Champion Of Champions
Kirk Haworth has been crowned the 2024 Great British Menu champion, becoming the first ever plant-based winner, writes Gail Bailey
The latest series of the BBC’s Great British Menu competitive cooking show ended last month with Ribble Valley-born chef Kirk Haworth being crowned the ultimate winner with the first ever completely plant-based dish. Inspired by his own very personal journey in food, and driven by his determination to regain his health, Kirk leads his kitchen with passion and a vision for a more balanced food landscape.
Kirk is the son of renowned local chef Nigel Haworth, owner of The Three Fishes at Mitton and formerly of Northcote, who himself served the main course at ‘the banquet’ in 2009’s Great British Menu – and who has also returned as a judge on more than one occasion.
Having trained and completed a four-year apprenticeship with his dad at Northcote, Kirk moved to London to work with Phil Howard at The Square before going on to work with a number of top chefs in Michelin-starred restaurants across the globe. When he was diagnosed with Lyme Disease however, in 2016, Kirk needed to rethink his health, and his lifestyle, culminating in converting to a completely plant-based diet: “After discovering that removing meat, gluten, refined sugar and dairy from my diet improved my symptoms, I began to explore innovative ways to cook with new ingredients,” explains Kirk.
Kirk won North West Young Chef of the Year aged 17 but the Great British Menu was the main competition he had ever wanted to win: “I had competed three years ago in the regional heats, but didn’t make it to the final,” he says. “But you learn from your mistakes and at that time I didn’t fully understand how to cope with the pressure of TV. Cooking in a competition puts you under pressure as does being on TV – but doing both at the same time was very new to me and this time around I managed to harness that adrenalin and use it to my advantage.”
Kirk’s winning dessert dish ‘A Taste of Unity’ featured flavours to represent each of the five continents represented in the Olympic ring logo. It consisted of sour cherries from Europe set inside a sponge ring, with a cacao gateau with cherry gel, vanilla caramel sauce and Australian toasted macadamias. It was topped with Asian coconut blossom ice-cream and presented under cloches made by Haworth’s sister, Keeley, who is a partner in his London restaurant.
Practice also makes perfect and Kirk made his dish every single day leading up to the competition: “I knew that this is what I needed to do to be able to be my absolute best on the day – and it worked!” he says.
The grand final was a banquet held at the British Ambassador’s residence in Paris to wish Team GB good luck. Chefs, Olympians and Paralympians who attended the banquet, voted for the final winner.
Receiving some of the highest praise from the judges, Kirk was thrilled to be crowned the overall winner. Olympian Jess Ennis-Hill said: “The caramel sauce, I can’t tell you how amazing it was. I’m so impressed by this.”
Chef Michael O’Hare, who judged Haworth’s heat, said: “It’s exactly as I remember, but even better. I’m so, so pleased for him. He’s absolutely smashed it.” And Paralympian Ellie Simmonds commented: “To think that’s all vegan as well, it’s just incredible.”
“To get a dish to the banquet has meant the world to me. It has showcased the journey I have been on over the last seven years with my health and my vision in how I now cook. This was the only competition I really wanted to win so this means so much,” says Kirk.
Kirk’s distinctive perspective goes beyond the food in the kitchen and he also nurtures a thoughtful working environment for his team that focuses on balance and wellbeing: “We have an ethos to concentrate on sustainability for both the planet and for people,” he says. “It’s about creating a world that is sustainable for everyone to flourish together.”
His London restaurant Plates was borne from his lifelong fascination with food, a deep appreciation of nature, flavour and a passion for sustainable craft. Along with his sister Keeley they co-founded the restaurant creating something new in hospitality that shows a wider audience how versatile food can be, both on and off the plate: “It has been our mission to connect people globally back to nature through the power of food.”
Plates is currently undergoing a refurbishment and will be re-opening in Shoreditch on the 3rd July: “My focus now is on the new restaurant and making it the best it can be,” says Kirk – and his winning dish will of course be on the opening menu!
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