A Canadian company has acquired a set of Britain’s most celebrated Indian restaurants, including the Michelin-starred Veeraswamy, in a major deal that marks a new phase for some of the UK’s oldest Indian culinary brands.
Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd, a Toronto-based firm led by Indian-origin businessman Prem Watsa, has purchased MW Eat Ltd, the group behind renowned establishments such as Chutney Mary, Veeraswamy, Amaya and Masala Zone. The move comes at a sensitive moment, as the owners of Veeraswamy are currently engaged in a legal battle to prevent eviction from their historic Regent Street location.
MW Eat was founded by Namita Panjabi and Ranjit Mathrani with the launch of Chutney Mary in 1990. Camellia Panjabi, a former Taj Hotels board member, joined them in 2001, helping expand the group into one of the UK’s most respected Indian restaurant chains. The trio will continue to work with Fairfax to ensure a smooth transition and future expansion.
Fairfax CEO Prem Watsa said the company is optimistic about growing MW Eat’s brands globally, noting the group’s strong reputation in hospitality. He added that Fairfax’s existing restaurant ventures make this a natural fit.
The Crown Estate, which owns the building where Veeraswamy is located, has not yet renewed the restaurant’s lease, which expired in June. Mathrani, now chairman of MW Eat, said he will continue efforts to preserve the restaurant in its long-standing premises. Veeraswamy, established in 1926, is considered the UK’s oldest surviving Indian restaurant and has hosted figures including Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Charlie Chaplin and several Indian royals.
MW Eat’s directors said they look forward to collaborating with Fairfax while preserving the heritage and identity of these iconic Indian establishments.
