Kitchen Rat - Details

Bartlett Mitchell is once again the subject of Chinese whispers apparently.

According to the Monday morning grapevine, managing director Wendy Bartlett has sold the business to rival contract caterer ISS Eaton.

But this latest rumour appears to be unfounded.

Wendy laughed when she asked me who she was meant to have sold to this week.

Simon Titchener, managing director at the 'purchaser' ISS Eaton says the rumour probably arose because of a random seating plan that sat the pair together at the recent BHA Food & Service Management Forum dinner at the top of the Gherkin.

"I can only imagine someone put two and two together and made 120!" he added.

Bartlett says she was also reckoned to have sold to BaxterStorey just last week, after she was spotted chatting with William Baxter. Before that it was Compass Group.

Any takers on who she might 'sell' to next?

Chelsea and England football player Frank Lampard is heading for the high courts over a story in The Sun newspaper which alleged he "sabotaged" TV cookery show Marco Pierre White's Burnout.

The story claimed Lampard had behaved in a petty manner by pulling out of the show and persuading the whole Chelsea team to follow suit because his ex fiancée Elen Rivas was also due to make an appearance, according to the Press Gazette.

The 31-year-old has filed a claim in the High Court over the Sun story from 26 January, which was headlined "Visit El's kitchen? Er... no Franks!", and a web version headed "Lampard: It's Murder for Elern's Show. Exclusive."

Lampard argues that story injured his reputation, and caused him considerable hurt, distress and embarrassment. He is seeking an injunction banning the paper from repeating the allegations at the centre of his claim, in addition to damages and aggravated damages.

The Great British Menu 2010 hits our TV screens in a few weeks and as ever we are keen to find out which chefs are taking part.

There have been rumours flying around for a few months as to the format this year and with the help of Caterer's forum, Table Talk we can start to reveal the line-up.

Competing chefs are first judged by a former winner, with one chef getting knocked out. The remaining two have the chance to cook for the judges, Oliver Peyton, Prue Leith and Matthew Fort.

The participating chefs have been allocated a National Trust House, and have to source their ingredients from the surrounding area.

So here it is: The Great British Menu 2010 line-up so far...

London region

• Tom Kerridge, The Hand & Flowers, Marlow
• Anthony Demetre, Arbutus, London
• Tristan Welch, Lauceston Place, London

Judge: Jason Atherton, Maze, London

Central region

• Daniel Clifford, Midsummer House, Cambridge
• Will Holland, La Becasse, Shropshire
• Richard Bramble, Morston Hall, Norfolk

Judge: Glynn Purnell, Purnell's, Birmingham

FINALIST: WILL HOLLAND

NE region

• Kenny Atkinson, Rockliffe Hall, Darlington
• Lee Bennett, Le Pont de la Tour, London
• Tim Bilton, Butchers Arms Hepworth, Yorkshire

Judge: Nigel Haworth, Northcote, Lancashire

FINALIST: KENNY ATKINSON

Scotland 

• Alan Murchison, Paris House, Woburn
• Tony Singh, Oloroso, Edinburgh
• Michael Smith, The Three Chimneys, Isle of Skye

Judge: Jeremy Lee

FINALIST: ALAN MURCHISON

Wales

• James Sommerin, The Crown at Whitebrook, Monmouthshire 
• Aled Williams, Plas Bodegroes, Gwynedd
• Richard Davies, Bybrook Restaurant, Manor House Hotel, Wiltshire

Judge: Stephen Terry, The Hardwick, Abergavenny

FINALIST: ALED WILLIAMS

NW Region

• Aiden Byrne, The Church Green, Lymm
• Lisa Allen, Northcote, Lancashire
• Johnnie Mountain, Mosaica Restaurant at the Factory, London

Judge: Marcus Wareing, Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley, London

FINALIST: LISA ALLEN 

SW region

• Nathan Outlaw, Nathan Outlaw Seafood and Grill at St Enodoc Hotel in Rock
• John Hooker, Browns Hotel, Tavistock, Devon 
• Henry Herbert, Coach & Horses, Clerkenwell, London

Judge: Michael Caines, Gidleigh Park, Devon

FINALIST: NATHAN OUTLAW

Northern Ireland

• Niall McKenna, James Street South, Belfast
• Brian McCann, Shu restaurant, Belfast
• Derek Creagh, formerly of Deane's restaurant 

Judge: Richard Corrigan, Corrigan's, Mayfair

FINALIST: NIALL McKENNA

Keep up to date with more news and gossip on The Great British Menu on Table Talk >>