Great British Menu

The British cooking show Great British Menu has captivated millions of viewers. In this project, leading chefs from the United Kingdom compete for the opportunity to prepare one dish for a four-course banquet. In this article, we will discuss the history of the show, its concept, judges, and winners.

Basic information about the show

The first episode of The Great British Menu aired on 10 April 2006. Currently, 20 full seasons have been filmed.

History of the show

As part of British Dinner, chefs from across the kingdom compete for the right to create a menu for a prestigious banquet. The first episode of the first season aired in spring 2006 on BBC Two. The main idea of the show was to present and popularise British cuisine, often with a modern twist.

Each season focuses on a unique theme, usually related to major events or cultural figures in Great Britain. Among the themes already presented were:

• a tribute to the NHS;
• children's literature;
• 150 years of British music;
• the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

Format

Each season of Great British Menu features professional chefs from different regions of Great Britain (eight regions in total). They compete to create a menu consisting of several courses, including:

• starters;
• fish course;
• main course;
• pre-dessert, dessert.

Each week focuses on a different region, where four chefs present unique dishes in line with a given theme. A veteran judge is responsible for the preparation and evaluates each dish on a ten-point scale.

After tasting the first two dishes, the chef with the lowest score leaves the show. After all four dishes have been presented, another chef is eliminated. In the next stage, the remaining two chefs prepare a full menu for the judging panel, which selects the regional winner.

In the final, eight regional winners compete to be crowned the best and win a place at the prestigious Great British Menu banquet. The jury makes the final decision on who will be the winner.

The participants are evaluated by a jury consisting of renowned chefs, critics and other culinary experts. The best chefs from each region are selected to participate in the national final, the winners of which prepare their dishes at the banquet.

There is no cash prize for this project, but participation in it is the best advertising and the most effective PR possible. The country's leading restaurants are happy to nominate their representatives to participate in the project.

Each episode of the cooking show has excellent ratings.

Great British Menu studio

During the qualifying rounds and regional finals, the show was filmed at a studio located in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. This is a specially designed studio kitchen equipped with everything needed to prepare high-quality dishes.

Winners of Great British Menu

Let's list the finalists of all seasons of Great British Menu shown on TV.

All the winners of the popular project have built successful careers as chefs.

Great British Menu judges

The Great British Menu judging panel consists of renowned chefs and culinary experts:

• Matthew Fort (2006–2021).
• Oliver Peyton (2006–2021).
• Prue Leith (2006–2016).
• Andi Oliver (2017–20, replaced in 2023).
• Kerry Godliman (2020).
• Rachel Khoo (2021).
• Tom Kerridge (since 2022).
• Nisha Katona (2022 to 2024).
• Lorna McNee (2025).

Guest judges

The project features not only permanent jury members, but also guest judges:

• Tom Kerridge — chef, former participant in Great British Menu, author of several cookbooks.
• Nisha Katona — food writer, chef, restaurateur, and founder of the Mowgli Street Food chain.
• Ed Gamble — comedian and host of the Off Menu food podcast.

In the 2024 season, themed around the Summer Olympics, the guest judges included:

• Starters — Ellie Simmonds.
• Fish dish - Emily Campbell.
• Main course - Dame Laura Kenny.
• Dessert: Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill

In the 20th season in 2025, Margaret Aspinall was announced as the guest judge on the project.

Great British Menu 2025

In 2025, the 20th anniversary season of Great British Menu aired, hosted by Andy Oliver, with Tom Kerridge, Ed Gamble and Lorna McNee as the main judges. The theme of the project this time was Great Britons. During the first two months, three 60-minute episodes aired each week, and five episodes aired during the final week.

Participants

Jack Bond (North-West England).

Amber Francis (South-West England).

Mark McCabe (Scotland).

Callum Leslie (North-East and Yorkshire).

Daniel Ap Geraint (Wales).

Sally Abe (Central and Eastern England).

Stevie McCarry (Northern Ireland).

Jean Delport (London).

Final and winners

Amber Francis was crowned the winner of Great British Menu 2025. The show's final took place at a banquet at Blenheim Palace as part of the competition's 20th anniversary celebrations. Francis impressed guests with a dessert whose recipe is linked to her childhood.

The other finalists were Sally Abé, Jean Delport and Mark McCabe.

Great British Menu recipes

Recipes from famous Great British Menu contestants have been adopted by amateur chefs looking to improve their cooking skills.

Chris McGowan, a participant in the 2014 show, shared his recipe for rice pudding ice cream with the public. His teachers were such famous chefs as Richard Corrigan, Pierre Coffman, and Gary Rhodes.

For the pudding:

• Arborio rice - 100 g;
• coconut milk - 300 ml;
• 2 pandan leaf knots;
• finely chopped lime leaves - 4 pieces;
• eggs - 2 pieces;
• sugar - 130 g.

For coconut ice cream:

• 350 ml cream;
• 400 ml coconut milk;
• 100 g egg yolk;
• 100 g sugar;
• 100 g coconut flakes.

Thoroughly washed rice is added to a saucepan with water, coconut milk and pandan leaf knots. Bring the contents to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cook until thick, then stir in chopped lime leaves. Leave about 50 g of rice to make a crispy crust.

Next, beat the eggs with sugar until smooth, then carefully mix with the rice pudding.

Grease a baking dish with the beaten eggs and sugar, line with paper and bake in the oven at 180 degrees for about a quarter of an hour.

To make coconut ice cream, heat the cream with coconut milk, beat in the egg yolk, and add granulated sugar. The mixture should be smooth; whisk it and return the pan to the heat along with the coconut flakes. Cool the mixture in the freezer, then whip it in an ice cream maker.

Marcus Wareing's Fish Dish

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 8 pieces of fish fillet (e.g. flounder, perch or barracuda);
• 2 cups of fish stock.

Fresh herbs and other seasonings (Marcus Wareing's recipe calls for ½ lemon, 2 bay leaves, a sprig of thyme, shallots, lemongrass and fennel).

For the sauce:

• oil;
• 2 shallots;
• a large handful (about 2/3–1 cup) of chopped mushrooms;
• 1/3 cup white wine;
• 2/3 cup fish stock;
• 1/3 cup cream;
• fresh thyme.

Preparation:

Cook the prepared fillets in a steamer. Bring the fish stock to the boil and add the aromatic ingredients.

Chop the shallots and mushrooms and fry them in sunflower oil in a frying pan.

Add white wine, simmer for a few minutes, pour in the fish broth from the steamer, then add. Simmer for a while.

Strain, remove the mushrooms and onions. Return the sauce to the pan, add the mushrooms and fresh thyme. Simmer until the mushrooms are cooked (dilute excessively thick sauce with a little water).

Remove the cooked fish from the steamer, place on a plate and pour over the sauce.

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