[citation needed] Miah was born in a village in South Sylhet subdivision, Chittagong Division, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
[6][better source needed] Miah's achievements include delivering a curry lunch-box to 10 Downing Street for the then Prime Minister John Major's 50th birthday, producing the world's largest curry, which was large enough to feed 10,000, promoting innovation and quality in Asian cuisine, developing dishes for high class manufacturers, writing cooking books.
[2][6][better source needed] He has sponsored many charity groups both in Bangladesh and Britain, which include Cancer Research UK, Shishu Polli, Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed, and the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital.
[7][better source needed] Tommy Miah runs food hygiene classes for refugee camps in Bangladesh, and also sponsors foreign students to study in the UK.
[8][better source needed] In 2017, Miah was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2017 Birthday Honours for his services to the hospitality industry and charity.