An interview with former Great British Menu star Mark Aisthorpe

We caught up with Great British Menu star Mark Aisthorpe to find out how his pub and restaurant, The Bulls Head, is putting the Peak District on the foodie map.

One of the UK's rising culinary stars, chef Mark Aisthorpe shot to fame in 2022 after appearing on hit BBC show Great British Menu. Since then, his pub restaurant The Bulls Head, in Holymoorside, Derbyshire, has been busier than ever.

Mark has cystic fibrosis, and became partially deaf due to the side effects of a medication he took to help his condition during his teens. Forging ahead with his passion for food and fine dining, he taught himself to lipread, and went on to learn the tricks of the trade working for the likes of Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing at Cliveden House and Pétrus before fulfilling his lifelong dream of running his own kitchen.

What are some of the best lessons he learnt along the way? We spoke to Mark to find out.

What sparked your interest in food and cooking?

I’ve been interested since as far back as I can remember! My mum used to have a wedding cake business and my auntie had a pub, so I was always around the industry – and I always wanted to be a chef.

Award-winning chef Mark Aisthorpe (Image: Ashleigh Nicole Brown)

What’s your earliest food memory?

Probably helping my mum with wedding cakes when I was maybe four or five years old.

Which chefs inspire you the most?

That’s a tough one. I’d say Gordon Ramsay – he came from nothing to achieve three Michelin stars and build an empire. Now he has so many amazing restaurants, and there are amazing chefs that started their journey with him at Hospital Road, like Clare Smyth, for example. Her food is amazing! I also think Mark Birchall is brilliant – what he’s done at Moor Hall (a Michelin-starred restaurant in West Lancashire) is just unreal. It’s not just about the food there, it’s the whole experience: looking around the grounds, seeing ingredients you’re about to eat being grown. It’s a truly amazing place.

Mark's crispy pork jowl with burnt apple purée (Image: JAZZ Apples)

Try Mark's crispy pork jowl with burnt apple purée recipe

What are the biggest challenges you face in the kitchen as a partially deaf chef?

When I was younger I couldn't lipread, so that was very difficult. Now I can lipread, and I have my own kitchen, so it’s a lot easier. I’ve moved the kitchen around at The Bulls Head so I’m central and can see all my chefs face to face.

What advice do you have for young deaf or partially deaf people who want to pursue a career in the food industry?

Find the right kitchen, and have the right attitude. If you find the right head chef and the right kitchen, it won’t make too much difference as they will help you to work around it.

Mark's salt-baked beetroot, apple and goat cheese salad (Image: JAZZ Apples)

Try Mark's salt-baked beetroot, apple and goat cheese salad recipe

What are some of the best food lessons you’ve learnt working in Michelin-star restaurants?

A few things! Firstly, always treat all produce with equal respect. Treat the humble potato with as much care as something prestigious like truffle or caviar.

Secondly, consistency is key.

Thirdly, little details are just as important as the main elements. Obviously, you’d always make sure a piece of meat is cooked and seasoned perfectly, but you also need to make sure the little sprinkle of chives, or whatever garnish you’re using, is perfect too.

What are your favourite ingredients and flavours to cook with?

I love cooking with whatever’s in season and at its best. I love cooking with lamb from the local farm. I am so lucky to be here in the Peak District, surrounded by amazing woodlands to go foraging in. We collected over 100kg of ceps last summer, all within a few miles of the restaurant. It was amazing to cook with them and to be able to talk to customers about where they came from.

Mark's braised pork belly and apple sauce (Image: JAZZ Apples)

Try Mark's braised pork belly and apple sauce recipe

How did you end up entering Great British Menu in 2022?

I got a phone call from the producer asking me if I’d be interested, totally out of the blue. I thought it was a bit of a wind up, if I’m honest!

What have you been up to since you appeared on Great British Menu?

I’ve converted the space above the restaurant at The Bulls Head to hotel rooms, which was a massive project. But we’ve just been awarded five stars and two AA rosettes at the same time, so that made it worth it!

We closed for two weeks in January, and one week last summer, so I’m genuinely always in the kitchen – I never miss service, so that takes up most of my time.

Mark's vegan bao buns with BBQ oyster mushrooms and apple slaw (Image: JAZZ Apples)

Try Mark's vegan bao buns with BBQ oyster mushrooms and apple slaw recipe

How is The Bulls Head putting the Peak District on the foodie map?

Doing Great British Menu has definitely put us on the map, and having rooms really helps! We have people come from all over the country to eat and to stay.

What’s the inspiration behind the dishes on the menu?

We love revamping pub classics – we have ‘ham and egg’ on our tasting menu, which is about as classic as it gets. However, it’s totally elevated and refined. We also look at what’s in season and at its best and create dishes around this, allowing the ingredients to speak for themselves. If you want to serve the best food, you need the best produce.

What’s your approach to developing new recipes?

If we have an idea, we’ll cook it, taste it and then look at the key points. Is there enough crunch? Is there enough acid? Is the meat tender enough? Once we’ve answered these questions, we’ll tweak it until it’s right. Sometimes dishes end up being completely different from our original idea.

Mark's baked apple pie with custard (Image: JAZZ Apples)

Try Mark's baked apple pie with custard recipe

What do you think are the next big trends in British foods?

Sustainability is massive at the moment, and it’ll continue to grow. Japanese ingredients and influences are massively popular and fashionable in high end restaurants right now, and they’re starting to become more easily accessible to the public.

What’s next for you?

My focus is on my kitchen and my team, and pushing us forward every day. There’s a few things I’d love to do and get involved with; watch this space!

Lead image: Ashleigh Nicole Brown