Who is Mark Tuttiett on Great British Menu 2026?

As Great British Menu 2026 reaches its final week of regional heats, we find out more about chef Mark Tuttiett, who is representing the South West.

Last year, Amber Francis represented the South West at the banquet and went on to be crowned Champion of Champions.

Mark Tuttiett is head chef at Da Terra, the two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Bethnal Green, London, where he works closely with chef patron Rafael Cagali on a menu shaped by Brazilian and Italian influences, as well as Rafael’s wider international experience. Da Terra opened in 2019 and won its first Michelin star that same year before adding a second in 2020.

Early career and cooking background

Born and raised in the West Country, Mark developed a strong connection to regional produce and seasonal cooking from an early age, a foundation that still shapes his approach to food today.

His career has included time in some of London’s most respected kitchens, including the two-Michelin-starred Kitchen Table, helping to build the technical precision and high standards that now define his cooking.

Mark Tuttiett in the Great British Menu kitchen with Andi Oliver and Simon Rogan

Cooking at Da Terra

At Da Terra, Mark plays a key role in one of London’s most celebrated fine-dining kitchens. The restaurant, based in the Victorian Town Hall Hotel in Bethnal Green, is known for placing flavour at the centre of the experience, with guests taken

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through a tasting menu rooted in Rafael’s heritage and travels.

Working alongside Rafael, Mark brings his own experience, discipline and creative input to a restaurant that has become one of the capital’s standout destinations. Da Terra’s two Michelin stars reflect the ambition of the kitchen and the consistency required to operate at that level.

Style and identity

Mark’s cooking is grounded in strong seasonal instincts and a clear understanding of produce, shaped by his West Country roots and refined through years in elite kitchens.

For Great British Menu, that background gives him a natural connection to the South West, even though he is now leading one of London’s most acclaimed kitchens. His competition menu is bespoke and celebrates movies filmed in the region, giving him room to combine storytelling with technical precision.

Mark Tuttiett on Great British Menu 2026

In Great British Menu 2026, Mark represents the South West, competing against Ciaran Brennan, Martin Baylis and Jeffrey Robinson for the final place in finals week from the regional heats.

Multi-Michelin-starred Simon Rogan is the veteran judge for the South West heat.

With experience at the highest level of fine dining and a menu designed to celebrate films made in the South West, Mark will be looking to make his mark in the final regional heat.