Wolverhampton City restaurant keeps Michelin status

The restaurant, which opened on Cheapside in 1982 and is still run by the same family, has taken its place in the Michelin Guide every year since 2001.

It is the only restaurant in the city to hold Michelin status and has been a popular haunt with celebrities and politicians over the years. In April, Chancellor George Osborne popped in for a meal and other famous faces have included Blur and comedian Josh Widdicombe.

Mohammed Khan manages the day-to-day running of the operation while his father, owner and chef-extraordinaire Sitab Khan, takes care of duties in the kitchen.

"This is an incredible achievement and something we are very proud of," said Mohammed, aged 34, from Compton.

"We're a traditional family-run business with ties to the city going back more than 30 years. We would like to thank the public, who have supported us all the way and helped us go from strength to strength."

In order to gain Michelin status the restaurant receives undercover visits from guide inspectors over the course of the year.

"We have two secret visits a year and we receive no notice of when they are coming," Mohammed added. "It means we always have to be at our best.

"The inspectors have their meal and pay for it before they let us know where they are from. Then they have a look around the kitchen and watch the chef in action.

"It's a case of them making sure that everything is of the highest quality."

Bilash prides itself on being anything but your average curry house, with the South Indian and Bangladeshi dishes on offer departing from the traditional staples.

To keep the menu as authentic as possible head chef Sitab, 62, visits South Asia every year to source new recipe ideas.

"Actually he's just come back from Bangladesh," said Mohammed. "Our aim is to serve home cooked style food using authentic ingredients.

"It means our food is not commercialised in any way, and it's certainly different from what you would see in most Indian restaurants."

Bilash is also in The AA Food Guide, The Good Food Guide and the Harden's Guide.