Polar Pals Flex Culinary Muscle On Ready Steady Cook

British polar explorers Michael McGrath and Pen Hadow left the cold behind on Tuesday 6 February to battle head to head in the heat of BBC 2’s “Ready, Steady, Cook” kitchen.

Michael McGrath and Pen Hadow turned their £10 bag of ingredients into fabulous hot dishes with help from top chefs Leslie Waters and Paul Rankin and with host Ainsley Harriott.















Michael, who has muscular dystrophy, is the only wheelchair-user in the world to have made it all the way to both Poles. Pen is a professional polar explorer and the only Briton to have trekked without resupply all the way to both Poles. Michael's first Arctic expedition to the North Pole in April 2002 was co-ordinated by Pen and the two have since become lifelong friends.

Both dreamed of tasty food while having to survive on meagre and unappetising rations during their polar explorations. The programme gave them the chance to explore the other end of the gourmet spectrum, rustling up dishes using lemon sole, Dartmoor beef, chanteray carrots and Savoy cabbage.

Additionally, Muscle Dreams were fulfilled for three boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The boys watched the filming, met the TV chefs and were presented with The Ten-Minute Ready Steady Cookbook, personally signed by TV presenter Ainsley Harriott and guest chefs, culminating with a group ‘muscle salute’ symbolising hope, courage and inner strength for the 30,000 people who have muscular dystrophy in the UK. Michael, pictured left with Pen Hadow, said, “The show was good fun and Ainsley was fantastic. There were moments on both our polar exploits where having Ready Steady Cook chefs on tap would have been magical!"

Michael, who is CEO of the Muscular Help Foundation, continued: "Appearing on the show is a privilege and a great way to raise more awareness about this wretched and unforgiving disease that robs people of their independence, mobility and finally, for those with the most severe form, their lives. It’s said that time waits for no man; that’s why I’m a man in a hurry to inspire action, attract funds and recruit ‘muscle champions’ to ultimately sell life and hope.”

For more information on The Muscular Help Foundation go to www.musclehelp.com

NorthStar
The sponsorship from Michael’s arctic trek supported the development of the NorthStar clinical database, part of a project to develop a standardised system for measuring function and muscle strength of children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Further information about the project can be found here: The NorthStar Clinical Network