Celebrated Manchester chef through to Great British Menu finals

Prestwich chef Danielle Heron has got through to the national finals of this year’s series of the Great British Menu. Danielle beat Chester-based chef Laszlo Nagy in the regional heat to head through to try and get a spot on the final banquet.

“I’m blown away,” she said on the show. “I’ve got a lot more work to do, that’s for sure, but it feels amazing. It really, really does. I can’t wait to tell my mum.”

Her main course dish was the one that clinched it for her, a Chinese-inspired steamed chicken with spring rolls, homemade sesame noodles with chilli and peanut sauce. It was inspired by the animated series of Paddington Bear, in which he holds a surprise Chinese New Year feast.

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“For me, there was one outstanding dish that really is a contender for [being] banquet worthy, and that is that main course,” said judge Tom Kerridge. During the tasting Kerridge added: “I honestly don’t want this to end.”

She will now face off with all the chefs from all the other regions, hoping to get one of her courses into the final banquet, which is being held to celebrate the 65th birthday of Paddington.

Heron beat off competition from Brazilian-born, Manchester-based chef Caroline Martins, and Sam Grainger, of Belzan, Carnival, Madre and Lucky Foot fried chicken fame.

Originally from Whitefield, Michelin-trained Danielle worked at the famous L’Enclume in the Lake District with three-star chef Simon Rogan, and opened her restaurant Osma in Prestwich with business partner Sofie Stoermann-Naess in 2020. Taking over a former kitchen showroom, the restaurant is heavily influenced by Danielle’s impressive culinary CV and time spent in Norway.

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