All the Great British Menu chefs competing as new judging line-up makes its debut
Food lovers rejoice—the Great British Menu is back on our screens with a fresh set of chefs hoping to bag a prestigious role at a movie-themed banquet.
The long-running TV staple, which celebrates its 21st anniversary this year, sees culinary connoisseurs from across the country competing in a series of heats to crown the best of the rest.
The 2026 edition of Great British Menu sees Tom Kerridge and Lorna McNee returning to the helm with presenter Andi Oliver - but a long-serving judge has said farewell.
His replacement? A comedy icon who has appeared in the likes of Wonka with Timotheé Chalamet and Netflix’s 3 Body Problem.
Advert
Here’s everything you need to know about who is appearing on the BBC Two programme this year.
New and returning faces head up the judging panel
The BBC announced that 39-year-old Ed Gamble would not return to front the show this year, but no reason for his exit was given, as per The Radio Times.
However, it can be assumed that his schedule is full, what with his work on The Traitors Uncloaked and The Celebrity Traitors Uncloaked, as well as the Off Menu podcast with James Acaster, and his upcoming tour across the United Statesand Canada.
Gamble has been replaced by fellow comedian Phil Wang, 36.
The star, who has appeared on the likes of 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and Taskmaster, has been described as both ‘hilarious’ and ‘great company’ by Gamble.
"I can think of no better person to pass the golden spoon to than my dear friend and frequent dining companion Phil Wang,” he said.
“He is hilarious, great company and crucially, matches my appetite more than anyone else I’ve met. I’ll miss everyone on the team but I know they’ll forget about me as soon as they start chomping with the Wang."
Wang said that he was ‘excited’ to star as a Great British Menu judge, having been an ‘avid food-lover’ all of his life.
“I’m thrilled about this opportunity to taste food from the most creative and skilled chefs in the country. Can’t wait to put decades of practice to work and put my mouth where my mouth is,” he added.
Chef lineup for 2026 Great British Menu
This year, 32 of the finest chefs from across Britain and Northern Ireland are battling it out for the opportunity to serve food at St George’s Hall in Liverpool.
Eight regional heats will be broadcast on BBC Two, with three episodes already available to watch via iPlayer.
Heat One: North West England chefs
Four chefs residing in the north-west were tasked with creating canapés, starters, fish dishes, and desserts inspired by British films on the first three episodes of Great British Menu.
Michelin-starred chef and head chef/owner of The Cottage in the Wood in Braithwaite, Jack Bond, took on: Paul Leonard, a Michelin and Green Star holder at Forest Side; Exose Grant, who previously appeared on Bake Off: The Professionalsand owns Exose at Home, and Daniel Heffy, executive chef at NORD in Liverpool.
Grant was first to be eliminated, followed by Heffy. Leonard achieved runner-up status, while Bond won the heat.
Heat two: Scotland chefs
The judges will taste food prepared by Scotland-based chefs next week, with the episodes airing from 3 March.
Hannah Rose, who has the honour of being the youngest female Head Chef on superyachts, will battle Orry Shand, an executive chef of Scottish catering company Entier Ltd. who was crowned the 2025 National Chef of the Year.
The pair will also face Jun Au, who was named Best Asian Chef in Scotland by the Asian Catering Federation, and Rohan Wadke, a MasterChef alumnus and a national chef of the year semi-finalist.
Heat three: Central England
Nikita Pathakji, Louisa Ellis, Ash Valenzuela-Heeger, and James Sherwin are set to take on the Great British Menuchallenge in week three.
Pathakji is a MasterChef: The Professionals champion who runs monthly supper clubs serving food rooted in the French classics, as per the BBC.
Her opponents are Ellis, another show alumna; Valenzuela-Heeger, winner of the 2025 Michelin Guide Young Chef Award and Netflix The Final Table competitor, and Michelin Green Star resturuant owner, Sherwin.
Heat four: Wales
Corrin Harrison, head chef of Gwen Restaurant, is competing for Wales alongside John Chantarasak, who trained in traditional French cookery at the Cordon Bleu in Bangkok.
The pair are joined in the heat by Dan Andree, head chef at Seren's Beach House restaurant, and Carl Cleghorn, who was a finalist in the 2025 National Chef of the Year awards.
Heat five: North East
Week five of the Great British Menu heads north, with four chefs competing for a spot at the banquet, which will be broadcast in week nine.
Weike Zhao, who is the head chef of the Wood Hall Hotel in Wetherby, will face off against three other culinary experts
These are: Cal Byerley of Northumberland’s The Pine, Jamie Keeble, who stars as Restaurant Myse’s head chef, and Be Inclusive Hospitality awards finalist, Ryan McVay.
Heat six: Northern Ireland
The programme heads to Northern Ireland in its sixth week.
Here, Lawrence Barrow, who is currently in residence at The Sea in Hackney, will compete against Kristin Reagon, a former S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy competition finalist.
The pair will also cook with Marion Lancial, head chef at Mon Petit Chou, and Callum Irwin, winner of the 2025 Young Business Person of the Year award.
Heat seven: London & South East
Great British Menu’s penultimate week will be headlined by Abbie Hendren of Teal by Sally Abe, Gwangju-born head chef Dana Choi, Josh Hughes, who is head chef at the two michelin starred eatery, Hide and Fox, and development chef Vince Smith.
Heat eight: South West
The final four competitors on season 21 of the Great British Menu have been announced.
The first is Jeffrey Robinson, an executive chef at Harbour View House. He is joined in the kitchen by Mark Tuttiett, head chef at Da Terra, Ciaran Brennan of Osip Restaurant, and Martin Baylis, who is piloting New Coast Kitchen.
Watch the Great British Menu every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday on BBC Two at 7pm.
Topics: UK Food, TV and Film, Celebrity
Ella Scott