Adelina Yard co-owner Olivia Barry prepares for Great British Menu 2018

Olivia Barry might usually prefer being behind the stove in the kitchen to courting any publicity.

But she is being taken well and truly out of her comfort zone by appearing on one of the most popular cooking shows on British television.

The co-owner of Bristol restaurant Adelina Yard – and one member of a family well-known across the city’s food and drink scene – is taking part in this year’s Great British Menu on BBC Two, which will culminate in a banquet to pay tribute to the 70th anniversary of the NHS.

Olivia Barry competing in this year’s Great British Menu – photo courtesy of BBC

“I’ve had to keep it secret for a while,” Olivia tells Bristol24/7 when we meet during the summer before the first episode of the new series is due to air.

“It’s good that I can now speak about it! I’m not the most confident person and I have never done anything like this before. It was definitely a challenge.”

Olivia was pregnant with her third child, Thea, when filming for the show took place over one week in London. Thea is now six months old and Olivia is also mum to three-year-old Oscar and one-year-old Zac.

In the South West heats of the show, Olivia will be seen on screen competing with Jude Kereama of Kota in Cornwall; and Tom Brown of Cornerstone in London.

Each day will see the chefs prepare a different course, with Friday’s guest judge Barbara Childs, matron in the cardiac intensive care unit at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Olvia will be competing in the South West heats against Tom Brown (left) and Jude Kereama (right) – photo courtesy of BBC

When she is not looking after her young children, the day job for Olivia is at Adelina Yard which opened its doors on Welsh Back in December 2015 serving modern European food and since then has quietly got on with business as one of the best restaurants in Bristol.

Born and bred in Totterdown, Olivia’s mum and dad, Dina Bianchi and Mark Barry, own Deli @ Sandy Park in Brislington; and her cousins Joe and Ben Harvey, and Dominic Borel, own Pasta Loco on Cotham Hill and Pasta Ripiena on St Stephen’s Street.

Olivia upped sticks aged only 17 to embark upon the prestigious apprenticeship under the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and later worked at acclaimed London restaurants including The Wolseley and under Angela Hartnett at Murano.

She met her husband, Jamie Randall, while they were both working at St Alban’s restaurant in the capital before they decided to open their own restaurant together in Bristol.

“I love food, I love being around food, I love eating food,” 28-year-old Olivia says. “Food has always been around me, but I never really knew that it could ever become a career.”

She has certainly made a success of her chosen career, however, and now Olivia’s skills will be seen by a television audience of millions.

“Jamie encouraged me to do this, and my mum and dad have been so supportive. But it’s fair enough everyone saying this, but it’s my muggins that’s going to be appearing!

“I’m not looking forward to seeing myself on television. It was a great but scary experience.”

Olivia Barry is appearing on Great British Menu on BBC Two from Monday, September 17

Bristol has featured strongly on previous Great British Menu series, with (clockwise from top-left) Chris Wicks, formerly of Bell’s Diner, in 2008; Peter Sanchez-Iglesias of Casamia in 2013; Josh Eggleton of the Pony & Trap in 2014, 2015 and 2016; and Andy Clatworthy, formerly of Brigstowe (now Broken Dock) in 2017

Main photo of Olivia Barry by Sam Harvey