The show will celebrate 140 years of the Wimbledon tennis championships when it returns to BBC Two this spring.
Twenty-four of the nation’s top chefs will be challenged to create dishes to serve at this year’s All England Lawn Tennis Club banquet, held in the shadow of Centre Court. Their creations must celebrate ‘A Taste of Summer’ and pay tribute to the history of the tennis tournament.
Each week three chefs from different regions of the UK will compete to impress a veteran judge such as Angela Hartnett, Michael O’Hare and Daniel Clifford. Two winners will make it through to a Friday final, where they will cook for a panel including restaurateur Oliver Peyton, critic Matthew Fort and chef and broadcaster Andi Oliver – who has replaced Prue Leith.
Special guest judges joining the line-up this year include Judy Murray, mother of Wimbledon champion Andy, and BBC Wimbledon host Sue Barker.
The series will transmit in the run up to the tennis championships with the final banquet broadcast on the Friday before the start of this year’s tournament.
"The standard of food cooked in this series is insanely high, these are the best chefs in the country cooking the most amazing food you'll see on television,” says Peyton.
“Sometimes I think the competition will never get any better but the chef's passion just drives the show on to new heights."
This year’s Great British Menu line-up in full:
London and South East
Competing chefs:
- Selin Kiazim, Oklava, London
- Tom Kemble, Bonhams Restaurant, London
- Mike Reid, M Restaurants, London
Friday guest judge: Leon Smith (Former coach of Andy Murray and current Captain of the British Davis Cup team)
South West
Competing chefs:
- Tom Brown, Outlaw’s at the Capital, London
- Dom Chapman, The Beehive Restaurant and Pub, Berkshire
- Andy Clatworthy, Formerly at Brigstow Bar and Kitchen, Bristol. Now at 108 Restaurant, Copenhagen
Friday guest judge: Marion Regan (strawberry farmer and supplier to the Wimbledon Championships)
North West
Competing chefs:
- Ellis Barrie, The Marram Grass, Isle of Anglesey
- Paul Askew, The Art School, Liverpool
- Tom Parker, The White Swan, Lancashire
Friday guest judge: Greg Rusedski (Former British No.1 and BBC Sports Personality of the Year 1997)
North East
Competing chefs:
- Tommy Banks, The Black Swan at Oldstead, North Yorkshire
- Josh Overington, Le Cochon Aveugle, York
- Danny Parker, House Of Tides, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Friday guest judge: Judy Murray (Mother of Wimbledon Champions Andy and Jamie and founder of sport education initiative Tennis On The Road)
Scotland
Competing chefs:
- Michael Bremner, 64 Degrees, Brighton
- Ally McGrath, Osso, Peebles
- Angela Malik, caterer for private clients, London
Friday guest judge: Gary Parsons (Wimbledon’s Executive Chef, overseeing 49 kitchens onsite with 330 chefs)
Wales
Competing chefs:
- Phil Carmichael, Berners Tavern, London
- Nick Brodie, Llangoed Hall, Brecon
- Paul Croasdale, Alyn Williams at the Westbury, London
Friday guest judge: Dan Bloxham (Master of Ceremonies at Wimbledon and Head Coach of the All England Club)
Central
Competing chefs:
- Pip Lacey, Murano, London
- Ryan Simpson, Orwells, Oxfordshire
- Nick Deverell-Smith, The Churchill Arms, Gloucestershire
Friday guest judge: Jordanne Whiley MBE (Paralympic bronze medallist and three-time Wimbledon Wheelchair Doubles Champion)
Northern Ireland
Competing chefs:
- Tommy Heaney, The Great House, South Wales
- Eddie Attwell, St Kyrans, County Cavan, Eire
- Joery Castel, Formerly at The Boathouse, now at Saphyre Restaurant, Belfast
Friday guest judge: Mansour Bahrami (known as tennis’ greatest entertainer)
Finals judges
- Starter: Sue Barker OBE (BBC Wimbledon host and former British No.1)
- Fish: Tim Henman OBE (Former British No.1 who reached a career high of World No.4)
- Main: Gordon Reid MBE (Paralympic gold medallist and first ever Men’s Wheelchair Champion at Wimbledon)
- Dessert: Annabel Croft (Former British No. 1 and now commentator)
Veteran judges
- Tom Aikens - Tom’s Kitchen, various locations
- Daniel Clifford - Midsummer House, Cambridge and The Flitch of Bacon, Essex
- Angela Hartnett - Murano and Merchant’s Tavern, both London
- Nathan Outlaw - Restaurant Nathan Outlaw and Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen, both Port Isaac
- Michael O’Hare - The Man Behind the Curtain, Leeds
- Richard Bainbridge - Benedicts, Norwich
- Jeremy Lee - Quo Vadis, London
- Michael Smith - Loch Bay Restaurant, Isle of Skye