A CHEF at an award-winning Indian restaurant is celebrating 12 years in the business this week, at the tender age of 27.

Bahar Miah, head chef at Cinnamon, in Eaglescliffe, near Stockton, has spent almost half his life in the kitchens of restaurants in London, Sunderland, Stockton and now Eaglescliffe.

Mr Miah, who has been the head chef at Cinnamon since it opened, in April, 2005, said: "My family come from Bangladesh, which is in the north-eastern part of the Indian sub-continent. The cuisine in this part of the world is much less fiery and more fragrant than dishes from areas further south in India.

"I have used the influences of my family, drawn from their time in Bangladesh and nearby Nepal, to create a menu which allows the diner to fully appreciate the subtleties and complexities of this particular regional cuisine.

"I use a wide range of spices and herbs, many of which I source directly from growers in India."

Shuhel Ahmed, who is joint owner of Cinnamon with business partner Shany Ahmed, said: "We are extremely pleased to have Bahar as a key member of our team.

"He has helped us to establish a range of dishes that are distinctly different from those served by other Asian restaurants in the area."