PEOPLE are invited to feed their minds and excite their taste buds at a new play created by a man originally from Keighley.

The Chef Show, by Nick Ahad, had its premiere at The Dukes Theatre in Lancaster last week, (Jan 13/14) and will tour until February 12.

Part play, park cookery demonstration, The Chef Show takes its audience behind the scenes on a busy Saturday night in the local curry house.

Two actors play a cast of thousands in heroic and comic tales inspired by interviews with real people in the trade.

They are joined by a chef from a restaurant local to each venue, providing tips on how to create a spicy offering of your own.

The Chef Show reflects on the many villages and market towns where there are ‘Indian’ restaurants with staff who rarely have any social contact with other members of the community apart from serving them food.

Mandy December It is the first production from Ragged Edge Productions – a new Cumbrian theatre company founded by Theatre in the Lake’s former associate director and the play’s director - Stefan Escreet.

Mr Escreet said: “The Chef Show was originally inspired by an event in my local village hall and it's been a delight to make a show that will be seen in similar venues right across the North.

"We're hoping the audience will have a great night out and learn a little about the people running these businesses in the community.”

Mr Ahad, who was brought up and educated in Keighley and now lives in Bradford, has also written for Emmerdale and has his own show on BBC Radio Leeds.

He said: “So many of us, those who write for and about theatre, talk about 'reaching out' and 'engaging in conversation', well The Chef Show does exactly that. This time it isn't just lip service.

"Stefan did that brilliant thing of identifying something that seems obvious and even mundane to people from one background, but is fascinating to those from another.

"Namely, ethnic minorities who run restaurants in genteel English villages know that you generally commute into these often entirely white places to make food for the often entirely white customers, then return to your own life a world away.

"The Chef Show tears down that barrier. When you see the man making your tikka masala has a life, a family, dreams of his own, then you see his humanity.

"You can't fail to see someone more than just the bloke who makes your food."

The cast will feature Kamal Kaan and Rohit Gokani.

The Chef Show has been funded by Arts Council England, the Cumbria Police and Crime Commissioner and the Cumbria Community Foundation.

It will be being staged at venues across northern England, and comes to Rainhall Centre, Barnoldswick, at 7pm on Friday February 10.

Visit raggededgeproductions.wordpress.com/about/the-chef-show/ for the full tour schedule.