Chef hoping to cook up a storm on BBC show

APPEARING ON GREAT BRITISH MENU A DREAM COME TRUE

- ANNETTE BELCHER

A CHEF who has two restaurants in Cornwall has fulfilled his dream of displaying his culinary skills on BBC Two's Great British Menu.

The show's South West regional heats air this week and Ben Palmer, from Looe, has finally been able to reveal his appearance on the professional cooking show.

The talented chef has been dreaming of appearing on the show for nearly 20 years. Ben, who used to rush home from a shift in the kitchen to catch the programme in its earliest days, said: "It was the first show of its kind that really showcased in-house chef talent on a nationwide platform - it was so exciting to see those who were working so hard in kitchens behind the scenes, who might ordinarily be a little overlooked, being elevated to celebrity status based on their talents alone.