Interview with Sally Abe representing Central region on Great British Menu 2025 – Women In the Food Industry

Great British Menu (GBM) returned to our screens in January for season 20. The BBC2 show puts the nation’s most talented chefs to the test. At Women in the Food Industry we are continuing our series of interviews with the strong female line-up of chefs from across Britain competing to serve their dish at the final banquet. Our co-founder, Mecca Ibrahim, interviewed Sally Abé, chef consultant at The Pem Restaurant in the Conrad London Hotel in St. James’s.

Sally was named Estrella Damm’s Gastropub Chef of the Year in 2020 and also SquareMeal’s Female Chef of the Year in 2021. At The Pem, she leads a predominantly female team, reflecting her commitment to championing female empowerment within the culinary industry. Originally from Mansfield,  Nottingham, Sally is representing the Central region.

Sally Abé Great British Menu 2025

How did you start working in the hospitality world and where did you train to be a chef?

I started cooking at home and when I was 18 I got really into it. I decided to pursue a career in food and went Sheffield Hallam University to do a hospitality degree. I came down to London as part of a sandwich course and my first job was at The Savoy under Marcus Wareing. I then went onto Claridge’s which I count as my training.

This is your third time on Great British Menu, how did you get onto Great British Menu?

I’ve had a good relationship with all of the producers after being on the first time in 2020 (The episode aired the day before we went into lockdown), so we all kept in touch.  On my second time I cooked the mini courses at the banquet held at Alexander Palace. I let them know that I’d be keen to do the show again, and they invited me back.

How do you feel about going back on Great British Menu?

This is my third time competing, which means either I love a challenge or I have completely lost my grip on reality. Expect high drama, aggressive plating, and me internally screaming while smiling.

Sally aims to present dishes that reflect her philosophy of modernising traditional British flavours, utilising the finest local ingredients, and showcasing the culinary heritage of her home region.

How did you find the Great Britons brief?

It was good and difficult at the same time. It was great as you could use your imagination. However it was difficult as it was quite broad. When it’s a more specific theme like children’s literature that really narrows it down.

However  it was nice to be able to select people that have meant something to me in my life. I loved that people from my  region could be  celebrated.  You know you look back in history. It’s mostly people from  the South or London who get the most representation. So it was nice to be able to celebrate people from the central region.

Great British Menu is very much known for its props. Did you feel you embraced the props on the show?

I prefer to use the props to enhance the dish rather than make the dish.  I’d like to think the dishes I create  would still make sense and stand up in their own right without the props . That’s the most important thing to remember.

Which course did you find the hardest to research and prepare for?

I’d day I struggled the most with the concept of the fish course. Sometimes the ideas come to you in a moment of inspirations.  Whereas others you really have to work on. The main course came to me straight away, and then the dessert,  then the starter. And then the fish.

Which chef that you have worked with has given you the most inspiration?

It would have to be Brett Graham. I worked with him for about 8 – 9 years and he’s definitely been the biggest influence on my career.

If you were marooned on a desert island, what was the one type of dish you could happily live on?

Well this is difficult, as my death row meal would be mashed potato and gravy. But if I on a desert island that might be a bit too hot. Can I say Pina Coladas?! Does that count? Well I like to keep things simple. I suppose if I was marooned on a hot desert island, I’d go for a Caprese salad. Tomato, mozzerella and basil, you can’t really go wrong with that.

Finally, what do you know now that you wish you could have told your younger self when you were starting out?

Believe in yourself that’s the biggest thing.

Sally will be appearing on Great British Menu from Tuesday 4th March 2025 representing the Central region. Look out for more in our series of interviews with the great women chefs on Great British Menu 2025 – this page will be regularly updated.