The big-hearted manager of Wales’ top Indian restaurant has also developed a taste for his second job at a care home and has volunteered to work there on Christmas Day.

Fahim Bin Ferdous shares his time between the Caernarfon Tandoori Restaurant and Pendine Park’s Bryn Seiont Newydd care home on the outskirts of the town.

The eatery  was named the Welsh restaurant of the year at the Asian Food and Restaurant Awards Ceremony 2024  in London  as well as being honoured as Indian restaurant of the year at the Wales Curry Awards.

According to Fahim, working at Bryn Seiont Newydd as well gives him the best of both worlds.

He says doing a shift on December 25 is no chore for him as he loves his job as a care practitioner at the specialist home for people living with dementia.

“I really can’t wait, in fact I’m hugely looking forward to the chance to share the day with our residents as they celebrate Christmas. I think it will be really magical,” said Fahim.

He will be one of a festive army of around 60 members of staff working at Bryn Seiont Newydd. They include carers, kitchen staff, activities co-ordinators and managers, all on a mission to ensure residents enjoy their day in the most jubilant way possible.

Fahim said: “I always enjoy the chance to help our residents as they awake to each new day, to bring them a nice cup of tea and help them prepare for breakfast. But on Christmas Day the routine will be extra special as they will have such an exciting day ahead.”

He says the day will be full of extra sparkle with lots of singing, including Christmas carols, and fun activities such as board games and quizzes, as well as the much-anticipated three course Christmas lunch for residents.

Fahim said: “I honestly feel privileged to be able to work in such a rewarding environment and help make a difference in people’s lives, so for me it is no trouble at all to work on a festive holiday. In fact if I were not working I would feel sorry to be missing out on one of the most special days in our residents’ lives.”

Fahim was overjoyed when he was recruited as a carer by Bryn Seiont Newydd manager, Sandra Evans, in October 2022.

He said: “It is my dream job. It is so rewarding having the chance to care for others and help make their lives a little brighter.

“This job has changed my life for the better so I feel very happy to be able to give something back to the community by working on December 25.”

Fahim came to the UK from Bangladesh two years ago, initially being recruited as a waiter at the award-winning Caernarfon Tandoori restaurant.

Although he is still only aged 22 he said his life has already taken an interesting path: “I was studying business development and management at uni but I quickly realised that it wasn’t for me. My heart just wasn’t in it.

“Then when I went to work as a waiter at the restaurant I really enjoyed the chance to wait on people and make them happy by serving good food and helping them choose from the menu.

“It made me realise that I wanted my career to revolve around helping people. I began to think about maybe training as a nurse but a chance conversation with a customer who worked as a carer gave me the idea to apply for work in social care.”

Fahim feels he now has the best of both worlds. He works three days a week at Bryn Seiont Newydd and the rest of the week at the restaurant where he has worked his way up the ranks to become a manager.

He said: “In both jobs I am surrounded by interesting people and I feel very lucky that both places where I work are the very best at what they do.”

“I cannot praise Sandra, the Bryn Seiont manager, and all the other members of my team enough for the way they have taken me under their wing and the skills they have taught me. My mother always said that I was a born carer and now I am getting the opportunity to follow my vocation with other like-minded people.”

Bryn Seiont Newydd manager Sandra Evans said she is enormously grateful to all those staff who, like Fahim, volunteer to work on Christmas Day.

She said: “Fahim is a pleasure to work alongside. He really does have a heart of gold. I want to thank him and so many of our staff who are willing to go the extra mile and give up valuable family time to be here and create some Christmas magic for our residents. They are among the real heroes and heroines of Christmas.”