So, in case you missed it, and didn’t guess from the title of this blog post, on Friday, BBC’s Great British Menu aired the final episode, featuring the banquet.
And I was there.
Yes, I am a very, very lucky bunny.
To begin at the beginning, I’ve watched GBM for years. Some more intently than others, and this year’s theme of science and innovation, meant I was glued to my TV. I’ve worked at the University of Manchester for 20 years this year (yes, I feel old writing that), and I’ve pretty much always worked in the sciences. I began in community care research (psychiatry), then into medicine, then into computer science and for the last 9 years, I’ve worked in physics and astronomy. Whilst I’m not a university graduate, science and geeky things have my heart. Seeing the chefs take scientific inspiration and turn it into dishes has been fascinating to watch. It’s that thing I love, a blend of creativity and science.
Then earlier this year one of the professors I work for had an email invitation to the banquet. But there was a problem, thanks to COVID they were stuck in Singapore.
I, ahem, volunteered.
And to my surprise, everyone said yes.
Fast forward to April, and at 10am, I found myself heading to the train station. I don’t mind admitting it was quite surreal. There I was in a fancy dress and a big coat (it was sunny but not very warm) on a train to somewhere that was work, but wasn’t work. I don’t directly work for Jodrell Bank, but it is part of my Department. At this point it was also closed to the public (with limited researchers/technicians on site). And here I was at work, but not at work, surrounded by people I’ve only ever seen on the TV.
It was this weird place where my day job, and my side line in writing about food and drink merged into a geeky, but glamorous, and delicious, smooshy puddle.
As you’d expect, everything was well organised. Taxi from the train station, temperature and details recorded, sanitiser on hand (pun intended). The magic of TV was everywhere. For example, the above shot with Andi, Prof Hugh Hunt and his daughter? What you can’t see, is that to the left of us was a patch of grass where we unceremoniously dumped our bags, and coats before walking the red carpet and talking to Andi.
The little things that the viewer at the end doesn’t see, but go into making a really good programme.
After a (seated due to COVID rules) glass of fizz in the sunshine, we went to find our seats. Each was denoted by a celestial body, mine being the Sun (because obviously everything revolves around me), and was seated with Sarah and Joel from Open Bionics – the team behind the world’s first 3D printed bionic arm.
As you’d expect, every dish was outstanding. From the coddled egg from Alex, through to the cullen skink from Roberta. I could try to talk you through every dish, but you can see the reactions on the programme itself (it’s up on iPlayer if you want to watch it).
That said, there were two that stood out for me for very different reasons.
The first was the main from Oli Marlow. Though he wasn’t there to prepare it (we didn’t find this out on the day until all the chefs came out at the end), it was delicious, probably the poshest takeaway I’ll ever eat. As a northerner who loves her gravy, there was a short period where I debated about drinking it straight from the little jar, but I was aware that I was there for work purposes.
So instead I sealed it, put it in my handbag and had it with chips later. Worth it.
Away from the dish, it was the message behind it that hit home for me. I write about food and drink, I love dining out (and in too), and I have so many friends in the hospitality industry who have had their lives impacted by the last 12 months. Some have been on furlough, some have lost their jobs, some have lost their businesses. Others have had to innovate. He did something as a nod to both them and Tim Berners-Lee, who I met many years ago – again it was this mish mash of two big parts of my life into one. The message, along with the food, made my heart happy.
The second was the dessert from Dan. As I said, I’m a northerner, so I was tempted to make it about supporting our own. But this didn’t need that kind of bias. And whilst yes, in the final vote I opted for Oli’s, the dessert was a very deserved winner. I had to mentally toss a coin to decide which I would vote for.
More than the story (at this point the episode hadn’t aired), but because as someone who doesn’t like chocolate desserts, I bloody loved this. I often see a chocolate pudding, particularly on a set menu, and feel my heart sink. So many are heavy, rich, decadent, and they overwhelm me. I just don’t enjoy them. But this was light and airy, the yuzu cut through any hint of richness with a sweet tartness, and the miso caramel was outstanding. Dan, if you read this, you could market the latter as a gift and I’d be one of your first customers.
Given my fussiness, you can imagine my surprise to realise that rather than ‘having a taste’ and knowing I’d probably leave it and feel guilty for the rest of the afternoon, I’d finished it. All of it.
Applause given, award announced, it was a reluctant me that headed home. I’d met some lovely people, sampled some amazing food, but it was time for home and a little reality.
It was an amazing experience, and I feel incredibly lucky to have been able to go.
That said, guys, if you ever need a guest judge, a helping hand behind the scenes, you know, a body on site… You’ve got my email address, yeah?