Meet the Scottish chefs taking part in the 2026 Great British Menu
The four Scottish chefs taking part in this year’s Great British Menu have been announced.
The 2026 season of The Great British Menu kicked off on 24 February, starting with the North West. The Scotland heat will air from 3 March. The four chefs, representing different areas of Scotland have been announced, with three making their debut.
Jun Au, chef-owner of Pomelo in Edinburgh, Orry Shand, former National Chef of the Year, Rohan Wadke, chef at Cameron House, Loch Lomond; and superyacht chef, Hannah Rose are the Scottish chefs taking part in this year’s BBC’s Great British Menu.
Now in its 21st season, the cooking show is presented by Andi Oliver, and the judges include: Michelin starred and previous two-time banquet winner, Tom Kerridge; comedian and new judge for this year, Phil Wang; and Lorna McNee - a former champion of champions on Great British Menu and head chef of Glasgow’s Michelin Starred Cail Bruich.
Jun Au said of being selected for the TV show: “Taking part in Great British Menu this year has absolutely been one of the highlights of my career. I remember watching the show growing up, and it’s been a dream to have been asked to represent Scotland and compete against some of the country’s top chefs.
“I’m up against some seriously tough competition, and I’m looking forward to my loyal customers, friends and family following my journey on screen.
“This year’s theme was ‘British movies or movie makers’, which was a lot of fun to work with - giving me the chance to revisit some of my favourite cinematography with ties to my home and heritage.
“I can’t wait for people to see my interpretation of the theme through the dishes I’ve created, which highlight my Chinese roots while showcasing the outstanding produce available to us around Scotland.”
Mr Shand added: I’m also extremely proud to be representing Aberdeenshire and competing to represent Scotland on national TV, as part of the BBC’s Great British Menu this spring.
“I’d like to thank my wife, family, friends and team for their continued support, which really has made this become a reality.”
When asked what viewers of this season can look forward to, host Andi Oliver said: “There is glamour and really quite moving nostalgia in equal measure!
“The chefs are celebrating everything from huge blockbusters to independent cult arty inspiration, reaching back to those cinematographic moments that are embedded within us all. It was incredibly touching, again and again. The chefs really went deep with this year’s inspiration and it really made me think about the affecting backdrop that movies play in all our lives.”
Former Scottish chefs and judges who have appeared on Great British Menu in previous years include Lorna McNee, Adam Handling, Calum Montgomery, Roberta Hall-McCarron and Stuart Ralston.
The Great British Menu Scotland heat will air at 7pm on Tuesday 3 March, with the following episodes on Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 March. All episodes will be available to view on iPlayer from Tuesday 3 March.
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