tommy banks
‍spinning plates

Tommy Banks: Spinning Plates is a premium cinematic documentary series capturing one of Britain’s most high-profile Michelin-starred chefs at a defining moment — as ambition, economic pressure and personal reckoning collide.

Filming since August 2025, the series has secured rare and often unprecedented access to elite culinary and sporting institutions. From catering at Hampton Court Palace, Twickenham Stadium, Lord’s Cricket Ground, Sunderland Football Club, and Silverstone during the British Grand Prix, the scale of Tommy’s operation extends far beyond a traditional restaurant environment. These are globally recognised stages, where expectations are unforgiving and performance must be flawless.

At the heart of the season lies the pursuit of a Michelin star where we track the build-up, doubt and quiet hope to Dublin for the Michelin Awards - where tension of potential recognition, played against doubt and expectation, forms a powerful narrative spine.

The stakes are not abstract. An £82,000 Christmas market investment spirals into logistical chaos — 30 pigs stranded in ankle-deep mud while simultaneous obligations unfold at Hampton Court Palace. Sales figures fluctuate in real time, determining whether the venture succeeds or fails.We follow the full farm-to-table philosophy at its most visceral: six hours deer stalking in winter darkness to secure a single animal when eight are required; skinning, butchering and transforming it into a Michelin-level dish. Trusted suppliers — including award-winning cheesemongers — reveal the fragile ecosystem underpinning elite dining.

Beyond operations lies a deeper personal story. Following a previous mental health crisis that resulted in hospitalisation, Tommy attempts to compete in Hyrox — one of the world’s fastest-growing endurance sports — targeting an elite 1 hour 5 minute time. The physical pursuit mirrors the psychological one: calm on the surface, relentless strain beneath.An episode centred on family and legacy explores the formative impact of his grandfather’s death and a father who believed pride was implied, not spoken. In examining masculinity, expectation and fatherhood, the series transcends genre.

Shot with cinematic precision and run-and-gun immediacy, Spinning Plates delivers scale, vulnerability and elite access in equal measure.

This is not a chef profile. It is a story about leadership under fire — told from inside some of the most prestigious venues in Britain.

Stylistically, the show combines the raw, high-intensity realism of The Bear with the hybrid documentary storytelling approach of Being Gordon Ramsay and the immersive seasonal tension engine of Clarkson's Farm, all while maintaining its own voice and identity.

Episode 1 – The Year Begins:
‍Meet Tommy and his team as they set the stage for a high-pressure year, introducing restaurants, live events, and the pursuit of Michelin recognition. Stakes and personalities collide.

‍Episode 2 – Farm to Table:
‍Tommy’s farm-to-table philosophy comes alive with deer hunts, cheesemonger visits, and sourcing challenges, revealing the raw effort, ethics, and craft behind Michelin-level dishes.

‍Episode 3 – Christmas Market Pressure:
£82,000 on the line, 30 pigs stranded, and simultaneous live events push Tommy and his team to their limits. Chaos, humour, and real-time tension define the episode.

‍Episode 4 – The Michelin Year:
The pursuit of a second Michelin star drives emotional, operational, and personal challenges. Behind-the-scenes access at Dublin Awards offers rare insight into elite culinary recognition.

‍Episode 5 – The Personal Stakes:
Tommy balances elite-level Hyrox competition, mental health recovery, and family legacy, exploring vulnerability, resilience, and the human side of high-pressure leadership.

‍Episode 6 – Pressure & Performance:
Climactic live events at Silverstone, Twickenham, and Michelin reveal culminate in a season payoff. Leadership, team dynamics, and personal ambition face their ultimate test.

Spinning Plates is directed by award-winning filmmaker Emma Sharp.

Filmed in 4k and 6k RAW using Sony FX3, Red Komodo-X, Go-Pro's and DJI Mavic Pro 4, the narrative is told through a combination of talking heads and fly on the wall Docu-style footage.

The TV series started filming in September 2025 and spans 9 months of Tommy's life.

We expect post-production to be complete by July 2026.

Spinning Plates arrives at a pivotal moment for UK hospitality — a sector facing some of the most intense pressures in its modern history. Restaurant and pub closures, rising operating costs, labour shortages, and sustained inflation have become headline news, reshaping high streets and communities across Britain. In the first half of 2025 alone, an average of two hospitality venues closed every day, leaving the sector more than 14% smaller than it was before the pandemic. Independent restaurants and pubs continue to struggle, with hundreds entering insolvency in recent years, and industry forecasts warn that without meaningful reform to business rates, thousands more venues could close in 2026.

These challenges are not abstract statistics — they are daily realities for operators balancing soaring labour costs, increased National Insurance contributions, minimum wage rises, and tightening margins. For audiences, this translates into a broader national conversation about economic survival, community identity, and the cultural importance of food and gathering spaces. Hospitality has always been more than commerce; it is deeply woven into British social life.

At the same time, there is a proven global appetite for high-stakes, character-driven storytelling set within real professional environments. Series such as The Bear, Clarkson’s Farm, and Being Gordon Ramsay have demonstrated that viewers are drawn to raw, emotionally honest narratives about ambition under pressure. Spinning Plates taps directly into this demand, combining cinematic access with real economic relevance.

Tommy’s journey — leading over 150 staff, managing complex operations, and pursuing culinary excellence in an unforgiving climate — mirrors the experience of thousands across the sector. This is not simply a culinary series; it captures the cultural and economic zeitgeist of British hospitality at a defining moment, offering urgency, authenticity, and powerful audience resonance.

Core demographic: ‍
‍25–54, global, premium content consumers
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‍Secondary demographic: ‍
‍Food, business, sports, lifestyle crossover
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‍SVOD / Streaming Platforms:
‍Appeals to audiences seeking high-production-value, bingeable factual entertainment.‍

‍Premium Factual / Broadcaster Primetime:
‍Fits high-quality, character-led documentary slots on linear broadcast, offering both engagement and marketing potential.