Filming was completed last November but Tibi (and everyone who took part) was sworn to secrecy since being picked, about a year ago, as one of 24 chefs from the thousands of hopefuls nationwide. He was aware he was a wild card: “I'm not a Michelin star chef. I’m not a fine dining chef — I think I said that in the first episode, I said ‘I'm not a tweezers chef’.”
The forty-something who trained at London’s Le Cordon Bleu culinary school before going on to work with Ottolenghi and to co-found JW3’s kosher restaurant Zest before setting up on his own, explains that the recruitment process had begun well in advance because of the extensive preparation required.
“This competition needs six months of work to come up with ideas, test them and to do all the props — how it’s going to be served. And then the last three months before the competition, you're expected to perfect, perfect and perfect. To get into the kitchen and practice.”
Great British Menu s20,19-03-2025,23 - Main, Pre-dessert, Dessert - London and South East,Eran Tibi,EMBARGOED: Not for publication until 21:00hrs 18-03-2025.,Optomen Television Limited,Tyler BartlamBBC / Optomen Television Limited / Tyler Bartlam
Competing chefs are asked to come up with four courses to be served at a themed banquet. This year’s focus was great Britons — inspirational people no longer with us who the chef wanted to celebrate. The dish should reflect that person both in the food and service style. One of Tibi’s courses — Jewish chicken soup served with kreplach — honoured singer Amy Winehouse.
Another Shabbat favourite — a Sephardi kubaneh bread, flavoured with cumin seeds and honey featured in his fish course, alongside a seared fillet of trout. This recipe paid tribute to Roberta Cowell, a former RAF pilot who became the first transgender woman to have undergone full surgery. Cowell went on to become a professional motor racing driver.
This fish, and every course he served, hit the pass after his serving deadline. For which points are deducted.
“I messed up” he confesses. And although he showed off his trademark huge flavours, he’s aware his performance wasn’t his proudest moment. He appeared disorganised and his timing, all over the place.
But the reality behind the scenes was that six months earlier, Tibi’s father Victor, a professional baker who had inspired his entire career and supported him along the way, had been diagnosed with terminal cancer.
“When I told them [the production company], the directors told me it's okay to pull out — we’ll put you straight into the next year. They were so understanding, but I told him I'd do it for him. And I think it kept him alive. I was sending him photos and videos of my ideas and of recipe tests. We talked on Facetime almost every day.”
He was sharing his journey with his father during filming, sending phone snaps and videos but then came the worst news. “On my last day of filming my sister called to tell me I needed to get home.” His father nearing the end of his life and had only days to live. “I walked into the kitchen [where we film] and told them the news. And I said ‘listen, I'm not going to walk out without a fight. My head is an absolute mess. I don't know if I can even find my tools, so I need any help possible, and at the end of the day I'm going straight to Heathrow.”
Tibi - second left - with fellow competitors (from left) Dalport; Seemann and Howard Photo: BBC TV[Missing Credit]
He says everyone was amazing, helping him through the day. Fellow competitors, Jason Howard and Jean Delport — who he praises as being extremely talented — jumped in to assist him plate up his Vivienne Westwood-inspired white chocolate and cherry mousse on a chocolate tahini crumb base.
His father’s illness had also meant that instead of intensively prepping, he’d spent half of the last three months in Israel. “I had to go there to care for him because it went really bad very quickly and mum was crashing under the burden. I was so naïve, I thought I’d work while I was there. I took three suitcases with me — one full of tools, one with my knives and utensils and one of clothes.”
With only a week to go, he flew back to London, locking himself away for seven days to perfect his dishes. Not the three months he should have dedicated to it. “I don't want to come across as moaner or give excuses because I messed up.”
Despite his experience he’s proud to have taken part with the chefs he appeared with. “These chefs are amazing. Jean was aiming for gold — he wasn’t happy with second or third place, he’d rather come last. And these are the people that need to win it, because they push boundaries.” And he’s also grateful to judges Tom Aikens and Lisa Goodwin-Allen who he says were harsh but got it “one thousand per cent right.”
He confesses he felt humble to be there but is confident of his skills: “I presented myself as a joker, you know. I was like ‘listen, guys, I'm an almost chef. I came here to do cheesecake’. But my food is quite complex, in flavour even if it’s not all spheres and smokes. It's just something else.”
And perhaps he’ll return to fight his corner in his father’s honour in season 21.
Great British Menu is on BBC Two and available on iPlayer.
Instagram: bala_baya / erantibi / kapara
From March 24, Eran’s Great British Menu starter, fish, main and dessert course will be on Kapara’s à la carte menu.
On May 1, Eran will be hosting a six-course Great British Menu special supper-club at Kapara. Dishes include Nan’s Meshugana chicken soup – ode to Amy Winehouse. More info here.
