The owner of a fine dining Indian restaurant in Norfolk said it is a "tremendous feeling" to be named best in East Anglia.

Tamarind Fine Indian Dining in Woodbastwick Road, Blofield Heath, was named best restaurant of the year at the British Bengal Curry Awards 2022.

And its chef, Jaman Ahmed, also walked away with the best chef of the year award.

Manager Giyash Miah said: "It has been terrible couple of years for the hospitality industry.

"To come out the other side and to be rewarded for our hard work is amazing. It's a tremendous feeling.

"We are also super proud of our chef. We see how hard he works every day and how motivated he is. He is very passionate and knowledgeable about the food.

"These awards have given us an extra boost to carry on and persevere through difficult times."

It comes as a bitter-sweet moment for the business, which has been running for about ten years.

With the cost of living crisis, increasing prices and difficulty sourcing ingredients, Mr Miah said the business is struggling to make a profit.

"Times are just so difficult right now," he said.

"Footfall is down, we are finding it hard to source ingredients and some of our key ingredients have doubled in price.

"But we are known for providing a fine dining experience, so we can't compromise our quality or cut corners. so we are taking a hit. We are not making any profits.

"We can’t tell the future, but if its carries on like this it’s going to be a struggle."

The restaurant, which also won the best restaurant at the EDP food and drink awards in 2017, offers authentic Indian dishes with regional specialities.

Mr Miah added: "It's so heart breaking because before this business was so consistent every single night. We always had such a nice buzz.

"It’s difficult seeing that hard work going down the drain. But it's not because we are doing anything wrong, it's out of our control.

"But we are so thankful for our customers and friends who continue to support us."