Episode 1 MasterChef


Episode 1

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MasterChef is back,

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searching for the country's best amateur cook.

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Go, go, go, go, go!

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-Ooh!

-You've got a towel on your head.

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I have. I'm very hot.

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Each week, 14 new contestants battle

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for a place in Friday's quarterfinal.

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This is a gastronomic triumph.

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Only the best will make it through to the final challenges.

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Please! Quick, come on, guys.

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It looks absolutely stunning.

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All different people from all walks of life,

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but they have one burning ambition.

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Sharpen the knives. It's MasterChef time.

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These seven home cooks all think they've got what it takes

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to become MasterChef champion.

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But at the end of today's heat,

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only three will make it through to Friday's quarterfinal.

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I'm very much a carnivore,

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so I think I was a dinosaur in a past life or something.

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So I absolutely love cooking meat.

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Strategy today? Cook something pretty simple.

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Don't panic and cook something crazy.

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Gregg is a Bermondsey boy, like me.

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I'm hoping he's not going to be on my side,

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because I don't believe in that sort of thing.

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Of course I'm hoping he's on my side!

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Welcome to a brand-new MasterChef competition.

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Try and hold your nerve. Try to enjoy it.

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You're here because you love to cook,

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and that's all we want you to do.

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Through those doors is a market

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stocked full of the most fantastic ingredients

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from all around the world,

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and we'd like you to cook us one plate of food.

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It can be sweet, it can be savoury.

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Most importantly, we'd like it to be delicious.

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Ladies and gentlemen,

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may your first test begin.

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To market.

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Today's market ingredients include beef mince,

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duck breasts,

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pancetta, cod

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and mussels.

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There's also a range of cheeses, nuts, grains and pulses,

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and a selection of fruit and vegetables.

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Lots of things to choose.

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I've already changed my mind twice.

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Off the bat, it's quite a lot

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just to try to formulate a dish really quickly,

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so it's just a case of trying to be quite concise

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and hope it all comes together at the end.

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We're looking for raw talent,

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and this market challenge is their opportunity to show us

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how good they could be.

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What they've got to do is formulate a plan very quickly.

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They can't grab everything and hope.

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It is a little bit daunting, but I'm just trying to stay focused

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and just try and do what I usually do every day,

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and stick with that.

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I've got something in mind that I've done before,

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so fingers crossed we're on safe territory.

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One great plate of food. One hour and ten minutes.

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At the end of this, three of you are going home.

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Ladies and gentlemen,

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let's cook.

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Mum of three daughters Louise works as a fitness instructor.

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I grew up in Llanelli, south Wales. I've never left.

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All my family are still there as well.

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I love, I love John and Gregg.

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I'm so excited.

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You know, I'd love to give Gregg a little cwtch. That's a cuddle.

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I don't suppose I'm allowed. But I'll suppress the energy,

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and just stay cool and hold back.

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You seem remarkably comfortable.

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Erm... Do I? It's the Welsh in me, yeah.

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-Are you a Welsh rugby fan?

-Yes, yes.

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# And they were singing hymns and arias

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# Land of my fathers

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# Ard hyd y nos. #

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Do you know, I've got goose bumps, Gregg.

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You're the only man who's done that for me.

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John, take over, son!

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I love the fact that Louise is making her own pasta

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in the first round of MasterChef.

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She's making us tagliatelle with meatballs

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and a tomato chilli pepper sauce.

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She knows how to feed a family, that's for sure.

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Those meatballs are huge.

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She's got to make sure those meatballs are cooked

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all the way through.

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-What is that, mate?

-I need to picture in my head what I'm doing.

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Do you cook better than you draw?

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You can be the one to tell me that!

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24-year-old black belt martial artist James

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works in a wine shop in Oxford.

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I've been doing judo now for 20 years.

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I always train pretty hard in that, so they'd better be nice!

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Are you OK up there, James?

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Very good up here, thank you very much!

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Welcome to MasterChef.

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-Thank you.

-What are you making, young James?

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So I'm doing some cod

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with a little bit of a classic French butter sauce,

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like a beurre blanc, I'm not too sure if that's how you pronounce it,

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a cauliflower puree, some leeks, oh, and a bit of samphire as well.

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Hopefully, something glorious comes from it, otherwise...

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We'll see, won't we?

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For some reason or other,

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James has decided that purple cauliflower is a nice accompaniment

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to his classic cod, samphire and beurre blanc.

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But unfortunately, it will be like the cod has swum

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into the purple ocean.

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Cook the cod perfectly, James, please.

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Guys, 30 minutes have gone, which means you've got 40 minutes left.

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Yorkshirewoman Jess has played football,

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basketball and hockey for her home county.

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I'm really excited to cook for John and Gregg.

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And do you know what else I'm really excited about is,

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you know the woman with the really attractive voice

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that starts talking about the food? "Jess has cooked..."

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You know, that bit. I'm really excited.

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I do know she's not here today!

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Jess is intriguing,

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because on her bench she has soy sauce, sesame seeds,

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chorizo, butternut squash, duck and blackberries,

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alongside some bok choi and some garlic.

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I'm either going to be bowled over or bowled out.

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I'm making pan-fried duck breast

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with a butternut squash and chorizo rosti,

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just to add a bit of saltiness. I've also done a blackberry sauce.

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Most of my recipes involve bold flavours,

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so expect something kind of a little bit unusual, a little bit different.

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-I think that's good. That's eclectic.

-Exactly.

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-What do you do, Jess?

-I'm a dental nurse, actually,

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and I'm also a musician as well and songwriter,

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so I do a bit of everything. It all involves the mouth, you know.

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35-year-old Ashley loves to cook with his seven-year-old daughter.

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-Are you a busy man, Ashley?

-I am, yeah.

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I run a music department at a cathedral.

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-What cathedral?

-Norwich Cathedral.

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We have three cathedral choirs.

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We have a sung service every day of the week.

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We have the fourth-largest cathedral organ in the country to look after,

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so I have to play that.

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What are you making?

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Recently, my wife and I went on holiday to Venice,

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and we had what they call a guazzetto,

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you know, this wonderful, Venetian, rich, red wine fish stew.

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So I'm sort of doing my take on it.

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Big Venetian fish stew?

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-That's the plan.

-Marvellous.

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I would like to think I'm reasonably at ease with pressure,

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because I have to deal with a lot of it at work.

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You know, I've played the organ on the BBC World Service

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to millions of people.

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But I don't know whether in the context

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of actually being in the kitchen,

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the pressure will get to me in a different way, so we'll see.

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The thought of a lovely, rich, sweet,

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spicy stew with lots of fish in it is fantastic.

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The sauce has to be voluptuous, and that fish has to be cooked just so.

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If he cooks that fish too much, it becomes dry and it falls apart,

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and the stew is finished.

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You have 25 minutes left.

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Just 25 minutes left.

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Print engineer Terry is a keen scuba diver,

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and has hand-dived for his own scallops.

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I grew up in Bermondsey. My mother's a really good cook.

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My nan was a fantastic cook,

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and for me and my cousin she always did a "gone wrong" cake.

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Too many eggs, nice and flat and dense, fantastic taste.

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I'm not going to do it here.

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Forgive me, I love Bermondsey, where we're from,

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but it's not a culinary hotbed of the UK.

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-It's pie and mash every day of the week.

-How many pies do you have?

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-Only two.

-Only two?

-Only two pies.

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Right, I'm going to play the spoons, you get a washboard. Let's go.

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-Let's go!

-What are you making for us now?

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I'm doing a mushroom risotto with blue cheese

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and some tempura vegetables.

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Why tempura in a risotto?

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I just like the difference in texture.

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A little bit crunchy,

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a bit of a contrast to the mushrooms, blue cheese.

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I think it works, but that's down to you.

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-Good luck with that, mate.

-Thank you.

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I've had sushi and tempura, absolutely.

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But I've never had a mushroom risotto

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with blue cheese and tempura veg.

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26-year-old Rachel grew up in Scunthorpe,

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and now lives in London, working as a sales consultant,

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selling flooring.

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I'm making for you a courgette and goat's cheese risotto,

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with a walnut and mint pesto.

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-Why this dish?

-It's...risotto, you know, it's Italian,

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that's the kind of food I like to cook.

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It's really tasty, and it's quite colourful as well.

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Who taught you to cook?

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My dad for, sort of, savoury dishes, which is probably what I'm best at.

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And my mum does some great desserts, so...

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-I think we should have Mum on here.

-Yeah, I know.

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My parents have been great, and particularly my mum.

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I went over to hers the other weekend and cooked her six dishes

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that she had to eat within two days.

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Pesto and goat's cheese in a risotto?

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I'm wondering if they're all necessary.

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I'm hoping the courgette survives within that lovely risotto.

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I'd like to see a bite of vegetable, still a bit of crunch,

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and I don't want too much goat's cheese because that goat's cheese

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will be really powerful.

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You've got 15 minutes left, guys.

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Just 15 minutes, please.

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Furniture designer Fiona cooks at home

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for her husband and two daughters.

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I'm hoping, sort of like, to stick with, sort of like, something,

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sort of like, simple and classic but with a little bit of a twist.

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Hopefully, I'll come up with something that comes out

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really well at the end and not have them running for the hills!

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-How are you, Fiona?

-Mildly panicked.

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-Coping.

-Where are you from?

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I was born in Blackpool, and I now live in the south-west of Scotland.

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I've got eight dogs, horses, two giant rabbits.

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My daughter collects waifs and strays,

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so that's why we have eight dogs.

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You've got a menagerie!

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-Yeah, just a touch.

-What are you making for us now?

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I am doing an oven-roasted cod loin with pancetta, a fennel sauce,

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a crispy herb quail's egg,

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with leeks and potato.

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Have you got the pancetta around the fish?

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It's just underneath the fish,

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to give it flavour when it cooks in the oven.

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Fiona, it sounds like you've got a lot to do.

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-Yeah, I have.

-Good luck.

-Thank you.

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Fennel and cod could work together. Fennel, cod, leeks, potatoes,

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quail's egg, crispy herbs, I'm not quite sure.

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I'm pleased with them. Yay!

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It's all going off, that's for sure.

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There's lots of ambition, lots of good smells,

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lots of great promise.

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It's now about the delivery.

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Ladies and gentlemen, you have just four minutes.

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All that work, think about your presentation, please.

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It's a thick bit of cod.

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Let's just hope that's cooked all the way through.

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You have 60 seconds, and that's all you have.

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Jess, you've got to hurry up.

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Quick, quick, quick, quick, quick!

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That's it, time's up!

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Stop.

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-It looks superb, mate.

-Thank you.

-It looks really good.

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I haven't managed to see yours yet.

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No, don't go over, don't do it, don't do that!

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It looks amazing.

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Yeah, but I don't know how the cod is cooked.

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Fiona, bring your plate up, please.

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First up is furniture designer Fiona.

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She's made roast cod with a panko and herb coated quail's egg served

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with pancetta, leeks, fennel,

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potatoes and a fennel sauce.

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On here, you've got some great flavours.

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Your veloute with celery and fennel running through it

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is absolutely delicious, and it's silky smooth, as it should be.

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There's no need for a piece of fish skin

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with some Parma ham attached to it which you can't eat.

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That is about as chewy as a rubber boot.

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Fiona, this fennel is too big for the plate,

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and you've left a great big lump of inedible stalk.

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In saying that, your fish is cooked really well

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and it's really nicely seasoned.

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You have demonstrated to me that you can do things.

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Blind panic and terror.

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I couldn't believe I left the skin on the fish.

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It was a basic error I should probably have picked up on, but...

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The big, hulking lump of fennel will probably, sort of like,

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follow me to my dying day.

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Print engineer Terry has cooked a mushroom and blue cheese risotto

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topped with tempura vegetables, chilli,

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courgette, red pepper and sage leaves.

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I like the texture of your risotto,

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and I like the flavour of your tempura.

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The problem is, as the tempura's sitting on the risotto,

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it's going soggy.

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And of course, what you want a tempura to do is be crispy.

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Lots of fiery black pepper,

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crispy vegetables across the top including very heady sage,

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quite bitter and sharp courgettes,

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chilli, which of course is ferociously hot.

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And the mushrooms have disappeared, because

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then you've got salty, blue cheese as well.

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-Sometimes you've got to dare, don't you, Terry?

-Oh, absolutely.

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And you've definitely dared there. That's daring, for sure.

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The comments weren't great.

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I cooked the food that I like to cook.

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I just don't think it worked for me this time. I'm gutted.

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Dental nurse Jess has made pan-fried duck breast, bok choi,

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crispy shallots and a chorizo and butternut squash rosti,

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served with a blackberry sauce.

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The duck flesh is cooked nicely.

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-Good.

-Love the combination of butternut squash and chorizo.

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That's a nice idea.

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The thought of having chorizo and blackberries on the same plate with

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duck and bok choi, I was a little bit unsure about.

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However, somehow or another,

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you've made this all come together as a dish.

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Look, there could be promise here, Jess.

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But you've got to give yourself time to put it on a plate.

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It's nerve-racking, isn't it?

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Cathedral organist Ashley is serving a Venetian fish stew made with cod

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and mussels in a tomato and red pepper sauce,

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with battered cod, lemon zest and toasted ciabatta.

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The base flavour of your sauce is good,

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but the whole thing needs to be cooked longer and slower.

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Your tomatoes are still whole, which means that they haven't

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actually broken down, and they will become sweet.

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And then once that stew is really rich,

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you drop your fish in for moments,

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because your fish has now become very dry and quite chalky

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and a bit too hard.

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The piece of fish across the top is nicely cooked,

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but of course it won't stay crispy sitting on wet.

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We wanted a concerto, and we got a ditty.

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It's not a bad ditty, but it's not a concerto.

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I thought I'd done a good job,

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so I was a little disappointed

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that they didn't feel it was more flavoursome.

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Sales consultant Rachel has made a green and yellow courgette

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and goat's cheese risotto with a mint, walnut and Parmesan pesto.

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I so wanted to dislike it,

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as you've taken a classic risotto

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and a classic pesto and messed them up and mixed them in together.

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But it actually tastes nice.

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What can I say?

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Thank you, thank you, Gregg.

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Your textures are good.

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Your flavours are good.

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My issue here, Rachel, is that I don't know about skill.

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Because I've got some grated courgette,

0:19:500:19:51

some chopped courgette and a bit of pesto on some cooked rice,

0:19:510:19:55

and I don't know much more about you.

0:19:550:19:57

What I wanted to show you today was that I can do flavours,

0:19:570:20:00

and then I hope I get the chance to show you I can also do techniques.

0:20:000:20:04

Fitness instructor Louise has made fresh tagliatelle pasta

0:20:130:20:18

with a roast tomato, red pepper, chilli and basil sauce,

0:20:180:20:23

topped with meatballs.

0:20:230:20:25

You've got massive meatballs there, Louise.

0:20:250:20:28

They're like the biggest meatballs I've seen in years.

0:20:280:20:30

Works for me.

0:20:400:20:42

Completely and utterly works for me.

0:20:420:20:44

Your pasta is a great texture, neither too firm nor too soft.

0:20:440:20:48

I'd say bang-on.

0:20:480:20:50

And even though the meatballs may be sizeable, they're cooked throughout.

0:20:500:20:56

Not bad at all.

0:20:560:20:59

Louise, I think this has got great heart.

0:20:590:21:02

I really like that sauce.

0:21:020:21:05

As you take more and more on,

0:21:050:21:06

you get the warmth of a little bit of chilli,

0:21:060:21:09

you get the sweetness of pepper, you get the sweetness of tomato.

0:21:090:21:12

Your meatballs, I'd like them to be a bit smaller.

0:21:120:21:14

But you know what? First round of MasterChef, I think it's great.

0:21:140:21:18

-Great start, Louise.

-Good.

0:21:180:21:20

Thank you very much.

0:21:200:21:23

Oh, my God, it was fantastic.

0:21:230:21:25

They loved it.

0:21:250:21:27

There was an issue with the size of my balls.

0:21:270:21:29

I'll have to remember next time, smaller balls.

0:21:290:21:32

But I'm thrilled.

0:21:320:21:34

Finally, wine retailer James has cooked pan-roasted cod

0:21:390:21:44

on a bed of leeks with a purple cauliflower puree,

0:21:450:21:50

samphire and rosemary salt, served with a beurre blanc.

0:21:500:21:55

I love your puree. I love the way you cooked your fish.

0:22:030:22:07

I think you've got really good flavour in your beurre blanc,

0:22:070:22:09

and I love the idea of the rosemary salt.

0:22:090:22:12

It's an absolute collision of colours that it looks like you've

0:22:120:22:17

turned the fish into a kaleidoscope, but I like the boldness.

0:22:170:22:21

Thank you.

0:22:210:22:23

I think you've got great promise.

0:22:230:22:26

Your fish is cooked absolutely beautifully.

0:22:260:22:29

I like the soft leeks underneath.

0:22:290:22:31

The smoothness of your puree is really good.

0:22:310:22:33

I'm not a big fan of the colour, but as Gregg says,

0:22:330:22:36

at this stage of the competition you being bold,

0:22:360:22:38

standing out from the crowd, good on you, James.

0:22:380:22:41

I think it went better than I possibly thought.

0:22:440:22:47

It was edible. Everything came together, just about.

0:22:470:22:50

Yeah, OK, I think.

0:22:500:22:54

Well, if that's a sign of things to come, bring it on.

0:22:540:22:58

Because I tell you what, there's a fair bit of invention out there.

0:22:580:23:01

And lots of really good cookery.

0:23:010:23:03

I've got a couple of people who are safe, for sure.

0:23:050:23:07

Louise's pasta and meatballs was very, very good.

0:23:070:23:10

She had a plan and she fulfilled it, and it was tasty.

0:23:100:23:13

The lady, as far as I'm concerned

0:23:130:23:15

at this early stage of the competition, can cook.

0:23:150:23:18

I don't like James's presentation.

0:23:180:23:20

However, I think that puree was as smooth as anything.

0:23:200:23:23

That piece of cod was cooked absolutely beautifully,

0:23:230:23:27

and he dares to be a bit different.

0:23:270:23:29

I agree with you on James. I think he's got real promise.

0:23:290:23:33

There's one person who I believe is going home, and that's Terry.

0:23:330:23:37

Tempura and risotto doesn't sound good, and it doesn't taste good.

0:23:370:23:41

Terry, I think, went for a gamble. It didn't pay off.

0:23:410:23:44

Unfortunately, you only get one shot.

0:23:440:23:47

There's somebody else that I don't think really came up to the mark,

0:23:470:23:50

and that was Ashley.

0:23:500:23:51

It was a tomato-based,

0:23:510:23:53

not-very-well-flavoured soup stew,

0:23:530:23:56

with fish in it that was overcooked.

0:23:560:23:59

I think you're probably right. Ashley's done his dash.

0:23:590:24:02

We've now got a conversation about Rachel, Fiona and Jess.

0:24:020:24:06

Two go through, one goes home?

0:24:060:24:09

Rachel? Tricky.

0:24:090:24:11

I'm not sure Rachel showed an enormous amount of technique.

0:24:110:24:16

Basil, mint, walnuts, Parmesan, goat's cheese, courgettes,

0:24:160:24:20

all together on one plate, and you said it was great.

0:24:200:24:23

I'm worried that... If she got lucky.

0:24:230:24:26

Jess's combination of ingredients was pretty crazy, right out there.

0:24:260:24:30

Spanish sausage, chorizo, and butternut squash with duck?

0:24:300:24:33

Presentation wasn't great. She was very rushed at the end,

0:24:330:24:38

but I enjoyed the flavours.

0:24:380:24:40

Fiona cooked a really nice piece of fish,

0:24:400:24:43

made a really nice veloute, nice sauce,

0:24:430:24:47

but gave us a great big chunk of unnecessary fennel

0:24:470:24:51

and gave us a quail's egg that was also,

0:24:510:24:53

in my mind, unnecessary.

0:24:530:24:55

You've got the skin of the fish which is stuck on ham,

0:24:550:24:57

which you can't eat.

0:24:570:24:58

Regardless of how well that piece of fish is cooked,

0:24:580:25:01

you can't eat the rest of it.

0:25:010:25:04

I know I like cooking, I know I like flavours

0:25:040:25:06

and I put some odd things together, but I want to learn. I want to grow.

0:25:060:25:09

I really want another chance to show them what else I can do.

0:25:100:25:14

It's so hard to show enough in one dish.

0:25:140:25:18

There were some things I need to improve on,

0:25:180:25:20

but it wasn't a complete car crash, so it's just a waiting game now.

0:25:200:25:22

I'm just going to have to wait and see.

0:25:220:25:24

Who stays and who goes, John?

0:25:240:25:26

It's a really tight call.

0:25:260:25:29

Well done, everybody.

0:25:400:25:43

Three of you are leaving the competition,

0:25:430:25:46

but I think you can leave here with your head held high.

0:25:460:25:49

Louise.

0:25:490:25:51

James.

0:25:510:25:54

Congratulations. You two are definitely staying.

0:25:540:25:57

Terry.

0:26:010:26:03

Ashley.

0:26:030:26:04

Gentlemen, sorry, you're leaving us.

0:26:040:26:06

Thank you very much.

0:26:060:26:09

Now we have to make a decision.

0:26:120:26:15

The third person leaving us...

0:26:160:26:18

..is Fiona.

0:26:240:26:26

Fiona, thank you very much indeed. Thank you.

0:26:260:26:29

Oh, it's been fabulous.

0:26:320:26:33

I mean, I wouldn't change it for anything.

0:26:330:26:36

I mean, I got onto MasterChef.

0:26:360:26:38

I got a chance to show what I can do,

0:26:380:26:40

even if it didn't necessarily work out the right way

0:26:400:26:43

that I wanted it to.

0:26:430:26:45

Gutted. It's a shame. I was looking forward to staying in.

0:26:450:26:48

I stuck to what I like. I stuck to what I enjoy to eat.

0:26:480:26:51

It didn't work out for me.

0:26:510:26:53

Inevitably, I'm disappointed, because I've had a great day

0:26:530:26:56

and I was just getting into it.

0:26:560:26:59

I can go back to being a musician now.

0:26:590:27:02

You are all cooking for a quarterfinal place.

0:27:140:27:17

And that means at the end of this, one of you will be going home.

0:27:190:27:22

You are not just serving your food to John and me today.

0:27:230:27:28

You are going to deliver your food to three very important guests:

0:27:280:27:33

Two of last year's finalists, Steve and Giovanna,

0:27:330:27:38

and last year's MasterChef winner,

0:27:380:27:42

the incredible Saliha.

0:27:420:27:45

Two courses. Four plates of each course. One hour and 15 minutes.

0:27:480:27:53

Ladies and gentlemen, let's cook.

0:27:530:27:56

OK, right, focus, focus, focus.

0:28:050:28:08

Please focus.

0:28:090:28:11

I have a plan.

0:28:110:28:14

I've got all of the ingredients

0:28:140:28:16

and the notes and the timings in my head,

0:28:160:28:18

and I've taken the decision not to take on too much.

0:28:180:28:23

Whether that's going to be my downfall, I don't know,

0:28:230:28:25

but what I do think is, I'm going to get that food out on time.

0:28:250:28:29

I'm making a spiced lamb mincemeat and aubergine dish

0:28:320:28:35

with a yoghurt tahini, followed by a lime and coconut cheesecake.

0:28:350:28:40

What is it about this lamb dish that you really like?

0:28:400:28:44

The flavours, and that it's presented well,

0:28:440:28:46

because it's tricky presenting mincemeat.

0:28:460:28:49

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Yeah, how do you do that?

0:28:490:28:52

Put a lovely colourful things on top of it,

0:28:520:28:55

so I've got coriander, tomatoes. It should look attractive.

0:28:550:28:59

To make her North African lamb dish look good,

0:29:050:29:08

she's putting things on top.

0:29:080:29:10

She did that with the risotto, she's trying it again now.

0:29:100:29:14

But I tell you what, it's risky.

0:29:140:29:16

It is double risky.

0:29:160:29:17

This is the messy bit.

0:29:220:29:23

It feels awesome to be cooking my own food today.

0:29:240:29:26

I have been practising.

0:29:260:29:28

Family and friends have eaten these dishes over and over again.

0:29:280:29:31

For my main course, I'm cooking Asian-glazed fillet of beef

0:29:320:29:35

with crispy shallots, bok choy, and a carrot and ginger puree.

0:29:350:29:39

For my dessert, banana sticky toffee pudding with caramelised pecans,

0:29:410:29:45

a vanilla whipped cream, and chargrilled banana.

0:29:450:29:48

-Jess.

-Hi.

0:29:500:29:51

You, once again, have an interesting collection of ingredients.

0:29:510:29:55

Yeah. Yeah, I'm doing quite an eclectic menu,

0:29:550:29:59

but that's... You see, that's the kind of chef I am.

0:29:590:30:02

I do like to cook different types of food

0:30:020:30:04

from different areas of the world.

0:30:040:30:06

So I just want to demonstrate that I can do different flavours,

0:30:060:30:10

different flavour combinations.

0:30:100:30:12

How do you chargrill a banana? Does it not fall to mush?

0:30:120:30:15

No, it doesn't, actually. It doesn't. It stays quite firm,

0:30:150:30:18

but it gives a really nice bitterness

0:30:180:30:20

that offsets the sweetness.

0:30:200:30:22

So, a glaze for the beef that's got soy sauce, sugar and chilli,

0:30:260:30:31

and then we've got a butternut squash that's sweet.

0:30:310:30:35

It shouldn't work, but who knows?

0:30:350:30:37

I thought that about her duck dish in the last round and it worked.

0:30:370:30:41

Dessert, a banana sticky toffee pudding, fantastic.

0:30:410:30:45

I'm really excited because I'm cooking from the heart today.

0:30:520:30:56

It's a dish my family absolutely love.

0:30:560:30:57

I'm concerned about the plating and making it look the same

0:30:580:31:02

and making it look nice, but I have got a husband and three children,

0:31:020:31:06

so plating up five meals is my norm.

0:31:060:31:09

For main, I'm doing butter chicken with a spinach pilaf rice,

0:31:110:31:16

onion bhaji, green chutney and raita.

0:31:160:31:20

And for my dessert, I'm doing a pineapple fool with a tuile biscuit,

0:31:200:31:26

charred pineapple and some mint.

0:31:260:31:29

The food of the subcontinent of India is varied

0:31:290:31:32

and it's very exciting and you're just about to present it to Saliha,

0:31:320:31:36

who is probably one of the best at it I've ever seen.

0:31:360:31:39

I know. Why?

0:31:390:31:41

Why have I done that?

0:31:410:31:42

Well, if I'm going to give it to anybody

0:31:420:31:45

and get any sort of feedback,

0:31:450:31:47

criticism, why not? That's probably the best one to try it.

0:31:470:31:50

Have you timed this?

0:31:500:31:51

I haven't timed the both of them together.

0:31:520:31:55

I'm not at all concerned about the menu compilation from Louise.

0:31:570:32:02

I think it sounds lovely.

0:32:020:32:04

What I am concerned about is whether she can actually get it done or not.

0:32:040:32:07

There's a lot of work going into that main course. A lot of work.

0:32:070:32:10

Big day. This is my food, so I can't muck this one up.

0:32:170:32:21

James is going really classic.

0:32:220:32:24

He's got a piece of mackerel.

0:32:240:32:25

He's serving it with beetroot and horseradish.

0:32:250:32:28

What a fantastic combination.

0:32:280:32:29

Main course, breast of duck, he's serving it with some kale crisps,

0:32:300:32:34

some carrot puree, and he's got some purple carrots,

0:32:340:32:37

which he's roasting.

0:32:370:32:38

James has got beetroot. It's purple, right?

0:32:380:32:40

In the last round, he gave us a purple puree.

0:32:400:32:42

What is it with James and purple?

0:32:420:32:44

What do you want to demonstrate to those guests?

0:32:460:32:49

Good flavour combinations cooked well, presented well.

0:32:490:32:53

The food that you would want to kind of pay for in a restaurant,

0:32:530:32:56

that kind of... Hopefully. That's what I WANT to demonstrate.

0:32:560:32:59

Wow. You are aiming for restaurant-quality food already.

0:32:590:33:04

Aiming. Got to aim high.

0:33:040:33:06

Excited today for this challenge. It's going to be hard

0:33:090:33:11

cos the other contestants are a lot better than I thought

0:33:110:33:14

they were going to be, which is really annoying.

0:33:140:33:16

It is a really difficult challenge

0:33:290:33:30

and I was pretty scared at this point in time

0:33:300:33:32

because I had Ping and Dean and Thomasina judging my food

0:33:320:33:36

and I know how well they'd done.

0:33:360:33:39

So I'm sure that they're feeling really nervous right now.

0:33:390:33:42

I'm kind of feeling a bit nervous for them.

0:33:420:33:44

Since MasterChef finished, a lot has changed.

0:33:450:33:48

I'm doing loads more cooking.

0:33:480:33:50

I'm working with Alison and Lorna from the last series.

0:33:500:33:53

We are doing lots of food festivals.

0:33:530:33:55

It's just been really, really fun.

0:33:550:33:57

It's definitely worth it, but it's very tough.

0:33:580:34:00

You realise what, sort of, professional chefs do every day

0:34:000:34:02

and it's really hard.

0:34:020:34:04

I think my advice for doing this round is just to keep focused

0:34:050:34:08

on what you're doing, try not to think about who you're feeding.

0:34:080:34:11

Just get down there, cook your food, do the best you can,

0:34:110:34:14

and hope for the best.

0:34:140:34:16

-So lovely to be back.

-Aye.

0:34:180:34:19

It's a really tough one today, though, isn't it?

0:34:190:34:21

-It is, yeah.

-I am looking forward to it, though.

-Yeah, definitely.

0:34:210:34:25

-I'm really looking forward to seeing what they come up with.

-Yeah.

-Mm.

0:34:250:34:28

Oh, my God. There's so many pans.

0:34:310:34:33

You've got four minutes, Rachel.

0:34:330:34:35

-You look a little bit tense.

-Yeah.

0:34:350:34:38

-What's happening?

-Everything's fine.

0:34:380:34:40

I just...I wanted five minutes to serve.

0:34:400:34:42

-GIOVANNA:

-I think that sounds great.

0:34:440:34:45

She's not giving a lot away, though, is she?

0:34:450:34:47

Well, I think if it's that simple,

0:34:470:34:49

-it has to be spot on, though, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

0:34:490:34:51

-Mm!

-Lamb OK?

-Yeah, it's good.

0:34:510:34:52

Good. You need to get some stuff on the plates now, Rachel.

0:34:520:34:55

-Otherwise, you're going to run out of time.

-Yeah.

0:34:550:34:59

Ahh!

0:34:590:35:00

Is that firm enough to quenelle?

0:35:000:35:02

No, I mean... No. But when I say quenelle,

0:35:020:35:04

I mean present it as nicely as I can.

0:35:040:35:06

Keep your nerve, keep your nerve.

0:35:090:35:11

You are officially over time now.

0:35:150:35:17

Good.

0:35:190:35:20

Go, go, go, go, go. Stop. Stop.

0:35:220:35:23

-Go. You're late.

-OK, I'm going.

-You're late. Go, go, go.

0:35:230:35:26

That's the most stressful bowl of mince I've seen for a long time.

0:35:290:35:32

Hi. Hi, everyone.

0:35:330:35:35

Hi.

0:35:350:35:36

I have cooked for you a spiced lamb and aubergine dish with a tahini

0:35:380:35:43

yoghurt, so I hope you enjoy.

0:35:430:35:45

Thank you.

0:35:450:35:46

I really love the pine nuts and the pistachios in there.

0:35:540:35:59

I think it's really nice having that little crunch.

0:35:590:36:01

I don't get a lot of tahini in the yoghurt.

0:36:010:36:03

I'd like a load more.

0:36:030:36:05

I am really feeling the lack of seasoning

0:36:050:36:08

and I think if there was more seasoning in it, it would be

0:36:080:36:12

a really different dish.

0:36:120:36:14

It's a pleasant dish, just lacks a little bit of oompf.

0:36:140:36:16

We know that Rachel can deliver good flavour.

0:36:170:36:19

This has got really good flavour.

0:36:190:36:21

But the issue is still not demonstrating a lot of skill.

0:36:210:36:23

And all that Rachel had to do

0:36:230:36:24

was make some flatbreads to go on the side.

0:36:240:36:27

Just something more than just mince in a bowl.

0:36:270:36:30

OK, fresh pistachios.

0:36:300:36:31

-When you went into the dining room...

-Mm-hm.

0:36:400:36:42

..did they look scary?

0:36:420:36:43

-No, they all had big smiles on their faces.

-Good.

0:36:430:36:46

All right. Let's keep those smiles on their faces

0:36:460:36:48

-and get the desserts out on time.

-Yeah.

0:36:480:36:50

I am not a cheesecake fan.

0:36:510:36:53

-Really?

-She might change my mind.

0:36:530:36:55

I think they're so nice, especially if the crumbs are all, like,

0:36:550:36:58

melty and buttery and crumbly,

0:36:580:37:00

and then the cheesecake is really nice and light and airy.

0:37:000:37:04

What's got to go on top of those now?

0:37:040:37:06

-They're done.

-That's it?

0:37:060:37:08

-They're done.

-Lime and nuts and some petals, right?

0:37:080:37:11

-That's right.

-Happy?

0:37:110:37:12

-I am.

-Go.

-Go!

0:37:120:37:14

Nice-looking cheesecake.

0:37:170:37:18

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

0:37:200:37:23

Thank you.

0:37:230:37:24

For dessert, I've cooked a lime and coconut cheesecake,

0:37:250:37:29

so I hope you enjoy this.

0:37:290:37:31

-STEVE:

-Cheers.

0:37:310:37:33

The cheesecake itself is just so light.

0:37:390:37:42

I'm just surprised it hasn't fallen into a puddle.

0:37:420:37:44

She's done so well to set it.

0:37:440:37:47

I can't taste any coconut,

0:37:470:37:48

but I don't really care because it tastes lovely as it is.

0:37:480:37:51

The lime zest comes through lovely,

0:37:510:37:53

even before you get it to your mouth.

0:37:530:37:54

Nice and creamy. It's actually not too heavy.

0:37:540:37:56

I could probably just finish this in another two, three mouthfuls.

0:37:560:37:59

I'm a complete cheesecake convert.

0:37:590:38:02

It is so good.

0:38:020:38:03

-GREGG:

-I don't get any coconut at all.

0:38:050:38:07

What I do get is sweet, crunchy nut base,

0:38:070:38:11

and a really fresh zing of lime.

0:38:110:38:13

That works for me.

0:38:130:38:15

I think the texture of the base is wrong and instead of being crispy,

0:38:150:38:18

it's a bit chewy.

0:38:180:38:19

I mean, it went as good as it could have done,

0:38:230:38:25

but the lamb dish wasn't presented good enough.

0:38:250:38:29

I don't think it will be enough.

0:38:290:38:31

You look a bit messy.

0:38:350:38:37

-Yeah.

-You know you've got a bin here, don't you?

0:38:370:38:41

-Oh, do I?

-If you want to have a clear down at any stage.

0:38:410:38:44

I will do. I will do, definitely.

0:38:440:38:46

-SALIHA:

-So, we've got Asian-glazed beef fillet

0:38:480:38:51

with carrots and ginger puree,

0:38:510:38:53

butternut squash, crispy shallots and bok choy.

0:38:530:38:57

Wow, it's a lot of stuff, isn't it?

0:38:570:38:59

I'm a bit worried for her because I know there's not very much time

0:38:590:39:03

and there's loads of things that she's got to get done

0:39:030:39:05

and I think we all fell into that trap somewhere along the way

0:39:050:39:08

of doing too much.

0:39:080:39:09

-JOHN:

-You have got four minutes, Jess.

0:39:090:39:11

Thank you very much. That's good.

0:39:110:39:13

-Are you on time?

-Yeah, I think so.

0:39:130:39:15

-How is your steak?

-It's looking good.

-Are they all medium rare?

0:39:150:39:19

Yeah, one of them is in the oven, just because it was slightly under,

0:39:190:39:23

so I've just put it in there just to...

0:39:230:39:26

-Cook it.

-Yeah.

0:39:260:39:27

Right. Yeah, that's OK.

0:39:290:39:31

-You've got three more things to put on this plate?

-Yeah.

0:39:380:39:42

I can do it. I can do it.

0:39:420:39:43

OK.

0:39:450:39:46

A lot of work there, Jess.

0:39:470:39:49

-Right. I'm ready. Can I take these through?

-And on time.

0:39:490:39:52

-Just made it, Jess.

-Thank you very much.

-Smile at them, smile at them.

0:39:520:39:55

I shall do. I shall.

0:39:550:39:56

-Hi, there.

-Hi.

-Do you mind if I give you that one?

0:39:590:40:02

-Oh, yes. Thank you very much.

-Wow. This looks amazing.

0:40:020:40:06

I made for you Asian-glazed beef with toasted sesame seeds,

0:40:060:40:10

a little bit of butternut squash just roasted,

0:40:100:40:12

some bok choy and some crispy shallots.

0:40:120:40:15

-Thank you.

-Enjoy.

-Lovely.

-Thank you.

0:40:150:40:17

You know, the beef's cooked really well.

0:40:260:40:28

It's rare, but I like it like that.

0:40:280:40:31

Some people may be a little bit put off, but I think that's really nice.

0:40:310:40:34

I think the soy glaze on the beef is really nice,

0:40:340:40:38

all the extra things on it are delicious,

0:40:380:40:40

I'd just like more of them because they really are so tasty.

0:40:400:40:43

A little half a teaspoon of that puree is a little disappointing.

0:40:430:40:46

It's like a tease. "I'll tease you with your veg."

0:40:460:40:50

That's a brilliantly cooked,

0:40:500:40:51

really nicely seasoned piece of beef that tastes slightly sweet,

0:40:510:40:55

it tastes salty of soy and it's got a hint of sesame.

0:40:550:40:58

I want butternut squash with my beef.

0:40:580:41:01

There's not enough veg for it to work.

0:41:010:41:03

I haven't got any room over there.

0:41:050:41:07

-Have a clean down.

-Yeah, I will do.

0:41:070:41:09

But you've got 15 minutes for dessert.

0:41:090:41:11

OK. That's absolutely fine.

0:41:110:41:14

-GIOVANNA:

-Banana sticky toffee pudding with caramelised pecans,

0:41:140:41:16

chargrilled banana, a toffee sauce and vanilla whipped cream.

0:41:160:41:20

Bananas are a little bit tricky to work with, actually,

0:41:200:41:23

because it depends on the ripeness of the banana that you get.

0:41:230:41:27

If the bananas are quite ripe,

0:41:270:41:28

you can end up with just mushy baby food and caramel.

0:41:280:41:31

You've got a minute, Jess.

0:41:330:41:35

Are you having a good time?

0:41:350:41:37

It's...it's quite stressful, but in a fun sort of sadistic way.

0:41:370:41:40

Just the cream to go on and then that is it.

0:41:510:41:53

-We are done.

-That looks nice. Let's go.

-Thank you very much.

0:41:550:41:58

I shall take these. Oh, sorry, John.

0:41:580:42:00

You were in the way.

0:42:000:42:02

Get out of her way, John. My sort of pud.

0:42:020:42:05

-Hi, there.

-Oh, lovely.

-Oh, wowser.

-Thank you. OK.

0:42:060:42:11

-STEVE:

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

0:42:110:42:13

Today, I've made for you a banana sticky toffee pudding

0:42:140:42:17

with caramelised pecans, a toffee sauce, chargrilled bananas,

0:42:170:42:22

-and a vanilla cream. Hope you enjoy.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

0:42:220:42:26

It's really soft. The texture is beautiful.

0:42:360:42:38

The sauce is amazing. I think the pecans are a real winner.

0:42:380:42:42

The only downside of this dish for me is the extra bananas

0:42:430:42:47

because they've gone a little bit mushy and not quite as caramelised

0:42:470:42:51

as perhaps she would have liked.

0:42:510:42:53

Do you know what? If she'd have just put that cake on a plate

0:42:530:42:56

with pecans and that lovely sauce, I'd have been a happy bunny.

0:42:560:42:59

It's really, really nice.

0:42:590:43:00

I don't think I could have picked fault in it.

0:43:000:43:02

Her toffee sauce is slightly bitter.

0:43:020:43:04

It's not too sugary.

0:43:040:43:06

The sponge is really light.

0:43:060:43:08

It's moist. That is lovely.

0:43:080:43:10

I don't see any reason to try and chargrill a banana,

0:43:100:43:13

because it just sort of goes a bit soggy and sloppy.

0:43:130:43:16

The pudding, however, with the sauce, is delicious.

0:43:180:43:21

That was absolutely crazy.

0:43:250:43:28

In a good way.

0:43:280:43:30

Oh, goodness.

0:43:300:43:32

I loved it. Could have been tidier, though, but...

0:43:320:43:35

..I'm pleased, I'm pleased. Yeah.

0:43:350:43:38

Come on. Come on.

0:43:380:43:41

-Is your chicken being cooked yet?

-No.

0:43:420:43:45

You've got about 12 minutes.

0:43:470:43:48

We've got trouble at the mill here, haven't we?

0:43:500:43:52

We have. I was going so well.

0:43:520:43:54

-I thought I was, anyway.

-Get your rice cooking, then your sauce on.

0:43:540:43:57

To make a butter chicken which is just buttery enough,

0:43:570:44:00

to make the spinach pilaf so that water isn't coming out,

0:44:000:44:03

and the onion bhajis, like, really crisp and tasty,

0:44:030:44:06

and the green chutney flavoursome and balanced

0:44:060:44:09

is, actually, really hard.

0:44:090:44:10

This is the kind of food I eat at home,

0:44:100:44:12

so I know how tricky that can be.

0:44:120:44:14

You have got four minutes, Louise.

0:44:140:44:17

-OK?

-I'm going to be late.

-How long, realistically?

0:44:170:44:20

Another three minutes on top of the four.

0:44:200:44:23

-Maybe.

-Because your chicken's not cooked yet?

-Yeah.

0:44:230:44:26

So what do we need to do now?

0:44:270:44:28

Make my sauce, onion bhajis, and finish off my chutneys.

0:44:280:44:33

-Oh, my word. Everything.

-Yeah.

0:44:330:44:34

I said I thought she would struggle

0:44:390:44:41

because she hadn't timed the two dishes together.

0:44:410:44:43

You can rescue this, but you're just going to have to push really hard.

0:44:450:44:48

-OK.

-Rice is cooked, chicken's now finishing off,

0:44:480:44:51

bhajis are in the fryer, right?

0:44:510:44:53

-Yeah.

-Chutney made?

0:44:530:44:55

-One of them are.

-One will do, right?

-Yeah.

0:44:550:44:58

Come on.

0:45:000:45:02

Here we go.

0:45:030:45:05

We are now officially over time, Louise.

0:45:060:45:08

Oh, what a mess.

0:45:110:45:12

At least you don't give up, Louise.

0:45:190:45:20

-No way.

-That's what counts.

-I don't give up.

0:45:200:45:22

-No way. Absolutely not.

-Right. We can go.

0:45:220:45:25

-Yeah. We can go.

-Tell them you've got a flat tyre.

0:45:250:45:28

Oh, dear, dear.

0:45:300:45:31

If that tastes great, I will forgive her.

0:45:330:45:35

Hello. Hi. I'm so sorry I'm late.

0:45:370:45:39

-That's OK.

-You're here now.

-Nothing goes to plan quite.

0:45:390:45:42

Oh, we understand.

0:45:420:45:43

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

0:45:430:45:44

I'm afraid there's no raita.

0:45:440:45:46

I just couldn't get the time to put it on there.

0:45:460:45:48

-That's OK.

-There you go.

0:45:480:45:50

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

0:45:500:45:52

So today, I cooked you butter chicken with spinach pilaf rice,

0:45:520:45:56

a green chutney, onion bhaji.

0:45:560:45:58

-ALL: Thank you.

-Thank you. Bye.

0:45:580:46:00

I think the chicken's quite nice and soft and tender and the sauce

0:46:080:46:12

that it's in is quite yoghurty. It's quite nice.

0:46:120:46:16

The chutney's not really a chutney. It's just some herbs,

0:46:160:46:19

although they taste very nice

0:46:190:46:20

when you mix them in with everything else.

0:46:200:46:23

The chicken is lovely and moist. It's a nice, rich sauce.

0:46:230:46:26

It tastes really nice.

0:46:260:46:27

I love the sort of freshness from the coriander.

0:46:270:46:29

My bhaji's really nice.

0:46:290:46:31

It's almost like an old-school, English curry house kind of curry.

0:46:310:46:36

I think the flavours are good. I love the flavour of the bhaji.

0:46:360:46:39

I love the flavours inside the rice

0:46:390:46:41

with all the chilli and the cardamom that's there.

0:46:410:46:44

If my delivery was late but tasted like that,

0:46:440:46:46

I would forgive the driver.

0:46:460:46:48

-Compose myself.

-Deep breath.

0:46:500:46:52

-15 minutes for dessert, yeah?

-Yeah.

0:46:520:46:55

Pineapple fool and charred pineapple with a coconut tuile.

0:47:020:47:07

-Oh, my God. Coconut tuiles.

-STEVE CACKLES

0:47:070:47:08

-I'm feeling, like...

-Nervous for her.

-..the rising panic.

0:47:080:47:11

Oh, gosh. That does make me a bit nervous.

0:47:110:47:14

Yeah, yeah. It's a brave, brave thing to do.

0:47:140:47:16

Louise, you've got three minutes left.

0:47:200:47:22

-OK.

-Where are your tuiles?

0:47:220:47:24

-In the oven.

-How long are they going to take?

0:47:240:47:27

A couple of minutes.

0:47:270:47:29

You are going to give me a heart attack.

0:47:290:47:31

-That's it. We are there.

-Got two of those.

0:47:430:47:46

Put that smile on your face, Louise. You did it. Come on.

0:47:480:47:50

-Off you go.

-Go, go. Go, go, go.

0:47:500:47:53

Here I come.

0:47:540:47:56

There you go.

0:47:580:48:01

And so, for dessert,

0:48:010:48:02

I have made you a pineapple fool

0:48:020:48:06

with charred pineapple and a coconut tuile.

0:48:060:48:10

-Hope you enjoy. Thank you.

-Thank you, Louise.

-Thank you.

0:48:100:48:12

SHE EXHALES LOUDLY

0:48:200:48:23

I don't know. That was just...

0:48:230:48:25

I felt everything was going fine. Everything was going to plan.

0:48:250:48:28

It was all going great. And then, just... I don't know,

0:48:280:48:31

the last 20 minutes was just absolute chaos.

0:48:310:48:36

I'm feeling a little bit deflated.

0:48:360:48:39

-STEVE:

-The flavour's absolutely lovely.

0:48:390:48:41

There is no way on earth

0:48:410:48:42

I would have even dreamed of making a tuile biscuit.

0:48:420:48:44

That takes a bit of guts.

0:48:440:48:47

I really like the tuile.

0:48:470:48:48

You get a good hit of coconut.

0:48:480:48:51

The fool has a slightly grainy texture,

0:48:510:48:54

but I have to say that the roasted pineapple was nicely caramelised,

0:48:540:48:59

it was quite yummy.

0:48:590:49:00

It's creamy and smooth

0:49:010:49:02

and it's got that beautiful tropical sweet pineapple.

0:49:020:49:06

It's a tropical delight.

0:49:060:49:08

The whole thing is really messy.

0:49:080:49:10

She could have spent a little bit more time making it really lovely.

0:49:100:49:14

-13 minutes on your first course, James.

-Yep.

0:49:160:49:19

So, last off, we've got a mackerel, beetroot and goat's curd.

0:49:210:49:24

Classic combination, that, isn't it?

0:49:240:49:26

That's a dish that can be done in so many different ways.

0:49:260:49:28

I love mackerel. Love beetroot.

0:49:280:49:30

Everything there goes really well.

0:49:300:49:32

OK. Young man, are you going to be on time?

0:49:360:49:39

I think so, yeah. I just need to plate up the starter.

0:49:390:49:43

This is the beetroot.

0:49:430:49:44

I'm liking this, James.

0:49:470:49:49

-Goat's curd?

-Just a little bit of goat's curd, yeah.

0:49:490:49:52

You've got a minute, James. You are right up to the wire.

0:49:540:49:58

-Nice dish. Done?

-Ready.

0:49:590:50:02

Take it away. Good lad.

0:50:020:50:03

-Thank you.

-Good lad.

0:50:030:50:04

-Yes!

-Nice.

-Ho-ho-ho.

0:50:050:50:08

-Hello.

-Hello, there.

-Hi, James.

-Hi.

-Hello.

0:50:100:50:13

Thank you.

0:50:150:50:16

Lovely.

0:50:180:50:20

I've cooked, for my starter, pan-fried mackerel with a little

0:50:200:50:22

beetroot and horseradish puree,

0:50:220:50:24

some goat's curd, dill oil, pickled apples,

0:50:240:50:27

and some little fresh dill on top, so I hope you enjoy.

0:50:270:50:29

-Thanks very much, James.

-Thank you.

0:50:290:50:31

The mackerel's beautifully cooked

0:50:380:50:40

and the skin is, like, salty and crispy.

0:50:400:50:42

The beetroot's really earthy.

0:50:420:50:44

For me, this is the best thing I've eaten all day.

0:50:440:50:46

I totally agree.

0:50:460:50:47

At this stage of the competition,

0:50:470:50:49

to make stuff like this is really accomplished, I think.

0:50:490:50:52

-Yeah.

-I think that apple is absolutely inspired.

0:50:520:50:54

It takes it away from that just standard combination and it just

0:50:540:50:57

gives it another little twist and for me,

0:50:570:50:59

that is enough to make that really stand out.

0:50:590:51:02

The fish is cooked brilliantly.

0:51:020:51:04

Really, really nice. Really nice.

0:51:040:51:07

For me, as an amateur home-cook producing food like that

0:51:070:51:10

in this round, I'm very impressed.

0:51:100:51:12

-Duck cooked?

-Duck's cooked.

-Any problems with the jus?

0:51:180:51:22

Yeah, maybe not quite reduced down enough.

0:51:220:51:24

Just trying to cook off the red wine flavour, so it's not too alcoholic.

0:51:240:51:28

You've got just over five minutes. Is that jus going to turn out OK?

0:51:280:51:31

It will do, yeah.

0:51:310:51:33

I hope so.

0:51:330:51:34

-GIOVANNA:

-I mean, again, it's very classic, isn't it?

0:51:360:51:39

-STEVE:

-Yeah, definitely so.

0:51:390:51:40

If that duck is cooked perfectly,

0:51:400:51:42

then the battle is half-won, I think.

0:51:420:51:44

-GREGG:

-Don't lose it, now. Keep it together.

0:51:460:51:48

You're doing really well.

0:51:480:51:49

There we go.

0:51:500:51:52

You have two minutes, my friend. Two minutes.

0:51:520:51:55

-What is that?

-This is a little sage salt dust thing.

0:51:570:52:01

Good-looking dish, James.

0:52:010:52:02

-Right.

-That is fantastic.

0:52:040:52:06

-Thank you.

-Take it away.

0:52:060:52:07

Good lad. Look at that.

0:52:090:52:11

-Hello.

-Well done.

0:52:110:52:13

Thank you very much.

0:52:130:52:15

Oh, thank you.

0:52:150:52:16

-Look at this.

-Thanks very much.

0:52:160:52:19

So, for main course, I've done pan-fried duck breast

0:52:190:52:22

with a carrot puree,

0:52:220:52:24

some kale crisps, some little pickled blackcurrants,

0:52:240:52:27

some toasted hazelnuts,

0:52:270:52:28

and then a little kind of sage-duck salt thing on the side,

0:52:280:52:32

with a red wine and apple caramel jus.

0:52:320:52:35

-Hopefully, you enjoy it.

-Thanks very much, James.

-Thank you.

0:52:350:52:39

The duck's really nice and pink and soft

0:52:540:52:56

and the sage dust is really nice,

0:52:560:52:59

though I'm usually quite sceptical of dusts.

0:52:590:53:01

I just thought that the whole thing

0:53:010:53:03

worked really, really well together.

0:53:030:53:06

I was worried that the kale crisps would be too dry,

0:53:060:53:08

but they actually just melt, don't they? They are so fine.

0:53:080:53:12

He's knocked it out of the park, as far as I'm concerned.

0:53:120:53:14

Really, really good.

0:53:140:53:15

His duck skin could be a little bit crispier.

0:53:150:53:17

His sauce could be a little bit thicker.

0:53:170:53:19

But on the whole, what a great dish for this round.

0:53:190:53:22

Absolutely fantastic.

0:53:220:53:23

Look at the skill on show. Look at the presentation.

0:53:230:53:27

And he is only going to get better.

0:53:270:53:29

I think we've both eaten well.

0:53:320:53:34

I think our guests have eaten well.

0:53:340:53:36

And our decision now is who stays and who goes.

0:53:360:53:39

Listen, James looks like he may have the makings

0:53:410:53:45

of a very, very good cook indeed.

0:53:450:53:47

He said, "I want to cook restaurant-standard food."

0:53:470:53:50

Well, he wasn't far away.

0:53:500:53:51

For an amateur out of a home kitchen,

0:53:510:53:54

that is quite extraordinary,

0:53:540:53:55

what James did today.

0:53:550:53:57

The other one who's really impressed me today is Jess.

0:53:570:54:00

I get nervous of people that mess about with food cultures,

0:54:000:54:03

but Jess can do it.

0:54:030:54:05

That beef with the sesame, bok choy, absolutely lovely.

0:54:050:54:09

Sticky toffee pudding from Jess, got to see more of Jess.

0:54:090:54:13

Got to eat more of her food.

0:54:130:54:14

That means we've now got a conversation

0:54:140:54:17

about Rachel and Louise.

0:54:170:54:19

HE SUCKS TEETH

0:54:190:54:20

Louise gave herself way to much to do today in the time frame she had.

0:54:200:54:23

She wants to prove that she knows lots and lots and lots

0:54:230:54:26

and I think that ambition is great.

0:54:260:54:28

But if you can't deliver, you can't deliver.

0:54:280:54:32

Louise was my pick of the cooks from the first round,

0:54:320:54:35

making her own pasta. The second round, she is going Indian.

0:54:350:54:39

When I tasted those dishes, I loved her chicken and I loved that fool.

0:54:390:54:44

In the previous round,

0:54:440:54:45

Rachel cooked for us a risotto with some pesto and I said to her,

0:54:450:54:50

"I want to see some more skill."

0:54:500:54:52

I've seen in this round flavours, and bags of it,

0:54:520:54:56

I'm still to see the skill.

0:54:560:54:57

Listen, she made a cheesecake.

0:54:570:54:59

Good-tasting cheesecake.

0:54:590:55:00

She made a kind of aubergine, North African lamb ensemble.

0:55:000:55:05

It wasn't particularly ambitious, but it tasted good.

0:55:050:55:10

If I get through, which is a long shot, work on timing is crucial.

0:55:120:55:17

Once you've got that little taste for it, you just...

0:55:180:55:20

..you don't want to let it go.

0:55:200:55:23

You just kind of want to keep coming back.

0:55:230:55:24

That round is what MasterChef is all about.

0:55:360:55:38

What you four have done is made our decision really difficult.

0:55:400:55:44

The contestant leaving us...

0:55:500:55:51

..is Rachel.

0:56:020:56:03

Oh, my God.

0:56:050:56:06

-Sorry, Rachel. It was very close.

-Thank you.

0:56:070:56:09

Oh, deflated.

0:56:130:56:16

I did not deliver enough today and everyone else, I think,

0:56:160:56:19

was far more ambitious.

0:56:190:56:22

I'm just sad to be leaving so soon.

0:56:220:56:24

But...

0:56:240:56:26

..but, you know, it's been such a great experience.

0:56:260:56:29

Well done, you three. You are MasterChef quarterfinalists.

0:56:310:56:36

I don't know if I can talk.

0:56:360:56:37

I have the biggest lump in my throat at the moment, but...

0:56:370:56:40

..emotional. Emotional.

0:56:400:56:44

I really need to nail my timing.

0:56:440:56:46

I've got to get that right next time

0:56:460:56:48

because I know there's no other chance.

0:56:480:56:51

-JAMES:

-Wow. Amazing. Really, really good.

0:56:510:56:53

It's a great feeling. That's a really good feeling.

0:56:550:56:57

Quarterfinalist has an amazing ring to it. I cannot wait.

0:56:580:57:02

I'm so thrilled, so thrilled. Can't believe it, actually.

0:57:020:57:05

On Thursday night,

0:57:070:57:09

seven more home cooks battle for a place in the quarterfinal.

0:57:090:57:13

I think I probably need to hurry up and actually pick something now.

0:57:150:57:18

It's going to be a bit down to the wire with the rice.

0:57:180:57:20

Come on! Let's go. Come on!

0:57:200:57:23

You know, you'd almost queue up for this.

0:57:250:57:27

It's probably very good for your digestion.

0:57:280:57:30

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