The Belfry Hotel & Resort has announced the opening of brand-new Indian-inspired summer pop-up restaurant, Mani’s, on 17th July following Sous Chef Manikantan (Mani) Sivakumar’s gold-winning success at the highly competitive UK Curry Championships 2026.
Running throughout the summer, from Wednesday to Sunday, Mani’s will bring regional Indian flavours and elevated home-style cooking to guests at The Belfry.
Guests can expect a tantalising menu, including The Belfry’s popular Chicken Balti, featuring velvet-smooth butter chicken and an in-house spice blend; a fragrant Chana Masala with slow-cooked chickpeas in aromatic spices; and Mani’s Thali - an ode to Indian home cooking, featuring a carefully curated selection of vegetable curries, dal, spiced rice, artisan breads, fresh raita and traditional condiments. A range of savoury starters and lighter traditional desserts complete the offering, showcasing award-winning cuisine rooted in authenticity and craftsmanship.
Ahead of the opening, Mani secured Gold at the prestigious UK Curry Championships 2026. The competition took place in May at Central Bedfordshire College, where 17 leading chefs from across Europe competed live, tasked with producing two identical portions of a starter and a lamb-based main course within just one hour. Mani entered two categories, Street Food and the Main Championship.
For the Championship, Mani presented a striking menu that celebrated both tradition and innovation. His starter and main courses sought to showcase the breadth and regional diversity of Indian cuisine seamlessly blending home favourites with contemporary fine dining. Mani’s also won Silver in the Street Food category with a zesty goat’s curd pav bhaji.
Speaking about the win, Mani said: “I felt like I was dreaming when they announced my name. So many experienced chefs had been competing for years and then there was me, my first time, bringing Gold home to The Belfry. It means everything.”
