Great British Menu 2023 chefs: Gareth Bartram, North East heat

Gareth Bartram, managing director of michelin-starred winteringham fields, is one of four chefs competing for the north east on Great British Menu 2023.

Series 18 of the competition starts on January 31 2023 on BBC Two at 8pm and will air for eight weeks.

Gareth is going head to head with chefs Cal Byerley, Rory Welch and Will Lockwood in a bid to represent the North East in the regional finals, and ultimately cook a dish at the final banquet. This is Gareth's second time on the programme, he first featured in 2021.

 

 

 

 

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Biography

Full name

Gareth Bartram

Nickname

Gaz

Age/DOB

37, born 03/01/1986

Place of birth / residence

Born in Rotherham, live in Winteringham

Relationship status / children

Married with 3 Daughters, Ivy 7, Frances 4 and Penny 1

Height

5ft7"

Type of chef (restaurant, hotel, development chef, etc.)

Restaurant with rooms 1 Michelin star 4 AA rosettes

Favourite type of cuisine

Modern British

Feelings stepping onto the set again

I am really happy to have been asked back into the GBM kitchen, just to be asked to compete again is a huge. I’m sure after the feeling of pride subsides the nerves will then set in, I know only too well what the GBM kitchen can be like, it’s fast paced with high pressure, not like cooking at the restaurant.

Thoughts about the 'animation' theme this year

This years theme celebrating illustration and an Animation is a great brief and something I can get my teeth into, having 3 young children helps too, as they’re all a fan of the theme.

Plans for the future

We have some big changes happening at Winteringham Fields at the minute with a huge shake up for the guest whole experience, we have knocked down walls, built kitchen sections in the restaurant, to really enhance the guests experience by bringing the chefs and the whole process closer to them. We haven’t taken anything away from the Winteringham Fields experience only built on the DNA that has been ongoing over the last 20 years.

Path to becoming a chef

I started in a butcher's shop whilst I was at school, this increased my interest in the food industry so went to Grimsby college to train whilst working in pubs and restaurants on weekends and nights off.

Past and present place of work

Box wood cafe, Gordon Ramsay, London. Jack’s, Jamie Hirst, Wiltshire. Hare and hounds, Dan Moon, Bath. Now work at Winteringham Fields for Colin McGurran.

Personal and professional mentors / role models 

both my mum and dad have got fantastic work ethics. I learned from a young age that if you want to achieve something. you have to work at it and push harder than anyone else. Things aren’t just given to you.

Every chef I’ve worked for has given me something to take away and I would be lying if I said Colin hasn’t guided me the most on how to achieve something great which has heart.

Guilty pleasure dish

Grilled cheese sandwich, (using the nasty plastic cheapo cheese)

Best / worst thing about being a chef

The best thing about being a chef for me is being able to create and play. I go to work and I have fun, I love what I do and when you find something like that, can you really call it work?

The worst thing about being a chef is not being at home at much as I’d like. Don’t get me wrong living close to the restaurant I do get more time at home than most chefs, but being able to put your kids to bed every night is a luxury I don’t really get.

That’s one thing I think I have enjoyed about the lockdowns, time with my children I wouldn’t have normally had. I am grateful for that.