Former Wales Chef of the Year Paul Ford said he was "delighted" by the compensation award, but said he had been forced to move to London to find work.

Mr Ford said he was 'humiliated' by his employers

Mr Ford said he had been "hurt and humiliated" by the racial comments made by the husband and wife owners of the �1.5m Via Fossa in Cardiff Bay.

Ian and Gaynor Kirkwood fired him two days after he complained about the abuse.

Claims by the couple that Mr Ford had been sacked over a breach of hygiene had been an "excuse to dismiss him", said industrial tribunal chairman Philip Davies.

The mixed-race 36-year-old from Cardiff had worked under television chef Gordon Ramsay at his London restaurant Aubergine.

'Military restaurant'

In July, the tribunal heard restaurant owner and former army sergeant Ian Kirkwood and wife ran the Via Fossa "like a military establishment."

Mr Ford, who won the Welsh cooking accolade in 1998, was just five weeks into the job when he made the complaints.

Along with restaurant owners Scottish and Newcastle Retail Ltd, the couple had denied the allegations.

Paul Ford said he was unfairly dismissed

Fellow chef Michael Yates had told the tribunal Mrs Kirkwood had said he would never get another job "because he was black".

Mr Yates said there was "nothing wrong" with the chef's hygiene, despite Mr Kirkwood's claim the dismissal was carried out entirely on hygienic grounds.

The tribunal decided, however, that Mr Ford had been "racially abused, racially victimised and wrongfully dismissed".

Tribunal chairman Philip Davies said: "The purported reason for the dismissal that Mr Ford failed to put the sauces into refrigeration was just an excuse to dismiss him."

Scottish and Newcastle Ltd is considering appealing the decision.

Company spokeswoman Katherine Irwin said: "We are very disappointed with the outcome of the tribunal.

"We have an excellent reputation as an extremely good employer."