North chef is eager to tune into TV finale

Jun 16 2009 by Jane Hall, The Journal

VIEWERS will tonight find out how the North East's only Michelin-starred chef, Kenny Atkinson, fared feeding soldiers and their families at a glittering banquet for troops returning from Afghanistan.

But the most eager viewer tuning in to see how the four-course meal was received will be Kenny himself. For the head chef at Seaham Hall’s White Room restaurant in County Durham, was so busy he never made it out of the kitchen!

Kenny will settle down on the sofa along with millions of other food lovers at 8pm, as the grand finale of BBC Two’s Great British Menu is aired.

Tantrums, tiredness and tears are promised as Kenny and fellow top chefs Glynn Purnell, Nigel Haworth and Shaun Rankin battle against both the clock and an unfamiliar kitchen.

Last night, Kenny admitted there had been a few “frayed tempers” as the BBC cameras followed the chefs’ efforts.

He said: “It was hard work. We had two hours the night before the banquet to make some preparations and were back in the kitchen 9.30am, with the event due to start at 6.30pm. It sounds like a long time to prepare but what with the filming and giving interviews, we were up against it. Everyone wanted to do their best and make banquet fit for heroes, so it would be fair to say tempers did flare.

“I am as anxious as anyone to see how we come across and, most importantly, what the reaction of diners was. I really enjoyed being involved with the banquet and it was an honour for both myself and the North East that I made it to the finale.”

Kenny, 32, battled against seven other chefs to reach the final. Each chef had to come up with a four-course menu, taking a ‘taste of home’ as its theme and championing local produce. It was Kenny’s summer starter of salad of Aberdeen Angus beef, carrots, horseradish and Shetland black potato crisps, that got the public vote.

The Great British Menu will be on tonight on BBC Two at 8pm.

For more of Kenny Atkinson go to www.journallive.co.uk/taste