Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars: when is new BBC show on TV, who are contestants, and what is the prize?

With both The Apprentice and Dragons’ Den finished for the year, a new business show helmed by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has filled the void.

Ramsay, the sweary chef known for hosting Hell’s Kitchen, The F Word, and Kitchen Nightmares, will put 12 contestants with food and drink business ideas to the test.

The first episode of the series saw Ramsay ask each contestant to literally jump off a cliff into the chilly waters below.

But that was just for starters, the contestants were then split into two teams and tasked with selling street food on the beach in Newquay, Cornwall.

Each week one person will be eliminated, and the winner will receive a £150,000 investment from Ramsay to fund their business.

Who are the contestants?

Valentina Fois

Business - Lele’s - vegan cake mixes & café

Valentina, 37, sold vegan cakes that proved such a hit that she began selling cake mixes so that her customers could make them at home.

She plans to use her business to help make a vegan lifestyle more affordable and sustainable.

Asher Flowers

Business - Rogue - jams, chutneys and marmalades

Asher, 28, has experience working in PR and used that knowledge to develop his own brand of preserves.

Asher’s mum sold jams at the local market and now he is looking to reach a younger demographic with flavours such as espresso martini marmalade, bravado chilli pepper jam, and a negroni marmalade.

Stephanie Buttery

Business - Chu Lo - Japanese-inspired soft drinks

Stephanie, 30, spent 12 years in the armed forces and during that time was stationed in Japan as a navy lieutenant.

It was there that she developed a taste for a sour alcohol drink which she has developed a soft version of for the UK market.

Amit Panwar

Business - Pandeli - bottled Indian sauces

Amit,38, is a chef and pub/restaurant owner who created a range of authentic Indian sauces from traditional family recipes.

So far he has three sauces in his arsenal, three simmering sauces and one hot sauce, and has created the branding himself.

Michelle Maddox

Business - Clootie McToot - clootie dumplings

Michelle, 45, ran a stall at her son’s school fair where her clootie dumplings sold like hot cakes, and so she decided to make a business from it.

Michelle sells a range of unique flavoured dumplings including chocolate orange with Irish cream liqueur, and rhubarb and ginger.

Leah Harkness

Business - Norah’s Brownies - free-from brownies

Leah, 38, runs her own business selling brownies that are gluten and dairy free across London.

Her products include cookie sandwiches with a brownie filling, and brownie donuts.

Victoria Omobuwajo

Business - Sunmo - plantain-based snacks

Victoria, 28, has a business degree and is hoping it will help her to expand her healthy snack business.

Sunmo, was inspired by her mum’s plantain (cooking banana) crisps.

Matthew Watts

Business - Jackdaw - zero-waste restaurant

Matthew, 33, is planning to launch a zero waste restaurant, and having spent years in the hospitality industry he thinks he has the right experience for the job.

He is hoping that his restaurant will be a social enterprise and wants to develop a customer base that care about their community.

Vincenzo Gentile

Business - Smokin’ Brothers - smoked salmon.

Vincenzo, 27, has spent years in the salmon production company and in 2019 launched Somkin’ Brothers to focus on rearing sustainable smoked salmon.

The artisan salmon he produces is smoked using only smoke and salt, hand sliced and packed in fully compostable materials.

Jen Wright

Business - The Cocktail Pickers Club - bottled cocktails

Jen, 35, runs a business selling bottled cocktails, so customers can relax with a cocktail in hand without having to splash out at a bar or buy all the ingredients to make one themselves.

Jen is also looking to expand into bars where she will sell her cocktails by the keg.

Bola Adegbenro

Business - Jitterbug - apple cider vinegar seltzers

Bola, 46, is a health coach and has created a tasty low-calorie fizzy drink.

A ‘50s enthusiast, Bola’s drinks are currently available in three themed flavours - Lemonade Swing, Orange Jive and Berry.

Jamie Savage

Business - Savages Mussels - mussel bar

Jamie, 36, previously worked as a head chef in the navy and has now created a business with mussels at the central product.

He has a permanent market stall where he sells a diverse range of mussel food including popcorn mussels, mussel burgers and a mussel stout.

Where can I watch Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars on TV?

Episode three of Future Food Stars will air at 9pm on BBC One on 14 April, with later episodes airing at the same time weekly.

The first two episodes of the series are available to watch on BBC iPlayer now.