Great British Menu 2026 final is tonight: Here’s everything you need to know

Central England

 

Nikita Pathakji, 2022 MasterChef: The Professionals champion, beat fellow competitors Ash Valenzuela-Heeger, Louisa Ellis, and James Sherwin to represent Central England during finals week.

 

Originally from Derby, Pathakji embarked on a career in hospitality through an apprenticeship at Westminster Kingsway College. Over the years, she has held roles across the Lanesborough hotel, Bibendum, the three-Michelin-starred Core by Clare Smyth and the Michelin-starred Kitchen W8.

 

She is currently a private chef, creating bespoke menus for clients.

 

Wales

 

Corrin Harrison, head chef at Gwen, beat fellow competitors John Chantarasak, Carl Cleghorn and Dan Andrée to represent Wales during finals week.

 

Originally born in London’s Hackney, Harrison began his career in the industry at the Rosewood hotel in London before moving to Vienna to work at a two-Michelin-starred restaurant.

 

In 2017, he moved to Wales to join Gareth Ward at Ynyshir, where he later became head chef and contributed to the restaurant winning its second Michelin star in 2022.

 

At the time of filming, he was running Gwen in Machynlleth, Ynyshir’s eight-seat sister restaurant.

 

North East England and Yorkshire

 

Jamie Keeble, head chef at Mýse, beat fellow competitors Cal Byerley, Weike Zhao and Ryan McVay to represent North East England and Yorkshire during finals week.

 

Kent-born, Sheffield-raised Keeble worked across the two-Michelin-starred Ynyshir, Lords of the Manor and the Wild Rabbit before opening Mýse in Hovingham in 2023. The restaurant earned its first Michelin star seven months after its launch in 2024.

 

Northern Ireland

 

Lawrence Barrow, head chef at Hearth and Tine, beat fellow competitors Kristin Reagon, Callum Irwin and Marion Lancial to represent Northern Ireland during finals week.

 

Barrow studied film and worked in a bank prior to landing himself a job in hospitality. He worked in kitchen across Australia, New Zealand and Italy before returning to the UK, where he staged at Tom Aikens’ Michelin-starred restaurant, Muse, and worked with chefs Lee Westcott and Jason Atherton.

 

He later became head chef at James Cochran’s restaurant, 12:51, and currently manages Hearth and Tine, which serves traditional Irish cuisine with a modern twist.

London

 

Josh Hughes, head chef at the two-Michelin-starred Hide & Fox, beat fellow competitors Abbie Hendren, Vince Smith and Dana Choi to represent London during finals week.

 

Originally from Kent, Hughes worked at the likes of the Fordwich Arms and the Michelin-starred Bridge Arms in Canterbury before joining the Hide & Fox in Kent in 2023 under chef-patron Allister Barsby, a former Acorn Award winner.

 

In 2025, Hughes was also a semi-finalist in the National Chef of the Year competition.

 

South West 

 

Ciaran Brennan, head chef at the Michelin-starred Osip in Bruton, beat fellow competitors Mark Tuttiett, Jeffrey Robinson and Martin Baylis to represent the South West during finals week.

 

The Leicester Born, Devon-raised chef has always had a strong connection to the South West, having started working for Merlin Labron-Johnson at his London Restaurant, Portland in 2016, before leaving for Australia to work at Ester in 2018. He returned to England in 2019 to open Osip and was promoted to head chef of the restaurant in 2021.

 

Who is cooking at the 2026 Great British Menu banquet?

Orry Shand has been selected to cook the starter, while Corrin Harrison was chosen to cook the fish course. The main will be cooked by Wildcard contestant Cal Byerley, and dessert by Ciaran Brennan.

 

What happened at the 2026 Great British Menu banquet and who was crowned Champion of Champions?

After Harrison pulled out of the banquet for personal reasons at the last minute, Nikita Pathakji took over the fish course. She was subsequently crowned Champion of Champions in a tense finale.

 

 

 

Photography: BBC/Optomen Television Limited/Kate Hollingsworth