Great British Menu 2023 chefs: Thom Bateman, Central Heat

Thom Bateman, Chef Owner of The Flintlock at Cheddleton, is one of four chefs competing for the central region on Great British Menu 2023.

Series 18 of the competition starts on January 31 2023 on BBC Two at 8pm and will air for eight weeks.

Thom is going head to head with chefs Kareem Roberts, Tom Shepherd, Marianne Lumb in a bid to represent the central region in the regional finals, and ultimately cook a dish at the final banquet.

This is Thom's first time competing in Great British Menu.

Full name

Thom Bateman

Nickname

Don't really have one.

Age/DOB

37, 03/02/1986

Place of birth / residence

Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire

Relationship status / children

Married with one daughter who is 3 years old. 

Height

6ft

Type of chef (restaurant, hotel, development chef, etc.)

Chef Owner of Fine Dining Restaurant.

Favourite type of cuisine

Modern British/Italian 

Path to becoming a chef

Started in a Latin American restaurant kitchen when 17, left due to poor mental health. Returned to open my own place 11 years later 

Past and present place of work

The Flintlock at Cheddleton since September 2020.

Personal and professional mentors / role models 

I have gained lots of friends and people I can rely on for great advice, not least Tom Shepherd & Paul Foster.

Guilty pleasure dish

Buffalo Hot Wings

Best / worst thing about being a chef

Being able to do the thing you love as a job is an amazing feeling, not seeing as much of wife and daughter as I’d like is the worst bit.

Feelings stepping onto the GBM set

Surreal & intimidating but the most exciting and humbling experience. It’s a lifetime ambition achieved.

Plans for the future

Work harder than ever to achieve our goals as a business.