Great British Menu 2023 episode 2 – NE Mains and Dessert: The three talented north east chefs are halfway through their heat, and the pressure is mounting. Once again, they each serve a unique take on the brief celebrating British animation and illustration, inspired by Paddington’s 65th birthday. For mains, one chef is taking inspiration from the Terrible Tudors and Horrible Histories written by Sunderland’s Terry Deary and illustrated by Martin Brow. This comes with a Tudor-style mulled wine jelly castle. Another is paying homage to the graphic novel series Heartstopper by Alice Oseman, and there is a Funnybones dish, inspired by the Ahlberg illustrations, with parkin wishbone. But whose approach and final delivery will veteran judge Angela Hartnett be most impressed by?
After the nail-biting scoring on the mains, presenter Andi Oliver asks the chefs to prepare a pre-dessert or palate cleanser. Angela must blind taste and rank them. as they will be used in the event of tie to decide who goes home, and given the strength of the competition, this looks likely. There is a stunning Victoria sponge with sorbet centre inspired by the Mole’s obsession with cake in Charlie Mackesy’s illustrated The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse. There is a nod to Wallace’s favourite cheese in a Wensleydale parfait sandwiched in a ginger cracker, and a dish inspired by comic book heroine Ivy the Terrible. The question is: whose dish will taste the best?
After a glimpse of their pudding skills, it’s on to dessert. One dish celebrates Quentin Blake’s illustrations of Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach, with a peach-centred cheesecake, woodruff lady bug, and lemon verbena glow worm. Another dish is inspired by Dapo Adeola’s illustrated book Look Up, with a multi-flavoured phoenix meteor shower creation, and there is an ode to the visual impact of popular computer game Worms. Which chef will prove they have the winning formula to get the top marks, and who will go home? Only two will proceed to cook for the judges and have a chance to represent the north east at the regional finals.
Great British Menu 2023 episode 2 – NE Mains and Dessert
Great British Menu is back for an incredible eighteenth series, highlighting the amazing culinary talent found across the UK and pitting chefs against one another in a bid to get a spot at the coveted banquet. While the format is staying the same as last year, there are a good few changes, including a brand new judging team and of course a fresh new brief for the judges to tailor their dishes to. Here’s everything you need to know in advance of the series starting.
This year the chef’s will be tasked with creating dishes that reflect ‘100 Years of Great British Broadcasting’. The BBC’s first ever radio broadcast was in 1922, kickstarting a complete overhaul of how we all consume media and culture ever since. We’re expecting plenty of TV and radio-themed props, as well as dishes that pay homage to some of the most iconic British TV shows ever made. The final banquet will be held at Alexandra Palace in London, attended by all sorts of famous faces from TV and radio.
It’s all changing this year, with last year’s line-up of Matthew Forte, Oliver Peyton and Rachel Khoo being replaced by some fresh new faces. Instead, we have Tom Kerridge, the multi-Michelin-starred chef behind The Hand and Flowers, The Coach and Kerridge’s Bar and Grill; Nisha Katona, the chef behind the very popular Mowgli Street Food restaurants and the author of four cookbooks; and Ed Gamble, who many will know from his role hosting the Off Menu podcast with fellow comedian James Acaster. Andi Oliver will still be in amongst the action in the Great British Menu kitchen, acting as host. Each week the regular judges will be joined by a guest judge connected to the broadcasting theme.