A curry king whose concoctions are so good that rock band The Darkness flew him to Los Angeles so he could cook their favourite ruby, has been given a prestigious award.

Abdul Chowdhury, executive chef at the Red Rose, in Holloway Road, Upper Holloway, was voted one of the best chefs in the UK at the 2013 Curry Chef of the Year awards.

Mr Chowdhury picked up his gong at a glittering awards ceremony in Lancaster Gate, attended earlier this month by curry lovers from all walks of life, including the Secretary of State for Communites, Eric Pickles.

Delighted

Mr Chowdhury said: “I am very happy, delighted and proud. But the award is not just down to me. The restaurant has been here 54 years and was started by my uncle.

“People like us because the food is lovely. It’s cooked fresh and we don’t use anything with a lot of fat, not much oil and lean meat such as lamb or chicken. That’s why the customers love it so much. It is nice to see that my style of cooking has been recognised.

“A successful restaurant is a team effort so this award is for everyone I work with.

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

The curries have a loyal following, none more so than I Believe in a Thing Called Love rockers The Darkness, who paid for Mr Chowdury to fly out to LA to conjour up dupiaza.

He said: “It was really nice – and it meant a lot that they flew me over there. They still come to the restaurant – now with their families.”

Another famous fan is Islington MP Jeremy Corbyn who attended the awards bash with Mr Chowdhury.

He said: “It was a pleasure to be invited to the awards and I was delighted that he won. It is richly deserved. I enjoy the food whenever I go and I will be back soon.”

Lord Karan Bilimoria, founder of Cobra Beer, was another attendee. He said he was “in awe of what the chefs do” and applauded them for producing “some of the most exotic food in the world at the cheapest prices”.