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Brick Lane and the surrounding area have historically attracted successive groups of migrants, one of the most prominent currently being those from the Sylhet region of Bangladesh, Following decades of economic depression and racial tension, regeneration efforts have ensured that the area is now inextricably associated with the curry restaurants that line the street. Food is the medium for Brick Lane's transformation. yet the use of food as a centerpiece for development is also ripe with ambivalence. Since tile mid- 1990s, local Bengali restaurateurs have held an annual Curry Festival to promote local businesses, and to help counter negative publicity. This paper examines the efforts of local restaurateurs to respond to events arid to manage the Brick Lane "brand" proactively through the Curry Festival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]