Seaham author Kylie Dixon inspires celebrity chef's mushroom dish on BBC's Great British Menu

The recently aired episode celebrated England’s illustrators and authors and saw some of the country’s most acclaimed professional chefs cook-up fine dining dishes inspired by children’s literature.

Michelin-star Northumberland chef Cal Byerley won over judges and fellow competitors alike with his starter ‘The Magical World of Mushrooms’, which was inspired by the mushroom characters in Kylie’s book, Inkcap & The Blight of The Bonnets.

Kylie, 42, has released two further children’s books, Inkcap & The Nethers, and most recently Inkcap & The Agaric Circle, which she officially launched on Sunday, April 16, at Seven Stories, The National Centre for Children's Books in Newcastle.

Following the episode, Kylie, who also studied Fine Art at the University of Sunderland, said: “It was always my dream to have a trilogy of books and after the success of my second book being chosen as inspiration on the Great British Menu, it spurred me on to achieve this dream.

“Having my third book launch at Seven Stories was the absolute icing on the cake. Being recognised as a successful children’s author in such a prestigious venue was incredible.”

The trilogy is set in her dad’s allotment where a secret world of mushroom characters, led by hero Inkap, embark on magical adventures “helping the vegetables to survive”.

Kylie added: “I’m very passionate about opening up children’s minds to a magical world they can escape to. I’ve been inspired by characters and scenes from The Chronicles of Narnia my whole life, so there’s always an element of fantasy involved.

“I also want to encourage children to embrace the natural environment and the setting of an allotment makes the story very real for the reader. It’s filled with nostalgia, friendship and adventure.”

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After 18 years of working in a bank, Kylie decided to walk away from the role in 2019 to pursue her passion for creativity.

Inspiration struck when walking through a forest in Seaham, Kylie came across a clearing filled with thousands of tiny mushrooms. It was then her online art business Mushroom Marvellous was born and from which she then went on to pen her first book.