Two chefs from Cornwall will be appearing in this week’s episodes of the BBC Two’s Great British menu as part of the south west heat.
Andi Tuck head chef at the Michelin Guide-listed Harbour House set right on the waterfront in Flushing will appear alongside Chef Ben Palmer who has two award winning restaurants in Looe.
Andi says he will be ‘letting rip’ with his creative fire and smoking methods, and Cornish local ingredient sourcing, all part of his personal cooking DNA, for the judges.
Ben Palmer says, has been dreaming of appearing on the show for nearly 20 years, since the shows inception in 2006.
Andi Tuck said: “I absolutely loved my last appearance on Great British Menu in 2023 and it’s a huge honour to be back to represent Cornwall.
“I can’t think of a more intense, or competitive environment, in which to cook for such illustrious judges, but as a result, this pushes us all to be at the very top of our games.
“I’ll be ‘letting rip’ with my personal, creative fire and smoking methods, and Cornish local ingredient sourcing, for each of my entry dishes.
“It’s such a pleasure to cook and work alongside the most exciting chefs in the south west in the upcoming set of episodes.”
Ben, who used to rush home from a shift in the kitchen to catch the programme in its earliest days, remembers vividly how much of an impact it had on him and spurred him on to strive for excellence.
“It was the first show of its kind that really showcased in house chef talent on a nationwide platform – it was so exciting to see those who were working so hard in kitchens behind the scenes, who might ordinarily be a little overlooked, being elevated to celebrity status based on their talents alone,” he said.
“Just a very inspiring and exhilarating concept that amplified my natural desire to excel in the space. It added fuel to my fire and to be on the show is proof that if you work hard enough at something you can make great things happen.”
“I thought if I can just make it through the first day and get to the point where I can cook a whole menu I will be happy – I can tick it off my bucket list.”
Ben returned to his hometown of Looe to open The Sardine Factory Restaurant in July 2018. The team were delighted to receive the prestigious accolade of a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2019 and have retained it every year since.
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Benjamin lives in Looe, Cornwall with his business partner and Wife, Francesca, and his three children Molly aged 13; Bobby aged 10; and Loa aged 6.
Watch Ben and Andi on Great British Menu this week at 8pm each night on BBC Two. The starters and fish heats will take place on Tuesday, with mains and puddings on Wednesday and judging on Thursday.
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