A YORK chef is set to compete in a new series of a popular TV cookery show.

Will Lockwood, who is the head chef at Roots in Marygate in York, is set to appear as a contestant on a new series of The Great British Menu starting later this month.

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Posting on social media, Will said: "I'll be representing the North East on this year's series of The Great British Menu, which is celebrating Britian's success in animation and illustration."

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Back in 2021 Roots became the first restaurant in the city to be awarded a coveted Michelin star.

The restaurant is owned by Michelin-starred chef Tommy Banks, who also has The Black Swan at Oldstead. Speaking on Instagram last night Tommy said he will be back on the show as a veteran chef.

He said: "I'm very proud of Will. He first joined the business back in 2014 and worked his way up to head chef at The Black Swan and is now head chef running the kitchen at Roots.

"Will is a very talented guy who has embraced and evolved the ethos of the farm and the business. He has been a huge part of my career  and we have worked together since I first became head chef so I'm delighted that he'll be competing this year. Good luck mate."

York Press: Roots York, at the former Bay Horse pub in MarygateRoots York, at the former Bay Horse pub in Marygate (Image: Anna Gowthorpe)

As The Press reported yesterday, Roots was one of two York restaurants which have made a nationwide top 100 from the website Square Meal.

The website uses a combination of its experts and the general public to devise its rankings.

“With over thirty years’ experience, the SquareMeal team has eaten at hundreds upon hundreds of the UK’s best restaurants and we know an outstanding meal when we see one," judges said.

“It’s these expert, in-house critic reviews combined with reader votes that help to compile our final rankings, to ensure each place reflects hundreds of real-life experiences as well as our professional opinion.”

Tommy Banks became Britain’s youngest Michelin-starred chef in 2013.

Roots opened in the former Bay Horse pub in Marygate on Yorkshire Day in 2018.

The series of The Great British Menu starts on BBC at 8pm on January 31.