Episode 21 MasterChef

This is it.

After eight weeks of exceptional food...

..hard graft...

I'm getting really stressed about this.

Bang, bang, bang. Let's go!

..and high drama...

OH!

Oh, God!

This is as far away from fine dining...

..as North Pole, South Pole.

SHE SOBS

It's finals week on MasterChef.

You are our final three.

Larkin, Natalie

and Dale

are about to face the cooking adventure of a lifetime.

This is their Everest.

How are you doing?

If he goes down, the whole service will go down.

At the end of the week,

only one of them will be crowned MasterChef Champion 2013.

It's been such a hard road getting here.

Never in a million years did I think I'd get to the final three.

But I'm here now, and I really want to win it.

I've put every waking minute into this competition.

It's just been all-consuming.

And you've got to, like, keep pushing and keep pushing.

It's probably the biggest thing that I've ever done.

I haven't seen my friends since the competition started.

I don't go out drinking. I don't do anything other than just cook.

To win it would be better than anything else that's ever happened.

Our MasterChef Champion is...

Italy.

Home of art, culture

and the cornerstone of the Italian way of life -

food.

With a natural larder in every region,

this country's cuisine has been one of the most influential

in the modern world.

At its heart is a simplicity that can only be mastered

by those with real skill.

Over the next 72 hours,

these three amateurs

will travel across this country

for a masterclass of a lifetime.

From the traditional rustic fare of Amalfi...

ALL: Mmm!

..to the three-Michelin-starred cuisine of Florence.

The only thing I used to think you put on a spit-roast was a kebab.

That beats any doner I've seen!

This for me is the best food in the world.

Their first stop is the Amalfi Coast

and the village of Ravello.

It's mental being in such a beautiful country.

We've just come from London and it's raining,

and, you know, there's sunshine. It's just beautiful.

They're here to find the legendary cook, Mamma Agata.

SHE SPEAKS ITALIAN

My mother started when she was eight years old.

At the beginning, she cooked for her family.

There were eight brothers and sisters.

When she turned 13,

still they were very poor,

so she went to work for a very rich American woman

in a private villa.

Over the last six decades,

Mamma Agata has cooked for the likes of Humphrey Bogart,

Elizabeth Taylor and Jackie Kennedy,

who clamoured to this part of the country to eat her rustic dishes.

Tonight the contestants will have to cook for Mamma Agata's family,

but first they will need to learn the secrets

behind her rustic dishes.

Buongiorno!

I'm Chiara.

Nice to meet you.

Today we're going to cook traditional recipe in our home,

so let's get started.

Our way of cooking is about 250 years old.

It's THE traditional cooking.

There's no alteration from the outside.

So we really hope that the contestants will learn

to cook with more passion and love.

First recipe - gnocchi,

with dried tomatoes in the dough.

First thing to do is always to cook the potatoes

with the skin on.

Once peeled,

we crush them.

We are going to use 00 flour,

Parmigiano-Reggiano,

and one egg.

At this point, she puts the dried tomatoes, chopped.

DALE: It was really impressive seeing Mamma Agata and Chiara in the kitchen.

Kind of reminds me of me and my mum

when we're at home, cooking,

in the way that they've got chemistry and know what each other's doing.

When the gnocchi starts to float,

we actually just shock under cold water,

because we have to stop the cooking.

Otherwise they get like mashed potatoes.

Now, sauce...

parsley, artichoke into the oil,

then we will add dried tomatoes.

The best way is to love your own food.

When you love what you cook,

you know, it is the best expression of what you are doing.

A passion about what you do.

And you believe in what you're doing.

Gnocchi, sauce is done.

Simple and genuine.

That's so nice!

So what do you think about it?

That's already a good sign!

It's amazing, and the sauce has just, like, transformed the gnocchi,

but you can still taste the gnocchi.

You can taste everything.

The balance,

it's everything.

-Do you like it?

-Yeah.

It's brilliant.

-I love it.

-It's OK!

The essence of Italian food

is the ingredients need to be fresh.

When you are able to pick from your garden

fresh herbs,

fresh vegetables,

they will transfer in what you serve, which is the recipe...

speaks of energy of life.

Next we're going to do pappardelle pasta

with peppers and sausage.

It's amazing to be in this kitchen.

The fresh produce that are lying around the kitchen have been grown in the garden.

I don't even know if they've got a freezer. It's just brilliant.

So, first we start frying the peppers.

We're using red and yellow peppers.

Beautiful are the colours.

You know, the cooking is not just the tasting,

but it's a wedding of feeling -

you know, your eyes, your nose, your mouth -

so we use red and yellow because they are happy.

There we are starting the actual sauce.

She added olive oil, butter and onion.

You can just tell she loves her food,

just so into the ingredients.

I just feel really privileged to be here.

Now, sausage time.

Look at these - ah!

First you sear flavour in

and then you pierce fat out.

Now introduce all the other ingredients on top of the sausage.

You need to marry all the ingredients,

so it's important to cook slowly, slowly

for about 30 minutes.

So, roll the dough,

cut it, and there's the pappardelle.

So 50% of the sausage we minced and put it back into the pan.

This looks so good. It's like torture, waiting for it.

A beautiful Parmigiano cheese.

Here you are. This is the final dish now -

pappardelle with peppers and sausage

and a little bit of Parmigiano cheese.

ALL: Mmm!

That's amazing!

It's so rich, really good.

That is so good. It's amazing how a few little things make something taste so good.

This has changed my opinions on gnocchi and pasta,

because before, I didn't eat very much of it,

but after tasting everything,

it's become my new favourite thing.

OK, now let's start. Squid.

We're going to add inside

tentacles,

green olives, black olives,

a few capers, some breadcrumbs

and Parmigiano cheese.

Good?

OK, time to stuff the squid.

It literally is amazing the flavours that they can put into the food,

because there's so few ingredients in each dish -

it's all just kind of singing from the same hymn sheet.

We're going to sear the fish.

And now, oregano.

Cherry tomatoes.

And we cook it slowly, slowly

for 30 minutes.

If you cook ten minutes, this will be terrible - too tough.

Mmm!

Oh, my God!

MAMMA SPEAKS IN ITALIAN

-She is happy that you are enjoying it.

-It speaks for itself.

It's like heaven!

-It's amazing.

-Simple. You know, we didn't do anything

terribly difficult. So we'll leave you the kitchen now.

Enjoy!

It's been amazing, coming into their kitchen, cos, you know,

we've been in kitchens with chefs shouting at you, and to come in a nice relaxed kitchen

with a lady that's cooked for everyone - Liz Taylor,

and Pierce Brosnan,

and she's just given us a little insight

into, you know, what she does.

Now the amateurs are going to cook the family recipes

that have been passed down for five generations.

My family has lived in this house for the last 250 years.

I was born in the house.

My mother was born in the house, and her mother.

Just my kids in the hospital, because the new generation, you know.

But 250 years, always been here.

I always say, "Cook poor

"and the food will make you rich."

Dale is cooking the pappardelle pasta

with sausage and peppers.

It's brilliant to cook for the family.

Food is a way of life for the Italians,

and I like to think that food's a way of life for me as well, really.

I know the recipe, but it's probably not as good as Mamma's.

I'll try and replicate it.

-Dale, what are you making?

-Sausage pappardelle.

It's not something you're used to.

You like little bits and pieces around a plate that you dig into individually.

I do like kind of pretty plates of lots of stuff,

but at the same time, I absolutely adore this type of cooking.

I hope I can do it justice, because it's a knockout dish.

Natalie will be serving the gnocchi

with artichokes and sundried tomatoes.

I've never made gnocchi in my life,

but I'm learning, absorbing it quite quickly.

But I think, instead of following recipe books,

seeing it helps you learn it quicker.

I think once they've cooked, it'll be all right.

Hopefully they'll turn out just as perfect as their ones.

-What about you, Nat? What are you doing?

-I'm doing the gnocchi with the artichokes.

-You're making the gnocchi yourself?

-I've made it and it's been shocked.

Hey! You shocked it.

Yep, so I'm just getting these prepped up.

-OK. How important is it for you to get those cooked quickly?

-Very important,

-cos otherwise, they start to lose their colour.

-Yeah, OK. Happy with it?

-Yeah, I'm happy.

Larkin has taken on Mamma Agata's stuffed squid.

There is a bit of pressure. I don't want to spoil their dish for them.

They'll crucify me if I serve them some chewy squid.

-Have you got the squid?

-Yes.

That is a beautiful dish.

It is, yeah.

Squid's a big part of Asian cooking,

so it's quite nice to see it done in an Italian way.

Is it really nice to see it done properly for a change?

Yeah, well, I was going to try to ripple the skin off.

It's quite weird seeing the skin on, but it works, you know.

How do you feel about cooking for this family?

I want to do the best I can for them,

because they've been so hospitable,

and I just want to give them a good meal.

Actually tastes really good.

I think what would really impress my mother

is that if the contestants will show

her passion and love

for what they do.

The way that we can realise that is just through their food.

APPLAUSE

Bravo!

Look at that! Oh, Natalie.

Thank you.

Wow!

-I hope you enjoy it.

-Absolutely.

Perfect.

For 100 years.

Phew! We did it, boys!

They looked happy.

Well done. That was good, weren't it?

SHE SPEAKS ITALIAN

She says that the dough is good.

Just a little less flour in.

The flavour, the sauce...

Amazing.

IN ITALIAN

She says that the pasta is good

and the sauce - the peppers, the sausage - are cooked well.

Good job.

I don't think he's cooked it long enough. What do you think?

Just a little cooking,

but the flavour is beautiful.

Um...he did also a beautiful job.

I just think the squid needs a little bit more cooking.

But then, perfect.

APPLAUSE

You did really a good job.

We really enjoyed it.

And also Mamma wants to say something.

IN ITALIAN

She likes the way you made the pasta.

The gnocchi also,

it's not easy to make a gnocchi

and they were very good.

Then the fish...

had a beautiful flavour,

so truly,

we are happy.

APPLAUSE

Fabulous! Well done.

I've just absolutely loved it. Loved every minute of today.

It's just been amazing.

I kind of wish Mamma had a daughter. I could marry into the family then!

Definitely a night to remember. Amazing surroundings.

Amazing people, amazing food.

It's been a lovely day, coming into their home and cooking.

You'll never experience anything like this again.

What an amazing way to start this extraordinary trip.

Italy at its best. Food from the home and for the family.

This journey just gets more and more exciting.

Now we're going completely the other end of the scale.

It's day two

and the contestants have travelled north to Florence,

to continue their Italian culinary journey.

The birthplace of the Renaissance,

this city is renowned for its rich artistic heritage

as well as its famed Tuscan cuisine.

It's amazing being in Florence,

especially with studying it at school, the history of this town.

I hope where we're going,, the chefs speak a form of English

because if they're just yelling at us in Italian...

Don't do that.

I've watched programmes before, where they've gone into kitchens

and they're French, and they just shout in French, and if they don't understand, they throw pots at them.

In the heart of Florence

lies the Enoteca Pinchiorri.

Opened in 1979,

this restaurant's interpretation

of traditional Tuscan gastronomic cuisine

has seen them hold three Michelin stars

for almost a decade.

Led by its indomitable owner, Annie Feolde,

the Enoteca's food is the epitome of Tuscan culture,

where colours and aromas are equally as important as taste.

Our style of cooking here

is so simple and so difficult at the same time.

We are never satisfied,

because we can always do more.

It's a struggle and it's a passion, therefore, it's our life.

Executive chef Italo Bassi

has worked at the restaurant for 24 years

and is the driving force behind the restaurant's perpetual reinvention.

Today each of the contestants

must learn and replicate a signature dish from the menu.

This is a dream come true to me. I'm absolutely buzzing right now.

Larkin is making the Doppi Ravioli,

stuffed with guinea-hen stew and fresh burrata,

then topped with Parmesan fondue

and a thyme and meat gravy.

-Have you prepared pasta before?

-No.

-This is the first time?

-First time.

We need the pasta very, very, very thin.

-It's very thin.

-Very, very thin.

And now...

our filling, it's in your hand...

And the second filling, burrata.

And we separate like this.

And now we pinch our ravioli, like this.

And now we prepare our dish.

There it is. Parmesan sauce.

A little bit, like this.

Some meat sauce.

Made with the bone.

A little bit of fresh thyme -

the leaves, like this.

The plate is finished.

Enjoy.

My idea is an explosion of taste

when you eat, so...

I want a nice combination of taste.

-This is my philosophy.

-Mmm.

That's so good!

This is the nicest pasta I've ever had.

-Good luck.

-Thank you.

Chef just made that look so easy. I've never seen anything like that.

The ravioli just looks beautiful.

It's the first time I'm going to make pasta,

so I'm a little bit worried if I can replicate it or not,

but it'll all be in the dough, I suppose.

It's thin enough for me.

It probably isn't as perfect as Chef's,

but I'm not going to risk taking it any more.

So, Natalie, now we start boiling the red onions and the potato.

Natalie's dish is the Mora Romagnola -

spit-roasted leg of pork and loin

served with vinegar-caramelised red onions,

olive oil mashed potato

and mustard sauce.

And then I put some red vinegar...

..and the sugar, half and half...

Now we put red onions inside.

And we keep like this for two hours.

Use the leg and the loin.

Now we season.

So now we have our leg on the spit

for about 30, 40 minutes.

Very hot,

because I want the skin very crispy.

Now just a few minutes in the oven.

We start to caramelise the onions.

Caramelised...very nice.

Now we finish our plate.

Put some sauce...

And the plate is finished.

It looks absolutely stunning.

-Yes.

-It's like a picture.

Thank you very much.

Nice?

It's amazing.

So...you can try to do for me this plate?

I will do my very best to make it good for you,

because that is stunning.

I'm 100% determined to try and get this dish right.

The thing I'm most worried about is the butchery of the pig,

because I just don't want to hack off a left hand,

because I am known to be accident-prone.

This is going quite well.

The pig's coming along nicely.

The only thing I used to think you put on a spit-roast was a kebab.

That beats any doner I've seen!

So...yeah, it's all right.

Dale has the dessert -

a dish which took two years to develop.

Titled "Coconut",

it is made up of three sauces -

a basil, an almond,

and a coffee vanilla caramel.

It's topped with an almond dacquoise,

or meringue,

then powdered iced coconut

and a cream.

They start with the basil gel.

We're going to cook basil

for 20 seconds.

Blitz it.

We only have to strain it and set it aside.

At the same time, they have to make the almond cream.

So once it's like that...

you see it is boiling but not too much...

it's ready.

Fresh coffee...

Then get the coffee caramel on the boil.

We're going to put this one on a low heat.

This sauce has two techniques -

making a perfect caramel

then adding the cream component.

This is very important. Don't add the cream when it's cold,

because otherwise, like, it will explode,

because the cream is going to be too cold

and the caramel is too hot.

Just like that.

As you can see, it didn't explode.

What you need is the right point.

We're going to start to plate up.

Almond cream...

..basil...

..coffee cream,

almond dacquoise...

We're going to cover with frozen coconut powder.

Oh, wow!

It's probably the nicest dessert I've ever tried - genuinely.

Thank you.

It's just another level altogether.

Everything you see a pro chef do in these environments,

they may it look easy.

You could kid yourself into thinking it's going to be a breeze,

but I know it won't be like that.

Dale has to watch out.

We have two different creams,

so he has to be careful on the preparation of each one,

because each one has a different technique.

We'll see after, when we taste it.

Just made the almond cream. That's in the fridge, just cooling.

I'm just making the basil water now,

so I can get the basil gel in the fridge.

Can the three British amateurs

now cook to Italian three-star standards?

I'm quite happy with these.

They look similar-ish.

They're not as precise as Chef's,

but I mean, not bad for a first attempt.

I've never made olive oil mashed potato before,

so it's a bit different to...

We have loads of butter at home, so it's a bit different.

I need to make sure I've put enough olive oil in.

It tastes all right. I just think it needs a little bit more oil.

His one was a little bit greener.

But I don't want to add too much,

because you can't take it away.

It's the moment of truth for Dale's volatile coffee cream caramel.

I don't want caramel to be all over this kitchen.

I'm slightly worried about my face.

Looks like it's worked,

so I'll get the seal of approval from Chef in a minute.

Hopefully!

I'm just hoping they stay together,

because hopefully, I would have done it tighter, really.

Very good, Larkin.

It looks very nice.

Thank you.

The filling inside

is very nice.

I can taste there is an explosion of flavour.

But...

I cannot see the pinch of ravioli.

You can pinch...

one by one, and after you cut,

I cannot see this shape.

But...

my compliment, because I know it is very difficult

to prepare one kind of ravioli like this.

Thank you.

It was a pleasure. Thank you very much.

For my first time making pasta,

I think it was reasonably good.

I'm a bit annoyed with myself that I forgot to pinch the actual pastas.

But I'm just so glad to have had the opportunity to cook at this level.

It's just made me want it even more.

This skin is like dynamite.

It is absolutely dripping in moisture,

and it is really crunchy, nice skin,

so I'm really pleased with myself.

Really pleased.

I hope he's pleased with it,

but we'll just have to wait and see.

Ladies first.

Thank you very much.

Oh!

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

So, that's very nice. Look at this.

Well-presented, isn't it?

Yes, it is very nice.

Very, very nice.

I like it.

The baby pork is really wonderful,

with a very crispy skin.

Mmm, that's very nice. Very good.

The skin is perfect and the meat inside is very tender.

The onions is a very nice combination,

with acidity and sweet. Very nice.

-My compliment.

-Thank you.

Just one thing.

Next time in the...potato puree,

-you can put a little bit more olive oil in.

-OK.

-We need them more soft...

-OK.

..with the olive oil,

but the plate is very, very nice.

My compliment.

Thank you, Chef. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Good luck.

I just feel like...I don't know.

It's like a dream, cos, you know, it's three Michelin stars.

You don't expect to get that feedback.

Obviously, I could have added a bit more olive oil,

but everything else, especially down to the meat -

that was the bit I was most worried about, and butchering it - all went right.

Thank you very much. Mmm!

It's my favourite dessert. Can you imagine?

DALE: Pressure's on!

So...let's try it.

I know it's not easy to make this kind of dish,

but...

I have to say that the balance is very good.

But only one thing...

My portion was a little too small.

But I have to say, for the first time, it was a good job.

You've succeeded in showing all the different tastes,

so my best compliments also.

Thank you.

The flavour is very, very nice.

I like very much.

I like the presentation,

and I think...

you did very nice work.

Thank you very much. Thank you for having me. It's been a pleasure.

That was intense.

That was brutal. That was great. It was amazing. It was epic.

I'm pleased with the feedback. I won't be chuffed unless I get 100%, and I didn't get 100%.

So I'm pleased, but there's room for improvement.

It's their final day in Italy

and the amateurs are travelling north of Florence

to Fiesole.

Oh, it's a castle!

That's amazing.

Looks pretty cool.

Do you think there's a king and a queen in there?

Welcome to the stunning 11th-century Castello di Vincigliata.

We've exposed you to the heart of Italian cuisine.

Now we need to see what you've learned.

Today we are gathering together

some of the greatest names of the art world here in Florence.

This is really special.

These are Italians who love food.

You job today is to cook them a three-course lunch.

Go and show us how good you've become.

Off you go.

We took them first to Mamma Agata

so they could learn the heart and soul of Italian food.

Then we showed them the smart side of Italian food.

They're going to have to draw on both those lessons now

and do us one superb lunch.

This is the first time we're going to see our three cook their own food.

And it's got to impress.

Dale has decided to make a starter -

crab risotto with a crab-stuffed Parmesan crisp.

The competition moves so fast, and you've got to try and show new skills and new things.

I was never going to come into this level of competition

and just cook a bog-standard risotto.

I'm throwing myself out of my comfort zone with crabs and crab meat and Parmesan snaps.

This dish is really about balancing those flavours

and trying to apply what I've learnt throughout the week.

Dale, big responsibility on your shoulders - you've got the starter.

I'm making a crab risotto,

so I've cooked a couple of crabs and picked the brown and the white meat.

I used the white meat in Parmesan crisps.

-You've got crab-flavoured Parmesan crisps?

-Yeah.

-Have you done these before?

-No.

Argh!

These people here may know a thing or two about risotto, mate.

Yeah, I've got to be on top of my game.

Don't mess it up.

Dale kicks off the whole show with a crab risotto.

John, a crab risotto's a nice dish. It's got to be beautifully flavoured,

because you can't get great presentation out of it.

I have one small doubt at the back of my mind, a niggle.

And that is cheese and seafood on a risotto.

Usually if it's seafood, you don't put cheese anywhere near it,

and he's made little Parmesan and white crab discs

to sit on top of his risotto to make it pretty.

I do wonder how the guests are going to take that.

Larkin is roasting a suckling pig

and serving it with potato fondant,

celeriac puree,

cavolo nero

and an orange jus.

Tell me how you're preparing the pig.

I've taken the bones out of the back legs

-and then I'm going to roast those.

-Right.

And what about the loin?

Just roasting that whole and trying to get the skin nice and crispy.

-So you're going to serve that on the bone?

-I'll see how it turns out. I've never cooked it before,

so I'll see what it looks like.

-You've never cooked a suckling pig before?

-No.

So why are you doing it here?

I've cooked pork a lot,

so I thought it wouldn't be that much different.

And cavolo nero?

I'm going to take the stalk... I've never cooked with it before.

I'll use the leaves, blanch them and then saute them to finish off.

OK.

-Good luck, Larkin.

-Thanks, John. Cheers.

John, I love it.

It's got to look hearty

and at the same time look smart,

and that isn't easy, especially from a kitchen in a tent.

He's never cooked a suckling pig before. He's never cooked cavolo nero before.

Both those things are on his dish. Suckling pig and cavolo nero for a group of Italians?

I mean, suckling pig here is a celebration.

It's something you bring out and it's, you know,

"Look at me!" type food.

And cavolo nero is strong and big and butch.

I just hope Larkin can cope with that.

Natalie is making the dessert.

We learnt so much stuff at the Michelin-starred.

It just filled my head with so many ideas

that I want to use going forward.

I've decided to take a different approach to desserts -

go in a more modern direction

instead of more traditional desserts from now on.

How do you feel about dessert, Natalie?

Um...dessert's not always my strong point,

but today I'm going to do a milk ice cream.

I'm going to pickle some blackberries, using some dandelion and burdock,

some honeycomb pieces

and some little lavender flowers.

-Have you got time to do all this, seriously?

-I will get it done,

and it will look like a picture for you.

I like the dessert.

All right? Do it. Do it well.

She says she's turning her back on the traditional. She wants to go for something avant garde,

something modern.

Lots and lots of bits and pieces for her to do,

and how's she going to make it look stunning?

You have one hour, and we start serving lunch.

Dale has been concentrating so hard on his risotto stock

that he's neglected his Parmesan crisps.

Those didn't work.

No spares, so I'll just make some more now.

No problem.

Larkin's suckling pig is in the oven.

Go on, son.

Now he starts work on the fondant potatoes

and celeriac puree.

I haven't had a chance to practise this dish,

so I don't really know what it tastes like.

I just wonder, is there too much going on for a suckling pig?

That's the only thing going through my mind at the moment.

Yeah, big worry.

Natalie's blackberries are pickled...

..and the lavender seeded.

But she's struggling with the honeycomb.

The tray's too small so it's gone...

Have you done that in honour of Vesuvius?

In honour of the...who?

-Vesuvius.

-The place where they have the volcanoes?

-That's right. Vesuvius is a volcano.

-Ah!

-Ah!

-Ah, now I get it.

Ah, good!

The Florence art world has begun to arrive.

What I'm interested in is the visual part of setting out the plates, because it is so rare

where they're careful to this aspect of the food, so I'm curious.

I would like to see how these chefs have combined

their British background with Italian ingredients.

It's great to have the opportunity

of eating food from three different chefs.

So it's great.

It's a good challenge for them and I.

All the guests are here, Dale. You've got 15 minutes left.

15 minutes should be OK for time.

-Are you up against it now?

-It's just the rice.

If the rice doesn't absorb enough liquid within the next 12 minutes,

-then I'll be up against it.

-Go on, mate.

You kick the whole party off.

I think the crab risotto with Parmesan snap

could be very tasty. Perfect.

Unusual combination. I would never put Parmesan on crab,

so I am curious to know what that tastes like.

Watch your rice, Dale.

-Are you very happy with that rice?

-I am happy with it.

The stock was deep enough, the flavour's there.

-That's good, Dale.

-Very nice, Dale.

Service, please.

I would have liked a touch more stock

just coming out of the bottom of the rice.

Just a tiny bit more sauce, I'd have been happier.

Dale's risotto is served

with a crab-stuffed Parmesan crisp and lemon oil.

I think the presentation is very nice.

I like the combination. In Italy, it's not very used to put fish with cheese,

so I can't wait to taste it.

The risotto was a little bit al dente.

To my taste, I would like better that little bit more cooked.

I admit I like very much dishes with few ingredients

with a very strong character.

So I don't like very much mixtures.

So I'm very partial.

And the rice, it seems to be not very well cooked.

Hmm? But it's an interesting experiment, you know?

-It's not going to be cold, is it, Larkin?

-I'm going to put it back in the oven to warm back up.

-You going to warm your plates up?

-Yeah.

-Good. Please.

15 minutes, mate.

Roast suckling pig. It's a very difficult thing to cook,

because it takes a long, long, long time.

It has to be a very crispy...

skin. That is what makes the difference.

We'll see.

You have to plate this up quickly or it'll go cold.

Yes, Chef.

I think Larkin's got a lot to put on that plate

and he's going to have to make it look pretty.

-Arrosto di maiale.

-No, no, it's perfectly all right.

Very nice.

-Oh, yeah.

-They cooked, Larkin?

Um...

They're a bit tough, actually.

Service, please.

Good job, mate. Well done.

All I can do is just wait now.

I've done all the hard work now. I just hope they like it.

Larkin has made roast and braised suckling pig,

served with cavolo nero,

potato fondant,

celeriac puree

and an orange jus.

I find it well-blended.

I find it... The potato was not really well-cooked.

And I liked very much the puree.

It's OK. Cavolo nero tastes good with pig.

The skin was not very crispy indeed. But that sometimes happens.

But at the end, I enjoyed

very much.

The meat is cooked very well, I think.

Moist and tender.

Suckling pig is supposed to be the most tender meat

you can have, you know.

And, um...this is good.

You look too relaxed to me. You know you've got 15 minutes?

Don't worry. I'll get it done.

There are a lot of ingredients in the dessert.

So I'm very curious to know how they all blend in

and how they taste.

Your waiters are waiting.

Come on, Nat.

Service, please.

Good, good, good.

I think it's different.

You don't get them flavours on a plate every day together,

so hopefully they'll see there's something a bit unique about it.

Natalie's dessert is a milk ice cream

with honeycomb pieces,

pickled blackberries,

blackberry gel,

lavender flowers

and hazelnut dust.

The ice cream was really good,

and you can really perceive the milk taste.

So I think this is a good choice.

The taste was very good.

It seduced me absolutely.

And the lavender touch, it's great.

I really thought the lavender was a very original touch to it,

where I would have never thought of putting it in ice cream.

I've never tasted a combination like it, so I think it really works.

Thank you very much. It must have been hard work.

And it was a great experience for us.

So thank you again.

APPLAUSE

My Italy experience has been absolutely amazing.

I enjoyed every bit of it.

I'm getting my mojo back, my confidence,

so hopefully, I can carry on.

Overall, it's just been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

and experience that I've really enjoyed.

It's been stunning.

I've absolutely loved Italy.

It's gave me a different way of thinking

and a different approach.

It's something I won't forget in a hurry,

and it's probably been my favourite part of the competition so far.

Tomorrow night, it's the penultimate MasterChef.

The three amateurs prepare to cook for the chefs' table.

We need to make absolutely sure our finalists are up to it.

You've brought the dish alive, and it's given me a great food memory.

It's their once-in-a-lifetime chance

to cook for four of the best chefs in the world.

It needs to be superb.

This is their Everest.

My natural coolness is being tested.

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