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Aktar Islam’s Indian Fine Dining Is Built on a Lifetime of Curiosity

At Opheem and Oudh 1722, chef Aktar Islam is creating a new legacy for Indian cuisine in England.

For Aktar Islam, cooking is a process of discovery. Each dish on the expansive tasting menu at his two-Michelin-starred restaurant, Opheem, is the result of years of curiosity and cultivation—something you can taste in each course. The restaurant, a calm oasis off a busy street in central Birmingham, showcases the breadth of Indian cuisine across 10 courses, from an elevated take on Delhi’s aloo tuk to a West Bengal-inspired fish broth called amla tok. 

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Instead of focusing on a particular region, as many Indian restaurants do, Opheem tells the story of a British chef who grew up in a multicultural city with immigrant parents. Islam, 46, has spent his entire career exploring the possibilities of Indian flavors, ingredients and traditions. 

“My parents are from Bangladesh and West Bengal, and I had cultural delicacies I was brought up with and I understood,” he tells Observer, speaking from the dining room of his more casual London restaurant, Oudh 1722, which opened in April. “But I was able to also experience so much more, which led me to be curious about cooking from other parts of India and the Indian diaspora. My approach and understanding of Indian food is very wide and varied.”

Islam grew up in the Aston area of Birmingham, a diverse neighborhood near the soccer stadium. His parents owned a restaurant, India Palace, but his mom also often watched the long-running BBC Two culinary show Food and Drink and copied the recipes, which meant Islam learned about more than just Indian cuisine. His neighbors would also trade dishes, exposing the chef to food from all over the world. 

“We got a little bit of everything,” he says. “People ask why the cooking at Opheem is so broad, and it’s because I’m a Brummie, born and bred. I don’t actually have any cultural ties or biases. I enjoy everything just as much.”

Since then, Islam has eagerly studied Indian culinary traditions and cooking styles. He’s built a library of hundreds of books, some of which are on display in Opheem’s lounge, while others are at his home or in the test kitchen downstairs. But a lot of his knowledge comes from firsthand experience. He travels frequently and always spends time cooking with locals—that’s where the nuance comes from. 

“It’s great reading recipes, but to actually cook........

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