Great British Menu 2019 sees Adam Reid return to competition – and Mani from Stone Roses is a judge

TV cookery competition Great British Menu is back on BBC Two this spring, putting the nation’s most talented chefs to the test.

The new series will see 24 chefs from across Britain’s regions compete to serve their dish at the final banquet at Abbey Road Studios – with just one exceptional chef being crowned champion of champions.

With a musical theme, the programme marks the 50th anniversary of the last time The Beatles played live together and celebrates Britain’s continuing success as a world player in music.

The judges, who represent the biggest names in the UK restaurant scene, include Tom Aikens, Angela Hartnett, Paul Ainsworth, Tommy Banks and Daniel Clifford.

There will be guest judges this year, too, to reflect Britain’s rich music heritage – including Andrew Ridgley from Wham!, hip hop musician Loyle Carner, and Mani from the Stone Roses.

One chef will be representing our city in the competition – and it’s a familiar face for fans of the series.

Adam Reid, from top restaurant Adam Reid at The French in the Midland Hotel, will be representing Manchester in the North West heat of the competition this year.

It’s not the first time the chef has taken part.

Fans of the series will remember that Adam won Great British Menu in 2016 with his spectacular Golden Empire dessert, a show-stopping creation consisting of stewed apple with hazelnut crumble, meadowsweet custard and golden candy apples.

“Oh dear, I must have had a rush of blood to the head..!” Adam tweeted about his return to the nerve-wracking competition.

With a new format, two mid-week hour-long episodes will see chefs from each regional heat present their dishes to the judges.

The week will conclude with a 30 minute regional final each Friday, where just two chefs will need to convince the judges that their dishes deserve a spot in the national finals and – if they’re impressive enough – to be served up at Abbey Road Studios.

“The theme – celebrating 50 years of British pop music – has brought out the best in the competing chefs and we see some exceptionally creative and visually spectacular dishes,” said series commissioning editor Julie Shaw.

“If you love food and drama, this is the show for you.”

The music industry guest judges will help select the best dishes in the regional final episodes on Fridays, with Mani judging the London and South East chefs Ben Marks from Perilla, Luke Selby from Hide, and Paul Walsh from City Social.

“If music be the food of love, eat up,” said Matthew Fort.

“Series 14 of the Great British Menu celebrates the brilliance of British restaurant cooking and flair of British music. Both just keep getting better and better.”

Judge Oliver Peyton agrees, commenting: “Food is the new rock n roll.”