AN Indian chef from Leigh has seen off competition from some of Britain's top restaurant cooks to win an international award.

Judges handed the title of International Indian Chef of the Year to Sunil Menon, aged 33, a development chef for Patak Foods.

The curry king produces ready meals for local shops and supermarkets at the firm's £12 million plant off Priestener Way, Leigh.

He beat four restaurant chefs, two restaurant owners and a student during the final of the contest in Edinburgh.

After winning the £1,000 first prize, Mr Menon said: "I didn't expect my name to be announced. I was busily cleaning up in the kitchen and continuing with my work because I had lots to clean."

He added: "I was made to believe that most people participating in this competition were looking to improve their businesses.

"Their aim was to get the award because past winners have doubled their profits at their establishments but I didn't have those kind of intentions.

"I have always wanted to see what my rating was because I moved here from India 18 months ago."

Patak's runs the world's biggest curry factory. It is owned by Meena Pathak and her husband Kirit and employs 250 people.

The contestants had up to three hours to prepare their meals in the training kitchens at the Corstorphine campus of Queen Margaret University College.

The judges watched the cooking and tasted the food, which consisted of two meat, poultry or fish dishes and two vegetarian dishes from each finalist.

Competition spokesman Jim Forrester said the judges had taken over 50 minutes to reach their decision, longer than in any previous year.

SOMETHING'S COOKING: One of Sunil's delicious dishes