Who are the Great British Menu 2026 finalists?
The regional heats are over and Great British Menu 2026 is moving into finals week, with the eight regional winners now set to compete for places at this year’s banquet.
As in previous years, the finalists will battle it out across starter, fish, main and dessert, with four banquet dishes chosen before Friday’s final service.
Finals week runs across Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, before the banquet on Friday.
This year’s banquet will be held at St George’s Hall in Liverpool, with dishes inspired by British movies and movie makers.
The judges’ chamber for finals week features Tom Kerridge, Lorna McNee and Phil Wang, with a different guest judge joining for each course.
A wildcard chef is also expected to be added to the line-up, but has not yet been confirmed. This article will be updated when it is confirmed.
Ciaran Brennan – South West
Ciaran Brennan represents the South West after beating Martin Baylis, Mark Tuttiett and Jeffrey Robinson in his regional heat.
He is head chef at Osip in Bruton, Somerset, the ingredient-led farm-to-table restaurant shaped by daily produce from its farm and local suppliers.
Raised in Devon, Ciaran previously worked for Merlin Labron-Johnson at Portland, spent time in Australia at Ester, then returned to help open Osip before being promoted to head chef in 2021.
His cooking is nature-led, low-waste and rooted in fire, fermentation, foraging and whole-animal butchery, making him one of the most distinctive chefs left in the competition.
Josh Hughes – London and South East
Josh Hughes goes into finals week for London and the South East after overcoming Dana Choi, Abbie Hendren and Vince Smith.
He is head chef at Allister Barsby’s Hide and Fox in Saltwood, Kent, the modern British restaurant that earned two Michelin stars in the 2025 Michelin Guide.
Josh’s background includes leading roles in some of Kent’s best-known kitchens, and his style is rooted in modern British cooking, classical technique and seasonal produce.
His regional menu showed a clear storytelling approach to the British movies brief.
Lawrence Barrow – Northern Ireland
Lawrence Barrow is through for Northern Ireland after beating Kristin Reagon, Callum Irwin and Marion Lancial.
He returns to Great British Menu after having to leave the competition last year due to illness, and arrives in finals week with clear unfinished business.
Born and raised in Ballymena, Lawrence has worked in Australia, Italy and New Zealand, then in London kitchens including Muse, with Lee Westcott, Jason Atherton and James Cochran. More recently, he has focused on projects including Hearth and Tine in Brixton and a residency with The Sea, The Sea in Hackney.
His cooking blends international influence with a strong Northern Irish identity, giving him a clear narrative as the competition reaches its decisive stage.
Jamie Keeble – North East
Jamie Keeble won the North East heat ahead of Cal Byerley, Ryan McVay and Weike Zhao.
He is head chef at Josh Overington’s Mýse in Hovingham, North Yorkshire, which won its first Michelin star just seven months after opening.
Jamie has been there since day one and has built a style rooted in seasonality, nostalgia and Yorkshire produce.
Raised in Sheffield, his career has included Ynyshir, Lords of the Manor and The Wild Rabbit, and he has described his food as “refined grandma” cooking: familiar ideas elevated through strong technique and excellent ingredients.
That combination of comfort, precision and regional identity makes him a serious contender for a banquet place.
Corrin Harrison – Wales
Corrin Harrison represents Wales after coming through a heat against John Chantarasak, Carl Cleghorn and Dan Andrée.
He is head chef of Gwen in Machynlleth, the eight-seat sister restaurant to Gareth Ward’s two-Michelin-starred Ynyshir. He recently announced he is soon set to leave the restaurant.
Corrin is already familiar to Great British Menu viewers, having won his heat in series 19, finished as the highest-scoring runner-up and gone on to cook the banquet canapé.
His background includes the Rosewood Hotel in London and a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Vienna, helping shape the technically confident, bold and modern British style that has become his trademark.
That prior GBM experience could make him especially dangerous in finals week.
Nikita Pathakji – Central
Nikita Pathakji is the last woman standing in Great British Menu 2026, having come through from the Central region after beating Ash Valenzuela-Heeger, James Sherwin and Louisa Ellis.
A Michelin-trained private chef and former MasterChef: The Professionals champion, Nikita brings one of the most polished CVs in the line-up.
Originally from Derby, she trained through Westminster Kingsway College and began her professional career at The Lanesborough Hotel before moving into its Michelin-starred restaurant, Céleste.
Now working as a private chef, she is known for elegant fine dining, bold Asian flavours, balanced spice and clean presentation. Her mix of technical grounding and personal style gives her strong banquet potential.
Orry Shand – Scotland
Orry Shand takes Scotland into finals week after beating Hannah Rose, Jun Au and Rohan Wadke.
One of the most decorated chefs in the competition, he was crowned National Chef of the Year 2024/2025 and previously won Scottish Chef of the Year.
Orry built his career in Michelin environments including Number One at The Balmoral and Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, before spending nine years at Entier Ltd, where he rose to executive chef.
He has since left that role to focus on opening his first solo restaurant, Falls by Orry Shand, in Banchory, Aberdeenshire. His style is classical, produce-led and technically disciplined, which makes him a major threat in the finals.
Jack Bond – North West
Jack Bond reaches finals week for the North West after winning his strong regional battle against Paul Leonard, Exose Grant and Daniel Heffy.
He is chef-owner and head chef at The Cottage in the Wood in Braithwaite, near Keswick, where he and his wife Beth took ownership in 2024 and retained the restaurant’s Michelin star under his leadership.
Jack, a multiple winner at The Staff Canteen Awards, already has finals week experience, having progressed from the North West heat in 2025, and he brings that knowledge back into the competition this year.
His background includes Marcus Wareing’s group, Eleven Madison Park, Davies and Brook, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and the Gilpin Hotel. His food is shaped by the Cumbrian landscape, seasonality and sustainability.
Who else could join the Great British Menu 2026 finalists?
The confirmed finalists are Ciaran Brennan, Josh Hughes, Lawrence Barrow, Jamie Keeble, Corrin Harrison, Nikita Pathakji, Orry Shand and Jack Bond.
A wildcard chef is also expected to join the finals-week line-up, but that place has not yet been announced.
This article will be updated when it is confirmed. The competition will then decide which chefs earn the right to cook starter, fish, main and dessert at the banquet in Liverpool.
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Who are the Great British Menu 2026 finalists?
