Ale, who lives in South Croydon, was said to have displayed an ‘outstanding performance’ and ‘culinary excellence’ at the upmarket curry house in Warlingham.

He was among 40 chefs hoping to secure the title, which aims to reward individuals who work in the UK’s £4.2 billion curry industry.

Ale was presented with his award during a black tie ceremony, hosted by ITN newsreader Nina Hossain, at the five-star Lancaster Hotel in London on 11th October.

He said: “To win this title is the greatest vote of confidence I could wish for, not just for myself but for my team who work so hard to make things happen at the India Dining.

“The award will inspire us to keep improving and I’d also like to thank all our customers for their help putting us on the map.”

India Dining’s founder and head chef, Asad Khan, said: "The Curry Life Chef Awards celebrate the very best of the best within the Indian catering industry.

"At India Dining we pride ourselves on our modern, seasonal interpretation of Indian food, taking a haute cuisine approach to the nation's best-loved dishes, and it is wonderful to be recognised for this.”

The star-studded gala dinner raised £3,000 for Silver Star, a charity which raises awareness about the dangers of diabetes across the UK and Indian Subcontinent.

The Curry Life Chef Awards were launched in 2009 and have since gained a worldwide reputation for indentifying authentic talent among UK curry chefs.