A Mitcham curry house has been awarded the "Oscar" equivalent at the eighth British Curry awards.
Chak 89, in Bond Road, faced stiff competition to take home the award for best restaurant in a London suburb at a star-studded ceremony in Battersea on Monday, November 26.
Frank Khalid, director of Chak 89, said: "It was absolutely fantastic. I am lost for words.
"It's called the Oscars of the curry industry and that’s exactly how it felt.
"Firstly I was shocked as there are a lot of judges and they look at each small detail and there were some fantastic restaurants there.
"To be one of the winners was an absolutely amazing feeling. All my staff are very proud - it was a fantastic evening."
The likes of Rory Bremner, Peter Jones, Sir Terry Wogan and David Seaman attended the awards and an electronic message was delivered by Prime Minister David Cameron, while Jenny Bond and Rory Bremner presented awards.
About 10,000 restaurants were involved in the awards, which are now in their eighth year and highlight the country's £3.6bn curry industry.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here