EP67 | Cal Byerley| Gordon, Gastronomy and Great British Menu | Local Heroes Podcast

This week on the Local Heroes podcast, Chris and Dan sit with Cal Byerley of Restaurant Pine - and Gordons (plural) steal the show. Gordon, the podcast mascot, is named after a rock star, carved from a sculpture celebrating Mary Ann McCann's escape from slavery and destined for a bag stool at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Not bad for a bench. There's also a dog called Gordon - named after Ramsay himself, Scottish and yappy - who nearly caused a very awkward moment on a TV set. The tale of many Gordons. Cal talks about Third Bite - the chef collective born from a conversation with Sir Brendan Foster that has since pulled together some of the country's best chefs to raise serious money for cancer research. He talks about what it took to finally cook the main course at the Great British Menu banquet after three years of competing - including how the third time around you feel bold enough to put a dish shaped like genitalia on the BBC, complete with a police hat as the reveal. There's also the story of how Cal once used ski-scene shower curtains as wallpaper in their staff accommodation, and how that slightly chaotic energy somehow became the foundation for one of the North East's most celebrated restaurants. He also comes clean about his love of the air fryer. And, as is tradition on Local Heroes, Cal reveals his Greggs order. Drum roll, please 🥁