North East Judging Great British Menu

It's judgment day, as Michelin-starred Tim Allen...

I've not come here to lose to Michael.

I really want my place in the national final.

..is going head-to-head with avant-garde chef Michael O'Hare.

My big goal today is to impress the judges

and get their approval on what I'm doing.

..in a battle to represent the North East.

I remember having the shakes on the first day. I've got them again today.

Their aim - to cook at the banquet marking the centenary

of the Women's Institute at London's Draper's Hall.

Ensuring their dishes meet the impeccable standards

of the Institute is guest judge Kirsty Bowen,

president of an urban WI group in Sheffield.

Did you expect someone like me to be president of a WI?

Not at all, no.

Tim had the highest overall score of the week

and he's determined to impress the judges today.

I don't want to take my eye off the ball.

I've got to make sure this is executed properly.

Standing in his way is Michael, who climbed from last place

after earning the only ten of the week for his standout main course.

Fingers crossed the judges like it.

But only one chef can win through to the national finals.

The chef going through to represent the North East is...

Michelin-starred Tim garnered praise

for his skill from veteran Marcus Wareing,

but with Michael hot on his heels,

he knows only perfection will do today.

Even though I got the highest cumulative score this week

with a slim margin of one point, I've not come here to lose to Michael.

I really want that place in the national final.

-Good luck, buddy.

-All the best, Chef.

Maverick chef Michael started the week bottom of the leaderboard.

HE LAUGHS

Good start, eh?

But his innovative dishes saw him climb to second place.

It is a concern that the judges won't understand

my direction with the brief.

I want to stay true to myself on how I like to cook

and how I like to think.

I would be very happy and really pleased

if it did translate through my food.

With cooking underway, both chefs have victory in their sights.

I've taken on board a little bit of what Marcus has said,

try and put that in and claw those scores back

to where I want them to be.

Yeah, me too, I've made a couple of small changes.

I'm hoping that's going to make the difference, you know?

Judges Prue Leith, Oliver Peyton and Matthew Fort

are analysing the chefs' menus.

Two new chefs in the competition, I know Tim Allen's food.

It's really sophisticated.

He's got a Michelin star

so I think he'll be very ambitious to impress today.

Well, although I've never eaten Michael's food,

I hear he's a very creative and talented chef.

And these two, their titles! Michael's main course...

And the others are just as crazy.

-Good morning, chefs.

-Good morning.

-Good morning.

Tim, you come here with a big reputation. How are you feeling?

A bit nervous, but positive as well.

I'm looking forward to cooking for you guys.

Michael, what's your inspiration?

To come up with a modern menu

for a modern, contemporary Women's Institute.

Well, Marcus obviously loved nearly all your dishes -

a couple he didn't think were great.

We would like to love them ALL, please, so, good luck, guys.

-Thank you.

-Thanks.

That was a bit surreal, the judges coming in, you know?

Seeing them for the first time was a bit daunting, I thought.

Yeah, it makes it very real.

Michael is first to plate up his raw langoustine and melon starter...

..inspired by family dinners

and the traditional prawn cocktail and melon starter.

Veteran Marcus Wareing thought the dish was style over substance,

scoring it just four.

So, the tweaks you've made, is that going to get you some more points?

Yeah, Marcus said the starter was lacking texture, so the melon,

I've got a lot firmer.

The cucumber, I got into small balls rather than the fine slice,

so there's a bit of crunch in there.

I don't know if it's going to get me up in the high points,

but I would be really happy to get above a four.

The chefs will also be marked by a guest judge.

Kirsty Bowen belongs to a new generation Women's Institute in Sheffield,

where the members uphold the traditions of the organisation.

-Kirsty, welcome!

-Hello, nice to meet you.

Thank you very much for joining us. This is Oliver and that is Prue.

-Hello.

-Hi, Kirsty. So, Kirsty, you're in the WI, aren't you?

Yes, I'm president of Seven Hills WI in Sheffield

and our average age is about 32, so we're quite a little bit younger

-than some other more established WIs.

-And do you like cooking?

Yeah, I love cooking.

We're a very foodie group and we take part

in Sheffield Food Festival every year,

we do a best in show competition and we judge that.

-Are you braced for today?

-I can't wait.

In the kitchen, Michael is perfecting

the flavours in his raw langoustine,

which Marcus felt was under-seasoned.

Don't put any more in, that's enough.

It'll be all right, but don't put any more in.

Next, he works on the gin sour cocktail,

which is decanted into bags and fitted with a straw.

He starts to plate up lavender puree,

melon balls for extra texture,

salted cucumber and the langoustine tartare.

-Next, edible flowers.

-Can I do anything, mate?

Yeah, can you grab that ham fat, mate?

Tim adds ham fat and blowtorches to melt.

Michael's avant-garde approach to food applies to presentation too.

His serving plate and gin cocktail will sit in a giant white egg,

lined with images of his friends and family,

representing the title of this dish, Everyone I Ever Ate With.

Cheers, mate.

-Good heavens!

-Wow!

-The circus is coming to town.

-Wow!

The food looks truly disgusting, but you know what? I love the pictures.

The idea of eating as a community,

eating as a family, does honour the brief.

Do you think the penny will drop with them on that one?

There's certainly a link to family values there.

I hope that's picked up.

-PRUE:

-This gin thing is utterly delicious.

Mmm, it's good!

The structure of the egg might be a little bit impractical.

Why is it impractical?

-Did you up the gin?

-I actually tripled the gin.

Firstly, for Marcus, but secondly, to try and get them drunk

to see if I can get some high scores out of them.

You've got a slight crunchiness in the cucumber.

The rest of the textures are all quite soft to the point of mushy.

The langoustine is beautifully seasoned.

I think it's really well-balanced, I like it.

I think those changes have got to get me a better mark than a four.

I think so as well, Michael.

I'm not quite getting the WI element of it.

I think one of the things, already, about Michael's cooking

is that we are going to have to be very lateral about how we see it.

You know, that's not suitable for a banquet.

We can't have guests with their heads buried in a three-foot egg.

Tim is next with Preserving The Past,

a risky twist on the basic ham, egg and chips,

with a presentation inspired by WI pioneer Adelaide Hoodless.

Veteran Marcus scored it eight points in the week,

saying the addition of a sauce would take it to another level.

-Have you taken on board any of the comments from Marcus?

-Yeah, I have.

The comment from Marcus about the addition of the ham stock,

I thought about that originally when I did the dish.

I didn't put it on and I'm going to give it a whirl,

just to give it a boost of that ham flavour.

Tim's simple starter

hinges on executing every element to perfection.

To a serving plate, he adds compressed tomato,

mustard garnish and pickled onion.

He pipes onion jam onto gaufrette potato chips and plates.

He sprinkles pork crackling onto the ham hock, seasons the egg

and tops with maple jelly and chives.

There are some mustard frills in the fridge behind me.

-Can you grab them out, please?

-Yeah.

Finally, his new addition of ham stock sauce

to intensify the flavour and a salad garnish

with a presentation inspired by the home economy textbook

written by WI pioneer Adelaide Hoodless.

I remember having the shakes on the first day. I've got them again today!

Ooh, it's a book!

Wow!

I think it's a bit of a sexist remark.

You wouldn't be able to make it today, cos, Kirsty,

this is the woman who started the WI, isn't she?

Yeah, definitely, and I think that, back at that time,

women's place was in the home and really part of the community.

Marcus said you made a main course into a starter.

-Do you think the judges will get that?

-I think so, yeah.

There is a real refinement in there.

There's a real lightness of touch with it.

The maple syrup disc actually goes remarkably well with the egg.

For me, it's slightly too sweet

and the other thing is, I think it's too big for a first course.

It's that ham and egg and chips classic,

but it's the ultimate level of it

and that's kind of like what the WI is about.

It's home cooking, but it's the best it can be.

Ham sauce - do you thing that's going to give you

an extra couple of points?

-It's just got that real meaty flavour.

-Yeah.

It's going to add something else.

I think the ham hock is actually the central character here

in this little drama.

This is top drawer cooking.

Next is the fish course.

Michael is first with his interpretation of fish and chips,

called...

Inspired by his industrial hometown

and the WI's pioneering support of women's rights.

Veteran Marcus felt the dish was well executed and memorable,

scoring it eight points.

Your first course was that turnaround dish, wasn't it?

Are you going to change anything? Do you really need to?

No, fairly confident with it, so I'm going to send it as it is,

cook it as best as I can.

He starts by scorching baby gem lettuce

then sprays the canvas serving platter

with his Japanese cod dashi and squid ink sauce

to represent the dark, industrial landscape of his hometown.

But he's almost out of time.

-Sorry, Tim, I'm in the

-BLEEP.

-Right, I'm here now, mate.

Michael calls on Tim to give a helping hand.

He adds the scorched lettuce to the canvas

and places cod loin onto a ceramic hand, which, for Michael,

symbolises women's emancipation,

followed by shredded crispy potato.

He tops with squid ink and vinegar powder

to replicate salt and vinegar flavours

and Tim adds the gold-sprayed shoots.

Michael completes the dish with another drizzle of cod dashi.

When Marcus judged this,

he mentioned that there wasn't a strong connection he could see with my hometown,

so I've made some little cards so the judges can see it.

You've got the coastal town where I'm from and on the other side, myself and my nan.

-Wow! It's like a bit of sculpture.

-It is a bit of sculpture.

I do know it tastes like fish and chips.

We get the salt and the vinegar

-already on the bits of potato, it's really nice.

-We do.

I hope that when they smell that vinegar

and that really heavy cod taste,

that they understand the link I've gone with.

I need to understand about the two-fingered salute.

I know it is a kind of a "rock on" sign,

but I'm guessing with the words, the emancipation, liberation,

a bit of something there about equal rights for women

and the part the WI has played

in changing the status of women in society.

It's a most enchanting picture of Michael as a very small boy.

That kind of brings the whole dish together, that he's really

still thinking about the importance of women in the family.

-Do you think the judges will grasp the concept of it more?

-I hope so.

The addition of the little picture,

I think anyone looking at that

will be able to see that, or I certainly hope.

I think this is outstanding,

because I think what Michael has done here

is really grasp the nature of the competition.

I mean, he's ticked every box and underneath it at all,

he can really cook. The cod is beautifully cooked.

I think it's delicious!

It's certainly brave in front of you two very conservative people.

-Absolutely!

-It's very difficult to fault it.

Tim's luxurious Sole Jubilee fish dish is based on a recipe

created in honour of the Queen's Silver Jubilee

and is inspired by the Queen's role in the WI.

Veteran Marcus was critical of the pastry topping,

but scored it an eight for its delicious flavours.

Marcus had touched on your puff pastry.

-Is that something you're looking to change?

-I need to get it right.

-I don't think it had had enough time in the oven.

-Yeah.

So that would have given it that extra flakiness

so I've just got them puffing earlier.

He adds lemon sole mousse to his Dover sole fillets

and cooks in the pan, then moves on to his scallop ceviche.

To the sole fillets, he adds grated truffle

then layers champagne leeks,

the scallop ceviche and finely chopped chives.

Can you take the puff out of the oven for me, Michael?

Onto a plate commemorating the WI's centenary,

Tim plates the Dover sole fillets, mushroom puree,

lemon sorrel leaves and tops with puff pastry

before pouring fish and creme fraiche sauce into serving jugs.

The final touch - a crown and champagne.

BLEEP!

-Ah!

-Mmm!

-What is this dish called?

-Sole Jubilee.

The Queen is the most prominent lady in the country

and also one of the most high-profile WI members there is.

I hope that message has got through with this, you know?

I assume this was a dish invented for the Queen's Jubilee.

Yeah, but what's that got to do with the WI?

The Queen is head of the Sandringham WI.

Do you think I can wear her crown?

I think Matthew looks very pretty in that crown.

How will they look with the crowns on?

I'm hoping they're having some fun,

cos that's the whole point of that aspect, you know?

It's rather good!

My pastry is absolutely delicious.

I would have preferred him, though, to have brushed it with egg yolk

so there was a bit of a shine on it or something. It looked really dull.

-The real dud note though is the scallops for me.

-Over-lemony.

With having Dover sole and truffle and scallops,

is that the everyday nature of the WI?

I think the leeks were great.

I think the sole itself was really well cooked.

I just think the dish is a bit boring.

It's nice and, as we've said before, nice is not good enough!

It's sole-less!

At the halfway point,

the chefs are moving on to their mains

as the judges consider their scores.

This feels like a slugfest, you know,

one of the boxing matches between Ali and Frazier.

I think, actually, both of them have shown considerable imagination,

but also a lot of technical skill.

The level of cooking and that attention to detail

that the WI looks for, it was spot on.

If those guys can do what they did

with fish and chips and ham, egg and chips,

just think what they'll do with main course.

Tim is first with his chicken, spinach and artichoke dish,

a modern take on a classic roast chicken dinner,

a favourite of one of the WI's Calendar Girls.

Marcus scored the Michelin-starred chef a disappointing six

for overcooking the chicken.

As you know, Mike, not my strongest course, this one, is it?

So I've got to make sure that chicken is cooked bang on this time.

Tim is under pressure to take his traditional chicken dish

to new heights to win over the judges and WI guest judge Kirsty.

-Hi, chefs.

-Michael.

-Hi!

-Hi, Kirsty, I'm Tim.

-Hi, nice to meet you.

You're not what I was expecting for the president of the WI.

-I thought you'd be much older, to be honest!

-Steady, Tim.

-I'm really shocked.

-So, how have you found researching into the WI?

It's been pretty awe-inspiring.

Some of the things you guys have championed and stood for.

Looking into it, what I do enjoy

is that it's still a modern institution

and there are still things that are relevant today.

Yeah, it's about the classic skills, but also learning new ones

and trying new things, which is something that I'm all for.

-I'm really excited about your main course and your dessert.

-Excellent!

-Thank you.

-See later. Bye!

Tim starts by warming cos lettuce in the pan for his warm chicken salad

and frying poached chicken breasts.

That's a bit of extra sauce I've added to it

with a bit of beurre noisette put through the chicken jus.

That's real good.

To a bowl, he adds the lettuce, white wine shallots,

boiled artichokes and chicken thigh

then drizzles with a roast chicken vinaigrette

and places in a presentation tin.

Then he glazes the chicken breast with chicken jus.

To a hot serving plate, he adds Jerusalem artichoke puree

and garlic spinach and the chicken breast.

Happy with the chicken, Tim?

Yeah, it's much better cooked.

And, finally, a drizzle of extra gravy.

-At least that one's not dry!

-Neither are you!

Thank you. Oh, I see!

This is the Calendar Girls.

A lot of people remember the naked calendar

and the film that came out of it.

I think the links to the Women's Institute are fairly visible to see.

The quality of the chicken is great, it's well done.

He's kept all the flavour in.

Chicken breast is notoriously difficult

and, actually, I think he's got it just right.

I've cooked that chicken a lot better than I did for Marcus.

Slightly under-seasoned, I think.

The skin is not crisp, I hate the gravy being put on it,

-which spoils the skin.

-I have to disagree with you there.

The flavours in the gravy are really, really good.

It's safe, it's nice,

but it's not zippy and exciting!

It doesn't blow your mind or your taste buds..

I think this is really good.

Michael is next to put up a floral tribute to his mum, called...

..featuring pork connective tissue

and vegetables.

It earned a ten from Marcus and the admiration of fellow chef Tim.

-A big scoring course for you.

-Yeah.

-Hoping for the same again?

-I certainly hope so.

I'll try and get it as near-perfect as I can.

He starts by pan-frying the pork connective tissue -

a cut from the shoulder.

I think it's the tastiest part of the pig,

but I hope they're not too put off by the fat content in it.

He then moves on to freezing flowers in liquid nitrogen

for his presentation box, dedicated to his mum, a florist.

To a Perspex sheet, he adds almond and garlic sauce

and beetroot powder, followed by purple salt-baked potatoes.

-So, anchovy over each of the potatoes.

-No problem, bud.

Tim lends a hand to plate up anchovies, sliced beetroot,

vegetables and deep-fried pork skin.

I'm hoping some of this rubs off on me.

Michael adds slices of his pork connective tissue

and blowtorches cured ham fat.

That was a push, getting that out there. It's stunning, but...

Wow!

Oh, wow! Ha-ha, amazing!

Well, I think this must be Michael's mum.

And she's looking for a well-dressed man.

I'm glad to see that go and, fingers crossed, the judges like it.

What is that I'm eating?

-That's the connective tissue.

-It is delicious!

It is an extraordinary explosion of colours and design,

but actually, the flavours are quite harmonious.

There are some very nice elements going on here.

I don't know if it needs ALL of these elements.

You happy with the cooking on that?

I took it a little bit under to how I did it for Marcus.

It's nice that it links to his mum and brings that personal touch

-because the WI, it's a lot about family.

-It's tremendously pretty.

When you get into it, it tastes divine.

I just can't fault it.

Maybe this dish now will help my mum find a well-dressed man.

I'm sure it will, man.

I find it almost hard to believe that she does not have an admirer.

Matthew, you need to make that call.

In the kitchen, Tim is plating up his dessert, Frugal Flowers,

a cheesecake inspired by the WI's thrifty ethos.

Veteran Marcus scored it a respectable eight,

but felt the edible flower garnish overpowered the dish.

If I take some off this, it's not a bouquet any more.

It's got to be a bunch of flowers.

Maybe Marcus is right, maybe I've shot myself in the foot.

He starts his floral presentation

then preps the roses made from apple.

I don't want to take my eye off the ball here,

I've got to make sure this is executed properly.

Now it's Michael's turn to help out Tim,

plating up the cheesecake mix with an apple compote centre,

then crumble, the apple roses,

crystallised honey and apple balls.

Tim grates black meringue onto the honey ice cream

through a mould to give the stripes of a bumblebee.

Next, pink meringue petals, black meringue antennae,

a drizzle of honey

and finally, honey tuile wings.

Thanks, Mike.

-Ooh!

-Wow!

-This is by far and away his prettiest looking dish.

-Did that look good?

-Yeah, it looked lovely.

-Taste good?

-I think so, Mike.

The cheesecake mixture is delicious.

I don't even like cheesecake and I like it.

I think this honey ice cream is astonishing.

-Honey is a really tricky thing to work with.

-Isn't it?

These are delicious.

I love the link to the frugality of the WI, you know,

creating flowers out of bits of the apple, I think that's fantastic.

Hopefully the judges have seen the fun in that.

I think you can't help but to find fun in the dessert.

His imagination, actually, has matched his skill.

Tim is really back in the race now.

Michael's twist on a souffle called...

..features unique flavours of pine and pear

and takes its presentation from a cookbook

by esteemed writer Marguerite Patten.

To increase his chances of winning,

Michael has tweaked one element.

-You changed your ice cream.

-I've compromised a little.

I'm going to do two smaller quenelles,

one with a little bit of salt

and one with a little butter popcorn.

So, a bit of Marcus and a bit of you. Brilliant!

He works on his souffles and cooks in the oven,

then into a hollowed-out cookbook, he plates up burnt white chocolate,

chewy artichokes and sliced pear.

Marguerite Patten was a serious lady.

Do you think this is good enough to go in her cookbook?

I honestly wouldn't like to say. I guess there's only one that can.

Next, the salted caramel and popcorn ice cream -

one scoop with reduced salt and the other with extra popcorn.

Michael adds chunks of souffle to the plate

followed by chocolate-dipped artichoke skins.

OK, Tim, go as quick as humanly possible.

They have to wear the 3D glasses.

It doesn't taste the same without them.

-Well done, mate, that's stunning.

-Thank you.

-Well done.

There are very nice words in praise of Marguerite Patten.

I've got fond memories of cooking recipes

from Marguerite Patten's book.

It's quite clever because you can see the print far better

with the specs on.

I think it's really interesting,

the fact that he's ripped up the souffle.

One of the things I love most

is when you get a traditional souffle ramekin,

you cut a hole in it, you put the ice cream in.

It's one of those beautiful moments in eating.

You think the judges will get the broken souffle?

It is certainly a risk.

I would imagine they will be expecting, possibly wanting,

an old school ramekin and a baked souffle.

I really like these artichoke almost like gums,

I think they're really interesting.

They're REALLY chewy.

I do think the ice cream is too salty.

I did prefer my original, even though it was heavily salty,

and I think that works.

I don't think it's entirely successful.

I think Tim just edged him a little bit there in the dessert.

Mate, I'm so relieved to get all that over with.

Yeah, well, I think my expression says it all, really!

It's a really tough choice.

One is this precise, rhythm, balance on a plate

and the other one is just rock 'n' roll.

-I think we've done the North East really proud.

-Me too.

Tim's been very much about the history of the WI,

the high standards of the WI,

whereas Michael has really thought about

the personal connection to women in the family.

I have no idea, really, at the moment.

Which one do we all feel should be the one to go through?

Welcome, Chefs!

It's the first time in the competition for both of you.

How have you found it?

Hard!

-Ultra stressful!

-It's been enjoyable and I genuinely didn't expect that.

I'm very pleased to hear.

It's been an absolutely fascinating day for us,

but I'm sure you wish to know who has actually won.

So, I can tell you that the chef who will be going through

to represent the North East is...

..Michael.

Well done, mate.

You cooked your socks off. Well done.

-You look a bit surprised.

-Yeah!

-Sorry.

-Tim, this must be a shock and a disappointment to you.

It's a disappointment. A shock? No, I wouldn't say that.

I'm chuffed for him, cos he's cooked some great dishes.

Michael, it was your fish dish that really kicked off your menu.

An astonishing thing to look at,

but a sublime dish to eat and I give it a ten.

Well, we all gave it a ten, in actual fact, Michael,

cos it was really creative, really well done.

-Thank you very much.

-Tim, I loved your pudding.

That was just an amazing dish, it really was.

Tim, you've taken the high standards of the WI

and really showed that in your cooking,

but Michael, your concepts were extraordinary so well done.

-You both deserve a very, very big drink.

-Well done, mate.

-Thanks.

'I had no idea.'

I was confident in my cooking, but wasn't confident the judges

would understand me or where I was coming from.

Obviously I'm disappointed. It would have been great to go through,

but there's only one winner and Michael's that bloke.

Cheers, Tim. It's been an absolute pleasure.

Well done, Mike. I've really enjoyed it. Well done!

I hope, now I have the chance to go through to the banquet,

that I can get there and get my dish on,

not just for me, but for Tim.

Let's have some man love.