In a highly competitive world, where larger-than-life chefs have egos to fuel, Tony Pierce is quietly modest about his culinary talents.

However, last night, in front of an audience of more than 200 chefs, the Dumfries and Galloway-based talent finally got his chance to take a bow when he picked up the top prize at the Scottish Chef Awards.

As someone who went to catering college as a teenager only because he was attracted by the high proportion of girls in the class, he has come a long way.

He said: "This is the biggest honour in Scottish cooking. I am delighted to have received this award from my peers."

Mr Pierce follows in the footsteps of Tom Kitchin, the young Edinburgh chef who scooped last year's award and recently took a starring role in television's The Great British Menu.

Roy Brett, of Dakota Eurocentral, won the Silver Award, with Stuart Muir, of the Forth Floor restaurant at Harvey Nichols in Edinburgh, taking the Bronze.

Starting out as a waiter in Manchester, Mr Pierce funded his way into the profession by borrowing money from his mother's friend.

The 36-year-old then landed his first job as a commis chef in the main kitchen at the prestigious Gleneagles hotel.

It was when one of the chefs at the hotel's fine dining restaurant, Eagles, took ill that Mr Pierce was given the opportunity of promotion - two weeks before the restaurant closed.

Since then, he has worked at a string of high-profile Michelin star restaurants including Inverlochy Castle in Fort William.

But it is his work as head chef at the idyllic Knockinaam Lodge, a historic hunting lodge in Dumfries and Galloway that has held the Michelin star for 20 years, which has won him this accolade.

Brian Hannan, the organiser of the awards, said: "In the end it was a tight-run thing.

"In the past few years the award has gone to a rising star, but now the pendulum has swung back in favour of a more established chef who has given more than a decade of top-quality service to Scottish cooking.

"Tony is a distinctive talent and a welcome addition to the pantheon of Scotland's greatest chefs."

A new category at this year's awards was Seafood Restaurant of the Year, picked up by Craig Millar of the Seafood Restaurant in St Monans.

Also celebrating at the awards ceremony in Glasgow was Jim Kerr, of Mar Hall in Bishopton, Renfrewshire, who received a lifetime achievement award.

The Scottish Chef Award Fellowship, for lifetime contribution to cooking at the highest levels, has been handed out only five times in the last 12 years.

Born in West Calder, Mr Kerr was head chef at several Glasgow institutions, including the Rogano, the Dining Room, and One Devonshire Gardens, before taking up the post of head chef at Mar Hall four years ago.

He said: "There is no bigger award to receive and I am very grateful to be a recipient."

Mr Hannan added: "Jim Kerr has set astonishing standards of cooking in Glasgow at some of the country's finest establishments. Although he's a famous character, he's a very unassuming guy and an incredible hard worker."