Once more into the kitchen! Great British Menu is back this year for its fifteenth series, with a new theme, new changes to how the competition works and a brigade of new chefs hoping to do their region proud. Take a look at when the series starts, find out what the theme is and how this year differs from the rest, before getting to know a little bit about each of the chefs competing.
When does Great British Menu start?
The fifteenth series of Great British Menu is underway! It runs for nine weeks in total (eight regional heats and then the final), with hour-long episodes every Wednesday and Thursday, followed by a half-hour regional final every Friday.
What’s the theme?
The theme for this series is children’s literature, as 2020 marks 150 years since the death of Charles Dickens, who wrote the first book to feature a child in the starring role with Oliver Twist. Every Friday the judges (Oliver Peyton, Andi Oliver and Matthew Fort) will be joined by children’s authors and novelists to help decide the best dish from each region. We’re expecting plenty of references to Harry Potter, The Hungry Caterpillar, Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl, but there's sure to be plenty more authors and books acting as inspiration for the dishes.
What’s changed?
The format has been shaken up a bit for 2020 in a bid to keep things from getting stale. Here are the major changes:
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More chefs: there will be four chefs competing in each regional heat instead of the usual three
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More drama: the chef with the lowest score after cooking their starter and fish course will be sent home, without a chance to show off their main and dessert
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More courses: in addition to the starter, fish, main and desserts, each chef will also create an amuse bouche and pre-dessert palate cleanser, to give their menus a more contemporary tasting menu feel. Fish and main courses will be lighter as a result
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A new presenter: Great British Menu has been without an on-screen presenter since its second season, but this year Susan Calman will be in the thick of it, talking to the chefs as they plate up and finding out what makes them tick
The chefs competing by region in Great British Menu 2020
Central
Sally Abé, The Harwood Arms, London
Originally from Mansfield in Nottingham, Sally is head chef of the only Michelin-starred pub in London, The Harwood Arms. After studying Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts in Sheffield, Sally worked at The Savoy and then Claridges before she began a formative five years under Brett Graham at The Ledbury (two Michelin stars). In 2017 Sally took the reigns at The Harwood Arms in Fulham, where she has developed a loyal team.
Sally’s style of cooking is British and seasonal, with a touch of elegance and a fondness for game. Her personal menu celebrates local produce and champions some of our most beloved authors.
Niall Keating, Whatley Manor, Cotswolds
Proudly representing Stoke-on-Trent, Niall is no stranger to competitions and already has a string of accolades to his name. As executive chef of The Dining Room at Whatley Manor (two Michelin stars) in the Cotswolds, Niall gained the restaurant its first Michelin star within his first year, followed up by an impressive second star in 2019. Niall also won the Michelin Guide’s 2018 European Young Chef of the Year Award.
Niall has trained in some of the best restaurants in the world including Benu (three Michelin stars) in San Francisco, Restaurant Sat Bains (two Michelin stars) and Kong Hans Kaelder (one Michelin star) in Copenhagen. Regionality is very important to Niall and his cuisine balances both contemporary and classic styles, heavily influenced by his travels featuring intriguing Asian influences. His menu celebrates some of Britain’s most famous children’s authors in his uniquely original style.
Alex Claridge, The Wilderness, Birmingham
Proud Brummie Alex is the head chef and owner of The Wilderness in Birmingham, a restaurant renowned for its modern British food intended to excite, provoke and taste delicious. Self-taught Alex’s style is eclectic, drawing on the spices and influences of world cuisines and those represented in the melting pot of Birmingham. He uses local produce and sets out to deliver clear and intense flavours in playful, surprising ways. Alex’s personal menu celebrates the children’s literature theme in his trademark playful approach.
Dom Robinson, The Blackbird, Berkshire
Originally from Derbyshire, Dom is the head chef and owner of Michelin-starred The Blackbird in Berkshire. Growing up, he was part of a family that loved to cook and bake which sparked a fascination with both the process of cooking and food. Whilst studying catering and hospitality at Buxton, he started work at the Michelin-starred Fischer’s Baslow Hall in the Peak District where he progressed under the tutelage of chef patron Max Fischer.
Dom then spent time working in Dubai where he picked up techniques and Asian influences that feature in some of his dishes, worked as a private chef in France and spent some time in Australia. He was also head chef at Tom Aikens’ flagship Chelsea restaurant for three years.
Dom is renowned for cooking food which is influenced by quality ingredients, his overseas travels and his classical French background. His personal menu celebrating this year’s theme is largely inspired by his own fondness for children’s books and those he reads to his daughters.
London & South East
Steve Groves, Roux at Parliament Square, London
Essex-born Steve is a highly accomplished British chef inspired by classical French cooking, who was crowned the Craft Guild’s National Chef of the Year in 2019.
After studying for three years to become a classically trained chef, Steve went to the US briefly and then spent five years working at various restaurants in Bournemouth and Poole, becoming a head chef at the age of twenty-four. He then made the move to London working first at Launceston Place and then in 2013 he became head chef at Roux at Parliament Square, where he’s remained ever since. Steve’s style of cooking is based on French classics with a modern interpretation. Father-of-two Steve’s menu for the competition is inspired by childhood memories and his family.
Kerth Gumbs, Ormer Mayfair, London
Originally from Anguilla in the Caribbean, Kerth was inspired to start cooking by his mother who was a chef. He has been head chef of Ormer Mayfair for three years, which was voted one of the top five restaurants in London by the Hardens Restaurant Guide in 2018.
Kerth has worked under a number of legendary chefs including Tom Aikens, Agnar Sverrisson and Joel Robuchon. Father-of-four Kerth is passionate about this year’s brief and is igniting his own inner child for his menu. His style of cooking is vibrant, colourful and fun with a love of local and high-quality produce.
Karl O’Dell, Texture, London
Karl hails from Peterborough and is a chef who loves competing. Most recently he beat thirty-two other chefs to become a finalist in The Craft Guild of Chefs' National Chef of the Year 2020.
Having worked at some of the UK’s best restaurants including Pétrus, he is now head chef at Texture, which holds four AA rosettes and one Michelin star. Working closely with the chef-owner of Texture, Agnar Sverrisson, his style of cooking reflects the restaurant’s modern Scandinavian influences and champions local produce.
Ivan Tisdall-Downes, Native, London