Introducing... Adam Degg

We are excited and proud to see Adam Degg, take part in BBC2’s Great British Menu when it returns to our screens for its nineteenth series on Tuesday 23 January.

Considered TV's toughest professional cookery competition, the first week of the latest series sees four of the finest chefs from North East England; Adam Degg (Rudding Park), Cal Byerley (Chef Patron of Pine, East Wallhouses), Samira Effa (Head Chef at EightyEight, Grantley Hall, Ripon) and Scott John-Hodgson (Head Chef, Solstice, Newcastle) competing for a place in finals week and the chance to devise an Olympic themed banquet.

Adam who joined Rudding Park in 2022 as Head Chef at our 3 AA Rosette Horto Restaurant, creates a menu which celebrates Olympic medals. He draws inspiration from Rudding Park Kitchen Garden which allowed him to be creative with seasonal produce and embrace sustainable practices which awarded him Michelin Green recognition.

Adam commented: “Great British Menu is without doubt, the single most exciting and terrifying experience of my career to date! Having said that, it’s so important to push yourself out of your comfort zone and I thrived on the challenge. Talking of challenges, it’s a really exciting time for me and Rudding Park as we are preparing to unveil a new exciting dining experience in spring. Whilst I can’t say too much, it will take inspiration from the 52 raised oak beds in the garden, which will contain different produce that thrives in each week of the year - giving the restaurant fresh grown produce all year round.”

Adam first stepped into a commercial kitchen by chance when, aged 16, he missed the train home from the football. He was near an Italian restaurant owned by his friend's parents where they allowed him to wash the dishes until they could give him a lift home. From then on, the buzz of the kitchen called. His career started at a hotel in Birmingham, before he moved to London to work at Wild Honey. From there Adam went to Chiltern Firehouse, before moving to the Hand and Flowers (2*), and was part of the team that received The Coach’s Michelin star in Marlow.

Great British Menu judges include Andi Oliver (award-winning TV Chef and Broadcaster), Tom Kerridge (award winning and celebrated chef) Nisha Katona (CEO, executive chef and development chef of Mowgli Street Food restaurants and founder of the Mowgli Trust charity) and Ed Gamble (award-winning comedian and co-creator and co-host of the food podcast, Off Menu with James Acaster).

Tune into Great British Menu on Tuesday 23 January at 8pm on BBC2 to see how Adam gets on.