am ▁Ali , ▁MB E , ▁FI H , ▁FR SA ▁( ; ▁born ▁ 1 ▁December ▁ 1 9 6 0 ) ▁is ▁a ▁Bang l ades hi - born ▁British ▁business man . ▁He ▁is ▁the ▁founder ▁of ▁The ▁British ▁Cur ry ▁Awards , ▁ ▁Sp ice ▁Business ▁Magazine ▁and ▁I on ▁TV . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Ali ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Syl het ▁District , ▁East ▁Pakistan ▁( now ▁Bang l adesh ). ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁he ▁went ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁to ▁study ▁law ▁but ▁decided ▁to ▁purs ue ▁a ▁degree ▁in ▁Hospital ity ▁and ▁Management . ▁While ▁studying ▁he ▁worked ▁part - time ▁for ▁the ▁T ▁M ▁restaurant ▁group . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁he ▁earned ▁an ▁international ▁fellow ship ▁from ▁the ▁Institute ▁of ▁Hospital ity , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁he ▁earned ▁a ▁fellow ship ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Society ▁of ▁Arts . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁Ali ▁launched ▁Sp ice ▁Business ▁Magazine , ▁a ▁quarter ly ▁trade ▁publication ▁featuring ▁articles ▁in ▁English ▁and ▁Beng ali ▁with ▁information ▁on ▁the ▁restaurant ▁sector ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁community ▁news . ▁The ▁magazine ▁average ▁quarter ly ▁read ership ▁was ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Ali ▁founded ▁The ▁British ▁Cur ry ▁Awards ▁to ▁recognize ▁excell ence ▁in ▁the ▁UK ▁cur ry ▁industry ▁and ▁raise ▁aw aren ess ▁of ▁top ▁British ▁cur ry