Iqbal Wahhab employs ex-prisoner from ‘Badboys’

Top London Restaurateur Iqbal Wahhab is to take on a former prisoner who was one of Gordon Ramsay’s ‘Bad Boys' in the Channel 4 cookery show based in Brixton prison.

Former prisoner Andrew Insley was spotted by Wahhab when he was a guest at the temporary restaurant set up by Ramsay in Brixton prison. Wahhab was very impressed by Inlsey’s attention to detail, adding:

He won the job on his merits. I gave him the opportunity but he has proved himself to be a hard worker.

Iqbal Wahhab is no stranger to finding talent from London’s great diversity. His flagship restaurant Roast in Borough market boasts one of the most diverse work forces in the capital. Wahhab prides himself on his philosophy: ‘First and foremost I’m a businessman, who just happens to love food’, he told me recently. ‘But I know’, he continued:

there are some individuals who don’t get the opportunity to show their brilliance. Encouraging and nurturing this often hidden talent simply makes good business sense.

A spokesman for Channel 4 said:

We are delighted that Gordon’s programme has had such a positive impact on the lives of some of the prisoners featured.

We at OBV would hope other business leaders would follow in Iqbal Wahhab footsteps in looking beyond the stereotype when searching for hard-working talented individuals. As Wahhab points out:

It makes good business sense.

Simon Woolley