 Asha Bhosle approaches cooking in the same way that she does for her music. "For every one of my recipes, my mind behind all of this is the same as when I sing a song - it's in my heart, so I am giving my heart in that food my husband or children are eating," she says. "I am very passionate." The legendary Bollywood star may be most famous for performing playback singing for over 900 movies (she is believed to have sung over 12,000 songs in her 63-year career), but a love of food has always played a big role in her life. "My father was a big stage artist and classical singer, and he liked to eat good food," reminisces Asha, a sprightly and petite 73-year-old. "Every morning he ate chicken and in the evening fish, every day, so we were also eating that food with him; we liked good food. Now I am not eating that every day, but I like to cook good food..." Her obvious talent at cookery led her family to suggest Asha compile her own recipe book: "I said 'no, there are so many books out there,'" she recalls. "So they told me 'well if no book, then a restaurant...' - but it's not my job, then one day I met a girl, Susan Potter - she's from Birmingham - and we talk restaurant, restaurant, just talking about what we would do. "It's a very big job to cook well," she says. "To teach one person my recipes, it's very difficult; I'm also very busy with my work, my shows..." Four years ago, however, the first Asha's restaurant opened in Dubai, soon followed by one in Kuwait - now, with the help of Susan, Asha's son Anand and former Harry Ramsden's head Russell Scott, Asha's has recently opened its first UK restaurant, in Birmingham. Plans are already underway to follow this with outlets in Leicester, Manchester and London. But while her name is certainly a big draw, Asha is quick to credit her English 'daughter', Susan, for much of the chain's success: "This is very successful because of an English lady - you know, English people, they know how to manage everything," Asha observes. "They're very strict and calm, they know what they want, and Susan is a very nice lady - I call her my good daughter. "Her thinking is very British, I'm a singer and artist and my son is supporting everything - the three sets of ideas go together." Susan's own connections to the city aside, Asha is quick to explain why Birmingham was chosen as the chain's third opening and first in the UK "There are so many Sikh and Punjabi people here," she notes. "English people like Indian food but they always eat curry-rice, but I think they would like different things like fish biryani or different prawn dishes... they will like my recipes." The menu at Asha's is both extensive and exotic - such enticements as Jheenga Ajwain Waala (jumbo prawn kebabs) and Dhaniya Murg (chicken cooked in a coriander seed and cashew nut gravy) alongside a cornucopia of cocktails, breads and desserts. Asha is confident her new restaurant will stand out enough amongst the myriad of Asian restaurants already established in the city: "First thing - good food; we have put together the recipes very carefully; then good people to serve, and then it is very much like home - a place like this you can take your wife, mother, father, no music, no dance, not crowded... I can't go to just any restaurant, it must be good people, very clean - then I can do it." While Asha may be the first amongst her peers to open a chain of restaurants, it seems she won't be the last: "In India every artist [opens at least] one recording studio," she explains. "Some people say 'do you also run studios?', I say 'no, I don't have a recording studio, I do something very different' - now everyone wants a restaurant!" * Asha's Contemporary Indian Cuisine, 12-22 Newhall Street, Birmingham. 0121 200 2767. www.ashasrestaurant.com | 
