Who is chef Paul Leonard on Great British Menu 2026?

With Great British Menu 2026 returning this week on BBC Two, we find out more about chef Paul Leonard, who is competing in the North West heat.

Paul is head chef at Forest Side in Grasmere, a Michelin-starred restaurant in the Lake District that also holds a Michelin green star for sustainability. In 2025, Forest Side was awarded five AA Rosettes, further cementing its position among the UK’s leading fine dining destinations.

Originally from Hull, Yorkshire, Paul began his culinary journey as a kitchen porter in a local hotel before completing his formal training at Hull College and progressing to a commis chef role.

Training in Michelin kitchens

At 21, Paul moved to London to join Pétrus under Gordon Ramsay. The experience introduced him to the structure and discipline of a Michelin-starred kitchen, shaping his understanding of precision, consistency and leadership at the highest level.

He later returned north, taking on a series of sous chef roles before joining Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles. Working within one of Scotland’s most respected kitchens allowed him to refine his technique further and gain valuable experience managing a professional brigade.

Paul’s first head chef role came at the Isle of Eriska Hotel on the west coast of Scotland, where he strengthened his understanding of sourcing, seasonality and menu development in a produce-led environment.

Building his reputation in Yorkshire

Paul then moved to the Devonshire Arms in Yorkshire, where he further developed his cooking style and leadership approach. Within his first year, the restaurant earned four AA Rosettes and placed 46th in the National Restaurant Awards, marking a significant step forward in his career.

His cooking style during this period became increasingly rooted in British produce, built around strong classical foundations and ingredient-led execution.

Forest Side: Michelin star and Green Star

In 2019, Paul became head chef at Forest Side in the Lake District. The restaurant holds both a Michelin star and a Michelin green star, recognising not only culinary excellence but also its commitment to sustainability.

Under Paul’s leadership, Forest Side has retained its Michelin star and continued to strengthen its sustainability credentials. The restaurant works with an extensive one-acre kitchen garden, cultivating more than 100 varieties of vegetables and 25 types of herbs. A significant proportion of the menu is supplied directly from this garden.

Paul’s cuisine is grounded in classical technique and celebrates British produce with clarity and restraint. His dishes focus on flavour and provenance, prioritising honest execution over unnecessary complexity.