Oh my nosh! Reubens wins Jewish News kebab award
Famous Baker Street deli beat tough competition to win coveted prize at this year's prestigious British Kebab Awards event
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Popular deli Reubens beat tasty competition to land the Best Kosher Shawarma Restaurant prize at this year’s prestigious British Kebab Awards event.
At a plush ceremony in Westminster’s Plaza Hotel, attended by 1200 people, including MPs, journalists and many kebab restaurant owners and staff, Reubens became the first ever winners of the newly created kosher category, partnered by Jewish News.
The British Kebab Awards has become one of the most popular ceremonies of the year, with prime minister Rishi Sunak, and Labour leader Keir Starmer amongst the scores of politicians sending messages of support.
Reubens chief Lee Landau was loudly cheered as he collected his award on stage, where he was joined by Jewish News’ Justin Cohen, who had first come up with the idea of introducing a kosher category.
Landau was presented with the award by Westminster Council leader Adam Hug and Just Eat’s Robin Clark.
After collecting Reubens award, Landau told Jewish News:”It was a real honour and privilege to receive the award tonight.
“It’s actually 50 years now for Reubens, we opened back in 1973.
“People ask why our food is special, I say it’s the ‘magic touch’ .
“We try our very hardest to give all of our customers the best food we possibly can.
“It’s just fantastic that we’ve been honoured in this way tonight.”
The event – which saw former Tory Party chairman Nadhim Zahawi and Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner both speeches – was started over a decade ago as a way of honouring Britain’s kebab industry and its workers, who generate around £ 2.9 billion to the economy each year.
Reubens saw off tough competition in the best kosher shawarma category.
The other nominees were Golders Green’s Pita, Bricky’s in Shenley, Balgan in Borehamwood, Shefa Mehadrin in Prestwich, Greater Manchester, Balady Alaesh in Temple Fortune, Sami’s Restaurant in Hendon, and Samis, Edgware, along with Saba Borehamwood.
Other awards on the night included best restaurant by region, best kebab house by region, and best kebab van, best fine dining, best Lebanese and best chef sections.
Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey was amongst those to hand out awards.
British Kebab Awards founder Ibrahim Dogus was also loudly applauded after he gave a speech in which he urged attendees to support his charitable efforts to raise money for the victims of the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
Dogus, whose father arrived in this country as an asylum seeker from Turkey, has previously spoken of his enormous respect and close friendship with many in the Jewish community in this country.
He later said:”We are feeling very proud about launching the first ever Kosher Kebab award as part of annual British Kebab Awards in partnership with Jewish News.
“The winners, Reubens are a 50 year old brilliant business in Westminster and plays a significant role in the local community. Congratulations to all winners and thank you to partners Jewish News for supporting the awards this year.”
Amongst the MPs at the event were ex-Conservative minister Sasjid Javid, Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker, and MP Caroline Noakes.
Jewish Labour MPs Alex Sobel and Charlotte Nichols both hailed the inclusion of a kosher category at the ceremony for the first time.
Nichols told Jewish News:”It feels kind of natural there’s a kosher category at the event after all these years.
“We all know that kebabs are big deal amongst the community and in Israel. It’s brilliant that this has been recognised. It feels kind of validating.”
Nichols also said the ceremony was not just about cuisine, but all served as an important reminder of how communities such as Jewish and Muslim ones had strong historic links.
Sobel added:”This ceremony is not just about kebabs, it’s all the traditions of all the countries surrounding the Mediterranean.
“It’s about Greece, Turkey, Israel, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt, we have these shared traditions and we should celebrate them.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
