Lake District head chef features

in new BBC Two show as Tom Kerridge lifts the lid on hospitality

BBC Two is set to screen a brand-new series on Thursday 27 th July, at 8.00pm, The Hidden World of Hospitality, as Tom Kerridge lifts the lid on what goes on behind the scenes in hospitality, an industry he knows and loves, revealing along the way how it operates, the skilled and passionate professionals driving it forward and the risks they take to keep their customers coming back.

In the eight-part series, Tom visits 16 family-run cafés, pubs, bars, restaurants, and wedding caterers up and down the country, all of who go above and beyond for their customers without them realising.

In the first episode Tom joins Ryan Blackburn, chef patron of two family owned and run restaurants in Ambleside, in the heart of the Lake District, the Old Stamp House and Kysty, as he sets out to explore a part of the industry close to his heart; the highly skilled and competitive world of fine dining. Tom looks to uncover the secrets to Ryan’s success, and learn how he has survived and thrived despite the turbulence that has hit the hospitality sector in recent years.

Ryan, who has held a Michelin Star since 2019, offers a tasting menu celebrating the very best of Cumbrian produce, but praise and accolades are a mixed blessing for him. Tom offers Ryan advice, borne out of his own past experiences of letting the pressure of being a celebrated chef in high-end kitchens affect his health.

With the Michelin awards fast approaching, Ryan and Tom are both tirelessly developing new dishes for their respective menus, their dishes need to meet the high expectations of guests and the Michelin inspectors, but Tom and Ryan will have to convince themselves first…