Who is chef Louisa Ellis on Great British Menu 2026?
With Great British Menu 2026 now on our screens on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, we find out more about chef Louisa Ellis, who is competing in the Central heat.
Louisa Ellis is a Michelin-trained private chef based in Nottingham who creates bespoke tasting menus for clients across the UK and internationally. Known for refined flavours and elegant presentation, she has built her career through experience in fine-dining kitchens as well as through her own private chef business.
Early career and fine-dining training
Born in Luton, Louisa began her culinary career working in professional kitchens before moving into fine dining.
A pivotal moment in her development came when she secured a position at Adam’s Restaurant in Birmingham. The Michelin-starred kitchen helped sharpen her technical precision and confidence, and she has described the experience as a turning point in her culinary journey.
Her experience in Michelin-level kitchens provided the foundation for the elegant and technically refined cooking style she is known for today.
MasterChef: The Professionals success
Louisa first gained national recognition when she competed on MasterChef: The Professionals in 2017, reaching the final three.
Her performances during the competition showcased her composure, creativity and strong technical ability. She later returned to the programme to win the MasterChef: The Professionals Festive Knockout in 2020.
In 2018, Louisa launched her own private-chef business, creating bespoke dining experiences and tasting menus for clients. Her work has taken her around the world, including cooking for families and private events in destinations such as Dubai, Lake Como, France and New York.
Mentoring and industry involvement
Alongside her private chef work, Louisa has remained active in supporting the next generation of chefs.
She has served as a chef judge for Nestlé Professional’s Toque d’Or competition, mentoring and supporting emerging culinary talent and encouraging young chefs to pursue careers in the industry.
Louisa is also passionate about improving representation in hospitality and hopes her career will inspire more young women to pursue roles in fine dining and professional kitchens.
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Louisa Ellis on Great British Menu 2026
Louisa first competed on Great British Menu during the Olympic-themed series in 2024, where she cooked for the judges but narrowly missed out on progressing to finals week, losing out to Adam Smith whose fish course went on to reach the banquet.
She now returns to the competition determined to show how her cooking has evolved since her previous appearance.
In Great British Menu 2026, Louisa represents the Central region. She competes alongside Nikita Pathakji, Ash Valenzuela-Heeger and James Sherwin for the chance to progress to finals week and cook at the banquet.
The veteran judge for the Central heat is Spencer Metzger, executive chef of two-Michelin-starred Row on 5.
Her menu focuses on storytelling and capturing the magic of cinema on the plate, aligning her dishes with the film-themed brief for this year’s competition.
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