Comedian and self-proclaimed Great British Menu superfan, Susan Calman, will be on hand to find out what really makes the chefs tick, guide the audience through the highs and lows of the programme and, of course, taste the dishes created by some of the country’s best chefs.
A star of BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing, Susan Calman can also be seen on QI, Have I Got News For You and Mock The Week, as well as CBBC’s Top Class.
Susan Calman will be presenting the BBC Two programme with Andi Oliver, Matthew Fort and Oliver Peyton returning as judges.
Calman says: “I've been a super fan of Great British Menu for years and I can't quite believe I'm being transported from my sofa into that famous kitchen. The brief is superb this year and I can't wait to get stuck in alongside the veteran chefs and the judges. Imagine being able to taste some of the most incredible food from the best chefs in the country? It's a foodie dream come true.”
Julie Shaw, Commissioning Editor, says: “Great British Menu is the programme that the country’s very best chefs want to win. When viewers tune in they know they can expect to see some of the most creative and visually striking dishes on TV. We’re really excited that Susan is joining the Great British Menu family as she brings a huge amount of knowledge, warmth and fun to the show. We are delighted to continue pushing culinary boundaries and another exciting series is in store.”
Sarah Eglin, Executive Producer, says: “I knew Susan was the right person for the job when she started quoting famous dishes from competitions going back many years on the series. Susan is bringing a lot of fun to the series, helping the chefs settle in a camera, getting the best out of them, and working alongside all the judges. Not surprisingly, she’s not adverse to trying the odd tasty dish prepared by some of the finest chefs in Britain.”
Over the past 14 series some of the UK’s finest chefs have taken part including Tom Kerridge, Marcus Wareing, Angela Hartnett, Nathan Outlaw, Richard Corrigan, Sat Bains, Mark Hix, Jason Atherton, Michael O’Hare, Glynn Purnell, Lisa Allen, Daniel Clifford, Simon Rogan, Phil Howard and Tom Aikens.
Banquets have included an Olympics dinner to mark London 2012 hosted by Sir Steve Redgrave, an event to commemorate 70 years since D-Day at St Paul’s Cathedral, attended by then Prime Minister David Cameron, a culinary feast to pay tribute to 70 years of the NHS and a rock star-studded dinner at Abbey Road Studios to celebrate British music.
The series will continue in the same format on BBC Two, with two mid-week hour-long episodes, followed by 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 at the banquet.
Great British Menu series 15 is due to air in Spring 2020 on BBC Two.
