A popular celebrity chef, dubbed the 'King of Curry' has died, aged 56.
Shabir Hussain, who founded successful Indian restaurant chain Akbar's, has passed away after battling cancer. Akbar's Restaurant Group announced the sad news on , posting: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Shabir Hussain, founder of Akbars Restaurant Group. All restaurants will now be closed and will reopen on Friday 18th October at 5pm.
"Please remember Shabir Hussain in your prayers. May Allah grant him the highest rank in Jannah and bring peace and strength to his family during this difficult time."
Shabir's first restaurant opened in 1995 in Bradford city centre. However, it became so popular that Akbar's soon became a chain, expanding across the north of England, and the Midlands.
Shabir hosted the grand opening of the group's latest venue in Blackburn in March this year. After he announced he had cancer last year, fans across the had been praying for the chef, with many sending their condolences following the news of his passing.
One wrote on X, formerly : "Ah no how very sad! I know how proud Shabir was of the incredible empire he had built with Akbars and how unbelievably hard he always worked. Shocked to hear this. Thoughts with his family and my he rest in peace."
Another added: "Shabir was the third scion of Bradford's Kashmiri restaurant trade to pass away recently. Bradford has lost another great businessman, philanthropist and all round humanitarian who contributed hugely to the city in such a positive way!"
A third penned: "Thank you Shabir for all your hard work and dedication. Akbars has been my favourite place to eat since being introduced as a teenager. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting 4 Akbar’s restaurants across the UK and love every single one. Rest in peace."
Meanwhile, a fourth lamented: "Very sad day, what a man always welcoming was one of his very first customers, and he became a great friend R.I.P Shabir Hussain."
In an interview earlier this year, Shabir claimed to have invented a vertical metal stand with hooks to hold large naan breads as a business move.
Speaking to the CEO Club podcast, the restaurateur said: "I'm the guy who invented the naan tree - my biggest regret is I could have patented it. It's actually now used everywhere by everybody."
Follow Mirror Celebs on , , , , , and .
You may also like
Meet Thomas Tuchel: England's New Head Coach Aiming for 2026 FIFA World Cup Glory
Nigella Lawson's 'correct way' to butter toast has completely baffled fans
Only 1 per cent of people can find the mistake in this watch face in less than 11 seconds
I tried the new Kindle and there's a game-changing feature you won't want to miss
Is Salman Khan A Good Fit To Play Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi In His Biopic By RGV?
Raveena Tandon celebrates 26 years of 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan'
Who Is Avinash Mishra? All You Need To Know About Bigg Boss 18 Contestant
Disruptive tourism takes its toll on Goa's Fontainhas
Sanjauli mosque committee seeks waqf board approval for demolition of unauthorized structure amid legal disputes
Rexas Finance: When Will $1,000 Worth Of RXS Turn To $1 Million?
U.S. Elections: Record Turnout in Georgia as Early Voting Begins for Presidential Election
Annie Kilner reveals worst thing about Kyle Walker betrayal after he begged for second chance
Cybercab flop costs Elon Musk $15 billion as Tesla shares take a dive
Singer Disha Mudda: 'Music is not just my personal pursuit but a cherished family tradition'
John Torode's 'sexual comment' to Cat Deeley sparks This Morning outrage
8 best winter coats for women as the weather gets cooler from M&S, Superdry and more
Zerodha Launches New Fund To Support Open-Source Projects
MP Lokayukta raids govt employee's residence in Bhopal
GITEX 2024 shines a spotlight on AI-powered digital transformation in the Middle East
Major bin collection change to hit 100,000 Brits - full list of rules you need to know