The 20th series of the Great British Menu is set to launch today on Two (January 28), featuring a new season theme – Great Britons. This will inspire budding chefs to create dishes influenced by significant historical figures.
Andi Oliver returns for her fifth year as host, with Tom Kerridge and Ed Gamble joined on the judging panel by former GBM champion Lorna McNee.
Tom, owner of The Hand and Flowers, has been associated with the programme for over a decade, having competed in 2010 and 2011, winning the main course round in both series. His popularity soared on the show, leading to a flourishing career. Producers even invited him back to mentor other hopefuls in 2012.
Accepting the ‘s offer, Tom has since become a fixture on the show, eventually progressing to a judge’s role.
As the chef prepares for another TV appearance this week, and given his immense success on the programme, let’s take a look at Tom’s off-screen life.
Tom is about to return to screens (Image: BBC2)
Chef Fame
Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge resides in Marlow with his wife Beth Cullen and their son Acey.
Tom also owns two pubs in his hometown, The Coach and The Hand and Flowers, both located in the picturesque village of Marlow, making his commute to work a breeze.
He also boasts his own establishment, Kerridge’s Bar and Grill, nestled within the Corinthia Hotel, and does make the journey to London on occasion to supervise his delectable dishes.
Tom’s wife ‘left him three times’ (Image: BBC/Bone Soup Productions LTD/Richard Hill)
Wife ‘left three times’
The culinary star is wedded to sculptor Beth Cullen-Kerridge, and they share a son, Acey, born in 2015.
Conversing with author Paul Stenning for the his book Success: Those Who Have Made It, Tom disclosed that, despite an instant connection with Beth, their partnership faced its hurdles. He admitted to the writer: “My relationship with Beth is fantastic but in our first year living and working together she left me three times!”
In an intimate interview with Hello magazine, Tom professed that his most cherished day is spent watching his son play rugby, living for these quintessential family moments. Opening up to the magazine, he said: “My happiest days are the ones spent with my wife and son.
“Looking back on life, there are so many huge occasions, such as our wedding and the day Acey was born, and while those are amazing days, they come with heightened emotions.”
Tom elucidated further: “The birth of your child isn’t necessarily fun, even though it’s so important and the same goes for your wedding day. They’re very happy and wonderful experiences, but my happiest days are the ones I spend with my family.”
Tom lost an epic 12 stone in weight (Image: Getty Images)
Weight loss
Aside from his celebrated culinary achievements, Tom has also captured attention for shedding a staggering 12-stone in weight. At the age of 40, weighing in at 30 stone, the renowned chef realised he had to reclaim control of his life due to mounting health concerns.
Tom embarked on a transformative journey, crediting the dopamine diet as pivotal to his weight loss triumph. He now indulges in protein-rich meals that stimulate the release of dopamine the ‘feel-good’ hormone.
Discussing his impressive weight reduction with the Mirror, he shared: “It’s impossible to lose weight and keep the weight off for good if you don’t enjoy what you’re eating.”
He further added: “The cooking techniques mean there’s no compromise on flavour and you’re promised a generous plate of food! I’m hoping this will help more people to lose weight and still love what they eat.”
Tom was once an actor before his chef career (Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Montblanc)
Battling alcohol addiction
During his monumental weight loss, Tom also recognised the significant role quitting alcohol had played in his journey towards a lighter self.
He candidly admitted to previous bouts of heavy drinking, which included downing cocktails and up to 15 pints in a single evening. But it was his determined decision to kick alcohol to the curb entirely that marked a turning point.
On Radio 4’s Desert Island Disks, he put it bluntly: “One day that was it. I have completely destroyed alcohol for myself.”
Tom candidly shared with the Mirror: “I stopped drinking all by myself. I knew what I wanted to do and then I got on with it. It was all about mental strength. I have an addictive personality. People ask me whether I’m an alcoholic, but I think it could have been anything, it’s just that alcohol was the thing I found.”
He continued to reflect on his relationship with alcohol: “Maybe I am an alcoholic, I don’t know. Some days are really, really hard and some days are easy. Most of the time it’s not relevant in my life. I channel all that old drinking energy into work now.”
Tom Kerridge who owns the Hand and Flowers in Marlow, Buckinghamshire with his wife, Beth Kerridge, which has become the first British pub to receive two Michelin stars. (Image: PA)
ITV drama past
Before Tom became a household name as a celebrity chef, he dabbled in acting, appearing in a well-known ITV drama.
Now 51 and gearing up for another stint on Great British Menu, Tom initially pursued a career in television before venturing into the culinary world.
In the 1990s, he snagged a role in Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, portraying a borstal boy. His other TV credits include appearances in The Tomorrow People, Chris Cross, and After Henry.
ITV enthusiasts might also remember him from the popular series London’s Burning, where he played Thug One in an episode. Despite these on-screen roles, Tom chose to shift his focus to avoid being pigeonholed.
Great British Menu returns to BBC2 tonight (January 28)