How Asha Bhosle built a food empire that even Tom Cruise couldn’t resist: The viral chicken tikka masala moment

Tom Cruise walking into a restaurant unannounced is not an everyday occurrence, but it is exactly what happened at Asha’s Birmingham, turning a dinner service into one of the most talked-about celebrity moments in the brand’s history.

The actor dropped in during 2021, accompanied by director Christopher McQuarrie and members of the Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One crew.

He reportedly ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala Curry and enjoyed it so much that he ordered another portion. The moment quickly gained traction online after the restaurant shared it on social media, sparking the now-famous “Two Tikka Tom” reference.

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Asha Bhosle’s legend isn't just written in the melodies of the 12,000+ songs she recorded over an 80-year career; it’s also etched into the food that transcended boundaries. While the world knew her as the 'voice of love', she built a second empire as a savvy entrepreneur. Inspired by her deep-rooted love for the kitchen, she launched Asha’s, a prestigious restaurant chain that now spans 14 locations across two continents, proving that her taste for excellence was just as sharp as her famous soprano.

The journey of Asha’s began in 2002 at Dubai’s Wafi Mall, but its true seasoning started decades earlier. Far from being a hands-off celebrity owner, Asha Bhosle was the restaurant’s culinary architect, infusing the menu with her own secret recipes and the hand-pounded garam masala of her Mumbai roots.

Her culinary spark was lit during her childhood, watching her father’s theater troupe bond over shared meals on the road. When tragedy struck and her father died when she was only nine, cooking transitioned from a girlhood curiosity to a survival skill. Alongside her sisters, including the legendary Lata Mangeshkar, Asha stepped up to provide for the household.

A passion bloomed. She spent years perfecting the delicate balance of North Indian and Maharashtrian spices, eventually turning those private experiments into the global brand identity that today serves everyone from local fans to Hollywood elite.

Following its success in Dubai, Asha’s expanded across the Middle East, opening outlets in Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar. The brand later entered the UK with restaurants in Birmingham and Manchester.

Across its outlets, Asha’s serves primarily North Indian cuisine with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. Signature dishes include Bhatti Ka Chaap, Makai Seekh Kebab, Fish Biryani, Muscat Gosht, Awadhi Chicken Biryani, Kodi Curry, and Peshawari Maa Ki Daal.

Several recipes were personally shaped by Asha Bhosle herself. She also learnt Awadhi cooking from Firdaus Jahan, wife of poet and lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri, a frequent collaborator in her music career.

Asha’s has long attracted high-profile diners, with names like Shah Rukh Khan and Javed Akhtar expressing admiration for its kebabs. Internationally, the Birmingham outlet became a magnet for global celebrities.

Other global names have also visited the chain, including Ed Sheeran in 2022, Rolling Stones members Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood in 2020, and Pink in 2023, who reportedly called it “the best Indian food she’s ever had” during a performance in the UK.