Top Kent chef Stephen Harris has scooped first prize for his new book at a prestigious awards gala.

The former financial adviser won the best cookery book category at the Fortnum & Mason food and drink awards, hosted this week in London.

Titled The Sportsman - the name of his multi-award winning restaurant in Seasalter - the book contains 50 recipes and details his pub's transformation into a high-end establishment.

It has gained critical acclaim before being named best cook book of the year.

Guests at the awards night included Piers Morgan, Jimmy Carr and Mary Berry.

The Sportsman pub, near Whitstable, was taken over by Mr Harris back in 1999 after he taught himself to cook.

It has since been subject to a meteoric rise up the restaurant chain and has held a Michelin star since 2008.

The restaurant has also become the place to dine at, with Gary Lineker tweeting about his top-notch meal this summer.

TV baker Paul Hollywood visited in 2015 and the notoriously hard-to-please Times restaurant critic Giles Coren called it “amazing” in 2013.