Great British Menu 2023 start date: Judges, contestants and latest news
The BBC cooking competition is back for season 18.
A new season of Great British Menu begins next week, with host Andi Oliver hoping to secure the best starter, fish dish, main and dessert for the 2023 banquet.
Starting in the North East, the BBC Two show will see Tom Kerridge, Nisha Katona and Ed Gamble return to the judging panel to find the right dishes for a Paddington Bear-themed meal.
The first chefs will be going head-to-head with their dishes celebrating animation and illustration – but who will triumph and make it through to the ultimate final?
Here's everything you need to know about Great British Menu 2023.
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When does Great British Menu 2023 start?
Season 18 of The Great British Menu gets cooking on Tuesday 31st January at 8pm on BBC Two.
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The series will air three times this week, with the show airing the North East Starter and Fish on Tuesday, North East Mains and Dessert on Wednesday and the North East judging episode on Thursday.
Great British Menu host
Entering her second year as the Great British Menu host is TV chef and broadcaster Andi Oliver. The presenter was previously a judge on the Great British Menu, joining the show in 2018.
However, she moved into the presenting role in 2020 for the show's festive special and has fronted it over the past two seasons, replacing Susan Calman.
Great British Menu judges
On the judging panel for Great British Menu this year is Tom Kerridge, the chef and TV presenter who built the world's first and only two Michelin-starred pub, The Hand & Flowers in Marlow. He has appeared on MasterChef, Saturday Kitchen and hosted various shows such as Tom Kerridge's Sunday Lunch, Tom Kerridge Barbecues and Spring Kitchen with Tom Kerridge.
He'll be joined on the Great British Menu panel by Nisha Katona, CEO, executive chef and development chief at Mowgli Street Food restaurants. Originally a barrister, Katona founded Mowgli Street Food in Liverpool in 2014 and has since expanded the brand to establish restaurants across the UK. She has appeared on This Morning, ITV's Cooking with the Stars and Channel 4's A Taste of Italy.
Returning to Great British Menu as a permanent judge is comedian Ed Gamble, who co-hosts Off Menu with James Acaster and co-presents Radio X's Sunday morning show with Matt Crosby. He appeared as a guest judge on Great British Menu in 2021 for The Finals: Dessert round and has popped up on QI, Would I Lie To You, Richard Osman's House of Games and Roast Battle UK.
Who are the chefs competing on Great British Menu season 18?
While Great British Menu is yet to announce the full chef line-up for season 18, we do know which cooks from the North East will be competing in the first leg of the competition.
The chefs taking part in the first week of Great British Menu 2023 are:
- Gareth Bartram – Head Chef at Winteringham Fields
- Rory Welch – Head Chef at Träkol
- Will Lockwood – Head Chef at Roots
- Cal Byerley – Head Patron of Pine
What’s the Great British Menu theme for 2023?
The theme for Great British Menu's 18th season is inspired by Paddington's 65th birthday and a celebration of British animation and illustration.
This animated theme is set to honour illustration of all kinds, from comics and cartoons to computer games.
In previous years, themes have included Great British Broadcasting, British innovation, Sir Tim Berners-Lee's creation of the World Wide Web, children's literature and The Beatles.
Great British Menu starts on BBC Two on Tuesday 31st January at 8pm. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide. Visit our hub for more Entertainment news.
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