The Great British Menu returned to TV screens on 24 March for its sixteenth series, which sees chefs from across the UK compete to be named Great British Menu 2021 winner.
Scotland’s chefs are all currently working in Edinburgh or Fife and included: Roberta Hall-McCarron from Edinburgh’s The Little Chartroom, Amy Elles from The Harbour Café in Fife, Stuart Ralston from Aizle in Edinburgh and Scott Smith from Fhior, also in Edinburgh.
The chefs competed against each other to represent Scotland, with Amy being the first to leave followed by Scott - leaving Roberta and Stuart to battle it out tonight (2 April).
This year’s theme is British innovation as it has been 30 years since Helen Sharman become the first British astronaut to go into space as well as Sir Timothy Berners-Lee first making the internet widely available.
Dishes cooked by the chefs were inspired by Scottish innovators and included a lamb dish - a nod to Dolly the sheep, a show stopping pie that was influenced by the inventor of Bovril and a whisky dessert inspired by Prof Sir Geoff Palmer.
After cooking a four course meal for the judges, Roberta was crowned the winner and will go on to the final.
Speaking before the programme was aired, Stuart Ralston, chef owner of Aizle and Noto said: “I have always watched Great British Menu, when I was asked to take part I was super excited to be part of its history.
“A lot of chefs I look up to have been connected with the show, it was fun being in that under pressure environment with all its challenges.”
Roberta Hall-McCarron, chef owner of The Little Chartroom added: “After a difficult year with the restaurant being closed to sit in diners for such a long period of the year it’s been great to have something to get my teeth into.
“It was a great brief and I had a lot of fun trying to come up with dishes that fit it.”
