cobra beer added that subtle nod to the traditional curry-and-beer combination.
And your technical dish?
My technical dish was something completely different – a jerk gajar halwa. It started as a slightly wild idea. I was given a selection of sauces to incorporate, and I wanted to explore the balance between sweet and savoury. Gajar halwa, the classic Indian carrot dessert, has always been one of my favourites.
Since my signature dish was inspired by Indian flavours, I wanted to continue that theme for dessert. I decided to mix the gajar halwa with jerk sauce and shape it into a ball, creating a fudgy texture that delivered both sweetness and a surprising hint of jerk spice.
How do you stay calm when competing?
Staying calm during the competition was all about preparation. I practised the dishes repeatedly within the allotted time beforehand and organised my station in a way that worked best for me. Having everything ready and maintaining a clean workspace helped keep me focused. I also reminded myself of the incredible support network behind me – many people had wished me luck, and that encouragement helped me to stay relaxed.
Did you enjoy the event?
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. In fact, I told my development chef straight afterwards that I’m already keen to enter again next year and compete for the win. Events like this build confidence, spark creativity and leave you inspired with new ideas to take back into the kitchen.
The 2026 StrEATfood Awards
Now preparing for our ninth event, the StrEATfood Awards search for the UK’s most creative chef from across the whole of contract catering. This unique competition invites them to enter – free of charge – and serve up their signature street food dishes for our panel of expert judges.
The 16 finalists compete in a series of challenges, starting with cooking their specialist dish. They also create a technical dish made up from a selection of ingredients supplied on the day. The winners are then announced at the awards ceremony that evening.
To enter now – for free – please go to streatfoodawards.co.uk
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