1 00:00:03,725 --> 00:00:07,565 From across the UK, 2 00:00:07,565 --> 00:00:11,765 32 up-and-coming chefs 3 00:00:11,765 --> 00:00:17,205 are putting their reputations on the line in a battle to become 4 00:00:17,205 --> 00:00:20,045 professional MasterChef champion. 5 00:00:21,885 --> 00:00:26,205 Tonight, four new hopefuls compete to impress 6 00:00:26,205 --> 00:00:29,205 MasterChef judge Gregg Wallace, 7 00:00:29,205 --> 00:00:32,285 renowned chef Monica Galetti, 8 00:00:32,285 --> 00:00:35,245 and Michelin-starred Marcus Wareing. 9 00:00:38,245 --> 00:00:40,045 Oh, my God, it's happening! 10 00:00:40,045 --> 00:00:42,725 I must admit, none of this feels real quite yet. 11 00:00:42,725 --> 00:00:45,205 Yeah, I'm going to give this competition everything. 12 00:00:45,205 --> 00:00:48,045 It's in my nature to do everything 100%. 13 00:00:48,045 --> 00:00:52,245 Feels scary. No, terrifying. Definitely terrifying. 14 00:00:52,245 --> 00:00:55,685 I'm super-excited and buzzing to get in there. 15 00:00:56,725 --> 00:00:59,245 Who has got the talent to rise to the top? 16 00:00:59,245 --> 00:01:03,045 It's time to discover our next culinary superstar. 17 00:01:08,925 --> 00:01:10,285 Here we are. 18 00:01:10,285 --> 00:01:13,405 Do you know, this is the last week of our heats, and you never know, 19 00:01:13,405 --> 00:01:15,805 we may well have saved the best till last. 20 00:01:15,805 --> 00:01:18,685 We have four new chefs today eager to make an impact. 21 00:01:18,685 --> 00:01:20,805 First of all, they have to face a Skills Test. 22 00:01:20,805 --> 00:01:22,525 Monica, we're starting with yours. 23 00:01:22,525 --> 00:01:24,245 What are you going to get them to do? 24 00:01:24,245 --> 00:01:26,645 I'm going to get our chefs to make us some squid croquettes 25 00:01:26,645 --> 00:01:29,045 served with a garlic mayonnaise. 26 00:01:29,045 --> 00:01:31,725 Sounds simple, but technically, there's a lot to do. 27 00:01:31,725 --> 00:01:35,365 The key skills I'm looking for from our chefs is the preparation 28 00:01:35,365 --> 00:01:39,765 of the squid, the making of the thick bechamel that's 29 00:01:39,765 --> 00:01:41,645 going to bind their mix 30 00:01:41,645 --> 00:01:44,325 and, of course, the mayonnaise with garlic. 31 00:01:44,325 --> 00:01:47,365 Squid croquettes with a garlic mayo, 20 minutes. 32 00:01:47,365 --> 00:01:49,205 Over to you, Monica, please. 33 00:01:49,205 --> 00:01:50,925 Right, let's get going. 34 00:01:50,925 --> 00:01:53,765 First thing I'm going to do is make up the binding agent, 35 00:01:53,765 --> 00:01:55,805 which is going to be a really thick bechamel. 36 00:01:55,805 --> 00:01:58,085 So I've got some milk. 37 00:01:58,085 --> 00:02:00,485 I think they might be looking around for a potato. 38 00:02:00,485 --> 00:02:03,725 I think officially it's croquette if it's potato, 39 00:02:03,725 --> 00:02:05,485 croqueta if it's bechamel. 40 00:02:05,485 --> 00:02:08,525 So I've got some butter in the pan. I want it a little a bit thicker 41 00:02:08,525 --> 00:02:11,125 so I'm going to add just a touch more of the flour to it. 42 00:02:11,125 --> 00:02:15,405 Soft bechamel with wet squid, recipe for an explosion. 43 00:02:15,405 --> 00:02:18,365 Yes, it is. 44 00:02:15,405 --> 00:02:18,365 THEY LAUGH 45 00:02:20,765 --> 00:02:22,365 So I've cooked out the butter 46 00:02:22,365 --> 00:02:24,965 and the flour and now I've added the milk to it, 47 00:02:24,965 --> 00:02:27,565 so I've made quite a thick bechamel. 48 00:02:27,565 --> 00:02:30,565 If this is too thin, then there's just no way they're going to be able 49 00:02:30,565 --> 00:02:31,725 to make it into a ball. 50 00:02:31,725 --> 00:02:34,125 So I'm just adding one egg yolk to the bechamel. 51 00:02:34,125 --> 00:02:37,125 Ooh! Just for richness? Yes. 52 00:02:37,125 --> 00:02:40,725 Next thing I'm going to do is prepare the squid. 53 00:02:40,725 --> 00:02:45,005 Remove the tentacles, take the wings off and, of course, 54 00:02:45,005 --> 00:02:47,565 remove the quill from the inside. 55 00:02:47,565 --> 00:02:51,645 You can actually use the wings as well, even the tentacles. 56 00:02:51,645 --> 00:02:54,045 You don't want to waste anything. 57 00:02:55,565 --> 00:02:58,285 I think the question's going to be once they've prepped it 58 00:02:58,285 --> 00:03:00,965 is what to do with it. Do they cook it, do they put it in raw? 59 00:03:00,965 --> 00:03:04,885 I'm only going to sear that literally for seconds. 60 00:03:04,885 --> 00:03:06,965 So, hot pan. 61 00:03:06,965 --> 00:03:09,125 They've got to chop it up fine, haven't they? 62 00:03:09,125 --> 00:03:12,005 They got no option here. They can't have a big lump of squid inside it, 63 00:03:12,005 --> 00:03:13,525 it won't be cooked. 64 00:03:13,525 --> 00:03:17,405 Put some smoked paprika into it and then into the bechamel. 65 00:03:18,765 --> 00:03:20,925 I'm going to put a little bit of chopped parsley 66 00:03:20,925 --> 00:03:22,725 through it as well. 67 00:03:24,485 --> 00:03:26,925 I'm going to roll these into balls after, 68 00:03:26,925 --> 00:03:28,605 but what I want to do is make sure 69 00:03:28,605 --> 00:03:30,605 that they're going to be firm enough, 70 00:03:30,605 --> 00:03:33,205 so I'm going to put them into the blast chiller. 71 00:03:33,205 --> 00:03:35,725 I'll do that, I'll do that. 72 00:03:33,205 --> 00:03:35,725 SHE CHUCKLES 73 00:03:41,525 --> 00:03:44,485 While my croquettes are in the blast chiller, 74 00:03:44,485 --> 00:03:46,685 I'm going to make my mayo. Coming! 75 00:03:48,405 --> 00:03:49,925 I've got two egg yolks. 76 00:03:49,925 --> 00:03:51,245 I'm going to use some mustard. 77 00:03:51,245 --> 00:03:55,005 And I'm also putting some garlic into my mayonnaise. 78 00:03:57,285 --> 00:03:59,765 A touch of vinegar. 79 00:03:59,765 --> 00:04:02,285 And then it's just about emulsifying with your oil. 80 00:04:03,205 --> 00:04:07,565 We've seen plenty of mayonnaises go wrong, haven't we? Plenty. 81 00:04:09,965 --> 00:04:14,205 My daughter makes mayonnaise from scratch. I think we should be OK. 82 00:04:15,485 --> 00:04:18,725 So only a couple of minutes in the blast chiller, that needed. 83 00:04:18,725 --> 00:04:20,845 Just lightly flour them. 84 00:04:26,045 --> 00:04:29,045 These will only take a minute or two to cook. 85 00:04:32,085 --> 00:04:34,965 Not too much browning. Just a... No, just a little bit. 86 00:04:34,965 --> 00:04:38,605 But I want that bechamel hot enough that when you bite into it, 87 00:04:38,605 --> 00:04:40,365 it'll be nice and gooey. 88 00:04:47,125 --> 00:04:49,205 There we are. Look at them! 89 00:04:49,205 --> 00:04:54,325 And there we have it, my squid croquettes with a garlic mayo. 90 00:04:54,325 --> 00:04:56,325 Very, very good indeed. 91 00:05:00,645 --> 00:05:03,965 You go from the crunch on the outside to the softness 92 00:05:03,965 --> 00:05:06,445 of bechamel in the middle to that lovely, delightful bit 93 00:05:06,445 --> 00:05:08,845 of bounce of that squid. It's great. 94 00:05:08,845 --> 00:05:12,205 Very different to a potato croquette. 95 00:05:12,205 --> 00:05:14,365 So much lighter. 96 00:05:14,365 --> 00:05:17,205 Marcus, you'll be watching things remotely. 97 00:05:17,205 --> 00:05:19,285 We'll see you in a moment. OK. 98 00:05:21,685 --> 00:05:23,285 Are we ready? Yes! 99 00:05:23,285 --> 00:05:25,005 Let's see 'em. 100 00:05:27,165 --> 00:05:29,605 NARRATOR: First to attempt Monica's Skills Test 101 00:05:29,605 --> 00:05:32,125 is 36-year-old head chef Simon, 102 00:05:32,125 --> 00:05:35,325 who works at a four-star hotel in Dorset. 103 00:05:40,165 --> 00:05:43,765 If you don't love this profession, it's not for you. 104 00:05:43,765 --> 00:05:48,685 My father was a chef for 25 years, so I always wanted to follow 105 00:05:48,685 --> 00:05:53,005 in his footsteps and maybe one day be a bit better than him. 106 00:05:53,005 --> 00:05:57,325 My grandparents, Portuguese, were a big inspiration to me. 107 00:05:58,525 --> 00:06:01,365 My personal cooking style is very much like my personality, 108 00:06:01,365 --> 00:06:05,805 it's big and bold. Good flavours, good food, cooked well. 109 00:06:07,525 --> 00:06:11,365 Cooking for the judges is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. 110 00:06:11,365 --> 00:06:12,925 Bring it on, let's go. 111 00:06:17,245 --> 00:06:20,325 Hello, Chef. You all right, Simon? Living the dream. 112 00:06:20,325 --> 00:06:21,885 Living the dream? Absolutely. 113 00:06:21,885 --> 00:06:23,645 Could be a 20-minute nightmare, though. 114 00:06:23,645 --> 00:06:25,245 HE CHUCKLES 115 00:06:25,245 --> 00:06:26,725 Simon, this is a Skills Test. 116 00:06:26,725 --> 00:06:32,045 This one was set by this wonderful chef, Monica. Great! 117 00:06:32,045 --> 00:06:34,525 Simon, I would like you to make for us 118 00:06:34,525 --> 00:06:37,845 squid croquettes served with a garlic mayo. 119 00:06:38,805 --> 00:06:41,405 There's no potato mix here, you've got to make a bechamel. 120 00:06:41,405 --> 00:06:44,045 20 minutes. Good luck. Thank you. 121 00:06:46,085 --> 00:06:49,645 Off he goes with what looks like his bechamel. 122 00:06:49,645 --> 00:06:51,165 So it's a little bit of milk, 123 00:06:51,165 --> 00:06:53,605 melt the butter, add the flour, 124 00:06:53,605 --> 00:06:57,245 make the roux, season up and chill it down ready for the croquettes. 125 00:06:57,245 --> 00:06:59,045 Sounds good. 126 00:06:59,045 --> 00:07:00,805 He looks very confident. 127 00:07:00,805 --> 00:07:03,205 Key to this bechamel is making sure it's a little bit thicker 128 00:07:03,205 --> 00:07:04,605 than your normal... 129 00:07:04,605 --> 00:07:06,925 Squid preparation, you seem to be fine with that, yes? 130 00:07:06,925 --> 00:07:10,445 Yeah, I think so. I mean, I come from a Portuguese heritage, so... 131 00:07:10,445 --> 00:07:16,205 Oh! Interesting. He knows what he's doing with that squid. 132 00:07:16,205 --> 00:07:18,165 He's done that very well. 133 00:07:18,165 --> 00:07:19,845 But he's kept the squid quite large. 134 00:07:19,845 --> 00:07:22,125 He's got to incorporate that into the white sauce. 135 00:07:22,125 --> 00:07:25,965 So you really want them to be cut down a bit smaller. 136 00:07:29,445 --> 00:07:30,845 I've always done croquettes 137 00:07:30,845 --> 00:07:34,805 potato-based, making it up with fish or crab or something like that. 138 00:07:34,805 --> 00:07:38,445 This white sauce is effectively replacing potato. 139 00:07:39,445 --> 00:07:42,725 It's got to be really thick for it to work. 140 00:07:42,725 --> 00:07:45,245 That looks quite thin. 141 00:07:45,245 --> 00:07:48,205 So your bechamel base is cooling 142 00:07:48,205 --> 00:07:51,045 and now you're making, what, your mayo? 143 00:07:51,045 --> 00:07:54,765 Whisk up the eggs with a teeny bit of the mustard. 144 00:07:56,285 --> 00:08:00,485 Just over halfway, Simon, you've got ten minutes left. 145 00:08:00,485 --> 00:08:02,805 My mayonnaise is good to go. 146 00:08:04,725 --> 00:08:08,165 Has that firmed up? He'll be in big trouble if it hasn't. 147 00:08:08,165 --> 00:08:10,925 Could you talk me through what you're doing with the squid? 148 00:08:12,525 --> 00:08:14,645 I don't think I want to mix it together, but I feel 149 00:08:14,645 --> 00:08:16,005 it should be mixed together. 150 00:08:16,005 --> 00:08:18,485 What should? The squid with the bechamel. 151 00:08:18,485 --> 00:08:19,925 The raw squid and the bechamel? 152 00:08:19,925 --> 00:08:22,085 But it doesn't make sense. 153 00:08:22,085 --> 00:08:25,845 You don't want to fry it first and the inks will be greasy. 154 00:08:25,845 --> 00:08:28,525 I think you do need to cook it first. 155 00:08:31,205 --> 00:08:33,645 I think I need to add the squid raw, cut it smaller, put 156 00:08:33,645 --> 00:08:37,565 it in and then it'll cook through quicker. That makes more sense. 157 00:08:37,565 --> 00:08:40,805 The thing when you're cooking a croquette is all you're doing 158 00:08:40,805 --> 00:08:42,445 is crisping up the outside. 159 00:08:42,445 --> 00:08:44,485 What you're not doing is cooking the centre, 160 00:08:44,485 --> 00:08:46,485 so you can't put raw squid in. 161 00:08:46,485 --> 00:08:48,565 Simon, you've got about four minutes, 162 00:08:48,565 --> 00:08:50,165 so you've got to get this done now. 163 00:08:50,165 --> 00:08:51,645 Yeah, I have. 164 00:08:51,645 --> 00:08:53,245 The moment of truth. 165 00:08:56,365 --> 00:08:59,125 Even Mon's crossing her fingers. 166 00:08:59,125 --> 00:09:01,125 They need to be in the fryer 167 00:09:01,125 --> 00:09:04,405 for at least five minutes if he wants that squid to be cooked. 168 00:09:04,405 --> 00:09:07,605 How are they looking in that fryer, Simon? 169 00:09:07,605 --> 00:09:11,885 Large and golden-y, like me at this very precise moment in time! 170 00:09:16,725 --> 00:09:19,805 No way that squid's going to be cooked. No way. 171 00:09:25,765 --> 00:09:28,165 Well done, Simon. Thank you. Got it done. 172 00:09:28,165 --> 00:09:30,525 You relieved? I'm relieved, I feel really happy. 173 00:09:30,525 --> 00:09:32,325 SHE CHUCKLES 174 00:09:38,805 --> 00:09:41,085 Hey, Simon. How are you? Living the dream, thanks. 175 00:09:41,085 --> 00:09:43,525 Oh, really? Never said it was a good dream! 176 00:09:43,525 --> 00:09:45,005 THEY LAUGH 177 00:09:46,845 --> 00:09:48,685 The squid is raw. 178 00:09:57,125 --> 00:09:58,645 You made the bechamel. 179 00:09:58,645 --> 00:10:01,205 You made croquettes, they're lovely and crispy. 180 00:10:01,205 --> 00:10:04,045 But the mix, it's not edible. 181 00:10:04,045 --> 00:10:06,605 You knew the squid needed to be cooked before it went 182 00:10:06,605 --> 00:10:08,525 into the bechamel, 183 00:10:08,525 --> 00:10:11,005 but you weren't sure how to do it. 184 00:10:12,125 --> 00:10:15,325 The garlic mayo could be a touch thicker. 185 00:10:15,325 --> 00:10:17,725 You've worked with squid, that was quite clear to see. 186 00:10:17,725 --> 00:10:19,165 You prepped it beautifully. 187 00:10:19,165 --> 00:10:21,925 You've completed the task that Monica was looking 188 00:10:21,925 --> 00:10:25,485 for in certain areas, but they do need improving. 189 00:10:25,485 --> 00:10:27,365 Simon, not the start you would have wanted. 190 00:10:27,365 --> 00:10:30,485 I've got a strong feeling you are a lot, lot better than this. 191 00:10:30,485 --> 00:10:32,885 We'll find that out in the next round. See you soon, Chef. 192 00:10:32,885 --> 00:10:34,525 Thank you. Thank you. Thanks, Simon. 193 00:10:38,285 --> 00:10:40,685 Under this pressure, we've seen many a chef crumble, 194 00:10:40,685 --> 00:10:43,325 yet Simon has shown potential there. 195 00:10:46,045 --> 00:10:48,405 I'm feeling pretty deflated. 196 00:10:48,405 --> 00:10:52,805 The next round, I just want to push on, get my head down, focus. 197 00:10:56,125 --> 00:10:59,565 NARRATOR: Next up is 37-year-old Casrick. 198 00:10:59,565 --> 00:11:01,925 Hi, Casrick. 199 00:11:01,925 --> 00:11:04,325 Originally from St Vincent and the Grenadines, 200 00:11:04,325 --> 00:11:07,165 he's a junior sous-chef at a Michelin-starred 201 00:11:07,165 --> 00:11:09,445 restaurant in London. 202 00:11:09,445 --> 00:11:12,045 If you're a chef, it's a very hectic life. 203 00:11:12,045 --> 00:11:14,765 You have to be mentally strong. 204 00:11:14,765 --> 00:11:16,325 My family, they love food. 205 00:11:16,325 --> 00:11:18,925 We always cook at home. 206 00:11:18,925 --> 00:11:21,405 So we used to live close to the river, so we would catch some 207 00:11:21,405 --> 00:11:23,285 crayfish, some whelks, 208 00:11:23,285 --> 00:11:26,085 and everybody just cooked outside. 209 00:11:26,085 --> 00:11:32,485 My style is basically French/Italian/Caribbean. 210 00:11:32,485 --> 00:11:34,685 HE CHUCKLES 211 00:11:34,685 --> 00:11:38,125 I would like to have my own restaurant, like a farm-to-table 212 00:11:38,125 --> 00:11:42,725 restaurant, cos my wife works in horticulture, so just fresh fruit 213 00:11:42,725 --> 00:11:45,805 from the garden into the kitchen. 214 00:11:45,805 --> 00:11:50,365 Always, you do your best, and never take feedback negative. 215 00:11:50,365 --> 00:11:53,285 That's one thing I learned in the kitchen. 216 00:11:56,365 --> 00:12:00,685 I would like you to make for us a squid croquette served 217 00:12:00,685 --> 00:12:04,285 with a garlic mayo, OK? 218 00:12:04,285 --> 00:12:06,365 Have you made croquettes before? Yeah. 219 00:12:06,365 --> 00:12:08,165 OK. 20 minutes, good luck. 220 00:12:11,925 --> 00:12:14,365 He's under way and he's gone straight for the squid, 221 00:12:14,365 --> 00:12:15,805 which is OK. 222 00:12:15,805 --> 00:12:18,725 It doesn't take long to prepare a squid. 223 00:12:18,725 --> 00:12:21,085 Where does your passion for cookery come from? 224 00:12:21,085 --> 00:12:25,245 I left college and I was doing construction, and this lady playing 225 00:12:25,245 --> 00:12:27,365 bingo asked me if I wanted a job. 226 00:12:27,365 --> 00:12:30,845 LAUGHS: Which is actually funny, so that's how I started. 227 00:12:30,845 --> 00:12:34,165 Bingo and ladies isn't the usual route into catering. 228 00:12:34,165 --> 00:12:35,365 No, not really. 229 00:12:35,365 --> 00:12:38,085 I think that's how Marcus started. Yeah, yeah. 230 00:12:38,085 --> 00:12:40,045 CASRICK LAUGHS 231 00:12:41,365 --> 00:12:44,805 He needs to really get a motor on now and get that bechamel on, 232 00:12:44,805 --> 00:12:46,645 get it chilled down. 233 00:12:46,645 --> 00:12:49,205 He's working a little bit too slow. 234 00:12:51,485 --> 00:12:54,765 That is not how you start a bechamel. 235 00:12:54,765 --> 00:12:57,605 I think we're going to get a very floury bechamel. 236 00:12:59,405 --> 00:13:03,045 He's not really cooked it out much at all. 237 00:13:03,045 --> 00:13:04,805 Your bechamel's chilling. Yeah. 238 00:13:04,805 --> 00:13:08,165 And now you're going to quickly fry some squid? Yes. Good plan! 239 00:13:11,845 --> 00:13:13,525 Is the mix looking good? 240 00:13:13,525 --> 00:13:16,485 Yes, looking good. You can shape that? Yeah. 241 00:13:16,485 --> 00:13:18,885 That's only going to taste of just raw flour. 242 00:13:24,845 --> 00:13:27,445 So, Casrick, you need to cook your croquette 243 00:13:27,445 --> 00:13:29,285 and make your garlic mayonnaise. 244 00:13:29,285 --> 00:13:31,165 You've got three minutes. 245 00:13:31,165 --> 00:13:34,365 It looks like he just doing one croquette. 246 00:13:34,365 --> 00:13:37,245 Can he make a mayonnaise in three minutes? 247 00:13:37,245 --> 00:13:38,925 SHE MOUTHS 248 00:13:40,005 --> 00:13:42,405 Some stir action right there. 249 00:13:42,405 --> 00:13:45,525 Looks like you got batteries in your elbows! 250 00:13:48,685 --> 00:13:50,885 Oh, he's putting the tentacles in now. 251 00:13:50,885 --> 00:13:52,285 You've got about a minute. Oh, OK. 252 00:14:00,165 --> 00:14:02,205 Are you done? Yeah. 253 00:14:02,205 --> 00:14:05,405 Hooray! Well done. 254 00:14:16,165 --> 00:14:17,725 Are you pleased? 255 00:14:17,725 --> 00:14:21,005 99.9%. Good man. 256 00:14:26,845 --> 00:14:31,445 Casrick, I like that you cooked the squid before it went into it, 257 00:14:31,445 --> 00:14:34,365 but what we have is a bechamel that's not quite cooked through, 258 00:14:34,365 --> 00:14:36,965 so it's quite heavy and stodgy. 259 00:14:36,965 --> 00:14:40,645 The mayo part, it's a garlic mayo, 260 00:14:40,645 --> 00:14:44,565 so you want garlic in it, but not two whole cloves. 261 00:14:44,565 --> 00:14:47,925 I can't quite make up my mind 262 00:14:47,925 --> 00:14:50,885 where your skills are at. Thank you. 263 00:14:50,885 --> 00:14:53,725 Your bechamel cookery - nice and thick, yes, 264 00:14:53,725 --> 00:14:56,325 it is just almost pure flour. 265 00:14:56,325 --> 00:14:59,285 The skill in that area's not good. 266 00:14:59,285 --> 00:15:02,285 I can't eat the croquette because it's not cooked inside. 267 00:15:02,285 --> 00:15:05,045 That doesn't mean your competition's over, 268 00:15:05,045 --> 00:15:09,205 it just means that you have got a lot to prove with your own dishes. 269 00:15:09,205 --> 00:15:11,965 We'll see you soon. Thank you very much. Cheers. Thank you. Ciao. 270 00:15:16,485 --> 00:15:18,045 I don't know how to explain it, 271 00:15:18,045 --> 00:15:22,605 but that's not how I really cook, but I have a lot more to show. 272 00:15:22,605 --> 00:15:25,845 It's like that was just a major slip-up for me. 273 00:15:27,365 --> 00:15:29,765 Marcus, time for your Skills Test. We have chefs waiting. 274 00:15:29,765 --> 00:15:32,165 What are you going to do with those sweetbreads, please? 275 00:15:32,165 --> 00:15:35,125 I'd like our chefs to make a sweetbread and caramelised onion 276 00:15:35,125 --> 00:15:38,085 tart and served with a meat stock vinaigrette. 277 00:15:38,085 --> 00:15:39,365 OK. Interesting. 278 00:15:39,365 --> 00:15:42,725 I'm also providing them with a shortcrust pastry tart. 279 00:15:42,725 --> 00:15:45,645 You can't make this in the time that our chefs have got. 280 00:15:45,645 --> 00:15:48,245 Don't need to worry about the sweetbreads just yet, 281 00:15:48,245 --> 00:15:50,845 the most important thing is the caramelised onion. 282 00:15:50,845 --> 00:15:52,765 I'm going to use this red onion. 283 00:15:52,765 --> 00:15:54,725 The reason why I'm putting these on first, 284 00:15:54,725 --> 00:15:57,125 it's going to take quite a long time for these to cook down. 285 00:15:57,125 --> 00:15:58,845 Put a little bit of thyme in there. 286 00:16:00,605 --> 00:16:02,645 These little baby white onions, 287 00:16:02,645 --> 00:16:04,765 I'm going to put them into some pickle. 288 00:16:06,445 --> 00:16:07,685 So a bit of water, 289 00:16:07,685 --> 00:16:09,805 add some white wine vinegar, 290 00:16:09,805 --> 00:16:12,525 a little spoon of sugar, 291 00:16:12,525 --> 00:16:14,485 and a little bit of tarragon, 292 00:16:14,485 --> 00:16:16,525 and then just let them simmer 293 00:16:16,525 --> 00:16:18,085 just for a little bit. 294 00:16:18,085 --> 00:16:19,605 So keep an eye on these onions. 295 00:16:19,605 --> 00:16:21,725 Just get a little bit more colour on those, 296 00:16:21,725 --> 00:16:23,725 I'm just going to deglaze that with a touch 297 00:16:23,725 --> 00:16:25,045 of balsamic vinegar, 298 00:16:25,045 --> 00:16:26,325 so it just gives the base 299 00:16:26,325 --> 00:16:27,605 of the tart just a little 300 00:16:27,605 --> 00:16:29,285 bit of edge. 301 00:16:29,285 --> 00:16:32,045 Our chefs have got to be careful, because if the pan is too hot, 302 00:16:32,045 --> 00:16:34,085 you know, they will catch, they'll burn, 303 00:16:34,085 --> 00:16:35,885 and they've only got one red onion. 304 00:16:35,885 --> 00:16:38,165 In with a little bit of meat stock, 305 00:16:38,165 --> 00:16:40,125 turn it down and just let that 306 00:16:40,125 --> 00:16:42,045 just gently cook down. 307 00:16:42,045 --> 00:16:44,645 So that's my caramelised onion on. 308 00:16:44,645 --> 00:16:46,205 They're going to be tempted to go 309 00:16:46,205 --> 00:16:49,085 straight for the sweetbreads, but they've got to get those onions on, 310 00:16:49,085 --> 00:16:51,645 right? Yeah, I think to get the caramelised onion, you need 311 00:16:51,645 --> 00:16:54,085 the time, whereas the sweetbread, once it's trimmed, 312 00:16:54,085 --> 00:16:55,685 will take four, five minutes to cook. 313 00:16:55,685 --> 00:16:57,525 Now I'm going to do a third onion, 314 00:16:57,525 --> 00:16:59,525 so I'm just making a little garnish 315 00:16:59,525 --> 00:17:02,125 which I'm just going to sit on top. So it's in ice water, 316 00:17:02,125 --> 00:17:04,325 so it just gently curls up 317 00:17:04,325 --> 00:17:06,365 and is nice and crispy. 318 00:17:06,365 --> 00:17:08,725 Right, now to my sweetbreads. Wahey! 319 00:17:11,125 --> 00:17:12,365 What are you trimming away 320 00:17:12,365 --> 00:17:13,565 there, please, Marcus? 321 00:17:13,565 --> 00:17:17,045 Just the sinew, any blood veins. 322 00:17:17,045 --> 00:17:20,725 If they've not handled sweetbreads before, that could be an issue 323 00:17:20,725 --> 00:17:22,565 where they might trip up. 324 00:17:23,805 --> 00:17:25,285 Sweetbreads are delicious, 325 00:17:25,285 --> 00:17:29,685 I love using them, but I find an undercooked sweetbread 326 00:17:29,685 --> 00:17:32,045 not a pleasant thing to eat. I agree. 327 00:17:32,045 --> 00:17:33,805 But by the same token, too much, 328 00:17:33,805 --> 00:17:37,165 and you've turned a beautiful thing almost into chewing gum. 329 00:17:37,165 --> 00:17:39,045 Little coating of flour, 330 00:17:39,045 --> 00:17:40,485 protects them a little bit. 331 00:17:40,485 --> 00:17:41,805 Put some thyme in there. 332 00:17:46,205 --> 00:17:47,405 Look at them! 333 00:17:47,405 --> 00:17:50,365 Just get a nice coating, a nice seal. 334 00:17:50,365 --> 00:17:52,205 I'm just going to drop in some butter... 335 00:17:52,205 --> 00:17:54,605 Whoa! ..just to get them really cooking. 336 00:17:54,605 --> 00:17:56,445 THEY LAUGH 337 00:17:56,445 --> 00:17:58,165 Why not? 338 00:18:00,285 --> 00:18:02,045 Don't let the butter burn. 339 00:18:02,045 --> 00:18:03,725 So we'll take those out 340 00:18:03,725 --> 00:18:05,085 and let them rest. 341 00:18:05,085 --> 00:18:07,205 And then I'm just going to make 342 00:18:07,205 --> 00:18:08,805 a quick vinaigrette. 343 00:18:08,805 --> 00:18:10,485 So a bit of oil in the bowl, 344 00:18:10,485 --> 00:18:12,565 balsamic vinegar, a little bit 345 00:18:12,565 --> 00:18:15,045 of reduced stock. 346 00:18:15,045 --> 00:18:16,805 Now we're good to go. 347 00:18:16,805 --> 00:18:18,165 Take the peeled onions out. 348 00:18:18,165 --> 00:18:20,325 Lift the skin off, cut them in half, 349 00:18:20,325 --> 00:18:21,725 and just pop them out. 350 00:18:22,925 --> 00:18:24,365 Tart onto the plate. 351 00:18:24,365 --> 00:18:25,765 Caramelised onions. 352 00:18:32,125 --> 00:18:35,525 Oh, wow, you are spoiling us! 353 00:18:35,525 --> 00:18:37,965 Just a little drizzle of your vinaigrette. 354 00:18:40,005 --> 00:18:41,525 Happy? I'm very happy. 355 00:18:41,525 --> 00:18:44,885 I'll be happier when I get to try it. There we have it. 356 00:18:44,885 --> 00:18:46,805 Sweetbreads, caramelised onion tart, 357 00:18:46,805 --> 00:18:49,005 and a meat stock vinaigrette. 358 00:18:51,045 --> 00:18:53,205 That is stunning! 359 00:18:58,805 --> 00:19:01,085 I'm looking for good cookery with the sweetbread, 360 00:19:01,085 --> 00:19:03,325 that's really important. 361 00:19:03,325 --> 00:19:05,805 You are through to the next round. 362 00:19:05,805 --> 00:19:07,165 Thank you very much! 363 00:19:07,165 --> 00:19:08,885 I think we've found a winner. 364 00:19:08,885 --> 00:19:11,405 I don't know about a winner, but the boy's got promise. 365 00:19:11,405 --> 00:19:14,125 SHE CHUCKLES Monica, see you in a bit. Yeah. 366 00:19:15,645 --> 00:19:17,765 Come on, let's give 'em a go. 367 00:19:20,045 --> 00:19:21,485 Hello. 368 00:19:21,485 --> 00:19:23,965 NARRATOR: First to face Marcus's Skills Test 369 00:19:23,965 --> 00:19:26,125 is 32-year-old chef patron, Ayesha... 370 00:19:26,125 --> 00:19:29,285 Trying to remember how to tie a bow today. 371 00:19:29,285 --> 00:19:33,885 ..who runs her own Middle-Eastern inspired restaurant in Somerset. 372 00:19:35,485 --> 00:19:37,805 I've always loved food. 373 00:19:37,805 --> 00:19:41,245 There are photos of me as a child in the kitchen with a mixing bowl, 374 00:19:41,245 --> 00:19:43,845 covered in flour. 375 00:19:43,845 --> 00:19:47,405 Being half-Arab, I got to try a lot of Middle Eastern food, getting 376 00:19:47,405 --> 00:19:49,645 to visit my family in the Middle East when I was younger, 377 00:19:49,645 --> 00:19:53,405 so I do think that has influenced my food massively. 378 00:19:54,725 --> 00:19:57,525 I have my own restaurant, I get to cook the food I want, 379 00:19:57,525 --> 00:20:00,845 and there's no-one telling me how to do it, what to do. 380 00:20:00,845 --> 00:20:03,765 It's modern Middle Eastern food 381 00:20:03,765 --> 00:20:06,925 using classic French techniques. 382 00:20:06,925 --> 00:20:10,245 I recently got my Bib Gourmand, which I was very excited about, 383 00:20:10,245 --> 00:20:13,445 but why not aim for more, why not aim for the world? 384 00:20:16,245 --> 00:20:17,525 Ayesha, welcome. 385 00:20:17,525 --> 00:20:21,485 You are facing a Skills Test... Yep. ..and this one was set up 386 00:20:21,485 --> 00:20:23,725 by the marvellous Marcus Wareing. 387 00:20:23,725 --> 00:20:26,165 So I'd like you to make a sweetbread and caramelised onion 388 00:20:26,165 --> 00:20:29,285 served in a tart, which is made for you there... Oh, lovely! 389 00:20:29,285 --> 00:20:32,365 ..with a meat stock vinaigrette. 390 00:20:32,365 --> 00:20:34,285 Happy? I'm as happy as I can be, yeah. 391 00:20:34,285 --> 00:20:37,645 Abject terror, but, sure, let's give it a shot. 392 00:20:37,645 --> 00:20:39,525 Right, 20 minutes. 393 00:20:39,525 --> 00:20:42,245 OK. Thank you very much. 394 00:20:42,245 --> 00:20:45,885 Right. Probably get my onions 395 00:20:45,885 --> 00:20:48,565 caramelising first. 396 00:20:48,565 --> 00:20:52,845 Yes, that's what you want to do, get those onions caramelising. 397 00:20:52,845 --> 00:20:55,885 I mean, of course, you know, I've peeled 1,000,001 onions in my life, 398 00:20:55,885 --> 00:20:58,645 but today it's the most terrifying thing I've ever done. 399 00:20:58,645 --> 00:21:01,045 She's got personality, I like it. 400 00:21:01,045 --> 00:21:03,685 I hope she can deliver. 401 00:21:03,685 --> 00:21:06,645 Ayesha, that's an unusual name for me. 402 00:21:06,645 --> 00:21:09,685 Where is that from? So I am half-Arab. 403 00:21:09,685 --> 00:21:11,325 My dad was born in Jordan, 404 00:21:11,325 --> 00:21:13,765 but my family are originally Syrian. 405 00:21:13,765 --> 00:21:15,885 My mum's side is English. 406 00:21:15,885 --> 00:21:18,925 Does your food have Arabic influences? 407 00:21:18,925 --> 00:21:20,765 Yes, absolutely. 408 00:21:20,765 --> 00:21:23,885 My food is definitely inspired by the Middle Eastern pantry 409 00:21:23,885 --> 00:21:26,325 because it was a way I could engage with my own heritage 410 00:21:26,325 --> 00:21:29,245 and where my family are from. 411 00:21:29,245 --> 00:21:32,885 She knows her onions need time to caramelise. 412 00:21:32,885 --> 00:21:36,525 And it's been a hot minute since I have done a sweetbread, 413 00:21:36,525 --> 00:21:39,285 so I'm just trying to remember... A hot minute? A hot minute. 414 00:21:39,285 --> 00:21:41,725 I think it's what the kids say these days. 415 00:21:41,725 --> 00:21:44,245 "A hot minute"! 416 00:21:44,245 --> 00:21:46,805 What type of establishment are you cooking in right now? 417 00:21:46,805 --> 00:21:50,325 So I own a restaurant and free house in Glastonbury. 418 00:21:50,325 --> 00:21:52,845 My first-ever booking was a group of Druids. 419 00:21:52,845 --> 00:21:54,965 No! It actually it was. 420 00:21:54,965 --> 00:21:56,965 Warlocks. And they were lovely. 421 00:21:56,965 --> 00:21:58,405 I mean, I don't bat an eyelid now, 422 00:21:58,405 --> 00:22:02,005 I'm used to seeing warlocks, wizards, the like. 423 00:22:02,005 --> 00:22:04,005 By the way, how much time have I got? 424 00:22:04,005 --> 00:22:06,445 Cos I am wittering away. You've had six minutes, 425 00:22:06,445 --> 00:22:07,685 you've got 14 minutes left. 426 00:22:07,685 --> 00:22:10,085 14 minutes? Let's get a hustle on, then. 427 00:22:10,085 --> 00:22:12,405 She's actually removing the right bits off. 428 00:22:12,405 --> 00:22:15,085 It's taking longer because she just hasn't stopped talking. 429 00:22:15,085 --> 00:22:16,845 SHE LAUGHS 430 00:22:16,845 --> 00:22:18,845 I get distracted and chat too much. 431 00:22:18,845 --> 00:22:21,885 I am quite the talker, as you will find out. 432 00:22:23,365 --> 00:22:25,525 Right, so you've got onions sweating away... 433 00:22:25,525 --> 00:22:27,085 So I'm sweating away my onions. 434 00:22:27,085 --> 00:22:29,765 When they're reduced a bit more, I'm going to add a little bit of red 435 00:22:29,765 --> 00:22:32,485 wine vinegar to get the stickiness going. 436 00:22:34,565 --> 00:22:36,045 That's good. 437 00:22:36,045 --> 00:22:38,605 Use the flour for your sweetbreads. 438 00:22:40,085 --> 00:22:42,605 So let's pop you... Chef, you've got eight minutes left. 439 00:22:42,605 --> 00:22:44,525 Yeah! I'm loving chatting with you, 440 00:22:44,525 --> 00:22:47,005 I want you to complete the task, though. 441 00:22:47,005 --> 00:22:48,325 SHE LAUGHS 442 00:22:48,325 --> 00:22:52,565 Well, I mean, I've got my sweetbreads cooking. 443 00:22:52,565 --> 00:22:54,445 Just going to make my vinaigrette now. 444 00:22:54,445 --> 00:22:56,485 I've got some finely diced shallots, 445 00:22:56,485 --> 00:22:58,365 going to add a selection of herbs. 446 00:22:58,365 --> 00:23:00,125 We're going to reduce a tiny bit 447 00:23:00,125 --> 00:23:01,725 of meat stock at high speed. 448 00:23:01,725 --> 00:23:04,885 A bit of red wine vinegar, a bit of olive oil, 449 00:23:04,885 --> 00:23:06,845 and happy days, in theory. 450 00:23:06,845 --> 00:23:10,005 She knows what she's doing, but she's distracted, 451 00:23:10,005 --> 00:23:11,685 she's not focusing. 452 00:23:11,685 --> 00:23:14,845 You've got three minutes. Three minutes? 453 00:23:14,845 --> 00:23:18,045 Wahey! OK. Let's add... 454 00:23:18,045 --> 00:23:20,725 # The stock to my vinaigrette. # 455 00:23:20,725 --> 00:23:23,525 The onions are caramelised, and then I'm just going to pile 456 00:23:23,525 --> 00:23:26,765 it all into a tart and hope for the best. 457 00:23:34,005 --> 00:23:37,245 Ooh! Let's try not to break the glassware. 458 00:23:37,245 --> 00:23:38,765 SHE LAUGHS 459 00:23:38,765 --> 00:23:41,205 How's the sweetbreads? They're warm and they feel tender, 460 00:23:41,205 --> 00:23:44,725 so I think that's kind of what I was aiming for. 461 00:23:44,725 --> 00:23:47,805 You've got 60 seconds to finish this. 462 00:23:49,245 --> 00:23:51,485 OK. 463 00:23:52,725 --> 00:23:54,325 And I think that's me. 464 00:23:54,325 --> 00:23:57,445 All done, Chef? Done. Yeah? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 465 00:23:57,445 --> 00:23:59,925 SHE LAUGHS 466 00:24:10,165 --> 00:24:13,205 THEY LAUGH 467 00:24:13,205 --> 00:24:15,565 Hi! 468 00:24:15,565 --> 00:24:19,525 Never seen anyone talk through the whole 20 minutes. 469 00:24:19,525 --> 00:24:21,085 SHE LAUGHS 470 00:24:21,085 --> 00:24:22,765 But I love your energy. 471 00:24:29,205 --> 00:24:31,925 Got very nice sweetbread preparation, 472 00:24:31,925 --> 00:24:34,565 and you've really brought out the lovely flavour. The red onion, 473 00:24:34,565 --> 00:24:37,085 it could have done with a bit more caramelisation, but you 474 00:24:37,085 --> 00:24:39,965 understood what you were doing, which is really nice to see. 475 00:24:39,965 --> 00:24:41,485 Your meat vinaigrette, 476 00:24:41,485 --> 00:24:43,525 you tasted it, you reduced it down, 477 00:24:43,525 --> 00:24:45,205 you got herbs in there. 478 00:24:45,205 --> 00:24:48,245 You understand flavour. Control those nerves. 479 00:24:48,245 --> 00:24:51,565 You don't always have to chat your way through it, 480 00:24:51,565 --> 00:24:54,645 maybe quietly upstairs... 481 00:24:51,565 --> 00:24:54,645 SHE LAUGHS 482 00:24:54,645 --> 00:24:55,965 This is a decent job. 483 00:24:55,965 --> 00:24:58,965 How you managed to focus with all the chat, 484 00:24:58,965 --> 00:25:00,125 I don't know. 485 00:25:00,125 --> 00:25:02,485 Well done. Off you go. Thank you. 486 00:25:06,205 --> 00:25:09,605 Spent years and hours of my life doing this, 487 00:25:09,605 --> 00:25:15,605 so to have these, like, greats tell me I did a good job, that's 488 00:25:15,605 --> 00:25:17,285 really, really awesome. 489 00:25:20,565 --> 00:25:24,325 NARRATOR: Last in is 30-year-old private chef Cecily, 490 00:25:24,325 --> 00:25:27,445 who currently works for a family in London. 491 00:25:29,125 --> 00:25:32,125 My job is...it's just very fun. 492 00:25:34,005 --> 00:25:38,165 I get to cook all day, which is something that I love to do anyway. 493 00:25:38,165 --> 00:25:41,165 Being a private chef is very varied. 494 00:25:41,165 --> 00:25:44,925 I do all the menus myself, so everything is always my ideas 495 00:25:44,925 --> 00:25:47,565 and I have quite free rein. 496 00:25:47,565 --> 00:25:51,845 I'm always striving to be the best chef that I can be. 497 00:25:51,845 --> 00:25:54,605 That's where I'm going with this competition, is just to push 498 00:25:54,605 --> 00:25:58,045 myself to see how much better I can get. 499 00:26:00,605 --> 00:26:03,845 Welcome to professional MasterChef. Thank you. This is a Skills Test, 500 00:26:03,845 --> 00:26:08,045 and this Skills Test was set by this gentleman, Marcus Wareing. 501 00:26:08,045 --> 00:26:10,165 Hello. Cooked some sweetbreads before? 502 00:26:10,165 --> 00:26:13,005 I actually haven't, but I have been looking at it. 503 00:26:13,005 --> 00:26:16,485 You've been doing your research? Yes, a little bit, yes. 504 00:26:16,485 --> 00:26:19,645 20 minutes. All yours. 505 00:26:19,645 --> 00:26:20,765 OK. 506 00:26:20,765 --> 00:26:23,725 I might put some water on to boil. 507 00:26:23,725 --> 00:26:26,525 What's the water for? 508 00:26:26,525 --> 00:26:30,885 I think I need to blanch the sweetbreads before I cook them. 509 00:26:30,885 --> 00:26:34,045 OK. I think that's what I'm doing. 510 00:26:34,045 --> 00:26:37,045 But that might be wrong. That's fine. 511 00:26:37,045 --> 00:26:41,725 They only need to go in very quickly because they're so small. 512 00:26:41,725 --> 00:26:43,485 But she doesn't need to. 513 00:26:44,845 --> 00:26:49,365 Erm, OK, and then I'm going to do, like, a reduced red onion. 514 00:26:50,405 --> 00:26:52,245 Did you always want to be a chef? 515 00:26:52,245 --> 00:26:55,125 I went to university to be a weather woman, 516 00:26:55,125 --> 00:26:56,365 but then that didn't work out. 517 00:26:56,365 --> 00:26:58,165 What, you wanted to be on our tellies, 518 00:26:58,165 --> 00:26:59,685 telling us it was going to snow? 519 00:26:59,685 --> 00:27:01,325 And now I'm here instead. 520 00:27:01,325 --> 00:27:03,605 What was the actual course you went on? 521 00:27:03,605 --> 00:27:05,805 Environmental science. OK. 522 00:27:05,805 --> 00:27:09,205 I think it's done me quite well in the fact that I quite like to cook 523 00:27:09,205 --> 00:27:12,605 sustainably and with things that are in season. 524 00:27:12,605 --> 00:27:15,125 Erm... 525 00:27:16,245 --> 00:27:18,685 So I don't know whether this is the right thing to do, 526 00:27:18,685 --> 00:27:21,405 but I'm going to do it. OK. 527 00:27:22,325 --> 00:27:25,245 I'm just going to do this. 528 00:27:25,245 --> 00:27:27,245 You've had five minutes. 529 00:27:27,245 --> 00:27:29,805 How many minutes have I got? 15. OK. 530 00:27:31,045 --> 00:27:33,405 How did you end up in kitchens, then? 531 00:27:33,405 --> 00:27:36,845 I started doing ski seasons after university. 532 00:27:36,845 --> 00:27:38,205 I was working in a chalet. 533 00:27:38,205 --> 00:27:40,285 You got put into the kitchen to cook for the guests? 534 00:27:40,285 --> 00:27:43,405 Yeah. That was probably about eight or nine years ago. 535 00:27:43,405 --> 00:27:46,125 So you've had no basic cookery training? 536 00:27:46,125 --> 00:27:48,525 No, I haven't been to college, but I've worked 537 00:27:48,525 --> 00:27:51,005 in kitchens since then. Yeah. 538 00:27:51,005 --> 00:27:54,285 You just kind of learn as you go along, don't you? 539 00:27:54,285 --> 00:27:56,405 How much time have I had? 540 00:27:56,405 --> 00:27:58,645 You've got ten minutes left. 541 00:27:58,645 --> 00:28:00,445 I think I've done this really wrong. 542 00:28:01,925 --> 00:28:05,565 The sweetbreads are making her unsure. 543 00:28:05,565 --> 00:28:08,685 She's trimming it down, but she's also cutting 544 00:28:08,685 --> 00:28:10,805 it into little nuggets, which is fine. 545 00:28:17,485 --> 00:28:21,885 OK. She's got meat stock that she's going to reduce for vinaigrette. 546 00:28:23,085 --> 00:28:25,285 How do you plan to cook the sweetbreads? 547 00:28:25,285 --> 00:28:29,045 I think I'm going to pan-fry them in some butter. 548 00:28:29,045 --> 00:28:31,645 I don't know if that's correct, but... 549 00:28:33,765 --> 00:28:36,005 What did you just put in there - some balsamic? 550 00:28:36,005 --> 00:28:39,165 A bit of balsamic, yeah. Ooh. That's a lot. 551 00:28:41,045 --> 00:28:43,285 You have seven minutes left. 552 00:28:43,285 --> 00:28:46,845 Got to cook the sweetbreads. Yeah, I think I'm going to do that now. 553 00:28:46,845 --> 00:28:48,525 Got to make a vinaigrette. 554 00:28:48,525 --> 00:28:51,845 Onion garnish. I just don't know. 555 00:28:51,845 --> 00:28:53,925 Time to get a bit of a move-on. Yass. 556 00:28:56,325 --> 00:28:57,885 Get them in the pan. 557 00:28:59,165 --> 00:29:01,645 How do you think you're doing? Terribly. 558 00:29:03,085 --> 00:29:05,765 Look, she hasn't given up. 559 00:29:05,765 --> 00:29:09,005 Right, I'll just quickly make the vinaigrette. 560 00:29:09,005 --> 00:29:11,805 Right, you've got less than 90 seconds. OK. 561 00:29:11,805 --> 00:29:16,525 So you need to start putting something together. Yeah. 562 00:29:16,525 --> 00:29:20,165 It's really horrible, so I might do it without it. 563 00:29:21,605 --> 00:29:25,125 She tasted it, doesn't like it, not going to use it. 564 00:29:27,645 --> 00:29:31,405 Some of those look like they're not cooked through. 565 00:29:31,405 --> 00:29:34,045 Last bit, last bit, last bit. 566 00:29:34,045 --> 00:29:36,005 Are you done? Yeah. 567 00:29:46,605 --> 00:29:48,885 I bet you're glad that's over. 568 00:29:48,885 --> 00:29:50,725 WHISPERS: So glad. 569 00:30:00,365 --> 00:30:03,285 From a visual point of view, beautifully presented. 570 00:30:03,285 --> 00:30:06,885 The downside is your onions are not caramelised, 571 00:30:06,885 --> 00:30:08,685 your sweetbreads aren't cooked. 572 00:30:08,685 --> 00:30:10,965 That's the fact that you just didn't know. 573 00:30:10,965 --> 00:30:14,485 But you've worked your way through it, which is a good thing. 574 00:30:15,565 --> 00:30:17,725 You were so unsure. 575 00:30:17,725 --> 00:30:19,885 You just didn't believe in yourself. 576 00:30:19,885 --> 00:30:22,405 But I'm telling you, there has been worse situations 577 00:30:22,405 --> 00:30:24,005 in this kitchen, all right? 578 00:30:24,005 --> 00:30:26,685 And I actually respect the fact you gave it a go. 579 00:30:26,685 --> 00:30:29,325 You were almost there with those sweetbreads, 580 00:30:29,325 --> 00:30:30,805 you really, really were. 581 00:30:30,805 --> 00:30:33,245 So it's not the disaster you think it is. 582 00:30:33,245 --> 00:30:35,285 We look forward to seeing your own dishes. 583 00:30:35,285 --> 00:30:37,085 Thank you. Off you go. 584 00:30:42,205 --> 00:30:44,165 That was quite awful. 585 00:30:44,165 --> 00:30:46,325 Definitely not my finest hour. 586 00:30:46,325 --> 00:30:48,165 SHE LAUGHS 587 00:30:48,165 --> 00:30:50,805 I just need to brush myself off, get on with it. 588 00:30:50,805 --> 00:30:53,205 All I can do. 589 00:30:54,405 --> 00:30:56,845 As Skills Tests go, these are a bit shaky. 590 00:30:56,845 --> 00:30:59,645 I mean, there's one standout, and that's Ayesha, 591 00:30:59,645 --> 00:31:02,125 I think she did brilliantly well. The other three, 592 00:31:02,125 --> 00:31:04,765 mate, I tell you what, they've got a fair bit to prove. 593 00:31:04,765 --> 00:31:08,085 They need to come back strong, confident, cooking their own menus 594 00:31:08,085 --> 00:31:09,405 in the next round. 595 00:31:27,405 --> 00:31:31,165 You now have an opportunity to show us what your cookery is all about, 596 00:31:31,165 --> 00:31:33,605 the food that really interests you. 597 00:31:33,605 --> 00:31:36,645 One main, one dessert, hour and 30 minutes. 598 00:31:36,645 --> 00:31:38,365 At the end of this, 599 00:31:38,365 --> 00:31:40,525 two of you will be going through to the next round, 600 00:31:40,525 --> 00:31:43,005 two of you will be leaving us. 601 00:31:43,005 --> 00:31:45,365 Off you go. 602 00:31:46,725 --> 00:31:49,205 Push, push, push, push, push. Let's go. 603 00:31:52,525 --> 00:31:56,325 The theme behind my whole menu is essentially to showcase 604 00:31:56,325 --> 00:31:59,085 what I do best. 605 00:31:59,085 --> 00:32:02,845 I really want to show how I see Middle Eastern food. 606 00:32:05,565 --> 00:32:08,085 Ayesha, tell us about your menu. 607 00:32:08,085 --> 00:32:11,285 So today I'm doing a squid ink freekeh risotto, 608 00:32:11,285 --> 00:32:12,925 a sous-vide piece of cod 609 00:32:12,925 --> 00:32:15,365 with a preserved lemon gel, rose harissa. 610 00:32:15,365 --> 00:32:20,365 What's freekeh? Freekeh is a cracked, smoked, young durum wheat. 611 00:32:20,365 --> 00:32:22,765 It's so quintessentially Middle Eastern 612 00:32:22,765 --> 00:32:25,885 that I thought it would be remiss of me not to show. 613 00:32:25,885 --> 00:32:28,005 Got quite a nutty, interesting flavour. 614 00:32:28,005 --> 00:32:30,125 And you can smell it as well. 615 00:32:30,125 --> 00:32:33,125 Interesting smell to it. It's nuttier, it's more savoury. 616 00:32:33,125 --> 00:32:35,965 What are you showcasing here, do you think? 617 00:32:35,965 --> 00:32:37,285 The Middle Eastern pantry. 618 00:32:37,285 --> 00:32:41,045 So lots of the spices and flavours that aren't traditionally seen 619 00:32:41,045 --> 00:32:42,805 in things like risotto. 620 00:32:46,205 --> 00:32:49,965 I love the sound of Ayesha's menu because she's bringing inspiration 621 00:32:49,965 --> 00:32:52,125 from her Middle Eastern roots. 622 00:32:53,925 --> 00:32:59,125 A cod dish, which she's serving with a squid ink risotto made 623 00:32:59,125 --> 00:33:01,885 from freekeh, which is a type of grain. 624 00:33:03,205 --> 00:33:07,125 For me, it's wonderful to see a twist on something we all know 625 00:33:07,125 --> 00:33:10,285 with a big ingredient that's very different. 626 00:33:11,685 --> 00:33:15,405 She's making it with a shellfish and arrack stock. 627 00:33:15,405 --> 00:33:17,525 Arrack is a grain spirit. 628 00:33:17,525 --> 00:33:20,645 How strong is that arrack going to be? 629 00:33:20,645 --> 00:33:24,085 You've got to be very careful that it doesn't kill the risotto. 630 00:33:24,085 --> 00:33:26,365 We also have preserved lemon gel. 631 00:33:26,365 --> 00:33:30,125 This will work wonderfully with the cod, of course. 632 00:33:31,805 --> 00:33:35,365 And then for my dessert, I'm doing a basbousa soaked in Somerset 633 00:33:35,365 --> 00:33:40,005 cider brandy with sous-vide rhubarb, rhubarb and muscatel gel, 634 00:33:40,005 --> 00:33:42,725 and a tahini whipped cream. 635 00:33:42,725 --> 00:33:45,605 LAUGHS: Is that all? And the kitchen sink. 636 00:33:45,605 --> 00:33:49,725 What's basbousa? Basbousa is a little semolina cake. 637 00:33:49,725 --> 00:33:52,605 I mean, similar to many polenta cakes, but it translates 638 00:33:52,605 --> 00:33:54,885 to "little kiss" in Arabic, which is really cute. 639 00:33:54,885 --> 00:33:56,845 And then it's soaked in sugar syrup. 640 00:33:56,845 --> 00:34:00,485 So I'm doing a Somerset cider brandy sugar syrup as a little nod 641 00:34:00,485 --> 00:34:03,005 to Glastonbury being my hometown at the moment. 642 00:34:03,005 --> 00:34:05,325 Fabulous! Intriguing menu! 643 00:34:08,525 --> 00:34:11,285 I love tahini in a dessert. 644 00:34:11,285 --> 00:34:14,685 First time I ever had it was actually away in the Middle East, 645 00:34:14,685 --> 00:34:19,085 and they have it with dates and tip it in tahini, so it can work wonders 646 00:34:19,085 --> 00:34:20,125 in a dessert. 647 00:34:21,245 --> 00:34:24,365 They key will always be within the eating and the execution. 648 00:34:24,365 --> 00:34:27,085 She's got to bring these beautiful flavours to the forefront for us 649 00:34:27,085 --> 00:34:28,285 to enjoy them. 650 00:34:31,285 --> 00:34:35,805 I set myself an astronomically large task to do a lot of things! 651 00:34:35,805 --> 00:34:39,765 So let's just hope I can complete them within the time. 652 00:34:41,405 --> 00:34:44,085 If I talk less, I probably will. 653 00:34:47,165 --> 00:34:50,205 25 minutes gone, Chefs. 25 minutes gone. 654 00:34:54,965 --> 00:34:57,965 I don't think I proved myself in the Skills Test, but I am 655 00:34:57,965 --> 00:35:00,245 definitely pushing myself with these dishes. 656 00:35:00,245 --> 00:35:03,925 I want to really show that I can do a few different techniques and plate 657 00:35:03,925 --> 00:35:08,245 something really a bit more exciting. 658 00:35:10,845 --> 00:35:12,565 Simon, how are you feeling now? 659 00:35:12,565 --> 00:35:15,805 Seriously, how are you feeling? Yeah, really good. Super-psyched. 660 00:35:15,805 --> 00:35:18,285 Whatever the last test was doesn't matter any more, 661 00:35:18,285 --> 00:35:19,845 just want to crack on with this. 662 00:35:19,845 --> 00:35:22,845 So what do you need to do now in this round? 663 00:35:22,845 --> 00:35:24,485 Push on, smash it. 664 00:35:24,485 --> 00:35:28,005 Make it absolutely soigne, and then we're good. 665 00:35:28,005 --> 00:35:31,765 Soigne? Make it nice and French, that's what I was always told. 666 00:35:31,765 --> 00:35:34,245 First course is pan-fried scallops 667 00:35:34,245 --> 00:35:40,005 with cauliflower puree, cauliflower florets and raw shavings, 668 00:35:40,005 --> 00:35:43,245 finished with a strawberry vinegar, a potato galette. 669 00:35:43,245 --> 00:35:46,085 Did you say strawberries for your scallop? 670 00:35:46,085 --> 00:35:48,045 Yeah. Really? 671 00:35:48,045 --> 00:35:49,525 Yeah. Yeah, yeah. 672 00:35:49,525 --> 00:35:53,485 I really like it, it adds a nice acidity to the sweetness 673 00:35:53,485 --> 00:35:55,605 and balances it off quite well. 674 00:35:57,405 --> 00:35:59,805 Scallops and potato galette, cauliflower puree, 675 00:35:59,805 --> 00:36:02,205 we know that they work. 676 00:36:02,205 --> 00:36:05,725 Strawberries with scallop is not a combination I've had 677 00:36:05,725 --> 00:36:08,485 before, and probably for a reason. 678 00:36:08,485 --> 00:36:12,405 It may sound wrong, but yet it's all going to be about the eating. 679 00:36:13,845 --> 00:36:18,445 And then for my dessert, I'm doing a toasted fennel seed panna cotta 680 00:36:18,445 --> 00:36:24,005 with raspberry sorbet, raspberry jelly, raspberry puree, honeycomb, 681 00:36:24,005 --> 00:36:26,205 fennel cress and fennel pollen. 682 00:36:27,845 --> 00:36:32,445 Mm, flavours of aniseed and panna cotta with raspberries, 683 00:36:32,445 --> 00:36:35,005 I like that. 684 00:36:35,005 --> 00:36:37,445 Panna cotta, set cream, 685 00:36:37,445 --> 00:36:41,485 always got to get that level of setting just right. 686 00:36:41,485 --> 00:36:45,565 We've had many a panna cotta in this kitchen, but there's always 687 00:36:45,565 --> 00:36:48,605 room for one more as long as it's done well. 688 00:36:51,365 --> 00:36:53,565 Chefs, you are halfway. 689 00:36:53,565 --> 00:36:55,325 45 minutes left, please. 690 00:36:59,525 --> 00:37:03,045 The Skills Test is behind me, I don't have to do that ever again. 691 00:37:03,045 --> 00:37:04,765 So I just want to get in 692 00:37:04,765 --> 00:37:08,005 and do the things that I know that I can do. 693 00:37:10,365 --> 00:37:12,765 Cooking your own food now, your menu. Yes. 694 00:37:12,765 --> 00:37:14,925 What has inspired this menu? 695 00:37:14,925 --> 00:37:18,405 Partly my travels in Japan and working there. 696 00:37:18,405 --> 00:37:22,045 Partly it's just kind of the food that I like to eat as well. 697 00:37:22,045 --> 00:37:24,885 So for my main course, I'm doing beef fillet 698 00:37:24,885 --> 00:37:29,365 in a yuzu ponzu, with some crispy shallots, crispy garlic, 699 00:37:29,365 --> 00:37:32,325 some lotus root crisps on top as well. 700 00:37:32,325 --> 00:37:35,845 And then I'm doing, like, a shiso rice cooked with the beef fat. 701 00:37:35,845 --> 00:37:37,445 Oh, like the sound of that! 702 00:37:37,445 --> 00:37:40,965 That stint in Japan obviously had a massive impact on you. 703 00:37:40,965 --> 00:37:42,485 Yeah, it did. 704 00:37:42,485 --> 00:37:45,925 I just like the way that they take so much care over everything. 705 00:37:45,925 --> 00:37:48,285 All the ingredients has to be the best, 706 00:37:48,285 --> 00:37:51,565 and, you know, all the cows are, like, fed, the sweetest apples 707 00:37:51,565 --> 00:37:52,965 that they can find. 708 00:37:56,805 --> 00:37:58,965 Beef fillet, it's a beautiful piece of fillet, 709 00:37:58,965 --> 00:38:00,485 it's got lovely marbling. 710 00:38:00,485 --> 00:38:02,085 She's going to seal it on the outside, 711 00:38:02,085 --> 00:38:04,445 slice it perfectly well, and then she's going to cover it 712 00:38:04,445 --> 00:38:07,485 with the yuzu ponzu sauce. 713 00:38:07,485 --> 00:38:09,405 The beef pretty much speaks for itself. 714 00:38:09,405 --> 00:38:12,045 But it's going to be the balance of the sauce that she puts with it 715 00:38:12,045 --> 00:38:14,685 that'll see whether or not this dish works. 716 00:38:14,685 --> 00:38:16,805 Yuzu ponzu, it's a lovely soy dressing, 717 00:38:16,805 --> 00:38:19,485 it's got those citrus flavours through it. 718 00:38:19,485 --> 00:38:22,885 I love the sound of this dish. 719 00:38:22,885 --> 00:38:27,005 And then for dessert, I'm doing a wild woodruff cream tart with wild 720 00:38:27,005 --> 00:38:28,605 strawberries and pistachios, 721 00:38:28,605 --> 00:38:30,965 and then an apple jelly with apple blossom. 722 00:38:30,965 --> 00:38:33,005 What does woodruff taste of? 723 00:38:34,125 --> 00:38:38,805 It's quite floral-y, but not in a kind of lavender-y way. 724 00:38:38,805 --> 00:38:41,285 It's not easy to get, you normally have to forage for it. Yes. 725 00:38:41,285 --> 00:38:43,325 Why did you want to use woodruff? 726 00:38:43,325 --> 00:38:46,445 Erm, I think because I wanted to use wild strawberries, and I think 727 00:38:46,445 --> 00:38:49,405 because they kind of grow in similar kind of areas, 728 00:38:49,405 --> 00:38:53,925 I just thought put things together that grow together. 729 00:38:53,925 --> 00:38:57,925 Oh, that's almost like a floral citrusy syrup. 730 00:38:57,925 --> 00:38:59,805 Yeah. This sounds great. 731 00:39:01,325 --> 00:39:03,445 The tart, the pastry, has got to be 732 00:39:03,445 --> 00:39:06,365 beautifully cooked and golden throughout. 733 00:39:06,365 --> 00:39:09,325 And, of course, woodruff can be very sweet. 734 00:39:09,325 --> 00:39:12,965 There has to be something to cut through all of the sweetness. 735 00:39:12,965 --> 00:39:15,685 Cecily looks much more calm cooking her own food, 736 00:39:15,685 --> 00:39:19,045 and that's exactly what we want to see. 737 00:39:19,045 --> 00:39:22,085 Definitely feel more confident with doing my own dishes, yeah. 738 00:39:22,085 --> 00:39:24,845 SHE CHUCKLES 739 00:39:30,245 --> 00:39:32,805 Second round, I'm hoping that the judges change the way 740 00:39:32,805 --> 00:39:37,405 they see how I cook because I try to rush the first round, 741 00:39:37,405 --> 00:39:38,725 which I now learn 742 00:39:38,725 --> 00:39:40,725 from my mistake. 743 00:39:40,725 --> 00:39:44,445 Casrick, how are you feeling? I'm feeling OK. 744 00:39:44,445 --> 00:39:45,525 I'm pumped. Pumped? 745 00:39:45,525 --> 00:39:48,045 Yeah. Good man. 746 00:39:48,045 --> 00:39:52,285 Casrick, his main course is pan-roasted pigeon with different 747 00:39:52,285 --> 00:39:53,685 textures of carrot. 748 00:39:55,605 --> 00:39:58,125 He is cooking his pigeon on the crown, which is the best way 749 00:39:58,125 --> 00:39:59,325 to cook it. 750 00:39:59,325 --> 00:40:01,845 And then you remove the breast from the bone, 751 00:40:01,845 --> 00:40:04,445 so it's really important you get a lovely caramelisation. 752 00:40:05,805 --> 00:40:08,845 What is it that you like about pigeon, Chef? 753 00:40:08,845 --> 00:40:11,165 Well, the gameyness, 754 00:40:11,165 --> 00:40:13,485 cooking it medium rare. 755 00:40:13,485 --> 00:40:14,805 Don't overcook it. 756 00:40:17,925 --> 00:40:20,045 We've got a crispy chickpea. 757 00:40:20,045 --> 00:40:24,605 Chickpeas, which is blitzed, pureed with the potato puree, 758 00:40:24,605 --> 00:40:26,445 he's going to deep-fry. 759 00:40:28,325 --> 00:40:31,725 He's got thyme sauce, which is made from the pigeon bones. 760 00:40:31,725 --> 00:40:36,525 I've been watching that sauce slowly simmer away, developing flavour, 761 00:40:36,525 --> 00:40:37,925 with lots of thyme in it. 762 00:40:37,925 --> 00:40:41,085 He's taken a lot of care in the making of that sauce. 763 00:40:42,565 --> 00:40:44,365 And dessert? 764 00:40:44,365 --> 00:40:48,645 Dessert is a chocolate mousse with a shell. 765 00:40:48,645 --> 00:40:50,605 Confited strawberries. 766 00:40:50,605 --> 00:40:52,925 And walnuts. 767 00:40:52,925 --> 00:40:56,285 The key to this is when you line the mould with the chocolate 768 00:40:56,285 --> 00:40:57,765 that it's not too thick. 769 00:40:57,765 --> 00:41:00,845 It needs to be an even spread all the way around. 770 00:41:00,845 --> 00:41:02,685 And then he's put the mousse into it, 771 00:41:02,685 --> 00:41:06,405 so when he turns it out it should be set. 772 00:41:06,405 --> 00:41:09,565 I hope it works out because it sounds great. 773 00:41:09,565 --> 00:41:12,365 Caramelised walnuts for some texture. 774 00:41:12,365 --> 00:41:15,125 Strawberries, of course, fabulous. 775 00:41:17,205 --> 00:41:20,045 What are you looking for from this competition now? 776 00:41:20,045 --> 00:41:22,405 Oh, just the exposure for my country. 777 00:41:22,405 --> 00:41:23,965 I'm from a very tiny island. 778 00:41:23,965 --> 00:41:25,205 St Vincent. 779 00:41:25,205 --> 00:41:26,445 How many people? 780 00:41:26,445 --> 00:41:27,845 110,000. 781 00:41:27,845 --> 00:41:30,125 Wow. No, that is tiny. 782 00:41:34,445 --> 00:41:36,525 Chefs, you've got ten minutes left. 783 00:41:36,525 --> 00:41:37,725 Oui. 784 00:41:44,845 --> 00:41:47,165 A bit over, so I'm not happy with them. 785 00:41:47,165 --> 00:41:48,525 I'm just redoing. 786 00:41:52,645 --> 00:41:54,925 You have only five minutes left. 787 00:41:54,925 --> 00:41:56,605 I suggest we get a move on. 788 00:42:15,765 --> 00:42:17,565 Final touches! 789 00:42:24,805 --> 00:42:26,565 OK, time's up. Stop. 790 00:42:33,925 --> 00:42:38,645 NARRATOR: Chef patron Ayesha has cooked a squid ink freekeh risotto 791 00:42:38,645 --> 00:42:41,525 served with torched sous-vide cod, 792 00:42:41,525 --> 00:42:45,005 preserved lemon gel, rose harissa, 793 00:42:45,005 --> 00:42:47,885 rock samphire and wild garlic flowers. 794 00:42:50,325 --> 00:42:51,845 A very striking plate of food. 795 00:42:51,845 --> 00:42:53,565 And I'll have to say, for a risotto, 796 00:42:53,565 --> 00:42:55,405 that's beautifully presented too. 797 00:43:01,205 --> 00:43:04,165 Your cod is absolutely sensational. 798 00:43:04,165 --> 00:43:06,765 The risotto is delicious with the squid running through it. 799 00:43:06,765 --> 00:43:07,885 I really like that. 800 00:43:07,885 --> 00:43:11,805 The harissa brings a lovely warmth and spicy flavour to it. 801 00:43:11,805 --> 00:43:16,285 There's a really pleasant flavour in my mouth right now, and I think 802 00:43:16,285 --> 00:43:20,085 if that was put in front of me, either at home or in a restaurant, 803 00:43:20,085 --> 00:43:22,925 I would absolutely devour every little bit of it. 804 00:43:22,925 --> 00:43:24,485 Very, very good. 805 00:43:24,485 --> 00:43:25,725 Thank you so much. 806 00:43:25,725 --> 00:43:27,725 Thank you. 807 00:43:27,725 --> 00:43:31,925 I can't remember ever having freekeh before, but I really like it. 808 00:43:31,925 --> 00:43:33,405 There's a nuttiness to it. 809 00:43:33,405 --> 00:43:35,765 It's like a softer pearl barley. 810 00:43:35,765 --> 00:43:38,325 It's absolutely lovely. 811 00:43:38,325 --> 00:43:41,565 Your flavours here are sensational. 812 00:43:41,565 --> 00:43:44,725 The preserved lemon gel with the fish, 813 00:43:44,725 --> 00:43:47,045 it was always going to work beautifully well. 814 00:43:47,045 --> 00:43:48,645 I'm a huge fan of sumac. 815 00:43:48,645 --> 00:43:51,725 Citrus sumac, on top of that fish. 816 00:43:51,725 --> 00:43:54,925 This is a delightful plate of food to enjoy. 817 00:43:56,565 --> 00:44:01,445 NARRATOR: Ayesha's dessert is basbousa, a semolina cake 818 00:44:01,445 --> 00:44:04,485 soaked in Somerset cider brandy syrup 819 00:44:04,485 --> 00:44:07,565 with sous-vide rhubarb, rhubarb gel, 820 00:44:07,565 --> 00:44:09,845 smoked almond brittle 821 00:44:09,845 --> 00:44:12,005 and a whipped tahini cream. 822 00:44:19,805 --> 00:44:21,205 Really extraordinary flavours. 823 00:44:21,205 --> 00:44:23,965 You've got a cake that's dense with syrup, which is absolutely 824 00:44:23,965 --> 00:44:26,845 lovely, but it finishes with a side of brandy. 825 00:44:26,845 --> 00:44:30,485 You go on to the rhubarb, which is sharp, which is wonderful. 826 00:44:30,485 --> 00:44:33,285 And then when you finish, you get tahini. 827 00:44:33,285 --> 00:44:36,285 It's really working for me. 828 00:44:36,285 --> 00:44:38,805 This is absolutely delicious. 829 00:44:38,805 --> 00:44:41,125 It's so delicious. 830 00:44:41,125 --> 00:44:43,125 Texturally brilliant. 831 00:44:43,125 --> 00:44:45,245 You've got it absolutely spot on. 832 00:44:45,245 --> 00:44:47,965 I love the way you bring the Middle Eastern pantry 833 00:44:47,965 --> 00:44:51,085 into your cookery, but I've got a funny feeling that that pantry 834 00:44:51,085 --> 00:44:53,445 is full of stuff and full of magic. 835 00:44:53,445 --> 00:44:55,005 Thank you. 836 00:44:55,005 --> 00:44:56,285 I really like it. 837 00:44:56,285 --> 00:44:57,445 I really do like it. 838 00:44:57,445 --> 00:45:01,605 And I like it even better with a big dollop of the tahini cream. 839 00:45:01,605 --> 00:45:03,925 Really delightful dessert. 840 00:45:03,925 --> 00:45:05,485 You know, it's just... 841 00:45:07,205 --> 00:45:10,565 You are going to be bad for my waistline! 842 00:45:10,565 --> 00:45:12,765 THEY LAUGH 843 00:45:14,325 --> 00:45:16,285 I don't always think that I can do it. 844 00:45:16,285 --> 00:45:18,445 There's always that bit of impostor syndrome. 845 00:45:18,445 --> 00:45:20,285 So to have these people say, 846 00:45:20,285 --> 00:45:22,605 "You did good," I'm like, "Oh, my God." 847 00:45:22,605 --> 00:45:28,445 It's honestly one of the most astounding feelings I've ever had. 848 00:45:30,365 --> 00:45:32,085 NARRATOR: For his main course, 849 00:45:32,085 --> 00:45:35,685 head chef Simon has cooked pan-seared scallops 850 00:45:35,685 --> 00:45:39,605 served with roasted cauliflower and cauliflower puree, 851 00:45:39,605 --> 00:45:43,085 potato galette and a strawberry vinaigrette. 852 00:45:51,285 --> 00:45:55,525 The scallop, I had two lovely pieces that were perfectly cooked, 853 00:45:55,525 --> 00:45:58,245 then three of them slightly under. 854 00:45:58,245 --> 00:46:01,005 That's not the first time I've had strawberry with seafood. 855 00:46:01,005 --> 00:46:02,525 I like the sweetness. 856 00:46:02,525 --> 00:46:03,925 I like the sharpness. 857 00:46:03,925 --> 00:46:06,005 Strawberry after a scallop - 858 00:46:06,005 --> 00:46:07,485 really odd. 859 00:46:07,485 --> 00:46:10,125 We like to push boundaries as chefs, but it's got 860 00:46:10,125 --> 00:46:12,685 to be the right boundaries. 861 00:46:12,685 --> 00:46:14,405 My scallops are under. 862 00:46:14,405 --> 00:46:16,005 That's the big issue for me. 863 00:46:16,005 --> 00:46:18,085 But I'm happy with your cauliflower bits. 864 00:46:18,085 --> 00:46:20,565 The one that you've roasted, that nuttiness, 865 00:46:20,565 --> 00:46:21,845 I'm happy with that. 866 00:46:21,845 --> 00:46:23,045 I know where you're going. 867 00:46:23,045 --> 00:46:24,605 Sweetness and sharpness, I can have. 868 00:46:24,605 --> 00:46:26,565 But then when it finishes with strawberry, 869 00:46:26,565 --> 00:46:28,085 it is highly unusual. 870 00:46:28,085 --> 00:46:31,965 Fruit and fish is always going to be tricky. 871 00:46:31,965 --> 00:46:33,845 I think you're trying too hard here. 872 00:46:33,845 --> 00:46:36,165 And I'm really sorry, but there's two things here 873 00:46:36,165 --> 00:46:37,285 that I can't work with. 874 00:46:37,285 --> 00:46:40,005 One is a raw scallop and the second thing is a strawberry 875 00:46:40,005 --> 00:46:41,925 inside a plate of scallops. 876 00:46:41,925 --> 00:46:44,365 Sorry, they shouldn't be together. 877 00:46:44,365 --> 00:46:48,325 NARRATOR: Simon's dessert is a toasted fennel seed panna cotta 878 00:46:48,325 --> 00:46:53,005 with honeycomb, fresh raspberries, raspberry jelly, 879 00:46:53,005 --> 00:46:56,085 fennel cress, fennel pollen 880 00:46:56,085 --> 00:46:58,565 and a raspberry sorbet. 881 00:46:58,565 --> 00:47:00,125 Looks fabulous. 882 00:47:07,365 --> 00:47:11,365 I think you should take your fruit off your fish and stick it 883 00:47:11,365 --> 00:47:15,645 firmly in your desserts, cos I'm really enjoying this. 884 00:47:15,645 --> 00:47:18,485 This fennel panna cotta is fantastic, 885 00:47:18,485 --> 00:47:20,525 and it finishes to me like liquorice. 886 00:47:20,525 --> 00:47:21,805 That's different. 887 00:47:21,805 --> 00:47:23,285 That's clever. 888 00:47:23,285 --> 00:47:26,005 And that's really working for me. 889 00:47:26,005 --> 00:47:29,965 And also a really lovely raspberry sorbet. 890 00:47:29,965 --> 00:47:31,765 Panna cotta's beautifully set. 891 00:47:31,765 --> 00:47:34,005 Lovely fresh raspberries, sorbet on the side, 892 00:47:34,005 --> 00:47:36,045 beautifully whipped up, nice and light, 893 00:47:36,045 --> 00:47:37,645 got lovely a flavour of raspberry. 894 00:47:37,645 --> 00:47:41,245 The honeycomb with the fennel panna cotta together, 895 00:47:41,245 --> 00:47:42,725 it's just delicious. 896 00:47:42,725 --> 00:47:44,005 I'm enjoying it. 897 00:47:46,525 --> 00:47:48,645 Perhaps I did take some risks. 898 00:47:48,645 --> 00:47:51,445 Big and bold is my personality and I want that to be on my plate, 899 00:47:51,445 --> 00:47:53,965 but it's just got to be in that right balance. 900 00:47:53,965 --> 00:47:55,925 And obviously it wasn't quite there. 901 00:47:59,125 --> 00:48:04,005 Junior sous-chef Casrick has cooked pan-roasted pigeon 902 00:48:04,005 --> 00:48:08,005 served on a bed of carrot puree with roasted carrot, 903 00:48:08,005 --> 00:48:11,205 a thyme sauce and a green parsley oil. 904 00:48:12,325 --> 00:48:14,165 Have we got something missing? 905 00:48:14,165 --> 00:48:17,005 Yeah, it was the chickpea. 906 00:48:17,005 --> 00:48:18,405 You were really rushed. 907 00:48:18,405 --> 00:48:21,125 Yeah. You were really, really rushed. 908 00:48:30,165 --> 00:48:33,045 I would prefer my pigeon cooked a little more. 909 00:48:33,045 --> 00:48:36,245 I wouldn't send it back, but I'd be nibbling around it 910 00:48:36,245 --> 00:48:38,245 rather than demolishing it. 911 00:48:38,245 --> 00:48:40,845 Really nice, sweet carrot puree. 912 00:48:40,845 --> 00:48:43,045 Plenty of butter. It's smooth. 913 00:48:43,045 --> 00:48:45,565 And I'm picking up thyme as well from your sauce 914 00:48:45,565 --> 00:48:48,085 and a little bit of the meatiness of the pigeon. 915 00:48:48,085 --> 00:48:50,525 You've cooked it on the crown, which is the best way to do it. 916 00:48:50,525 --> 00:48:52,685 You've roasted it. You saw it wasn't cooked enough. 917 00:48:52,685 --> 00:48:53,925 You put it back in the oven. 918 00:48:53,925 --> 00:48:57,005 But I'm completely put off by this cartilage 919 00:48:57,005 --> 00:48:58,685 and it's such a shame. 920 00:48:58,685 --> 00:49:00,925 I can't get much of the sauce because you haven't served 921 00:49:00,925 --> 00:49:02,165 any on the side. 922 00:49:02,165 --> 00:49:04,885 You were taking so much time to make that sauce. 923 00:49:04,885 --> 00:49:06,605 I was excited about it. 924 00:49:06,605 --> 00:49:10,605 And yet you don't serve enough of it on the plate. 925 00:49:10,605 --> 00:49:14,485 Casrick's dessert is a chocolate mousse set with gelatine, 926 00:49:14,485 --> 00:49:17,005 encased in a chocolate shell, 927 00:49:17,005 --> 00:49:19,205 served with poached strawberries, 928 00:49:19,205 --> 00:49:23,205 deep-fried caramelised walnuts and a strawberry sauce. 929 00:49:24,845 --> 00:49:26,565 I feel like I've got a little pirate's 930 00:49:26,565 --> 00:49:28,205 treasure chest of chocolate. 931 00:49:28,205 --> 00:49:29,445 It's lovely. 932 00:49:38,045 --> 00:49:40,245 I think the chocolate around the outside on the mould, 933 00:49:40,245 --> 00:49:41,485 you've done that really well. 934 00:49:41,485 --> 00:49:44,205 Love the syrup. It's got a great depth of flavour. 935 00:49:44,205 --> 00:49:46,485 I like your idea, but I don't like the gelatine 936 00:49:46,485 --> 00:49:47,805 in the chocolate mousse. 937 00:49:47,805 --> 00:49:50,845 You didn't need it. A bit bouncy. 938 00:49:50,845 --> 00:49:56,725 Inside that really fine chocolate work is a texture that's not 939 00:49:56,725 --> 00:49:58,845 as soft as I was expecting. 940 00:49:58,845 --> 00:50:00,645 But I love those flavours. 941 00:50:00,645 --> 00:50:02,645 Thank you. 942 00:50:02,645 --> 00:50:05,765 The walnuts, you know, dusted in sugar like that and deep-fried, 943 00:50:05,765 --> 00:50:07,405 I really like that. 944 00:50:07,405 --> 00:50:09,605 I think it's the makings of a great dessert. 945 00:50:09,605 --> 00:50:12,965 You need to play with a bit more just to get that right. 946 00:50:12,965 --> 00:50:15,485 Thank you very much for the feedback. 947 00:50:15,485 --> 00:50:16,805 I'll keep it in mind. 948 00:50:16,805 --> 00:50:18,245 Thank you very much. 949 00:50:19,445 --> 00:50:22,485 Yeah, I'm feeling a bit frustrated because you know 950 00:50:22,485 --> 00:50:25,205 what the consequences are, what the problems are, 951 00:50:25,205 --> 00:50:28,725 but sometimes when you're in a rush mistakes happen. 952 00:50:32,365 --> 00:50:35,765 Last up is private chef Cecily, 953 00:50:35,765 --> 00:50:38,565 who's cooked seared fillet of beef 954 00:50:38,565 --> 00:50:40,685 topped with fried lotus root, 955 00:50:40,685 --> 00:50:44,245 fried shallot and garlic crisps 956 00:50:44,245 --> 00:50:46,245 with a yuzu ponzu sauce, 957 00:50:46,245 --> 00:50:49,645 served with a beef fat and shiso leaf rice. 958 00:50:50,725 --> 00:50:53,245 Cecily, I like your presentation. 959 00:50:53,245 --> 00:50:54,725 It's very delicate. 960 00:51:03,445 --> 00:51:05,125 Your beef, beautifully done. 961 00:51:05,125 --> 00:51:07,525 Beautifully seared, nicely caramelised. 962 00:51:07,525 --> 00:51:10,205 Love the little deep-fried vegetables with garlic on top. 963 00:51:10,205 --> 00:51:11,405 I like the flavouring. 964 00:51:11,405 --> 00:51:12,565 It's delicious. 965 00:51:12,565 --> 00:51:15,885 Your lotus crisps start nutty and finish a little bit bitter. 966 00:51:15,885 --> 00:51:18,605 And I like your shallots' crispy sweetness. 967 00:51:18,605 --> 00:51:22,445 Your rice could do with a little bit of seasoning. 968 00:51:22,445 --> 00:51:24,605 I really like the yuzu ponzu. 969 00:51:24,605 --> 00:51:27,245 You made your own dashi stock that's in it. 970 00:51:27,245 --> 00:51:29,765 You've got citrus in there as well. 971 00:51:29,765 --> 00:51:32,645 And, you know, together, it's a nice plate of food. 972 00:51:34,205 --> 00:51:37,925 Cecily's dessert is a woodruff cream tart, 973 00:51:37,925 --> 00:51:41,005 topped with wild strawberries and pistachios, 974 00:51:41,005 --> 00:51:44,205 served with apple jelly, apple blossom 975 00:51:44,205 --> 00:51:46,085 and a pistachio crumb. 976 00:51:56,765 --> 00:51:59,325 I'm very much enjoying that and I think it's very clever 977 00:51:59,325 --> 00:52:00,925 of you to add the woodruff. 978 00:52:00,925 --> 00:52:03,045 Woodruff is absolutely delightful. 979 00:52:03,045 --> 00:52:06,485 For me, it's like a cross between coconut and vanilla. 980 00:52:06,485 --> 00:52:07,725 Fine pastry work. 981 00:52:07,725 --> 00:52:10,525 I really like an apple jelly that's very refreshing. 982 00:52:10,525 --> 00:52:12,165 Well done. 983 00:52:12,165 --> 00:52:14,245 It's got some fresh wild strawberries on top. 984 00:52:14,245 --> 00:52:15,605 Your tart case is nicely lined. 985 00:52:15,605 --> 00:52:16,965 The jelly is really nice and fun. 986 00:52:16,965 --> 00:52:19,005 It's got a lovely crunchy apple going through it - 987 00:52:19,005 --> 00:52:20,365 it's nice and soft. 988 00:52:20,365 --> 00:52:23,405 But overall it's an incredibly simple dessert. 989 00:52:23,405 --> 00:52:26,405 I think you could've done a little bit more to this. 990 00:52:26,405 --> 00:52:32,085 As simple as it is, I actually see promise in what you're playing with. 991 00:52:32,085 --> 00:52:36,205 If my young pastry chef came to me with a dish like this, 992 00:52:36,205 --> 00:52:40,325 I'd be excited with the ideas that are on it. 993 00:52:42,005 --> 00:52:44,085 I'm glad I didn't crash and burn. 994 00:52:44,085 --> 00:52:47,365 I was trying to keep it simple so I didn't run out of time. 995 00:52:50,405 --> 00:52:51,845 Tough job on our hands. 996 00:52:51,845 --> 00:52:53,245 We've got one really good cook - 997 00:52:53,245 --> 00:52:54,845 really, really good cook. 998 00:52:54,845 --> 00:52:57,965 And we've got three people that have had a very, very 999 00:52:57,965 --> 00:52:59,605 nervy start to the competition. 1000 00:53:01,685 --> 00:53:04,525 Our standout cook by far was Ayesha. 1001 00:53:04,525 --> 00:53:07,805 My goodness, isn't she full of personality? 1002 00:53:07,805 --> 00:53:09,445 Her food is original. 1003 00:53:09,445 --> 00:53:13,205 I absolutely devoured that main course. I won't lie. 1004 00:53:13,205 --> 00:53:15,085 And that cake at the end there, 1005 00:53:15,085 --> 00:53:16,965 dipped in the syrup of cider, 1006 00:53:16,965 --> 00:53:19,365 lovely tahini cream that was on the side, yeah, give me 1007 00:53:19,365 --> 00:53:22,165 another bucket of that, please. That was delicious. 1008 00:53:22,165 --> 00:53:25,005 That lady is a talent, 1009 00:53:25,005 --> 00:53:28,325 and I think we're all agreed that she goes through. 1010 00:53:28,325 --> 00:53:30,645 There was one chef in here whose timing went awry, 1011 00:53:30,645 --> 00:53:32,685 didn't actually manage to complete the dishes. 1012 00:53:32,685 --> 00:53:36,045 Casrick, I think, had a day he would like to forget. 1013 00:53:36,045 --> 00:53:39,485 The pigeon, it wasn't the dish he wanted. 1014 00:53:39,485 --> 00:53:41,845 I felt the chocolate mousse, it didn't need gelatine. 1015 00:53:41,845 --> 00:53:44,805 It was just too hard. So there were things on the plate I did like 1016 00:53:44,805 --> 00:53:46,685 and there was ideas there. 1017 00:53:46,685 --> 00:53:48,765 He just didn't execute them well, unfortunately. 1018 00:53:48,765 --> 00:53:51,485 Disappointed for him because he really needed to be strong 1019 00:53:51,485 --> 00:53:52,965 in his signature round. 1020 00:53:52,965 --> 00:53:54,525 Casrick's leaving the competition? 1021 00:53:54,525 --> 00:53:55,645 Yes, he is. 1022 00:53:55,645 --> 00:53:59,285 That leaves a conversation between Cecily and Simon. 1023 00:53:59,285 --> 00:54:02,845 Simon, I thought, had a nervy start with the skills test. 1024 00:54:02,845 --> 00:54:05,925 His scallop dish came with strawberries! 1025 00:54:05,925 --> 00:54:09,965 He served up a raw dish of scallops and served it with strawberries. 1026 00:54:09,965 --> 00:54:11,805 Unfortunately, it didn't work for me. 1027 00:54:11,805 --> 00:54:13,965 His dessert, the panna cotta was beautifully set. 1028 00:54:13,965 --> 00:54:15,205 The honeycomb was delicious. 1029 00:54:15,205 --> 00:54:17,565 Coming back with a dessert that strong was 1030 00:54:17,565 --> 00:54:19,125 a great thing to see. 1031 00:54:20,285 --> 00:54:22,045 Cecily, interesting. 1032 00:54:22,045 --> 00:54:23,365 Nice-looking dishes. 1033 00:54:23,365 --> 00:54:25,885 The beef was nicely cooked. She seared it beautifully well. 1034 00:54:25,885 --> 00:54:28,245 The ponzu dressing had a great citrus flavour. 1035 00:54:28,245 --> 00:54:30,805 Her dessert, nice presentation, nice and simple. 1036 00:54:30,805 --> 00:54:32,005 Sharp, clean. 1037 00:54:32,005 --> 00:54:33,285 Skill on show? 1038 00:54:33,285 --> 00:54:35,005 Not as much as I would have liked... 1039 00:54:35,005 --> 00:54:37,965 But great ideas, exciting ideas. 1040 00:54:37,965 --> 00:54:40,845 I suppose the question is, does Cecily's food have enough 1041 00:54:40,845 --> 00:54:43,045 skill and ambition to put her through? 1042 00:54:43,045 --> 00:54:46,405 Simon does have experience and a certain amount of skill. 1043 00:54:46,405 --> 00:54:51,645 But is the quality of his dessert good enough to save him 1044 00:54:51,645 --> 00:54:55,045 from the disappointing scallop dish? 1045 00:54:55,045 --> 00:54:58,005 SIMON: To go through to the next stage would be mega. 1046 00:54:58,005 --> 00:55:02,525 I would be really, really over the moon to give it another go 1047 00:55:02,525 --> 00:55:05,685 and to show them a bit more of what I can do. 1048 00:55:05,685 --> 00:55:07,285 CECILY: You just never know, do you? 1049 00:55:07,285 --> 00:55:10,165 But I've got a lot more skills that I can prove to them 1050 00:55:10,165 --> 00:55:11,725 that I have. 1051 00:55:19,805 --> 00:55:22,325 Coming in here and showcasing your skills, 1052 00:55:22,325 --> 00:55:24,205 it isn't easy - we know. 1053 00:55:24,205 --> 00:55:27,285 That was a fantastic cook-off and you all gave it everything. 1054 00:55:27,285 --> 00:55:29,645 And we thank you for that. 1055 00:55:29,645 --> 00:55:33,285 There was one standout chef here today. 1056 00:55:33,285 --> 00:55:34,925 Ayesha, take a bow, Chef. 1057 00:55:34,925 --> 00:55:36,765 That was just stunning. Thank you. 1058 00:55:36,765 --> 00:55:38,605 Absolutely brilliant. Thank you so much. 1059 00:55:38,605 --> 00:55:40,125 Absolutely brilliant. 1060 00:55:42,045 --> 00:55:45,765 The first chef leaving the competition... 1061 00:55:48,205 --> 00:55:49,525 ..Casrick. 1062 00:55:49,525 --> 00:55:50,765 Sorry to see you go. 1063 00:55:50,765 --> 00:55:52,205 Thank you very much indeed. 1064 00:56:01,885 --> 00:56:04,965 The second chef leaving is... 1065 00:56:12,525 --> 00:56:14,085 ..Simon. 1066 00:56:14,085 --> 00:56:15,565 Simon, it was a tight thing. 1067 00:56:15,565 --> 00:56:17,805 Good to have met you. Thank you. 1068 00:56:21,045 --> 00:56:25,405 SIMON: I think I gave it my all and it was not my day today. 1069 00:56:25,405 --> 00:56:26,965 And that's fair enough. 1070 00:56:26,965 --> 00:56:29,445 But the experience was incredible. 1071 00:56:31,005 --> 00:56:35,005 You have to go through life and fail sometimes. That's how we learn. 1072 00:56:35,005 --> 00:56:37,645 It's no use if you're always getting compliments 1073 00:56:37,645 --> 00:56:39,685 and you never try anything. 1074 00:56:39,685 --> 00:56:41,605 That's how you cope mentally. 1075 00:56:44,965 --> 00:56:47,045 Well done, the pair of you. 1076 00:56:48,845 --> 00:56:52,445 I'm pleased. I'm really pleased. I'm really, really relieved! 1077 00:56:52,445 --> 00:56:57,205 I'm glad that they saw that there was some promise in me. 1078 00:56:58,725 --> 00:57:01,765 The Middle Eastern pantry, the Aladdin's cave that is my brain, 1079 00:57:01,765 --> 00:57:03,445 I've got plenty more in there. 1080 00:57:03,445 --> 00:57:07,805 So hopefully I can give them some more tasty things to eat. 1081 00:57:10,925 --> 00:57:12,525 Next time... 1082 00:57:12,525 --> 00:57:14,845 The last four hopefuls... 1083 00:57:14,845 --> 00:57:16,045 Hey! 1084 00:57:16,045 --> 00:57:17,405 ..fight for their place... 1085 00:57:17,405 --> 00:57:18,525 Oh, oh... 1086 00:57:18,525 --> 00:57:20,445 Feeling the pressure? Yes! 1087 00:57:20,445 --> 00:57:21,845 ..in the quarterfinal. 1088 00:57:21,845 --> 00:57:23,965 This was a fantastic Skills Test to watch. 1089 00:57:23,965 --> 00:57:26,445 You can't not love a doughnut. 1090 00:57:26,445 --> 00:57:27,725 I've got the shakes. 1091 00:57:27,725 --> 00:57:28,765 Come on. 1092 00:57:28,765 --> 00:57:30,085 Yeah, tight, tight. 1093 00:57:30,085 --> 00:57:32,285 That looks like an autumnal walk through a forest. 1094 00:57:32,285 --> 00:57:33,365 I love that. 1095 00:57:33,365 --> 00:57:36,285 You came here to fight for something. This starts right now.