BBC Great British Menu: Who is Kirk Haworth? Get to know the Plates chef and co-founder

London foodies may recognise Great British Menu finalist Kirk Haworth as the chef behind the plant-themed London restaurant Plates.

This week Haworth returned to our screens following his success in the North West regional heat as he once again tries to win over Great British Menu judges in the final week of the show.

Longtime watchers of the show will know that this year's series isn't Haworth's only appearance on the show. He first took part in 2021 in series 16 and was the first plant-based chef to ever compete.

While his vegan creations didn't help him triumph over his fellow North West chefs at the time, he's one of the series 19 finalists this time round.

Originally hailing from Blackburn, Lancashire, Kirk has made a name for himself in London as co-founder of the London plant-based restaurant Plates.

Having grown up around the restaurant business thanks to his Michelin-starred chef father, Nigel Haworth, who has also competed on BBC's Great British Menu and won the show in 2009, it's no surprise Kirk started in the industry young.

At the age of just 17, he was named the North West Young Chef of the Year, having kicked off his career under the guidance of his dad at the one Michelin-star Northcote Manor restaurant.

Kirk went on to work in Michelin-starred restaurants across the world, including London's fine dining scene at the Mayfair restaurant The Square.

His latest venture in London, Plates, which he co-founded alongside his sister Keeley Haworth, serves an array of plant-based dishes on its menu and was inspired by a change in Kirk's diet after contracting Lyme disease in 2016.

Initially starting out in 2017 and later operating from Shoreditch, Plates moved to Dalston in 2022. Its new permanent bricks-and-mortar site will open in the capital this spring.

Great British Menu is on BBC2 at 8pm on Tuesday February 27, and on iPlayer.