BBC Great British Menu Week 4, Central Region - How Do The Chefs Fare on the Accessibility 'Front'??

Continuing our series following the accessibility/or not (see previous blogs) of the restaurants belonging to the chefs of BBC’s Great British Menu, for veterans of the 70th anniversary of D-Day, here’s our findings from week 4:

For week 4, Central Region chefs of GBM included former banquet winner Aktar Islam, Mark Poynton and Jason Hodnett. Their judge was Marcus Wareing whose restaurant Gilbert Scott is accessible via lift and ramp and there’s also a disabled toilet (our review here, we gave it 2.5 BBS Ticks). So far so good on the accessibility ‘Front’…

Mark Poynton, Jason Hodnett & Aktar Islam Compete in BBC Great British Menu, Central Region Episode

Marcus Wareing at the Gilbert Scott, Great Chef & Good Accessibility in his Restaurants

Jason Hodnett is chef at The Raven Hotel & Restaurant. He put up a good show but didn’t get through to the judges chamber even though he put his heart and soul into his cooking – he was tearful when his chocolate medals didn’t set – Bless! Although his food sounds and looks good his restaurant has a step to get into and a step to the toilets – there’s no disabled toilet as they have no room and they hadn’t thought of it?? So we can only give him a provisional 1.5 BBS Ticks.

The Raven Has no Room for Disabled Loos so Veterans May Have Difficulty There

Next is Mark Poynton who runs Alimentum in Cambridge. His cooking seems precise and sounds delicious but his main course called ‘Operation Overlord’ was “boring and not celebratory enough”. However, his fish course was so good it didn’t matter that it didn’t fit the D-Day brief. It was “At The Harbour” and consisted of fried langoustine with pickled cucumber, plaice, seaweed butter sauce, fennel and cress. Unfortunately he didn’t win but his 1 Michelin Star restaurant does, as it has flat access and a fully equipped disabled toilet. It also looks good and the food sounds brilliant, so a provisional 2.5 BBS Ticks for Alimentum.

Mark Poynton's Fish Course 'At The Harbour' Was so Good It Didn't matter About it's Lack of D-Day Presentation — Mark Poynton’s Fish Course ‘At The Harbour’ Was so Good It Didn’t matter About it’s Lack of D-Day Presentation

Mark Poynton's Alimentum Restaurant Fits Our Brief With Good Access & Facilities — Mark Poynton’s Alimentum Restaurant Fits Our Brief With Good Access & Facilities

Alimentum Looks Good & Has 1 Michelin Star to go With the 2.5 BBS Ticks for Style & Accessibility

Finally Aktar Islam owns the restaurant Lasan in Birmingham. He produced 2 fantastic dishes one was the starter called ‘Run Rabbit Run’ which was presented in a grassy green cloche and consisted of pickled veg, dots of beetroot yogurt, rabbit cutlets & curried rabbit pie. The other was the pudding ‘Victory is Sweet’, a de-constructed queen of puddings featuring a Winston Churchill cigar filled with ganache, plus crumble, meringue, a quenelle of raspberry sorbet and spun sugar crowns. The judges loved it and Prue said, “it’s the perfect pudding.” As a result he won this heat and is in the final again.

As for his restaurant there are a number of steps from the pavement but they have a portable ramp and there’s a handrail. They also have a disabled toilet, so a provisional 2.5 BBS Ticks for Lasan to go with Akhtar’s win in GBM. It’s also Gordon Ramsay’s favourite indian restaurant, but don’t let that put you off as it does sound like it has great food and it looks good once you’re inside.