TV cookery is having a moment; a quick glance at the TV schedules reveals a myriad of viewing options from Come Dine With Me, to The Hairy Bikers, Great British Bake off to Saturday Kitchen, The Daily Mail calculated that in one week alone last year there were 434 hours of TV scheduling available to the viewing public, when dedicated digital channels are taken into account.
Cookery on our screens is no new thing of course. In 1946 Phillip Harben presented the very first TV cookery show ever seen, a 10 minute slot for the BBC demonstrating how to make lobster vol-au-vents; prolific home economists Margueritte Patten and Fanny Craddock soon followed, with Delia Smith and her contemporaries continuing in the same instructional vein in the 70s and 80s. 1984 saw the advent of “lifestyle” cookery TV, with Floyd on Fish; removing production from the confines of the studio out on location. Lloyd Grossman’s Masterchef introduced a competition element for the first time in 1990. Then, in 1994 Gary Rhodes became one of the first chefs from a Michelin starred background to have his own series. There followed Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal. It was not until 12 years later though, with the first series of Great British Menu, that the TV audience was able to watch numerous high calibre chefs with multiple stars amongst them, all on screen at once.
In the past many of TV cookery’s biggest names have been those known for their simple style, accessible dishes for the home cook – of course the popularity of the likes of Nigella, Jamie Oliver et al shows no signs of slowing – but in terms of the level of complexity, Great British Menu has taken the skill level up another notch. For the past decade we have seen the nation’s most accomplished chefs compete side by side. Previously unknown outside of fine dining circles, many of these chefs have gone on to become household names, with regular appearances elsewhere in the TV schedules. Chefs have include Sat Bains, Marcus Wareing, Phil Howard, Angela Hartnett and Michael Caines, to name but a very few. In one particularly memorable series the South East heat alone included a total of 5 Michelin stars, between 3 chefs, unprecedented on our screens.
The format of the series encourages dramatic results; chefs are asked to create dishes for a themed banquet. These have included The Olympics, Comic relief and a banquet for troops returning from Afghanistan. Chefs are challenged to push culinary boundaries and competing against their peers, they truly do. Props and tableware have become ever more extravagant, with allotments featuring edible soil, a whole chicken roasted on a beer can, even a mock Olympic stadium. The viewer cannot taste or smell the dishes created so these added theatrics collude to seal them in the memory.
For the first time food at this level seemed exciting to the general public, something fresh, vibrant and new, no longer something just for the French and the wealthy. A piece of well cooked fish on a bright white plate might be stunningly executed but from our armchairs at home it is unlikely to be enough to draw us into a restaurant which would normally be beyond our budget. Viewers who had seen this high drama wanted to taste the real thing and were compelled to visit these restaurants. The dishes featured became best sellers and permanent installations on their respective restaurant menus. Tom Kerridge’s The Hand and Flowers is booked up over 6 months in advance – he cooked the main course at 2 successive banquets- he sells hundreds of his famous duck and chips dish each week.
I too have been influenced in my dining choices by the series – I’ve eaten that duck and chips, served with a gravy from the gods and the finest cabbage and bacon I’ve ever tasted. For a trip to Cornwall, we chose Padstow for the opportunity to dine at Paul Ainsworth’s No.6, where we and virtually every other table tucked into the “Taste of The Fairground” a whimsical cart of sweet treats- marshmallows, honeycombe and toffee apples which was served at the banquet on series 6. These chefs have become celebrities; we are no longer watching them for instruction, we are interested in their artistry, in awe of their skill.
No longer is fine dining the preserve of the rich; where 20 years ago most of us had never even heard of a Michelin star, now more and more of us are willing to save for that special meal once in a while. Restaurants have had to adjust and adapt to this new dining public. Increasing numbers of restaurants are turning away from stuffy fine dining, starched table cloths and formal service, whilst retaining their high food standards. Last year Marcus Wareing, a former banquet winner and a now familiar face on television, changed the name of his 2* Michelin restaurant Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley to the infinitely more informal Marcus. He said at the time “My number one priority is ending the stuffiness…staff will be retrained and encouraged to be more American and less French in how they deal with customers to create a relaxed atmosphere”.
The effects can be felt even away from the lofty heights of the Michelin starred world; in our village pubs and high street restaurants, customers have become more discerning; armed with more knowledge than ever before, their expectations have been raised. Across the board, we’ve all had to raise our game, British food is enjoying a revolution and we can now compete with the best in the world.
Great British Menu has enjoyed a level of respect amongst those in the industry rarely seen in response to TV in the past. It’s a chance to see trends emerging, new ingredients and techniques. As each chef explains the thought processes behind their dishes we are encouraged in turn to think more thoroughly through our own. I for one look forward to each series in anticipation, it cannot fail to inspire.
Three weeks into this series we are yet to see many truly banquet worthy dishes but with several strong regions to come and chefs including Tim Allen of Kensington’s Launceston Place (1*), Matt Gillan (1*) and Mark Froydenlund, head chef at 2* restaurant Marcus, the bar is sure to be raised. The theme this year is the 100th anniversary of the Women’s Institute, with baking, home growing and preserving already emerging as strong themes. We will have to wait and see which dishes emerge as favourites and which chefs become the new media darlings. What is certain is that every chef competing can look forward to an increase in bookings and for many, their phones ringing off the hook in the weeks and months to come.
Great British Menu is on BBC 2, Monday – Friday at 19:30. The final banquet will air on Friday 9th October.
Alison Smith @chefalismith
