0:00:02 > 0:00:05This year on Great British Menu...
0:00:05 > 0:00:07I'm really feeling the pressure.
0:00:07 > 0:00:08Argh!
0:00:08 > 0:00:10I think it's too close to call.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12..the country's best chefs are competing
0:00:12 > 0:00:16to showcase contemporary British cooking.
0:00:16 > 0:00:17Go time!
0:00:18 > 0:00:21In the year the nation marked the Queen's 90th birthday,
0:00:21 > 0:00:25the chefs are celebrating the everyday Great Britons
0:00:25 > 0:00:28she's honoured for their extraordinary achievements.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32It's the most amazing thing you could ever receive.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35The prize - to cook at the ultimate banquet
0:00:35 > 0:00:38held at the historic Palace of Westminster.
0:00:40 > 0:00:45Here, they must demonstrate the coming-of-age of British cuisine.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48If everyone's going for top of the leaderboard, then I want to be the one that's there.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51You think you're on track, then, all of a sudden, something's missing.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54That's the magic right there, in the pan.
0:00:54 > 0:00:55That was a stunning dish.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11This year, the chefs have been meeting Great Britons who've been
0:01:11 > 0:01:14honoured by the Queen for their endeavours.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16Welcome to St Anne's.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19This is the MBE, which Prince Charles gave me.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21Inspired by these impressive individuals,
0:01:21 > 0:01:24the chefs must demonstrate the transformation of British food
0:01:24 > 0:01:27during the Queen's historic reign.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29I can't criticise this dish.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31Their challenge - to produce a lasting legacy...
0:01:31 > 0:01:34I've seen many things in my time but I've never seen anything like that.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36..to this new Elizabethan age.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42This week, competing to become Northern Irish champion
0:01:42 > 0:01:44are three ambitious chefs.
0:01:44 > 0:01:49Third time contender, Chris McGowan, who has the banquet in his sights.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52Great to be here. First year, got to the final.
0:01:52 > 0:01:53Second year, got to Judges' Chamber.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55Third year, all the way for me.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Making his competition debut, Eddie Atwell,
0:01:59 > 0:02:03whose food philosophy is focused on the land.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05I hope that my unique, natural approach with local and seasonal
0:02:05 > 0:02:08produce should take me to the banquet.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11And finally, fellow newcomer and Daniel Clifford's head chef,
0:02:11 > 0:02:12Mark Abbott.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15As a chef, I've always pushed the boundaries.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19I'm going to do that this week and that is going to give me the edge.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22Judging the chefs this week is a banquet winner
0:02:22 > 0:02:26whose cutting-edge style left its mark on the Great British Menu.
0:02:26 > 0:02:27Anybody you don't want?
0:02:29 > 0:02:31- Do you want a list? - Yeah, yeah, yeah!
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Holder of a Michelin star and a first-time winner...
0:02:34 > 0:02:36I think they're all going to be daunting.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39I don't think it's going to change my nerves any more.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41I want to be physically sick.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43..Michael O'Hare.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47- Good morning, gentlemen. - ALL:- Good morning, Chef.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49Chris, three years in the competition now.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51- Third time lucky, I hope. - Mark, you're head chef at
0:02:51 > 0:02:53Daniel Clifford's two Michelin star restaurant.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56- Are you feeling confident with that? - I'm here just to give the
0:02:56 > 0:02:59- competition everything that I have. - And, Eddie, new to the competition.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01Yourself walking through the door, it's one of those,
0:03:01 > 0:03:03just keep my head down.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07So, guys, you know, this time last year, I was in your shoes.
0:03:07 > 0:03:08Arguably slightly nicer shoes!
0:03:11 > 0:03:12They're pretty impressive!
0:03:12 > 0:03:14Can't argue with that, can't argue with that!
0:03:14 > 0:03:17I'm looking for authenticity, originality and great tasting food.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19I look forward to eating it all. Best of luck.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21- Thank you very much.- Thank you.
0:03:23 > 0:03:24- Wow!- Wow! Yeah.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26Definitely wasn't on my radar.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28That's definitely... Do you know what I mean?
0:03:28 > 0:03:30No, I... Yeah, that surprised me.
0:03:30 > 0:03:35First up and competing for the third time, Chris McGowan.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37- Good morning, Michael. - Chris, how are you feeling?
0:03:37 > 0:03:39- I'm very good, yeah, good. - What is your starter
0:03:39 > 0:03:41and what is the inspiration behind it?
0:03:41 > 0:03:44This is Hugh. Hugh won the World Champion Plough Championships
0:03:44 > 0:03:48three years in a row in the late '50s, early '60s.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51Hugh's being honoured by the Queen with an MBE this year.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54- OK, what are you cooking?- It's a kind of take on a ploughman's.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56It would be something that Hugh would identify with.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58It's called Hugh's Piece Box.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01Piece would be a slang in Northern Ireland for a sandwich.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03We've got ham knuckle. We're going to kind of roll that in a ballotine.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06We're going to wrap it in some of this fantastic Cumbrian ham.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09- OK.- We're going to take this English mature cheddar and we're going to
0:04:09 > 0:04:10make a little mature cheddar soup from that.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13We're going to take some spring onions and make a little onion bread
0:04:13 > 0:04:16and then were going to do a little ham knuckle crubeens.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18- Sorry, crubeens?- Crubeens, it's kind of like a ham knuckle
0:04:18 > 0:04:20that's been pulled, but it's got pigskin in it as well
0:04:20 > 0:04:22and we're going to wrap it in pork fat crackling
0:04:22 > 0:04:25and then fry it, so it's like a little crispy ham knuckle.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28- Really healthy!- Yeah, it's good, do you know what I mean? That's...
0:04:28 > 0:04:31You know, you're out in the field, you're ploughing every day, you want substance, you know?
0:04:31 > 0:04:34So they're really humble ingredients but hopefully I'm able to elevate
0:04:34 > 0:04:36- them to a winning dish. - I'm certainly intrigued
0:04:36 > 0:04:39- to try that soup. Best of luck. - Thank you.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41I'm a little nervous for Chris on this.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43It seems like it's essentially soup and a sandwich,
0:04:43 > 0:04:45so it'll be interesting to see if he can elevate that
0:04:45 > 0:04:47to make it a banquet-worthy dish.
0:04:47 > 0:04:52Next is Mark Abbott, with a box of surprisingly ordinary ingredients.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54Mark.
0:04:54 > 0:04:55- Good morning, Chef.- Welcome.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57Has Daniel Clifford signed off all your dishes?
0:04:57 > 0:05:00We've talked about it, but this is Mark Abbott on plates.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03Glad to hear it. Your starter, what's it called?
0:05:03 > 0:05:05Ordinary To Extraordinary.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08- And in it?- Well, as you can see, there's quite a few potatoes.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12- Yeah!- Throughout my research into the brief,
0:05:12 > 0:05:16I kept coming across humble, genuine people,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19which have done fantastic things for other people.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23That got me thinking - what is the most humble ingredient?
0:05:23 > 0:05:28The basic potato. I want to elevate and create a dish which is exciting,
0:05:28 > 0:05:30starting off with this particular variety.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32What I'm going to do, I'm going to bake these
0:05:32 > 0:05:34and I'm going to turn that into a croquette
0:05:34 > 0:05:37and then I'm going to wrap that all in pork skin.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40- OK.- I'm going to make a buttermilk mash potato.- Mm-hm.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42I love potato salad.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44So what I'm going to do, I'm going to make a nice little bacon cone
0:05:44 > 0:05:47and then I'm going to fill that with purple potatoes.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49Also, I'm going to make potato crisps.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53So they're going to be puffed up and the top of that's
0:05:53 > 0:05:54going to be covered in a bacon jelly.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57I'm also going to be doing little garlic scooped out
0:05:57 > 0:05:59potatoes rolled in their own skins.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02- Good luck with it. - Thank you very much.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04Serving potatoes in six different ways,
0:06:04 > 0:06:06it's really clever and it's really original,
0:06:06 > 0:06:10but I'm worried that it's not going to excite the people at the banquet.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14Last up is Eddie Atwell, who grows many of his own ingredients.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16- Good morning, Chef.- Welcome.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18- Hiya.- How are you feeling?
0:06:18 > 0:06:20Yeah, I'll get there.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22- Nervous?- A wee bit, but more anxious to get cooking.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24Good. Your starter, what's the name of it?
0:06:24 > 0:06:25So it's called A Royal Condiment.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29So basically the main element of it is...it's the HP brown sauce.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32So, for me, it was the royal warrant, the Royal Standard.
0:06:32 > 0:06:33Are you making your own brown sauce?
0:06:33 > 0:06:35Basically, we're starting off with soaking tamarind,
0:06:35 > 0:06:37which is the main base behind brown sauce.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39Every ingredient has a standard on it as well.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Every ingredient has a mark and they're all working together
0:06:42 > 0:06:44to create this. What I'm thinking is this is me championing
0:06:44 > 0:06:47all the standards together into warrants to make this brown sauce.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50The other thing I'm using is a pork. I'm using pork, going from
0:06:50 > 0:06:52nose to the tail of the pork, really, with this.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55So, again, it's British pork but maybe the most unused products.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57So you're cooking the... pig's tails, are you?
0:06:57 > 0:07:00I am indeed, I am. Exactly. The head's probably one of the
0:07:00 > 0:07:02first things that I've ever prepped when I was a young chef.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04Let's have a look at your head. Yeah, looks good.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06I love a pig's head. They're delicious as well.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08So, basically, remove the meat with the skin on,
0:07:08 > 0:07:11the two sides and that'll reveal the meat inside, so the cheeks,
0:07:11 > 0:07:13- nice brown meat, and along the snout as well.- Excellent.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15And what else is in the box?
0:07:15 > 0:07:18So, we've got some white pudding as well and with that I'm going to be
0:07:18 > 0:07:20using that with the white meat.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23Again, with the capers as well, just to get that little bit of vinegar.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26It looks really interesting. It looks like a great few starters
0:07:26 > 0:07:29- we could have here, so best of luck to all of you...- Thanks, Chef.
0:07:29 > 0:07:30..and I look forward to tasting it.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33- Thanks a lot.- Thank you very much. - Thank you.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Eddie's Royal Condiment, the ingredients in this box
0:07:36 > 0:07:39look phenomenal and I'm excited to see this dish.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41I think it's going to taste great.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46As the chefs start cooking,
0:07:46 > 0:07:48Chris's experience in the competition
0:07:48 > 0:07:50is the talk of the kitchen.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53I've had mixed reviews over my starters.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56I know how important it is to get off to a kind of good start.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58It's about delivering it, isn't it?
0:07:58 > 0:08:01It's getting what you want out of your food on that plate
0:08:01 > 0:08:03under this pressure, under this environment.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10All three chefs are using pork today.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14Eddie is championing underused cuts from the pig's head and tail,
0:08:14 > 0:08:17which he prepares by scorching with a blowtorch and brining.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Mark is using bacon to make a savoury jelly,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25a crispy topping and a basket for his potato salad.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31Chris is using ham knuckle in his ballotine and crubeens.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33He's cooking the meat in a pressure cooker with a mirepoix -
0:08:33 > 0:08:36chopped carrots, celery and onion.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38Chris, the pressure's on, mate.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40- The pressure is on! - THEY LAUGH
0:08:40 > 0:08:42We want to represent Northern Ireland, don't we?
0:08:42 > 0:08:44That's what it's all about, that's why we're here.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Exactly, yeah. What a privilege it would be.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53Chris McGowan worked in some of London's top restaurants
0:08:53 > 0:08:56for over 12 years and, last year, moved back to Northern Ireland
0:08:56 > 0:08:59to start his own restaurant, Wine & Brine.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04Chris is approaching his third time in the competition
0:09:04 > 0:09:08with even more grit and a new strategy.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11This year, my style of food is probably a little less frenetic,
0:09:11 > 0:09:13a little bit more focused.
0:09:13 > 0:09:14Really hungry to get back in there.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17Hopefully I can get all the way to the banquet this year.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21For his menu, Chris is celebrating extraordinary Britons
0:09:21 > 0:09:24from ordinary backgrounds, honoured by the Queen.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27This is Hillsborough Castle.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30Chris lives in Hillsborough with wife Davina,
0:09:30 > 0:09:32just minutes from the Queen's Royal residence.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35- Very grand, isn't it? - It's beautiful.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39It's the perfect place to taste a sample of Chris's starter.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41Mmm.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43That's delicious.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45The brief this year is about Great Britons and, you know,
0:09:45 > 0:09:48- Hugh is a Great Briton.- Yeah. - I mean, he's a fantastic man,
0:09:48 > 0:09:50he's really humble.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53- I think he would love this. - I think he would love it, yeah.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59In the kitchen, Chris is baking onion bread.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03And making a caper and raisin puree
0:10:03 > 0:10:06by blending golden raisins with capers.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10He starts making his cheddar soup,
0:10:10 > 0:10:13frying off onions and garlic before reducing with white wine
0:10:13 > 0:10:16and adding fresh thyme, milk and cream.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24For his ambitious dish of potatoes six ways,
0:10:24 > 0:10:27Mark has several pans on the go.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29So you're planting those spuds today anyway?
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Oh, yeah, it seems like potatoes everywhere.
0:10:31 > 0:10:32He bakes Yukon Gold potatoes.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35He's using the flesh for the mash, and the croquette
0:10:35 > 0:10:37and the skins will be used for the infusion.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42Mark also makes potato puffs
0:10:42 > 0:10:49by deep-frying granules of wheat and potato that inflate when fried.
0:10:49 > 0:10:50You see Daniel Clifford, who's your mentor,
0:10:50 > 0:10:52and you think about what he's been able to deliver
0:10:52 > 0:10:53in this kitchen, you know.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56He's inspiring. I want to do him proud.
0:10:56 > 0:10:57- Yeah.- I want to do the restaurant proud,
0:10:57 > 0:10:59- I want to do my family proud.- Yeah.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01For me, that's the most important thing.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08OK, two canapes away, table seven.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10Mark Abbott is currently head chef
0:11:10 > 0:11:14at Midsummer House under GBM veteran, Daniel Clifford.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18Service! Come on, let's wake up!
0:11:18 > 0:11:20Winning the competition's everything.
0:11:20 > 0:11:21I will not accept second best.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24I'll be pushing myself to the complete maximum
0:11:24 > 0:11:27and hopefully that'll be enough.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29A farmer's boy at heart,
0:11:29 > 0:11:31Mark returned to his roots in County Antrim,
0:11:31 > 0:11:33where his family still lives.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38Well, Mark, many a fond memory you've spent here on the farm.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41Being brought up on a farm, it was just a fantastic opportunity,
0:11:41 > 0:11:44and there's things, even now, I take inspiration for the dishes
0:11:44 > 0:11:45which we come up with.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49Well, I've actually got some of the elements from the starter with me.
0:11:49 > 0:11:50It's also bringing in potatoes,
0:11:50 > 0:11:54which is something which would never have not been on dinner.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58That's right. The humble spud, in some shape or form every day.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02Mark wanted to try out his starter on some real potato connoisseurs -
0:12:02 > 0:12:04his family.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08So that's a potato which has been cooked in garlic and cream
0:12:08 > 0:12:10and then rolled in its own skins.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14Potatoes don't normally taste this good at the dinner table
0:12:14 > 0:12:16at night-time.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Darling, we'll have to get a new menu for our cook.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23Very different to what we have normally have, but it was lovely.
0:12:23 > 0:12:24Make it again.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30In the kitchen, Mark is making his bacon jelly.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33He brings a bacon stock to the boil with a gelling agent,
0:12:33 > 0:12:36then leaves to cool and set on a flat tray.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40Next, he moves on to one of his trickiest elements -
0:12:40 > 0:12:41the pommes souffle.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46- What have we got going on here? - So this is my pommes souffles.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49So I'm literally just taking the two slices of potato,
0:12:49 > 0:12:52gluing them together with an egg white and cornflour solution.
0:12:52 > 0:12:57- OK.- And then put them in dehydrator and then fry them.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59Fingers crossed, they puff up.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01You haven't given yourself too much to do?
0:13:01 > 0:13:03No, there's not much. All it is is a potato, at the end of the day.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10Fellow newcomer, Eddie, is starting the star element of his dish -
0:13:10 > 0:13:12brown sauce.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16He cooks down tamarind pulp before adding tomato, onions, dates,
0:13:16 > 0:13:18black treacle and dark brown sugar.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24For piquancy, Eddie adds malt vinegar,
0:13:24 > 0:13:27English mustard and Worcestershire sauce.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29I hope there's enough vinegar coming off this
0:13:29 > 0:13:31- to knock your taste buds off. - I can get it from here, mate.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35He simmers his brown sauce under a cartouche before blending.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38Eddie, probably for a lot of people on Great British Menu,
0:13:38 > 0:13:40you're probably a bit of an unknown quantity.
0:13:40 > 0:13:41I'm inspired to be where you guys are.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43I want to try and get as much out of this.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45I'm just going to get on with it.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50Eddie Atwell was head chef at the acclaimed Ardtara Country House
0:13:50 > 0:13:52in Maghera, Northern Ireland for a year.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56His obsession with food is all-consuming.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59All right, check on one beetroot, one beef. Service.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03Eddie's used his training and passion to cultivate his own style,
0:14:03 > 0:14:07and he's using his own culinary journey to inspire his menu.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10My style of cooking's evolved with the people I've worked with.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13So started off sort of classical French and moving into more
0:14:13 > 0:14:15modern British and then moving towards sort of the
0:14:15 > 0:14:18more natural side of growing and foraging.
0:14:18 > 0:14:23Eddie's passion lies with using seasonal ingredients close to home,
0:14:23 > 0:14:25either foraged or grown by himself.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28There's no food miles. It's steps, you know,
0:14:28 > 0:14:30from the back of the restaurant into the garden.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32Within a couple of hours, someone's going to be eating that now.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36Eddie was keen to see what sous-chef Kev made of his rolled pig's head
0:14:36 > 0:14:37with brown sauce.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41- Brown sauce is amazing.- Yeah?
0:14:41 > 0:14:43I'm glad you brought two vats,
0:14:43 > 0:14:45because I think I could eat more.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48- I think I'm happy enough with that. - Oh, if anyone got that,
0:14:48 > 0:14:49they'd be happy.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57Eddie is now working on his pigs' tails by stripping the cooked meat
0:14:57 > 0:15:01from the bones. He also separates the white and brown head meat.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05- What are you doing?- Just finished my pigs' tails and my head,
0:15:05 > 0:15:08so I'm just getting ready. My sauce has come out, so I'm just getting
0:15:08 > 0:15:11ready for that now and trying to get the balance right in the flavour.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14Again, it's something I don't want to be overpowering too much.
0:15:14 > 0:15:15I want to make it work.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17- Working hard.- A wee bit.
0:15:17 > 0:15:18Like a busy fool, isn't it?
0:15:22 > 0:15:24It's like a Turkish sauna.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27Chris is finishing his ham knuckle ballotine.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29He shreds some of the meat, adds chopped parsley,
0:15:29 > 0:15:34capers and mustard and binds with a reduced stock and gelatine solution.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41He assembles the ballotine using knuckle meat and air-dried ham,
0:15:41 > 0:15:42then chills.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46When you come to this kitchen, you want to throw your
0:15:46 > 0:15:48heart and soul into it. I mean, this is what we do.
0:15:48 > 0:15:49We do this for our passion.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52Next, it's on to an Irish speciality.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54- What are you on with? - This is our crubeens, yeah.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56So this is a very traditional Northern Irish,
0:15:56 > 0:15:59this would be the kind of thing that you would have got when you come in
0:15:59 > 0:16:01- off the field.- OK. So this is something I've never seen before.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04Have you never had it before? So, what we've done is a white sauce.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06Basically, a little bit of mustard in there,
0:16:06 > 0:16:08all the ham that's been pulled in, a little bit of parsley.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11And how are you looking for time? Feeling confident?
0:16:11 > 0:16:13No. No pain, no gain, Chef. Do you know what I mean?
0:16:13 > 0:16:16That's why we're here, isn't it, you know?
0:16:16 > 0:16:18Just had a look at Chris's crubeens.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21All the sizes are different and I'm worried that he hasn't quite
0:16:21 > 0:16:24got that precision that he really needs to elevate a dish
0:16:24 > 0:16:25in this competition.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Not content with the first batch,
0:16:31 > 0:16:34Mark is making his pommes souffle again.
0:16:34 > 0:16:35How's the pommes souffle, Chef?
0:16:35 > 0:16:38Pommes souffles are being pommes souffles.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Adapt and overcome, chief.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Mark then assembles his purple potato salad and finishes his
0:16:44 > 0:16:47champ croquette by rolling in dehydrated pork crackling
0:16:47 > 0:16:49before deep-frying.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51Souffle's a bit of a knock-back,
0:16:51 > 0:16:54but, as chefs, we always come back fighting for more,
0:16:54 > 0:16:55so that's what I'm doing now.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01Eddie is also on to the final elements of his starter.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04He combines the cooked white meat from the pig's head
0:17:04 > 0:17:07with white pudding, capers, lemon and parsley.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12And rolls half in the skin with some brown meat,
0:17:12 > 0:17:16then uses the remaining mixture to stuff the tails,
0:17:16 > 0:17:17which he'll deep-fry.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23I've got my head straight now and I think I'm feeling
0:17:23 > 0:17:26a bit more confident about everything, so let's see.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31Chris is first to the pass with his take on a ploughman's lunch,
0:17:31 > 0:17:35inspired by celebrated ploughman, Hugh Barry Barr.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39He finishes off by deep-frying his crubeens.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43Onto a board go individual loaves of onion bread.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46Next, slices of ham knuckle ballotine.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49The pressure in this kitchen is absolutely immense.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54Chris then adds cubes of pickled apple and the ham knuckle crubeen.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Next, droplets of caper and raisin puree
0:18:00 > 0:18:03and a shard of pork scratching.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06Chris garnishes with radish and baby leaves
0:18:06 > 0:18:08and serves in a ploughman's presentation box.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14The mature cheddar soup is poured into an enamel vintage flask.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23- So, Chris, can I have a look inside? - Yeah, absolutely.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25Hugh Barry Barr is a Northern Irish ploughman,
0:18:25 > 0:18:28awarded his MBE for services to ploughing in 2015.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31He celebrates his 90th birthday with the Queen this year.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33- Right, shall we go and taste it, Chris?- Yes, yes, please.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36- It's beautiful, Chris, well done. - Good luck, Chef.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40How do we eat it? Does it come out the box?
0:18:40 > 0:18:42I think, yeah. I'll take it out the box for you, Michael.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45We'll just take it out. Oh, pardon me.
0:18:45 > 0:18:46It certainly looks stunning.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49You can smell it as well. You can smell everything coming out,
0:18:49 > 0:18:51so it's beautiful.
0:18:51 > 0:18:52And then try the soup.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54Yeah. Should I drink it or...?
0:18:54 > 0:18:55I think, yeah, drink it, yeah.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01I find with the soup, it's a beautiful rounded flavour.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03If you imagine sitting out in the field drinking that,
0:19:03 > 0:19:05- you'd be a happy man.- Absolutely.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07That's the thickness you were looking for?
0:19:07 > 0:19:09Yeah, I think, you know what I mean, it's quite creamy,
0:19:09 > 0:19:10it's quite velvety.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16- Are you happy with the seasoning on that?- I am, yeah.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18You know, sometimes knuckles can be a little bit over seasoned
0:19:18 > 0:19:21and I've been conscious of that.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23Yeah, so the knuckle's got a great flavour, hasn't it?
0:19:23 > 0:19:25I mean, it's so moist, beautiful.
0:19:25 > 0:19:26The crubeen. You happy with it?
0:19:26 > 0:19:28Yeah, I was relatively happy with that.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31The little crubeen on the side,
0:19:31 > 0:19:34can you get around the fact of - you could lift somebody's teeth out?
0:19:36 > 0:19:38Do you think that you've elevated that ploughman's?
0:19:38 > 0:19:39I think so. I think it's a great dish,
0:19:39 > 0:19:41I think it's a tasty dish.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43So, finally, Chris, what would you score this?
0:19:43 > 0:19:47In and around a seven and eight would be a respectable score.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50- Sevens all-round? - Absolutely, I'd say sevens.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56Next to the pass is Eddie,
0:19:56 > 0:20:00who's putting the finishing touches to his starter, A Royal Condiment.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04- Good luck, guys.- Well done, Chef. How did it go?- Yeah, I don't know.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06I was relatively happy with it, you know.
0:20:06 > 0:20:11There's always room for improvement in this competition, you know.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14For extra flavour, Eddie scorches his rolled pig's head
0:20:14 > 0:20:15with a blowtorch.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20First into the bowl is apple gel, followed by apple balls.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24Next, rolled, stuffed pig's head,
0:20:24 > 0:20:27dressed with a dash of Eddie's brown sauce.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30He adds crispy nuggets of stuffed pig's tail
0:20:30 > 0:20:32and hand-foraged sea beads.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39Finally, pickled cockles in a cider and cream sauce,
0:20:39 > 0:20:43caramelised banana shallots and crispy topping.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47Are you ready to come to the pass, Eddie? Yes, Chef.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50Eddie's brown sauce is served in a separate bottle.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55- Eddie, how are you feeling?- Anxious.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57You could see that Eddie threw his heart into that.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00- It looks stunning.- Right, let's go and eat it.- This way, Chef.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05That's the most sweating I've seen anyone do in that kitchen.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08Absolutely. Yeah, no, I think I lost about a stone there after that.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12- You can see his passion in this. - Yeah.- Nose to tail eating.- Yeah.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17- Brown sauce.- I don't think I'm on for any copyright laws,
0:21:17 > 0:21:19but I think it's doing what I need.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22- Packs a punch.- It does, yeah, doesn't it, do you know what I mean?
0:21:22 > 0:21:23I really like it.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26Texture of that pig's head. Happy with that?
0:21:26 > 0:21:27Indeed.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29What I'm impressed about is cooking it in the time.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33- It was a brave choice, you know, and it takes a lot of skill.- Yeah.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35This is the tail, the crispy tail.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37Very rich for what it is. I love the product.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39Pig's tail, I really like,
0:21:39 > 0:21:43- and a small bit of the brown sauce on there works wonders.- Yeah.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46It's quite an intricate bowl you've got there.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49Are you happy with the mechanics of how you actually eat out of that?
0:21:49 > 0:21:51I didn't want to go flat on a plate.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53I wanted any juice that was coming out of any element of that
0:21:53 > 0:21:56to be still in there, and to be ate.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58To me, we're celebrating the brown sauce.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01- Yeah.- And I find it a little bit peculiar
0:22:01 > 0:22:03we're eating it out of a bowl.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06So, if you had to score it out of ten, what would you give that?
0:22:06 > 0:22:08I'm pretty modest, I'd say seven.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15Last to the pass is Mark, with his complex starter
0:22:15 > 0:22:18of potato served six ways.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20So, Eddie, how are you doing, boss?
0:22:20 > 0:22:23- Well, perspiration's stopped anyway, so...- Yeah. Were you happy?
0:22:23 > 0:22:27It's what I intended. I'm happy it came out like that.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29Mark starts by layering discs of bacon jelly
0:22:29 > 0:22:34on his pommes souffle and topping with chopped crispy bacon.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38These are presented on potato puffs served in potato skins.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43Everything come out as expected, the pommes souffles?
0:22:43 > 0:22:46Honestly, they haven't came up completely perfect.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48Into a bowl, buttermilk mash,
0:22:48 > 0:22:51followed by a layer of crispy potato puffs.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53- Are you up against it?- I think I've been up against it
0:22:53 > 0:22:55as soon as I walked in these doors.
0:22:55 > 0:23:00Next, spheres of creamy garlic potato in a crispy potato skin crumb
0:23:00 > 0:23:03and purple potato salad in a bacon basket.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07Then, champ croquette,
0:23:07 > 0:23:11baby onion shells and droplets of pickled onion puree.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16Mark garnishes the dish with nasturtium leaves
0:23:16 > 0:23:17and chopped chives.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22The dish is served with a separate baked potato infusion.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30- OK, Mark. The name of the dish? - Ordinary To Extraordinary.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32- Gents?- It's unbelievable.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34- Shall we go and taste it? - I'd love to, Chef.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37- Thank you very much.- Will do.
0:23:38 > 0:23:39Are you happy with how that went?
0:23:39 > 0:23:42For me, this is me on a plate.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44From Ordinary To Extraordinary, he's definitely done that,
0:23:44 > 0:23:47- hasn't he? - Absolutely, times six.
0:23:50 > 0:23:51The potato souffles.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54You've got the crispiness of the potato and then you have that
0:23:54 > 0:23:56really intense jelly on top.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59That's good, isn't it? Do you know what I mean? That's good.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03And now the onions. What have we got in the centre?
0:24:03 > 0:24:05Just a little onion puree.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09- I like those.- They're nice, aren't they? Nice texture to the onion.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12With the champ croquette, are you happy with the crispness
0:24:12 > 0:24:16- on the outside, the pork skin?- Yeah, yeah, I'm very happy with that.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19- I suppose that's a little nod to Northern Ireland.- Absolutely.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22The champ, spring onion, do you know what I mean?
0:24:22 > 0:24:24Potato salad's how you wanted it?
0:24:24 > 0:24:27Yeah, it's quite moist and the bacon itself, it's not too crispy.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29I like that sort of soft texture.
0:24:29 > 0:24:30This is the little bacon basket, is it?
0:24:30 > 0:24:33- With the little potato salad.- Nice the way it's coming out like that.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36- Yeah.- You get the crisp to it, you get the potato salad.- Yeah.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38The skill factor that went into that, you know what I mean,
0:24:38 > 0:24:40you can definitely see that the boy's got talent.
0:24:40 > 0:24:41- He's definitely rumbled me.- Yeah.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43If you had to score it out of ten?
0:24:43 > 0:24:45- Nine.- Why nine? Why the mark off?
0:24:45 > 0:24:47Because I'm upset about my pommes souffles.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49What bothers you about the pommes souffles?
0:24:49 > 0:24:50They're not perfectly round.
0:24:56 > 0:24:57All right, lads?
0:24:57 > 0:25:01- How was that?- I wasn't 100% happy with my souffles.
0:25:01 > 0:25:02He was giving me nothing.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04It makes you doubt yourself, doesn't it?
0:25:04 > 0:25:07- It does.- It does, this is the nervous, anxious wait.
0:25:14 > 0:25:15- Hi, chefs.- Hi.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19Well done. I'm going to start with you, Eddie, and your dish,
0:25:19 > 0:25:21A Royal Condiment.
0:25:21 > 0:25:22I thought, essentially, this was a
0:25:22 > 0:25:25beautiful, accomplished piece of cooking.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29The pig's head was amazing and I thought the crispy tail was lovely.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33I think this really hit the brief and it was very original cooking.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38But the star of the show was the brown sauce.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40For me, it didn't shine through.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44I though it was maybe overly sharp.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46I would have liked to have seen more done
0:25:46 > 0:25:49with the presentation of the brown sauce.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53I think the bowl made it difficult to spread that sauce throughout.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58Chris, for your dish, Hugh's Piece Box...
0:26:00 > 0:26:02..I think this really hit the brief.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04The ham hock and the crubeen, they're really tasty
0:26:04 > 0:26:08and I think every single part of your dish was cooked really well.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10I thought the bread was outstanding.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14The soup was interesting and a different flavour.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19But it's too big of a flavour to drink from the cup like that.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21I would have liked to eat it with a spoon.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24My main criticism is I think it was lacking a little bit of originality.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27It was essentially ham hock and soup and I think that's something that
0:26:27 > 0:26:28we've seen quite a lot of.
0:26:31 > 0:26:36Mark, for your dish, Ordinary To Extraordinary,
0:26:36 > 0:26:41when I saw your box of ingredients, it's arguably the most uninspiring
0:26:41 > 0:26:43thing I've ever seen in my life.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46And from it came this incredible plate of food.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49There was a lot of elements on the plate,
0:26:49 > 0:26:54but I think every single one of them needed to exist there.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56The champ was delicious.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58With your pommes souffle, you weren't 100% happy with them
0:26:58 > 0:27:00because they weren't perfectly round.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02Who cares?
0:27:02 > 0:27:05The onion puree underneath, it was unexpected and it made it...
0:27:06 > 0:27:09..really, really good. This was a phenomenal dish.
0:27:12 > 0:27:13So, to the scores.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17Eddie, for your dish...
0:27:18 > 0:27:19..I'm scoring you...
0:27:21 > 0:27:22..eight.
0:27:24 > 0:27:25Chris, for your dish...
0:27:28 > 0:27:29..I'm giving you a seven.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36Mark, for your dish, I'm scoring you...
0:27:40 > 0:27:41..ten.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46I thought it was flawless. Really enjoyable plate of food.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50So, well done, guys. Great start for the region and I look forward to
0:27:50 > 0:27:52- seeing what you've got for fish. - Thanks, Chef.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54- Thanks a lot.- Thank you.
0:27:54 > 0:27:55Wow!
0:27:55 > 0:27:59- Well done, mate.- I didn't expect that.- Yeah? Well done.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02I put me all into that and there was a lot of emotion,
0:28:02 > 0:28:05family from that, my background.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07And, yeah... I'm speechless.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11I got an eight. It was pretty much down to presentation to improve it,
0:28:11 > 0:28:13but, you know, I think I could do that given another chance.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16There's a ten. Hopefully there's a few more in the bag.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19So it was a seven, it wasn't a five, so it's not the end of the world.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21I've come from behind before.
0:28:21 > 0:28:26I hope the story of my menu kind of comes through at the end, you know?
0:28:26 > 0:28:29I could not believe when he opened his mouth and said,
0:28:29 > 0:28:31"You've got a ten."
0:28:31 > 0:28:32It's hilarious!