The owners of Hornchurch's Tandoori Lounge are brimming with confidence after adding another accolade to their rapidly-growing collection.

On hearing the news that the restaurant has been crowned one of Havering's Hospitality Heroes by the Recorder, Sukh Singh Uppal said: "After a tough year it’s really satisfying to be recognised in this way.

"It shows that what we’re doing is working. Thankfully things are going really well."

One half of a dynamic ownership duo, the joint venture shared with wife Honey Kaur continues to go from strength to strength.

Not only has it been recognised by this newspaper, Tandoori Lounge also won big at this year's Asian Restaurant Awards.

This much-loved venue is still in its relative infancy having opened just four years ago.

For Sukh, the success is in the detail: "We wanted to make an authentic Punjabi curry and show there’s a different side to Indian food. I believe we do that, which is why people keep coming back."

The pair are also hopeful of a hat-trick of Good Food Awards, having won the accolade in both 2020 and 2021.

Though driven by a shared passion for authenticity, continued recognition also helps manage the impact of an objectively hard 18 months.

Now emerging out the other side, Sukh is keen to create an experience that goes beyond the culinary, and he is thinking of rebooting a monthly charity quiz night which was halted by the pandemic.

Sukh says those plans will move forward once a quizmaster can be recruited.

That aside, the venue has a bustling upcoming calendar with events ranging from a Bollywood night to a CurryOke event.

Alongside owning the restaurant, Sukh also manages a job in IT while Honey runs day-to-day operations.

Though "hard work", Sukh wouldn't have it any other way.

Based on the lounge's popularity, neither would the people of Havering.

Further information on what's coming up can be found at tandoorilounge.com/ or by visiting @TandooriLounge on Facebook.

Anyone interested in becoming a quizmaster can contact the venue on 01708 564767.