It is the grand finale of Great British Menu as the winning chefs cook their dishes at a banquet for the heroes of the NHS. Having arrived at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, the chefs are shown the incredible location for the following night’s event – the almost 300-year-old Great Hall. But there is a shock in store as Oliver reveals that it is the banquet guests who will be voting for their favourite dish on the menu to elect an overall Champion of Champions.
Great British Menu episode 45 2018 – Banquet
The chefs waste no time in getting down to business, helping transform a temporary marquee into a field kitchen and beginning the mountain of prep needed to deliver their dishes to the diners. They even do the ward rounds with a selection of cakes for the hospital’s night shift. The next morning, with just hours to go, the chefs are up against it but as they continue their cooking disaster strikes for some. The pressure only intensifies as the guests arrive, including NHS Heroes from across the country, guest judges who helped select the menu and banquet host, actor Jenny Agutter.
With the guests seated it is time for the chefs to pull together and deliver their dishes. The evening reaches an emotional climax as one chef is crowned Champion of Champions.
An otherwise memorable and enjoyable programme was marred by the vote at the end for the so called ‘champion of champions’. This was such a celebratory occasion with each chef working his socks off to produce amazing food that it was a shame to single one out in that way. The usual format of giving all the banquet cooks an equal status and share in the congratulations was so much better.