von Essen hotels Head Office von Essen house, Roman Way, Bath Business Park, BA2 8SG
News
Kenny Atkinson Takes North East Food to New Heights... Posted on 05/06/2009
...as his starter makes it onto BBC Final Banquet of Great British Menu
North East food lovers are celebrating as the regions own top chef Kenny Atkinson from Seaham Hall hotel has had his starter of Salad of Aberdeen Angus beef, carrots, horseradish and Shetland black potato crisps voted onto the hugely prestigious banquet menu for the BBC 2 hit show Great British Menu.
The final week took place between Monday May 25th and Thursday 28th May consisting of the eight regional finalists competing against each other to cook one or more courses of a sumptuous 4-course homecoming banquet for members of the British Forces returning from Afghanistan. The results were aired on the Friday evening with half of the votes being made up from the judges and half from viewer votes.
On Monday Kenny Atkinson’s starter finished in second place. Described by Judge Matthew Fort as the ‘most important course of the dinner’ the pressure didn’t show as Kenny’s starter was described as ‘perfect’ by Judge Oliver Peyton. Judges scored Kenny an excellent 25.5 out of 30 with Kenny’s nearest rival piping him by scoring 26. Kenny needed strong viewer support to help move his starter from second into first place and he wasn’t disappointed. Feverish support from the North East viewing public helped Kenny become the only chef in the competition to move into first position through viewer votes.
‘I am so pleased for the area, its fantastic that we will have a North East chef using regional produce on the final banquet menu. I would just like to thank everyone that voted for me, I hoped that the area would get behind and they did, so a huge thank you.’’
Speaking about Kenny’s win Lucy Carroll from Tiptoe Farm in Northumberland commented ‘We are all so proud that Kenny has won with his spectacular and creative starter. It is thrilling for us that the Shetland Black heritage potato contributed to Kenny's dish. He is known in the area as a chef who supports local suppliers which means such a lot to specialist producers like us’.
Next Saturday June 6th Kenny will join Glynn Purnell (fish), Nigel Haworth (main) and Sean Rankin (dessert) to cook for 100 British troops and their families at RAF Halton House. The meal will burst with the tastes of home that they have been missing for so many months.
Each evening Seaham Hall guests can now taste Kenny Atkinson’s 4-course Great British Menu for just £80 per person. This offer is available to all non-resident as well as resident diners.
www.seaham-hall.co.uk Lord Byron’s Walk, Seaham, County Durham, SR7 7AG 01915 161 400
