Great British Menu 2019 – The Banquet

This year the country’s most talented chefs battle in the Great British Menu to earn the right to cook at an exquisite banquet, held at the beating heart of the British music industry – Abbie Road Studios. The greatest place to honour the brilliance of British pop music.

The brief to celebrate Britains extraordinary contribution to pop music. They will be honouring the stars and heroes of the music industry from the 60’s to the present day.

Ahead of the chefs is the challenge of cooking in a kitchen they don’t know, as well as having to scale up their dishes to provide the highest calibre of dining for a full banquet room of diners. And, in a GBM first, they have to rise to the challenge of adapting their dishes for vegetarian diners.

They guests are celebrities and unsung heroes who have helped create British music’s unparalleled global reputation – artists such as Andrew Ridgeley from Wham!, Martin Kemp of Spandau Ballet, Keisha Buchanan of the Sugababes, Peter Hook of Joy Division and New Order and Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield from the Stone Roses.

Lets see how the chefs got on…

Luke Selby, serving his starter ‘The British Invasion‘. Celebrating how British music triumphed in America. Luke serves his starter to a piano version of ’til there was you’, The Beatles song that inspire this dish.

The diners enjoyed the variations of texture, the custard being the star of the show and how the dish took you through the tracks of the album.

Others diners enjoyed how each mouthful imparted different flavours and how the whole dish experience was nothing like they had tasted before.

For a vegetarian dish not always being the first thought, the diners loved the perspective and theatre that the dish had.

His family knew that it was a dish cooked by Luke having a different take on food, saying he had always loved cooking ever since he was a young. For them, ‘its all about Luke‘.

Tom Anglesea, serving his fish course ‘Lost Souls in a Fish Bowl‘. Created in memory of his friend, as well as all the musicians that are no longer with us. Served to Pink Floyd’s ‘Wish you Were Here‘.

His family found the dish incredible and were so very proud of the chef, and how it was the best dedication to the lost souls they could ask for.

Diners loved the subtlety of flavours, the concept of paying tribute to the greats we have lost and how he had achieved such an outstanding dish for so many people.

Other diners appreciated the art and emotion that had gone into the dish, as well as the delicate and beautiful flavours he had carefully picked.

Adam Reid, serving his main course ‘Comfort Food Sounds Good‘. Celebrating the combination of food and music, inspired by his home town. Serving to the 1975 hit ‘Some Might Say’.

Diners loved the hearty meal, sharing of food amongst people and the gravy that accompanied the chicken, putting smiles upon peoples faces.

Sometimes it can be hard with vegetarian food being bland, but that wasn’t the case for Adam’s dish.

Other diners couldn’t get enough of the chicken, as well as raving about the salt-baked celeriac.

Lorna McKnee, serving her dessert ‘Lime and Sunshine, there’s Enough for Everyone‘. Serving to Wham’s hit ‘Club Tropicana‘.

Diners enjoyed the theatre added to her serving, flavours and how the dish gave the guests a holiday feel.

Others diners appreciated the technical skill, fun and creativity Lorna had brought into her dessert.

The highest scoring chef and taking the title of ‘champion of champions’ of the GBM is;

Lorna KcKnee.

Unfortunately saying bye and good luck for the future to Luke Selby, Tom Anglesea & Adam Reid.