A TALENTED Northumberland-based chef is set to appear on the 2023 series of Great British Menu.

Cal Byerley, 33, chef and co-owner of Michelin-starred Restaurant Pine based at Vallum Farm, in Northumberland is set to appear on the 2024 season of Great British Menu for the second time after not managing to secure a place last year.

He features as one of four chefs representing the northeast of England in the regional heats, which starts on January 23 on BBC Two at 8pm, where viewers will see the chefs competing for a place in finals week.

Cal, who grew up on his family farm just one mile down the road from Vallum Farm, started his career in the kitchen working at the nearby Robin Hood Inn at the age of 16.

His interest in food quickly came to the fore, which saw him embark on a culinary career in some of the UK’s best restaurants, working his way through the ranks to become Head Pastry chef working alongside Kevin Tickle at Michelin-starred Forest Side and prior to that at Simon Rogan’s Rogan & Co.

This year’s theme is celebrating Britain’s success in the Olympics and Paralympics and will come to a head at an event hosted by the British Ambassador to France for Team GB wishing our athletes good luck as they prepare for Paris 2024.

Andi Oliver returning to present the series, along with Michelin starred, GBM double banquet winner, Tom Kerridge, restaurateur Nisha Katona, and comedian and food podcast presenter Ed Gamble.

Cal Byerley, chef and co-owner of Restaurant Pine, said: ‘’I was pretty gutted at just missing out on securing a place for the regional cook offs for the banquet last year, which is why I took a bit of time to think about things.

"There wasn’t much in it but on reflection, there were a couple of things I could have done better, as a result here I’m ready to give it another go.

"This year’s theme is pretty epic, so we’ll just have to see where I end up as competing against some of the UK’s best established and up-and-coming chefs.’’