I have a couple of points of contention that I need to air. Better late than never. This year’s Great British Menu was celebrating the WI (Women’s Institute) and yet only 4 of the 24 chefs competing where women. Seems a weird way to celebrate women’s contribution to the British heritage and indeed it’s culinary history; unless of course the attitude is women cook, and men are chefs (aka the professionals)’ which is exactly the message this gives. This undermines the work that women are doing in the industry; it undermines the industry as a whole. There are more than 4 women in the UK at that standard. The National Restaurant awards named Barafina as no.1 restaurant this year, a restaurant run by a woman. If the producers had asked more women and they had turned them down, then they need to re-think the structure of the show. Great British Menu no longer shows off the industry as a whole and feels disingenuous. There is some amazing food this year, and we're only i...
This is a project about the conversations and thoughts that food, drink and the location of London brings.