Latest news with #LornaMcNee
Sky News
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Great British Menu judge on a 'ridiculously good' own-brand product, complaining in restaurants and wine list tip
Every week the Money blog interviews top chefs from around the UK, hearing about their cheap food hacks, views on the industry and more - and they don't come much more celebrated than Lorna McNee, executive chef at Michelin-starred Cail Bruich in Glasgow. This year she became a judge on Great British Menu, having been crowned champion of champions on the show in 2019. This is her Cheap Eats interview... My favourite own-brand product is... the Waitrose Basque cheesecake, hands down. It's ridiculously good. Rich, creamy, just the right amount of caramelised top... honestly, it's dangerous having it in the fridge. My favourite restaurant chain... has got to be Nando's. I go extra hot every time - no messing around. I always get a wrap with halloumi added, and then go all in with corn on the cob, spicy rice and fries on the side. Absolute perfection. And yes, I do judge anyone who orders lemon and herb. One UK restaurant that's worth blowing out for... has to be The Ledbury in London. Every time I've been it's absolutely blown me away. The level of finesse, the depth of flavour, the way they handle produce - it's all just exceptional. You can feel the passion in every course. It's one of those places where you leave genuinely inspired. If you're going to treat yourself, that's the spot to do it. I'll phone a restaurant if I'm going to be 10 minutes' late... I know how much planning goes into each service, so I hate the idea of throwing things off or keeping the team waiting. We understand life happens, but a quick call really does go a long way. It shows respect for the effort going on behind the scenes - and if you're like me, it helps ease that little knot of guilt too! The last time I complained in a restaurant... my mum had ordered a dish that was meant to come with haggis bon bons, and when it arrived, it was clearly black pudding. They tried to tell me it was haggis. I stayed calm, but eventually I said: "I'm a chef - I know the difference." That changed the tone pretty quickly! I've got no problem if something's gone wrong, it happens - but just be honest about it. Don't try and pull a fast one, especially when mum's involved! The weirdest request I ever had was... someone ordering, in advance, two bananas (skin on!) and one baked potato wrapped in tinfoil. To this day, I have absolutely no idea why that's what they wanted… no explanation, no context, just that exact request. But hey, if it makes them happy, I'm more than happy to oblige. Don't be afraid to set a price limit when asking for advice about the wine list... or say something like: "I'm looking for something between £X and £Y." It's super helpful and takes the pressure off. I didn't train for years to have a dish go cold while someone's getting the perfect drip shot of a sauce... Some influencers are great - genuinely passionate about food, respectful in the way they share it, and they can really help shine a light on restaurants that deserve it. But then there are the ones who turn up late, ask for "extra aesthetic lighting", spend more time filming than eating, and want the meal comped in return for a reel. It's not a performance - it's a restaurant. Also, if you're going to post reviews or critiques, be mindful. You're not Gordon Ramsay - and a bit of negative clout online might get you likes, but it can really knock a small team working their socks off. Share the love, but do it with respect. The most annoying review I ever had was... someone complaining that they could hear the kitchen. Well, of course you could! It's an open kitchen. Don't dine somewhere with an open kitchen if you don't want to hear it. Reviews, both good and bad, are part of having people take interest in your restaurant - and that's a positive thing. But unless you've had a genuinely poor experience, I do think leaving a bad review can be quite damaging. Especially when it comes from someone with no real understanding of our culture, how hard we work or how much we love what we do. There's always someone behind that plate who's poured their heart and soul into it. You don't have to love every bite , but show a bit of respect. It matters. My favourite cheap place to eat is... Caio in Bridge of Allan. You could get a half pizza - pepperoni would be my go-to - then finish with one of their homemade pistachio gelatos, which is just brilliant. The coffee's great too, proper quality. Here's a cheap mushroom stroganoff recipe... Ingredients: 250g button mushrooms, cut into quarters 250g chestnut mushrooms - cut into quarters 1 onion, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 100ml water with 1 Knorr vegetable or chicken jelly stock cube 100ml double cream 100ml creme fraiche A splash of oil or knob of butter Salt and pepper to taste Fresh tarragon to finish - you could go parsley or chive if you prefer Serve with rice Method: Heat some oil and butter in a pan, then gently cook the onion and garlic until soft. Turn up the heat and add mushrooms, and cook until the mushrooms start to caramelise and release their excess water content. Season with Salt and Pepper. Pour in the stock and let it simmer for 5ᆞ minutes to reduce by half. Add in your cream and bring to the boil. Add in your creme fraiche and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Whilst this is simmering, chop your herb of choice! Check your seasoning and then finish with your herbs. Serve it over rice. (perfect amount being 75g rice from raw). It's cosy, rich and takes around 20 minutes start to finish. You can easily bulk it out with extra veg like spinach or frozen peas - it won't stretch your pocket much further and will fill you for longer. Winning and now being a judge on Great British Menu has had a huge impact on my career... It opened so many doors and brought a level of recognition that you can't really prepare for. When I stepped into the role at Cail Bruich, there was already excitement and curiosity because of GBM, and I think that momentum helped us hit the ground running. But it has changed customer expectations... People arrive now with higher expectations, which is a good thing - it keeps us sharp. There's also a wider variety of diners coming in, not just locals or regulars, but people travelling from further afield who maybe saw the show and want to experience the food in person. GBM has given people a reason to walk through the door for the first time - but it's the team and the experience that keep them coming back. One thing people are often surprised by is just how intense and real the timings on the show are... When you see that clock ticking down on TV - it's not for show. There are no retakes, no pauses. What you cook in that time is what gets judged, full stop. It's incredibly high pressure, but also really exhilarating.
BBC News
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
The Great British menu team let us in on their all time favourite themes along with what to expect from the new season
The Great British Menu returned to BBC Two and iPlayer for its landmark 20th series in January. New judge, Lorna McNee, former Great British Menu Champion and one of the UK's most acclaimed and decorated chefs, has joined Tom Kerridge and Ed Gamble in the search to find the next best in British cuisine. Andi Oliver, who has featured on the show since 2017 is back as series host and mentor. This season's theme of 'Great Britons' sees chefs draw inspiration from their choice of important people, from ancient to modern history, who've come from their area. Watch The Great British Menu on BBC iPlayer IC Interview with Andi Oliver What can the viewers look forward to in this season of Great British Menu? This season will be a hugely emotional year in the kitchen, it's our 20 year anniversary so the chefs will be coming into the kitchen with a lot to prove! Viewers can expect all of the elements that they love about our competition, rivalry, camaraderie, joy, tears (there's always some crying because the stakes are so high) passion, and incredible innovation. How hard will the winning chef need to work to become the Champion of Champions? The standard in our kitchen has never been higher and so to win the accolade of champion of champions will take some doing! They'll need to show incredible skill, and breathtaking artistry to be the one chef who finishes head and shoulders above the rest! Out of all the series you've been on, which has been your favourite theme and what dish would you have cooked to honour that theme? Oh that's a DIFFICULT one, but I think I'd have to say children's literature. It was such a rich history to mine for the chefs and the dishes they came up with were just filled with all the wonder and magical energy that you could ever wish for! And to cook, maybe I'd use some lines from the owl and the pussycat by Edward Lear for inspiration. 'They dined on mince & slices of quince which they ate with a runcible spoon' . I think I'd start with a ducana, which are a bit like a kind of fresh coconut, white sweet potato tamale. I'd stuff it with spiced mince and herbs and make a little golden buttery broth and escovitch pickled quince…and that probably wouldn't even get me to the judges table! Why do you think Great British Menu has been so successful for so long? I think that people respond to the humanity of the competition, the chefs really do give their all in that kitchen. When it works out for them it's just so inspiring and beautiful to watch but they keep us on the edge of our seats because inevitably when anyone is sharing their creative soul like that it's like watching them walk a tightrope. I am so proud of Great British Menu and the part that I believe we play in keeping our industry exciting, challenging, and constantly moving forward. Interview with Lorna McNee What can the viewers look forward to in this season of Great British Menu? People can look forward to lots of great food, fantastic produce, captivating brief interpretations, and some really good and interesting guests judges and story lines. How hard will the winning chef need to work to become the Champion of Champions? To win the champion of champions is a mammoth task, you've got to make sure you execute your dish exactly as you want to, and that's a very difficult task in a completely different kitchen for 100 guests. It will take a lot of focus and determination, but there are 4 fantastic dishes and each have a chance to grab that spot. Out of all the series, which has been your favourite theme and what dish would you have cooked to honour that theme? I would probably have chosen the kids illustration theme. As a new mum, it's really fun to have your child starting to get interested in books. There is a great book called Tiddler by Julia Donaldson. It's about a fish that also lies about why he is late to school, and his friend is a John Dory which, is my favourite eat. So basically, I could definitely relate to always lying at school, maybe not to why I was late, but to why my homework was never done, as I'm sure many chefs could relate too! This way, I could definitely incorporate a great story and a tasty plate of food for this theme. Plus, there are loads of other extremely fun things that could have been done for children's books. Why do you think Great British Menu has been so successful for so long? I believe that Great British Menu has been successful for so long as so many great chefs have come from the show. You see chefs on the show - as a young chef myself at the time - and then you follow the chef's career and you see how far they go after the show. That is not to say the show creates the best chefs, but it definitely finds the best talented chefs from around our country. Therefore, people are always going to be interested in the programme, because it shows that many of the best chefs set foot on this show at some point in their career. It also helps many of them propel their career forward. Interview with Tom Kerridge What can the viewers look forward to in this season of Great British Menu? Fantastic, incredible food, as always. But what was amazing this year was 20 years of Great British Menu and celebrating Great Britons, and their stories that we learn about through food and creativity of those taking part. How hard will the winning chef need to work to become the Champion of Champions? As always, Great British Menu is a competition that pushes chefs to the limit of creativity, ability and emotional connection to the brief. The best dishes always shine through. Out of all the series you've been on, which has been your favourite theme and what dish would you have cooked to honour that theme? Every year I keep thinking this is incredible, and it asks questions that run deeper into the thinking of a chef and how you would possibly come up with something, not only that tastes amazing but touches people emotionally. I think this year is a particularly strong theme as it is a fairly open door to all forms of creativity but my personal favourite – because I got to meet incredible athletes while they were training to compete – would be the Olympics. Why do you think Great British Menu has been so successful for so long? I think because it shows the regionality brilliance of chefs up and down the country, it isn't just London focused and is a true celebration of our fantastic food cuisine, from coast to field, and farm, and also embraces seasonality. Interview with Ed Gamble What can the viewers look forward to in this season of Great British Menu? More outstanding food, of course, but that's a given with Great British Menu. We got to meet some excellent chefs competing for the first time and welcomed back some brilliant returning legends. Also, a new judge! Lorna is fantastic and fit into the team right away. All in all, everything you love about Great British Menu is back bigger and better. How hard will the winning chef need to work to become the Champion of Champions? We ask a lot from the chefs. They're all at the top of their game anyway, but we need them to push it even further. Great food is a given, but fitting into our theme as well as providing a banquet ready dish is no mean feat. To get through the heats, finals week and then win the banquet is a massive undertaking and I can't imagine how hard they have to work. Rather them than me, I'm happier just eating it all and casting my judgement. Out of all the series you've been on, which has been your favourite theme and what dish would you have cooked to honour that theme? I love the centenary of the BBC theme. It was my first year as a regular judge - the inspiration was very close to my heart and it gave the chefs a very broad remit to have some fun. Personally, I wouldn't even attempt to cook in the competition for fear of people realising I'm even less qualified to judge than they think I am. I'd probably try and sneak a takeaway through the back door. Why do you think Great British Menu has been so successful for so long? So many reasons. The gifted chefs, the themed banquets, the increasing ambition of the dishes. More and more it's a great opportunity to discover new culinary talent and get to know them. In the last few years, I feel like Andi Oliver is a huge reason why the show has been so successful. I would watch Andi present a leaf.
