WHEN Arif Ahmed, of the Indie Spice restaurant on Stranmillis Road in Belfast, was asked whether he could deliver a take-away to New York, he thought that there must be something wrong with his telephone. But the caller was serious, and yesterday the 40-year-old Bangladeshi director of a chain of Indian restaurants was watching his kitchen staff prepare for what must be the ultimate takeaway meal.
Today his business partner, Tariq Salahuddin, and his wife, Kamrun, will board a privately chartered jet in Dublin with half the order — cooked in their outlet in the Irish Republic — placed by Steve Francis, a New York dance music producer. Mr Salahuddin will be flown to Belfast to pick up the rest of the banquet before flying on to London.
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The transatlantic takeaway will be blast-chilled before leaving, and packed in dry ice, so that it need only be heated through on arrival.
As the restaurant advised the airlines in advance of the cargo, the food will be stowed in a special container that will be checked in as regular baggage.
Times:
Mr Francis, a founder member of the Soul II Soul music group that recorded two 1989 hits — Keep on Movin’ and Back to Life — didn’t resort to the Yellow Pages to find his Indian takeaway.
“We were serving food in a music festival in England,” said Mr Salahuddin. “I met Steve Francis but I didn’t remember him when he placed the order. He must have really enjoyed our food.
“It took a couple of days to ensure it wasn’t a hoax, but we are very happy to make him the meal and hope that he has a night to remember.”
Mr Francis, who now heads Stush Music, a record company specialising in R&B, rap and jazz, could not be contacted last night but his caterers understand that he is holding a private dinner for a young soul singer, called Heather Park, who is a big fan of Indian food.
