A LAKE District chef has been crowned ‘Champion of Champions’ at the grand finale of the Great British Menu.

Rothay Manor’s head chef, Dan McGeorge, won over banquet guests with his dessert ‘Give a Dog a Bone’ at the show's final held at Jodrell Bank Observatory.

‘Give A Dog A Bone’ celebrated the training of the first four guide dogs by Muriel Crooke and Rosamund Bond at their lock-up garage in Wallasey, Merseyside, in 1931.

Since then, charity Guide Dogs has transformed over 36,000 lives thanks to their dedicated staff and volunteers and the vital support of the public.

Dan’s dish featured a bone shaped milk chocolate mousse, with a miso caramel centre, sprayed in chocolate, served with a miso caramel sauce, salted caramel ice cream, honeycomb miso tuille and yuzu gel and zest.

“I still can’t quite believe that I’ve had the opportunity to represent the North West, my hometown of Liverpool and my adopted home, the Lake District on a show I’ve followed for years,” said the 30-year-old.

“It’s been a roller coaster journey, really exciting to be involved with but also pretty challenging, especially being on camera with so much going on while you’re trying to do your job and cook food to a really high standard.

“Having a camera on you all the time is a very different way of working that’s for sure.

“To be recognised as Champion of Champions is just mind blowing, especially after having cooked alongside some really amazing chefs who’ve produced some incredible food.

“It hasn’t sunk in really and won’t for a bit yet, but my family, my partner and daughter are over the moon for me and that means everything.’’

The Westmorland Gazette:

The week of finals saw eight chefs from across the UK battle it out in the hope of being one of four finalists to have the opportunity of cooking a dish at the banquet.

Dan competed against Stuart Collins, Roberta Hall-McCarron, Oli Marlow, Hywel Griffith, Alex Bond, Phelim O’Hagan and Jude Kereama.

The starter course was won by Alex Bond, with his dish ‘The Founding Father’ a tribute to Robert Edwards, a pioneer of IVF.

Dan then achieved a respectable mid-table place with his fish course, as Roberta Hall-McCarron won with ‘Maxwell’s Colour Wheel’, her tribute to James Clerk Maxwell.

Oli Marlow claimed the main spot with ‘Special Delivery’, his tribute to both the creation of the world wide web and the ingenuity of those working in the hospitality industry who rose to the challenges thrown at them by the pandemic.

But Dan dusted himself off and managed to claim the last course at the banquet with his dessert- which resulted in his win after guests decided it was their favourite dish.