A TALENTED Gloucestershire chef has been shortlisted for the 2014 Asian Women of Achievement Awards.

Romy Gill, from Thornbury, is the owner of Romy’s Kitchen and is the first Indian woman in the UK to own, and be head chef of, her own restaurant.

Entrepreneur Romy, originally from West Bengal, discovered her love of food from a very early age as she helped her mother prepare dishes for her family. When her two daughters were born, Romy chose to focus on her true passion - cooking.

She started out by building a strong catering company and cookery school and opened her restaurant, ‘Romy’s Kitchen’, in September 2013.

Alongside running the restaurant, which specialises in nutritious, well-styled and authentic Indian food, the mother-of-two has her own range of chutneys and sauces, and gives cookery demonstrations at events such as the Ideal Home Show, Grand Designs, Bristol’s Love Food Festival and Alchemy Festival Southbank.

Romy is just one of the outstanding women on the shortlist for the awards, which are currently celebrating their 15th year. She joins the first deaf woman to be crowned Miss India, and Eastenders actress, Preeya Kalidas.

The 54-strong list of nominees will gather at the awards ceremony, attended by supporters including Cherie Blair and the Duchess of York, on June 4 at the London Hilton, Park Lane.

Speaking about the awards, patron Cherie Blair said: “Happy 15th anniversary to the Asian Women of Achievement awards. I'm so proud to have been involved from the start of this brilliant project that showcases the skills and determination of some of Britain's most talented and inspirational women."

Pinky Lilani OBE, Founder and Chair of the Asian Women of Achievement Awards,said: “The quality of this year’s shortlist is a fitting complement to such a milestone year in the Asian Women of Achievement Award’s history. I am incredibly pleased to know that, fifteen years on, we are still discovering the unsung Asian heroes of communities across the entire country.”

Romy said: "I am very proud to have been shortlisted for such a prestigious award, all my hard work seem to finally be paying off and I am very excited to be attending the awards at the Hilton."

For information visit www.romyskitchen.co.uk/restaurant or www.awa.realbusiness.co.uk