Nathan Outlaw, Rick Stein, Paul Ainsworth, Michael Caines, Josh Eggleton… there must be something in the water in the South West, as so many of the UK's most celebrated chefs grew up there. Quite a few of them have made it to the Great British Menu banquet, too, so there's perhaps a little more pressure than usual on this year's three chefs representing the region. Read on for a quick look at who's stepping up to the stove this year.
Jude is half Maori, half Chinese Malay, grew up in New Zealand and now cooks in the South West. His unique cooking style reflects his international upbringing and the food he ate throughout his childhood. Once he moved to Cornwall, he gained a heartfelt appreciation for the local produce, which now features heavily on his menus. His restaurant Kota, which means ‘shellfish’ in Maori, is located in a 300-year-old building on the harbour front of the historic village of Porthleven. Jude is a veteran of Great British Menu, having featured on two previous series of the competition – it’ll be interesting to see how he fares this year and whether he can make it to the banquet.
Olivia grew up in Bristol and comes from a family where a love of food was ingrained into everyday life, thanks to her Italian heritage. After completing her culinary training, Olivia worked at the prestigious Wright Brothers, Galvin Bistrot de Luxe and the Michelin-starred Murano before opening her restaurant Adelina Yard with her partner on New Year’s Eve 2015, with the intention of serving top quality food in a relaxed atmosphere. The restaurant has become increasingly popular amongst local Bristolians since it first opened, and now attracts foodies from across the UK. It’s the first time Olivia has appeared on Great British Menu.
Tom hails from Cornwall, home to some of the UK’s most celebrated chefs including Nathan Outlaw, Tom’s mentor. Nathan showed him the tricks of the trade, especially the art of cooking exceptional quality fish and seafood. After working as head chef at Outlaw’s at The Capital in London, Tom set out to open his own restaurant Cornerstone, in Hackney, where he maintains a close relationship with his suppliers in Cornwall. As a finalist on last year’s Great British Menu, he’s hoping to go the extra mile and become a winner this year.
