Nisha aims to taste success as part of new-look TV panel

GREAT British Menu is back on our screens for its seventeenth season and this time it has a whole new judging panel with Ormskirk-raised chef Nisha Katona joining the judges.

Seasoned judges Oliver Peyton and Matthew Fort have passed the baton over to some familiar faces, including chef Tom Kerridge and comedian Ed Gamble.

Nisha Katona, is founder of Mowgli Street Food restaurants and a former barrister.

She was made an MBE back in 2019 for services to the food industry.

Nisha worked as a child protection barrister for 20 years on the Northern Circuit. Back in 2008 she was appointed trustee of the National Museums Liverpool by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

After switching to a career in teaching Indian cooking, Nisha went on to launch her restaurant chain as well as the Mowgli Trust, and release four cookbooks.

Originally from Ormskirk, Nisha read law at Liverpool John Moores University where she met her future husband Zoltan Katona.

Her husband is one half of the classical duo The Katona Twins, where he plays alongside his identical twin Peter. The pair started playing music aged 10 and throughout their teenage years.

Zoltan and his brother both studied across Europe, including the Bartok Conservatory of Music in Budapest, the Frankfurt University of Music, and under American classical pianist Michael Lewin at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

The duo have won various awards over their 32 years in the industry, including the Borletti-Buitoni Prize back in 2004 - the first guitarists in history of the award to do so.