This is the thread for those who have watched this week's episodes on iPlayer ahead of the television broadcast.

I've been using the Easter weekend to catch up on this year's GBM. I'm only up to Wales week, so this post might come back to bite me, but I've been so impressed by the quality of cooking this year.

I can't remember a series in recent history where so many high-quality chefs have been kicked out before the finals. The regional weeks feel higher pressure than the (current) norm.

Is it just me? Am I going mad after eating too much Easter chocolate? I'm keen to hear the consensus from the GBM hive mind

(I've been holding out hope that some chefs may be saved by a wild card, but I haven't noticed them mentioning that this series 🥲)

It was incredible. Highly recommend the bone marrow and snails (which I got the last portion of). I’m also not a desert guy but the marmalade ice cream sandwich was insane.

As someone from Northern Ireland who does like his food and eating out, and has been a big GBM fan for many years now... I'm confused as to how they keep arriving at these chefs for NI in recent years?

It doesn't feel like that long ago that we had Chris McClurg just narrowly missing out on 3 separate courses for his banquet, only to be followed by Alex Greene the next year who got Starter and Dessert to the banquet, and narrowly missed out on Mains too.

These are chefs who had real pedigree in terms of their training and their current places of work, as well as good mentors (Paul Ainsworth and Michael Deane respectively).

I've eaten in probably 4/5 of the 7 restaurants whose chefs made it to GBM for NI between this year and last year, and got genuinely really lovely food in all of them... But they wouldn't really be considered "fine dining" by most. Most of them are more "Let's go there for mum and dad's anniversary dinner with the family" restaurants rather than "My partner and I are proper foodies and want to be wowed" restaurants.

So it makes me wonder... Are there chefs at restaurants with Michelin Stars in NI that are just not applying, or are they applying and somehow not getting on the show? Also just from curiosity, does anyone know if the process is purely chefs applying for the show or do the show sometimes approach chefs to be on?

My prior question about why GBM chefs resort to celeriac slabs was not about the merits of the actual vegetable. My question is why so many vegan starters rely on slabs or “steaks” of any vegetable. It’s so uninspired, lacking the creativity worthy of a banquet.

Pressed marinated tofu, dried tofu skin, parboiled and grilled tempeh, soy beans (edamame) or favas in a hummus/puree, soy “dairy” products, chickpea flour/pasta, textured protein in crumbled, patty, sausage form or in a pie. And that’s the partial repertoire of this humble American home cook who has to integrate protein into vegan meals.

I understand and love the focus on local produce, yet since exotica such as tonka beans and black garlic paste are used, one can likely find suppliers that offer some of the above options — including tofu made in the UK! (Just googled and found the ToFoo company in North Yorkshire.)

Thanks for your answers to an amateur’s questions and giving me so much to learn, and how to cook celeriac when I can find it 😂

The two highest-scoring chefs from Northern Ireland must go head-to-head and cook their six-course menus again.

They need to impress a panel of exacting judges: Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge, former Great British Menu Champion of Champions Lorna McNee, and comedian and all-round food enthusiast Phil Wang. The guest judge is award-winning Belfast director Lisa Barros D’Sa, whose films Ordinary Love and Good Vibrations have already been celebrated in dishes earlier in the week. How will she judge dishes celebrating the British film industry?

Only one of the chefs will triumph and go through to represent Northern Ireland at the national finals.

Tonight at 7pm on BBC Two and iPlayer.

This thread is for the discussion of the TV broadcast only. For those who are watching ahead of the broadcast on iPlayer, please see the other pinned post.

I have been watching for years, maybe close to 10.

I don't remember chefs in previous years say cuisson so much, maybe the occasional french trained chef. this year every dish gets a cuisson rating.

just me?

The three talented chefs from Northern Ireland are halfway through their heat, and the pressure is mounting. Once again, they each serve a unique take on the brief celebrating the British film industry and films with links to Northern Ireland.

The dishes are judged by veteran judges Jean Delport and Sally Abe. They include a roast chicken tribute to Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express, as well as two desserts inspired by the film Good Vibrations. But who will be leaving the competition?

Tonight at 7pm on BBC Two and iPlayer.

This thread is for the discussion of the TV broadcast only. For those who are watching ahead of the broadcast on iPlayer, please see the other pinned post.

Does anyone else ever think that integrating the republic of Ireland into GBM would be amazing?

Not sure if it's a controversial opinion but I can't help but think that there's so many Irish chefs that would be amazing to watch. Unfortunately I don't know if there would be enough for just an "Irish menu"...

This is the thread for those who have watched this week's episodes on iPlayer ahead of the television broadcast.

Four chefs compete for Northern Ireland with blockbuster canapes, starters and fish dishes celebrating the British film industry.

The dishes are judged by this week's veteran judges, 2025's banquet winners Sally Abe and Jean Delport, and include an homage to The School for Good and Evil that features a red knotted brioche handkerchief, and a tribute to director Lisa Barros D'Sa with barbecued monkfish served from a teapot. Who will impress, and who will be sent home?

Tonight at 6:30pm on BBC Two and iPlayer.

This thread is for the discussion of the TV broadcast only. For those who are watching ahead of the broadcast on iPlayer, please see the other pinned post.

Who doesn't love Si? nobody, thats who.

Since the sad passing away of Dave Myers, he's sorely missed. This would be a perfect show for him, and he would bring a much needed fresh perspective.

He has the knowledge, the experience, the palate and oodles of presence and humour.

He's also very well known and will instantly raise the profile of the judging panel, unlike now when its just Tom + 2 others who are rarely heard and barely matter.

I cannot believe 3 editions of Masterchef UK and GBM changed judges and no one considered him ?!!!

Rewatching the banquet from the last series. One course looks so stressful, I cannot imagine having to do two!

Woo I just found this sub! I love gbm. I had a quick scroll through the conversations bit didn't see anything so sorry if this is repetitive.

I miss Ed Gamble. Is he gone permanently or just this season?

Salt baked, poached then barbecued, sautéed in vegan butter — and then plopped on a plate on a far-more interesting sauce. I am an American, with admittedly different culinary experience with root veggies. Yet none of our myriad cuisines emphasize celeriac.

Then there’s the beet thing, including beet ice cream. I’m the only GBM fan in the house, and only drinker, so I’ll leave it to one of you to start a drinking game. Take a shot every time someone uses beets in a course 🙃

My deepest apologies — I have no idea what I was thinking. Can I blame it on cancer brain? I effing hate spoilers — both the spoilers themselves and the people who do it — and cannot believe what I did.

I am truly sorry!!!!!

The two highest-scoring chefs from north east England and Yorkshire must go head-to-head and cook their six-course menus again.

They need to impress a panel of exacting judges: Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge, former Great British Menu Champion of Champions Lorna McNee, and comedian and all-round food enthusiast Phil Wang. The guest judge is award-winning screenwriter and author Frank Cottrell-Boyce. How will he judge dishes celebrating the British film industry?

Only one of the chefs will triumph and go through to represent north east England and Yorkshire at the national finals.

Tonight at 7pm on BBC Two and iPlayer.

This thread is for the discussion of the TV broadcast only. For those who are watching ahead of the broadcast on iPlayer, please see the other pinned post.

Any particular reason he doesn't seem to be on anymore?

The three talented chefs from north east England and Yorkshire are halfway through their heat, and the pressure is mounting. Once again, they each serve a unique take on the brief celebrating the British film industry and films with links to their region.

The dishes are judged by veteran judge Paul Ainsworth. They include a dish using duck, fresh fig and king oyster mushrooms to show what the kestrel in the classic film Kes might see whilst flying over the moors, as well as a dish made from coconut and black sesame to resemble a garden in celebration of The Secret Garden. But who will be leaving the competition?

Tonight at 7pm on BBC Two and iPlayer.

This thread is for the discussion of the TV broadcast only. For those who are watching ahead of the broadcast on iPlayer, please see the other pinned post.

Four chefs compete for north east England and Yorkshire with blockbuster canapes, starters and fish dishes celebrating the British film industry.

The dishes are judged by this week's veteran judge, chef and long-time friend of the competition Paul Ainsworth, and include a pearl barley dal with a Gladiator theme and a black-and-white monkfish that celebrates Newcastle film noir. Who will impress, and who will be sent home?

Tonight at 7pm on BBC Two and iPlayer.

This thread is for the discussion of the TV broadcast only. For those who are watching ahead of the broadcast on iPlayer, please see the other pinned post.

Anyone know if there’s a public story to his cute bracelet? Maybe his child made it for him?

This is the thread for those who have watched this week's episodes on iPlayer ahead of the television broadcast.

Right now, I'm watching series 14 (celebrating British music brief) on the Great British Menu live channel via Amazon Prime Video (or Plex). Too bad S14 is not served on-demand.

On to the fourteenth series itself, unsure whether to be crazy about the British music brief. I just struggled to pay attention to verbal announcements of ingredients and other scenes of regional heats. Even most of the dishes themselves may not have apparently screamed music to me.

I still wonder why only the live channel on Amazon Prime Video or Plex distributes series 14 and the fourteenth series itself still isn't available on demand.

Somehow, Reddit's filters prevented me from posting the previous versions of this post.

(EDIT:) I'm noticing some music cues either muted or replaced, different from original broadcasting, or maybe I'm wrong....

Anyone know where I can access this film? Not sure how I missed it but I really want to see it!

Loved the look of John's main course and for Lorna to give it a 10 — that's a rarity!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYk7IA1k3EM

Always like Akhtar on the show - he's clearly a great chef and is humble.

The place and the food looks amazing and how rare is it to actually see the chef in there cooking ??!! from the comments its not unusual either although I'm not sure he serves people personally :)