Raj Ahmad freely admits that he has put in ‘‘blood, sweat and tears’’, working seven days a week to ensure his new restaurant, The Raj, in Bootham, got off to a flying start.

Opened just eight months ago, the restaurant is already attracting regular customers and excellent reviews in the media and on Trip Advisor.

Still only 25, Raj, who named the eatery after himself, is determined to make the business work and his parents proud.

He said: ‘‘To win in the New Business of the Year or the Young Entrepreneur of the Year categories at The Press Business Awards would be the icing on the cake.

‘‘My motivation is my parents. I am the only child who did not go to university and who does not have a degree.

‘‘So I want to show them that I can still make something of myself.

‘‘I am totally focused on what I want in life and I am determined to get it.

‘‘My mission is to become the most popular Indian restaurant in York with customers travelling from across North Yorkshire just to come and dine at my establishment. ‘‘I want visitors to book their hotel, already knowing they will eat at The Raj.

‘‘And I mean to do this by providing the best service possible, making sure customers get what they pay for and offering the highest quality and tastiest Indian food in the city."