Mathrani believes his sister-in-law’s version of events is an oversimplification, and that he and Abraham - who would go on to found highly successful national French restaurant chain Chez Gérard - had discussed the possibility of going into the restaurant business long before his and Namita’s nuptials.

The centre of gravity had also shifted eastwards, with the majority of Chutney Mary’s competitors choosing to base themselves within or at least near to the West End. Camellia, who had been involved from the start, came on board full-time in 2001 when the group opened its first Masala Zone in Soho, followed by a second in Islington and a third, in Earls Court, in 2005.This research forms the underpinning of every restaurant at MW Eat, including the casual Masala Zone, where strict systems are in place so that the chain runs with just two Indian chefs. There’s also a fanatical focus on ingredients. At Amaya, sabut grilled gobi is done with baby cauliflowers procured from a single field in France, for instance. I adore this book. Although it is more suited for advanced cooks – nearly every recipe uses authentic Indian spices – Camellia Panjabi is one of the first to explore the relationships between colour, smell and taste. She looks explains which ingredients are best suited for the type of curry you want to make. She subdivides spices that are used primarily for taste, those used for aroma and the differences in the chilli varities. I particularly loved the unusual recipes like Lamb with Turnips (Shalgam Ghost) a dish from Kashmir, Lamb with Apricots (Jardaloo Boti) a dish from Bombay, Watermelon Curry (Matira Curry) from Rajasthan and Bori Curry (Kaari) from the Bora community of Bombay. So, is it time to stop, job well done? There’s still stuff to learn, Camellia insists, there are still conventions to rattle. She approves of the Japanese principle of kaizen, the power of continuous, small-step improvements.‘And there’s a phrase in Gujarati – avay sun. It means ‘what next?’ or ‘now what?’. It’s about moving forward. Every time I meet the team and discuss things with them, I end with "avay sun?".’ I often lend my chefs to European restaurants, so they can learn about French and Italian dishes; they in turn teach those chefs about Indian food," says Panjabi. "Many of my chefs are now working in top-class restaurants all over the world, and lots of them are still in touch with me."

The 2005 Tatler Restaurant Awards recognised the trio's ground-breaking work by selecting it for the Restaurateur of the Year award - the first time it has gone to purveyors of non-European cuisine. For those who are forsaking pleasures of the flesh, I have a really delicious Indian dish where fruit is the star. Chef Camellia Panjabi’s pineapple curry, with coconut, is subtly spiced and refreshing. (Having said that, I also tried my own version with slices of pork.) Masala World served more than 500,000 customers in 2005, and Mathrani expects this to rise more than one million in a couple of years with the expansion of Masala Zone. This exchange was also at the centre of another key royal tour in the lead-up to the Coronation, when Charles’ son and heir, Prince William and wife, Kate Middleton, tried their hand at making naan at a popular Indian street food restaurant in Birmingham earlier this week.Chhagan Bhujbal should resign, CM should take a stand on him, says fellow Maharashtra minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil

The trio regard Chutney Mary as the jewel in their empire’s crown and are therefore quietly baffled that Michelin has yet to give it a star, especially as both Amaya and Veeraswamy won Michelin stars shortly after opening and have retained them ever since.While neither of the Panjabi sisters have ever cooked in a professional kitchen, both understand precisely how specific dishes should taste. On top of that, Camellia has a detailed understanding of Indian technique: her debut cookbook 50 Great Curries of India has sold in excess of one million copies. Namita Panjabi, her husband Ranjit Mathrani and her sister Camellia are the masterminds behind the award-winning Masala World restaurant group that specialises in authentic, regional Indian cuisine prepared by specialist chefs. Mathrani serves as chief executive and the Panjabis as group directors. Camellia Panjabi was born in Bombay. She read Economics at Cambridge and went on the become the Marketing Director in India’s most prestigious hotel group – Taj Hotels – known for spearheading new cuisines and culinary ideas in its Indian, Asian and Western restaurants. To this end, Chutney Mary put its money where its mouth was, launching with prices that were comparable to top-end European restaurants despite Indian food being nearly universally thought of as cheap and cheerful curry house grub. Sadly, this notion still persists in some circles, but it would be more pervasive if it weren’t for the trio’s efforts.