Published: 17 February 2026
Great British Menu is again from its kitchen in Stratford upon Avon on 24 February on BBC Two and iPlayer.
Thirty-two of the best cooks from throughout Britain and Northern Ireland will compete in eight heats for the chance to create blockbuster dishes celebrating the British film business with a connection to their area or nation and to win an opportunity to cook dinner a dish on the finale. For the profitable cooks this can be a banquet for the film business held at St George’s Hall in Liverpool which options as Gotham City Hall in Batman.
This series comic and new choose Phil Wang joins lead choose Tom Kerridge and Lorna McNee within the search to search out the following greatest in British delicacies. Andi Oliver presents the series.
A veteran choose will be part of each week to attain the dishes and select the 2 cooks who will undergo to cook dinner for the Great British Menu judges and a visitor choose on the finish of the week. Only one of many cooks will undergo to signify their area or nation within the finals.
Competing Chefs
Week 1 – North West
Jack Bond, Paul Leonard, Exose Grant, Daniel Heffy
Week 2 – Scotland
Hannah Rose, Jun Au, Rohan Wadke, Orry Shand
Week 3 – Central Region
Louisa Ellis, Nikita Pathakji, Ash Valenzuela-Heeger, James Sherwin
Week 4 – Wales
John Chantarasak, Corrin Harrison, Dan Andree, Carl Cleghorn
Week 5 – North East
Cal Byerley, Jamie Keeble, Ryan McVay, Weike Zhao
Week 6- Northern Ireland
Lawrence Barrow, Kristin Reagon, Callum Irwin, Marion Lancial
Week 7 – London & South East
Abbie Hendren, Dana Choi, Josh Hughes, Vincent Smith
Week 8 – South West
Jeffrey Robinson, Mark Tuttiett, Ciaran Brennan, Martin Baylis
Week 9
Finals and banquet
Andi Oliver
What can the viewers stay up for on this season of Great British Menu?
There is glamour and actually fairly transferring nostalgia in equal measure! The cooks are celebrating every part from large blockbusters to impartial cult arty inspiration, reaching again to these cinematographic moments which are embedded inside us all. It was extremely touching, once more and once more. The cooks actually went deep with this yr’s inspiration and it actually made me suppose about the affecting backdrop that motion pictures play in all our lives.
This yr the theme is British motion pictures and film makers. British cinema is massively assorted with many native connections throughout the nation. What do you suppose makes this theme such a wealthy supply of inspiration for cooks?
I really feel like they’ve had a deeply private reference to the theme this yr. In the perfect iterations of GBM that’s all the time true, however it appears to me that extra of the cooks have been capable of naturally and clearly connect with the theme. There are some actually extraordinary explorations of films starting from the refined, and massively highly effective, to the wildly extravagant.
How do you suppose the film theme has pushed cooks creatively in comparison with earlier years?
I had a LOT of conversations with the cooks this yr about childhood and household and they appear to have been capable of pinpoint moments of their lives which were key to shaping, not simply who they’re as cooks, however who they’re as individuals, and then specific that inside their dishes. What we ask of them is such a tall order and so distinctive, so I’m thrilled that our viewers goes to see this work – it’s beautiful. At least two of them introduced me to actual tears this yr! I can say with absolute certainty that our viewers is about to satisfy model new stars within the making! I can’t wait!
If you can have one British movie became a dish only for you, what wouldn’t it be and why
Quadrophenia. Not solely does it seize an enchanting and wild part of British youth tradition, it’s peppered all through with visits to greasy spoons and a pie and mash store! These are two of my FAVOURITE iterations of British meals!! Pie, mash AND a correct cafe – and that’s a restaurant, not a cafè!! Come on now!
Meet the Judges
Tom Kerridge
What can the viewers stay up for on this season of Great British Menu?
Viewers can count on excellent cookery as soon as once more, displaying some exemplary expertise from up and down the nation, showcasing among the most fantastic regional produce, alongside an amazing theme, the place the judges chamber is joined by some extremely proficient, educated, and entertaining visitors.
This yr the theme is British motion pictures and film makers. British cinema is massively assorted with many native connections throughout the nation. What do you suppose makes this theme such a wealthy supply of inspiration for cooks?
The theme this yr permits such an enormous number of areas for the cooks to discover. From the administrators and actors themselves, film story traces, explicit scenes and even simply film titles, there’s such a big and thrilling narrative to discover.
How do you suppose the film theme has pushed cooks creatively in comparison with earlier years?
Many of the films have explicit stylised or particular results pushed traits. This has allowed the cooks the chance to make use of their strategies and expertise to signify a few of these superb and unimaginable scenes, so not solely are they recreating film infrastructure, their connection to flavour and elements are additionally being pushed.
If you can have one British movie became a dish only for you, what wouldn’t it be and why?
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, the Guy Ritchie film from 1998. Set in East London. The concept of elevating pie, mash and liquor to a brand new stage can be tremendous thrilling.
Lorna McNee
What can the viewers stay up for on this season of Great British Menu?
The viewers can stay up for a great deal of nice story telling, some superb creations close to interpretation of transient and type of meals complexity. And a great deal of nice laughs from Mr Phil Wang!
This yr the theme is British motion pictures and film makers. British cinema is massively assorted with many native connections throughout the nation. What do you suppose makes this theme such a wealthy supply of inspiration for cooks?
British cinema is a superb supply of inspiration as a result of it’s so assorted and rooted in actual locations, individuals and tales. From gritty realism to traditional interval movies, it displays completely different moods, areas and moments in time – all of which cooks can translate into meals. It offers cooks a transparent story to work from, whereas nonetheless permitting loads of creativity, whether or not that’s by nostalgia, humour or daring interpretation. That mixture of familiarity and freedom makes the theme each thrilling and accessible within the kitchen.
How do you suppose the film theme has pushed cooks creatively in comparison with earlier years?
The film theme has pushed cooks to suppose extra about storytelling, not simply method. They’re translating temper, character and emotion into meals, which has led to bolder and extra imaginative dishes. Compared to earlier years, the cooking feels extra expressive, extra enjoyable and with cooks taking greater inventive dangers and placing extra persona on the plate.
If you can have one British movie became a dish only for you, what wouldn’t it be and why?
I’d create a dish impressed by Braveheart as a result of the movie is epic, daring, and deeply rooted in Scottish historical past – all qualities that may be expressed by meals. Using elements that replicate Scotland’s heritage – like lamb, root greens, or whisky – permits the dish to really feel genuine, whereas contrasting flavours or strategies can seize the story’s emotion, battle, and triumph. By combining rustic, hearty components with refined presentation, the dish can mirror the movie’s mixture of uncooked depth and noble storytelling, turning its spirit and drama into one thing you’ll be able to style in addition to see.
Phil Wang
You’re becoming a member of the judging panel on Great British Menu. What are you most excited about and what can viewers stay up for within the new series?
I’m excited about simply how a lot the standard of British meals improves yr on yr. And Great British Menu is on the vanguard of that evolution. There’s some actually distinctive cooking on supply this series, with flavours I had by no means had in my mouth earlier than – and I’ve eaten crocodile and 5 completely different bugs.
What did you most take pleasure in about being a choose on the series?
I liked having my skilled, however newbie palate, go toe-to-toe with Tom and Lorna’s skilled gobs. My fellow judges have taught me all varieties of recent phrases like ’sable’, ‘roulade’, and ’salty’. That and consuming about 12 full meals a day.
This yr the theme is British motion pictures and film makers. British cinema is massively assorted with many native connections throughout the nation. What do you suppose makes this theme such a wealthy supply of inspiration for cooks?
The first chunk is after all with the eyes. And having such a deep and numerous assortment of tales, photographs and characters to attract from allowed the cooks this series to design some actually present stopping dishes, with massive helpings of drama, spectacle, or simply foolish enjoyable. British filmmaking and British cooking each present simply how a lot high quality and expertise this comparatively small set of countries has to supply.
How does GBM evaluate to the world of comedy – is the strain within the kitchen something just like the strain of a dwell gig?
Cooking is like dwell comedy in that you simply’ve solely bought one shot to make this factor work. If you fluff a line, or collapse a soufflé, the second is ruined. There are not any second probabilities ‘on the night’. It’s clear each cooks and comics get off on the adrenaline of threat. Cooking is certainly extra bodily harmful, although. I’m very grateful my microphone isn’t extremely scorching, as an example.
If you can have one British movie became a dish only for you, what wouldn’t it be and why?
I wanna eat James’s Giant Peach! With all the characters inside. For protein. Gotta hit my macros!
