0:00:03 > 0:00:05This year on Great British Menu...
0:00:05 > 0:00:07I think the pressure's on now.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09If I don't get these right, I'm in it.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13..the country's best chefs are striving to plate up perfection...
0:00:13 > 0:00:16That dish really has got potential.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18..for a glorious banquet celebrating
0:00:18 > 0:00:21100 years of the Women's institute...
0:00:21 > 0:00:23See, that's fantastic, isn't it?
0:00:23 > 0:00:28..at London's Drapers' Hall, where pioneers of the WI once gathered.
0:00:29 > 0:00:33The chefs must honour the custodians of first-class home cooking...
0:00:33 > 0:00:35It's about the inspiring women in my life,
0:00:35 > 0:00:39from my grandmother right up to my baby daughter.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42..with flawless 21st century dishes.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44Wow, again! Bit of a wow.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48Battling it out for the North West...
0:00:48 > 0:00:51returning contender Mark Ellis.
0:00:51 > 0:00:52Last year was a nightmare for me.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56I've worked really hard on this brief. I hope it's paid off.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59Hot on his heels - two determined newcomers.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02Executive chef Eve Townson...
0:01:02 > 0:01:03This is about the Women's Institute.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07There has to be a woman at the banquet. I hope it's me.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10And at just 27, the youngest chef in the kitchen...
0:01:10 > 0:01:11Matt Worswick.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15My grandma was in the WI. I want to make her proud and go all the way.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18Mark failed to make it to the judges last year.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20This time, he can't afford to lose.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23If you come out of starter and you haven't had a good mark,
0:01:23 > 0:01:26you've got the potential there for your head to go down.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29But can he beat his resolute rivals?
0:01:29 > 0:01:31- Nice colour for an egg. - You trying to put me off?
0:01:44 > 0:01:48100 years ago, the Women's Institute was set up to inspire women
0:01:48 > 0:01:50to produce and preserve food.
0:01:51 > 0:01:56Today it's known for fool-proof recipes and classic home cooking.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58Spices make a difference. It's lovely.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00Got my approval.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03To honour the institute, the chefs have researched its history
0:02:03 > 0:02:07and taken inspiration from the important women in their lives...
0:02:07 > 0:02:10- The thyme is really coming through. - It really lifts it.- Well done.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12Thank you very much. Thank you.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16..to produce world-class dishes worthy of the WI.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20- I had some good teachers. - Thank you.- Mwah!
0:02:24 > 0:02:28Judging the chefs this week is a culinary heavyweight
0:02:28 > 0:02:30and former banquet winner.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34- So Mark's returning this year. - Yeah, glutton for punishment.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36So we'll definitely be watching you, then.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38Wait till the veteran chef walks through the door.
0:02:38 > 0:02:43Holder of two Michelin stars, a chef with notoriously high standards...
0:02:43 > 0:02:45I drew a really tough judge last year in Daniel,
0:02:45 > 0:02:49so anybody other than that.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53..the formidable Sat Bains.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57- Hello, chefs.- Morning, chef. - How are we all feeling?
0:02:57 > 0:03:00- Nervous.- Mark, second time for you, how do you feel?
0:03:00 > 0:03:02I think I've got a bit to prove after last year.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04Cool. Matt, first time for you.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06I just need to get settled in and start cooking, really.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08Hopefully it should be OK.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Eve, as the only woman here, how do you feel against these two?
0:03:11 > 0:03:13Slightly more nervous now I've seen you, but...
0:03:13 > 0:03:17So, guys, as you know, a big year for the Women's Institute.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20They obviously strive on perfection and that's what I'm looking for,
0:03:20 > 0:03:21so good luck.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23- ALL:- Thank you, Chef.
0:03:24 > 0:03:25This is going to be really tough.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27- Yeah, I'm more nervous now, definitely.- Mm.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33First up, returning chef Mark Ellis.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35Last year he came under fire from veteran
0:03:35 > 0:03:39Daniel Clifford for using synthetic flavours in his dishes.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41He's using a product called flavour enhancer.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43I hope it doesn't ruin my palate.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45I've been bitterly disappointed.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48He left the competition after the dessert curse.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50Gutted. Absolutely devastated.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54This year, he's more determined than ever to cook for the judges.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56I think it was a phenomenal failure on my part,
0:03:56 > 0:03:59and to repeat that would be devastating.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02- How are you?- OK, Chef.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05So, what's the inspiration for your whole menu?
0:04:05 > 0:04:09The frugality that the Women's Institute bring to their food,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12also incorporating a cheeky little bit of their sense of humour.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14So what's the dish that you're doing today for the starter?
0:04:14 > 0:04:17So this dish is my Jam And Jerusalem Breakfast.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20- OK.- The Women's Institute is synonymous with jam and Jerusalem,
0:04:20 > 0:04:24so I wanted to incorporate those two things into a dish and the flavours
0:04:24 > 0:04:28that I came up with evolved into a sort of pigeon-based breakfast.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32- I've got some fantastic squab pigeon here.- OK.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37I'm going to use half of the breasts and the legs to make a sausage
0:04:37 > 0:04:40and I'm going to use the rest of the breasts to make bacon.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43So you won't be using a wood pigeon which is more native to the UK?
0:04:43 > 0:04:45With the squab pigeons, you've got a bit more
0:04:45 > 0:04:46of a uniform flavour for me.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49- So, with that, I'm going to make a home-made soda bread.- OK.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52I see a...a bottle of chemicals here.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55- It's not like last year, is it? - It's smoke oil. No, Chef.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58I'm going to make with that some really nice home-made smoked butter.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02I'm going to serve that with a nice blackberry conserve.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05I've got some fantastic Jerusalem artichokes.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08These are going to be a pickled Jerusalem artichoke scrambled egg.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11So that's going to be interesting to see.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15Yeah, it's a bit risky, so I'm hoping that it pays off.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18I can see the collaboration of Jam And Jerusalem Breakfast
0:05:18 > 0:05:20because it's synonymous with the WI,
0:05:20 > 0:05:22but there's a lot of ingredients there that could jar, and it's
0:05:22 > 0:05:27interesting to see how they're going to work together as a complete dish.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Next up is Matt Worswick. A first-timer on Great British Menu,
0:05:31 > 0:05:36he's determined to put the North West on the culinary map
0:05:36 > 0:05:40and is confident his cheeky take on the brief is a winner.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43- How are we doing, Matt?- Ready to go.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47- So, tell me the inspiration for the whole menu.- This is my granny.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50- OK.- She was in the WI for ten years.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54My fondest memories were cooking with me grandma in her kitchen
0:05:54 > 0:05:57and that's what I've based the whole theme around - me grandmother.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59What's this dish called?
0:05:59 > 0:06:02- Game Old Birds. I've based it around the Calendar Girls.- OK.- So it's...
0:06:02 > 0:06:05- You're not going to strip off, are you?- No, I'm not.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07That'll get you extra points. HE LAUGHS
0:06:07 > 0:06:09Give me a point, I'll do what you want.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11- So I've used British partridge.- OK.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14I'm going to slowly roast the breasts and then the legs,
0:06:14 > 0:06:18I'm going to braise them down and mix it with some lovely
0:06:18 > 0:06:22back bacon, some Savoy cabbage. I'm going to make a bread sauce.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25Partridge with bread sauce, it's a classic combination,
0:06:25 > 0:06:27but done right, brought up-to-date, I think it could be a winner.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31I've used some blackberries so I'm going to salt some of these
0:06:31 > 0:06:34- so they're not too sweet.- OK.- I'm going to make a blackberry caviar.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37That's something that Mark would probably do over there.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39I think that's a risky thing to do.
0:06:39 > 0:06:40Talking from experience.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42I think you have to push yourself
0:06:42 > 0:06:45and that's what I've done this time to make a decent dish, hopefully.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47- Well, good luck.- Thank you very much.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52My first instinct is it could be quite heavy.
0:06:52 > 0:06:53Lots of elements there are rich.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57I'm interested to see how he's going to make that a lot lighter.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02Last up is another chef making their debut in the competition.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06Award-winning exec chef Eve Townson.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08Inspired by strong British women,
0:07:08 > 0:07:12Eve's adamant a woman should cook for the WI banquet.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17- Hello, Eve, how are you? - I'll feel OK when I start cooking.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20So, tell me the inspiration for your menu, first of all.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23I based it predominantly on Lancashire and Lancashire produce.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26- Lovely.- Strong women in my life.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29So what's the starter based on? What's the inspiration behind it?
0:07:29 > 0:07:31Well, it's called Winnie's Chicken.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33This is a picture of Winnie Swarbrick
0:07:33 > 0:07:35from her poultry farm in Goosnargh, which is...
0:07:35 > 0:07:36I know it very well.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38..in the great Lancashire county
0:07:38 > 0:07:42and Winnie was an avid member of the WI throughout her many years,
0:07:42 > 0:07:45so hopefully I'll do her proud with this dish.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48So I'm going to use the corn-fed chicken from Goosnargh.
0:07:48 > 0:07:49I'm going to use the legs.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52I'm going to confit it down, croquette it
0:07:52 > 0:07:54and then I'm going to make a beetroot ketchup.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57So it'll be like a really juicy kind of nugget.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59Yeah, that's the intention.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01Then the ketchup's going to cook through.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04Yeah, and then I'm going to pickle some of these vegetables
0:08:04 > 0:08:06and make some Lancashire hard.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09- OK.- It was a bit of a wartime classic.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12It's a bit like an oatcake.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15Mine's going to be a little bit softer and a bit more buttery.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17So the guys have gone for
0:08:17 > 0:08:19lots more elements and more
0:08:19 > 0:08:21cheffy things where Eve's dish of
0:08:21 > 0:08:22the chicken nugget, for a better word,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25and the ketchup sounds simplest.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27But it could pack the biggest punch.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29The other two boys are doing birds as well,
0:08:29 > 0:08:33so how do you feel about your dish standing out to theirs?
0:08:33 > 0:08:34May the best bird win.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37THEY LAUGH
0:08:40 > 0:08:42As cooking begins,
0:08:42 > 0:08:45returning contender Mark is weighing up the competition.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47Both your menus seem quite heavy to me.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49Is that something that you're worried about?
0:08:49 > 0:08:50No, wait till you see it.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54You'll be suitably impressed with how light it is.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57All three chefs are using birds in their starters,
0:08:57 > 0:09:01although controversially, Mark's is imported from France.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05For the chicken croquette element of her dish, Winnie's Chicken,
0:09:05 > 0:09:07in honour of a Lancashire poultry farmer,
0:09:07 > 0:09:11Eve is confiting chicken legs which she'll season with chives,
0:09:11 > 0:09:15parsley, tarragon and coarse grain mustard.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18- You've got a few pans on there, Eve. - I've got a few things to cook.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21- Are you going to have time to get it all done?- Yeah, definitely.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23With a menu inspired by his late grandmother,
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Matt's braising partridge leg in stock for the Savoy-wrapped
0:09:27 > 0:09:30ballotine of his Game Old Birds dish.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32Me granny, she's staring down, looking at you,
0:09:32 > 0:09:35giving the evil eye, so I hope you're worried.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39Despite simplifying his approach this year,
0:09:39 > 0:09:43returning chef Mark is still taking a big risk,
0:09:43 > 0:09:47making what looks like a traditional cooked breakfast
0:09:47 > 0:09:49from French squab pigeon.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52He makes sausages by mixing the thigh meat with apple
0:09:52 > 0:09:55and brining the breast to make bacon.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59Mark's deconstructed breakfast - how that's going to work,
0:09:59 > 0:10:00I've got no idea.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04Is it a gimmick or is it proper food?
0:10:04 > 0:10:08But his most controversial element is a twist on scrambled egg
0:10:08 > 0:10:11made entirely from Jerusalem artichoke.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14SAT BAINS: You've got to explain this to me cos I'm still confused.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17It's a pickled artichoke, so I'm going to dice them all up,
0:10:17 > 0:10:20cook them all in chicken stock, then I'm going to take half out,
0:10:20 > 0:10:23add cream to the pan, puree what's left in the pan
0:10:23 > 0:10:26and then add that back to the artichokes.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28And it looks like scrambled egg.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32So when you said you were going back to basics, this is it?
0:10:32 > 0:10:33Erm, yeah.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35'I just can't get my head around it. It's going to be
0:10:35 > 0:10:38'looking like scrambled egg but not taste like scrambled egg.'
0:10:38 > 0:10:40Why not just do scrambled egg?
0:10:41 > 0:10:45Mark Ellis is head chef at 1851 Restaurant
0:10:45 > 0:10:47at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51Accustomed to the standard and pace of Michelin-starred kitchens,
0:10:51 > 0:10:55Mark's done a stint for Gordon Ramsay.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58After flopping last year, I'm really, really hungry for this, this year.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00I really feel like I've got a point to prove.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04Mark is back with a fresh attitude and a brand-new approach.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07This year, my food's going to be all about really good cooking.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10Obviously they're going to have a little bit of a twist to them,
0:11:10 > 0:11:13but not so much of the modernist techniques this year.
0:11:13 > 0:11:18Sort of go back to basics, really, and go back to my roots.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21'Keen to get to the heart of what the WI stands for, Mark met
0:11:21 > 0:11:24'with Barbara, president of the local group in Bunbury.'
0:11:26 > 0:11:31WI has that ethic of saving and conserving things, not wasting.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35This is the WI recipe book going back to 1935.
0:11:35 > 0:11:40There's an awful lot in there that's reminiscent of days past
0:11:40 > 0:11:43but also used in present-day cooking.
0:11:43 > 0:11:44Oh, that's fabulous.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48Mark is keen for Barbara to road-test his controversial
0:11:48 > 0:11:49eggless scrambled egg.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51Jerusalem artichoke is lovely.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54Eggs can sometimes can sometimes be a bit claggy,
0:11:54 > 0:11:55but that's fresh in your mouth.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59I've never had it served like that before, but it really is lovely.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03Back in the kitchen, Mark is making his own butter,
0:12:03 > 0:12:05but old habits die hard.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08He's flavouring it with smoke oil.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10Sat asked if I'd learnt from my mistakes last year
0:12:10 > 0:12:13and there's still that element of twisty-turny humour there,
0:12:13 > 0:12:15but I think I've learnt my lesson.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Also feeling the heat is newcomer Matt.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23He's hoping to refine humble bread sauce - a classic accompaniment
0:12:23 > 0:12:26to partridge - by infusing milk with onion,
0:12:26 > 0:12:31bay leaf and spices, adding white bread, then blending until smooth.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33So, Matt, talk to me about the bread sauce
0:12:33 > 0:12:36cos I can just envisage lumpy bread sauce.
0:12:36 > 0:12:37Obviously, it's a homage to Gran.
0:12:37 > 0:12:42So I wanted to use the flavour, but try make it a bit more refined,
0:12:42 > 0:12:45a bit more gastronomic, so I'm just going to pass it,
0:12:45 > 0:12:46make it a lot smoother.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49Still can't get my head around whether it's a starter
0:12:49 > 0:12:50or a miniature main course.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54All the elements scream main course.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56Matt's also injecting a contemporary twist,
0:12:56 > 0:13:00making caviar out of blackberries using spherification.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Quite risky coming on Great British Menu
0:13:04 > 0:13:06and doing a lot of modernist cooking.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10I'm trying to push the boundaries a bit more rather than play it safe.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12Matt drips his blackberry,
0:13:12 > 0:13:16thyme and lemon-infused puree into cold oil to form blackberry caviar.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21To watch Matt is to kind of watch myself at this time last year,
0:13:21 > 0:13:25I think. Matt's put a lot of pressure on himself. How's it worked out?
0:13:25 > 0:13:29- Good, I think.- Yeah, not rubbery? - I think it's about right, yeah.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37Matt Worswick is executive chef at Thornton Hall in Cheshire.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Having trained in a two Michelin-starred kitchen,
0:13:40 > 0:13:45Matt headed up a starred kitchen himself at just 26.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48I would say my style of cooking is bold.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53I like to use seasonal ingredients and probably, most of all,
0:13:53 > 0:13:54flavoursome food.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58The motivation behind Matt's menu comes from someone very close
0:13:58 > 0:13:59to his heart.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03My main inspiration is me grandmother.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06She used to bake cakes and crumbles and everything.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09She was a massive part of the WI in her village, but unfortunately
0:14:09 > 0:14:11she passed away a couple of months ago
0:14:11 > 0:14:14so that's going to be the driving force.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17I've got a lot to live up to, but I'm really going to try me best
0:14:17 > 0:14:19and hopefully it'll be good enough.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23Keen to capture the pioneering side of the WI, Matt met Tricia Stewart.
0:14:23 > 0:14:28As a Calendar Girl, she's helped raise over £3 million for charity.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30- Every year, WI do a traditional calendar.- Yeah.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33And this particular year, I just said,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36"We could do an alternative WI calendar."
0:14:36 > 0:14:38"Feature the crafts of WI, but in the nude."
0:14:38 > 0:14:40So tell me who played you in the movie?
0:14:40 > 0:14:42- Helen Mirren.- Really?
0:14:42 > 0:14:45Yeah, cut her teeth on me and went on to play the Queen.
0:14:45 > 0:14:46How interesting!
0:14:48 > 0:14:51Matt wants to see if he can impress Tricia with his dish -
0:14:51 > 0:14:53Game Old Birds.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57- Mmm...delicious.- Yeah, you like it? - Lovely.- That's great.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59Thank God for that, I was really nervous.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01- Best of luck.- Thank you very much.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03I'll be thinking of the Calendar Girls when I'm doing it,
0:15:03 > 0:15:05sort of spurring me on.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07- Yeah, chuckling to yourself. - Yeah, I will.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13Back in the kitchen, while Matt's finishing his gravy,
0:15:13 > 0:15:17Eve is making ketchup to go with her chicken croquette.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21But unusually, she's using beetroot, which she's cooked down
0:15:21 > 0:15:24with vinegar, sugar and spices before pureeing.
0:15:26 > 0:15:27Eve, how are we doing?
0:15:27 > 0:15:30- OK, I think.- You don't know?
0:15:30 > 0:15:32- SHE LAUGHS - I think.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35- So, tell me what you've got here. - This is going to be my ketchup.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38Is it going to be refined nuggets and ketchup? Are you going to elevate it?
0:15:38 > 0:15:41Yeah, the presentation is going to be a bit more refined.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43The ketchup with the beetroot is a bit lumpy, a bit grainy,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46so I'm wondering if she's going to pass that again,
0:15:46 > 0:15:49because a ketchup hasn't got any texture, it's smooth.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54Lancashire-born Eve Townson has been cooking for over 18 years
0:15:54 > 0:15:57and is now executive chef at the award-winning
0:15:57 > 0:16:01Eagle & Child pub in Ramsbottom.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05My cooking style is...probably modern British would be the best way
0:16:05 > 0:16:06to describe it.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10I like to put a twist on old dishes, all the classics.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13Although Eve is the only woman competing for the North West,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16she's determined to give the boys a run for their money.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19Yeah, I'm competitive when it comes to blokes.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21There wasn't many girls when I was on my way up the ranks
0:16:21 > 0:16:24so the other two might see me as the underdog,
0:16:24 > 0:16:26but hopefully I'll show them a thing or two.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32As a child, Eve spent a lot of time in the kitchen with her mum.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36A lot of my dishes are Lancashire and obviously based it on
0:16:36 > 0:16:39strong women that have been quite influential on me.
0:16:39 > 0:16:40Obviously you, Mum.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44My dishes would be what my mother made
0:16:44 > 0:16:49and then I would tweak it slightly as you've tweaked mine.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52Eve wanted to try out the chicken croquette on her mum,
0:16:52 > 0:16:54husband Brian and son Arthur.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58- I could eat another one of those. - You enjoyed that, didn't you?
0:16:58 > 0:16:59He certainly did.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05Back in the kitchen, Eve is finishing pickling her vegetables.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09But the pressure is really on for newcomer Matt as he's first
0:17:09 > 0:17:11to plate up his starter.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13I think you've got the worst straw - plating first.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16Somebody's got to go first, haven't they, I suppose.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20With six complex elements to his dish, time is not on his side.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23- You finished the spherification yet, Matt?- I have.- How's it worked out?
0:17:23 > 0:17:26I'm not going to call it yet, it's up to the big man,
0:17:26 > 0:17:30but hopefully he says it's right.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33Matt's braised partridge leg needs to be delicately
0:17:33 > 0:17:38wrapped in Savoy cabbage before slicing into portions.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40As it's lean and easily overcooked,
0:17:40 > 0:17:44he has to get his timing for the partridge breast spot on.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46Matt, you're first, how are we getting on?
0:17:46 > 0:17:49I'll be two minutes, Chef.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52First, Matt's refined version of a traditional bread sauce.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55Then on with his Game Old Birds -
0:17:55 > 0:17:57the cabbage-wrapped partridge ballotine
0:17:57 > 0:18:02and the pan-fried breast - garnished with salted blackberries,
0:18:02 > 0:18:06blackberry caviar, and lastly, partridge gravy.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12OK, so let's see what we've got.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14This dish is called Game Old Birds.
0:18:14 > 0:18:19- Well, I think we should have a taste. - Sure.- Let's go.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24- Shall we lift it out the box? - Yes, please.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26I like the box.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28Game Old Birds.
0:18:34 > 0:18:35Is that cooked to your liking?
0:18:35 > 0:18:39I think if it's too pink it can be quite stringy.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42Breast's a little bit on the tough side for me.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45- I do agree that it's a bit tough. - A bit chewy, isn't it?
0:18:45 > 0:18:47Maybe it's just an old bird.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49THEY LAUGH
0:18:53 > 0:18:55Have a taste of the bread sauce. What do you think to that?
0:18:55 > 0:18:57I think you get the flavours
0:18:57 > 0:18:59that you would associate with bread sauce.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01I don't think it's too heavy on the palate.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04Yeah, bread sauce is nice. Think he's really nailed that one.
0:19:04 > 0:19:05Do you think the caviar has worked?
0:19:05 > 0:19:08Has it added the acidity you're after?
0:19:08 > 0:19:11I think it cuts through the richness of the bread sauce and the breast.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14I don't think the blackberries quite cut through enough.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18If you were to score yourself out of ten, what would you give yourself?
0:19:18 > 0:19:21I'd hopefully get a seven/eight.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24I think me grandmother would be pretty happy with it.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26The bread sauce I'd have given a ten.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29But the tough breast - that just let it down, actually.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32- I might go a seven. - I'd probably give it a six.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36- How are we doing?- All right. How are you?- OK, how are you?
0:19:36 > 0:19:39- Glad to get that out the way, to be honest with you.- Yeah?
0:19:39 > 0:19:44It's tough being first up, but I'm glad it's done now.
0:19:44 > 0:19:45How are you getting on?
0:19:45 > 0:19:48I'm actually... Time has just totally run away from me.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51Eve, how are we getting on? We've got about a minute and a half.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55- My hard's just a few minutes in the oven.- What, as in cooking?
0:19:55 > 0:19:58- Yeah, cooking.- If you need a hand, chef, just give us a shout.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01- I'm more than willing to give you a hand.- Thank you.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06Eve's up next with her Winnie's Chicken which includes
0:20:06 > 0:20:09Lancashire oatcakes known as hard.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12But with only a minute to the pass, the hard is still not cooked
0:20:12 > 0:20:15and she's under pressure.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18- Eve, is it OK? - It'll be ready just as I'm going.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22First on the plate is the beetroot ketchup
0:20:22 > 0:20:27and pickled vegetables, celebrating the preserving heritage of the WI.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31- You're three minutes over now, Eve. - OK, Chef, 30 seconds it'll be up.
0:20:31 > 0:20:32OK, cool.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36Next is the croquettes made from spiced confit chicken legs.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39- I'll get your hards out for you. - Yes, please.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42And lastly, straight out of the oven, the Lancashire hard.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48The dish is served with a card about the late Winnie Swarbrick -
0:20:48 > 0:20:53a renowned Lancashire poultry farmer and WI stalwart.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59- What's the dish called, please? - The dish is called Winnie's Chicken.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03- And are you happy with it? - Erm...yeah.- Yes.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07- That didn't sound too confident. - Yes, I am.- Colourful.- Looks good.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15As a dish going to a banquet, do you think this is celebratory enough?
0:21:15 > 0:21:17Bright colours, clean sort of flavours,
0:21:17 > 0:21:23and yeah, it's a celebration of Winnie, the WI and great produce.
0:21:23 > 0:21:24I think it's a colourful plate of food.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27I can't really see the brief on the plate.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35- Are you happy with the croquette?- Mm. - Do you think it's seasoned enough?
0:21:35 > 0:21:38Yeah, I think it's well seasoned.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44The chicken is beautifully cooked.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47I think there's too much mustard in there for the chicken.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50Do you think the ketchup is smooth enough?
0:21:50 > 0:21:53It probably could've gone in the thermal slightly longer.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55It's not as smooth as I'd like it to be.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59I think it should be smoother, certainly, if it's a ketchup.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01- And this is the hard, isn't it?- It is, yeah.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07Is it cooked enough for you?
0:22:07 > 0:22:10I think it probably could've done with another minute or two.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13I'm quite keen to try this. I've not had it before.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17I won't be having it again.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20What would you give yourself out of ten?
0:22:20 > 0:22:23I'd probably give myself...maybe an eight or a nine.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26- I would give this dish a six. - I'm going to give it a five.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29There's too many things on the plate that aren't quite right.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32- Has this got you worried?- No.
0:22:34 > 0:22:39- Hey, darling. How was it? - I'm so glad it's over. Oh, my God.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42- It's hard, isn't it?- Yeah, it is.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45And you've just no idea what they're thinking.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48Last to plate up his ambitious starter is Mark
0:22:48 > 0:22:53with his playful take on a Jam And Jerusalem Breakfast.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56He starts by pan-frying his squab pigeon bacon
0:22:56 > 0:22:58and browning his pigeon sausages.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02- Where's your pigeon from?- It's Anjou pigeon, so it's French.- French?!
0:23:05 > 0:23:08Mark's serving the pigeon with toasted soda bread,
0:23:08 > 0:23:11smoked butter and a blackberry and apple jam.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14- Did you say you'd made your own butter?- Yeah.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17Finally, his controversial scrambled egg
0:23:17 > 0:23:20made entirely from Jerusalem artichokes.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23- Nice colour for an egg. - They're free-range.- Aah!
0:23:23 > 0:23:25English or French eggs, Mark?
0:23:25 > 0:23:29- Are you trying to wind me up?- Oh, no. - Are you trying to put me off?
0:23:29 > 0:23:30Mark, how are we doing?
0:23:30 > 0:23:32Ready, chef.
0:23:32 > 0:23:33Wow. Good timing, let's go.
0:23:37 > 0:23:38Explain it to us, please.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42Chef, this is my take on a playful breakfast.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44Cute breakfast - everything's petite.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52So, as the first course is a starter, having a breakfast,
0:23:52 > 0:23:53do you think that's a bit strange?
0:23:53 > 0:23:55We start the day with breakfast,
0:23:55 > 0:23:57why not start the WI Centenary banquet with one?
0:23:57 > 0:23:58A lot of work's gone into it.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00Made his own sausage, made his own butter.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04We never asked him if he'd sewn his own tablecloth.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06So this is the scrambled egg?
0:24:06 > 0:24:08In inverted commas, Chef, yeah.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10I don't know what to expect with this...
0:24:15 > 0:24:16Are you happy with that?
0:24:16 > 0:24:17It's what I wanted.
0:24:18 > 0:24:19It's quite sweet.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23I was just going to say there's something sweet in it.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34If you were to score your own dish, what would you give this?
0:24:34 > 0:24:37On reflection from last year, I'm going to be quite conservative
0:24:37 > 0:24:39so I'll probably give that dish a six.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42I think the pigeon is lovely. All the elements are sound.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44- I think it's just two separate dishes.- Mm.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46I'll have to give him a seven.
0:24:55 > 0:24:56How did it go?
0:24:56 > 0:24:59I've got visions of poor scores been given out last year
0:24:59 > 0:25:02- and the nerves have just taken over now.- See what happens, I suppose.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04Yeah, try not to cry.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17Hello, chefs. First course done, how do you feel?
0:25:17 > 0:25:18Exhausted.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20OK, so I want to start with you, Matt,
0:25:20 > 0:25:23and your dish of Game Old Birds.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28The reference to the Calendar Girls I thought was great.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32And like your grandma's bread sauce, yours was smooth and beautiful.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36The blackberry caviar worked.
0:25:38 > 0:25:39But...
0:25:41 > 0:25:44..the partridge breast was a little overcooked for me.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48It was also a little bit under seasoned.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53Eve, your starter was Winnie's Chicken.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59I love that you honoured Winnie for her WI roots.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04The chicken croquette was moist and well seasoned.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07But...
0:26:09 > 0:26:12..the ketchup could've been a lot smoother.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15The Lancashire hard was undercooked.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21The dish was not refined enough for a banquet.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29Mark, your Jam And Jerusalem Breakfast...
0:26:31 > 0:26:34The jam, butter and toast worked brilliantly,
0:26:34 > 0:26:36the pigeon bacon was pink and juicy,
0:26:36 > 0:26:40and the Jerusalem artichoke scrambled eggs looked like scrambled eggs.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44But...
0:26:45 > 0:26:50..you'd worked so hard to get the jam and the Jerusalem onto the plate
0:26:50 > 0:26:53that you forgot how the dish would taste together.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55I felt like it was two separate dishes.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59It didn't work for me at all.
0:27:01 > 0:27:02So to the scores...
0:27:05 > 0:27:06Matt...
0:27:11 > 0:27:13..I'm giving you a seven.
0:27:15 > 0:27:16Eve...
0:27:22 > 0:27:24..I'm giving you a five.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29Mark...
0:27:34 > 0:27:35..I'm giving you a five.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44Fish course next, guys. So heads down and focus.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47I want to give some great points, but I want great food.
0:27:52 > 0:27:53Seven's OK.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56I probably would've got a clip round the ear from me grandma saying,
0:27:56 > 0:27:58"Do better next time."
0:27:58 > 0:27:59You're in the lead.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01Even though I am two points ahead,
0:28:01 > 0:28:04I do want better scores than seven, so I'm going to focus all me
0:28:04 > 0:28:07attention on the fish course and really push to get a good score.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11I need to show him that I am a refined chef.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13I'm absolutely gutted that I've made these mistakes
0:28:13 > 0:28:17and obviously it's cost me, but I'm glad that Mark also got a low score
0:28:17 > 0:28:21cos it kind of puts me in a more level playing field.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24Disappointing, but it's not my strongest dish either, so...
0:28:24 > 0:28:26I wanted to get off to a better start than that.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28It feels a bit like deja vu from last year, so it's going to be
0:28:28 > 0:28:31heads down and try and improve on that going forward.