Episode 18 MasterChef

It's the MasterChef semi-finals and, after six weeks of competition,

only the four best amateurs are left.

Being in the semi-finals is amazing. It's about improvement. If you're standing still,

then perhaps you won't be a winner.

I'm really proud of myself to have got this far.

I'm striving for perfection. With some hard work, I should get there.

I think with each stage of the competition,

the expectations are higher.

Every dish counts at this stage.

I'd be devastated if I didn't get to the final.

These talented cooks are now on a quest to become finalists,

but to secure their place, they have to survive the next three nights of competition.

I've done many things on MasterChef. This is by far my favourite occasion.

I'm getting really stressed about this.

Bang, bang, bang, let's go!

We have called on some expert help in judging.

I'm not going to taste that. It's just not good enough.

They will never, ever cook for a more challenging room.

I'll be the judge of that.

Oh!

-I could have had a bath in that with a friend.

-This dish is a total shambles.

At the end of the week, only three of them will become finalists.

We are going to lose one of you. I think that's really difficult.

And I'm sorry.

Seven weeks ago, these four amateurs had only ever cooked in their own homes.

Today, they are about to enter some of the culinary world's most skilful kitchens

with chefs who have spent years mastering their art,

precise, layered and highly technical food.

We've picked four amazing chefs to help nurture our contestants.

We want to see how good they really can get.

Though Saira is still an amateur, she has been allowed into the Michelin-starred Benares.

I can't believe I'm about to go in there. It's really exciting.

Atul Kochhar was the first Indian chef to receive a Michelin star.

He's a pioneer of modern Indian cuisine,

famed for deconstructing traditional dishes whilst keeping their essence.

It's all about quality, it's all about pushing the bar up and keeping the flag high.

That's what I say and that's what I do.

Saira from Essex is a mum of two and out of the 50 amateurs who started this competition,

she is here because of some exceptionally well-flavoured cooking...

The chicken is just fantastic.

Your food is full of love and it's full of flavour.

..and has the enthusiasm to keep going.

I'm having a ball. I feel 20 years younger.

But there have been problems along the way.

-Have you got vinegar in your water?

-I've got lemon juice in there which I hope will do the same trick.

You can't really put your food in a paper bag for MasterChef, can you?

Her food has always been tasty, but one thing we know is her issue with presentation.

She's off to work with Atul. He's got real style.

The guy understands how to make that food really sing.

I've always struggled to make my food look amazing

and I hope that what I learn here will help me to achieve that.

-Hello, Saira.

-Hello. Good morning.

Atul is teaching Saira his Michelin-starred version of the classic lamb rogan josh.

It includes a canon of lamb,

a kidney and liver samosa on a bed of tandoori crushed potatoes

with pickled baby artichoke

and a rogan josh sauce.

When you're making the rogan josh, you need a really deep brown sauce.

-You start with a bit of cumin.

-Lovely.

-And a few cloves.

-Cloves.

-At this stage, we can add...

-The bones.

-The bones.

OK? And I will also add some tomatoes.

You have to enrich your dishes.

And spices, I always believe use it like salt and pepper.

-Everything should be in a balance.

-Yeah.

I can completely see now why this place has the Michelin star that it has

because the way that the chef is staying true to the real ethos of Indian food is just amazing.

This is the lamb and you always keep it to medium.

You just need to kind of seal it.

-It is nicely sealed.

-OK.

-For me, this is done.

-OK.

Now, the moment of truth. We cut the lamb.

This is what I expect from you.

Consistency is the most important thing in this kitchen.

-OK.

-That's why we have a Michelin star. That's why we are what we are.

It's beautiful.

Oh, it's lovely.

Think as an Asian woman, but British-Asian woman.

That's fusion, but sensible fusion.

-Don't let me down.

-OK, chef.

Cardiff-born Dale, along with Larkin, are MasterChef's first Welsh semi-finalists.

He is also about to enter the Michelin world.

It's quite daunting, cooking in a Michelin-starred restaurant, but this is what it's all about.

Launceston Place's chef Tim Allen

creates dishes inspired by his classic French training

and his Yorkshire roots.

The basic expectations of anybody working in the kitchen is to have passion for food,

to love what they do and focus and listen to what they've been told.

From early on, Dale has shown some real skill.

Honestly, I am so impressed with this guy.

Your great, big, fat, "tear into me" burger that is still moist and nicely flavoured.

It does it for me. Well done, son.

You nearly saw a grown man cry, but I held it back.

But he is still an amateur with gaps in his knowledge.

It's gone a bit dry. You've boiled it so much, all the liquid's come out of it.

-What is that?

-The beginnings of a hollandaise.

I've never made a hollandaise for more than one or two.

-Why are they both making hollandaise if they don't know how to make it properly?

-It's a bit thick.

We're sending Dale to work with Tim.

Tim is exacting, concise and a wonderful cook.

Dale will learn about refinement and elegance. John, he will do well there.

Let's go.

Tim has created a salad that elevates the humble carrot

by using a variety of techniques.

Salt-baking them, poaching them in honey and mead wine

and a range of raw variants.

He then tops them with pata negra lardo,

baby turnip shoots and a beef and onion reduction.

The first part of the dish we'll get on is the salt-baked carrots as they take the longest.

We've got three kilos here of bog-standard table salt. Then we use a ratio of about 10% egg white.

We use the egg white in the salt to bind it all together

and lock the aromates in too, so it bakes the flavours into the carrots.

Salt-baking encapsulates the flavour of the products inside.

It locks in the flavour and steams it in its own juices.

A lot of people originally thought that salt-baking is just for fish, but it's a lot more versatile.

-Absolutely fine, yeah.

-Straight in?

-Straight in. Let's go for it.

Get your hand in there, chief.

Give it a good mix. That's it.

Superb. So that's the finished crust for the carrots.

The next stage is we encase the carrots. If you put too much on, you could end up with it being salty.

If you get the thickness right, the carrot should cook and steam

by the time it's seasoned enough from the salt mixture. Well done.

Let's get them in the oven, let's get them cooking.

I'm starting to understand what it takes to cook at the highest level.

I just want to make sure that I get it right.

It's totally changed from when we first put it in the oven. Let's go and crack one open.

Let's have a look in there. We've got quite a tender carrot. If the carrot's mushy, we'll start again.

Gently fry it in the pan, OK? Nicely caramelised.

That's the hot component for the dish.

To plate up, Dale will add the four types of carrot,

baby turnip shoots and onion reduction.

The last thing to go on the salad is the pata negra lardo, OK?

There we go - carrot salad.

It's a stunning dish.

You just have added respect when you realise that plate of food has so much happening to bring it together.

DJ Natalie from London's East End is being sent to chef Adam Byatt,

a veteran of Claridge's, The Berkeley

and the two Michelin-starred The Square.

Adam is allowing her into his kitchen today

to witness some of the classic techniques behind his contemporary British cuisine.

I'm just a home cook and now I want to take that to the next level.

I'm nervous, but I'm excited because it's going to be a learning experience.

Despite initially battling nerves,

Natalie has developed a feisty attitude.

-We need to make some space. We have to get these potatoes off and I need to get that fish out now.

-Yeah.

Chef!

-You're loving this.

-I am.

-You're my guinea pigs. It's the first time I've cooked it.

-The first time I've ever been called that!

And she's revealed a brilliant creative touch.

Your flavour notes in there are bold and big and actually bordering on dangerous.

-I find it really delicious.

-You're the first ones I've cooked it for as well,

so to get them comments...

-That's lovely.

-She challenged herself and I think pretty well pulled it all off.

But she is still on a big learning curve.

-You had no idea where to start, did you?

-No, not a clue.

I've run over time, so I'm not pleased with my performance.

Natalie does wonderful flavours, beautiful flavours, but if she goes and works with Adam at Trinity,

she will learn refinement and precision.

-Hi, Natalie.

-Hello.

-I'm Adam.

-Good to meet you.

A great opportunity to learn from us today, so let's get you started.

The dish that Adam wants to demonstrate is a roast partridge,

served with parsnip puree,

roast salsify,

salsify crisps and a game jus with blackberries.

First things first,

hold it up by the wing. Watch first.

-Twist it around the knife, then chop it with the heel of the knife and you get a nice, clean bone.

-OK.

-Like that?

-Yeah, in.

Twist it round. Watch your fingers.

The heel of the knife. That's it.

Pull that skin off.

-There you go. Then it starts all over again.

-Cool.

I've never cooked a partridge or pheasant before, so I'm a bit nervous. It'll be the first time.

We cook all the game birds on the bone.

It's really important. We keep the moisture in the breast that way.

We pop it in the oven.

Natalie will learn from this dish a little bit of finesse.

There's a lot to take on board today, so it's going to be a test.

You feel the backbone there? Feel it.

Cut into the backbone, OK? Take the breasts off the bones.

So you're looking for the bird nice and pink like that.

And this is how we plate the dish.

We send it like that. Make sense?

I've never cooked at this level, so I need to keep calm.

If you lose your head, it'll just be a mess.

Finally, Welsh solicitor Larkin is being sent into the heart of Cambridgeshire

to a restaurant with a special link to the competition.

This is The Hole In The Wall

and the chef-patron is none other than MasterChef finalist Alex Rushmer,

remembered for his experimental style.

The dessert is tarte tatin with pear,

then a blue cheese ice cream.

-Oh!

-That's a mystery ride, a culinary, magical mystery ride.

-What are you cooking?

-A duck breast served with a spiced tobacco caramel,

pickled cucumber and a potato rosti. It's completely my own creation.

I thought that the sweetbreads were the best. They were delicious.

You are super gifted.

Open for just 18 months, Alex's restaurant has already been awarded runner-up

in the prestigious Observer Food Monthly's Best Restaurant.

One thing I've learnt since having a restaurant has been

it's one thing having ideas and being experimental,

but it's another thing being able to execute that on a day-to-day basis. Consistency is absolutely crucial.

Like Alex, Larkin has also been pushing the boundaries.

What are you cooking for us?

I'm going to try something a bit different today.

I'll do a guinea fowl and lobster smoked paella with a citrus air.

I'm glad you're speechless because I'm the same!

Larkin, you clever boy. I don't like "clever" for no reason.

But I fall in love with "clever" that delivers beautiful food.

You can taste a lot of distinct spices.

The amount of work in here and what you've done, I think there's some real, real inspiration.

Oh, my word, your food is beautiful!

Alex was a really inventive cook on MasterChef, but he's learnt to just calm his food down a little bit,

-so it's accessible to the public.

-That sort of lesson will be invaluable.

I have creative ideas, but my skills are very, very raw.

I do need training.

-Hi, Larkin. How are you?

-Fine, thanks.

-We've got plenty of prep to do, so let's crack on.

-Thanks.

Alex is going to teach Larkin how to take his experimental flair and create a crowd-pleaser.

He is using his seared Scottish scallops with iberico ham,

cauliflower puree and a set caramel apple jelly as an example.

First job, we'll make the jelly.

It's a caramel we set with pectin which you find in fruit like apples and quince, but it sets very soft.

So you see the caramel? We've got a really nice, dark caramel here.

So, now we go with the apple juice.

-Can you smell that apple coming off there?

-It smells amazing.

So, the next thing we need to do is add some sugar, the setting agent and then leave it to set.

It's really important that we get this at the right temperature which is 108 degrees,

the temperature at which the setting agent starts to work.

You see the texture already? It's already started to set up.

And that we can just leave out at room temperature to set.

Now for the main component of the dish, the scallops.

-That's it. Got it?

-Yeah.

-When you hear that pop, you've got it.

-There we go.

-That's OK. Nice, clean scallop. Little bit of muscle left on there. Six out of ten. Not bad.

The most important thing when cooking scallops, really nice, hot pan,

-get a really nice sear on one side, just bumping up the flavour.

-OK.

Now we're ready to plate up the dish. Dress it with a few cubes of apple, a few cubes of jelly.

With the scallop, we serve a very thin slice of iberico ham.

The fat starts to melt and it hits it with a nice, piggy flavour which works really well with the scallop.

-We finish it off with a few of these green leaves just to give it some colour contrast as well.

-Amazing.

I love it. It's just really, really nice. Really delicious.

The acidity's there, textures.

It's a really, really good dish.

To cook at home for your family is one thing,

but being able to stand shoulder to shoulder with chefs who have devoted their life to food is another.

Across the country, lunchtime service is about to begin.

And it's the amateurs' chance to prove they deserve to be here.

-First order is through. Saira, you're on. Two lamb canons.

-Yes, chef!

An amateur cook coming into my kitchen, it's a risk, no doubt about it,

because I can't let things go wrong.

-You can always touch it and feel. The core should be soft.

-It needs to stay soft.

-It has to stay soft.

I know I've been in a professional kitchen before, but this is just another level.

I have to get this perfect.

I don't want to get impatient, but you are running slow.

I hate to do this. I'm standing in front of you. I want you to do it quickly, please.

-"Yes, chef."

-Yes, chef.

Come on. This is not right, OK? This is still raw.

-When you were cutting, you knew it, right? Why did you wait for me to tell you?

-Sorry, chef.

The lamb wasn't cooked.

It was a medium order and it was rare, so it's gone back in for a little while.

I should have trusted my instincts. I knew it was a bit too raw.

While Saira is struggling with the lamb,

across London, Dale is trying to stop his hands shaking long enough to plate up the carrot salad.

-Ready to go?

-Yes, chef.

-No, it's not. What's missing?

-TAPS BENCH

-Come on, let's go, yeah?

-Sorry.

Service, please!

It's another level. I'm just trying to concentrate, talk, cook, move. You know? It's a fine art.

-OK, check on, please. OK, six minutes, two carrot salad.

-Yes, chef.

-Ready to go?

-Yes, chef.

-No, it's not. What's missing?

Oh, my God, what have I missed this time?

Dale, really try and concentrate.

There's so much to remember on the dish, all the components. Next time, I just want to get it right.

He's a bit nervous. He needs to remember what's going on the plate.

Meanwhile, back at Benares, Saira still has a Michelin-starred chef breathing down her neck.

-Come on, Saira.

-Sorry.

What's wrong with me?

-Look at that lamb.

-Is it hot?

-Yes.

Get the garnishes on. Make sure the pastilla comes on.

Next two plates up now. Quick, move it. No time to relax.

I'm not even looking, Saira. I want medium-rare to come on my plate.

-I don't want to come and check it out for you.

-Yes, chef.

-Are you good? Happy?

-Yes.

-It looks medium-rare to me. Get it on the plate quickly.

That's it. That's enough. Well done. That looks good. Happy with it?

-I'm very happy with that, chef.

-Are you sure?

-Yes.

OK, check on, please. Two carrot salad, two no main course, please.

-Yes, chef.

-Dale, a bit louder, yeah?

-Yes, chef!

Service is in full swing and Dale is still finding

that plating up carrots is an ongoing challenge.

Concentrate. Make sure every component is on there this time. I want to see these perfect.

Much, much better, Dale. Well done.

Spot-on. Well done, mate. Service!

Let's go, please. Table one.

Over in Cambridgeshire, Larkin's orders for the scallops and iberico ham dish are stacking up.

The standard is very particular on this one,

so yeah, it's fast and furious.

OK, Larkin, five scallops coming up on this table. OK?

Oui, chef.

-I need a scallop on the pass in three minutes, please.

-Oui!

Let's go. Push, push, push, come on. Let's get them on the plate.

That's it.

OK. Good.

-Not quite as neat as the first one, but there are five of them, so I'll let you get away with it.

-Yes, chef.

A bit stressful, actually. I'm still learning the ropes, to be honest,

but I'm trying my best and I'm just going to try and get better.

Five scallops, that's starting to push him to see what the professional world is like.

He'll have to really push on these last few checks and make sure what he does send out is really good.

-Last plate, Larkin. Let's make sure this is the best one yet.

-Oui, chef.

It's looking good.

It's good. Let's send it. Let's go.

-That's the best one. That's lovely.

-Thank you, chef.

With service coming to an end,

Natalie, who has never cooked a pheasant before, is still trying to show she's a quick learner.

I don't want to let chef down. At this standard of restaurant, it's his reputation on the line.

-Chef, puree?

-No, you're plating it. Come on.

That's it. Let's go. Move along.

Get the meat on now.

Come on, chop-chop!

That's nice.

A bit quicker.

-Call the service.

-Service!

-Thanks, Natalie. End of service. Well done.

-Thanks, chef.

-Good service. Are you OK?

There was quite a bit of pressure in here today,

but I feel really inspired because he's now made me look at the way I cook.

It's been an amazing experience. Already I've learnt so much.

Given that this is Michelin-starred food, I think I did OK.

But the pressure is intense and it's his reputation, so he was very particular about what went out.

I'm definitely starting to understand what it takes to cook at the highest level

and mostly starting to worry about what it takes to cook at the highest level!

Cooking with a top chef standing next to you is motivation enough to produce good food,

but the amateurs now have to fly solo

and feed the very mentors who have just held their hands.

Saira will have to master Atul's signature pan-seared pollock

in a spiced Indian sauce, served with spiced polenta.

After service, I want to give him a plate that is absolutely perfect,

that he can't find fault with. That's what I'd love to do.

The signature dish, it's a classic curry from southern India.

I'll try and address the fish now.

Of course, cooking a fish is very critical,

so fish has to be absolutely spot-on,

nicely coloured on the top, crisp and soft in the middle. That's how I like my fish.

And often these dishes are eaten with polenta.

I'm not good at following recipes which in this sort of task can be a hindrance.

I'm not sure about this at all. I don't know if it's supposed to look like this.

The sauce is made in a very classic way, beautifully done. That is the heart and essence of the dish.

This dish is very close to my heart.

I have cooked this so many times, so my expectations are huge.

I don't want anybody to get this recipe wrong, otherwise they'll be punished.

I'm not sure it's Benares-worthy.

I think it looks appetising. Hopefully, it'll taste good.

I just hope chef doesn't think it's too bad.

Wow!

-I would say "close attempt"...

-OK.

-OK?

-But more is not necessarily good.

-Yes.

-When the food starts becoming a tower...

-It's too much.

-Too much.

-The fish has been seasoned well. Look at that.

-Is that good?

-Perfectly cooked.

-I was worried about overcooking it.

-I'm very proud of you on that.

Going for the polenta, the spicing is absolutely spot-on.

-It's just the polenta needs to be cooked for a longer time.

-OK.

It's too dry. It just sticks to your palate. The spicing in the sauce, I can't fault it. I can't.

Great attempt.

-It's just pull out. Don't go with your temptation. Hold back.

-OK.

-OK?

-All right then.

-Trust me. They will appreciate it when you put less on the plate.

I don't know why I put so much on the plate. I just reverted to type.

I'm a bit disappointed with myself, to be honest, but today has been absolutely amazing.

I think I am confident now that I can take my food without compromising on flavour

and still get it out looking wonderful.

Dale will be cooking Tim's grilled quail

with charred cauliflower, pickled raisins and a sweet wine reduction, topped with deep-fried sage.

The chef's signature dish is the ace card. The pressure's on to get it right.

The quail dish is great to eat. You can't beat the flavour of something cooked over wood.

It might sound simple, but you've got to present it and cook it beautifully.

There's quite a few pitfalls in this. The quail itself needs to be crispy-skinned,

nicely caramelised, but still be very pink, moist and seasoned correctly.

Yeah, it feels cooked if I'm working on touch.

Hopefully, it's just got the right level of pinkness in it.

The cauliflower needs to be not completely burnt, but quite heavily charred.

We're drawing out that bitterness from the cauliflower. He's got to get this right cos I like my quail.

I'm confident I can get close to what the chef wants. I just need to be on top of every component.

Chef...

You've taken your time and put it on the plate nicely.

Not how I'd dress it, but every chef's individual.

It's still nicely done. It looks very pretty.

The quail, for my personal taste, I'd have probably gone a bit rarer.

I really do like to eat it rare, but it's certainly not overcooked. Nice and moist and still pink.

The charred cauliflower, you're nearly there.

That bit's spot-on. This one's not quite there. It's not quite got enough colour on it.

The raisins, nicely done and glazed. Not caramelised at all.

The cauliflower puree is nicely seasoned. You've done really well.

-Thanks, chef.

-Overall, you've done really well. You've got the ability. Get your head down and push on.

Yeah, I've taken a hell of a lot from today.

It hasn't quite all sunk in yet.

You never imagine you can cook in a Michelin-starred kitchen

without having been trained, so just being in there was great.

Larkin is preparing Alex's pan-fried duck breast on a potato and spring onion terrine

with pickled cucumber, Swiss chard and a spiced caramel sauce.

Big pressure cooking this next dish.

It's Asian-inspired, so it should lean towards my strengths. Hopefully, I won't balls it up.

It's a dish that's very close to my heart.

It's the first dish that I cooked in my MasterChef heat three years ago

and has been on our menu in some way, shape or form ever since.

MACHINE BUZZES

I'm looking for perfectly rendered fat coming out of the duck breast,

crispy skin on top and meat that is uniform and medium-rare all the way through.

If the spiced caramel is taken too far, it's going to start tasting burnt and acrid,

so I want the spices to infuse into the sugars without the sugars being taken to too high a temperature.

The caramel will be my own interpretation, so I've gone for more subtle flavours, a bit sweeter.

Hopefully, he'll like it as well.

Overall, this is a fairly tricky dish to do, certainly for the first time.

There's a lot of flavours to balance in each element

and they all have to come together in the completed dish, so I hope he treats it nicely.

Wow!

Presentation-wise, I'm not happy because to be perfectly honest, I think it's better than mine.

-I'd be more than happy to send that out into my dining room.

-Thanks.

You've rendered out almost all the fat.

You've left me a nice, crispy skin there.

It could have taken maybe another minute or so just to really crisp up,

but it's nice and even all the way through and you've rested it really well as well.

The potato terrine tastes great, the seasoning's perfect.

You've cooked the veg really, really nicely.

I love the spicing in the caramel. I can taste all those warm spices.

It tastes like a really great Asian duck dish

and it's been executed like a really well done classical French dish. It is brilliant.

Today's been amazing. I've loved every minute of it.

I've learnt so much. I'm really chuffed today.

Finally, Natalie has been given the roast fillet of cod

with cockles, cauliflower and capers, dressed with watercress.

I've never cooked anything quite like it, so it's quite nerve-wracking.

This dish is a cod dish which has been on the menu for a while,

just because I love it.

The cod needs to be cooked perfectly. It needs to be moist and succulent.

The puree wants to be nice and smooth and velvety.

Lovely caramelised cauliflower

and all the acidity and sweetness and oil must be balanced.

Ultimately, every plate of food must have that.

I think it is simple if you do it for a living.

I have to say, it looks fantastic.

The cod looks beautifully crisp and caramelised on top.

-The cauliflower, perhaps more colour, but it's great.

-Thank you.

Is that cod nicely cooked there? Beautiful, absolutely lovely.

Succulent and well cooked.

It's lovely.

Have a try yourself.

The way to teach yourself and to understand food is by eating it, not by cooking it.

I think maybe a little bit more acidity in them.

Yeah.

Also maybe a bit more horseradish?

Mm-hm. It doesn't come through quite as strongly, but it's a fantastic effort, really great.

-I would serve that in the restaurant.

-Thanks, chef.

-Really well done. All the best.

-Cheers.

Today, you know, I learnt a lot of new things.

Now we're in the semi-finals, I need to push myself to the restaurant quality.

I feel excited about the next rounds.

This is exciting. Our four cooks have been out in their restaurants, they've had their experiences.

I want to see what they've learnt.

My expectations from these four are huge.

I want to see some first-class, professional tricks going on here.

I think you four are great. Real, real talent.

You've had some quality time with four very talented chefs.

Now show us what you've learnt.

Let's celebrate great food.

Let's cook.

The contestants now have one hour and 45 minutes to cook two exceptional dishes,

proving they're worthy of their semi-final place.

My professional kitchen experience was really good.

I'm taking something from that, then applying them to my food.

I'm hoping every time I cook, they think that was better than last time and that's the thought process.

-Dale, what are you making?

-A spring vegetable broth with shellfish, smoked cod and anchovy puffs,

and liver and kidney pudding, pea, onion, and a red wine jus.

Your fish soup sounds delicious.

Tell me more about this suet pudding with liver and kidney and mushrooms and chestnuts.

-Is that a starter or a main course?

-A main course, very rich and earthy.

I'm trying to use what I've learned and create new things.

I want to create a mini suet pudding to accompany the liver, freshen it up with the other ingredients.

-What's it like, mate, to make the final four?

-I'm thrilled to be here.

A pressurised position as well. I'm such a perfectionist, I want to get everything right.

Dale, give us a smile, mate.

-I'm really up against it. I'm really worried about getting it on a plate.

-Good luck.

-Thanks.

Dale has got a piece of liver, really rich, and he's doing a little kidney suet pudding.

-I love him!

-That dangerous moment will be that suet pudding.

That suet pudding must be wonderful and soft and really comforting, at the same time, very elegant.

-Saira...

-Hello.

-Look at the smile on your face. Can you believe you are a semi-finalist?

No, I can't believe it. It's amazing.

And already, what I did in the professional kitchen, is a dream come true.

-What are you making?

-Pork vindaloo. It's going to be served with spicy pork crackling and rice and peas.

I'm surprised. A vindaloo is a bowl of curry and I thought you'd give us something smart-looking.

It will be something smart-looking. I'm not giving you a bowl of curry. There are no bowls on my table.

-And the dessert?

-I'm going to follow that with a lemon tart,

some blackberries soaked in cassis and a blackberry, frangipane almond cake.

You've got an hour and 45 minutes, a lot of work to do.

The finesse is the thing I need to remember and I'll give myself plenty of time to plate up,

so that I can make it look as pretty as I want it to.

I love eating Saira's food. I just really hope she's learnt the art of presentation from Atul.

Dessert, the lemon tart with blackberries and cassis, what a joy! But why have we got a cake as well?

I need to show John and Gregg that I can improve the look of my food,

but not compromise on any of the taste.

It's quite a different approach, so from that point of view,

I am a little nervous about how it's going to turn out.

Guys, I'm sorry to tell you, you are halfway.

-Larkin, you've got lotus root.

-Yeah.

-Yarrow.

You've got duck eggs, miso, Shaohsing wine and all sorts of lovely bits and pieces going on.

-What are you making?

-Stir-fried Dover sole, a simple stir-fry,

but there'll be a Dover sole basket made out of bones.

For the main, it's going to be a traditional Chinese dish of steamed pork belly.

It doesn't sound very Larkin-esque to me, this, a stir-fry and a bit of pork.

Well, I just wanted to cook, so less gadgets, more about flavours and balance of flavours.

Less gadgets?! A pressure cooker, sous-vide machine,

deep-fryer, three steaming baskets, vac-packed fennel with red chilli bean sauce,

deep-fried bones of Dover sole... There's lots going on here, Larkin.

I'm sorry, I couldn't resist.

-I love the smile, Larkin. Good luck, mate.

-Thanks.

He thinks he's doing some ordinary, everyday food, then you realise how exceptional a cook he really is.

We've got a basket made from the skeleton of the sole.

We've got this wonderful crispy texture of the fish bones with a beautiful, soft Dover sole stir-fry.

The thing I'm most worried about on this dish is the Dover sole crisp.

And that's going to require dexterity.

I'm not entirely sure if it will work, but hopefully, it will.

Natalie, what's it like being a semi-finalist?

It's amazing. I thought I would have gone out a lot earlier,

so to get to here, it's like winning the Lottery. It's just mad.

-What are your two dishes?

-Pan-fried sea bass with cauliflower puree, cauliflower couscous

-and cauliflower tempura.

-Are you doing us a dessert?

I'm going to do a chocolate and hazelnut crumble tart with a raspberry ripple cream.

How far can you go in this competition?

After being in the kitchen with Adam yesterday, I've got loads of new ideas going forward.

-You know you've got loads of work to do.

-I know.

-So you'd better hurry up.

-Cheers.

Natalie has got sea bass with cauliflower three ways.

There has to be the right amount of puree and couscous, so the dish isn't dry.

I am the emperor of pud.

I'm not sure raspberry cream is the right match for chocolate hazelnut crumble.

There's tremendous pressure in this competition and it's just going to get harder and harder,

but I'm very determined today.

I want to crack it to make it perfect.

Five minutes left. That's all you've got.

You've got just over a minute.

Time's up.

-Saira, you are on borrowed time now, all right?

-Yeah.

-Done.

For his first course, Dale has made smoked cod with mussels

in a spring vegetable broth,

served with an anchovy and caper puff.

I love it. I love the colours. It looks like the food of Provence. I absolutely love it. Look at that!

I think the whole thing is a sweet, fresh, flavoursome delight.

It tastes every bit as good as it looks, my friend.

Your flavour in that puff pastry with the salted white anchovies is absolutely wonderful.

What I'm getting is a little bit of overpowering smoke from that fish.

Dale's second course is lamb's liver on a bed of onion puree

with a kidney suet pudding,

mint pea puree and a red wine jus,

served with mushrooms and chestnuts

and topped with crispy bacon and pea shoots.

That is a fantastic demonstration of how you can do a big, manly dish and still make it look smart.

I like the deep richness, almost bitterness of that liver

and with it you have put a minted pea puree which is sweet and sharp and refreshing.

Nothing would stop me demolishing the whole thing, then wiping the plate clean with buttered bread.

I like your suet pudding, but it should be full of gravy and sticky and soggy.

It's a bit tough and it's dried out a bit.

The crispy, salty bacon with your liver and the onion puree is a wonderful thing.

You've done a huge amount of work here, Dale, and you should be really pleased.

You've got really big, bold flavours and really interesting ideas.

I've really pushed myself, everything from purees to pastries, to cooking fish, meat, offal.

There was a lot going on, so I think that what I presented was good.

Saira's first course is pork loin with vindaloo sauce,

pork crackling on a bed of rice and peas with pickled onions and baby turnips.

I really like this. I love it when you explore the cuisine of India.

-It's always been difficult for you to present and I think you've pulled it off. It's lovely.

-That's great.

I love the soft pork with that really crunchy, almost burnt garlic.

Really quite bitter.

Your vindaloo sauce is lovely. It tastes sharp, almost pickly, then sweet, then hot.

And I really like the sharp, bitter turnip. I think it's fantastic.

Oh, great.

Saira, you've made a massive leap here into a world of design,

but I don't believe there's enough rice to meat and sauce ratio.

I love the texture of the crackling, but we've got charred bits around the top of it.

I think you're getting there and I'm really pleased you've done it.

Saira's second dish is lemon tart

with cassis-soaked blackberries

and blackberry frangipane sponge, topped with clotted cream.

I like your lemon tart. Your pastry is well done and sweetened as well.

I like the sponge, but I don't really see what a sponge is doing there with a classic lemon tart.

-I agree with Gregg. You've got two desserts on one plate.

-OK.

A piece of tart, blackberry coulis, thanks very much,

this young man would be kissing you fair and square on the forehead!

I think I've performed well.

I don't think I've performed at my best,

but I'm pretty happy that I've gone a big step in the right direction.

For his first course,

Larkin has made a Dover sole stir-fry,

served in a crispy Dover sole bone basket.

That is fabulous, mate. I love that. Look at that.

Fish in a fish. It should be in the Science Museum!

-Clever boy.

-Thanks, Gregg.

I love the process, the fact that you've taken the whole fish and utilised the whole body.

Inside there, you've got beautifully cooked little bits of fish with sweet carrot

and the saltiness from your sauce.

You've got the richness of the celery, then a massive smack around the face with huge bits of ginger.

-It's very clever and you should be really proud.

-Thanks, John.

Really proud, mate. That's great.

The fish is beautifully cooked. I love the crunch of those fish bones.

Larkin, it just looks good. It just tastes fantastic.

-Thanks.

-Right, let's move from your fish to your pork.

For his second course, Larkin has made braised pork belly with taro,

chilli fennel, lotus root crisps, chop suey greens

and a fennel kimchi or chutney, garnished with chrysanthemum flowers.

It's beautiful.

-OK.

-Properly, honestly, heart-stopping, beautiful.

That spiciness, that real heat and rich, spicy aniseed with your sweet, succulent pork

is absolutely fantastic.

On there also you've got crispy lotus root which gives you wonderful texture,

you've got the chalkiness from your taro.

-It's... It's delicious.

-Thanks.

The pork is nicely cooked.

Your paste is almost caramel sweet and it finishes in sharpness,

but the fennel that you've had in a vac-pack bag with chilli

is just incredible against that sweet pork. Incredible!

I'm feeling great after that. I've just had the most amazing comments. I'm really chuffed with what I did.

Natalie's first dish is pan-fried sea bass fillet

on a bed of cauliflower puree with cauliflower, apricot and almond couscous

and cauliflower tempura.

Natalie, it works really well. You've got earthiness coming from your cauliflower puree.

Your fish is really nicely cooked.

There are some great textures, great flavours, some really nice cooking.

I like the elegance. It's pretty good.

The flavour sensations in a tiny little bit of cauliflower couscous dust are incredible.

Clever and new to me!

Natalie's dessert is chocolate and hazelnut crumble tart

with Chantilly cream and a raspberry sauce.

It's very grown up. You made great pastry which is beautifully cooked and wonderful and crumbly.

Your filling of chocolate is soft and rich and full of cocoa.

I love your raspberry coulis because it's still sharp and sweet.

I don't see why a chocolate tart of such elegance needs a crumble top as you've got crumbly, buttery pastry.

-OK.

-Don't chuck too many things at it.

-You don't need to.

-Brilliant.

That filling is bitter with cocoa, but soothing and warm and toasty again with nut.

That's lovely and I think all it needs is double cream. I really don't like a raspberry coulis on it.

There were a couple of little mistakes.

It was mainly on my dessert, but yeah, I'm over the moon with the comments.

All four of you, in your own way, with your own dishes, are proving that you are seriously talented.

All I ask is that you keep on going, keep on progressing and who knows where you four are going to end up?

Congratulations for today. Thank you very much for some wonderful food. Off you go.

John, they were absolutely amazing. They are going to be fantastic.

I know that Saira had a few issues today, but I love the taste of her food.

I think I did what I wanted to do which was take my inspiration

from the professional kitchen and bring it in front of the judges.

Natalie is inventing some brilliant flavour and texture combinations, John, some really innovative stuff.

I think I just need to keep this forward thinking, like they've never had that couscous until today.

I need to keep making sure that I do something that's a bit different from the others.

As for Dale, his cooking, he just keeps on pushing, he wants to do more process, more exciting food.

I really pushed myself. My dishes weren't perfect.

But I feel more positive now that I've heard the judges' comments.

Larkin is one pure class act. His flavours are fantastic, his food looks fantastic.

The last few rounds, I've just had the most amazing comments.

I just want to show the type of cook I've become. I'm really, really happy with my outcome.

They are all upping the ante.

They are pushing each other to greater and greater heights.

Now we know what they're capable of, we're just going to turn the heat up one more number.

Tomorrow night, the semi-finalists enter the world of fine dining...

I'm getting really stressed about this.

-Get yourself organised, right?

-OK.

..cooking for 12 icons of the silver screen.

Hmm!

Hmm! It tastes like raspberry jam.

Whoever made this gets a medal.

They will also face one of the most revered chefs in the country.

You've either got it or you haven't.

It's perfection on a plate. Well done.

I'm speechless.

I'm absolutely speechless.

If you do this again, I'm going to send you home.

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