Northwest Chef Jack Bon set to appear in BBC’s Great British Menu for the first time
Jack Bond, head chef and co-owner of Michelin-starred and three AA rosette The Cottage in the Wood, Whinlatter, near Keswick, Cumbria, is set to appear on the 2025 season of the BBC’s Great British Menu.
He features as one of four chefs representing the northwest of England in the regional heats, which start on Tuesday 28th January at 8pm on BBC Two and iPlayer and will see the chefs competing for a place in finals week.
33-year-old, Jack Bond, from Cumbria, is competing in his first year of Great British Menu, and alongside the other northwest regional competitors will battle it out for a place in finals week.
The series will begin on 28th January, with three episodes being shown that week, part of a nine-week series, covering each regional heat before finals week, and the series finale culminating in a magnificent historical banquet which will be held at Blenheim Palace.
This year’s theme “Great Britons” will see the chefs draw inspiration from important people, who’ve come from their area, from ancient and modern history as they develop their menus, with the best being showcased at the banquet marking 20 years of the Great British Menu.
The programme format remains the same, with Andi Oliver returning to present the series, with a judging line-up of: Michelin-starred, GBM double banquet winner, Tom Kerridge; Comedian and Food Podcast Presenter Ed Gamble; and new for this year, Scotland’s Lorna McNee, of Michelin-starred restaurant Cail Bruich, a former champion of champions on Great British Menu.
Jack said: ‘’I’ve frequently thought about putting myself forward to take part in Great British Menu, but for some reason never got round to it. However, that all changed when I became a dad in 2024, as well as buying The Cottage in the Wood with my wife Beth. Both of those momentous events gave me the impetus to put my name in the hat and push myself beyond my comfort zone.
“I’m looking forward to the experience and having the opportunity to compete alongside some very talented chefs representing the northwest region. This year’s theme promises to be pretty interesting, and will no doubt throw up a few challenges, as we celebrate historical figures from across the region, with the added pressure of it being the 20th Anniversary of GBM too! So, we’ll just have to see how things go and where I end up in the competition.’’
Watch Jack on Great British Menu on Tuesday 28th January at 8pm on BBC Two and iPlayer.
