4 weeks ago
It’s been a thrilling week for Trinity’s head chef, Harry Kirkpatrick, as he took on the Great British Menu with a lineup of bold, inventive, and deeply historical dishes.
Cooking under the eye of veteran judge Tommy Banks, Harry faced off against Sally Abé, Thom Bateman, and David Taylor, some of the toughest competition in the Central and Eastern England region. And though he just missed out on securing a place at the banquet, he’s done Trinity, Clapham, and himself incredibly proud.
Harry’s menu took inspiration from great British figures throughout history. He started strong, winning the canapé round with a salmon, cucumber, and caviar crumpet, praised for its perfectly poached salmon and balance of textures.
His starter, ‘Revelations of the Divine Love’, was an ode to Julian of Norwich, the first known female author in the English language. It was an artichoke salad infused with ale, featuring globe artichoke barigoule with hazelnut cream, violet mustard, and Jerusalem artichokes, inspired by medieval ingredients. Tommy Banks called it one of the strongest starts he’s ever seen, and Harry walked away with an impressive score of 8.
For the fish course, Harry’s ‘Pelican Wellington’ took inspiration from George William Manby, the inventor of the first fire extinguisher. His brill en croûte featured three distinct layers—leek, brown shrimp bound with fish mousse, and brill fillet, representing Manby’s three most famous inventions. It was a dish that combined history with flawless execution, earning another score of 8 and securing Harry’s place in the main course round.
For his main dish, ‘Do-Re-Mi’, Harry paid tribute to Sarah Ann Glover, the Norwich-born inventor of the sol-fa musical system, which later inspired The Sound of Music. He tied this theme into an eight-bone rack of venison, representing the eight notes in an octave. The dish featured venison bolognese-stuffed pears, a red wine reduction, and a roasted celeriac puree with peppercorn sauce. It was a huge success, scoring a 9.
Harry’s pre-dessert was inspired by Pablo Fanque, the UK’s first Black circus owner. He served a royal custard with Yorkshire rhubarb, caramelised pistachio, and champagne foam, though sadly, the custard didn’t set in time.
His final dish, ‘Nelson’s Pudding,’ was an homage to Lord Admiral Nelson and Norfolk’s bread and butter pudding tradition. He created a French savarin cake soaked in rum syrup, layered with crème mousseline, and topped with a crisp brown sugar tuile. The result? A score of 9, pushing him into the regional final.
With an overall score of 34, Harry moved forward to face Sally Abé in the regional final, but despite an incredible effort, Sally secured the win with a score of 40.
It’s been a competition full of highs, creativity, and culinary mastery, and though Harry won’t be heading to the banquet, he’s cemented his place as one of the most exciting chefs in the country. We couldn’t be prouder of him and the way he represented Trinity and Clapham on a national stage.
