Great British Menu 2017: North East preview

Great British Menu 2017: North East preview

Great British Menu 2017: North East preview

by Great British Chefs19 May 2017

The north east of England is a seriously underrated part of the UK for food – take a look at the three chefs looking to change that in the fourth heat of Great British Menu.


Great British Menu 2017: North East preview

The north east of England is a seriously underrated part of the UK for food – take a look at the three chefs looking to change that in the fourth heat of Great British Menu.


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Great British Menu 2017

Great British Chefs is a team of passionate food lovers dedicated to bringing you the latest food stories, news and reviews.

Great British Chefs is a team of passionate food lovers dedicated to bringing you the latest food stories, news and reviews as well as access to some of Britain’s greatest chefs. Our posts cover everything we are excited about from the latest openings and hottest food trends to brilliant new producers and exclusive chef interviews.

Great British Chefs is a team of passionate food lovers dedicated to bringing you the latest food stories, news and reviews.

Great British Chefs is a team of passionate food lovers dedicated to bringing you the latest food stories, news and reviews as well as access to some of Britain’s greatest chefs. Our posts cover everything we are excited about from the latest openings and hottest food trends to brilliant new producers and exclusive chef interviews.

Another week, another trio of hopeful chefs looking to make a name for themselves on national television and create a plate of food so delicious it makes its way onto the many tables of this year’s banquet. We’ve already seen the best of London, the South East, the North West and the South West; now it’s time to get to know the chefs representing the North East of England.

Tommy Banks, The Black Swan at Oldstead, North Yorkshire

Tommy was born into a family of Yorkshire farmers and, while he spends his working life in the kitchen rather than out in the fields, he still works very closely with his mum and dad. That’s because they’ve owned The Black Swan at Oldstead since 2006, with Tommy landing the role of head chef in 2013 and managing to retain its Michelin star. With a background working in esteemed kitchens such as Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, he’s an incredibly talented chef, and loves nothing more than working with local Yorkshire produce and putting it centre stage on his menu. Tommy will be looking to recreate the success he had in last year’s Great British Menu, which saw him present a dish at the final banquet.

Josh Overington, Le Cochon Aveugle, York

Another young chef making waves in the north east is Josh Overington, who will be appearing on Great British Menu for the first time. He runs Le Cochon Aveugle with his partner Vicky, a French bistro previously managed by Michael O’Hare. He entered the profession without any formal training, gaining a love for food at places such as The Pipe and Glass Inn and The Waterside Inn, before moving to Paris to gain a grounding in classical French cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu. Josh now dedicates his menu to fine French cuisine, with a few British influences thrown in.

Danny Parker, House of Tides, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Danny may not have appeared on Great British Menu before, but he did compete in MasterChef: The Professionals back in 2014 (and became a finalist), so he’ll be relatively relaxed cooking on camera. As the head chef at the House of Tides, Kenny Atkinson’s Michelin-starred restaurant, he is somewhat of a poster boy for the North East food scene. Originally, Danny planned to follow in his father’s footsteps and join the army, but a job washing pots when he was fourteen soon blossomed into chef roles in the kitchen. As a huge advocate for the quality of food in the north of England, Danny will be hoping to do the region proud during his first appearance on Great British Menu.