Fatima Patel, editor of the Asian Standard and a friend of Mr Hussain for two decades, described him as a “larger than life character”.
“Beneath the tough exterior he liked to show, I found him to be a very generous and soft human being,” she said.
“He revolutionised the curry industry when he went into it, he created lots of new ways to present curry, not just to the non-Asian community but to the Asian community as well.”
Discussing his inventive way of presenting naan bread in his restaurants, she said: “It was a wow factor when you sat down for your curry and this giant naan arrived, and then obviously lots of other restaurants copied that concept.
“It was a remarkable vision he had, not just as someone who was able to produce amazing food, but that marketing and entrepreneurial spirit he just had a knack for.”
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