‘Honour the doner’ and Thame’s is Britain’s Best !

WE all knew it, but now it’s official. Thame’s kebab van is the Best in Britain as voted for by all Atalay’s customers and friends from the Thame area and far beyond, and a panel of expert judges from the food industry.

A jubilant Resul Atalay, between two Lindas! His wife (L) and Linda Emery, Mayor of Thame

Atalay’s Kebab Van is based at the top of North Street behind Market House in Thame. It has grown in popularity since it was first awarded a licence to trade there in 1988, and queues can be found most nights outside the van waiting to be served by Resul (or Russell as he is known to most of his fans) or one of his twin sons, Joshua and Jason.

The announcement that Atalay’s Kebab Van had won the ‘Best Kebab Van’ category in the British Kebab Awards 2017, saw Resul leap up from his seat with joy and his fellow table-guests surround him with hugs, back-slapping and kisses, before all filing onto the stage to receive the award.

The event organisers later told the Atalays that their nomination had received more votes than ANY other nomination, in the five-year history of the awards! This was, in no small part, down to Thame resident, Dominic Stanway Williams, who originallt nominated the Atalays for the award, drummed up media attention and urged Thame kebab fans everywhere to vote for them.

The night’s celebration by the 26-strong Thame, Atalaly supporters group – including the Mayor of Thame, Linda Emery – who had travelled to the prestiguous Park Plaza Westminster Hotel for the event, ended at the London Eye, with a champagne shower and ‘bubbles’ all round.

Top kebab man, Rosul Atalay, told Thame.Net: “This was the highlight of everything I have been doing all these years. All I care about is using the best ingredients, and making people happy. I am so lucky to have the support of my wife Linda, and my children, and the people of Thame who I love!”

The British Kebab Awards were founded by London restaurant owner, Ibrahim Dogus, who is also the man behind Bira London, a new beer specially brewed to go well with kebabs. Welcoming guests to the ceremony, he said the history of the kebab could be traced back to Homer’s Odyssey in the 8th century BC.

He spoke of the dedication of all the people who work in the £2.8 billion kebab industry, calling them: “…the refuge, the light that shines out late at night in our neighbourhoods, serving hot food on a cold night.” Ibrahim also paid tribute to the many Turkish, Kurdish and other peoples working in the industry, who had come to this country ‘to work hard, and who pay their taxes.’

Several Members of Parliament attended the awards ceremony which was hosted by Radio One presenters, Scott Mills and Chris Stark, who read out messages of support from both the Prime Minister, Theresa May, and Jeremy Corbyn. A grand raffle at this year’s awards ceremony raised money for the veterans’ mental health charity, Combat Stress.

You can find out who the other category award winners were by visiting the British Kebab Awards website HERE and see MORE PICTURES HERE