0:00:02 > 0:00:05Now, we Brits love our fast food.
0:00:05 > 0:00:10We spend a staggering £6 billion every single year on takeaway.
0:00:10 > 0:00:14We have more places than anywhere else in Europe serving it up.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22Across the series, from curry to fish and chips,
0:00:22 > 0:00:27we'll be exploring our love affair with the takeaway.
0:00:27 > 0:00:31This week, we want to know what makes Britain's best Chinese.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35Give me chillies, please.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38We'll be uncovering the secrets behind some of
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Britain's top takeaways.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42You need to have fire, of course.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44That is so hot!
0:00:44 > 0:00:47I'll be discovering how Chinese food
0:00:47 > 0:00:50was first introduced to ordinary Britons.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52Use chopsticks, it's easy.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Or, so they tell these holiday-makers
0:00:54 > 0:00:56at a Clacton holiday camp.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58I haven't been this stressed in a long time.
0:00:58 > 0:01:03And we are inviting some award-winning chefs to a contest...
0:01:03 > 0:01:05I am shatterooned!
0:01:05 > 0:01:08..to find out what makes the best Chinese takeaway.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11Erm, it's a disaster.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14Good team. We are good team.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18It's the battle of the woks in the heart of London's Chinatown.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21We're celebrating the real food we eat and the people behind it.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34Whether it's sweet and sour pork or steamed dumplings,
0:01:34 > 0:01:37Chinese is currently the UK's favourite takeaway.
0:01:37 > 0:01:42And we eat a staggering eight million meals every week.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46So, we've been searching the country to find out what makes the best.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53We found three of the finest Chinese takeaways in the UK
0:01:53 > 0:01:56to take part in a contest.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00They're all award-winning, but they're all very different.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10Between the university spires of Oxford lies a little piece of China.
0:02:13 > 0:02:14Ahead of the contest,
0:02:14 > 0:02:19Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge is here to meet the first contender.
0:02:20 > 0:02:25HE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE
0:02:25 > 0:02:28George is head chef and owner of Shanghai 30's,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31which features in the Michelin guide.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33HE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE
0:02:33 > 0:02:34Yeah, perfect.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38A small piece of impurity, so you've got to remove it.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40You only gave me two pancakes. One more pancake, please.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43George, definitely in control.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45Make sure there's no small bones, yeah?
0:02:45 > 0:02:49Must check and double-check, yeah? Must double-check, OK?
0:02:49 > 0:02:51Feels like an exciting, vibrant place.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54- Pancake, please.- George was raised in Taiwan,
0:02:54 > 0:02:59and his dishes are inspired by recipes from all over Asia.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02All right. Two more seconds to go, gentlemen.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04OK, once the door's open, I'm going in.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06But it's his attention to detail
0:03:06 > 0:03:09which really makes his food stand out.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12- What temperature are you looking for?- I'm looking for 62.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14So, you're not far, you're 60?
0:03:14 > 0:03:16Yeah, but I want to make sure.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18- It's got to be consistent.- OK.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22This is quality control. When it's not ready, it's not ready.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26The secret to a perfect stir-fry is in precision,
0:03:26 > 0:03:28but also in the temperature it's cooked at.
0:03:28 > 0:03:34To cook the food fast, you need a hot fire, of course.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36- But the thing is...- That noise!
0:03:37 > 0:03:41That is so immense.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43That is why the food tastes better, because,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46when you cook with high heat, you know, it's more tasty.
0:03:47 > 0:03:52These turbo woks are standard in professional Chinese kitchens
0:03:52 > 0:03:56and can reach temperatures of 700 degrees Fahrenheit.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Let's try some noodles. In there.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01- These noodles?- Yeah. Put it in here.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03- All of it?- Yeah. That's it.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06- Well done, sir.- And then we move straightaway?- That's it.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09Start stirring. That's it, and you've got to be quick,
0:04:09 > 0:04:11or else this will stick.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14And what we're going to do is add a little bit of sesame oil.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16That heat is so intense.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18- It is so hot.- You are getting a suntan already, sir.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20- Yeah!- No more need for holiday!
0:04:20 > 0:04:23Straight away that sesame oil, the sesame oil,
0:04:23 > 0:04:26- you can smell straightaway.- Yeah. Now when it's ready, you put it in.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30And you have to be quick again, so it doesn't stick.
0:04:30 > 0:04:35If you're not quick, it's going to start sticking again.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38The one thing that I'm just finding amazing is the intensity of the
0:04:38 > 0:04:40heat, and how quick everything cooks.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44George's obsession with cooking perfection is what he thinks makes
0:04:44 > 0:04:46his takeaway unique.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49And that's it. And once you've packed it,
0:04:49 > 0:04:52put a little bit of decoration on it, and perfect.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54Today, I've been very impressed with George.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56He's very tight, very precise.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58OK, hot oil.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01That level of consistency that George strives for,
0:05:01 > 0:05:04will he be able to keep it up when it comes to the contest?
0:05:04 > 0:05:09- What's this?- The timing of the steam item is so crucial.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12And if a customer complains, I have to deal with it.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15Two thirds of Chinese takeaways in the UK serve dishes
0:05:15 > 0:05:18that originate from the Hong Kong region of China.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21PHONE RINGS
0:05:21 > 0:05:22Hello, Sweet Mandarin.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25You want a Mabel's clay pot chicken? OK.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28Our second contenders have this Cantonese style of cooking
0:05:28 > 0:05:30down to a fine art.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35Order for John, coming right up.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38Sweet Mandarin in Manchester is owned by twin sisters
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Helen and Lisa.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43Oh, they're ready now.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50Both their mother and grandmother before them owned Chinese takeaways.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52Fried rice? Got that, right here.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56But following in their footsteps was never the plan.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58I was working in London as a lawyer.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00Lisa was in finance.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02And, to the horror of our parents,
0:06:02 > 0:06:06we gave up those high-flying careers in London to open up Sweet Mandarin.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10THEY SPEAK OWN LANGUAGE
0:06:10 > 0:06:11Thanks, Lis.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14So, funnily enough, we actually followed in our family's footsteps
0:06:14 > 0:06:18and became the third generation to be women restaurateurs.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22- Thank you.- Thank you.- Enjoy your dinner.- See you next week.
0:06:22 > 0:06:23Thanks a lot. Goodbye.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26When your destiny is created for you, you just follow that path.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31With just a few weeks to go before the contest,
0:06:31 > 0:06:36Tom wants to find out what they think makes their takeaway special.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38BELL DINGS
0:06:40 > 0:06:43- Hey, Tom.- How are we doing? Talk me through what's going on,
0:06:43 > 0:06:45what's happening. This is quite exciting for me.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47Welcome to the kitchen. This is where the magic happens.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50So, talk me through the style of food that you cook here.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54We're from the Guangzhou and the Hong Kong region.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56- So we are Cantonese... - Yeah.- ..cooking.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01It's the Hong Kong Cantonese style of classic dishes that,
0:07:01 > 0:07:03here in the UK, we're most familiar with.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07- Family recipes, isn't it? - They are family recipes, yes.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10- Right, OK.- Even the sauces, they're passed down from our grandmother,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13- to our mother, to us. - So, it's all Cantonese cooking?
0:07:13 > 0:07:16- Yes.- What are you going to show me? What are we going to get cooking?
0:07:20 > 0:07:23The twins believe their food is the best because their dishes have been
0:07:23 > 0:07:26perfected over three generations.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32- See for your salt and pepper mix...?- Yes.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34What's in the salt and pepper mix?
0:07:34 > 0:07:35We can't tell you that!
0:07:35 > 0:07:37- OK, it's still a secret.- Yeah.- OK.
0:07:41 > 0:07:46Sweet-and-sour chicken is one of the most popular dishes.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49Sweet-and-sour is a bestseller across the UK.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52It's a classic example of a Chinese recipe
0:07:52 > 0:07:56that's been adapted for British tastes.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59In Chinese cooking there are five main flavours -
0:07:59 > 0:08:05there's sweet, sour, spicy, savoury and bitter, OK?
0:08:05 > 0:08:09Now, this classic flavour is based on the two main flavours of Chinese
0:08:09 > 0:08:11cooking, which is sour and sweet.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14Our British version is sweeter than the Cantonese original,
0:08:14 > 0:08:20and often uses chicken instead of pork - the Chinese meat of choice.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23- So much of this cooking is very quick, very fast.- Yeah, yeah.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25The secret is the preparation, Tom.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30That'll be my sweet-and-sour chicken.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32The best one you'll ever taste.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39- There you go.- Thank you.- See you.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42The twins' cooking is classic British Chinese takeaway.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45It's Chinese food that, like most takeaways here,
0:08:45 > 0:08:47has adapted to our palate.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49It's done to a very high standard,
0:08:49 > 0:08:52but is it enough for them to win the contest?
0:08:55 > 0:08:59From crunchy stir-fry to crispy aromatic duck, today,
0:08:59 > 0:09:03Chinese takeaway is available in every corner of the UK,
0:09:03 > 0:09:07with 10,000 places serving it up.
0:09:07 > 0:09:12And we have an unlikely invention to thank for that.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14The washing machine.
0:09:14 > 0:09:19Believe it or not, this helped the spread of your local Chinese.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23The first Chinese immigrants were sailors,
0:09:23 > 0:09:28working on ships importing goods to Britain from Hong Kong and Shanghai.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35During the 19th and early 20th centuries,
0:09:35 > 0:09:37some of the sailors settled in Britain
0:09:37 > 0:09:40and found jobs in the laundry business.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46But in the 1950s, that all changed.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49It's the new English Electric Liberator,
0:09:49 > 0:09:52the dial fabric washing machine that out dates all others.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56Automatic home washing machines sent traditional Chinese
0:09:56 > 0:09:58laundries out of business.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03So, it was out of necessity that Chinese laundry owners
0:10:03 > 0:10:06converted their businesses into small cafes
0:10:06 > 0:10:10and then takeaways instead.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14Cooking became an ideal introduction to British life for the next wave of
0:10:14 > 0:10:18Chinese immigrants arriving from the colony of Hong Kong.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22They were invited as members of the Commonwealth
0:10:22 > 0:10:25to help rebuild Britain after the war.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29But what was on the menu then was very different from today.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33And their Hong Kong Cantonese recipes were too exotic for most
0:10:33 > 0:10:35Brits at that time.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39In the 1950s,
0:10:39 > 0:10:42to serve Chinese food would have been completely outlandish.
0:10:42 > 0:10:43People would never have heard of it,
0:10:43 > 0:10:47would never have experienced something like sweet-and-sour pork,
0:10:47 > 0:10:50chicken chow mein, it would be off the radar for those people.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53'Food historian Polly Russell has unearthed
0:10:53 > 0:10:56'a typical Chinese menu from 1958.'
0:10:56 > 0:10:58I'm seeing a lot of chips.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02"Steak and chips, ham and chips, omelette and chips,"
0:11:02 > 0:11:04there's a lot of kind of authentic British food.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08They served typically British dishes and a few Chinese dishes.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12So, this is a beginners' guide to Chinese food.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15Should you be feeling adventurous,
0:11:15 > 0:11:18you can veer into the sweet-and-sour pork.
0:11:18 > 0:11:19That's exactly right.
0:11:19 > 0:11:24This sort of menu slowly introduces people to new tastes,
0:11:24 > 0:11:28to think about possibly venturing outside their comfort zone.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34Since the '50s, we've become much more experimental
0:11:34 > 0:11:36in our eating habits.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39Give me chillies, please.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44Tom has come to meet the final contender in our contest,
0:11:44 > 0:11:49who is pushing the boundaries of Chinese takeaway here in the UK.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55SHE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE
0:11:55 > 0:11:57Thank you.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00Omelette.
0:12:00 > 0:12:01Give me fish, sea bass.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07Wong's opened in Bristol four years ago.
0:12:07 > 0:12:08It's all ready.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13And owner Annie is uncompromising when it comes to ingredients.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19We've got a squid, and we've got a bean curd
0:12:19 > 0:12:22and Chinese wood mushroom.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28She sources authentic home-cooked recipes from across China,
0:12:28 > 0:12:32and nothing is adapted for British tastes.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35That's beef. Stomach, it's like a cow's stomach.
0:12:38 > 0:12:39Nice!
0:12:43 > 0:12:46- Hi, Annie.- Hi.- Hi. How are you? Nice to see you.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48- I'm fine.- So, the food that you do for takeaway is the same as you do
0:12:48 > 0:12:50in the restaurant. What's your philosophy?
0:12:50 > 0:12:53- What's your outlook?- In England,
0:12:53 > 0:12:55this one, you can't find in any other restaurant.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59Traditional Chinese food is like family food.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01So, if you expect your normal takeaway,
0:13:01 > 0:13:04like sweet-and-sour chicken balls, something that is normal,
0:13:04 > 0:13:07everyone's everyday standard, you don't do that.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10- No do that.- You do authentic, proper, homely, wonderful food.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12Yes!
0:13:15 > 0:13:18Annie's already won a prestigious Legacy of Taste Award -
0:13:18 > 0:13:22the industry's gold standard for Chinese cooking.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24- Star anise.- Yes.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27Straight away, those smells of the star anise, the garlic,
0:13:27 > 0:13:28- the ginger...- Yeah.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31These mushrooms, you've brought these back from China?
0:13:31 > 0:13:32Yeah. We don't need too much.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35So, this is really authentic, really home style cooking.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38- Yes.- Yeah. Glass noodle.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41- So, boiling quite rapidly. - Quite hot.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44Mm, nice.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48Her dishes depend not only on exotic Chinese ingredients,
0:13:48 > 0:13:50but the freshest local produce, too.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52Now it's ready.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59Smells fantastic.
0:13:59 > 0:14:00It's very authentic looking.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02It looks really great.
0:14:02 > 0:14:08And then those lovely looking, very interesting dried mushrooms.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12It's definitely not like Chinese food that I've seen before.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16I'm really excited by Annie's cooking.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18It's authentic Chinese and it's something that,
0:14:18 > 0:14:21I suppose, in the UK, that we're not used to.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23Pitched up against those more familiar flavours,
0:14:23 > 0:14:25I think it might be tough for her.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33So, three completely different approaches
0:14:33 > 0:14:35to cooking Chinese takeaway.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38And today, we're going to find out which is the best.
0:14:41 > 0:14:46I'm here in Chinatown, just off London's bustling Piccadilly Circus.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49The heart of the Chinese community is here,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52so where better to base our contest?
0:15:01 > 0:15:04Tom Kerridge will be judging our three teams.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07Today, I'm looking for the chefs to bring their A-game,
0:15:07 > 0:15:11cook their hearts out, and win my soul over.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15Just pour it in, Lis, it's here.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18The twins, Lisa and Helen, have travelled from Manchester.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22You don't know where you stand until you see your competitor, you know?
0:15:22 > 0:15:24George has come from Oxford.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27HE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE
0:15:27 > 0:15:29And Annie has arrived from Bristol.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37The chefs will battle it out in three tasks across one day,
0:15:37 > 0:15:41to help us decide who makes the best Chinese takeaway.
0:15:41 > 0:15:46The average takeaway takes less than 40 minutes to arrive at our door.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49Speed is a very important part of any takeaway.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51So, for our first task,
0:15:51 > 0:15:54we want to see how quickly our chefs can make our orders
0:15:54 > 0:15:57and get it perfect every time.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05The first team to serve and bag up
0:16:05 > 0:16:09all of their order wins this task,
0:16:09 > 0:16:11but, please, remember -
0:16:11 > 0:16:14the last dish must be as good as the first.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18Chefs, you are open for business.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21All right, so we'll get the stuff.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23Get one of these.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32Each team has seven orders to complete.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34It's a race to finish first,
0:16:34 > 0:16:37but fast food shouldn't mean bad food.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39We want to check that the quality of the food is really high,
0:16:39 > 0:16:43even though they're pushing through those orders.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47Tom will be helped in judging by Chinese food writer and chef,
0:16:47 > 0:16:48Ching-He Huang.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51In a race situation,
0:16:51 > 0:16:54the tendency is that you're going to rush things and they might cut
0:16:54 > 0:16:58corners, so they might not slice or dice things properly,
0:16:58 > 0:17:01but the key to a great Chinese dish is getting the prep right.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10For the takeaway, you have to have everything ready,
0:17:10 > 0:17:12and then you rock and roll.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15Rock and roll. I love that!
0:17:15 > 0:17:17First thing you do is make the spring roll.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19- Yeah, I'm going to make the spring roll.- Secondly,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22- I'm going to make the fried rice. - I'm going to chop.- OK.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26All three teams will be cooking spring rolls,
0:17:26 > 0:17:28a chicken dish, and a stir-fry.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32- Lis, how you doing? - I'm doing good.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34Shall I ask for the first order?
0:17:34 > 0:17:36I don't know whether I've got everything, but we'll start for now.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39- OK.- Order, order.- Order, order.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43Order one - please, can I get one chicken, one beef,
0:17:43 > 0:17:47- and two egg fried rice.- Certainly.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50Helen and Lisa have chosen a surprising strategy.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52They've called for their first order,
0:17:52 > 0:17:54even though they haven't finished prepping.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57I think that gives them a bit of a head start.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05The twins are making two Hong Kong Cantonese dishes
0:18:05 > 0:18:07we are familiar with here in Britain.
0:18:07 > 0:18:08Fire-cracker chicken!
0:18:08 > 0:18:12A spicy version of chicken with cashew nuts...
0:18:15 > 0:18:18That's really good. That's really spicy.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20..and a stir-fry of beef and peppers.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22Shall I throw it in?
0:18:22 > 0:18:25Sorry. That's done, done, enough.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27It's just basically, we work really well,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30we almost mind-read each other, so it's all right.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39Annie's spent over 30 years preparing food
0:18:39 > 0:18:41in Chinese restaurants.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45So, she's sticking to the standard practice of chopping everything
0:18:45 > 0:18:47before she starts cooking.
0:18:49 > 0:18:54You know, that's quite a clever way to approach the contest.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57So, if all the elements are prepared first,
0:18:57 > 0:19:00all she needs to do as the orders come in is to marry them,
0:19:00 > 0:19:03and season them, and it's straight out of the door.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05Come on, Mr Yu, I need it now.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09But George has decided to follow the twins' lead.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12Open for business, now serving.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16- What would you like?- One beef, one chicken, and two egg fried rice.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18- OK.- On the double.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21- Oh, lady, you want it quick? Wow, OK.- Yeah, thank you.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25- Thank you.- He's starting cooking before his prep's finished,
0:19:25 > 0:19:28so he'll need to chop on the go.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32I'm doing flaming chicken now. This is my grandma's special recipe.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34It's got 20 of the green chillies in there.
0:19:34 > 0:19:35COUGHING
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Ooh! Very spicy!
0:19:37 > 0:19:39This is a very spicy dish.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41I normally wear a mask when I do this dish.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43I can tell you want to try a little bit of this.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47George's cooking is a fusion of dishes from all over Asia.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51A bit nervous, but, you know, that's what it's all about.
0:19:51 > 0:19:52For his second dish,
0:19:52 > 0:19:56he's stir-frying his beef in a honey and black pepper sauce.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58I've got everything down to science.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00First order!
0:20:00 > 0:20:03But before the other teams have got their first order cooked,
0:20:03 > 0:20:05Annie's finished all the chopping.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07What do you order?
0:20:07 > 0:20:10One chicken, one pork, and two egg fried rice.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12Yes. There, there.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17There's a lot to do to catch up with the others.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22SHE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE
0:20:24 > 0:20:28Her chicken will be deep-fried in batter then tossed with whole
0:20:28 > 0:20:30Szechuan dried chillies in the wok.
0:20:36 > 0:20:37For her stir-fry,
0:20:37 > 0:20:41Annie's cooking pork with star anise and jalapeno peppers.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46These are typical dishes you'd expect to eat
0:20:46 > 0:20:47in a home in northern China.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52It could be a case of the tortoise and the hare -
0:20:52 > 0:20:55she's behind now, but she could steal the race.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02I'll cut the peppers, I'll cut the peppers.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04No, no, no, no, I can do it.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08The twins were first to take an order, but it still isn't ready.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10Yeah, I just need onion cubes. Can you do me onion cubes?
0:21:10 > 0:21:12I'll do onion cubes.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14They're having to chop everything as they go along,
0:21:14 > 0:21:17which is slowing them down.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20Very stressful. I don't want to be stressed.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24It can be very stressed, but I don't want to be stressed.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26Oh, God, I've cut myself.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28- You all right?- No, it's bleeding.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31- Hels, I've got a tissue here.- I need a plaster, please.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33You going to be all right, Hels? OK, OK.
0:21:33 > 0:21:34Ow, ow, ow.
0:21:46 > 0:21:47Annie's preparation is starting to work.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50She's already bagging her first order.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05Hello, order number one, please!
0:22:05 > 0:22:10Annie was the last to start cooking but the first to finish her order.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12Wow-ee! So, are you ready for order two?
0:22:12 > 0:22:17- Yeah.- Four chicken, one pork, three egg fried rice.
0:22:17 > 0:22:18I try my best!
0:22:18 > 0:22:21She is so fast.
0:22:21 > 0:22:26- Lis?- Yeah?- Get me them two chickens, pronto.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29Where are you up to, Lis? Can you do, like, one by one?
0:22:29 > 0:22:33- Yeah.- Yeah.- Her first order is almost ready.
0:22:33 > 0:22:38But with chopping still to do, Lisa is struggling to keep up with Annie.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40- Order ready.- Right.
0:22:40 > 0:22:41So excited!
0:22:42 > 0:22:44Roger that, over.
0:22:50 > 0:22:55If I feel like making a big batch before the order comes in,
0:22:55 > 0:22:56I'm doing it that way instead.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59Otherwise, I'm going to be really behind.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02So, I'm just going to make a big batch, make up all the food, then,
0:23:02 > 0:23:04when the order comes, just scoop and go.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06Lisa's new tactic may be risky.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11So, batch cooking is a great idea, in essence.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15However, the temptation is to overcrowd the wok.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18By adding too many ingredients at the one time...
0:23:18 > 0:23:20Have you got the cashew nuts in there, as well?
0:23:20 > 0:23:21That's right at the end.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24..the temperature falls as you add ingredients in,
0:23:24 > 0:23:28so the food is not going to sear and cook at a high temperature.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31Hong Kong chicken, just scoop and go.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33And the dish could end up being soggy.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41Oh, they're kicking our ass.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45I could pack this right now, but it's not quite there, yet.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49George's meticulous attention to detail is now holding him back.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52He's still on his first order.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56George is kind of going quite slowly.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00I think, in a speed test, George has forgot the speed element of it.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03The reason I'm a bit slow is I want to make sure my dishes are up to
0:24:03 > 0:24:06standard. So... Like, when I fried chicken,
0:24:06 > 0:24:09I've got to make sure it's 90 seconds.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12I could have taken it out slightly earlier, but, you know...
0:24:12 > 0:24:14Sesame seeds.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18If it's quality food, you've got to wait, you know?
0:24:18 > 0:24:20SHE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE
0:24:20 > 0:24:22Annie is still in the lead.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25Over halfway through her orders.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27Table three, order ready!
0:24:29 > 0:24:33Annie is motoring ahead. This is clearly somebody who is completely
0:24:33 > 0:24:34in control of her kitchen.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37Not talking to each other, just hammering those orders out,
0:24:37 > 0:24:39but each single one with precision.
0:24:41 > 0:24:42You're ready?
0:24:42 > 0:24:44Yeah. Thank you so much.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48- Order ready!- Order ready!
0:24:51 > 0:24:53Hels, where's the orders?
0:24:53 > 0:24:54I need two chicken.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57Coming right up!
0:24:57 > 0:24:59Order ready!
0:25:01 > 0:25:03The twins are gaining ground.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Their batch cooking is helping them close the gap with Annie.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13- What's the order? What's the order? - One fire-cracker, one beef.
0:25:13 > 0:25:14That's the last one, just focus on that.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20Both teams have just one more order to go.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22It's a race to the finish line.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24Start putting the cashew nuts in there.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32Being speedy may win the race,
0:25:32 > 0:25:35but they must remember to not compromise on quality.
0:25:37 > 0:25:38So close.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42Lis, put it in the bag!
0:25:42 > 0:25:45- In the bag, in the bag. - Just put the lid on.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47Order's ready.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50- It's ready.- Ready. - That's it?- That's it.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52That's it.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54Everyone, please, stop cooking!
0:25:54 > 0:25:58- Lisa and Helen have done it. - Oh, well done.- Yes!
0:26:01 > 0:26:03That's relief, you know?
0:26:03 > 0:26:05But the proof is in the pudding.
0:26:05 > 0:26:06Still got to taste it.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10I need some water. I need some water.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14The twins have won on speed, but Tom and Ching need to check the quality
0:26:14 > 0:26:17hasn't suffered in the race to finish.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20- Well done, guys, well done. Well done.- Thank you, thank you.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24George cooked spring rolls, chicken with chillies,
0:26:24 > 0:26:28and stir-fried beef in a honey and black pepper sauce.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31But he was the slowest to serve his orders.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34You seemed to be cooking in a world of your own, there, George.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37- You were concentrating on the food, not on speed.- Yeah.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40That's how... What I'm all about, you know?
0:26:42 > 0:26:45I think the beef is lovely, I think the flavours are good.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48- The flavour is nice.- And then you've got the flaming chicken.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50Chicken comes apart beautifully.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52- Great colour.- Thank you.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54That is fantastic.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56That is hot, hot, hot.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58If only we'd cooked it all quicker.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00I know, sir. Thank you, sir.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02- Thank you.- Thank you very much.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Annie came a close second to the twins.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09She made spring rolls with Chinese wood ear mushrooms,
0:27:09 > 0:27:12stir-fried pork with star anise and jalapeno peppers,
0:27:12 > 0:27:16and deep-fried chicken with Szechuan dried chillies.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20It looks wonderful, fresh ingredients.
0:27:20 > 0:27:21- Thank you.- Tastes great.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23- The chicken is very good.- Lovely and golden.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25And then, lastly, the spring roll.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29Oh! That is a great spring roll.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31- Thank you.- Spot-on!
0:27:31 > 0:27:32Spot-on.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35That is the best spring roll I have ever eaten.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37- Are you sure?- I am sure.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39OK.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41- Well done, mate.- Tried my best.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47The twins finished first, but they will only win the task if
0:27:47 > 0:27:49their food's been cooked perfectly.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54They made stir-fried beef with peppers,
0:27:54 > 0:27:56spicy chicken with cashew nuts,
0:27:56 > 0:27:58and vegetable spring rolls.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02There's quite a lot of pastry on that.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05- Not a lot of vegetable. Shall we go on to the beef?- Yeah.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09OK, I've got to be honest, the box looks a little messy.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12- As a takeaway...- Yeah. - ..if I got this to my house,
0:28:12 > 0:28:14I'd feel a little disappointed.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16It feels a little bit rushed.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18Was it quite rushed towards the end to try and win?
0:28:18 > 0:28:20- A little bit.- A little bit.- Yes. - A little bit, OK.- Yeah.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23It feels a little bit messy, a little bit rushed.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25It's lovely.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27But I am also looking for consistency.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36Now it's a tough decision for the judges.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41The twins may have finished first, but, in the rush,
0:28:41 > 0:28:43the quality of their food has dropped.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45Annie, on the other hand,
0:28:45 > 0:28:46was close behind them on speed
0:28:46 > 0:28:50and has maintained her high quality to the very end.
0:28:50 > 0:28:51So, for me,
0:28:51 > 0:28:53Annie has won this task.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56Well done, Annie.
0:28:56 > 0:28:58Today, everything is amazing.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04Under the circumstances, you know, I've done the best I could today.
0:29:05 > 0:29:10She may have lost out on this task, but Lisa's cooking pedigree
0:29:10 > 0:29:13stretches back all the way to 1950s Hong Kong.
0:29:15 > 0:29:19Her grandma Lily Kwok set off from here with thousands of others
0:29:19 > 0:29:22to build a new life in post-war Britain.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29She is thought to be one of the first woman in the UK
0:29:29 > 0:29:34to set up a Chinese restaurant, in Middleton, Greater Manchester.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36So, is this is where your grandmother's
0:29:36 > 0:29:38original restaurant was?
0:29:38 > 0:29:39- Yes, it was.- Yes.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41But it's now been demolished.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44- Wow.- But the Warwick Mill's still here.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46So, that was overlooking your grandmother
0:29:46 > 0:29:49- as she built up her business. - Yes.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56Lily's original terrace restaurant has been long lost.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03But the area's traditional red brick industrial heritage
0:30:03 > 0:30:05still looms large.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10It was very similar to something, you know, like this kind of house.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13Do you think they would have ever seen a Chinese person?
0:30:13 > 0:30:16No, she was the only Chinese person, I think, in the whole village.
0:30:16 > 0:30:17And it was such a culture shock.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20And in those days, there would have been loads of people standing
0:30:20 > 0:30:23and sitting on the street corners. Children playing around them.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25They'd be watching her every move.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27And they'd be like, "Oh, God, there's that Japanese lady.
0:30:27 > 0:30:29"She's going to poison us!"
0:30:29 > 0:30:31Oh, my God!
0:30:31 > 0:30:34It's hard to imagine what it must have been like,
0:30:34 > 0:30:37leaving somewhere like Hong Kong, with all of the familiar sights
0:30:37 > 0:30:39and smells and sounds to come
0:30:39 > 0:30:42and set up a new life somewhere like this.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45It must have been such a culture shock.
0:30:47 > 0:30:52Lilly left Hong Kong on a ship bound for Britain in 1953.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55It was a 10,000 mile journey.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58- How long was the trip from Hong Kong?- 35 days.
0:30:58 > 0:31:0035 days?!
0:31:00 > 0:31:03It was the P&O SS Canton that she took.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06This is my grandmother. on the ship.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09She did benefit from the journey, because it stopped off in India
0:31:09 > 0:31:13and she learnt about the spices in India.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16It travelled to Singapore, and she picked up the laksa curry
0:31:16 > 0:31:20recipe there and learned about coconut being infused into a curry.
0:31:20 > 0:31:22So, by the time she'd got to the UK,
0:31:22 > 0:31:26she'd created her own Lily Kwok's chicken curry.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29So, that's where she learned that recipe, on the ship?
0:31:29 > 0:31:31- Yeah, on the ship. - To England?- Yeah.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35Lily opened her first restaurant in 1959 -
0:31:35 > 0:31:37to a hostile reception.
0:31:37 > 0:31:39Initially, everybody boycotted the restaurant.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42So, how did she overcome the problem?
0:31:42 > 0:31:45She actually hired a lady called Mavis, who knew the whole town.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48So, my grandmother, being quite entrepreneurial, she thought,
0:31:48 > 0:31:51"I'm going to hire Mavis and win her over, and then win the town over."
0:31:51 > 0:31:55And one of the dishes that people really raved about was her curry.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59The Loon Fung Cafe grew in popularity,
0:31:59 > 0:32:02partly because Lily opened all hours,
0:32:02 > 0:32:06catering to the post-pub crowd in the 1960s.
0:32:06 > 0:32:08I've tracked down original customers Brian,
0:32:08 > 0:32:12John and Danny to find out why it was such a hit.
0:32:12 > 0:32:16We were in bands at the time, and we'd get back, midnight, 12:30,
0:32:16 > 0:32:18something like that, and we'd go to Lily's.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20Do you remember what you had, the first time you tasted it?
0:32:20 > 0:32:24- Chips and curry.- That is very authentically Chinese(!)
0:32:24 > 0:32:26That was really exotic, that, for me, believe you me!
0:32:26 > 0:32:30- Really?- Curry? Oh!- It made a hell of a difference to chips.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33It was just something different, like everything was, in the '60s.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36We were breaking free. We finally had a bit of money to spend,
0:32:36 > 0:32:38and what clothes we wanted to wear,
0:32:38 > 0:32:41what music we wanted to listen to, and what food we wanted to eat.
0:32:49 > 0:32:54Chinese food had become hip, but it was yet to reach the masses.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57Today, Chinese has become so familiar
0:32:57 > 0:33:02that one survey revealed 94% of the population has tried it.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07At the heart of Chinese cooking is a really clever blend
0:33:07 > 0:33:09of exotic Eastern spices,
0:33:09 > 0:33:16but do our cooks know their Szechuan peppercorns from their star anise?
0:33:16 > 0:33:20Our Chinese connoisseur and specialist judge Ching-He Huang
0:33:20 > 0:33:22intends to find out.
0:33:23 > 0:33:27I've got a spice test for you now.
0:33:27 > 0:33:31I want to test your knowledge on what you think is the perfect
0:33:31 > 0:33:33Chinese five spice.
0:33:35 > 0:33:40Five spice is said to be rooted in Chinese Yin and Yang philosophy,
0:33:40 > 0:33:44achieving a perfect balance of sweet and savoury flavours.
0:33:44 > 0:33:49It's the base seasoning for dishes from spare ribs to Peking duck,
0:33:49 > 0:33:51so getting it right is crucial.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55Up for the challenge?
0:33:55 > 0:33:56Away you go.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05Five spice is usually bought already blended,
0:34:05 > 0:34:09so the chefs may find choosing the correct spices tricky.
0:34:12 > 0:34:17They should be using star anise, Szechuan pepper,
0:34:17 > 0:34:20cloves, cinnamon, and fennel.
0:34:24 > 0:34:28George is adding some brown liquorice root.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30He's picked up dried tangerine peel as well.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35George came last in the speed test, so to catch up,
0:34:35 > 0:34:38he'll need to do well in this round.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40I like to make mine slightly spicy, but for this,
0:34:40 > 0:34:43I'm trying to make it as traditional as possible.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47There's got to be a good balance,
0:34:47 > 0:34:50otherwise the flavour's going to be off.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53Oh, and he's also picked up some black cardamom.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01Chinese black cardamom looks very similar to nutmeg,
0:35:01 > 0:35:04which is often added to the five spice mix,
0:35:04 > 0:35:07but has a much more potent flavour.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13Lisa's taking her time.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15She's checking all the ingredients.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19She's smelling every single product to make sure that there aren't any
0:35:19 > 0:35:21curveballs in there.
0:35:21 > 0:35:25Lisa didn't win the speed test because she cut corners,
0:35:25 > 0:35:27so now she really can't afford to make a mistake.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40A really good Chinese five spice would be ground really fine.
0:35:48 > 0:35:52It's not easy using a pestle and mortar when you've got whole spices.
0:35:54 > 0:35:56This big one just won't break.
0:36:00 > 0:36:04Lisa's toasting the ingredients,
0:36:04 > 0:36:09and that's good, because you want to release the aroma of those spices.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14It's my turn.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32First up to be judged is George.
0:36:32 > 0:36:34- OK, George, you're up.- Here's my five spice.
0:36:34 > 0:36:35So, this is your five spice.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38- Yes.- Now, let's have a smell.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42Oh! I can smell some interesting notes there.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46My main scent is a more cinnamon-y one.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49- Nutmeg.- Nutmeg?
0:36:49 > 0:36:51Are you sure it was a nutmeg?
0:36:51 > 0:36:54Yeah, the big one, the biggest spice you have on the stand, yeah.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56It's Chinese black cardamom.
0:36:58 > 0:36:59Look, we have...
0:36:59 > 0:37:00OK, fine.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06To test the balance and flavour of the five spice blend...
0:37:06 > 0:37:07Put that in.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11..Ching is coating pork ribs in the mix, and then rock frying them.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13- Nice and golden.- Enjoy.
0:37:13 > 0:37:15Thank you.
0:37:18 > 0:37:23- It's OK?- That black cardamom is really quite strong.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26I think you pushed it a little over the edge.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28Missed the mark. Sorry.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30Next up is Annie.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34- OK, Annie...- Hi.- So, this is it.
0:37:34 > 0:37:36- My mix of five spices. - This is your spice?
0:37:36 > 0:37:37- Yes.- Smells really good.
0:37:37 > 0:37:39I can smell cumin, though.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42- Yeah, I've got cumin. - Where's your cloves?
0:37:42 > 0:37:46For me, very like aniseed, cumin.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49So, you put cumin instead of cloves?
0:37:49 > 0:37:51- Yes.- Let's taste it.
0:37:51 > 0:37:52Yum, yummy.
0:37:53 > 0:37:57I have to say, with the ground cumin, cooked, there's a nice,
0:37:57 > 0:38:01delicate balance. Well rounded, but it didn't have punch,
0:38:01 > 0:38:03it didn't have cloves in it.
0:38:05 > 0:38:06- Smells good.- Thanks, Ching.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09- So, what have you got in there? - OK, we've got star anise.
0:38:09 > 0:38:10- Yeah.- We've got cinnamon bark.
0:38:10 > 0:38:14I've got Szechuan pepper, fennel seeds and a little bit of cloves.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16- And I also toasted them a little bit as well.- You did. I saw that.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19- I saw a good pound. This is pretty fine.- Yeah.
0:38:19 > 0:38:21I'm impressed.
0:38:23 > 0:38:25Right.
0:38:25 > 0:38:26Let's go.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31- Pretty good.- Thank you.
0:38:31 > 0:38:36Can taste all those notes, it's really ground fine, there's no grit.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39- Beautiful balance. - Oh, thank you.
0:38:39 > 0:38:40Well done.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45Now Ching must decide on a winner.
0:38:45 > 0:38:50So, the Chinese chef that has mastered Chinese five spice is...
0:38:50 > 0:38:53- Lisa. Well done.- Thank you!
0:39:01 > 0:39:03Back in the late '50s and early '60s,
0:39:03 > 0:39:07Chinatown was the place to come for the rich and famous
0:39:07 > 0:39:10to get a taste of the new, hip cuisine.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20But, for most ordinary people, it was still an alien concept.
0:39:20 > 0:39:24So, how did Chinese food go mass-market
0:39:24 > 0:39:27and spread to all the corners of Britain?
0:39:30 > 0:39:33To find out, I'm off to the seaside.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36It must be nice to have as much energy as this.
0:39:36 > 0:39:38And just as nice to have none at all.
0:39:38 > 0:39:40Back in the '50s,
0:39:40 > 0:39:43new welfare laws gave the majority of workers a paid holiday,
0:39:43 > 0:39:47and the nation flocked to the coast for their summer break.
0:39:47 > 0:39:52And if you get too hot, well, the remedy is right beside you.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54It was here by the sea that many people
0:39:54 > 0:39:58got their first taste of China, thanks to one man.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03Billy Butlin was the ultimate show man,
0:40:03 > 0:40:05and started serving Chinese food
0:40:05 > 0:40:09in his holiday camps from 1958.
0:40:10 > 0:40:12Hello! Morning, campers!
0:40:12 > 0:40:13Do come in.
0:40:13 > 0:40:18'I'm treating some former Redcoats to vintage archive
0:40:18 > 0:40:19'reels from the 1960s.'
0:40:19 > 0:40:24Ladies and gentlemen, today we have some very special archive footage of
0:40:24 > 0:40:26Butlins, back in the day.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28Run VT!
0:40:31 > 0:40:32Wow! Look at that.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35They've introduced Chinese food.
0:40:35 > 0:40:37And they had a dedicated Chinese restaurant.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40It must have seemed so exotic.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42It was totally alien.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44It was like walking into a totally different world.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46All the staff were Chinese,
0:40:46 > 0:40:48and many people had never met the Chinese people.
0:40:48 > 0:40:50They were working class families,
0:40:50 > 0:40:52so they hadn't experienced anything like this before.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55If they couldn't afford to go abroad,
0:40:55 > 0:40:58Billy Butlin brought it to them.
0:40:58 > 0:41:03- Exactly.- Because it was like a holiday within a holiday.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05The food wasn't the only novelty -
0:41:05 > 0:41:08eating it was a whole new world, too.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10'Use chopsticks. It's easy!
0:41:10 > 0:41:12'Or so they tell these holiday-makers
0:41:12 > 0:41:13'at a Clacton holiday camp!
0:41:13 > 0:41:16'They've entered a Chinese eating competition,
0:41:16 > 0:41:18'because they've never tasted Chinese food before.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21'Nobody realised they'd have to do it the hard way!'
0:41:21 > 0:41:23Oh, I know that feeling!
0:41:23 > 0:41:27You could see it, on a regular basis,
0:41:27 > 0:41:31flying over people's shoulders or skidding across the table.
0:41:31 > 0:41:33'Oh, forget the chopsticks, then.
0:41:33 > 0:41:34'He's found the chop!'
0:41:37 > 0:41:40At their peak, the holiday camps attracted more than a million guests
0:41:40 > 0:41:45in a single summer. One of the former managers, Stewart,
0:41:45 > 0:41:47believes that many of the campers took home
0:41:47 > 0:41:50a new-found taste for Chinese food.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54People who had perhaps refrained from using a Chinese restaurant in
0:41:54 > 0:41:57their home towns, may well, because they were at Butlins, said,
0:41:57 > 0:41:59"Hey, why not?" You know?
0:41:59 > 0:42:03So, they tried it at Butlins, loved it, and when they went home...
0:42:03 > 0:42:06Yes. "I've been to Butlins. I've had Chinese food.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08"We'll go again, shall we?"
0:42:08 > 0:42:11So, it spread among all those thousands of people
0:42:11 > 0:42:12who went to Butlins?
0:42:12 > 0:42:14I think it's what they call a symbiotic relationship.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16The Chinese helped Butlins and Butlins
0:42:16 > 0:42:19certainly helped the Chinese.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22Since those pioneering early days,
0:42:22 > 0:42:25Chinese food has taken off on a massive scale.
0:42:29 > 0:42:33Back in Chinatown for the final task, we want our chefs to look to
0:42:33 > 0:42:37the future and reinvent the Chinese takeaway.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41Our chefs need to prepare two totally original dishes
0:42:41 > 0:42:46- in less than an hour. - This test is about something new.
0:42:46 > 0:42:48I'm looking for inspiration and innovation.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54Each team will be judged on taste and creativity.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57And it'll all be served up within 45 minutes.
0:43:02 > 0:43:07Chefs, you have 45 minutes to show us how you would reinvent the
0:43:07 > 0:43:09classic Chinese takeaway!
0:43:09 > 0:43:11Get cooking!
0:43:11 > 0:43:13- Yes!- Perfect.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18The heat is on, in more ways than one!
0:43:33 > 0:43:36Ching, we've got three different types of Chinese chefs here.
0:43:36 > 0:43:39- Yeah, absolutely.- We've got the girls that are cooking...
0:43:39 > 0:43:40British Cantonese food.
0:43:40 > 0:43:42That people are comfortable with here in the UK.
0:43:42 > 0:43:45- The food that I've grown up with. - Absolutely.
0:43:45 > 0:43:46We've got George, who cooks fusion.
0:43:46 > 0:43:49He is modern, he's forward-thinking. As long as it tastes good.
0:43:49 > 0:43:52- That's George.- OK, and then Annie.
0:43:52 > 0:43:57Annie, she is old school Beijing, Szechuan, she is, like, traditional,
0:43:57 > 0:44:00Chinese, classical cooking.
0:44:06 > 0:44:10I try my best. I do traditional Chinese food.
0:44:10 > 0:44:11I take a risk,
0:44:11 > 0:44:15Because English people don't like chillies.
0:44:15 > 0:44:18Annie came out on top in the first speed task.
0:44:18 > 0:44:22Tonight, she's cooking Szechuan pepper mala beef.
0:44:22 > 0:44:27Szechuan mala beef. It's lovely. The smell's amazing.
0:44:27 > 0:44:31Mala broth is made with Szechuan chillies and peppercorns.
0:44:31 > 0:44:34It's the main speciality of the Szechuan region
0:44:34 > 0:44:37and it's mouth numbingly spicy.
0:44:41 > 0:44:43Originally used to flavour cheaper meats,
0:44:43 > 0:44:47it's now one of the most popular sauces in China.
0:44:49 > 0:44:52- Wood ear mushrooms.- Big ones. - Yeah, it's nice and crunchy.
0:44:52 > 0:44:54Yes, crunchy.
0:44:54 > 0:44:55Because it's very hot...
0:44:55 > 0:45:00- Everything down.- It's calm. So, it's not just all fire and heat?
0:45:00 > 0:45:02- No, good.- So, are you all about yin and yang?
0:45:02 > 0:45:05- Yes!- Balance. What have you got over there, is that ham?
0:45:05 > 0:45:07- Chinese ham.- It looks like Spam.
0:45:07 > 0:45:10Yeah. It's nice, tasty.
0:45:10 > 0:45:12That is not something you'll see in your average takeaway.
0:45:20 > 0:45:23When you eat food nowadays, you want a bit of adventure,
0:45:23 > 0:45:25- you want a bit of a twist.- So far,
0:45:25 > 0:45:29maverick George has impressed the judges with his creative cooking.
0:45:29 > 0:45:31But he's yet to win a round,
0:45:31 > 0:45:35so he's hoping to steal this task with a surprise.
0:45:35 > 0:45:40Every item on the dish will be nice and round.
0:45:40 > 0:45:44His ping-pong chicken is a combination of melon,
0:45:44 > 0:45:47sweet potato and chicken,
0:45:47 > 0:45:50all disguised as identical-sized balls.
0:45:50 > 0:45:54Have you ever eaten a chicken dish, you know, the sides are round?
0:45:54 > 0:45:56I don't think so.
0:45:56 > 0:45:59I certainly haven't eaten any dishes in the world,
0:45:59 > 0:46:01you know, that everything's round.
0:46:07 > 0:46:10Keep time. Right, is that enough garlic for you, Mrs?
0:46:10 > 0:46:12Yeah, that's perfect. That's perfect, boss, thanks.
0:46:12 > 0:46:15We're going to use some ingredients that are not traditionally used in
0:46:15 > 0:46:17Chinese cooking.
0:46:17 > 0:46:21The twins' new dish is inspired by Mexico.
0:46:21 > 0:46:23They're making burritos.
0:46:23 > 0:46:27Chinese burrito is definitely something new.
0:46:27 > 0:46:31Lisa lost the speed task, but now she's won the spice round,
0:46:31 > 0:46:34she could win the contest if she doesn't panic.
0:46:34 > 0:46:36She is using her winning five spice
0:46:36 > 0:46:39blend to give the dish a Chinese twist.
0:46:39 > 0:46:42Just to give it a little bit of fusion between Mexican and Chinese.
0:46:49 > 0:46:51Chefs, you have 20 minutes left.
0:46:51 > 0:46:5420 minutes remaining.
0:46:59 > 0:47:02Annie is also using unconventional ingredients.
0:47:02 > 0:47:05For her second dish, she's combining quails eggs and chicken
0:47:05 > 0:47:09with something you wouldn't expect to find on a Chinese menu.
0:47:09 > 0:47:11- What's this one? - Blueberry with the chicken.
0:47:11 > 0:47:13Blueberries?
0:47:13 > 0:47:16Do you have blueberries? Do you use blueberries in Chinese cooking?
0:47:16 > 0:47:19- Not like this.- I tried this only last week back.
0:47:19 > 0:47:21I see it, I do it.
0:47:21 > 0:47:23So, this will be a new thing for you as well?
0:47:23 > 0:47:26- That would be totally new, yes. - It could be a risky strategy.
0:47:26 > 0:47:28Annie won the speed task,
0:47:28 > 0:47:32but her unconventional spice blend let her down.
0:47:32 > 0:47:34She can't afford to mess up this round
0:47:34 > 0:47:36if she's going to win the contest.
0:47:42 > 0:47:46Ooh, well, we are going to use sweet potato.
0:47:46 > 0:47:49It's actually a superfood with lots of beta-carotene, OK,
0:47:49 > 0:47:52we're going to turn that into a wonton.
0:47:52 > 0:47:54For the twins' second dish,
0:47:54 > 0:47:58they're putting a nutritious spin on a Chinese classic.
0:47:58 > 0:48:00So, sweet potato, not normally used in a lot of Chinese cooking?
0:48:00 > 0:48:03Not used at all. And it's great for wontons.
0:48:03 > 0:48:05So, how's that been involved in Chinese cooking?
0:48:05 > 0:48:07Because the sweet potato is actually sweet,
0:48:07 > 0:48:09you will have the sweetness and a little bit of sour.
0:48:09 > 0:48:11Where does the sour come from?
0:48:11 > 0:48:14A bitter lime. So, lime is never used in Chinese cooking, either.
0:48:14 > 0:48:17- OK, girls, well, I'll let you crack on.- Thank you.
0:48:25 > 0:48:29George is also serving dumplings for his next dish,
0:48:29 > 0:48:31filled with marinated chicken thigh.
0:48:31 > 0:48:32Wow, that's beautiful.
0:48:32 > 0:48:34Perfect.
0:48:34 > 0:48:39One side's curry, one side's like a normal dumpling and in the middle is
0:48:39 > 0:48:41Italian mozzarella cheese.
0:48:41 > 0:48:43- No way!- Oh, really? I like the sound of that.
0:48:45 > 0:48:49This is his last chance to catch up and impress the judges.
0:49:02 > 0:49:05Erm, I think we might have a problem.
0:49:07 > 0:49:10My dumpling's kind of sticking to the bottom.
0:49:13 > 0:49:17Yeah, it's a disaster. Yeah.
0:49:17 > 0:49:20THEY SPEAK OWN LANGUAGE
0:49:20 > 0:49:23George hasn't used enough oil in the pan to prevent
0:49:23 > 0:49:25the pastry from sticking.
0:49:32 > 0:49:35- So disappointing. - So, we've got stuck dumplings?
0:49:35 > 0:49:37Yeah. We'll have to make another one.
0:49:37 > 0:49:40- You're doing it all again?- Yeah. - You going to have enough time?
0:49:40 > 0:49:42Maybe not, but I will do all I can,
0:49:42 > 0:49:45because it's not how often you fall down, it's how you get up.
0:49:45 > 0:49:49- Good luck, George. Good luck with that.- OK, thank you.
0:49:51 > 0:49:53Chefs, you have ten minutes left.
0:49:53 > 0:49:54Ten minutes? Oh, boy!
0:49:54 > 0:49:58We are a little bit behind from how I want to be.
0:49:58 > 0:50:00We need to start assembling the burritos now.
0:50:00 > 0:50:01Am I assembling? Yeah.
0:50:01 > 0:50:03Just do five of each burrito.
0:50:03 > 0:50:05Am I putting rice in it?
0:50:05 > 0:50:09- Yeah. Pea first.- Pea first. - Then the rice.
0:50:09 > 0:50:11All their dishes must be cooked
0:50:11 > 0:50:15and served up in the allotted time if they're going to stand a chance
0:50:15 > 0:50:16of winning the contest.
0:50:19 > 0:50:21Whilst the others are racing to finish...
0:50:21 > 0:50:23Stop cooking, don't cook them.
0:50:23 > 0:50:26..George is still meticulously testing the core temperature
0:50:26 > 0:50:28of his sweet potato balls.
0:50:28 > 0:50:31Next, we'll have this one.
0:50:31 > 0:50:32How much time have we got left?
0:50:32 > 0:50:35Chefs, you have five minutes left!
0:50:35 > 0:50:38- Five minutes. Five minutes, Lis. - You're giving me a heart attack.
0:50:38 > 0:50:41- How long?- Five whole minutes!
0:50:41 > 0:50:42It's not five minutes, is it?
0:50:44 > 0:50:47You need to just wrap like crazy now. I'm cramping up, Lis.
0:50:49 > 0:50:51They are really going for it.
0:50:55 > 0:50:57No, no, too much, too much!
0:50:57 > 0:50:59- It's going to ruin it. - Next, next, next, all right.
0:50:59 > 0:51:01I am shatterooned!
0:51:01 > 0:51:03Ready, go!
0:51:06 > 0:51:08Can you do this for me? Just do the last one.
0:51:08 > 0:51:10With just seconds remaining,
0:51:10 > 0:51:12George has managed to remake his dumplings,
0:51:12 > 0:51:15but they still need to be pan-fried.
0:51:24 > 0:51:26Ready!
0:51:26 > 0:51:29I haven't been this stressed in a long time!
0:51:29 > 0:51:32I need to fry this for another two minutes.
0:51:32 > 0:51:34Chefs, your time is up.
0:51:34 > 0:51:37Grease-proof first. And the last one.
0:51:37 > 0:51:39Please, turn off your woks.
0:51:39 > 0:51:42- No way!- Finished!
0:51:42 > 0:51:45Where's the chicken? Oh, yeah, done. OK, That's fine. Finished.
0:51:45 > 0:51:48Please, put anything down.
0:51:58 > 0:52:00Hey, George, how did it go?
0:52:00 > 0:52:03To be honest, it didn't go as well as I planned.
0:52:03 > 0:52:05All right, well, let's have a little look.
0:52:05 > 0:52:08For his reinvention of the classic Chinese takeaway,
0:52:08 > 0:52:13George has made ping-pong chicken and rainbow pan-fried dumplings.
0:52:14 > 0:52:16- Mm!- The flavours inside of that, amazing.
0:52:16 > 0:52:19- Boom!- Oh, wow!- I just wish you got it crispy.
0:52:19 > 0:52:23- I know.- Yeah.- I love it.- Ping-pong chicken.
0:52:23 > 0:52:25- It looks like a dish out of the 1950s.- I thought, "You know what?
0:52:25 > 0:52:28"Get them guessing," and my inspiration is from the movie
0:52:28 > 0:52:30Forrest Gump. "Life is like a box of chocolates,
0:52:30 > 0:52:33- "you don't know what you're going to get!"- Right!
0:52:33 > 0:52:36You bite into it, you don't know if that's a chicken ball yet
0:52:36 > 0:52:39until you taste it, or is that the sweet potato mashed up
0:52:39 > 0:52:43with the flavour of deep-fried? Or is that a good old, you know, melon?
0:52:43 > 0:52:46I love the idea. I love how it looks. I think it looks fantastic.
0:52:46 > 0:52:49My only concern is that I'm not sure that they all go together.
0:52:49 > 0:52:51True.
0:52:51 > 0:52:54Annie has cooked Szechuan pepper mala beef
0:52:54 > 0:52:57and Chinese ham with chicken,
0:52:57 > 0:52:59blueberries and quail eggs.
0:52:59 > 0:53:02At first, I don't think it works.
0:53:02 > 0:53:05It's messing with my mind. It's going, "This isn't right."
0:53:05 > 0:53:08But, actually, as the blueberry breaks down,
0:53:08 > 0:53:11- that's where you get that natural sweetness.- Mm!
0:53:11 > 0:53:14Unusual, but I like it.
0:53:14 > 0:53:17- Thank you. This one is a Szechuan beef broth.- OK.
0:53:17 > 0:53:19With the beef and the mixed ham, the Chinese ham.
0:53:19 > 0:53:23Chinese ham is actually Spam.
0:53:23 > 0:53:25As a child, this is what I used to have all the time.
0:53:25 > 0:53:29- Yeah.- But it was called Spam, not Chinese ham, but, you know,
0:53:29 > 0:53:32I never did it in a Chinese sauce, so this is quite interesting for me.
0:53:32 > 0:53:34What do you think?
0:53:34 > 0:53:36I think it's amazing. I've had Spam in lots of ways,
0:53:36 > 0:53:38but never like that before.
0:53:38 > 0:53:41In that spice, in that flavour, I think it's fantastic.
0:53:41 > 0:53:42That Szechuan flavour.
0:53:42 > 0:53:45- Yeah?- That is really outstanding.
0:53:45 > 0:53:47It's spicy, but I can also taste all the other flavours.
0:53:47 > 0:53:50I really like it. Szechuan Spam, amazing!
0:53:52 > 0:53:55Lisa's hoping to impress the judges with Chinese chicken burritos
0:53:55 > 0:53:57and sweet potato wontons.
0:53:58 > 0:54:01What have we got here? Wontons, sweet potato.
0:54:03 > 0:54:05That is surprisingly great.
0:54:05 > 0:54:07Chinese flavours come through really nicely.
0:54:07 > 0:54:10The wonton's very crispy.
0:54:10 > 0:54:12Definitely new. Well done, mate.
0:54:12 > 0:54:15- And then here?- This is the hot numbing chicken,
0:54:15 > 0:54:17Chinese burrito with a pea puree.
0:54:17 > 0:54:20That, for me,
0:54:20 > 0:54:23is great tasting, but...
0:54:23 > 0:54:27does feel a little bit like a lunchtime sandwich kind of dish.
0:54:27 > 0:54:31Not really something I'd associate as Chinese takeaway.
0:54:31 > 0:54:35It is takeaway, but whether it's Chinese takeaway...
0:54:35 > 0:54:37- Well done, mate.- Well done. - Come on. Let's move on.
0:54:47 > 0:54:50It's been an incredible day and night of cooking here
0:54:50 > 0:54:53in Chinatown, but were the twins' burritos,
0:54:53 > 0:54:58George's ping-pong balls or Annie's blueberries a step too far in the
0:54:58 > 0:55:03final round? Tom and Ching will now have to decide the overall winner.
0:55:03 > 0:55:07There was a lot of craziness coming from Annie.
0:55:07 > 0:55:09Spam, OK?
0:55:09 > 0:55:13Chinese ham. Wow, flavour, flavour, flavour.
0:55:13 > 0:55:16Loads of flavours. It didn't taste like Chinese food I'd had before.
0:55:16 > 0:55:19It is mind-blowingly good.
0:55:19 > 0:55:24And Lisa's cooking, the sweet potato wonton was absolutely stunning.
0:55:24 > 0:55:26It wowed me - I thought it was fantastic.
0:55:26 > 0:55:28You're right. I agree with you.
0:55:28 > 0:55:31But then came those burritos.
0:55:31 > 0:55:34It just felt a little bit like a sandwich
0:55:34 > 0:55:36that tasted a bit Chinese-y.
0:55:36 > 0:55:38That burrito wasn't a standout.
0:55:38 > 0:55:41Now, George's cooking is really interesting.
0:55:41 > 0:55:43There just wasn't very much of it!
0:55:43 > 0:55:46If we were looking at somebody who just cooks a couple of dishes,
0:55:46 > 0:55:49full of flavour, George is right up there with some of the best food
0:55:49 > 0:55:52I've actually eaten. I don't think he stood up to the pressures of the
0:55:52 > 0:55:54- competition.- I have to agree with you there.
0:55:54 > 0:55:57So, that leaves us with the decision of who's going to win.
0:56:02 > 0:56:06Guys, the food today has been outstanding.
0:56:06 > 0:56:09And this has been a really tough decision for me and Ching.
0:56:09 > 0:56:13Lisa, your wonton at the end, it blew my mind.
0:56:13 > 0:56:15Those burritos, though,
0:56:15 > 0:56:17still need a bit of convincing, I think.
0:56:17 > 0:56:23George, two of your dishes today, world-class, but on the whole,
0:56:23 > 0:56:25crumbled around the edges.
0:56:25 > 0:56:28Annie, your food, full of amazing flavours,
0:56:28 > 0:56:32loads of which I hadn't even seen or experienced before.
0:56:32 > 0:56:34Both of us seriously impressed.
0:56:34 > 0:56:39But the best takeaway on today's performance is...
0:56:45 > 0:56:48- ..Annie. Well done, girl!- Well done!
0:56:48 > 0:56:51Oh, thank you!
0:56:51 > 0:56:52Oh!
0:56:55 > 0:56:57Thank you very much!
0:56:57 > 0:57:01Oh, today is special for me.
0:57:01 > 0:57:03I am a winner, is number one.
0:57:03 > 0:57:07I'm very surprised, and very, very happy.
0:57:07 > 0:57:09Thank you very much.
0:57:09 > 0:57:11- I never think of that!- Well done. Incredible flavours.
0:57:11 > 0:57:16Thank you so much. You are giving me my dreams for now.
0:57:16 > 0:57:17Well done.
0:57:17 > 0:57:21Fast food doesn't need to be bad food or boring food.
0:57:21 > 0:57:24For me, Annie's cooking is a perfect demonstration of that.
0:57:24 > 0:57:26Exciting flavours, cooked fast.
0:57:26 > 0:57:29She really deserved to win.