A chef who makes mealtimes the highlight of the day for residents at two care homes is celebrating after winning a prestigious award for his culinary skills.

Paul Westall, who is head chef at The New Deanery and St Mary's Court in Bocking, near Braintree, won the East of England Care Home Chef of the Year Award at the Great British Care Awards.

Mr Westall, who has worked at the homes for nearly 14 years, is now hoping he will take the national title next spring.

He said: "I get great satisfaction from getting things right for our residents and making sure they get the food they like.

"Some mealtimes we prepare up to 20 different dishes to cater for everyone's tastes and needs.

"I like making curries and a few of our residents really like my hot curry and ask for it off menu."

Mr Westall and his team regularly chat to residents in the dining rooms to find out what they enjoy and to listen to requests, and he chairs the homes’ monthly Residents’ Forums which discuss menus among a range of topics to ensure residents have plenty of choice.

The award judges described Mr Westall as "a very experienced chef who has taken up the challenge of providing healthy, nutritious and tasty food for residents" and he will now progress to the national finals in March.

Sonnet Care Homes chief executive Andrew Whelan said: "Having home-cooked meals they enjoy and choose is part of ensuring each of our residents can live the way they choose.

"Paul and his team do an amazing job in producing high-quality, balanced menus which make mealtimes a highlight of the day."