VIDEO: Lir Seafood chef Stevie is the toast of Causeway Coast as he cooks his way to Great British Menu final

Lir Seafood owner Stevie won through to the final after cooking up a six-course menu celebrating heroes from Northern Ireland, in an episode screened on Thursday, March 13.

And, he was being cheered on from the Causeway Coast as Lir, which is situated beside the Causeway Coast and Glens Council offices in Coleraine, held a watch party on the premises.

Stevie impressed the judging panel, which included renowned chef Tom Kerridge and UTV presenter Pamela Ballentine, with his courses which included a pomme souffle filled with cod roe emulsion for starter, followed by stuffed vine leaf with beer cracker topped with maitake mushroom, inspired by the rations of the Spanish Armada sailors on board the Girona, which was shipwrecked off the north Antrim coast.

His next course paid tribute to NI man Professor Frank Pantridge who invented the defibrillator – serving a defiBRILLator platter which included hake nduka-stuffed brill and roasted fennel. His next course was moiled steak and carrots inspired by a Northern Ireland suffragette campaigner.

Despite not serving his fifth course, a pre-dessert of sea buckthorn lolly in popping candy, due to timing issues, Stevie pulled it back with his finale of a dessert based on the Brian Friel play ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’ – bilberry pie with peat-smoked honey ice cream. The bilberry pie prompted judge Tom Kerridge to declare it ‘the best thing I’ve eaten all day’.

Stevie will now go through to the grand final at Blenheim Palace where the judges, Tom Kerridge, Lorna McNee and Ed Gamble, have chosen the chefs from different regions of the country work to create a banquet celebrating Great Britons of the past.

It is being served to 90 modern-day heroes, including campaigners for justice, post office scandal heroes, nurses, teachers and recipients of bravery awards. The chefs need to work together to wow the guests with their depth of flavour and flawless presentation.

The final episode will be screened on March 28.