A kitchen assembled by a Huddersfield firm is to feature on prime-time TV.
Almondbury-based Greens Commercial Kitchens has provided the restaurant kitchen for BBC Two’s six-part reality series Million Pound Menu, which is due to be screened from Thursday (May 17) and is hosted by star of Channel 4’s First Dates maître-d Fred Sirieix.
The project is the latest in a string of high-profile contracts for the firm following its work to design and install a bespoke commercial kitchen for Michelin-starred television chef Simon Rogan’s Roganic restaurant, which opened in Marylebone, London, earlier this year.
Richard Greenway, founder and managing director of Greens Commercial Kitchens, said: “We have started to carve a strong reputation working with high profile media names such as Simon Rogan, Sony and, most recently, the BBC.
“We were contacted by the Million Pound Menu’s production company, Electric Ray, following a recommendation. Their brief was for us to transform an empty and near-derelict trading unit in Manchester’s Spinningfields into a newly refurbished kitchen and restaurant facility that would be used to film the show.”
Each episode of the show will see two sets of restaurant hopefuls with ideas for new dining concepts given a trial in the specially-built kitchen and restaurant space to demonstrate their vision, business acumen and food management expertise to a panel of potential investors.
On the final day of service the contestants will find out if their food and business plans have been strong enough to secure an investment in their restaurant.
Richard said: “We worked closely with the set designers and production teams on the design and installation of the kitchen to allow for good filming angles and workable floor space for the crew.
“We also had to match the specification of the existing kitchen in the ‘competing’ venue opposite to make it fair for the contestants going head-to-head in the kitchens.
“This meant that we custom manufactured almost everything in the kitchen and transformed the unit into a fully refurbished and operational facility in just two weeks to fit in with the production deadlines.”
The first episode of Million Pound Menu featuring the installation from Greens Kitchens will air at 9pm on Thursday (May 17) on BBC Two.
