Jean Delport’s Featured Dishes on Great British Menu 2025
Chef Jean Delport Achieves Rare Milestone on Great British Menu
Restaurant Interlude's Executive Chef, Jean Delport, showcased his culinary creativity on the Great British Menu, representing London and the South East in the prestigious BBC Two competition. Now in its 20th anniversary year, the show invites the UK's top chefs to create dishes inspired by this year's theme: historical figures from the past of their region. The winning dishes were served at a magnificent banquet at Blenheim Palace. Jean achieved a rare milestone by cooking two courses (Fish and Main) at the event.
Speaking about the brief, Jean said:
“The brief was particularly exciting as it allowed me to draw on the rich history of London and the Southeast, while still staying true to my style of cooking, elevating ingredients from the land around us and telling a story through my dishes.”
Explore the Inspiration for Chef Jean Delport’s Dishes on Great British Menu 2025
Canape:
Back to my roots
Starter: A botanists’ life
Inspiration: William Borrer, a local botanist that was from around the corner from the restaurant (Interlude, at Leonardslee Gardens in Horsham, West Sussex). Playing directly onto his horticultural background, Borrer was one of England’s leading botanists, noted for his extensive and accurate knowledge of the plants of the British Islands. He travelled extensively around Britain to see and collect plants and lichens.
A botanists’ life, Chef Jean Delport’s starter, featured on Great British Menu 2025, Season 20
Fish: An ode to Elizabeth…
Inspiration: Elizabeth David, British food writer. In the mid-20th century, she transformed home cooking in Britain and beyond, reshaping how people understood European cuisines and traditional British dishes through her influential articles and books. “The first head chef I worked with was brought up on her work; she was a touchstone of his culinary education. One of the first dishes we cooked together was Sole Veronique, a classic he'd discovered through Elizabeth David's writing.” says Jean.
An ode to Elizabeth, fish course by Jean Delport on Great British Menu 2025, Season 20
Main: There and Back Again
Inspiration: Charles Ignatius Sancho was a British abolitionist, writer and composer. As a symbol of African humanity, he has a story of true fortune and making the most of his life and what he was dealt. “I want to celebrate a man with a truly diverse background that came on to make British history and honour it with a look at his traditional roots and where he truly came from. West African cuisine has a rich, vibrant and diverse background, using these flavours and methods, I will showcase Charles unique journey to Brittan as a feast, as one can only experience in Africa.” says Jean.
There and Back Again, Jean Delport’s main course, featured on Great British Menu 2025, Season 20
Pre-Dessert: An apple a day….
Inspiration: Maria Ann Sherwood was born in England in 1799 to a farming family with an abundance of orchards. She had emigrated to Eastwood, New South Wales in Australia in 1830 and by chance cultivated the now known ‘Granny Smith’ apple. Since her cultivation, the apple has gone on to be one of the world's favourite cultivars of apple.
Dessert: Advanced pudding making
Inspiration: “Alan Rickman played one of my favourite characters in one of my all-time favourite movie collections; Harry Potter. As professor Snape, potions were always a masterclass. I draw inspiration from Snape and his classroom and dive deep to make a dessert based on one of their textbooks “Advanced Potion Making”. I will create a celebration of potions making and showcase Alan Rickman in what was one of his most famous roles as an actor,“ Jean explains.
Advanced pudding making, a magical dessert by Jean Delport, for Great British Menu 2025, Season 20 Banquet Special
The Result? Spectacular
Chef Jean's performance on Great British Menu was nothing short of spectacular. Achieving the rare distinction of having two dishes chosen for the Banquet Special is a testament to his exceptional culinary talent. Only two chefs in the show's history have accomplished this feat, cementing his place as a master.
Join MD of Leonardslee and host Adam Streeter, as we go behind the scenes of The Great British Menu’s 20th anniversary with none other than chef Jean Delport, champion of two standout dishes at the 2025 Banquet Special finale.
About Restaurant Interlude
Located in the historic Leonardslee Gardens estate in West Sussex, Restaurant Interlude offers a truly immersive dining experience, where guests enjoy a carefully curated tasting menu inspired by the landscape. Each dish tells a story of the estate, with foraged elements from the woodlands, lakes, and gardens appearing throughout the menu. The restaurant holds one Michelin star and a Green Michelin star, recognising its commitment to sustainability and local sourcing.
For reservations and further details:
Website: www.restaurant-interlude.co.uk | Phone: 0330 123 5894 | Instagram: @delportjean | @interludesussex