Kate Austen
Kate Austen is the first woman in the 19-year history of BBC Two's Great British Menu to win the main course - a Greek-inspired, Olympic-themed dish that judge Tom Kerridge called "magical."
She is also the youngest female head chef of a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in the world, a title she earned leading the kitchen at Restaurant AOC in Copenhagen.
Kate trained in precision kitchens across three countries. After starting at the one-Michelin-starred Morston Hall in Norfolk, she moved to Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley in London, then to Scandinavia - the region whose discipline and produce shaped her cooking. From AOC she went on to the three-Michelin-starred Frantzén in Stockholm, before returning to the UK as Senior Development Chef at the Gordon Ramsay Group.
Today Kate is founder of Austen's Events, a chef-led private dining and experiential hospitality company. She and her team cook for clients including British Grand Prix, Jaguar Land Rover, Google, Rolex, GQ, Six Nations Rugby, Soho House and The Ned, at venues from Silverstone to Eltham Palace. Kate is a brand ambassador for Lafont chef workwear.
In 2026 Kate will be appearing in a prime time ITV show airing in October and is a vocal advocate for women in the food industry.
Her cooking marries Scandinavian precision with British provenance, a love of pickling and preserving, and a belief in food as storytelling.