Episode 19 MasterChef

It's the start of the MasterChef semifinals.

After weeks of competition...

..only the six best amateurs are left.

Every challenge that I do

I feel I'm growing in terms of my technique and my confidence.

The further on through the competition you get,

the more perfect you want your dishes to become.

The standard of competition is much higher than I was expecting.

I am getting more confident

and I am starting to believe in myself.

We're really, really close

and I really want it now.

Just maybe I could win this...

..but, you know, it's still quite a long way yet. So...

Over the next three nights,

they will be pushed beyond anything they've experienced before.

Come on! Just do it. Just put it on. Honestly, trust me.

You're going to have to just go!

This is the most fabulous dish I've ever seen.

At the end of the week, only four will remain.

The person leaving us is...

It's early morning

and the contestants are heading east for their first big challenge

to a location not necessarily known for its fine dining.

Queen Vic, amazing!

Good morning

and welcome to probably the most famous square in the country.

You got the privilege today for cooking

for 120 members of the cast and crew of EastEnders.

Wow! Oh, God!

We're going to split you into two teams.

Three of you on the right, one team.

Three of you on the left, the other team.

Right now, we want you to pick a team leader.

I don't mind being it.

Ping, you seem quite assertive.

Would you like to be the team leader? If you don't want to be,

I would be more than happy to be a team leader.

-I'm happy to do it.

-You do it.

Michael, Jack and Ping, who's your team leader?

-I am.

-Good.

-Luke, Robert and Angela, who's team leader?

-I am.

-Luke.

Luke is?!

Wow! Brilliant. Good. OK.

Be careful because many people have died walking through that square.

Good luck. Off you go.

Two kitchens have been specially constructed

for the contestants to use.

Along with the dining marquee outside the Queen Vic

where the cast and crew will be served.

For today's lunch, each team will be responsible

for feeding one of the tables.

This is one of the biggest shows on BBC television.

And we're here today at Albert Square,

feeding the cast of EastEnders.

I can't believe we're here. It's amazing!

When I saw the Queen Vic, it was like, wow!

That's cool.

It's crazy and very surreal to find ourselves in Albert Square.

It's a bit mind-blowing, to be honest. Erm...

Each team has a different selection of ingredients

from which they will have to produce 60 main courses and 60 desserts.

-Guys, what have we got?

-A bit of turbot.

Ping's team has the fish tent.

I have never cooked that big a fish before.

While Luke's been given the meat.

-OK, so we've got guinea fowl, chicory, celery...

-Kale.

-Yeah, we've got some sort of micro herbs going on...

-Walnuts.

Obviously, I'm the youngest out of the three,

so, it's strange being younger than your employees.

Yeah, I'm looking forward to getting everybody organised

and making sure that we're going to deliver this on time

and tasting very good.

We could cut the drumstick off and use the thigh

because it's gorgeous meat...

-We could stuff the thighs...

-Yeah, we could stuff the thighs.

You're going down a very sort of classic route there, aren't you?

Yeah. I like classic cooking, personally. So...

Nothing wrong with classic cooking.

Both teams will also have to produce

ten vegetarian versions of their main.

We can do an open lasagne.

I think we can use some of these asparagus

and beans as well to give it some body. Brittle...

'Really, really tough.

We've never cooked in an open kitchen before and 120 covers.

That's a lot of people.

Right! Let's go. What have you got?

Right. For main, we have guinea fowl breast and stuffed thigh

with mini roast rosemary potatoes, parsnip and kale

-with a masala sauce.

-OK.

For dessert, we're doing poached pears with a creme anglaise

with pastry twists.

Okey-doke. Thank you.

Good.

Now, we've just got to cook it.

Main course we have turbot, tomato, clam

and fennel stew with pomme puree.

Dessert we've chocolate tart, mascarpone cream and plum compote.

-That sounds delicious.

-Yeah!

-Good job!

-Yeah.

I'm excited. I'm not excited for the poor person

who's got to do 60 portions of chocolate tart, but I'm excited.

The teams now have four 1/2 hours to get lunch ready

for the EastEnders cast and crew.

Over at the Queen Vic, filming has already started.

The schedule is run with military precision.

With up to 30 scenes to film each day

and strictly one hour for lunch,

the teams cannot afford to be late.

So, guys these are our prep sheets.

So, Michael, you're on fish portion.

-With the fish.

-Yep.

-You're on pastry.

-And I'm on the sauce and the vegetarian.

-Let's go!

-You know what you're doing?

-Yeah.

-Yay!

-All right, let's get to it.

-What?

-Worksheets.

Prep sheet.

Wow! Cool!

Well, I've got to say.

If you can cook as well as you write prep sheets,

I'm going to be really impressed.

In the meat tent,

Robert is in charge of butchering the 30 guinea fowl.

Angela is working the sauce section.

And is also preparing the black pudding stuffing

for the guinea fowl thighs.

Whilst team leader Luke is making a start on the veg.

I'm relying on these guys a lot here

because this is more their kind of food.

I'm doing the really...you know, kitchen porter type work.

And hopefully keeping everyone organised at the same time.

Well, I'd like to think that the real manager

behind all of this is actually standing over here, so...

To add flavour to the stock for her sauce,

Angela starts by roasting the guinea fowl trimmings.

Obviously, we've got a lot to do and I've never cooked for 60...

Well, yeah, this is like alien territory.

Come on Angela. Pull!

Push one. Push one, so, you've got a lever.

-Oh, my God! I just opened it, but...

-Move, move, move.

Blimey!

Next door in the fish tent...

-Ready?

-Yeah.

Michael's first job is to portion off 60 servings

from the eight turbot.

I just need to get a couple of these done

and then I should get quicker with them, then.

We've got our head together and really thought

about what we were doing before we started doing it.

So, hopefully we can work quite methodically rather than...

..rather than it being a mad panic.

That said, we'll see if it's not a mad panic a little bit later.

I guess.

Jack is already working the pastry for the chocolate tart.

So, I've made pastry a couple of times before.

It's not something that I do regularly.

I think it should be fine. I'm confident it will work. So...

And Ping is busy prepping the vegetables

for the tomato and fennel stew.

-Ping?

-Hmm?

-What are you doing?

I'm trying...I'm trying not to let the onion get to me.

I read somewhere that, you know,

getting a spoon in your mouth worked,

but clearly it doesn't.

Well, if you're going to grate onions, no wonder they... Whoa!

WHOA!

SHE SIGHS EXASPERATEDLY

I'm going to make an executive decision. I'm not grating this.

I'm probably just chopping them.

I'm dying!

The onions, tomato and fennel now have to simmer until service.

How did you divide the labour up then

between you and your two young lads?

Jack has done the pastry in his invention test before

and Michael works with fish quite a lot

and he cooked fish in the last round.

-And I'm quite good with sauces.

-Brilliant!

BANGING

Come in! Come in!

Working with Ping, is it like being back at school?

Erm, no.

It's been by committee, I think,

so, no, it's not like my school, anyway.

-Did you go to school?

-I did, yeah. I did.

For the minimum amount of time required, Gregg.

Why did you end up with the least creative job?

Why do you think they see very much as a kitchen porter?

It's got to be done and I think I was the only one

who could be trusted with such an expensive, quality ingredient. So...

-PING AND JACK PROTEST JOKINGLY

-Good boy!

Good boy!

Would you stop giggling?

Between Michael, Jack and Ping, Ping is the leader.

And I'll tell you what, she's a great motivator.

How are we getting on? How are we getting on?

-Yeah, we're getting on all right, I think, Ping.

-Good.

She's got her lists up.

They all know what they're doing, but she's also encouraging.

And that's a wonderful way to work.

In the meat tent,

Luke is still peeling the 5kg of parsnips for their main course.

-How are we doing, people?

-Erm, yeah, we're OK.

I need to get this the veg done by an hour and I think I'm on it.

Right, who's got time, please? Who's keeping time?

-Erm, Robert's keeping time.

-I'm keeping time.

-What?

-I'm keeping time. We're 45 minutes in.

-45 minutes in.

-And we're going to have a break in 15 minutes.

-A break?

-Well, no, a team meeting.

-Hurry up! Quick, quick, quick.

Parsnips done?

Erm, I'm just...just... Yes, finishing them off.

Robert is trying to make a dent in the butchering

of the 30 guinea fowl.

I'm just taking off the guinea fowl thighs before they get stuffed.

It's a tedious job.

And a time-consuming job, but it's just flying through it.

Getting it done.

If it works perfectly, it's a fantastic team effort.

If it falls apart, it's Luke's fault.

-So...

-Yeah, so, get working!

As leader, what is nagging away at you? What's bothering you?

Time. Always the time. We need to have everything on

and cooking an hour before the first plate goes out.

We've got things that can be held,

but there are things that have got to be done fresh.

Ready to go.

The meat tent is being hosted by Luke, Angela and Robert.

And I tell you what, it's going to be a battle for those guys.

I think they've got a lot of work to do.

Your parsnips on, Luke?

-Erm... They're...

-Finish on the job.

You're running around, but not finishing your own job. OK?

Finish your own job.

It's 10:30am and behind the scenes,

the production team is hard at work.

We have one hour for lunch.

So, we have to stick to that one hour.

That short space of time to eat

the best food we could possibly get is absolutely vital

because an army marches on its stomach.

Whilst back in the Queen Vic,

the filming is running on schedule.

Hello! Hello and welcome to the Carter karaoke night!

Guys, how are you looking?

-You're about halfway and I really need you push now.

-Yeah.

With the turbot portioned, Michael has to cook the cockles.

And then pick each one individually.

This is repetitive grunt work, I think, is probably what it is.

Jack is blind baking the chocolate tart cases.

Ping is ahead with her prep

and has moved on to the filling for the vegetarian lasagne.

I reckon I'm five minutes away from the preparation for the filling

-and then we'll reconvene at 11 o'clock, OK?

-OK.

-Yeah.

Ping's our leader. She's organised.

I was going to use the word militant, but no, she's organised.

So... Yeah, we're on top of things, I think.

Chocolate filling. Are you doing a chocolate filling?

Yeah, I'm doing the filling now.

Right.

For the filling to work,

the chocolate mixture can't be too hot or the eggs will cook.

Ping, I just at the eggs in and I'm just worried that...

-They've curdled.

-It will be like that.

-It just looks like it's splitting.

-Keep going.

-Keep going.

-No.

At this point, we don't really have any choice.

I think it's just a case of getting them into the oven.

Getting them cooked. I'm praying just a little bit, I think.

Over in the meat tent, Angela is on the last stages of her sauce.

But Robert is still prepping the 30 guinea fowl.

-OK, so we are a little bit behind here.

-No, we're not.

-You're OK...

-Oh, you're ahead?

-I'm ahead.

-Well, that's great. Well, I'm behind.

Luke has finished the kale for the main course,

but still needs to prepare 60 portions of roast potatoes

before he can even start the vegetarian mushroom parcels.

-OK, one lot of parsnips is overcooked.

-What, sorry?

-One lot of the parsnips is overcooked.

-Is it overcooked?

-Definitely over?

-Yeah, it's like...

-And have you taken them off?

-I'm just doing that now.

-Sorry, yeah.

I'm worried about how long things are taking

I need to move on to the vegetarian option very soon.

And, erm, yeah, I'm panicking a little... Well, not panicking,

but I am concerned.

We'll just have to pull it back somewhere.

-Well, it isn't quite there yet.

-Sorry?

-It's all right.

-It's all right.

-You're OK?

-Yeah, yeah.

-Are you all right?

-Can you come and have a look at something?

-Yeah.

-Yes?

-Well, obviously, I've only just added the stock,

but it's not particularly... I don't think it's very nice.

-Is it...

-It's all right. Luke, Luke, don't...

-Right. OK.

A bit of masala will sweeten it up a little bit and give it that depth.

-Well, it's already got loads of masala in it.

-Has it?

-Mm-hm.

-And I've almost run out.

-Or Madeira?

The Madeira... It's all gone.

-It's all gone. I'd just reduce it. I think it will be fine.

-OK.

Robert's finally finished butchering the guinea fowl,

but still has to stuff 30 thighs with black pudding.

-Tear off 30 bits of foil, lay out ten...

-Yeah.

-..butter them, filling, roll ten up...

-And do it like that.

-And do the next ten.

-Yeah, yeah.

-OK?

So, you're just working a system like that.

That sounds like a wonderful idea.

-I'm just thinking that's probably too much.

-I do think so. Yes.

-Let's take it down.

-Yeah.

-A little bit.

-Is this your first one?

-This is the first one. So...

-All right.

-Guys, can I just talk to first sec?

-Yeah.

At the moment, you've got no dessert started at all.

-At all.

-Yeah.

How...how long before those potatoes are done?

Erm, one min...two minutes.

Right. I would suggest to you, once you've done the potatoes,

you need to get those pears poached.

I need to poach the pears. All right. OK.

Cos at the moment Robert's not going to get them done, is he?

-If he's like this.

-Well, I'm...

I mean, you really got to move cos that's going...

If each one of those takes you five minutes at the moment,

you are in big trouble.

OK? So, quick, quick, quick.

How are we for doing the mash, then?

-In fact, shall I come muck in and do that with you now?

-Yes.

-And then come back to this. Yeah?

-Yes.

It's funny, you know.

Your head's down and you're working through all the jobs

you need to do and you kind of forget where you are

and then you have a little look outside and then, you know...

Outside the Queen Vic. It's bizarre. It's very surreal.

Jack's tarts are finally ready to go in the fridge to set.

He can now concentrate on the pasta for the vegetarian lasagne.

While Ping makes the morels, asparagus and pine nut filling.

Guys, you really need to be ready and all sorted in an hour and a quarter.

Do we want to put the fish in?

Yeah, I think we get on that in the next five minutes.

Yeah, I think they need to go in.

-Is your turbot not in at all?

-No.

You better hurry up, guys.

How are you getting on with the pasta, Jack?

Yeah, it's just really time-consuming

without a pasta maker.

It's naturally very tense.

And it's hard not to be tense in these situations

when you've obviously got a lot to do,

but, I think, fundamentally our processes are all done

and we've just got the mammoth task of plating it all up.

How are the chocolate tarts? Anybody had a look?

I think they're, erm, they're nearly there, John.

Oh, Jack! It looks like they might set. Yeah, Well, this one. Look.

-If you watch, look, watch...

-Yeah, that that one's sort of better.

See that one there? But watch. That one's a bit wobbly.

But watch this one. Look.

Oh, oh! I hope so for your sake.

-All that hard work.

-So, do I.

You've got about an hour until we need you to be ready.

That's all pears poached, custard made, sauces finished,

potatoes ready to rock 'n' roll, yeah?

Yeah. I'm really... I'm quite worried about the birds, actually.

-Well, are they about to go in?

-They should go we now.

Start me a timer, please, Robert. Have you got... Where is the timer?

Timer. Timer. Timer.

Robert has nearly finished stuffing the thighs.

While Luke is rushing to make a start

on the 60 poached pears for their dessert.

Are we going to leave the tops of the pears on,

are we just going straight up to the stalk or what?

Leave the stalk on the end.

For the few seconds extra it's going to take,

I think it will be worth while.

-LUKE LAUGHS SARCASTICALLY

-You think we've got second extra?

Yeah, I do, actually.

Right, OK.

I admire Robert's confidence.

I wish I had it, too.

Guys, 30 minutes for main courses, please.

30 minutes.

With one eye on her reducing sauce,

Angela begins the seven litres of custard to go

with the poached pears.

I'm nervous about doing creme anglaise in such huge quantities

cos it could be scrambled eggs that they're eating

rather than creme anglaise.

Robert, could you check that end oven

and see what temperature it's at?

I can't seem to find the bloody thermostat.

-That oven's not on at all, that oven.

-You're kidding me!

-No, it's not on at all.

-What?

-What the...? What?

-Well, it has... but just feel it.

There's no temperature.

No, there is temperature. Shut the door. And...

What is going on with this... Why have we not got any control here?

I've got no idea.

Those potatoes are nearly done.

Put those potatoes in that oven.

Wait. Robert, could you put the birds on the top,

potatoes on the bottom, please?

Come on!

How are we getting on in John Torode's tent...

-..I mean, Luke's tent?

-JOHN SIGHS ANNOYEDLY

We're doing all right. We have had trouble with the ovens...

Trouble with the ovens?!

It's not an excuse.

Well, how's the birds looking?

The ovens are on absolutely maximum

and the birds aren't as cooked as we thought they should be by this time.

-You know, you've got ten minutes, don't you?

-Yeah.

GREGG HUMS EASTENDERS THEME TUNE

In the Vic,

they've just finished shooting the last scene of the morning.

We're back in one hour.

We're going to have a talk and then a very special lunch.

See you shortly.

On a shoot like this, if we lose a minute, it impacts us down the line.

People doing their make-up checks after lunch.

People getting to lunch. So, it's very important.

You've got to eat. We do 12-hour days. It's a long day.

So, we're all very excited to see

what we're going to get supplied to us.

So, I can't wait to get up there.

I'm going to be at the back of the queue because of this,

but not to worry. Anything else? Cheers, mate.

Five minutes.

-We now need you to plate up in five minutes.

-OK, Gregg.

There's no hiding. It's got to happen.

So, let's get a move on, yeah?

Jack, you give a hand on skinning the fish.

Skin them all on one side and then flip them over.

-Flip them over the other side, OK.

-Nice and easy.

-Nice and gentle.

This fish is thick, so, it's going to retain its heat. So, that's good.

Luke has just minutes to wrap and cook his mushroom parcels.

Could you get me a pan of oil on for deep frying?

-A pan of oil on for deep frying.

-For deep frying.

Well, have we got a pan? Number one.

OK, any tray, anything, anything I can deep fry in.

Excuse me. Watch your backs. These are the first ones.

Right, get them carved and get them back in the trays, please.

And they still have the 60 guinea fowl breasts to carve.

Someone else could carve as well.

We could do two people carving if there's time pressure or...

Yeah, if you could carve, Rob, that'd be great.

Guys, cast and crew are walking through now.

-Whole lot of them, literally. I know you're excited, Angela.

-Oh, yeah.

So am I. I'm excited as well, but get the food out, mate, please.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, my God. I'm so excited.

The 120 cast and crew now have a choice between the two menus.

We're pretty used to potato wedges here.

So, yeah, this is a real treat for us.

Looking forward to it.

Yeah, it's exciting. Look at all of this. Look.

It looks very professional.

The red table will be served Luke's menu.

I love fowl. A nice bit of fowl. I can't wait!

I've heard it's a nice, tiny, little chicken.

So, I'm going to try the nice, tiny little chicken

with the stuffed thigh.

I'm starving, yeah.

I can't wait to get me a guinea.

And the blue table, Ping's menu.

I'm definitely glad I went for the blue menu.

I sort of saw it and it had everything on there that I love.

So...mmm!

I prefer the blue dessert, unfortunately.

So, I might have two slip over there and get me a little chocolate.

Two, three, four. We'll do it in lots of ten, OK?

Outside, it's four degrees

and the teams now have to work out a system to get their 60 main courses

plated and over to the dining tent without them getting cold.

Are they cooked? Yeah. All right, bring them all out.

-Is that a good size, do you think?

-That's... That's fine.

Yeah, you think?

OK, you've got to do a job each.

Two jobs each. Go, go, go!

Sauce.

Oh, no-no, no-no. You'll be there all day like that, mate.

Come on, you've got 60 plates to do. Come on. Go!

First 12, three minutes, please.

And then once you've done your first 12, batches of 12, please.

Good! Looking nice.

We are very hungry.

They must be under a lot of pressure and feeling really nervous.

Quick, quick, quick. Pile them up. Next lot.

Thigh on this one, please.

I'm expecting it to be really good.

I'm very interested in the masala sauce.

I like a bit of masala.

This is a really big treat for us

because we obviously don't have this laid out every lunchtime.

What... Yes, we do!

Come on! Just do it. Just put it on. Honestly, trust me.

You're going to have to just go. As fast as you possibly can.

Across the gate. Just lift it.

Half the tables have been served.

I'm not sure that I've had guinea fowl. It's really nice!

Now, the race is on to get the rest out.

You're doing well. I'm proud of you.

Keep up the insentiency. Keep up the pace.

Ping's team are getting into their stride.

We're cracking through, you know.

There's more to get out, but we're cracking through.

Can I have the next six, please?

Just line them up now. Go, go, go.

But the meat tent is struggling.

I wish they'd liven this up, you know what I mean?

20 minutes I've been waiting.

-Have you got sauce on them?

-Yeah.

-Go, go, go.

Oh, it's coming out now. look!

Here we go.

Beautiful! Look at that.

Luke's team's main is roasted guinea fowl breast and thigh

stuffed with black pudding

served with roast potatoes with rosemary,

crushed parsnips and kale

and Angela's masala sauce.

The potatoes were on the money.

They were really nice.

It's good. It tastes nice,

however, there ain't the sauce that I was promised.

Don't be shy with the gravy. Never be shy with the gravy. Oh!

I thought it was really tasty.

It was like as very rich turkey, but it was cold.

But it tasted lovely.

Listen, mate, I'll tell you what.

It's freezing. If it was just a bit warmer...

-It's not freezing.

-..that'd be nice.

-It's not freezing!

It's cold, what are you talking about?

It was not... I need more gravy.

-There's nothing worse than a bit of cold parsnip.

-A bit more gravy.

You got to eat it lively. You've got to eat it quick.

I've never had guinea fowl before.

So, I'll definitely be having it again.

It had potential to be beautiful, that's the frustrating thing.

But, no, you can't have cold...

A bit of cold parsnip wrapped around you.

For their vegetarian option,

Luke's team have substituted the guinea fowl

with a wild mushroom and walnut parcel.

I enjoyed it. The potatoes were good.

Nice idea... the mushrooms and a little bit of vegetarian gravy there.

It's lovely!

Yeah, really lovely.

Listen, if they can manage to do this for this amount of people,

I think it's fantastic.

Ping's team's main is turbot served with tomato and fennel stew,

cockles and a pomme puree.

I thought the fish was delicious, absolutely exquisite.

Beautifully cooked. Lovely.

Really nice piece of fish.

Nice creamy potato.

And the sweetness of the tomato is really coming through.

I'm particularly liking the cockles.

Delicious.

The fish dish may be a hit,

but one batch of the turbot is undercooked.

It's delicious fish,

but I don't think it's completely cooked. No.

So, I'll steer around that bit.

Concept, good. Execution...

For their vegetarian option,

they've served an open lasagne

filled with morels, asparagus and pine nuts

with the tomato and fennel stew on the side.

It's really nice. It's really tasty.

It's got a nice little bit of spice.

It's quite nice and moist.

It's lovely, you now?

I've just been told dessert service, please.

Go, go, go, go.

The teams have taken 45 minutes to serve the 120 main courses.

-Get rid of all that stuff off the bench.

-Yep.

-All of it.

60 plates out. That one as well, Robert.

They now have just 15 minutes to serve dessert

before the lunch break is over.

Yay!

Yay!

Fortunately, it's all worked out.

It's cutting well. It's cooked.

It's solid. So, yeah, I'm pretty pleased with how it looks so far.

All right. Let's go. Tarts on.

Jack, I'm really impressed, buddy.

Really impressed.

Look at the beautiful vanilla in that custard.

I'll tell you what, I'm proud of you guys. That is a lovely pudding.

Come on! Go, go, go!

-Syrup on?

-Syrup on.

Go, go, go, guys, go! Go, go, go!

-Careful!

-YES!

Luke's team's dessert is cinnamon and saffron poached pears,

a puff pastry ring,

creme anglaise and a crushed walnut brittle.

I reckon I've got about five minutes to get these pears into me

and then I'm back on work.

Bloody good pears, though!

Not as lovely as your pear...

LAUGHTER

In your garden. Your tree.

-I've got pear trees.

-She's got a pear tree.

I like the pear.

The pear's really nice.

It tastes a bit... a bit like liquorice.

It's lovely.

Ping's team's dessert is chocolate tart

with mascarpone cream

and a spiced plum compote.

-Delicious!

-Nice?

-Out of this world.

It's absolute delicious.

It's a really, really nice combination.

Yeah, it's really good.

The desserts are proving to be a hit.

I actually swapped it with someone from the other table.

I shouldn't have done it, but...

But that was lovely.

You can't waste the chocolate cake.

This is certainly not the sort of thing

you'd ever find in Albert Square.

I'm used to pies and chips.

They had a lot of people to look after,

so, yeah, they've done a really good job.

Thanks. Very full. Yeah, I've had everything.

I've eaten everyone's that they left. Really nice.

Cheers, guys. Well done!

Oh, my God!

High-fives all around.

-Awesome chocolate tart.

-I know. Lucky it set.

Awesome.

I'll tell you what. They've never had an experience like it.

I've never had an experience like it.

That was quite incredible.

I have to say, those desserts were exceptional.

And praise to Ping and her team.

They looked like a team of pros.

As far as leadership is concerned, Ping had it all wrapped up.

She commended her troops. She really did.

That was really good. Really hard work.

I mean, we haven't stopped.

I couldn't ask for better team.

I think my team was awesome.

From that team, I've got to tip my hat to Jack

because that chocolate tart was immense.

Really very, very good indeed.

Such a great experience.

Such a surreal environment and surroundings,

but it was a lot of fun today. I really enjoyed it.

And I hope they enjoyed it...enjoyed it as well.

If there was brilliant organisation in Ping's tent,

there was fantastic cooking going on in Luke's tent.

They came out in the end,

but I'll tell you what, I spent a lot of time in that tent

because they were in disarray.

But what we end up with was something quite amazing.

It was a very difficult challenge, you know.

It was annoying for me

that we didn't need to have, you know, help,

but overall, fairly pleased.

But there's bags of room, bags of room for improvement.

I've got to say, I've got my standouts.

There's a couple of stars today.

Absolute stars and one or two falling behind the pack.

Welcome back, you six.

We only have five places in the next round.

That means that one of you is leaving the competition.

From you six today, we want refined food.

Refined food that impresses, guys.

Ladies and gentlemen, 70 minutes.

The best plate of food you've cooked in the competition so far.

Let's cook!

I found the last challenge really exciting.

Today, I've just got to do the best dish I possibly can

and hope that someone else screws up.

You have an array of vegetables to rival many a greengrocer.

What is the dish?

A ballotine of chicken stuffed with Spanish black pudding,

a small casserole of judion beans with chorizo,

and a mini cauliflower cheese

with some hot paprika potatoes

and a green chilli and coriander sauce.

How are you going to make all these things look refined?

Well, this is going to be the big challenge for me.

I was hoping to practise the dish last night,

but then had a power cut at my house.

So, I've got ideas about how I want to present it,

but I haven't yet been able to present it in the way I want.

We know Robert's a grafter and he gets through lots of work,

but can he do it with a little bit of refinement?

He's going to do a ballotine of chicken.

He's going to serve that on beans.

And to my mind, there are two sauces

and at the last count, I think

there were five different vegetables on there as well.

To do well on this dish I have to execute it perfectly.

There is little margin for error.

So, it's got to be on the money

otherwise I think, you know,

little mistakes now will really cost you.

We saw success with chocolate on Albert Square from you, Jack.

And today, by the looks of it, we've got chocolate once again.

Yeah, today I'm doing a chocolate fondant with a pistachio cream,

pistachio, hazelnut brittle, caramel sauce

and if I've got time, some honeycomb.

Jack's promising us a chocolate fondant,

a praline and a toffee sauce.

And then he's also going to put some honeycomb on it.

So much sugar on that plate.

It's going to be really sticky and very sweet.

And I hope for his sake it's not too sweet.

You've had 20 minutes.

I can't believe it. 20 minutes are gone.

Today, I'm going to give it everything.

I like my dish and it's very tasty.

I've just got to try and make it look beautiful.

And I struggle with that sometimes.

What are you cooking for us, Angela?

Today I'm doing loin of hare

with celeriac, apples and blackberries

and a port and cassis sauce.

You are a wonderful cook.

Are you ambitious as well?

You know... I want to go to the end.

I want to be there. I love it! I'm really...

It's the best experience.

It's... I don't want it to end.

Ang is doing a hare. That's strong.

I actually trust Angela's palate.

But refinement is still something that may elude her.

You're halfway. 35 minutes left.

Someone's running.

If you would single out anyone

who was a little bit weak in the last task,

I think it would definitely be me.

Today, I've got to finish in the top two, I reckon, to be safe.

And I'm not going to do that by playing safe.

What are you going to make?

Today, I'm doing surf and turf,

but kind of my style.

So we've got teriyaki fillet steak.

And then I've got Indian poori bread stuffed with scallops

that have been marinated in a Caribbean-style green curry paste.

To finish everything off, we've got the Thai yellow curry sauce.

So, we go to Japan. We go India. We go Southeast Asia.

-Mm-hm.

-Wow!

Well, hopefully I can bring it all together.

With a stopover in Jamaica.

Yeah, why not?

I dreamt about this dish last night.

And I dreamt that you were making us cook it for 60

and I was sleepwalking round my room.

And I didn't know what was going on. And then it was back to reality.

You're not making me cook it for 60.

You're just making me do it once. Let's get on with it.

Luke is doing what Luke loves to do

and that's cook lots of different things and put them on one plate.

I don't know what it's going to taste like.

I don't know what it's going to look like cos you can't.

Because Luke is original.

It either works or it don't.

My last dish that I cooked in the studio was my weakest round so far.

It's quite easy to lose focus on the things that you were good at.

That got you to where you are in the competition.

Today, I want to get back to that.

What are you making?

I'm making lamb, turnips, pickled onions and watercress.

I'm using three different cuts of lamb.

So, cheek bones, the neck and fillet,

which is I know what you guys liked

about where I started in this competition.

I just want to make a delicious plate of food for you guys.

Michael's a clever cook. He's had an epiphany.

He understands what he's got to do.

He's cooking food that he really does believe in.

Now that fills me full of confidence.

Today I'm going to make my take on a banana split

because it reminds me of my childhood

and when my mum used to take me out for, you know, a treat.

I only get to see her once a year and that's why.

I miss her.

This one's for my mum.

What are you making, Ping?

Chocolate lava cake with peanut butter mousse

and a deep-fried banana.

Wow!

So, it's... The flavours from a banana split.

Can you tell me where your drive for this competition is coming from?

I just want to do well and I want my family to be proud of me.

Oh, Ping!

Ping is doing a lava cake.

Then she's got a banana wrapped in pastry

and a peanut butter mousse.

All three of those things are sweet and sticky.

There's no cream to un-sticky it.

And it's bothering me.

You have got just ten minutes left.

Two and a half minutes left.

It's got to look refined as well as taste refined.

Your time's up.

Stop!

Angela's dish is loin of hare

with fried celeriac,

celeriac puree,

apples cooked in thyme butter,

blackberries

and a chocolate, port and cassis sauce.

-I still don't think you've got presentation right.

-Don't you?

I think cutting it down into little bits is better,

but you're still not quite there.

Delicious.

Thanks.

Really.

Hare is probably the strongest game you could have.

It's really rich and to get that right

and for it to become subtle is a really difficult thing.

You've done that. I think the sauce with it is beautiful.

Sweet with chocolate.

Sharp with the blackberry. And it's a joy to eat.

Wow! You can cook!

You can cook.

Like the earthy celeriac. Like the sweet apple.

Like the sweet berry. Love the sauce.

Love the way you've cooked the hare.

Your touch and your palate is great.

Thank you very much.

I'm feeling really happy.

It's so nice when they like the taste of your food.

It's like...relief.

Luke has made his version of surf and turf

teriyaki beef fillet on a bed of garlic spinach...

..Indian poori bread stuffed with scallops

marinated in Caribbean curry paste,

potato domes

and a Thai yellow curry sauce.

I have to tell you, I'm not that excited by it.

OK.

It's not a disaster, Luke, and I understand your mind,

but for me the flavour combination of that soy and coconut milk

in that Thai curry just does not work at all.

OK.

The potatoes are cooked brilliantly.

Those scallops inside that bread is cooked really well.

I love the texture on the steak.

Luke, you've cooked everything really well,

but you've completely muddled all these flavours.

You really have.

A bit disappointed, obviously.

I am a risk taker.

If you live on the edge, you're going to fall off eventually.

Ping has made a dessert of chocolate lava cake,

with peanut butter mousse,

caramelised banana spring roll

and a tempered chocolate ribbon.

Love the look of it. I think it's great!

I love the goldleaf sitting on top.

I like the fact you got a swirl of chocolate

to show a little bit more technique

and I want to crack open that pudding

because it looks like it's about to ooze all over the plate.

Hey, look at that!

Good job, you!

I was really, really concerned

that this was going to be all sticky and sweet,

but it's not because your chocolate lava cake is bitter.

You've got this lovely natural sweetness of banana

and then you've got the crispiness of that spring roll pastry

on the outside.

But you have one issue with this plate, Ping.

There ain't enough of that delicious peanut butter mousse.

Cos I mean, that's really good.

But me and the bald bloke, right, have had a couple of mouthfuls

and both of us are scraping around for peanut butter mousse.

It's very good, Ping.

Thank you.

That chocolate cake is divine.

You versatility seems to know no bounds at all.

That is as mellow and creamy as you like

and that peanut butter mousse is a revelation to me.

Slightly salty like peanut butter would be,

but creamy and lighter than peanut butter is and sweet.

Gorgeous!

Absolutely gorgeous.

(Well done!)

(Well done. Hey, Ping, give me a high-five.)

(I was so worried.)

I'm overjoyed!

I nailed it so, yeah... Brilliant!

Brilliant feeling!

Michael has served three cuts of lamb

neck fillet, loin,

and sweetbreads

with watercress puree,

turnips,

pickled onions

and a lamb stock and Madeira sauce.

Lovely texture on your sweetbreads.

Love the bite of the turnips.

Like how rare the loin is.

But I don't want to eat that neck.

It needs more cooking.

If that came out to me in a restaurant, I'd send it back.

And the salt that you put on those sweetbreads is ridiculous.

These lumps here are salt crystals.

I mean, they are enormous.

I'm sort of stuck between a rock and a hard place here

because I admired certain parts of the dish

and other bits I feel slightly disappointed with.

I like the watercress puree.

I like the sweetness of your lamb.

I think you're a great cook, Michael, I think you've got great technique.

I think you've got a great way of thinking about food,

but there are a lot of problems on here, though, as Gregg has said.

Whoa! Thank you, Michael.

Thank you very much.

I was aware before they even tasted it where the errors were.

I was kicking myself whilst waiting for them to come round.

(You're a great cook. Remember those words.)

Robert has made a ballotine of chicken

stuffed with Spanish black pudding,

served on a casserole of judion beans and chorizo,

cauliflower and manchego cheese puree,

paprika roast potatoes,

tempura vegetables and a salsa verde.

I admire the work.

I don't think you've succeeded

-in making this look like one plate of food.

-Right.

It looks like a collection of some of Robert's favourite nibbles.

I like the chicken, the ham, and the black pudding

which brings a little bit of spice.

I really like the sharpness of your salsa verde.

I really like the idea

of the cauliflower puree cheese there as well.

I like them all individually.

I don't know how to eat it, though.

I don't know how to eat it

other than go into it in individual little bits.

I admire your work, but this is not a plate of food as such.

The chicken with the ham and the black pudding and the beans

is a lovely, lovely thing.

And in my opinion that's where you should have stopped.

By putting a salsa verde on and deep-fried vegetables

and crispy potatoes and cauliflower cheese

it's just detracting from that central part

with the beans and chicken.

Having not been able to taste the dish,

it's hard for me to argue with their comments.

You know, I think it's a nice dish,

but I'm sure their criticisms were valid.

Finally, it's Jack.

His dessert is a chocolate fondant

with pistachio cream...

..a pistachio and hazelnut brittle,

honeycomb

and a caramel sauce.

It's looking good.

It looks like fun, Jack.

We've got a nice, soft centre. That's good.

Very good.

You have a slight crispness

around the outside of your chocolate fondant, which I like.

What at first I thought was odd, turns out to be fantastic.

And that's the fact that you haven't sweetened the pistachio cream

because you need something mellow to dampen down all that sweetness.

-Well done.

-Thank you.

Jack, some lovely work. I love the fondant,

crispy on the outside, oozy centre.

Your praline with the pistachios is really, really wonderful...

..but it doesn't all belong together.

It's too much on one plate.

But I like it.

-So, we'll have to arm wrestle this one or toss a coin.

-OK.

-Thanks, Jack.

-Thank you. Cheers.

I feel quite mixed after that one.

There were some good things about it

and some negative things about it as well.

So, I feel I probably could've done better.

To the six of you, thank you very, very much.

To be cooking food at this level as amateurs is an extraordinary thing.

One of you will be leaving the competition.

We need to make that decision.

We'll call you back in as soon as we possibly can.

I like these six. I really do.

I don't want to get rid of one.

Ping did a great job in Albert Square running the team.

She's just done a great job here with her own refined dish.

That chocolate fondant and that peanut butter mousse was brilliant.

Ping's had a great couple of days

and she deserves to go through to the final five.

I think Ping is going from strength to strength.

I've got to say, I'm impressed.

Actually I've got to say I'm impressed with the girls today.

Not just Ping, but I think Angela today has done a ripper.

Angela seems incapable of serving a posh dish,

but, John, she cooks!

She cooks brilliantly. Her food tastes amazing.

I agree with you, presentation not quite there.

She'll get there. I'd rather teach her presentation

than teach her how to cook.

And now for the boys.

-Can we just have a chat about Jack?

-Yes.

Cos I really liked his dessert.

You tore into Jack today over his dessert

-which I thought was a little harsh.

-I didn't tear into him.

There was a little bit too much going on. A little bit.

A little bit.

I'm having such a good time.

I'm really enjoying the whole experience so...

To continue on in the competition would mean a massive amount to me.

And I really would love to stay on after today, but who knows?

Michael.

-Oh, Michael is seriously disappointing me today!

-Oh, really?

I've been a champion of Michael for a long, long time.

But I'll tell you what, he served me a raw neck of lamb

and completely and utterly over seasoned sweetbreads.

I think Michael could be a really good cook.

I think John and Gregg are probably a little bit frustrated with me,

but hopefully they liked the things that they liked enough

to give me another shot.

I don't know what to make of Robert anymore.

I don't know where he's going with his food. That today was...

No way was that a dish, John.

That's a collection of things

that you've picked up walking along the buffet.

Robert does a lot of work,

but I do wonder for what reason sometimes.

I'd be gutted to leave, if I did leave.

I just hope that at the end of the day

I've done enough to go forward.

I can't think of Luke without breaking into a smile

because his mind works in such an incredible way.

He's used to taking different flavours and styles

from around the world and making them work.

Today, it didn't work, John.

Luke is playing with fire here,

but the thing is you and I love his invention, love his style,

love his thought process when he gets it right.

But today he got it wrong.

They know I'm creative.

Will that be enough?

I don't think so this time, but you never know.

There have been mistakes today,

but I think our job as judges is to work out

who's going to learn from it

and who's going to carry on making mistakes.

And who are you willing to take a bet on.

For us, today two of you really stood out as being solid cooks.

Those two cooks...

Angela and Ping.

Congratulations. You stay with us.

Well done.

Gentlemen, unfortunately, we have to lose one of you.

The person leaving the competition...

..is Robert. Thank you.

I'm OK. I'm OK.

You know, it's a stiff competition.

I didn't cook as well as I could've done

and I probably deserve to go home.

I'm very proud of the comments I've got.

I'm proud of the food that I've cooked.

And I think it's been a tremendous experience.

This time I really thought I had had it.

It's just incredible.

I'm just so excited.

I'm feeling delighted to be through and extraordinarily lucky.

I have to sort my act out, I think.

I can't believe that I'm here.

To be here is just an amazing, amazing feeling.

Final five. That is good.

Final five. That's brilliant.

I can't wait for what lies ahead.

It's such a great feeling so, I want more of it.

Tomorrow night the battle to stay in the competition continues.

Sorry.

When the five amateurs are pushed to a level

they've never experienced before.

Go, go go.

You ruin this, it's over.

-You panicking, Jack?

-I'm not panicking.

I've just got a lot to do.

It looks like panic to me.

I think when I taste this, I've died and gone to heaven.