Episode 5 Celebrity MasterChef

Sharpen your knives,

because we've got 20 great celebrities

who want to show how good they are in the kitchen.

So excited!

I've wanted to do MasterChef all my life!

They've filled stadiums, they've smashed records,

they've performed in front of thousands of screaming fans.

But can they cook?

In my own kitchen I'm fairly calm,

but that's because I'm putting beans onto toast.

Cooking is very serious for me. It's a huge part of my life.

Who's going to be the cherry on the cake?

Who's going to be the rotten egg?

Get them in, we'll find out.

These five celebrities are taking on the challenge

to become the next MasterChef champion.

But at the end of today, only the best will make it through.

I'm terrified about cooking for John and Gregg!

Oh, my goodness.

It's going to be like doing an audition.

If I don't do it right, I'm out!

I like strong flavours, rich food.

I like things that make you go, "Ooh."

You know when your lips do that thing when they go inside?

It feels surreal. I was kind of hoping that it wouldn't

be nerve-racking, but it is.

I'm not going to lie, I'm scared.

I want to get stuck in,

and then we can see whether I have an awful palate,

or whether it's been worth a stab.

I do cook a lot, and I will take this very seriously.

This is, like, the toughest show on TV.

Welcome to Celebrity MasterChef.

Don't be scared and remember to breathe.

Celebrities you are.

Cooks? Who knows?

We're about to find out.

This is your first test.

This, we call the Mystery Box.

Inside that box on your bench, you all have a set of ingredients,

the same ingredients,

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

Reveal your ingredients.

Ah, it had to be fish, didn't it?

Today's Mystery Box

includes rainbow trout,

brown shrimp,

cherry tomatoes,

dried noodles,

tender-stem broccoli,

sweet potato,

mango

and dark chocolate.

The celebrities will also have use of a basic larder.

50 minutes, let's cook.

Lesley Garrett's 30-year opera career has included

star performances at the London Coliseum,

Glyndebourne and the Royal Opera House.

I'm a mum. I'm a messy mum cook.

My idea of cooking is what's closest to the sell-by date

in the bottom of the fridge,

and let's make a meal out of that!

Lesley, you actually really look like you're having a good time.

-I'm loving this. Yeah.

-Why?

-Well, I don't know.

It's the innate performer in me, maybe.

I don't know, a creative sort of person.

And also I come from a huge family,

and food's always been at the heart of the family.

What are you making right now?

Well, I've filleted my fish, not very well,

and I'm going to do a sort of

stir-fry with a bit of broth with it.

Right. What's going to make up your broth sauce?

Butter, olive oil if we've got it, a bit of dark soy sauce,

a little splash of vinegar.

Fish sauce would be good -

I don't know if that's over there, I'll look.

I might pop a couple of capers on, a bit of lemon juice.

-Basically...

-Chuck it in and see!

-..if you can find it, it's going in there.

-Yeah.

-LAUGHING:

-That's my kind of cooking!

So, we're starting off with a really lovely idea.

A piece of trout, some Asian flavours.

And then she's adding to that some olive oil and some capers,

and other bits and pieces.

But you can hear Lesley's brain going all over the place.

And now, added to her broth,

there's a whole lump of mascarpone.

You've had 15 minutes.

We're a quarter of the way through.

15 minutes gone!

Swedish-born Ulrika Jonsson is well-known

for presenting classic TV game shows Gladiators and Shooting Stars.

She enjoys cooking at home for her four children.

I tend to be an organised cook.

I like to know what I'm doing.

I'm definitely not somebody who leaves things to chance...

..which doesn't bode well at all for this show.

I just hope I don't mess it up!

When you walked in, you looked really nervous.

I don't think I've ever seen anyone look as nervous.

I'm still as nervous, yeah.

You cook, don't you?

I cook for my family,

and I love that, because normally,

it's really therapeutic.

And now I feel like I'm having a bit of a breakdown.

I think Ulrika's worst enemy right now is Ulrika.

-It is me, yes, I know. Thank you.

-Crack on.

It's all going to go horribly wrong!

If she can hold her nerve, I'm sure we're going to get some good food.

When she came in, she was really tense,

and you can't cook like that, trying to be robotic.

You need to have a bit of flow.

37-year-old Barney Harwood presents

legendary children's show Blue Peter.

I have two favourite dishes.

Bacon and beans in a bowl is one of the best things

you can possibly experience.

The other dish that I like is just boiled rice,

melted cheese on it and salad cream.

If you haven't tried it, you must get on the case, it's beautiful.

-Barney.

-Hello, sir.

-What are you making?

-I think I'm making a cake.

I'm going to try and make... Cos fish terrifies me,

so that's just never going to happen.

So I've put some ginger in a bowl with some dark chocolate.

I'm going to make you a dark chocolate and ginger cake,

that's the idea.

Where did you learn to bake?

I've made a few cakes over the years.

My grandma used to make them when I was a kid, so I used to sit with her.

I was just there to put my finger in the bowl.

That's the best bit, isn't it, of making a cake.

How good has this got to be for it to be awarded a Blue Peter badge?

You've gone there already, have you?

I see! Listen, if you want one,

you've got to earn it, that's the deal.

You can't just get one.

So if you make this sponge for me...!

How's about that? I'll give you a silver badge for that!

All right, all right.

Barney is cooking us a dessert.

More like a brownie in texture,

because the chocolate will make it crispy on the outside

and soft on the inside.

What he's got to do now is cook it all the way through,

and serve something nice with it.

You're halfway!

30 minutes gone, 30 minutes left, all right?

Actor and director Nick Moran

is best-known for playing Eddy the card sharp

in Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels.

The only way you're going to make an impression on this

is if you're doing something no-one else is.

What I lack in skill, I've made up for in creativity and enthusiasm.

Nick, what are you making?

Well, I'm going to make a papillote with this.

So, en papillote, in paper.

-So...

-This goes in here with a splosh of white wine,

stick it in the oven for 20 minutes and the steam cooks it.

While that's going on, I'm going to use a stock

and try and make a veloute.

Nick, how much cooking do you do, mate?

I've done basic cooking. I put myself through drama school

working in a staff canteen.

It's called MasterChef, it's not called MasterCook,

so you've got to do something decent.

Nick, I don't mind telling you, I'm impressed with your knowledge.

-Thanks very much.

-Actor, director, writer, cook.

Yeah, maybe chef! We're working on it.

We're talking about lots of knowledge here.

He knows what a papillote is, he knows what a veloute is.

Maybe he's just showing off,

but let's just hope he is going to be grand.

Scottish broadcaster Aasmah Mir

co-hosts Radio 4's popular magazine show Saturday Live.

I can't cook huge varieties of things.

I think I'm OK at multi-skilling.

Like, I can cook two things at once, I can, like, stir, like that.

You know, kind of like patting your head and rubbing your tummy?

I think I can do that.

Aasmah, are you OK?

Not really. I'm panicking slightly,

because I started making the obvious thing,

some kind of stir-fry,

and I've changed my mind, I'm going to make a risotto.

With what rice?

With the wrong rice!

That's basmati rice, but it's not risotto rice,

so I'm going to change back. I'm going to do the stir-fry.

What are you hoping for from MasterChef?

Just to have some clarity in my mind

about what the hell I'm doing, that would be good.

I love a stir-fry. I think stir-fry's great.

What she needs is bags of flavour, and she's got ginger and garlic,

and loads of herbs.

I think Aasmah's food's going to be OK,

but she needs to stick to a plan.

Five minutes left, please.

Time for a couple of arias, Lesley, and that's it!

You have just 90 seconds,

so whatever you're doing, do it quick!

That...is time up.

Stop.

I wouldn't even know what to do with that.

-I wouldn't know where to start.

-Very bold, just ignore...

-Yeah,

Maybe I can learn about that while I'm here!

Yeah, that's it, isn't it?

Lesley, bring your fish up, please.

First up is singer Lesley Garrett.

She's made pan-fried trout with noodles, brown shrimp,

broccoli and carrots.

Served with a broth flavoured with fish sauce, olive oil, sesame oil,

and mascarpone cheese.

It's a very busy looking bowl, Lesley.

It does look like you may have

chucked everything that you could find into that.

The fish, that hasn't got loads of things thrown at it,

is cooked really well and tastes really nice.

I can't describe that sauce,

cos I think it's beyond description.

Oh, it's that good?

No, it's that bad.

It's very bitter. I think it's trying to sing opera

at the same time as having a jazz band in the background.

I have been known to do that!

This plate of food is full of energy, like you.

Yes, it might be a little bit confused,

but in here, Lesley,

there's some really lovely bits and pieces.

I like the little brown shrimps going through your noodles

with the herbs and everything else with it.

Now, we can work with that, so that's good.

-Thank you.

-Not a disaster.

Slightly told off, I suppose, but in a good way.

But I was very heartened by what John said.

He said, "You're full of energy, and so is your food,"

so I've probably got to calm down a bit.

TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson is serving pan-fried trout

with a dill and tarragon butter sauce

and broccoli stir-fried with chilli and ginger.

Your fish is cooked beautifully.

It falls apart in little shards,

it's still got a glistening to it.

The flavours inside your broccoli are great.

But for me, the bitter, buttery sauce inside that jug

doesn't bring the two together.

Your fish is lovely.

I have reached two conclusions about you.

One is you've got to control your nerves and take a deep breath.

The other one is you're a good cook.

Well, I can see you're overwhelmed by our compliments!

-LAUGHING:

-Sorry!

All in all, it could have been a complete disaster, and it wasn't.

So, I have to be happy, yeah.

-SHE MOUTHS:

-Panic.

Broadcaster Aasmah Mir has made a stir-fry

with noodles, brown shrimp,

broccoli, carrots, onions, chilli, garlic and soy sauce.

That, in my opinion, tastes really good.

Sweetness of the onion, sweetness of the shrimp,

garlic heat, chilli heat...

Very good.

First round, very, very tasty bowl of noodles.

Thank you.

I think it's a good start.

What I really like is that sweet, sticky sauce

on the outside of the noodles.

I'm happy with that.

Thank you very much.

It was frightening. You know when they say "go", and everyone starts running around,

you just think, "I don't know what I'm doing."

And I just need to be a bit calmer, really.

I mean, I say that, but I'll be doing the same thing next time.

Actor Nick Moran has cooked trout en papillote

with dill, broccoli, carrots and spring onions.

It's served with a shrimp tartare

and a white wine and tarragon veloute.

I'm left in no doubt at all that you're a knowledgeable cook.

That's great.

I think you've over-seasoned the fish.

However, it's cooked nicely.

What I particularly love is your sweet shrimp

with the lemon and the dill,

it's absolutely lovely.

What we've got there is really tasty, delicious food.

I'm really impressed with your knowledge.

However, you don't need to put it all on one plate.

It's just going to be controlling you, isn't it?

I'll rein it in, guys, I promise.

I threw everything at that and I didn't fall on my backside

cos those guys really know what they're talking about.

I would say that cos they said nice stuff about mine!

Finally, it's children's TV presenter Barney Harwood.

He's made a chocolate muffin served with a chocolate and ginger sauce

and mango slices.

Barney, congratulations.

You're the only person in the room to make a dessert.

Your first visit to the MasterChef kitchen, Barney,

I'm really impressed.

That muffin could be slightly lighter, I'll forgive you.

It's not over-sweetened, it's got a nice, chocolaty flavour.

I think your ginger heat followed by rich chocolate sauce

is an absolute knockout.

I'd like to see more of your stuff, cos I like this.

Wow.

The only reason your cakey-muffiny thing is dry is you overcooked it.

Chocolate sauce is lovely.

The ginger in the background's really, really good.

Yeah! Good start, Barney.

Amazing, thank you.

I'm actually feeling really good. They were very nice to me.

So I feel encouraged.

Genuinely, as soon as we're done here,

I'm going home to start cooking again.

I want to try and nail this and get some bits right

cos I want to come back stronger.

Listen up - and I mean this - that was really good.

We've got a bunch of cooks in here.

Your next challenge will be going into a restaurant,

working in a professional kitchen, and serving the paying public.

-Oh, no.

-Oh, God. I was hoping for a school kitchen.

-I'm not going to make a muffin, that's for sure.

-No.

It's early morning and the five celebrities

have been split into two groups.

They're about to experience what it's like to work

in a hectic professional kitchen.

All I know is it's all going to be equally terrifying.

Aasmah, Nick and Barney will be cooking at Boisdale,

in London's Canary Wharf.

-It's a Scottish restaurant and a whisky bar.

-Hey, Scottish!

Oysters? How do you cook an oyster?

Not a clue.

The restaurant champions Scottish ingredients

and is run by executive chef Andy Rose.

The majority of our clientele is City boys.

Lunchtime is short and sweet, you know.

It's 12 till one.

It's going to be quite hectic.

-Morning.

-Morning.

-Morning.

Very busy lunch, over 100.

-We could do 30, 40 of each dish.

-Oh, my God!

So, let's crack on.

-It's OK, it'll be fine.

-30 or 40 each?

-Crack on.

Barney will be in charge of the scallop starter.

Never thought in a million years I'd be doing this.

It's served with black pudding, a salt cod croquette,

celeriac puree,

apple crisps and an apple vinaigrette.

We're going to leave this about 45 seconds on each side.

Scallops need to be cooked perfectly.

Overcooked, that's going to stop that dish going out today.

OK, so we've got a little apple vinaigrette.

What a beautiful thing.

How many of those do you reckon I'll make today?

-30?

-30 of those? 30 exactly like that?

Bring it on.

I'm genuinely quite daunted by what we've got to do.

It's that feeling before you go on a roller-coaster,

you've got the nerves.

I can feel a lot of bone.

Aasmah is cooking the fish main course.

Filleting is as hard as I thought it would be.

And pin boning it is just weird

because look at the size of these bones!

Look!

Her dish is pan-fried gurnard with a squid ink risotto,

topped with deep-fried squid and served with a salsa verde.

So, we've got our risotto base...

-Yeah.

-Little bit of fish stock.

Next thing is we've got our squid tentacles.

Nice, hot fryer. Nice and crisp.

There's quite a lot going on in this dish.

Our service here is quite fast.

OK.

I can't wait.

It's really glossy.

-Is that from the butter?

-It is. Yeah, yeah.

A bit of our green sauce.

OK, I'm sure I'll be fine.

I keep saying to myself, "I'm sure it'll be fine." I'm sure I will.

-Good.

-Ah!

Nick is taking responsibility for the meat main course.

A fillet of beef, served with a chervil root puree,

a flan of foraged wild Alexanders, with a claret sauce.

First of all, sear the beef.

You're going to serve it pink today or well done.

We're not going to muck around in-between, OK?

So, wild Alexanders, these are from the Kentish coast.

Named after Alexander the Great.

This is an egg custard flan of the Alexander.

There's quite a few elements that can go wrong in this dish.

The beef can be overcooked, it can be cold,

the sauce could be over-reduced.

This is going to be one of the most popular dishes for lunch

and we want a nice, clean, simple presentation.

Don't want everything piled on top of each other.

OK. One of my many pitfalls is I am disastrously bad at plating up.

You know, the food I make always looks like

someone's already eaten it.

So this is a real test for me,

trying to make this look as presentable and pleasant.

Across town in Mayfair,

Lesley and Ulrika are about to encounter

a totally different style of cuisine.

They'll have to get to grips with modern Korean cooking at Jinjuu,

under the guidance of chef patron Judy Joo.

We're taking Korean cuisine, obviously, that's my background,

and really fusing it with lots of the great flavours of America,

also Europe, and coming up with a contemporary style

that is really interesting, I think.

I'm so excited to meet you, Ulrika, Lesley.

Hi, I'm Judy.

We do have a busy lunch service today,

so it's better to ask a question

as opposed to ruining an entire batch, OK?

-A batch?

-Communication is key.

You guys are smart, it's fine.

-You guys will be fine.

-JUDY LAUGHS

-Don't let the nerves get to you.

-I don't think so!

It'll be all right.

Lesley is in charge of one of the starters.

A beef sirloin with a bulgogi marinade,

made from ginger, garlic, soy and apple juice.

It's topped with shoestring potatoes and garlic crisps,

served with a bulgogi glaze and a kimchi bearnaise.

We're just going to sear it on this hot grill.

That is cooking so fast.

If you get scared, OK, always just throw things up here.

You can always cook things more.

-You can't...

-Uncook things.

-..uncook things.

-Yeah, sure.

On the bulgogi sirloin,

that really is almost a raw dish so they cannot overcook that.

We're just looking for a nice sear on both sides.

If that is overcooked, the dish is pretty much ruined.

A little bit of the bulgogi glaze to finish on top,

drizzle, drizzle, drizzle.

Oh, God! So cool! Sounds amazing!

Lesley's first job is to prepare the kimchi bearnaise.

I'm cooking, I'm cooking!

Isn't that fantastic? Looks like custard.

That arm is going to be this size when I go.

Ulrika will be cooking pan-fried stone bass

and clam chowder,

flavoured with doenjang, a fermented soy bean paste.

So, we start it skin-side down.

It's a nice, big, meaty piece of fish,

so I'm going to be more worried about you, honestly,

undercooking this - it's so thick.

-Wow, OK.

-Nice, golden colour.

The chowder is made with potatoes, pancetta, and roasted corn

with clams in a Korean doenjang broth.

The clams are going to open up all the way.

-Oh, will they?

-Yeah.

Chowder has to have those deep, rich, umami flavours,

so if things are reduced too much, that's not going to taste right.

Also, if they can't get that fish cooked correctly

and that skin isn't crispy,

it's a bit of a flaccid flop, I would have to say.

-Wow.

-Can you do it?

Of course I can!

SHE MOUTHS

If I was upstairs, I would order this.

So I would imagine a lot of people will order this.

I'm obviously hoping nobody orders it.

It's lunchtime and both restaurants are all set.

It's just after 12, we're going to get the first orders in a minute.

-We all ready?

-Yes, Chef.

How about you, Barney?

-Are you ready?

-Yes, Chef.

Bring it on, Chef.

OK, new order, straight up.

Three scallop, one haggis, one smoked salmon.

Yes, here we go!

Two gurnard on, please.

Yes, Chef.

The first orders are in

and Barney, on the starters, needs to get his dishes up first.

Let's get them off. We can start to plate. Well done.

They look good, Barney. Well done.

OK, so, rather than just building towers, let's try and...

..spread it out a little bit, OK?

-Do you know what? It's not bad. Well done.

-Thank you.

-Well done.

Go.

OK, tidy up, get ready for the next order, please.

OK.

This is fun.

I'm feeling really good with those dishes

cos they were the first three.

Yeah, I'm enjoying this,

I'm enjoying this a little too much, I think.

With Barney's first starters away,

the spotlight is on Aasmah and her fish main.

How are we getting on with two gurnards?

-Yes, Chef.

-What does that mean?

-How long?

-Three minutes, Chef.

-Thank you.

This has got very serious.

And it's kind of scary and everything's really hot.

How do you get it in two plates without dropping it everywhere?

Oh, God. You can clean it up at the end.

OK, it's all right.

Too much risotto.

I'll let it go now. A little bit lighter.

It's too thick. It needs to be more loose.

-OK.

-There you go, table 82.

Said it was too much risotto but he would let it go.

So I can't get it wrong next time.

OK, you're on, Nick.

-Two beef, straight up.

-Yes, Chef.

OK, new order, Nick, you're back on - two beef.

Both of them pink, OK? Five minutes.

How far away are we on the beef now, Nick?

Two minutes, Chef.

As well as cooking the beef perfectly,

Nick also has to master restaurant-standard presentation.

If you just hold it there, rather than doing Mr Whippy,

-just let it come out into a blob.

-Gotcha.

Bring it up to the pass.

Look, you just knocked that one over, you have to do it again.

Just slow down, that's all.

Just make sure it's perfect, all right? OK?

It's very full-on.

Not great to be pulled out on the first one the way I was,

so I just want to get it right.

Over in Mayfair, the lunchtime rush is on for Lesley and Ulrika.

Ulrika, how are you doing?

We are away on table 15 a few minutes ago.

-Do you have that stone bass coming?

-Yes, coming.

Sorry. Ow!

Quite a lot of fat.

I'm just trying to not burn myself alive, or someone else.

-Two minutes, Chef.

-OK.

Lesley's beef starter is needed first.

Where's my sirloin?

I'm waiting.

-Oh, oh...

-I'm waiting.

It must be cooked to Chef Judy's liking.

-Chef?

-Yes?

-Is this too rare?

It's a bit too rare, yeah.

Let's just put that one aside.

-Sorry.

-Get another one on right away.

The first one was too rare. Course, if they're thicker,

you have to give them a bit longer and I misjudged the thickness.

Now we've been waiting, we need to get this dish up soon.

-OK?

-Yes, Chef.

Fast, fast, fast.

While Lesley rushes to cook another steak,

Ulrika's ready to plate her stone bass and clam chowder.

OK, so you've got all your elements here.

You've got your spinach.

Spinach goes in first, in the centre.

OK, I think you've reduced this broth down too much.

-Did you try it before you brought up?

-No.

-You have to try it.

-I know.

-A little salty. Put some more in.

-Yeah.

Ulrika needs to speed up.

Her broth was just a little bit salty.

Not happy with that.

All right, are you happy with that?

-Yes.

-It looks much better now.

-You can tell just by looking at it.

-Yes, it does, yeah.

It's the right kind of consistency.

Service.

I don't want to dream that it could get any worse.

But I suspect it probably could.

Across the kitchen, Lesley's re-cooked the beef.

It's looking good.

Curl your fingers under, I don't want you to take off a thumb.

There you go.

Now she must plate it quickly and precisely.

So, next, can you put some straw potato artistically on top?

Drizzle some of that glaze with some panache and finesse.

There you go.

Service!

Now tell them the table.

-Table 16. No, 15.

-Table 15.

I think I did all right.

They got it, they're eating it, that's a good sign, isn't it?

It was very exciting.

Back in Canary Wharf,

the dining room is full and Barney's scallops are in demand.

OK, guys, new order. Two more scallops, Bernie.

OK, new order, one scallop as a main course.

No butter. So, Bernie, you hang off.

We'll tell you five minutes before we need it, OK?

It's Barney.

What's that? Sorry, Barney.

Don't worry, I get it all the time. Not as bad as Bartholomew.

I get that quite a lot.

Juggling multiple orders,

he must be careful not to take his eye off the ball.

What happened to that? That's still raw. That's rubbish.

Take the black pudding off and new plates.

OK, no worries.

On its way, Chef, 30 seconds.

OK, Chef, we're good to go.

All the same, look at that, perfect.

-Well done.

-Thank you, Chef, thank you.

Barney's last starters have been sent

but Nick and Aasmah still have dishes to cook.

Three gurnard in five.

-Yes, Chef.

-Two gurnard, yes?

-Straight after that, please, one more gurnard.

-Yes, Chef.

I'm losing track. I don't really know.

So, it's the tentacles that get floured up.

I absolutely hate using this deep-fat fryer.

Hate it. It's just frightening.

So, three more minutes, yes?

-Yes, OK.

-All on schedule?

-Yes.

-Three minutes left, OK?

Yes, Chef, three minutes, fine.

Aasmah has to focus to get both her risotto and fish cooked perfectly.

That looks a bit burnt to me.

With one of her gurnard overcooked, she has to re-plate.

-OK, let's finish that one, please.

-OK.

Nick is also struggling with the plating of his beef.

HE GROANS

So, Nick, two beef now, followed by two beef in seven, yes?

-Yes, Chef.

-Thank you.

Remember, Nick, keep a count of what you've got

and how many you've got on order, OK?

Yes, Chef.

-Well done.

-Thank you.

-That's spot-on.

-Looser.

-Honestly, well done.

-Thank you.

With Aasmah's last orders out, Nick's still in the thick of it.

Fillet, Chef.

OK, Nick, we've got two on this check.

-You've only given me one, yeah?

-Sorry, Chef.

I misheard the order, Chef.

-Two minutes, Chef.

-We'll do it quicker than that.

One minute, Chef.

-One beef, Chef.

-Look at that, spot-on.

Massive improvement.

Well done. OK, service, please.

It's the orders, I couldn't make head nor tail of the orders

so I thought I had one and you needed three...

Saturday night, there would be 300.

Whoo!

Thank you, Chef.

After a hectic lunch, service at Boisdale is finally over.

I was under a lot of stress.

I did as much as I had to do and, unfortunately, it was quite a lot.

There's moments where I've been panicked off my feet

and there's been moments where I've enjoyed myself more than

I ever expected to. It's been a real mixture,

but end feeling - amazing.

Loved it.

I don't know what to say.

You know, I got into the kitchen and I thought, "Oh, this is fantastic,

"I'd love to have my own restaurant."

Never, ever, ever, ever.

That was awful!

That was awful.

Over in Mayfair,

the lunch crowds are still in

and Ulrika's stone bass is proving popular.

So now I've got a three and a two and one's without bacon.

The hardest part is knowing when this is cooked

and when to put all the elements in there.

Those are burnt.

I can tell from here. Way too dark, it's burnt.

-Shall I abandon them?

-Abandon those.

I'm absolutely...

-Frazzled?

-Yes.

I is frazzled!

While Ulrika re-cooks her stone bass,

Lesley's beginning to plate her beef dish with confidence.

Service!

Table four.

OK, so now you've got one, two more on order.

-Two more coming.

-OK?

-Yes, Chef.

-As soon as you can.

-I'm loving it, I'm loving it.

It's really full-on and you've got to have this cooking

while you're doing the plating up,

so you've just got to keep on it the whole time

and not be distracted.

Give it a bit of love.

Give it a bit of love!

# When I'm calling you...

# You are cooking too.... #

The nicer you are to your food, the happier it comes out.

SHE SINGS IN ITALIAN

-Amazing!

-Sorry. Just slipped out.

No, it's great. It's great.

With service drawing to a close,

Ulrika has one last chance to impress Chef Judy.

Let's get these last three done.

-So sorry.

-No worries. Two...

Don't apologise.

You did a great job.

One, two...

It's looking good, it's looking good.

Beautiful, huh? You happy?

-Yeah.

-That's good.

Happier now they're plated.

Service.

High five.

So you guys did really, really, really well.

-Thank you.

-Very impressed, nobody cried!

Nobody was shaking. It's good.

You guys got some consistency towards the end also, so...

-Thank you so much.

-I hope to see one of you two emerging as the winner.

Oh! Well, we'll come back here to celebrate.

No pressure, no pressure!

That was singularly the most intense experience of my life.

Amazing. It was really amazing.

I will never forget today for as long as I live.

It's been a day of enormous creativity and passion.

It's all the things that make a day perfect for me

and I just am so grateful to have been here.

Well done. Well done.

I'm exhausted!

Welcome back. Very much hope that you enjoyed your experience

in the professional kitchen.

Hope that you learned something, picked up a few cheffy tips.

Today, you're cooking your own food.

Your own two courses, but in one hour.

That's a tough gig.

At the end of this, one of you is going home.

Ladies and gentlemen, cook us something delicious.

Let's cook.

I think I'm just at the beginning of my cheffy journey.

I've always wanted to own a pub in the Lake District and I've always

imagined myself being out front talking to people.

After yesterday, I actually can see myself in the kitchen.

I'm really looking forward... I'm smiling again!

I'm looking forward to this, aren't I?

Barney, what are you making for us today?

I'm going to make a starter of onion bhajis.

-Wahey!

-With a mint dip, and I'm going to make you a chicken biryani

for your main course, as well, with a naan bread.

Tell me about you and Indian food.

I worked in an Indian restaurant years ago as a delivery boy

and discovered this love for the flavours.

If you get the balance just right, you can literally taste it

like a Wonka gobstopper.

You can taste the cumin and the garam masala and the methi.

It unravels in your mouth as you eat and chicken biryani is one of the most popular dishes.

Can we eat it here or are you going to deliver it?

I'll deliver it if you want, yeah. I'll bring it over.

Barney here is showing lots of different skills.

Onion bhajis, crispy on the outside...

I hope they're not going to be greasy.

The naan need to be soft and squidgy.

Biryani needs to be spiced quite highly

cos otherwise the rice takes away all the flavour.

You've had 15 minutes, guys.

It's flying by.

Practising has been full-on and very useful, actually,

I have to say, although my poor husband has had to eat

the same thing, you know, about four times.

What are you making for us?

I'm making a kind of North African fish stew

and then I'm making a rice pudding

with orange and cardamom and lemon thyme.

And it's about 2,000 calories a teaspoon. Is that OK?

It's all right by me.

It's all right by me. As you see, I'm built like a racing snake.

You're going to love it then, I hope.

A North African-style stew with fish.

She's got to make sure that it's flavoured well,

the potatoes are cooked and she doesn't overcook her fish.

As for her dessert,

rice pudding should be creamy and flavoursome but not too hard.

The nerves are OK. I think because of my job,

the actual action of singing...

SHE SINGS A NOTE

You know, just gets rid of your nerves, doesn't it?

And I can't really do that in the kitchen,

so I'm having to bottle all that energy in

and I'm finding that so hard.

What are you making, Lesley?

I'm doing spicy mushrooms on toast for a starter.

-Wonderful.

-And then I'm doing liver and onions with sage,

which is a recipe, actually, I learned in Florence.

I went into this restaurant and had this thing I'd never had in my life,

so I asked them how they made it

and it turned out to be fegato alla veneziana.

So that's what I'm going to try and make for you, with saffron mash.

I'm doing saffron mash.

And I did listen to what you said

and I have pared down my ingredients.

I'm not just going, "Oh, that'll do, that'll do", you know?

So I hope you'll see a difference today.

Liver, onions, Marsala and saffron mash -

it's like a marriage born in heaven.

It's all about the seasoning and it's the cooking of that liver.

That liver has to be cooked absolutely perfectly.

Guys, you are halfway.

Half-hour left.

This is food that I like to eat.

This is something that I would genuinely cook

for my family at home.

Yeah, it's hopefully a nice dish.

What are you making, Ulrika,

that's going to get you a place in the next round?

Oh, gosh... We can but pray.

I'm making rack of lamb with a cannellini puree

and then I'm doing a rhubarb fool with a cardamom cream.

Well, let's hope you're doing that after you've tasted it.

That sounds great!

I'm going to be 50 this year and I've got to challenge myself,

get out of my house and do things.

The thing is, that lamb's got to be cooked properly.

That's a big rack of lamb

and I hope she gives it enough time to cook and enough time to rest.

I'm doing something ambitious that is sort of impossible to do.

It's an hour-and-a-half to do the thing I'm doing in the hour,

realistically, and now I can't change my recipe.

I'm stuck to it. You know, I can't do egg and chips,

I've got to do this thing.

I've come up with a new spin on an old chestnut.

It's called a Wellington boot.

Basically, it's a beef Wellington

and I've got really unique seasoned

mashed potato in the toe cap, so it should look fun.

That's one course, which is enough work for three courses.

-And the other course?

-Poached pears.

So, I've got cardamom and saffron

plus a healthy dollop of various boozes.

Why do you push yourself this hard?

There's no point entering a competition without actually

showing what you're capable of doing, so, you know,

why not have a go at being a chef?

Now, I love a beef Wellington.

Nick, however, has an addition of a cheesy purple mash potato

in the toe of his boot.

I just hope for him the boot's not on the other foot.

You have just 15 minutes left.

Just 15 minutes.

They're all running around! 15 minutes, please.

It's so rare.

It's a disaster.

I'm screwed.

Guys, you've got two minutes, please.

Two minutes. Last touches.

That's it. Time's up!

Well done.

I've got two things on a plate, that's all I know.

Oh, it's fantastic.

Do you think the boys are talking fast cars?

First up is Lesley.

I'm really pleased you decided to do less.

I think they look lovely.

Oh, good.

Her starter is spicy mushrooms on toast,

flavoured with smoked paprika, chilli flakes and Worcester sauce,

topped with parsley and chives.

That is absolutely yummy.

-Oh!

-Starts off sweet and it gets hotter...

It's actually quite ferocious in there.

Lovely soft mushrooms in a creamy sauce.

Lovely combination of textures and flavours.

-Good.

-I like the charred bit of the toast

cos you get a bitter note to it,

and I love the crispy edges, but that spicing's confused.

-Right.

-Either use something like mustard or use chilli.

-Right.

-It's just a bit too much.

-Less is more.

-Less IS more, Lesley!

I've always struggled with less is more.

I just think less is less and I like more.

But, you know, I really will try and listen to what you're saying.

OK.

For her main course,

she's serving liver and onions in a Marsala sauce

with saffron mash and green beans wrapped in bacon.

Lesley, if I was down with the kids,

I'd high five you right now cos I think that's delicious.

-Oh, thank you!

-Liver is really difficult to get right.

It goes dry. It's beautifully cooked and it's still got a river of pink

running through it and then that mash on the side with the saffron,

all earthy and lovely, bringing it together.

-I think it's absolutely wonderful.

-Thank you very much indeed.

You've shown a good touch,

really good flavours in both dishes here.

It's not perfect, but you can see perfect from here.

Oh, that's lovely! Thank you.

Argh!

# Ah! #

Just got to let it out now. I can't believe that.

Oh! Oh, Mama!

Nick has made a Wellington boot on a grass of green beans -

his twist on a classic beef Wellington.

The toe is filled with purple potato mash.

It's served with edible flowers and a red wine and vermouth jus.

I admire your creativity

and I admire all your work that you've put into this.

Thank you.

Oh! So, that's the beef bit.

And the mash is purple.

Yeah.

Your beef is cooked really, really nicely.

I like the mushrooms around the outside of it.

Your mashed potato could be a little bit smoother.

Your pastry needs to be cooked a bit more.

Yeah.

Your beef is cooked perfectly.

The flavour of truffle is so heady, it's beautiful.

The thing I don't like is lilac mashed potato.

That looks like a pasty you'd get served in Star Trek.

-NICK LAUGHS

-It's a bright lilac pasty.

For dessert, he's serving pears poached with saffron,

cardamom and cinnamon

with mascarpone flavoured with vanilla and amaretto.

That is delicious.

That is perfectly poached, slippery pear.

It's not too sweet, it's juicy, it's lovely.

Thank you.

Love the saffron, love all the vanilla in there,

love the boozy syrup around the outside.

Just be careful you don't lose the majesty of the pear

because you've got so much going on in there with that pear.

It was very stressful, really over-ambitious

and I had a couple of glitches.

I could've done it better, but...it worked, you know.

Next, it's Barney.

I think this looks very nice.

Looks great, well done.

Thank you.

For his starter, Barney has made onion bhajis with a mint yoghurt.

That's yum. That is really light, not in any way at all greasy.

When you bite into it, you get the natural sweetness of onion

and then the warmth of chilli and pepper starts to hit.

That's delightful.

Great, thank you.

What I really love is your yoghurt mint sauce mixture,

which is fantastic.

I think it's lovely.

Thank you.

His main course is chicken biryani, served with raita and naan bread.

What you wanted was what you called a Willy Wonka's gobstopper

where you could taste every single individual bit

and that's what you get.

You can taste the cumin, you can taste the coriander,

you can taste the garam masala.

I think it's a really good dish.

Thank you.

The chicken in your biryani is soft, your rice is cooked really well.

Personally, I reckon we could have been a little bit spicier.

-OK.

-But I'd wolf the whole lot down.

There's a cook in you, Barney. You've done very well.

Thank you.

The thing I wanted to get right was the balance of spices, the balance of flavours,

and John actually mentioned that when he tried it.

Yeah, good. Really good.

Next up, it's Aasmah.

Her main is a North African fish stew

made with potatoes and tomatoes,

flavoured with harissa, cumin and coriander,

served with flatbread.

Slowly and quietly,

in comes a little bit of heat

and then it becomes lovely and sweet.

It's really tasty.

Your bread, I think, could be cooked a little bit more.

They're a bit stodgy.

OK.

Your fish is cooked really well, your potatoes are soft.

Nice flavours.

It's the texture of your juice that needs thickening up.

For dessert, Aasmah's made

an orange, lemon thyme and cardamom rice pudding.

Orange, lemon thyme, cardamom -

I think that's magical.

That rice isn't cooked enough.

-It is too firm in the middle.

-OK.

Like Gregg, I think that's delicious.

And I would like to eat the whole lot,

but I probably wouldn't, because it's just not cooked enough.

-It's still chalky on your teeth.

-Oh.

Disappointed in myself cos three mistakes is a lot.

One, OK - but three?

Not good. Not good!

Finally, it's Ulrika.

For her main course,

she's made rack of lamb served with a cannellini bean puree

and salsa verde.

We have an issue here, don't we?

It's not just about the white uncooked fat

but it's also about the uncooked meat.

Look at you searching for just a tiny bit, look.

I love lamb so much.

I wish I hadn't seen the lamb.

Your salsa verde is absolutely delicious,

so is your bean puree.

I'm sorry, I can't eat your lamb.

Argh!

It's lovely. It's just such a shame.

I believe you had time to rescue this.

Two or three of those cutlets in a pan,

I think John and I would have been in raptures.

Her dessert is a rhubarb fool

with cardamom cream topped with pistachios.

Your rhubarb is delicious.

Absolutely delicious.

I love your rich cream across the top and pistachio nuts.

Delicious.

I love rhubarb, and when seasoned properly with sugar,

that tart and sweet combination, to me, is absolutely irresistible.

There's nothing we're going to say now -

you're so upset over your lamb, aren't you?

Yeah. You know what? You probably won't cook another lamb

for ten years now.

Ulrika, thank you.

I'm so hugely frustrated at myself.

I should have been able to do this and I didn't

and it's just because it means so much to me.

What a great day. We are going to ask you to step outside

and we're going to have a little chat

because this is going to be a really tough decision.

These five have all got something to offer.

We've got to make a decision now - who stays and who goes?

-Well, I love Lesley.

-Yeah.

-I think Lesley's food is delicious.

Mushrooms on toast?

Followed by liver and onions, saffron mash?

She's good, John.

She's bubbly, she's vibrant and so was her food.

Barney's work in the Indian takeaway has obviously rubbed off.

Barney is showing a level of cookery competence

which is impressing me.

I think he's got the makings of a cracking cook.

I like Nick for his creative mind.

You know, a Wellington boot on grass of beans? I thought it was good.

I'm not a great fan of novelty food

because the pure beauty of those poached pears

I thought was absolutely right.

He's got to be careful that the novelty

is not what you're actually focusing on.

Lesley goes through, Barney goes through,

Nick goes through...

The people in danger are Ulrika and Aasmah.

Aasmah, I believe, has got a very good palate -

however, Aasmah's touch is questionable.

Her stew was far too watery

and the rice in that rice pudding wasn't cooked.

I loved Ulrika's menu.

I thought that was a great idea.

Dessert - rhubarb with some cream and vanilla and pistachio nuts,

absolutely fantastic.

However, not cooking her lamb for the lamb dish, it's a big issue.

The only hope that I have now

is that they see some sort of...potential in there.

I just made silly mistakes today

and I shouldn't have done, so extra, extra disappointed.

Please don't send me home!

Now, here's the problem.

Which one of those two has the most promise?

I think you five are talented, really talented.

Very difficult to say goodbye to one of you at this stage,

very difficult.

The person leaving us...

..is Aasmah.

-Aasmah, thank you very much indeed.

-Thank you.

-Thank you for everything.

-Thank you, Aasmah.

-Thank you very much.

Thanks, Aasmah.

I knew that I was in trouble because I'd made a few mistakes,

but what can you say?

They're all just fantastic cooks and the standard was so high.

It was so high.

Well done, that's great! Mr Wellington man.

I'm absolutely shocked, but most of all, hugely relieved.

I feel like I've been given another chance.

Hopefully!

I'm genuinely, genuinely really happy to be a part of this

and I hope it carries on for a bit longer, please.

It's just a reminder that this is a competition.

Yeah, I suppose I'm enjoying it in

a strange, overenthusiastic, very intense way, yeah.

Over the moon. A really, really happy day.

I just want to carry on learning more and more.

On Friday night...

-Oh!

-..the four celebrities are back to fight for a place

in the semifinals.

-Oh, sorry.

-MasterChef, not MasterSalad.

LESLEY SINGS

-Sponge!

-This is like Olympian-type of cooking.

I mean, look at that arm. Look at this one.

Oh, come on!

Aargh!

Quite like it. I think I would finish that.

You need a bigger toaster.

-Do you think?

-Oh, my gosh.

I wish I'd never eaten it.