Episode 21

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0:00:02 > 0:00:07It's the last of the MasterChef semifinals,

0:00:07 > 0:00:10and tonight just one challenge stands between

0:00:10 > 0:00:15these six exceptional cooks and their place in the finals.

0:00:17 > 0:00:20I can't quite believe that this is me talking about

0:00:20 > 0:00:23possibly being in a finals week of MasterChef.

0:00:24 > 0:00:26Semifinals week's been tough,

0:00:26 > 0:00:28so to get this far and to go home would be...

0:00:28 > 0:00:30it'd be a right gutter.

0:00:30 > 0:00:32I'm going to go into it and just cook my heart out,

0:00:32 > 0:00:33and that's all I can do.

0:00:35 > 0:00:37What a huge amount of pressure,

0:00:37 > 0:00:39but you know what? It's for finals week.

0:00:39 > 0:00:42They've set their own benchmark, they've got to keep going.

0:00:42 > 0:00:44Bring it on.

0:01:10 > 0:01:12Today, one dish...

0:01:12 > 0:01:15separates you from finals week.

0:01:18 > 0:01:21You have presented your food to a restaurant critic before,

0:01:21 > 0:01:23we know that.

0:01:23 > 0:01:27However, today, you are presenting your food to four.

0:01:30 > 0:01:32Tracey MacLeod,

0:01:32 > 0:01:33Charles Campion,

0:01:33 > 0:01:36Jay Rayner,

0:01:36 > 0:01:37and William Sitwell.

0:01:41 > 0:01:43At the end of this...

0:01:43 > 0:01:45one of you is going home.

0:01:47 > 0:01:49Five plates in one hour and 15 minutes.

0:01:51 > 0:01:52Please don't have a disaster.

0:01:55 > 0:01:56Let's cook.

0:02:08 > 0:02:12This is probably my most "ideas" dish with the least practice, sadly,

0:02:12 > 0:02:15but, yeah, I have done the individual elements

0:02:15 > 0:02:17so I just hope it all comes together.

0:02:20 > 0:02:23I'm going to look at you and pretend I haven't seen a mixture of

0:02:23 > 0:02:28oranges, venison, Brussels sprouts and pomegranates - and coffee!

0:02:28 > 0:02:30You wouldn't expect it to be anyone else's bench

0:02:30 > 0:02:32other than me, would you?

0:02:32 > 0:02:35Mate, you are now officially nuts!

0:02:35 > 0:02:38- Congratulations. - Thanks, Gregg.

0:02:38 > 0:02:40What on Earth are you making, mate?

0:02:40 > 0:02:45Venison with pomegranate and sweet potato and celeriac granola bar,

0:02:45 > 0:02:49a coffee crumb and some charred Brussels sprouts leaves.

0:02:49 > 0:02:52I don't know what to ask you, really.

0:02:52 > 0:02:55I sort of want to wish you the best of luck and leave you to it,

0:02:55 > 0:02:57and I hope that I'm going to love it.

0:03:01 > 0:03:04Billy's enthusiasm enthrals me.

0:03:05 > 0:03:09We know for a fact that venison matches sweet flavours.

0:03:09 > 0:03:13This could be geniously clever or it could fall flat on its face.

0:03:20 > 0:03:22My quarterfinal duck dish for Jay Rayner,

0:03:22 > 0:03:25the feedback that I got for that was incredible.

0:03:25 > 0:03:28So, we'll see, but, yeah, I'm trying not to think about

0:03:28 > 0:03:32the end of today and just concentrate on the task at hand.

0:03:36 > 0:03:40- Annie, last time you cooked for a critic it went down a storm.- It did.

0:03:40 > 0:03:43- Today, can you do the same? - I think so. I hope so.

0:03:43 > 0:03:46So it's roasted wood pigeon with a celeriac puree,

0:03:46 > 0:03:49salsify, salt baked turnips and a red wine and Madeira sauce

0:03:49 > 0:03:51with lots of nutmeg and allspice in it.

0:03:51 > 0:03:54- Are you nervous?- Yes.- Why? - Cos it matters a lot.

0:03:54 > 0:03:56I think I just need to push a bit more

0:03:56 > 0:03:57and hopefully get as far as I can go.

0:03:57 > 0:04:00Many of the dishes you've cooked, there's been a little secret,

0:04:00 > 0:04:02a little something magical.

0:04:02 > 0:04:04Is there a secret in this dish?

0:04:04 > 0:04:06Erm, I don't know, you'll have to tell me.

0:04:06 > 0:04:08The sauce is pretty good if I get it right.

0:04:13 > 0:04:16Cooking pigeon requires a very good touch.

0:04:16 > 0:04:19She allies that with some brilliantly cooked vegetables

0:04:19 > 0:04:23and a deep, rich sauce, it could go down very well.

0:04:27 > 0:04:31You've got to take a few risks so you stand out from everyone else.

0:04:31 > 0:04:34I just hope that I get into my happy zone, then I can just crack on,

0:04:34 > 0:04:37and I don't have any major disasters,

0:04:37 > 0:04:39cos if I do, I don't really have any time to fix it.

0:04:42 > 0:04:45- What are you making today? - So it's like a pine nut risotto.

0:04:45 > 0:04:48A confit egg on top, a little bit of shaved black truffle,

0:04:48 > 0:04:51some nice pan-fried chicken with a crispy chicken skin,

0:04:51 > 0:04:56watercress salad with a sherry vinegar dressing and some herb oil.

0:04:56 > 0:04:59- Wow!- If you make a mistake now I just think you're out.

0:04:59 > 0:05:02I mean, everyone is just putting out absolutely cracking dishes,

0:05:02 > 0:05:04so there's no room for errors, really.

0:05:04 > 0:05:08- Harsh, innit?- It is harsh, but it's the competition,

0:05:08 > 0:05:10so just got to man up and get on with it.

0:05:12 > 0:05:16What's really intriguing me is something I've never had before,

0:05:16 > 0:05:19which is a mound of pine nuts with a confit quail's egg.

0:05:19 > 0:05:22I hope the critics are intrigued by it as well.

0:05:27 > 0:05:30I can almost taste it, the final week, now.

0:05:30 > 0:05:33Standards are going to be exceptionally high.

0:05:33 > 0:05:37I think nothing less than perfection is the order of play today.

0:05:40 > 0:05:44Stuart, I think of you as a big, meaty man,

0:05:44 > 0:05:46and today we've got scallops!

0:05:46 > 0:05:49Yes, I love a scallop, I'm still keeping some big flavours in there,

0:05:49 > 0:05:52but I thought, "Let's smarten it up, let's make it look a little neater."

0:05:52 > 0:05:55Scallops, apples, cheese, cauliflower...

0:05:55 > 0:05:57How do they all fit together into a dish?

0:05:57 > 0:05:58Everything in here I, I love eating.

0:05:58 > 0:06:01Got to be careful to balance all the flavours with it, obviously,

0:06:01 > 0:06:03cos you don't want to lose the scallops.

0:06:03 > 0:06:06It's simple ingredients that you can buy in the supermarket

0:06:06 > 0:06:09hopefully elevated to something really delicious.

0:06:12 > 0:06:15I want those scallops to be cooked beautifully,

0:06:15 > 0:06:17I want them dark and crisp on the outside.

0:06:17 > 0:06:19I want to taste the pea.

0:06:19 > 0:06:22Cheese, as we know, is a big, strong flavour.

0:06:22 > 0:06:26There's danger, and it's flashing a warning sign out to me.

0:06:32 > 0:06:34I love the flavours on this dish,

0:06:34 > 0:06:35they're really earthy and gorgeous,

0:06:35 > 0:06:38and I just hope that they love them too,

0:06:38 > 0:06:41and that the passion that I have for it comes across.

0:06:47 > 0:06:51I'm doing a roast loin of venison with a fig tarte tatin,

0:06:51 > 0:06:54celeriac puree, glazed carrots and butter cabbage.

0:06:54 > 0:06:57Now you've come this far, how far do you think you may be able to go?

0:06:57 > 0:07:00I don't know, Gregg. You might have to drag me out kicking and screaming

0:07:00 > 0:07:02but I'm going to stay as long as I can,

0:07:02 > 0:07:04as long as you keep enjoying what I'm cooking.

0:07:04 > 0:07:07- And feeding the critics? - I...I just think I'm feeding my mum!

0:07:07 > 0:07:11- I'm not thinking about that at the moment!- Jane, good luck.

0:07:11 > 0:07:12Thanks a lot, cheers.

0:07:17 > 0:07:20Jane is relying on old-fashioned cookery skills

0:07:20 > 0:07:23and the ability to pack flavour into that dish.

0:07:23 > 0:07:26Let's hope it's safe and good, and not safe and dull.

0:07:34 > 0:07:38Cooking for four critics is incredibly nerve-wracking.

0:07:38 > 0:07:41I have tremendous respect for their opinion,

0:07:41 > 0:07:43and I do not want to let them down.

0:07:47 > 0:07:49What are you making, Jack?

0:07:49 > 0:07:53Guinea fowl in half-mourning, with a celeriac fondant,

0:07:53 > 0:07:57girolles, cavolo nero, a champagne sauce,

0:07:57 > 0:08:00- and I'm doing little croquettes as well.- What's half-mourning?

0:08:00 > 0:08:03Half-mourning is where you layer truffle underneath the skin,

0:08:03 > 0:08:05and then when it comes out they've got a black skin,

0:08:05 > 0:08:07and I think that's what the French used to say,

0:08:07 > 0:08:10the bird was in mourning cos it was dressed in black.

0:08:10 > 0:08:12You've become very classic here and quite conservative, Jack.

0:08:12 > 0:08:14You don't need to put a spin on everything.

0:08:14 > 0:08:16I think if you start to do that

0:08:16 > 0:08:18then you dig yourself a hole and you can't get out of it.

0:08:18 > 0:08:20But last time you used truffle you put it in custard.

0:08:20 > 0:08:22And I've learned from that mistake

0:08:22 > 0:08:24and there is not a spot of custard on this dish.

0:08:28 > 0:08:33I'm hoping that Jack can really infuse that bird with the truffle.

0:08:35 > 0:08:38Lots of green vegetables, a big rich sauce,

0:08:38 > 0:08:40and a little bon-bon made from the legs.

0:08:40 > 0:08:41It could be a very good thing.

0:08:45 > 0:08:48I really hope they do themselves justice today.

0:08:48 > 0:08:53I want them to impress the critics as well as they've impressed us.

0:08:53 > 0:08:55A moment like this, you've got to deliver.

0:09:12 > 0:09:13What's not to like?

0:09:13 > 0:09:17It's a day when the people who are cooking are the six best.

0:09:17 > 0:09:18Fantastic!

0:09:20 > 0:09:22Us critics are lovely people, we're kind to children

0:09:22 > 0:09:24and we feed pets when people are away on holidays

0:09:24 > 0:09:26and all those sorts of things,

0:09:26 > 0:09:29but when they start cooking for us, sometimes it just falls apart.

0:09:31 > 0:09:34I'm slightly disappointed that none of the cooks from my heat

0:09:34 > 0:09:36have made it through to the semifinals.

0:09:36 > 0:09:40They were good, so the fact that these guys are better really

0:09:40 > 0:09:42fills me with excitement.

0:09:42 > 0:09:45If they can stay true to their roots as being

0:09:45 > 0:09:48really good amateur cooks then we should be in for a treat.

0:09:55 > 0:09:56- You on time?- Er, yeah.

0:09:56 > 0:09:59I could have done with getting these on a bit earlier.

0:09:59 > 0:10:03- Where's our granola bar?- Not sure we're going to get a bar, sadly.

0:10:03 > 0:10:05Doesn't seem to have set very well.

0:10:05 > 0:10:06Billy isn't giving much away.

0:10:06 > 0:10:08Venison, pomegranate and oats.

0:10:11 > 0:10:15There are deer in the Middle East, so presumably deer have met

0:10:15 > 0:10:17pomegranates at some point in their life.

0:10:17 > 0:10:20What's he actually going to do? We have no idea.

0:10:30 > 0:10:31(Come on, Billy, come on.)

0:10:39 > 0:10:40Good work, let's go.

0:10:49 > 0:10:51- Hello.- Hi.

0:10:51 > 0:10:53Thank you.

0:10:53 > 0:10:54Thank you very much.

0:10:55 > 0:10:59Hi, guys. So I've done you a fillet of venison

0:10:59 > 0:11:02with a potato puree, a pomegranate granola,

0:11:02 > 0:11:04coffee crumb, coffee oil,

0:11:04 > 0:11:06and some charred sprouts,

0:11:06 > 0:11:08and a venison reduction.

0:11:08 > 0:11:09- Cheers.- Enjoy.

0:11:11 > 0:11:14This looks like a sort of unusual piece of landscape

0:11:14 > 0:11:18in the kind of Australian outback with this, sort of, this mountain.

0:11:18 > 0:11:20But it does draw you in.

0:11:20 > 0:11:23It's very clear what the star of the show is.

0:11:29 > 0:11:32A lovely piece of venison that's not been overcooked.

0:11:32 > 0:11:35That smoked potato puree is actually quite nice

0:11:35 > 0:11:37if you had a real dollop of it, but the other stuff...

0:11:37 > 0:11:39I mean, this coffee crumb,

0:11:39 > 0:11:42it's a flavour put on a plate by somebody who hates you.

0:11:42 > 0:11:45I can totally understand it, lots of people hate me.

0:11:45 > 0:11:48Didn't have to show it so directly.

0:11:48 > 0:11:52It's a mixture of ridiculous things.

0:11:52 > 0:11:54If you want to serve some sprouts, serve some sprouts.

0:11:54 > 0:11:57Don't just tear off two leaves and singe them

0:11:57 > 0:12:01and think that's going to give you a little bit of, erm, veg.

0:12:01 > 0:12:04It's all just a sort of, just a dish in a minor key.

0:12:07 > 0:12:09The venison is cooked very, very well.

0:12:09 > 0:12:11The puree is lovely and sticky and creamy.

0:12:11 > 0:12:14But what I expected was a crunch of granola.

0:12:14 > 0:12:16Instead what I've got is a puffed, chewy rice.

0:12:22 > 0:12:24'A bit, er, frustrated with myself.'

0:12:24 > 0:12:25HE GROANS

0:12:25 > 0:12:26I don't know, I just felt that

0:12:26 > 0:12:28the balance of the plate wasn't quite right.

0:12:28 > 0:12:31There was too much meat and not enough everything else.

0:12:31 > 0:12:33I know I didn't nail it, that's for sure.

0:12:38 > 0:12:41So, Jack is doing guinea fowl in half-mourning

0:12:41 > 0:12:45with truffled croquettes, cavolo nero, girolles,

0:12:45 > 0:12:47and a champagne sauce.

0:12:47 > 0:12:48Half-mourning?

0:12:48 > 0:12:51I hope we're not in mourning for his dish when he comes out.

0:12:51 > 0:12:52There we go.

0:12:59 > 0:13:01Ooh, I like that, mate. Ooh, I do like that.

0:13:04 > 0:13:06- Smells good.- Yeah, yeah.

0:13:06 > 0:13:08- Good, it's going.- Go, Jack, go!

0:13:08 > 0:13:09- Go on, mate. - Well done, Jack.

0:13:09 > 0:13:12Thank you, I'm just going with two, if that's all right?

0:13:12 > 0:13:14- Yeah, sure. - Bye, Jack.- Nice.

0:13:19 > 0:13:21Thank you.

0:13:21 > 0:13:23- Thank you very much.- Thanks.

0:13:24 > 0:13:28So, today, I've cooked for you guinea fowl in half-mourning,

0:13:28 > 0:13:31with layers of truffle underneath the skin, celeriac fondant,

0:13:31 > 0:13:36girolles, a champagne sauce, cavolo nero, charred leeks,

0:13:36 > 0:13:38and a truffled croquette.

0:13:38 > 0:13:39Thank you, enjoy.

0:13:44 > 0:13:45Rather admire the classicism of this.

0:13:45 > 0:13:49There's a confidence about it, and everything's going together

0:13:49 > 0:13:50and working quite well.

0:13:57 > 0:13:59I think he's done something really original with this

0:13:59 > 0:14:03half-mourning with the truffle under the skin, the guinea fowl is

0:14:03 > 0:14:06just right, the cavolo nero, there's such good flavour there.

0:14:06 > 0:14:09What sort of just elevates it is that little croquette, which

0:14:09 > 0:14:14just adds an accent to the whole dish, and a crunch, and a savour.

0:14:14 > 0:14:17This is work of the highest standards.

0:14:19 > 0:14:21The best thing on the plate is that crispy bon-bon that's made

0:14:21 > 0:14:23with the leg of the bird, that's very nice.

0:14:23 > 0:14:26A little bit of truffle underneath that skin of that guinea fowl,

0:14:26 > 0:14:28which is cooked beautifully and buttery and rich.

0:14:28 > 0:14:30It's good.

0:14:33 > 0:14:35HE GASPS

0:14:36 > 0:14:40It's not something I ever thought in a million, million years

0:14:40 > 0:14:42that I'd ever get a chance of doing, so I just hope

0:14:42 > 0:14:45that my food has done it justice, done the opportunity justice.

0:14:50 > 0:14:53So, Juanita is doing pan-roasted chicken with pine nuts,

0:14:53 > 0:14:56confit quail egg, black truffle and watercress salad.

0:14:56 > 0:14:59Now, I remember Juanita's spicy laksa,

0:14:59 > 0:15:01and it was a fiery little number,

0:15:01 > 0:15:03so whilst I wouldn't trust her with my life,

0:15:03 > 0:15:06I would trust her with my next main course.

0:15:12 > 0:15:16- Oh-oh, you've broke one. Oh, it's tense, innit?- Really tense.

0:15:17 > 0:15:19Doesn't help when you're shaking.

0:15:23 > 0:15:25That's nice. That's clever, that's nice.

0:15:30 > 0:15:31- Wonderful.- Go.

0:15:31 > 0:15:34Come on, don't rest on your laurels, get it out there.

0:15:39 > 0:15:42- How are you?- Very good, thank you.

0:15:44 > 0:15:47So I've cooked for you today pan-fried roasted chicken

0:15:47 > 0:15:52with crispy chicken skin, pine nuts, confit quail egg, black truffle,

0:15:52 > 0:15:56a little watercress salad dressed with sherry vinegar and a herb oil.

0:15:56 > 0:15:58- Enjoy.- Thank you very much.

0:16:08 > 0:16:10The chicken, to me, is good.

0:16:10 > 0:16:12I like the way that the truffle

0:16:12 > 0:16:15picks up on the mushroom flavour going through,

0:16:15 > 0:16:17and I, I don't mind the little egg.

0:16:17 > 0:16:20She's sort of used it to add a bit more lusciousness.

0:16:20 > 0:16:24The surprise number is the risotto made out of pine kernels,

0:16:24 > 0:16:26which I really rather like.

0:16:26 > 0:16:29It's sweet, it's quite comforting, it's quite nice.

0:16:29 > 0:16:32Er, I don't understand, Charles, where you're coming from.

0:16:32 > 0:16:36I think it's got, erm, actually a really nasty texture.

0:16:36 > 0:16:38CHARLES CHUCKLES

0:16:40 > 0:16:44There's flavours on there I really like, and I love the appearance.

0:16:44 > 0:16:47I'm just not sold on this pine nut mound.

0:16:55 > 0:16:58That was really tough, but I managed it.

0:16:59 > 0:17:03Hopefully they liked it and they didn't think it was too weird.

0:17:06 > 0:17:10- We're going forward, Stuart, yeah? - Might be a minute or two over.

0:17:10 > 0:17:14So, Stuart's doing scallops, cauliflower, cheddar and ham.

0:17:14 > 0:17:16Cauliflower and cheddar, that's cauliflower cheese.

0:17:16 > 0:17:19Cheddar and ham, that's cheese on toast.

0:17:19 > 0:17:20But all of them together?

0:17:20 > 0:17:21I'm concerned. I've got...

0:17:21 > 0:17:23This is my concerned face.

0:17:27 > 0:17:29Not seen you shake before, Stuart.

0:17:31 > 0:17:32Just calm yourself down.

0:17:36 > 0:17:39Peas, pea shoots, crumb, apples, come on!

0:17:46 > 0:17:49- I don't like being over time. - Mate, you'll have to apologise.

0:17:49 > 0:17:51I will do, I will do.

0:17:53 > 0:17:57I'm so sorry I'm late, guys, apologies for the delay.

0:18:00 > 0:18:03So, today I've cooked you pan-seared scallops,

0:18:03 > 0:18:06cauliflower and apple veloute, shaved cauliflower,

0:18:06 > 0:18:09brown butter roast florets, and there's a little bit of

0:18:09 > 0:18:13cheese fondue, peas, Iberico ham, and some crunchy breadcrumbs.

0:18:13 > 0:18:15- Hope you enjoy.- Thanks.

0:18:23 > 0:18:28I quite like the fact that it's got a mixture of raw ingredients, those

0:18:28 > 0:18:32breadcrumbs to add texture, the scallops are extremely well cooked.

0:18:32 > 0:18:37He's nailed the textures, but it's not eating pleasure.

0:18:37 > 0:18:41The cauliflower veloute, a little bit on the heavy side,

0:18:41 > 0:18:43under-seasoned.

0:18:43 > 0:18:45It looks good on the plate but it doesn't deliver.

0:18:48 > 0:18:51The apple, the cauliflower and the cheese sauce,

0:18:51 > 0:18:54with the cauliflower veloute and the scallop actually works.

0:18:54 > 0:18:56I don't like it.

0:19:00 > 0:19:02Ohhhhh, man!

0:19:02 > 0:19:06A little bit of a risky combination, maybe, but I think it works.

0:19:06 > 0:19:09HE SIGHS

0:19:09 > 0:19:11I need a pint.

0:19:15 > 0:19:16Annie, you've got seven minutes.

0:19:16 > 0:19:19- Are they being kissed by the pan again or not?- Yes.

0:19:21 > 0:19:23I like the prospect of Annie's dish.

0:19:23 > 0:19:26She's got roasted wood pigeon with celeriac, cavolo nero,

0:19:26 > 0:19:28salsify, turnips and a red wine sauce.

0:19:29 > 0:19:32Wood pigeon is a small bird, and it can be very,

0:19:32 > 0:19:35very easy for her to overcook it.

0:19:35 > 0:19:39In the round that I judged, she turned in a cracking dish,

0:19:39 > 0:19:42so I'm excited to see what she's going to do with this.

0:19:49 > 0:19:52Where's this sauce that everything depends on?

0:19:52 > 0:19:54In here. Looking good, I think.

0:19:55 > 0:19:58Mm-mm, yum.

0:19:58 > 0:20:00Well done. Well done, well done, well done.

0:20:11 > 0:20:15So, today I've made for you pan-roasted pigeon breast

0:20:15 > 0:20:19with salt-baked turnips, a Madeira-glazed salsify,

0:20:19 > 0:20:24a celeriac puree, cavolo nero, and a red wine and Madeira sauce.

0:20:24 > 0:20:26Thank you very much. Thank you.

0:20:28 > 0:20:32It's all very pale, uninteresting, so it does make the pigeon

0:20:32 > 0:20:35really pop, but I would like to see more colour on the plate perhaps.

0:20:41 > 0:20:45I think the pigeon is a little bit overdone. It's fairly tough.

0:20:46 > 0:20:49Sauce that pulls it together, just about.

0:20:49 > 0:20:52The star of this dish is the cavolo nero.

0:20:52 > 0:20:54Without it, it's just a little dull.

0:20:54 > 0:20:59Nothing in the delivery is dancing, there's no chutzpah.

0:20:59 > 0:21:02There's no one single thing that will live on in memory and go,

0:21:02 > 0:21:04"Wow, that pigeon dish was amazing!"

0:21:04 > 0:21:06I'd like more style.

0:21:06 > 0:21:08This is very old-fashioned.

0:21:12 > 0:21:14(Phew!)

0:21:15 > 0:21:20That was the quickest hour and 15 minutes ever,

0:21:20 > 0:21:22and hopefully they finished the plate.

0:21:29 > 0:21:32- You've got three minutes, Jane. - I've got to cut the meat yet.

0:21:33 > 0:21:36That's beautifully cooked.

0:21:36 > 0:21:37I like the sound of Jane's dish.

0:21:37 > 0:21:41Venison loin, fig tarte tatin, celeriac, port sauce.

0:21:41 > 0:21:44All those ingredients on paper working really well together.

0:21:44 > 0:21:46The key thing here is the fig tarte tatin.

0:21:46 > 0:21:50If she can pull that off, that would go brilliantly with venison.

0:21:57 > 0:21:59- I do like them, Jane. - Thank you.

0:22:05 > 0:22:08Very nice. Jane, very classic, very nice.

0:22:08 > 0:22:10- Let's go, Jane!- Well done.

0:22:10 > 0:22:11Thank you.

0:22:17 > 0:22:19- Good afternoon.- Hello.- Hi.- Hi.

0:22:21 > 0:22:25This afternoon I've cooked for you a roast loin of venison

0:22:25 > 0:22:29with a fig tarte tatin, celeriac puree and a port wine sauce.

0:22:29 > 0:22:32- Thank you.- Thank you. - Hope you enjoy it.- Thank you.

0:22:33 > 0:22:35Look at that venison.

0:22:35 > 0:22:38It looks so well cooked, and you've got some colour.

0:22:38 > 0:22:40Lovely balance of colour here.

0:22:47 > 0:22:51Her venison, it's still tender, but it has loads of flavour.

0:22:51 > 0:22:53She's really seasoned it well.

0:22:53 > 0:22:56A lovely puree with good depth of flavour.

0:22:56 > 0:23:00You wouldn't have thought you could make a button-sized tarte tatin.

0:23:00 > 0:23:02It's marvellous.

0:23:02 > 0:23:06And then you've got this jus, oh, I mean, this is amazing!

0:23:06 > 0:23:08I would travel a long way to eat this.

0:23:14 > 0:23:15Oh, so good!

0:23:15 > 0:23:17Some good well-known flavours on there,

0:23:17 > 0:23:21and the little surprise is the fig tarte tatin.

0:23:21 > 0:23:22That's a really nice, deep,

0:23:22 > 0:23:25sweet flavour that matches the venison very well.

0:23:29 > 0:23:33Exhausted, exhilarated, scared.

0:23:33 > 0:23:36Bit numb, not quite sure, really.

0:23:36 > 0:23:39But I've done it, I've done it, so I'm pleased with myself, I'm proud.

0:23:45 > 0:23:47Our critics enjoyed themselves,

0:23:47 > 0:23:49had some harsh words to say here and there,

0:23:49 > 0:23:51but I'll tell you what fascinates me today is

0:23:51 > 0:23:56the change in styles of many of the cooks, and I wasn't expecting that.

0:23:56 > 0:23:58We've got one big decision to make here, John,

0:23:58 > 0:24:00and then we're in finals week.

0:24:00 > 0:24:03We've seen some very complex food from Juanita,

0:24:03 > 0:24:06and today we got chicken with watercress

0:24:06 > 0:24:08and a sort of pine nut porridge.

0:24:10 > 0:24:12Jack did a decent job with his guinea fowl

0:24:12 > 0:24:15and the truffles under the skin. Nice looking dish.

0:24:15 > 0:24:17Another competent round from Jack.

0:24:17 > 0:24:21But here's the other great example of a cook who's changing tack,

0:24:21 > 0:24:22and I don't know why.

0:24:22 > 0:24:26Jack is a man who deconstructs a coriander cheesecake,

0:24:26 > 0:24:30and now we're back to a man doing a classic guinea fowl dish.

0:24:30 > 0:24:32I liked Jane's fig tarte tatin,

0:24:32 > 0:24:35I thought that was a really lovely idea.

0:24:35 > 0:24:38Sweet and sticky with venison, I thought it was great.

0:24:38 > 0:24:41The little fig tart I think was the best thing on Jane's plate.

0:24:41 > 0:24:43But there was nothing there that grabbed hold of you and...

0:24:43 > 0:24:45and sucked you into the plate.

0:24:46 > 0:24:50One of the reasons I've really loved Annie through this competition

0:24:50 > 0:24:52is everything she's cooked, there's a little sparkle,

0:24:52 > 0:24:54and that seems to have disappeared, which is a shame.

0:24:54 > 0:24:59I think Annie did a decent dish. My issue is, are we seeing progress?

0:25:01 > 0:25:04You quite enjoyed Stuart's dish.

0:25:04 > 0:25:05I found it odd.

0:25:05 > 0:25:08Cheese, cauliflower, scallops,

0:25:08 > 0:25:10I didn't quite understand it.

0:25:10 > 0:25:13Maybe he made a mistake by putting one too many ingredients

0:25:13 > 0:25:16on that plate, but at least he's pushing himself.

0:25:16 > 0:25:17Billy cooks the way he does, I mean,

0:25:17 > 0:25:21it's really experimental, and some of the stuff is mind-blowing.

0:25:21 > 0:25:24He's an interesting cook, it just didn't quite work for him today.

0:25:26 > 0:25:28I've stuck true to my word,

0:25:28 > 0:25:31that's how I cook, I like to cook on the edge,

0:25:31 > 0:25:32but we shall see, I guess.

0:25:36 > 0:25:38I think today's been a really interesting round,

0:25:38 > 0:25:41but I think today's been a really dangerous round,

0:25:41 > 0:25:45cos right now all six of them are in jeopardy of leaving the competition.

0:25:47 > 0:25:49It's really hard when you've just put in all that effort

0:25:49 > 0:25:53and you don't know whether it's thumbs up or thumbs down.

0:25:53 > 0:25:56You never really know how these things have gone

0:25:56 > 0:25:59until you stand up in that horrible line.

0:25:59 > 0:26:02This is by far the hardest bit, just waiting to hear the result.

0:26:21 > 0:26:24We've pushed you all really, really hard.

0:26:24 > 0:26:26You've cooked a lot in these semifinals,

0:26:26 > 0:26:29and I'm sure you're exhausted.

0:26:29 > 0:26:31But congratulations, all six of you.

0:26:33 > 0:26:35We can't take everybody through.

0:26:35 > 0:26:37One of you, unfortunately, is leaving us.

0:26:41 > 0:26:43The person leaving us...

0:26:47 > 0:26:48..is Annie.

0:26:51 > 0:26:53Annie, you've been a great contestant.

0:27:01 > 0:27:03Thank you so much. Enjoy it!

0:27:07 > 0:27:09I don't know if I could have done any more.

0:27:09 > 0:27:12I've given everything to the competition.

0:27:12 > 0:27:14I've enjoyed myself immensely,

0:27:14 > 0:27:17it's been such a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

0:27:18 > 0:27:20It's been great.

0:27:25 > 0:27:27- STUART LAUGHS - Well done.

0:27:27 > 0:27:29You are our final five.

0:27:31 > 0:27:33- Finals week.- Finals week.

0:27:35 > 0:27:37MasterChef finalist?

0:27:37 > 0:27:38Yeah, I'm speechless.

0:27:40 > 0:27:42I feel like I've been hit round the face.

0:27:42 > 0:27:44Yeah, I think maybe I need a good slap, actually,

0:27:44 > 0:27:45that might bring me back to life.

0:27:47 > 0:27:52Exhausted, happy, in disbelief, just, yeah, amazing.

0:27:52 > 0:27:54I'm just, I'm really emotional today.

0:27:54 > 0:27:58I'm dead proud of myself, and I know my family will be too.

0:28:03 > 0:28:06Next week, it's the MasterChef Finals...

0:28:08 > 0:28:09Wow!

0:28:10 > 0:28:13..and the push to become champion is on.

0:28:13 > 0:28:15Sensational flavour.

0:28:15 > 0:28:16At the end of the week,

0:28:16 > 0:28:22one will be crowned MasterChef Champion 2016.