At the time of writing this feature, Kirk Haworth was tight lipped about who wins the hotly contested series which was filmed in October with the North West heat yet to air; ‘You’ll have to watch it – it’s a good one. A lot of talented chefs all doing what they love, at a really high standard. What’s not to enjoy?’
The 2024 series was filmed in Stratford with celebrated chefs from eight different regions of the UK designing a four-course menu based around a specific theme and going head-to-head to impress judges Tom Kerridge, Ed Gamble and Nisha Katona.
Kirk is no stranger to the BBC’s Great British Menu. His father (renowned Lancashire Chef Nigel Haworth) won the challenge in 2009 and Kirk previously appeared on the series around three years ago. ‘I was so, so pleased to be invited back again. I wasn’t on top form last time and there were lots of things I would’ve done differently. I knew I had a lot more to give.
‘This time around I enjoyed the experience so much more. I had prepared as much as humanly possible. I practised over and over again, setting myself time trials. I also designed dishes that really represented me and my style of cooking while still thoroughly meeting the brief.’
Choosing a plant-based menu is reflective of Kirk’s lifestyle and passion for creating boundary-pushing dishes from all-natural ingredients. Opting for a vegan diet was one of the changes he made when battling the symptoms of Lyme disease which he contracted in 2016.
‘It was awful. Really not something I would wish on my worst enemy. Seven years of exhaustion, chronic pain, memory loss, brain fog, digestive problems. I’ve just about got it under control now. I tried thousands of things, and in conjunction with other treatments, I firmly believe that a plant-based diet made a massive improvement in my health.
‘Friends describe my lifestyle now as being quite disciplined; I don’t eat processed foods and don’t really drink. But it’s not about being disciplined, I just know that the alternative is feeling so ill. Plus, I really enjoy using simple fruit and veg to create amazing dishes. Plant craft has become my passion.
‘In some ways I feel I was chosen to go through this experience because I have the curiosity, the determination, experience, and the platform to experiment with natural ingredients, turn plant-based cooking on its head and bring these menus in front of a large audience of discerning diners.’
As a chef who has worked in some of the best Michelin restaurants around the world, Kirk certainly has the skill to create recipes and techniques that push boundaries without compromising on quality and flavour.
For the last six years, Kirk and his sister Keeley have been living and working together in London developing their company Plates. So far this has been a combination of high-end experiences, workshops, events, masterclasses, product development and brand partnerships. The next exciting step is the opening of a brand new Plates restaurant in Shoreditch.
‘I’m really looking forward to seeing the restaurant grow and develop. We’ve pulled a brilliant team together and we’re determined to do things differently. Not only with the menu, but with the management. As well as elevating plant-based food by combining modern techniques with old-school Michelin-star training, we want to make sure that we have a diverse body of staff that are given the opportunity and the environment to thrive. There’s no reason a kitchen can’t be a welcoming place to learn and to flourish.
‘Sustainability is not just about the earth, the food or the ingredients - it’s about people.’
Kirk has achieved so much in the culinary world, you’d be forgiven for thinking it had been an ambition since childhood. ‘Had I always dreamed of becoming a chef? No, not really! It was more of a natural evolution than that. I started washing pots in my dad’s kitchen when I was about 13 as a weekend job and I really didn’t enjoy it. Scraping scrambled eggs off a pan wasn’t how I wanted to spend my Saturdays. Eventually I moved on to chopping onions etc and that was a bit more fun, next came helping prep various meals and that was another step up, until I realised I was actually learning a lot and really enjoying myself. I became increasingly more passionate about creating high quality dishes and it suited my nature that it was so hands on. I’m not someone that would be happy or fulfilled sat behind a desk.’
After winning the North West Young Chef of the Year award at 17, Kirk went on to work under the world's top chefs at The French Laundry, Restaurant Sat Bains, The Square, The Quay and Northcote, perfecting his craft in Michelin-starred restaurants around the world before the diagnosis that stopped him in his tracks, and then galvanised him along the plant-based path.
‘I’m really well at the moment. I just have to be aware not to overdo it and push myself too hard, which is difficult because I’m not one to sit still. I always want to explore the next idea and attempt the next challenge.’
So, while simultaneously wowing the judges on the BBC’s ultimate cookery competition, Kirk was also working with brands like Veuve Cliquot, MaxMara and the Natural History Museum, as well as hosting events, developing new products in the Plates London food studio, spear-heading a mission to improve chef’s wellness in the wider industry and preparing for the opening of a much-anticipated new London restaurant.
It’s hard to imagine what he would consider to be overdoing it.
plates-london.com
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