How the Midlands hospitality industry has changed in the last decade

Indian street food, Michelin stars and celebrity restaurants are just some of the impressive changes the Midlands hospitality industry has seen in the last ten years alone. The rich mix of cultures across the region has trickled into the amazing quality and diversity of food there is on offer – and we couldn’t be more satisfied. Keep reading to discover more ways the Midlands hospitality industry is becoming one of the most recognised across the country. 

The Balti Triangle 

A trip to Birmingham isn’t complete without going for a meal in the infamous Balti Triangle, where the ‘balti’ originated. From what began as traditional curry houses have now reinvented themselves into trendy street food pop-up vans and restaurants that have transformed the way we see south Asian food. 

“The curry industry contributes £4.5 billion to the British economy every year,” according to Oli Khan, the Senior VP of the Bangladeshi Caterer’s Association in an interview with the Asian Voice. “There are nearly 12,000 Indian restaurants in the UK, vis a vis 10,000 McDonald outlets.”

It’s no surprise that chicken tikka masala has become the nation’s favourite dish!

Celebrity restaurants 

It was in 2001 when Jamie Oliver led the charge of celebrities that would open a string of restaurants around the Midlands, starting with Jamie’s Italian. This was followed by Marco Pierre White’s steakhouse at The Cube, which remains the only rooftop restaurant in Birmingham. 

We also saw local Brummie, Glynn Purnell rise to TV fame with regular appearances on Saturday Kitchen, after his successful restaurant Purnells, opened in 2007. Then there’s chef Stu Deeley who won Masterchef: The Professionals and is now reported to be launching his own restaurant. 

Celebrity chefs provide a great amount of appeal to the local region, including jobs for aspiring cooks as well as an opportunity to work with talented chefs who may have been trained by the celeb, personally!

Digbeth Dining Club

A place for foodies to really indulge was launched in 2012 in the form of the Digbeth Dining Club. The independent street food event provides an opportunity for small businesses to showcase their cooking talents, whilst shining a spotlight on what the Midlands food scene really has to offer. From Vietnamese to Portuguese, there is always a variety of high quality cuisine to choose from. 

We’ve also seen some of the regular vendors launch their own successful restaurants, including OPM, Indian Streatery, The Meat Shack and Baked in Brick. 

There have been a whole host of changes in the last decade that have truly demonstrated the power of the Midlands hospitality industry.

If you too would like to be part of an industry that is leading the way in a food revolution, then a hospitality course at Walsall College should be on the menu. We have industry standard kitchens, as well as an onsite, award winning restaurant that can provide valuable work experience.

Apply now to secure your place for September.  See our Hospitality and Events courses.