A micro-pub owner is to feature on the latest series of a BBC cooking competition fighting for an investment from Gordon Ramsay.

Craig Stocker, who owns the two Georgi Fin pubs in Rustington and Goring, will compete to earn £150,000 of the Kitchen Nightmare star’s money.

The show, which airs on BBC1 this evening, sees entrepreneurs fighting for the investment over an eight-week period.

Craig, from Worthing, said: “My biggest challenge was to accept that I may be good enough to be on the show, I have skills that business has taught me that I hadn’t realised and that I’m on to something with my business.

The Argus: Craig StocktonCraig Stockton (Image: BBC)

“I had to transfer what I’ve learned along the way, accept my flaws and embrace what I’m good at to progress.

“The Georgi Fins are named after my two children. I’m one of the youngest founders in the country to open two of these types of venues.


MOST READ:


“I entered the show to show how amazing this market is and to showcase amazing beer by people that are unable to provide their products on a commercial stage and to get Gordon on board to dominate my market.”

Craig said the show was the “toughest thing I’ve ever done” but was “amazing in every way”.

The Argus: Gordon RamsayGordon Ramsay

Tasks on the show include contestants serving food to VIP guests in Scotland as well as working with Olympic boxer Nicola Adams.

Michelin-star chef Gordon said: “Viewers can expect more beautiful locations from across the UK, really interesting special guests who appear on the show to test my contenders, as well as more really tough challenges where the contenders have to push extremely hard to impress me with their skills and ideas.

The Argus: The Georgi Fin in RustingtonThe Georgi Fin in Rustington (Image: Google Street View)

“My expectations are high. These guys should have seen the first Future Food Stars series so they should be more prepared for how to impress me.

"Yes, they need to have a really good idea, but they also need to have strategised about their future ambitions for their products and the growth opportunities for their brand.”

Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars begins on BBC on Thursday, March 30, at 9pm.