Tennis icons Sue Barker, Tim Henman, Greg Rusedski and Judy Murray to guest judge on Great British Menu

Great British Menu returns to BBC Two this spring to celebrate 140 incredible years of the Wimbledon Championships, the oldest and most prestigious grand slam tournament in the world.

This year, as the series celebrates its 500th episode, Oliver Peyton and Matthew Fort are joined in the judging chamber by a new member of the panel, food broadcaster and restaurateur Andi Oliver.

Helping them select the winning dishes are a host of guest judges who understand the skill and dedication required to triumph in SW19 including Gordon Reid MBE, current Men’s Wheelchair Champion; Leon Smith, former coach of Andy Murray and Davis Cup Captain; Annabel Croft, previous British No.1 and Wimbledon royalty Sue Barker and Tim Henman.

The competition challenges 24 of the nation’s top chefs to create exceptional dishes fit to serve at this year’s banquet held in the shadow of Centre Court at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. Their creations must celebrate this year’s brief A Taste Of Summer reflecting the tastes, smells and colours of everybody’s favourite time of year and paying tribute to the incredible history and prestige of the Wimbledon Championships.

The competing chefs include previous banquet winners and ambitious first time competitors all cooking at the top of their game. In each weekly regional heat, three chefs must first battle it out to impress a formidable veteran judge whose identity won’t be revealed until they walk through the door. Holding eight Michelin stars between them the veterans are some of the biggest names in the UK restaurant scene and include Tom Aikens, Angela Hartnett, Michael O’Hare, Daniel Clifford and Nathan Outlaw.

Only two chefs will make it through to the Friday regional final where they’ll need to convince the formidable panel of judges that their dishes deserve a place in the national finals. The series will transmit in the run up to the Wimbledon Championships with the final banquet broadcast on the Friday before the start of this year’s tournament.

Andi Oliver says: “Joining the Great British Menu judging team is so exciting and for the banquet to be hosted at such an iconic British sporting event as Wimbledon is the icing on top. I have been completely overwhelmed by the unbelievable passion and dedication of the chefs on this series and I think the viewers will be too.”

Oliver Peyton says: "The standard of food cooked in this series is insanely high, these are the best chefs in the country cooking the most amazing food you'll see on television. Sometimes I think the competition will never get any better but the chef's passion just drives the show on to new heights."

Matthew Fort says: “It amazes me that each series the standard of cooking continues to rise and this series is no exception. Wimbledon attracts the best tennis players from around the world and the standard is matched by the chefs in this series of Great British Menu.”

NC2

London and South East

Competing chefs:

• Selin Kiazim, Oklava, London
• Tom Kemble, Bonhams Restaurant, London
• Mike Reid, M Restaurants, London

Friday guest judge:

Leon Smith (Former coach of Andy Murray and current Captain of the British Davis Cup team)

South West

Competing chefs:

• Tom Brown, Outlaw’s at the Capital, London
• Dom Chapman, The Beehive Restaurant and Pub, Berkshire
• Andy Clatworthy, Formerly at Brigstow Bar and Kitchen, Bristol. Now at 108 Restaurant, Copenhagen

Friday guest judge:

Marion Regan (strawberry farmer and supplier to the Wimbledon Championships)

North West

Competing chefs:

• Ellis Barrie, The Marram Grass, Isle of Anglesey
• Paul Askew, The Art School, Liverpool
• Tom Parker, The White Swan, Lancashire

Friday guest judge:

Greg Rusedski (Former British No.1 and BBC Sports Personality of the Year 1997)

North East

Competing chefs:

• Tommy Banks, The Black Swan at Oldstead, North Yorkshire
• Josh Overington, Le Cochon Aveugle, York
• Danny Parker, House Of Tides, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Friday guest judge:

Judy Murray (Mother of Wimbledon Champions Andy and Jamie and founder of sport education initiative Tennis On The Road)

Scotland

Competing chefs:

• Michael Bremner, 64 Degrees, Brighton
• Ally McGrath, Osso, Peebles
• Angela Malik, caterer for private clients, London

Friday guest judge:

Gary Parsons (Wimbledon’s Executive Chef, overseeing 49 kitchens onsite with 330 chefs)

Wales

Competing chefs:

• Phil Carmichael, Berners Tavern, London
• Nick Brodie, Llangoed Hall, Brecon
• Paul Croasdale, Alyn Williams at the Westbury, London

Friday guest judge:

Dan Bloxham (Master of Ceremonies at Wimbledon and Head Coach of the All England Club)

Central

Competing chefs:

• Pip Lacey, Murano, London
• Ryan Simpson, Orwells, Oxfordshire
• Nick Deverell-Smith, The Churchill Arms, Gloucestershire

Friday guest judge:

Jordanne Whiley MBE (Paralympic bronze medallist and three-time Wimbledon Wheelchair Doubles Champion)

Northern Ireland

Competing chefs:

• Tommy Heaney, The Great House, South Wales
• Eddie Attwell, St Kyrans, County Cavan, Eire
• Joery Castel, Formerly at The Boathouse, now at Saphyre Restaurant, Belfast

Friday guest judge:

Mansour Bahrami (known as tennis’ greatest entertainer)

Finals judges

• Starter: Sue Barker OBE (BBC Wimbledon host and former British No.1)
• Fish: Tim Henman OBE (Former British No.1 who reached a career high of World No.4)
• Main: Gordon Reid MBE (Paralympic gold medallist and first ever Men’s Wheelchair Champion at Wimbledon)
• Dessert: Annabel Croft (Former British No. 1 and now commentator)

Veteran judges

• Tom Aikens - Tom’s Kitchen, various locations
• Daniel Clifford - Midsummer House, Cambridge and The Flitch of Bacon, Essex
• Angela Hartnett - Murano and Merchant’s Tavern, both London
• Nathan Outlaw - Restaurant Nathan Outlaw and Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen, both Port Isaac
• Michael O’Hare - The Man Behind the Curtain, Leeds
• Richard Bainbridge - Benedicts, Norwich
• Jeremy Lee - Quo Vadis, London
• Michael Smith - Loch Bay Restaurant, Isle of Skye

Related Media Centre Links

• Andi Oliver revealed as new judge on BBC Two’s Great British Menu