Nottingham chef Louisa Ellis admits 'imposter syndrome' ahead of appearing on BBC's Great British Menu

A talented Nottingham chef is hoping to impress the judges on TV’s Great British Menu in a bid to cook at an incredible six-course banquet in Paris. Private chef Louisa Ellis has been selected to represent the Central region in the BBC Two competition.

Louisa was a finalist on MasterChef: The Professionals in 2017. Even though she didn’t win, she was invited back three years later to compete in MasterChef The Professionals: A Festive Knockout, where she triumphed.

This year’s Great British Menu theme is the Olympics and Paralympics, culminating with a banquet to wish Team GB athletes good luck. The banquet will be held in Paris, which is hosting the games this summer.

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Originally from Luton, Louisa, 28, now lives in Nottingham. Her job entails cooking at private dinner parties and in the past she has hosted pop-up events in Nottingham, she has run a nationwide delivery service for a three-course dinner, and during lockdown offered ‘heat at home’ meals for locals.

After months of filming in secret, she said: “I am over the moon to have been selected. To be given the opportunity to go on Great British Menu means the world to me as I have watched it for many many years and looked up to a lot of the chefs who have got on there so this is a massive deal for me.

Louisa Ellis puts the finishing touches to her fish dish on Great British Menu

“I have always wanted to do Great British Menu. I’ve had this imposter syndrome whereas I’ve thought maybe I wouldn’t get selected because I haven’t got my own restaurant. I’m really glad this year they have opened it up to people that aren’t just tied to a restaurant.

“Because of the way that hospitality is at the moment, it’s really good that people are adapting and taking different career paths and I think that’s really important for the next generation that comes through to show them it’s not all just about having your own restaurant, so I’m really pleased to represent the fine dining, dinner party section.”

Chefs can’t apply for the programme – they are approached to appear on the series, now in its 19th year. Louisa will be competing against three fellow chefs from the Central region.

The chefs have to create a starter, fish course, main course and dessert, plus a canape before the meal and a pre-dessert. Once again for 2024, as was first introduced last year, the starter will be a vegan course.

The Great British Menu kitchen

The dishes are scored by a veteran judge, who in the past have included the likes of Tom Aikens, Richard Corrigan, Michael O’Hare and Angela Hartnett. The top two chefs from each region then go through to the judges’ chamber where chef Tom Kerridge, Mowgli Indian street food founder Nisha Katona and comedian Ed Gamble, co-host of the foodie podcast Off Menu, plus a weekly guest judge will score each course before a grand final to decide the banquet dishes.

Next week the four chefs’ dishes include an Olympic podium made from pepper terrines, an edible sunflower inspired by the Olympic Oath of fair play, and a ‘scallop flotilla’ inspired by the River Seine. Mains include a mushroom and leek pithivier discus and ribeye steak, an Olympic torch made from buttermilk and goat’s cheese ice cream, and a horseshoe made from a Greek olive oil cake, honey mousse and fig compote.

The veteran judge, who will be tasting Louisa’s dishes is under wraps, but two trailblazing women who have been “very important role models” for Louisa are Lisa Allen and Angela Hartnett.

Louisa joins the ranks of fellow GMB contestants, Sat Bains from two Michelin starred Restaurant Sat Bains, and Alex Bond, who heads up one Michelin starred Alchemilla. Sat, who appeared in 2007, got his starter ham, egg and peas, through to the banquet for ambassadors at the British Embassy in Paris. Alex competed in 2020 and 2021 when he got to cook his starter at a banquet themed around innovation to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Sir Tim Berners-Lee’s creation of the World Wide Web.

Catch Louisa in action on BBC Two, on January 30 at 8pm.