Great British Menu: Sheffield chef behind JÖRO makes tongue in cheek 'personal vendetta' comment on TV cooking show

Luke French, chef director and culinary mastermind behind the Kelham Island eatery, has wowed the judges on BBC Two’s popular Great British Menu.

He has beaten competition from other talented chefs in the regional heats – including Mark Aisthorpe, chef patron of the Bulls Head at Holymoorside, Derbyshire – to reach the final stages.

Luke appeared on the show last night when he represented the North East and Yorkshire region against other talented chefs representing areas from around the UK.

Each day this week the eight remaining chefs will be marked out of 10 for courses ranging from starter to desert by an expert judging panel that includes Bafta-winning writer, actor and comedian Steve Pemberton, Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge, restaurateur Nisha Katona and food podcast host and comedian Ed Gamble.

This year’s series is celebrating 100 years of British Broadcasting with contestants tasked to reflect the theme in their cooking. The latest episode saw chefs compete to create the perfect fish course.

Luke served up Lobster Newburg, inspired by the classic TV show Brideshead Revisited and the ‘luxurious food they ate’.

He had previously served the same dish in the regional finals but it didn’t go down too well with judges as they criticised a barbecue blaze for being too sweet.

Tom Kerridge praised Luke for adding more heat into the sauce for last night’s serving and said it “works much better with the sweetness so now it has got something that kicks back against it."

But he added: “I still don’t think it is perfect."

The judges put Luke joint last – along with fellow chef Sam Lomas.

Luke joked afterwards that he “feels like there is a bit of a personal vendetta against me now.”

However, he will appear in the next round tonight on BBC Two at 9pm tonight alongside other chefs where they will be tasked with cooking a main course.

They are competing for a place in the grand finale, broadcast on Friday, that will see them cook a banquet at Alexandra Palace in London where the overall winner will be announced.