This week, James and Luke go to the heart of Southall. On the first of two visits to Madhu’s, they meet Ash Verma, a business consultant and former civil servant who travelled to the UK from India with his parents when he was just 8-years-old in 1958, and who over the last 50 years or so has played key roles in supporting the regeneration of West London, and the socio-economic development of the UK’s South Asian community. Having grown up in his father’s own Indian restaurant, like other interviewees, Ash is acutely aware of the role food, and the knowledge of food brought from homelands, plays in the migrant’s experience.

**Introduction** (0:00 – 6:18)

(Starter)

James and Luke discuss globalisation occurs within South Asian contexts.

**Interview** (6:19 – 24:10)

(Main Course)

Ash describes how his affinity for food arose from his father’s cooking and the formation of his father’s restaurant.

**Post interview discussion** (24:11 – 29:09)

(Dessert)

James and Luke discuss Ash’s father, placing him in the context of the value of nostalgia in replicating home.

**Closing Remarks and acknowledgments** (29:10 – 29:45)

The Migration Menu has been brought to you by James Staples and Luke Heslop, with help from Tina Boulton, Esther Opoku Debra and Vimal Dalal. If you have any questions or comments for us, send them in and we will address them in a future show, you can get in touch at info@themigrationmenu.com.Or on ‘X’ - formerly Twitter: @migration_menu.

Restaurant location: Madhu’s, 39 South Road, Southall, Ealing UB1 1SW England

Menu dishes eaten:

Kebabs

Samosas

Chops

Tikki

Black lentils,

Spiced chickpeas,

Braised lamb,

Stir fried vegetables

Methi Murgh

Menu: https://www.madhus.co.uk/our-restaurants/southall/

To see images for this episode, click here.

Literature mentioned:

Barber, B. R. 1995. Jihad vs McWorld: How Globalism and Tribalism are Reshaping the World, Times Books

Watson, J. L. 1997. Golden Arches East: McDonald’s in East Asia, Stanford University Press

For a list of academic literature on these topics and more, please see the list of extended bibliography on the references page or click here.

Guest speakers:

Ash Verma

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