Episode 1 Celebrity MasterChef

We've got 16 celebrities battling it out to win the MasterChef crown.

I have been training my butt off for this competition.

These celebrities have already made a name for themselves in their own professions.

But can they cut it in the kitchen?

What I lack in technique, I'm hoping I'll make up for with enthusiasm.

My whole aim is, how much can I learn and how far can I go?

Cooking doesn't get tougher than this.

These four celebrities are taking on the challenge to become the next MasterChef champion.

But at the end of this week, only the best cooks will make it through.

I've left a two-week-old baby at home, so the wife said,

"That's OK, as long as you come back with better culinary skills than when you left."

In your own kitchen, you do things at your leisure.

With this, I can't.

Ooh! I'm dreading it, actually!

Mum is a really good cook and she's been training me with her whip

for the last couple of weeks.

So, yeah, I want to go on there and do her proud.

I think I can follow a recipe,

but I'm nervous about free-styling,

simply because I don't want anyone to get ill.

There will be a gem amongst these four.

Welcome to Celebrity MasterChef.

This is your opportunity to show the whole nation

what a fantastic cook you are.

This is the mystery box test.

Underneath that box, there are ingredients,

and what we want you to do is cook just one plate of food.

You don't have to use all the ingredients,

but we want you to demonstrate some skill.

What I would like to see today is something we can build on.

Edible, I think is the word. Edible.

Now lift your box.

Wow!

Today's main ingredient is a whole gurnard.

OK.

The box also includes a carrot, basmati rice, a beef tomato,

parsley, black cabbage, flaked almonds,

beetroot and an apple.

Guys, 50 minutes, one plate of food. Let's cook!

Dad-of-two Jamie Theakston hosts a breakfast radio show

and loves to cook his family traditional British fayre.

I don't really have the basic skills.

I think I know where I need to end up,

it's just the process of getting there is a bit tricky.

-Do you know what that fish is?

-I don't, no.

It's a gurnard. It was classically used in big French soups,

but now it's a sustainable fish that people use all the time.

So what are you going to cook for us?

Well, I was going to try and pan-fry the fillets

-and maybe do a bit of a fish stock and a white wine sauce.

-Good.

Sounds all right, Jamie.

Well, I've made a small error already, in that I was going to try to take a fillet off the side.

I might have struggled with the bones on the side of the fish.

You know what? I don't think it's that much of a mistake.

Oh, I'm so pleased you said that! So pleased you said that! I love you.

Listen, it's our "bromance", not yours!

-Don't you start getting cuddly with him! I'll get jealous!

-I don't know.

He's a good-looking boy.

Come on, JT!

You've had 12 minutes!

You all right, Madge? I mean, Anne!

Former Neighbours actress Anne Charleston was taught to cook by her mum,

who was known locally as "the Pavlova Queen of Melbourne".

My enemy is going to be time.

I don't like racing the clock and, of course, I have to with this.

So, that is going to be a bit of a lesson for me.

Anne is scaring me slightly.

She's chopped and hacked at the fish

and there is a head roasting in the oven right now.

Inside the rice, there are pieces of garlic bigger than your head.

You seem to be friendly with her, you taste first.

So what's the dish going to be today, Anne?

I don't know what to call it, John, but it's a fish in there

that's filled with herbs, onion, lemon,

and garlic, of course.

-Two cloves of garlic.

-Can you make it taste great?

I don't know. I don't know how much longer it's got to cook, either.

I haven't done a whole fish like that before.

But, Anne, you're a pescatarian. You must have cooked a lot of fish.

I do, but I'm lazy. I buy fillets.

-Anne, good luck with it.

-Thank you.

-Cheers, Madge.

25 minutes gone, guys. That means you are halfway.

Olympic swimmer Steve Parry likes to cook with vegetables grown in his mother-in-law's allotment.

I like the idea of calling on an Olympic mindset, in order to get through this.

But when you're talking about something that you're one of the worst in the world at,

I think it's going to be considerably different.

I was hoping for something easier. Maybe a salad, to start with.

You spent most of your life in the water...

And that's why I tried to stay away from fish!

-It reminds me of some of the hard training times.

-Do you cook?

It used to be getting as much fuel in as quickly as you could.

Pastas, rices... But fish was too finickety.

-Look at the state of this poor thing!

-Mate, I can see it.

-Good luck, Steve.

-Thanks, guys.

-He is really battling away.

-I just hope the state of that bench

isn't an indication of the state of Steve's cookery mind right now.

You have 15 minutes left.

Singer Javine is used to tough competition,

having represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest.

As a singer, going on stage,

somehow, nerves gives the performance that edge.

I make it work, and I think it will work for me this time.

-Hello.

-How are you doing?

-I'm all right, thanks.

-Do you have an idea of what you're going to cook for us?

-I'll do that fish with parsley sauce.

I'm going to do sauteed potatoes and some caramelised carrots.

-How much cooking do you do?

-I tend to cook really easy dishes like Spaghetti Bolognese, curries.

I've got a little girl too, so as soon as she gets in, she needs something quick in her tummy.

Then, if I've got the time,

I'll have friends around and cook something a bit more refined.

-You seem quite comfortable here.

-Yeah, I am. I think I've got it under control.

-Are you going to win this competition?

-I'm going to try my best. Why not?

You've got ten minutes... I know!

Get your food on your plates, guys. You've got 90 seconds left.

Your time's up.

First up is Jamie, who took two fillets off the gurnard

and has served them with crushed potatoes, black cabbage

and a creamy white wine sauce.

The black cabbage could be boiled a bit more.

It's a bit chewy. But your fish is cooked beautifully.

It's lovely and soft. It's really well seasoned. The skin is crispy, the potatoes are really soft.

-Love the tarragon on the background. I think it's a really good dish.

-Thank you.

Not a great deal wrong with that. Your sauce is a little thick,

but if I was round your house, I wouldn't complain. I'd eat it.

I'm actually quite impressed.

Thank you.

'I'm pleased that's all over, because that was...'

pretty terrifying!

Anne roasted and flaked her gurnard

and served it on a bed of rice and gremolata.

I'm very pleased that we didn't have the whole thing

stuck on top of the rice, and you've taken it apart.

-Anne, that's a bone.

-I did tell you I'd never filleted a fish before.

I love the freshness of the parsley and that whack of grated lemon.

The fish is overcooked and there is more garlic than I have seen in one dish in my life.

It's masking the actual flavour of that beautiful, subtle fish.

I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and say, good, you've got a perfectly edible dish up,

-because the way you started this, I was doubting that you would.

-Did you get a bone there?

-No.

What I did get was a garlic nearly as big as that lemon!

'I'm relieved that I actually got it cooked,

'but they don't like chunks of garlic,'

and I do. So I'll be very careful in future.

Steve's gurnard fillets have been served on a bed of rice,

with roasted beetroot, carrots and celery.

That is almost a culinary impossibility.

That is a slice of rice.

I've heard of rice cakes before, but...

I was so nervous through the whole thing, all I did was concentrate on trying to sort that fish out.

-It was a nightmare!

-At least we've got a plate of food. That's good.

I really like your roast root veg. I think that's really delicious.

The thought process is a good one,

but there are lots of mistakes on this plate.

Your fish is dry and has gone a bit chalky.

That rice is quite incredible.

What's good on here is the root veg.

-It's sweet and earthy and well cooked, but fish ain't your thing.

-No.

I think it's completely thrown you.

-I didn't feel in control for one minute of those 50 minutes.

-No.

-Does it show?

-Yeah. Yeah.

'I would equate that experience as...'

being in the call room, waiting to go out to swim an Olympic final.

But at least when I dive in a pool, I know what I'm doing.

Javine has served her fried gurnard on sauteed potatoes,

with a white wine and parsley sauce.

The flesh of the fish is soft, it's flaking and well seasoned.

Your sauce has got a slight bit of acidity

and it's got a buttery, buttery base.

I really like that dish.

-Where are the carrots?

-They're a bit burnt, so I thought I wouldn't put them on the plate.

I'm really pleased.

Decent sauce. Fish cooked really, really well. Your cooking is good.

It really is. It's sound.

Javine, you might be a champion in the making.

'All-round, it was quite positive.

'There's always room for improvement,'

but I'm pretty proud of myself. Pat myself on the back!

Thanks a lot. Off you go.

Dear, oh, dear! If they're all like that, it's going to be tough.

Two good cooks here.

Two with a little bit to prove.

'I just hope, maybe in the next round,'

that I'm not going to be hit with something

I have never had any experience of before.

'I just want to be able to do a challenge'

where the guys say, "Actually, that's a good plate."

What comes next is seriously tough.

Right! Skills test. What are you going to get them to do?

This, today, is pasta and pesto. They've only got ten minutes to do this in.

They've all eaten pasta. None, I bet, have ever rolled it. Ever.

It's got to be rolled about five or six times, depending upon how thin you want it,

so you end up with wonderful long ribbons of pasta.

This is exactly what we're looking for - long, thin strips of pasta,

and all just lightly coated with a tiny bit of flour. Now, the pesto.

Basil, parsley, garlic, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, olive oil.

The roughness of the pine nuts and cheese will tear the leaves apart.

The ideal texture and colour I'm looking for is this.

Pesto's ready, water's boiling.

When it floats to the top, then we'll see that the pasta is cooked.

Just warm the sauce a little bit, because you don't want a cold sauce with hot pasta... Done.

What I love is how evenly coated the pasta is with the sauce. Lovely!

There we go! Pasta and pesto.

Ten minutes?

Tell you what, John, I think we'll be lucky.

Let's get 'em in!

What we want you to do

is roll and cut fresh pasta and serve it with pesto.

-With pesto?

-Ten minutes. Pasta and pesto, please.

I've never used one of these before.

Is that the Parmesan there?

Five minutes. You're halfway.

That's as far as I can go with that.

-Are you done?

-What else would you like me to do?

-Right, the sauce should coat the pasta.

-Yeah.

I like the pasta. That's good. The pesto is like a bag of nuts.

There were so many pine nuts in it, and the garlic! Anne!

-Look at this! That is a piece of garlic.

-I know.

That's not even the biggest one.

-Oh!

-Oh, my goodness!

Look! Look!

Look at that! Anne!

Although there are mistakes, big mistakes,

actually, it's not a bad effort.

Oh, you ain't seen nothin' yet!

'Once again, garlic was my enemy.'

But I was more pleased than I was this morning,

because I knew what I was doing. Something familiar.

She obviously does cook.

However, I am more and more frightened

with every single moment...

John, what was she thinking of?

Jamie, this is a skills test.

-What we want from you is pasta and pesto in just ten minutes.

-OK.

-Jamie, are you happy? Done this before?

-No, never.

-OK. Good!

Ten minutes. Let's cook.

Where does that go?

Does this cut it?

Dear, oh, dear, oh, dear! That ain't working for me.

I've seen it done this way.

In old Italian families, the mothers used to teach their sons

how to do it your proper Italian way.

The way Mama likes it!

You're halfway. You've got five minutes left.

Oh! That's good!

You have 60 seconds.

Mwah! Bellissimo!

Phew!

You like?

I've never seen anybody take a bowl of hot pasta,

some sauce, and mix it with their hands before.

Good, isn't it?

For me, there's one thing you've proved today.

You've got a really good palate, but you lack technical ability and confidence.

Your pesto tastes really good.

It's rounded and it's got lots and lots of flavour.

But the pasta is completely wrong.

You learn the technique of making that

and you'll make a really delicious plate of food.

Right.

I like the texture of your pesto. Really nice.

It just needs a little more garlic. But that pasta's not right.

That's like eating underlay.

-Mmm!

-I've got to confess, I've never eaten underlay,

but then neither have I ever tasted pasta that thick.

-Right. Cheers, guys.

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

That was really...

Ah! It's irritating, because...

I should have been able to do that one.

Javine, fresh pasta and a pesto sauce.

-Right.

-Done any of this before?

-No, never.

And we're cooking with gas!

That's way too long.

-Right, you're halfway.

-Get together! Get together!

More nuts.

More bashing.

-How long have I got, guys?

-You've got one minute.

60 seconds left.

I'm sorry, Mum!

That's it. Time's up. Stop!

You knew nothing right from the start and I admire the work ethic.

You made sure you got that pasta through the machine.

-You got a sauce. You tried really hard. Not a bad effort.

-Thank you.

It's not bad at all. There are a hundred different types of pesto.

I like yours. It's strong and tangy.

Your pasta's too thick, miles too thick, but you know it is.

Ugh!

I'm so annoyed. The pasta's too thick,

but, erm, I thought I worked well under pressure.

It's not looking like it!

You must have eaten lots of pasta in your time, Steve.

But at the supermarket, it comes in a lovely bag and you lob it in.

I'm not seeing one of those bags.

Ten minutes. Pasta and pesto.

I take it I start with the pasta.

-Do you boys stand there the whole time?

-Sorry.

What...?!

Oh, we have some results here!

Are you hungry?

-Er, I was!

-You were!

I need some of this.

I need to fry some of these.

I need that again, don't I?

Two minutes, big fella.

Time's up.

-HE SIGHS

-Gents, that was hard work!

-Could you tell I'd not used one of them before?

-Yeah.

Your pasta's a bit thick.

The pesto needs pine nuts ground into it, not toasted.

You need a lot more sauce.

The whole thing needs to be mixed together to become one.

Right.

Pesto is a nice texture.

However, frying those nuts has made the oil come out of them,

so what you've got on here is a toasty, nutty,

almost bitter finish to pesto.

Off you go, mate. Cheers.

'That was horrendous again.'

Why didn't I mix the sauce up with the pasta?

Because those guys are standing over my shoulder, stressing me out!

They're not a bad bunch.

I think a little bit of confidence,

now they've got the first rounds out of the way,

we could see some decent dishes from these four.

Jamie has very little technical ability, but has a great palate.

'I've had such a great day today. I feel like a proper chef,'

and I'm loving it.

Steve has got his work cut out. He's got a point to prove now.

He's got to have a bit more finesse and thought.

'Today has been a complete baptism of fire.'

I have got to either get lucky or do some serious groundwork,

or, best of all, have both of those things happen.

Javine definitely has technical ability. She has a decent palate and is starting to think like a cook.

'I've learnt so much already.'

I've got two dishes out today.

I've got to be proud of myself for that.

If Anne doesn't pay more attention to the finer detail,

she'll ruin all her good cooking.

'Today's been really tough,'

but it could be even worse tomorrow.

They're definitely fighters, all four of them,

and I just can't wait to see what happens next.

Next time, the pressure intensifies...

-That's gross.

-Gross?!

-That's not even going to cook out.

..as the celebrities face their first outside challenge.

-Let's toss for it, dude.

-Come on, then, swimming boy!

-Let's bring it on!

-Aaah! She's proper scaring me now.

-Absolute rubbish. I wouldn't give it to the cat.

-That's not nice!

Oh! Mama mia!

Come on, let's move it!

Got a Band-Aid, anyone?

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