Did you hear the news? Taste Tibet is a finalist in this year’s BBC Food and Farming Awards!

This is massive news not just for Taste Tibet but for Tibetan communities all around the world. One of the main reasons that Yeshi started Taste Tibet all those years ago was to get the name of Tibet out there in bright lights. Separated from his homeland and missing his friends, family and food, he was burning to share the best of his country and culture. Finally, seven years in, we’re getting there!

Taste Tibet is up for the Best Street Food or Takeaway gong, and this particular category is sponsored by BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen. The shortlist was announced by Matt Tebbutt on last weekend’s show in a blink-and-miss-it moment (at 1:01:30) that still managed to get things wrong (Taste Tibet isn’t Nepalese!!), proving just how much work we still have to do.

So what happens next? Well, Matt Tebbutt, Best Street Food or Takeaway judge, will be visiting Taste Tibet over the next month or two, tasting our food, and hearing our story. There will be a feature about us on Saturday Kitchen as well as Radio 4’s The Food Programme, and then in October there will be an awards ceremony in London with all the great and good.

Can we just say a massive thank you to everyone who put our names forward for the Oscars of food awards? We are so grateful for your support and simply couldn’t have done this without you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for this amazing opportunity to help launch Tibetan food into the mainstream.

One final favour! We hate to ask any more of you but we’ve just heard that Taste Tibet is a finalist in the 2021 Muddy Stilettos Awards, Best Restaurant category. Huge thanks for all your votes so far – they got us, unbelievably, into the Top 5 restaurants across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. We now need you to click just one more time for us to secure top spot. Voting in the Finals starts from zero – nominations from the first round are not carried forwards

THANK YOU! Every step we take gets us closer to the dream of putting Tibet on the food map, and keeping its name alive. What we have achieved already is quite beyond our wildest dreams, but only serves to show how much is possible.

Finally, the lovely Ed Nix came this morning to take our picture for the Oxford Mail – our news will be in the paper tomorrow (look out for it!). We thought we’d turn the camera on him today to give you a sense of how things are feeling for me and Yeshi right now. Surreal and awesome.

We are open for takeaway or indoor/outdoor dining as usual this week. Come on Wednesday for a takeaway for the big game or hit us up at the weekend with your friends. Walk-ins are welcome at any time, or you can phone ahead to pre-order an evening takeaway (01865499318, any time from 4.30pm on the day). Our menu is live on the website now. Here’s a run-down of our opening hours this week:

Wednesday: 5.30-9.30pm (dinner only)

Thursday – Saturday: 12-3pm (lunch) / 5.30-9.30pm (dinner)

Thank you and see you soon!

Julie and Yeshi

Opening hours this week:

Weds: 5.30-9.30pm

Thurs – Sat: 12-3pm 5.30-9.30pm

☏ 01865 499318