Papa J's Indian Restaurant in Luton and Milton Keynes.

My favorite childhood memories were summer holidays with my family. Papa took us all over Europe and, without a shadow of a doubt, they’re what engendered my long-standing passion for travel.

Lazy days by the pool were a rare treat, with most our time spent exploring our locality with a rental car and map. Out on dusty old back roads and off the beaten track, we’d stumble on little-known, charmingly rustic places to eat. But the best thing was that we’d almost always end up breaking bread with the locals.

As a foodie family, it didn’t take long to become apparent that on The Continent meals are treated as an ‘event’, with a real sense of occasion. I loved that Europeans ate together and shared almost everything. I loved the jovial, social ambience of mealtimes too, with family and friends all reveling in each other’s company.

The constant hum of chatter and laughter had a lasting impact. It made me realise that above all else eating should be fun. It’s this philosophy that was at the heart of our restaurant when it was founded by my father 13 years ago.

Since then Papa J’s has been handed down to the next generation. But fun, quality and authenticity remain our watchwords to this day.

We offer innovative yet classic food of the highest quality. Using the finest ingredients sourced from the best suppliers, both locally and abroad, Papa J’s serves genuine Indian food, often created by third-generation chefs

In our search for the best of Indian cuisine, we traversed the vast subcontinent and realised that it’s not just language and culture that vary greatly from province and province. Menus and staple dishes differ hugely too. The only common denominator, of course, is spices.

This discovery was our ‘eureka moment’. It made us determined to bring the flavours of all the different provinces to our patrons and, in so doing, create a unique Indian Fusion menu with dishes from right across India. This had never been attempted before and was a bold step. But our approach was, and continues to be, a huge hit with our customers.