Harry Van Lierop began his culinary career in his family’s restaurants in Carlisle, Cumbria. At 16, he joined the team at L’Enclume in Cartmel, where he spent three years and was proud to be part of the team that earned the restaurant its third Michelin star.

After L’Enclume, Harry moved to Roots in York to work with Tommy Banks and Will Lockwood. Will Lockwood played a key role in supporting Harry to refine specific aspects of his cooking and helped him grow as a chef.

His next move was to London to work at The Ledbury with Brett Graham and Tom Spenceley. He has been there for the past two years and loves the high standards and attention to detail. Contributing to The Ledbury’s journey from two to three Michelin stars was an unforgettable experience.

Winning awards

After moving to London, Harry was also selected by Tom Phillips to represent the UK as commis chef for Bocuse d'Or Team UK. They competed in Lyon in January and placed 5th in the world. This was a huge honour.

Harry has already won several culinary awards, including Aqua Panna Connection to Gastronomy Award in the S.Pellegrino UK Final, William Heptinstall Young Chef of the Year and Most Promising Young Chef of the Year with the British Culinary Federation.

Dining out from a young age

When Harry was younger, he was fortunate enough that his parents took him to very good restaurants - it was their hobby. His first real memory of flavour was a truffle toast he had at The Ledbury in 2013. That’s when flavour really started to inspire him. That moment sparked a lifelong passion for flavour and ultimately led him to work at The Ledbury 12 years later.

One day Harry would like to open his own restaurant in Cumbria. He loves being a chef because food has the power to make people happy and bring them together. Eating is something we all have to do, but being able to turn that into an unforgettable experience is what he enjoys most.

Harry’s biggest culinary influences or role models are Magnus Nilsson and Paul Bocuse. His favourite dish to cook is roast dinner as it reminds him of home and family.

Finding out he was a finalist

Harry was super happy to have the opportunity to compete in the final and hopefully follow in the footsteps of the industry’s giants.

He thinks this year’s brief is great and monkfish and mussels are one of his favourite combinations. He will personally be focusing on proper cooking and proper flavours.

For the starter, the monkfish will be pan-roasted, and at the base of the plate he’s using braised celeriac, nashi pear compressed in maple verjus and lovage stems. He’s also created a bacon crafted from monkfish trim, a nod to the classic British pairing of monkfish and bacon. The dish is finished with a foaming sauce made from English sparkling wine, mussel stock, and whey.

Outside his comfort zone

To stay motivated in the kitchen, Harry believes it’s important to surround yourself with the best. He’s always looking for ways to step outside his comfort zone to keep himself inspired and motivated.

Winning would mean the world to Harry, especially after hearing from Brett Graham about the competition’s significance and impact.

Enjoying cooking

The best piece of advice Harry has received is from his first head chef: “Your career is a marathon, not a sprint. Enjoy cooking and learning.”