recognition and established him as one of Manchester’s emerging culinary talents.
Exose Grant, second from left, alongside fellow Great British Menu contestants Jack Bond, Daniel Heffy and Paul Leonard, as well as veteran judge Lisa Goodwin-Allen
Business ventures and restaurant leadership
Following lockdown, Exose launched Exose at Home, a private dining and catering business offering bespoke meals, celebration cakes and event services. The venture showcased his entrepreneurial drive and ability to connect directly with diners.
In 2023, he opened Ikaro Manchester, a seafood and grill restaurant. Although the venue closed in 2024, it demonstrated his ambition to create a concept rooted in flavour and individuality.
He is now head chef at Australasia Manchester, where he leads the kitchen while continuing to run his private dining business. His cooking draws on family influences as well as fine dining training, aiming to deliver food with heart, flair and personality. He has incorporated produce grown by his mother into his menus, maintaining a personal connection to his culinary roots.
Exose Grant on Great British Menu 2026
In Great British Menu 2026, Exose represents the North West in one of the most competitive heats of the series, alongside Jack Bond, Paul Leonard and Daniel Heffy.
With previous television experience on MasterChef: The Professionals and Bake Off: The Professionals, he enters the competition already familiar with the intensity of national broadcast cooking challenges.
His appearance adds another chapter to a career that blends technical skill, media presence and entrepreneurial ambition.
