A former Britain’s Got Talent contestant turned YouTube magician has described the £19.50 baked potato at Tom Kerridge’s restaurant in Buckinghamshire as ‘absolutely phenomenal’ and ‘worth every penny’.

Ryan Hicks, 32, who was a contestant on Britain’s Got Talent back in 2013 before gaining prominence for his magic trick YouTube channel under the moniker Ryan Tricks, took a wander over to West Street in Marlow last week to try a pricey baked potato he’d read about online and deliver a verdict for his viewers.

The Coach, a Michelin-starred gastropub in Marlow owned by Tom Kerridge, has recently come under fire for what some viewed as the extortionately priced baked potato, with one person accusing Kerridge of “taking the p***” and another asking: “What’s next, luxury beans on toast?”

The Baked Potato ‘Raclette’ with Sauce Reform, a rejig of the traditional jacket potato with melted cheese and port-enriched dressing, clocks in at nearly £20 on The Coach’s menu and during his visit last week, Ryan told his followers that at that price he was expecting it to be “a proper spud”.

For those curious about the high-end interpretation of the classic comfort dish, Ryan’s verdict – if unspecific – was one of overwhelming endorsement.

While tucking into the baked potato, the 32-year-old told his audience that it was “worth every single penny” of its £19.50 price tag, adding: “This isn’t the original spud you get from Tesco, ASDA, Waitrose, M&S. This is absolutely insane.”

 

@ryantricksmagic

This jacket potato costs £19.50!

♬ original sound - Ryan Tricks

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He said, “everything about (the meal) hits your (taste) palate straight away” and praised the “spices and texture” of the potato.

“Whoever said ‘Why’s he charging £19.50 for a spud?’ There’s a reason he’s charging that, because it’s absolutely phenomenal. The best jacket potato I’ve ever had in my life.”

Kerridge has defended the prices at his restaurants in Marlow and across the UK numerous times, arguing that naysayers “don’t understand” how the menus are priced.

Speaking in 2021, he said: “Those prices include everything. VAT and service. No additional charge at all. I pay staff properly and treat their job as a professional career. Perhaps the real cost of dining should be addressed.”