THE HUNT is on for Swindon's top curry chef.

The borough has a mouth-watering 34 restaurants special-ising in Indian-style cuisine.

And eight have chosen to enter their masala maestros in this year's cook-off.

The competition began last year when Biplob, in Old Town, took first prize.

And this year proprietor Rokib Ali is going for double glory.

He said: "Winning last year has been brilliant for us, it's been very good for business.

"We have also learned a lot, especially on the health and safety side."

Rokib hasn't decided what dish to enter in this year's competition but said it will be one of his own inventions, not currently on the menu.

Organised by Swindon Council's Environmental Health department the competition is intended to promote food hygiene and culinary excellence and improve relations between the council and the town's curry chefs.

Competition organiser Eunice Salmon said: "The judges were all impressed by the standard last year and we are expecting it to be even better this year.

"People think you have to go to London to get great food but we have some very good restaurants here in Swindon."

The judges for this year's contest will be visiting each of the res-taurants over the next month and requesting each to provide a sample curry, side dish and bread.

Each will be marked on appearance, aroma, texture and taste.

Shirley Solanki, a tutor in Indian Cuisine from Swindon College, will be lending her expertise to pro-ceedings.

The other judges are the Evening Advertiser's nominated curry expert Dominic Ponsford, Shaun Skinner from GWR FM and Swindon Council head of Environmental Health Nick Fenwick.

The top three restaurants will be invited to a cook-off at Swindon College to decide which chef will represent Swindon in the regional and the national finals.

First prize for the national winner is £3,000.

Last year's South West regional champion was Jamal's from Ox-ford.

The National Curry Chef competition started as a Bradford-only event in 1992 before going nationwide in 1998.

As well as the eight Swindon restaurants, the judges will be visiting eateries in Wootton Bassett and Purton to decide the North Wiltshire champion.