Northcote chef wins NW heat of Great British Menu (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Northcote chef wins NW heat of Great British Menu

8:00pm Friday 22nd April 2011 in Langho

RIBBLE Valley chef Lisa Allen is ecstatic after winning the North West final of television’s The Great British Menu tonight — for the second successive year.

The head chef at Michelin-starred Northcote, Langho, said she was extremely honoured to represent the region in the national final of the BBC2 programme.

She said: “After winning with my starter last year, there was a lot of pressure to live up to the expectations and standards that I had set for myself.

“I am absolutely ecstatic that I have the opportunity to represent the North West for a second time.

“It is a huge privilege and something I am extremely honoured to be able to do.”

Lisa received 34 points out of a possible score of 40 from Marcus Wareing which enabled her to cook for the judges.

On last night’s show she was crowned the North West winner by the judges, Oliver Peyton, Prue Leith and Matthew Fort.

Last year she won in the national final, taking the prize of cooking the starter for a banquet for the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and 120 guests.

This year the Great British Menu is working with The Big Lunch, a Big Lottery-funded community street party initiative run by The Eden Project.

Chefs have been tasked to create platters which will be paraded down the ancient cobbled streets of Leadenhall Market in London to about 100 expectant guests.

The menu Lisa will be taking to the final is: • crispy shoulder of suckling pig, pancakes and dip, • whole salt baked sea trout to share, cockles, potato salad, fennel and samphire, • barbeque cornfed chicken, summer beans, potato skins, tear and share bread, • raspberry and chocolate pavlova, sheep's milk and nut ice cream pots.

Nigel Haworth, managing director/chef patron of Northcote and 2009 Great British Menu winner, said: “Lisa has worked exceptionally hard, putting a lot of thought and effort into the brief for banquet this year, which has so far paid off. I am extremely proud of her and she is a deserving winner. “