A Little Horton chef is a finalist in a competition to find this year's top Indian cook.

Mohammed Fazil is one of eight competitors selected from around 5,000 catering experts to go forward to the final in Edinburgh next month.

Each of the finalists will be asked to cook an ideal Indian meal for a chance to be named International Indian Chef of the Year.

Mr Fazil, who used to own the Kismet Restaurant on Little Horton Lane and now has the Sultan Mahal Tandoori Restaurant in Halifax, has been in the curry business for 24 years.

He was taught how to cook by his family in Pakistan who prepared food for weddings.

"When I moved to England I lived with men so we had to cook for ourselves," said 60-year-old Mr Fazil. "I have a big family in Bradford and we own restaurants all over the city.

"Most of my family are in the catering business so we cook a lot of food between us."

Mr Fazil, of Woodville Terrace, was a finalist in the competition in 1993 when he prepared clay-cooked gosh. He hopes to win this time with a new dish of achaar chicken, pilau rice and two vegetable side dishes.