Great British Menu 2016: North West heat preview

We’ve seen everything from edible cricket pitches to tartare sauce served in a bucket on a deck chair during the South West heat preview, but despite all the gimmicks it’s always the best tasting dishes that get the chefs through to the final. The north west of England tends to be associated with bold, unfussy flavours, so will we see simpler, cleaner dishes from the three chefs chosen to represent the region? Here’s who’s stepping up to the plate for the third week of the competition.

Originally from Audenshaw, Greater Manchester, Adam Reid cut his culinary teeth at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall under chef Robert Kisby before making a name for himself in the North West at places such as Simon Radley at The Chester Grosvenor, Brockencote Hall and Le Mont.

Adam was appointed head chef when Simon Rogan’s The French at The Midland Hotel first opened three years ago, and he’s been there ever since. His cooking style is quintessentially modern British, working in tandem with Simon’s ethos and evolving the country’s cuisine as much as possible.

As a born and bred Liverpudlian, Matt Worswick initially became a chef because he liked food and needed a job. But he soon discovered a passion for cooking and trained under the likes of Kenny Atkinson, Simon Hulstone and David Everitt-Matthias. After taking head chef roles at Glenapp Castle in Ayrshire and Thornton Hall on The Wirral, he was chosen to replace Michael Wignall at The Latymer hotel, and now has the task of retaining the restaurant’s two Michelin stars.

After last year’s appearance on Great British Menu, Matt is hoping to improve on his scores and show why he was chosen to replace Michael Wignall at The Latymer. His big, bold cooking style puts flavour above all else, doing away with unnecessary fussiness on the plate.

Kim Woodward came to prominence when she reached the semi-finals of Masterchef: The Professionals 2011, and now heads up the famous Savoy Grill, following in the footsteps of chefs such as Auguste Escoffier and Marcus Wareing. Originally from Cheshire, Kim spent six years training in some of the best restaurants in the US before returning to the UK to work in the Gordon Ramsay Group.

Kim continues to cook the classics that made the Savoy Grill famous, such as beef wellington and omelette Arnold Bennett, but imparts her own unique flair onto the menu. She’ll be hoping to display this in the Great British Menu kitchen.