Tommy himself really came to the foodie forefront when he won Great British Menu in 2016, 2017 and again in 2020. He now has a role as veteran judge on the show, working alongside Nisha Katona, Tom Kerridge and Andi Oliver. “Nisha, Tom and definitely Andi, too – they’re doing a job, but it isn’t just a job because they really love what they do and believe in it. Tom and I both know what it’s like to be in that competition. We know the nerves and the adrenaline of doing it and how it takes over your whole life. Every waking hour, you’re thinking about your dishes and how you’re going to do them, and it really is hard.” As such, Tommy tells me his position as a judge isn’t one he takes lightly; “that responsibility is huge because [the contestant’s] heart and soul is in your hands and you want to do them justice. There has to be some subjectivity to it, especially with the job I have because I have to send somebody home before they have put their whole menu out. And that feels very harsh sometimes.”
Tommy’s work takes him all over the country, but he is a family man, and North Yorkshire is home, first and foremost. “It’s the biggest county in the UK in terms of landmass,” he enthuses, “so you’ve got quite a diversity of offerings. You’ve got a beautiful coast, the moors and rolling hills. You’ve got a very mixed countryside and lots of exciting places to eat, many of which are quite off the beaten track sorts of places. York is obviously the main city: we have restaurants full of tourists there, and a lot of people visit every year. It is an incredible place but, like anywhere, you want some local knowledge. There’s obviously many tourist traps and chains, so you need to know exactly where to go.” And, with that, Tommy gives us his five favourite, not-to-be-missed and often unknown North Yorkshire hotspots.
Cresci Pizza, York
“This is a proper Neapolitan pizza place run by Berardo and Armando, and they do incredible things with pizza. If you go somewhere that gets pizza right, it’s the most affordable, fine food you can eat, and these pizzas are top draw, made by people who really know what they’re doing.”
Who comes here?
“If you go there on a Monday night, you’ll see everyone who works in other restaurants in the city having dinner; it’s one of those places. If you know, you know. I go all the time with my two-year-old daughter, who loves pizza, and we will go, just the two of us, and hang out. It is very family-friendly, very chilled out, and when you get that quality of food without any pomp, it is quite special.”
Best table in the restaurant
“It’s a very busy, high turnover sort of place, so really just sit wherever they can fit you because they get rammed. Upstairs is a bit more chilled if you are on a date, but normally, I’m with my kids, so it’s carnage. They’ll go and look at the pizza oven, and my daughter points at the pizza oven and shouts “hot” over and over for about 20 minutes, but they don’t seem to mind. ”
