SOME of the nation's top chefs cooked up a storm in Bradford for the final of the UK South Asian Chef Competition (SACC).

Eight chefs from all over the UK took to the kitchen at Bradford College's The Grove Restaurant to battle it out for the prestigious title.

The list of professional chefs competing included the executive chef from Cambridge University with others travelling from London, Birmingham and Derby and were whittled down from hundreds of entries.

Each of the finalists had just under three hours to create three main courses of any type of South Asian food in each of the seafood healthy dish, chicken innovation and lamb or vegetarian categories.

They were also marked in sections including knife skills, health and safety and hygiene practices.

The competitors were asked to produce creative and innovative dishes using their own original recipes. It was open to all restaurants and their chefs and any restaurant nominated by its customers for their Asian food.

Kevin Hughes, 27, a catering tutor at Leeds City College, was Yorkshire's only representative in yesterday's final and has finished third in the 2012 and 2013 competitions.

He said: "It feels amazing to be taking part.

"I love this competition to bits. It lets me showcase my skills to people from across the country and lets me learn things from them as well.

"It's huge for Bradford and Bradford College to hold this competition."

The winners were announced at the annual Aagrah business dinner in Rotherham last night.

Marriappan Sthurajpillai, from Deli 6 Restaurant in Sutton Coldfield, took the £2,000 first prize. Mr Hughes won the £1,000 for finishing second and Bishal Rasaily from Pushkar Cocktail Bar and Dining, Birmingham, scooped £750 for being third.

The Healthy Award of £100 went to Ranjit Raju Salian from CH & CO Group, The Law Society, London.

The Innovation Award of £100 was given to development chef Rehan Ahmed from S&A Foods, Derby.

The chefs were all assisted by Bradford College's first-year hospitality and catering students, who helped prepare each of their work stations in the kitchen.

Andy Bray, chef lecturer in hospitality and catering at Bradford College, oversaw the work of the finalists.

He said: "It's a treat for the College students. They have been setting up the stations that the chefs have worked on.

"Everything the finalists did was watched.

"A lot of people in the final have done the competition before and are returning."

A team of judges, representing the Craft Guild of Chefs and the catering industry, cast their eyes over the finalists as they took part in yesterday's competition.

Andrew Green, chairman of the judges, said: "The standard is exceptionally high.

"It's great this year. Asian food is at a real peak at the moment. This is the second year we have held the competition at Bradford College.

"There is a massive Asian community in Bradford and there are some really great chefs here.

"We are looking for some really great cooking and we are looking for some innovation. We're looking for the wow factor, if possible."