Who is chef Exose Grant on Great British Menu 2026?
With Great British Menu 2026 returning this week on BBC Two, we find out more about chef Exose Grant, who is competing in the North West heat.
Exose Grant (full name Exose Grant Lopo-Ndinga) is a Manchester-based chef, currently head chef at Australasia Manchester and founder of the private dining business Exose at Home.
He first gained national recognition as a finalist on MasterChef: The Professionals in 2019 and has since built a career that spans fine dining and entrepreneurship, alongside his work in professional kitchens.
Early life and culinary beginnings
Born in London and raised in Manchester, Exose began his culinary journey working in a local sandwich shop, gaining his first hands-on experience in food service.
Inspired by his mother, who nurtured his early love of cooking, he developed a passion for food and the creativity it allowed. At 18, he began his first professional chef role at James Martin Manchester, where he spent four years refining his skills across pastry and fine dining kitchens. This experience gave him a strong technical foundation across both sweet and savoury disciplines.
MasterChef: The Professionals and Bake Off
At 22, Exose competed on MasterChef: The Professionals 2019, reaching the final of the BBC competition, which was won by Stu Deeley. Throughout the series he was praised for his bold flavour combinations, creativity and ability to perform under pressure.
Earlier in 2019, he also appeared on Bake Off: The Professionals, competing as part of the youngest team in the series. The show highlighted his pastry background and versatility, adding to his growing profile within the industry.
His MasterChef run significantly elevated his national
recognition and established him as one of Manchester’s emerging culinary talents.
Business ventures and restaurant leadership
Following lockdown, Exose launched Exose at Home, a private dining and catering business offering bespoke meals, celebration cakes and event services. The venture showcased his entrepreneurial drive and ability to connect directly with diners.
In 2023, he opened Ikaro Manchester, a seafood and grill restaurant. Although the venue closed in 2024, it demonstrated his ambition to create a concept rooted in flavour and individuality.
He is now head chef at Australasia Manchester, where he leads the kitchen while continuing to run his private dining business. His cooking draws on family influences as well as fine dining training, aiming to deliver food with heart, flair and personality. He has incorporated produce grown by his mother into his menus, maintaining a personal connection to his culinary roots.
Exose Grant on Great British Menu 2026
In Great British Menu 2026, Exose represents the North West in one of the most competitive heats of the series, alongside Jack Bond, Paul Leonard and Daniel Heffy.
With previous television experience on MasterChef: The Professionals and Bake Off: The Professionals, he enters the competition already familiar with the intensity of national broadcast cooking challenges.
His appearance adds another chapter to a career that blends technical skill, media presence and entrepreneurial ambition.
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Who is chef Exose Grant on Great British Menu 2026?
