City Chef Blazes Way To World Title   Edinburgh chef P.C Thakur blazed his way to a world title and £1,000 prize at Telford College on Monday. Mr Thakur faced off four other expert chefs in a two-and-a-half hour battle for the International Indian Chef of the Year title in Telford College Training kitchens. Announcing the result, Lord Fraser said choosing a winner grew more and more difficult every year, as the overall standard of excellence became higher and higher. Every meal presented had high quality but Mr Thakur's balance and presentation was outstanding. "I know where I'll be eating out in future," he said. It was a last minute decision that gained Mr Thakur his place in the final. One of the original finalists dropped out for family reasons and Mr Thakur -- who came second in the contest last year -- was one of the reserves. He had just come back from India after his mother's funeral but had his ideal four-dish menu (two meat, fish or poultry dishes and two vegetarian) to hand and agreed to stand in on only four days notice, despite running the busy Nine Cellars restaurant in York Place.. Second place in the competition went to Joynul Abedin, of Rushden, Northants. The £250 Lady Fraser Prize for the best vegetarian dish went to Manoj Kumar of Livingston. The prizes were being presented at a celebration diner at the Raj Restaurant on the Shore on Monday evening. The unique contest has been based in Edinburgh since it was launched in 1991. It is the sole worldwide competition open equally to men and women cooks -- amateur or professional -- without entry fees or restrictions of nationality or ethnic origin.