Great British Menu is back on the BBC this week, endeavouring once again to put together the ultimate menu, with recipes courtesy of some of the most exciting chefs in the country.
Chefs from around the UK will be battling it out to get their dishes on the roster for an illustrious banquet, this year celebrating the legacy of British pop music in the 50th year since the Beatles last played live together.
Throughout the course of the series, contestants will come across scrutiny from numerous guest judges – this week, it’s the turn of acclaimed chef Angela Hartnett to cast her beady eye over the offerings from three London-hailing hopefuls.
So who is the Michelin-starred maestra who will be judging their entries? And where can you eat her Italian-influenced food in London? Here’s what you need to know about Angela Hartnett.
Who is Angela Hartnett and why is she on Great British Menu?
Angela Hartnett is a London-based chef who currently holds a Michelin star at her Italian restaurant Murano in Mayfair. Earlier in her career, Hartnett worked under Gordon Ramsay at a number of his restaurants in the UK and in Dubai. In 2004, she was awarded a Michelin star for her restaurant Angela Hartnett at The Connaught.
She’ll be appearing on Great British Menu this week to judge the first stage of the London and South East heat, judging dishes presented by Paul Walsh (City Social), Ben Marks (Perilla) and Luke Selby (Hide).
Where is Angela Hartnett’s restaurant Murano?
Mayfair restaurant Murano can be found on Queen Street, W1J 5PP. Hartnett is also in charge of the food at numerous restaurants across London. These include Murano’s casual offshoot, Cafe Murano, which has two locations in Covent Garden and St James’s, her Shoreditch restaurant Merchants Tavern (which she runs with husband Neil Borthwick), and Pastificio, a deli and pasta spot next door to Cafe Murano in Covent Garden.
What is Angela Hartnett’s New Forest restaurant?
Not content with conquering the London dining scene, Hartnett teamed up with chef Luke Holder in 2012 to create Hartnett Holder & Co, a restaurant at the five star Lime Wood Hotel in the New Forest.
What are Angela Hartnett’s recipes like?
Hartnett’s food is hugely influenced by her Italian heritage. Born in Kent, she was largely brought up by her mother and Italian grandmother, who taught her how to cook. Her flagship restaurant Murano (named after the Venetian, glass-producing island) serves a modern take on classic Italian recipes, with courses aplenty (up to five) encouraging you to eat feasting-style.
Dishes on the current menu include tortellini alla crema with parmesan and nutmeg, burrata with blood orange and mint, halibut with herb farfalle and chicken broth, and a rack of lamb served with black truffle, polenta and celery.
