Marco Pierre White, whose life journey began on a Leeds council estate, takes a journey around Britain for this new series. The destination is the rediscovery of great British food and it involves him making his way back to his native West Yorkshire. He comes to select one of the area's great traditional culinary specialities – forced rhubarb – which has been making a comeback of late thanks to an annual rhubarb festival in Wakefield.

Marco is the most influential chef of his generation and, after an eight-year break from the kitchen, his aim is to create an all-British menu using all-British ingredients. Marco's hunt takes him to picturesque locations and he meets some colourful characters along the way. "When I think of British food I think of honesty. I think of a generous portion," he says. For 20 years he cooked classical French cuisine and was awarded three Michelin stars. But now he is turning his back on French cuisine to create dishes inspired by Britain.

The Hell's Kitchen chef will source key ingredients and cook dishes which he thinks would be fitting to serve at a feast. The public will get to taste his dishes before he chooses the menu reflecting Britain on a plate.

In episode one, Marco starts his journey to find the best British food he can by exploring the idea of serving fresh game as a main course at the Great British Feast. He goes lamping for rabbits with a gamekeeper and remarks: "When I was a boy everybody ate rabbit. It was delicious. Today people think they're pretty little things." Back in the kitchen, Marco shows how to make a stockpot using rabbit and vegetables.

Next, he travels 400 miles to the Scottish Highlands to visit Bill Cassell's farm and see for himself the pure Highland cattle which are one of Britain's oldest breeds. Marco meets the herd and then goes to Bill's kitchen to fry a steak and taste the meat.

The next stop is a Norfolk pig farm. "I'm a big fan of pork. Old fashioned taste. One of those things I grew up on. There's nothing nicer than good crackling. I like fat," he says.

Farmer John Kenney is a man after his own heart since he specialises in old-fashioned British pigs, including the British Lop and Middlewhites which
are on the endangered list.

At the local butcher's, he then gets the chance to chop a pig's carcass in half. Despite enjoying the beef that's available he feels the pig has the edge, so pork will join rabbit on the shortlist for the feast. Marco then reveals his secret for the perfect crackling and cooks honey roast pork.

In Dorset, Marco goes fishing. He catches a pollock and a conger eel. He also indulges in one of the great British eating experiences of the seaside. "Every time I go to the seaside I always have fish and chips because I love the romance of it all," he says.

Marco then returns to the kitchen where he rustles up a fish pie which only takes 15 minutes to cook and he describes it
as "aggravation free".

Marco's options for the main courses all have a link to his past so he finishes this inaugural leg of his journey with a trip to Yorkshire and to Rothwell, near where he grew up. For his main course taste testing session with the public he wants to provide a starter to sweeten them up and wants to use Yorkshire rhubarb with scallops.

He visits Janet Oldroyd Hulme who is one of only a handful of forced rhubarb producers who remain from about 200 or so who flourished in the rhubarb triangle, whose points were Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield, post-war. It's wonderful stuff, fragrant and delicate, which is grown out of season in warm darkened sheds and harvested by candlelight.

Having sourced the ingredients, it's decision day at Marco's Yew Tree Pub. He reveals his three options for the feasts main course to a group of diners. They will pass judgment on his fare and if he agrees the chosen dish will then form the centrepiece to the feast.

Hell's Kitchen maitre d' Nick Munier is running the front of house and the diners are asked to fill in a card with their opinions. After the diners have been fed it's down to Nick to deliver their verdicts to Marco.