Northern Ireland Judging Great British Menu

It's judgment day for our two chefs.

Third-time competitor Chris McGowan...

I'm an old dog trying to learn new tricks.

..is up against Daniel Clifford's head chef, Mark Abbott.

It's a push to the end.

For the chance to represent Northern Ireland in the national finals.

The problem for you, I really want it as well, mate, you know?

The ultimate goal,

to see their dish on the menu of a banquet

celebrating the everyday great Britons honoured by the Queen

throughout her reign, at the Palace of Westminster.

It's been an outstanding week for newcomer Mark,

who topped the leaderboard and made GBM history.

It means you'll be going to the judging chamber

with the highest score for regionals in Great British Menu.

-It's an incredible achievement.

-Thank you very much.

And he's determined to build on this success.

I want to be hitting tens from the judges.

If I don't get that, I feel I've let myself down.

But reigning Northern Ireland champion Chris

won't let Mark win without a fight.

I love pushing myself against young chefs like you.

Only one chef will take the crown.

Your scores have been that high this week,

we might have to rename it The Mark Abbott Show.

Just you pipe down in the corner over there, yeah?

The winner is...

Mark Abbott has dominated the competition all week

with his complex dishes showcasing ultramodern techniques.

But he's not underestimating his rival.

Chris, fantastic cook.

He's got the experience of being here before.

He doesn't want me to win.

At the end of the day, this is a competition, and I want to win it.

-OK, Mark.

-Chris.

-Enjoy, mate.

-You, too.

Chris McGowan's score of ten for his main helped close the gap

on leader Mark.

Having cooked for the judges before, he knows how tough it'll be.

I've been in that chamber twice now.

I've come from behind and I've lost from being in the lead.

On paper, Mark looks like he is the out-and-out favourite,

but do you know what, it can all change today.

With three perfect tens on the leaderboard, judges Matthew Fort,

Prue Leith and Oliver Peyton

have high expectations for Mark and Chris.

Right, we've got Northern Ireland,

and Chris McGowan is back for the third time.

Well, I'm very excited about unveiling the plaque to Chris

upstairs in the kitchen for his endeavours, because he deserves one.

But Mark, absolutely everybody in the restaurant business

is very excited about Mark.

So can it be a battle royal between the experience of Chris

and the youthful energy of Mark?

I think we're in for a cracking day's eating.

We as chefs have seen the food go out of this kitchen, and you go,

that is bang on, and then you see it go in to the judges

and they absolutely crucify it.

-Hello, chefs.

-Good morning.

-Good morning.

So, Chris, it's nice to see you here again.

-Are you sure?

-Yes, we're sure.

It's good to be back. It's great to be back.

And Mark, what about you? First time here.

Yes, it's been an experience.

Did you give Michael here some money, or something?

Cos those scores, they're pretty good.

I started off the week with a bit of a bang.

Now it's cooking for you guys. It's a clean slate.

Chris, you got a ten for your main course.

I know, I make a habit of that.

All you've got to do is get tens for the other courses as well,

-and you'll be home and dry.

-It's either that or lock this guy in a cupboard and throw away the key!

Because he's absolutely cooked out of his socks this week.

-Listen, guys, I'm very hungry. Come on, get out.

-Let's eat.

-Thank you very much.

-Thanks, guys.

Seeing the judges in real-time, now, mate. How do you feel?

-From a kid, I have been watching it on TV.

-From a kid?!

To actually have them walking in front of me, it is like...

It makes it very real, doesn't it?

It's a different level, isn't it?

Chris is first to plate his starter, Hugh's Piece Box,

a modern take on a ploughman's lunch,

celebrating Irish ploughman Hugh Barry Barr MBE.

Veteran Michael loved the flavour combinations,

but marked it down for lacking originality.

Michael thought my starter was a bit safe, you know?

I've been called a lot of things in this competition over the last

two years and safe has definitely not been one of them.

The chefs will also be marked by a guest judge who appreciates the

revolution in British cuisine throughout the Queen's reign.

Amol Rajan moved from India to London as a child.

As well as editing the Independent,

he's also the restaurant critic.

Amol.

-Very nice to see you, Prue.

-Welcome to the judges' chamber.

Thank you for having me. Oliver, good to see you.

Matthew, very nice to see you. How are you doing?

Amol, I have never met an editor of a national newspaper

who knew anything about food.

-Well, goodness me.

-How did you come to know about food?

I was very, very lucky. My mum cooked an amazing variety of food.

She's from west India which has a very different cuisine to where my dad's from,

which is South India, so the Rajan family household

had the most incredible variety of dishes.

I know you're a man who's done forensic examination

into modern British cooking. Tell me what you found.

The thing that I find most exciting about British food today is

that it does celebrate the incredible diversity of Britain,

and Britain is actually a place with several different regions,

several different microclimates and different soils, and as a result,

you get incredible flavours from all around the country.

I think that is something we should be exploring in this competition,

because the brief is to celebrate the food of the Queen's reign,

which is sort of 60-plus years.

In that time, food has changed so much.

I have a very strong sense that the

Queen embodies what modern Britain is,

and she also embodies our heritage.

I would love there to be a sense of history, a sense of narrative,

and a sense of how Britain has evolved,

and I just hope that these guys don't get carried away with such

complexity that they forget that their main task is to serve up delicious grub.

-Exactly.

-That's what I'm looking for.

Chris is slicing his ballotines

and deep-frying his ham-knuckle crubeens.

So, Chris, any changes?

Not really. I know it's only ham, it's only cheese.

I know it's only pickles. But do you know what?

It's great ham, it's great cheese and it's great pickles.

First onto the board inside Hugh's Piece Box,

individual loaves of onion bread.

A slice of ham-knuckle ballotine and caper and raisin puree.

Inside the tin, it encapsulates what it would have been like for Hugh

in the field.

Traditional Irish crubeens made from shredded ham knuckle are next,

dressed with sliced radish and fresh leaves.

A shard of pork scratching completes the board,

presented in a tin decorated with a photo of Hugh himself.

A mature Cheddar soup is served in separate enamel flasks.

Serve it like that from me to each of the judges.

Thank you very much. Thanks a lot, girls.

Cake tin!

Hugh's Piece Box.

"Hugh Barry Barr is a Northern Irish ploughman,

"awarded his MBE for his services to ploughing.

"A piece is slang term for sandwich in Northern Ireland,

"and this is my tribute to Hugh."

You learn something new every day.

-He's a handsome-looking fellow, isn't he?

-AMOL: He certainly is.

I hope they get the brief.

I hope as long as I have made Hugh proud, that's the main thing.

It's a posh ploughman's, essentially, isn't it?

-OLIVER:

-It's very tasty dish.

I think the ballotine is absolutely wonderful.

It's got a really good hammy flavour.

That cheese soup's delicious.

It's one of those soups that you may think,

I'll just have another sip of that.

And it does feel like you're tasting something that is very,

very evocative. It transports you to a time and a place.

This demonstrates beautifully a chef's skill,

but I honestly don't think you can say it's innovative.

I think this is like a fine piece of well-cut country tweed.

That doesn't sound very contemporary to me.

Shows how little you know about modern fashion, Prue!

THEY LAUGH

Mark is next to plate his complex starter.

How do you feel about this? Four new judges? Are you confident?

When it comes to gastronomy,

there is nothing in between them they do not know.

So if I'm not nailing this, I might as well just go home.

Ordinary To Extraordinary showcases

the ordinary potato six different ways.

Veteran Michael was wowed by Mark's inventive and technical cooking

for such a basic staple ingredient, awarding it a perfect ten.

Your scores have been that high this week,

we might have to rename it The Mark Abbott Show.

Just you pipe down in the corner over there, yeah?

This is all psychological. This is all mind games.

First on Mark's plate is buttermilk mash, topped with puffed potato,

flavoured with burnt onion powder and truffle.

Next, purple heritage potato salad

served in a smoked bacon basket,

and a creamy garlic potato in a crisp potato skin crumb.

Champ croquette dressed with pickled onion puree is followed by

puree-filled onion shells.

The dish is garnished with nasturtium leaves.

So, how's your pommes souffles today, Mark?

A lot better, mate. I feel all right.

Pommes souffles topped with bacon jelly and crispy bacon

are served in a potato skin filled with puffed potato.

Do you want me to put it in the jugs?

Yes, please. Just a third full, please.

A baked potato infusion is served separately.

-Thank you.

-What do you think of that?

-I'm happy.

-Good.

Whoa! It is the most modern thing I've seen in a very long time.

It's like almost a compendium of modern cooking techniques.

-I feel like I'm going to a lecture on potatoes.

-Mmm.

He has got this amazing range of flavours in a very small space,

and I think he's done exactly what he set out to do.

I think it's fantastic.

Do you know what I think holds this whole thing together?

It is the potato juice.

That is utterly, utterly delicious.

These little pommes souffles are fantastic canapes.

There's nothing on this dish that I don't think is delicious.

The onion... It's got a kind of difference,

which just makes you appreciate the potato a bit more.

This is extraordinary cooking.

Those little ribbons of truffle over the top of the potato salad.

He's thought very, very long and hard about how this should look, and I'd say he's impressed.

It's onion, bacon and potato.

What could be nicer?

Chris is first to plate up his fish course.

National Treasure scored eight during the week.

Veteran Michael enjoyed Chris's take on fish and chips,

but marked it down for slightly soggy potatoes on top of the cod,

and a shortage of chips.

So, Chris, your potatoes... Are you changing them slightly?

I'm going to put in a couple of extra chips,

and I'm also making the potato thinner on the actual fish.

Pickled onion rings are first onto the plate,

followed by pea and spinach puree.

Next, a seared scallop, dressed oyster leaves

and pea shoots.

Last, a fillet of cod coated in scallop mousse

and a thin layer of sliced potatoes

and triple-cooked chips.

So, are you almost there, then, mate?

Yeah. Another little chip on the plate, I think.

Onto boats named after the judges,

and loaded with mini bags of malt vinegar powder

goes crispy cod skin, and Chris's tartare sauce.

Extra chips finish the dish.

Am I all right to send the fleet, chef?

Ships ahoy!

Whoa!

-Wow.

-Just what I want for my bath.

I feel like my ship's come in.

THEY CHUCKLE

The Oliver's in port.

I mean, how can you not like a dish which has your name on a boat?

Can I just say that tartare sauce is absolutely

one of the finest things I have ever eaten.

It almost has a sort of foamy, emulsion-type texture,

and very, very nicely chopped gherkins.

And that fish is perfectly cooked.

No, either it's a slightly duff piece of cod,

or it's been slightly overcooked,

because mine doesn't have that flaky firmness.

And also, the potato on top is soggy.

I think if they'd been crisp, they would have added something.

Individually, I think most of it is very, very good.

I just don't see that wow factor.

What he's done has taken a very traditional dish,

tweak it a little bit...

I think the inclusion of the scallop

almost prompted the question in my mind, why?

Because they taste so good.

This is a dish of quiet pleasures and possibly just too quiet.

Mark's fish course, showcasing the very best of British seafood,

earned him his second ten from veteran Michael.

So, you haven't forgotten the mussels this time, chief?

-Certainly not, chef.

-That's the only quibble Michael had about this dish,

mate, do you know what I mean?

Shellsational features five different types of seafood,

including lobster cooked two ways.

First, Mark assembles his seafood elements,

which will be served on a warmed presentation box containing seaweed,

which will give a coastal aroma.

Does that scallop keep on cooking in the shell?

Will that lobster dry out on the plate? I just don't know.

A scallop is seared before being baked with seaweed butter

and yuzu zest.

Onto a bed of fennel salad goes the razor clam,

dressed with fennel cress.

Into an oyster shell goes dressed cucumber and a raw oyster,

then an oyster leaf and cucumber dressing.

A tempura mussel is topped with lemon gel droplets.

Onto a separate plate go lobster claw and cucumber rolls

wrapped in pickled apple and garnished with a frisee salad.

Smoked lobster tail and smoked lobster butter sauce

complete the dish.

It's quite heavy.

Are you happy with that?

I'm happy.

This is just my favourite sort of food.

-AMOL: It's fantastic.

-The little tempura mussel is absolutely divine.

The lobster roll and the lobster is absolutely delicious.

Mmm. That is lovely.

The scallop with yuzu butter is really, really amazing.

I think this is basically the best scallop I've ever had.

I think it's like a collection of short stories,

each of which is an absolutely perfect jewel in itself.

This is a sign of a chef who is going to dominate

the British cooking scene for a long time.

It feels very modern, doesn't it?

It is a very 21st-century way of celebrating Britain's coastal ingredients.

Especially this sort of idea of sharing

and perfect little mouthfuls of divine things.

Oh...

As it says on the box, Shellsational.

As the chefs work on their main courses,

the judges contemplate their scores.

I have been blown away by the quality of the cooking that we've had today.

Mark, I can't believe the food we've had from that young fellow.

I think it's been extraordinary all morning.

We shouldn't underestimate Chris because he is such a solid chef.

I think there is more that could go wrong with Mark's cooking than could

go wrong with Chris's cooking.

I still think it's all to play for.

Mark is first to plate up Grazed For Glory.

His main course showcases the best of Wagyu beef.

Veteran Michael scored the dish nine,

deducting a mark for no clear link to the brief.

Any changes on this one?

No, none at all, mate, no.

Mark assembles his feuilles de brick

filled with Wagyu rump tartare and Wagyu tongue,

presented on a bed of onion cress.

-So, Michael said he loved the tongue?

-Yeah.

He just would have loved more of it.

I'm not saying I'm not listening to him, but I'm happy with it.

And I'm going to stick with it.

First onto the plate, white mushroom puree.

Then braised Wagyu tail and a salad

of charred and pickled sweetcorn.

Next, king oyster mushrooms

stuffed with braised Wagyu tail...

..and a disc of seared bone marrow.

Charred baby corn and dressed watercress leaves,

then slices of Wagyu rump.

Are you happy with the cooking on that rump, chef?

Yes, Chef.

Bone marrow foam is next...

..then Wagyu jus...

..and a dusting of sweetcorn powder.

A deep-fried Wagyu tendon completes the dish.

Thank you.

That was intense.

Mmm...

Oh, fantastic.

Grazed For Glory.

"I have been inspired by the work of British farmers

"throughout the Queen's reign.

"They have pushed boundaries to produce spectacular meats

"like Wagyu."

So, what do we have here, Matthew?

A bit of tongue, a bit of chopped...

-Raw

-Wagyu. And some brick pastry around the outside.

The amount of tartare is very small.

The amount of tongue is quite large. I mean, it's just a misjudgement.

I don't think it's a misjudgement at all.

This is just like a plate of posh restaurant food.

My really big problem is when you are trying to feature

Wagyu beef as he is, you need to be doing a lot better Wagyu beef

than that. I just don't think it's good enough.

I think this mushroom is succulent, it tastes exactly as it should.

So you like eating rubber, do you?

I like that resilient texture that you get from an oyster mushroom.

I think that's the first real miss that we've had from Mark all day.

It feels like he's completely dropped the ball with this dish.

Chris's main course, For Rib And The Empire,

features British venison three ways.

Veteran Michael was so impressed with the dish,

Chris earned his only ten of the week.

I know you got a ten but does that mean you take up all the kitchen?

-This is the main event, isn't it?

-You do what you have to do, eh?

You hit the nail on the head, mate.

First onto Chris's plates, beetroot smoked with chamomile and pine,

followed by crispy kale.

Onto the board, a baked red onion stuffed with braised venison haunch,

topped with mashed potato and a grating of hazelnut.

I'd love to get another ten, but even with four tens last year,

it still didn't get me to the banquet.

On a separate sharing board, Chris's home-made venison sausage,

flavoured with Irish whiskey,

and a rack of roasted venison

to be carved in the chamber.

A venison and blackberry jus is served separately

in miniature saucepans.

Chris pipes additional smoke

into the cloches at the pass.

Thank you very much.

Ah, good to see the glass dome back.

And the smoke.

Da, da-da, da!

Shall I go and see what's underneath the bigger cloche?

-Wow!

-I say!

-That looks good.

-It's banquety, isn't it?

-It's a sense of performance, I think.

-Exactly.

-Happy?

-Not as happy as I was during the week.

It just seemed a little bit rushed at the end there.

It's a shepherd's pie in an onion.

Oh, yes.

The potato looks as if it has been squeezed out of something.

-It tastes good, though.

-AMOL: I love the gravy.

It's just got the right viscosity.

I think the kale looks absolutely wonderful,

and I think the venison is lovely.

I think that is quite possibly the best venison sausage

-I have ever eaten in my life.

-That is fantastic.

My only concern is I think the sausage is quite strong for the rest of the meat.

I think a man with a palate as sophisticated as yours

should be able to handle that much good taste.

I really like this dish. As I keep saying, I love Chris's cooking.

I think this is a very, very difficult dish to fault.

Mark is first to serve a Time To Reflect,

his highly complex dessert of ten separate elements.

Mark is running around at 100mph.

I am normally the fastest one in the kitchen,

but he's giving me a run for my money.

Despite impressing veteran Michael with technical skill,

Mark lost points for serving the dessert on a mirror.

He was given an eight, his lowest score of the week.

-Pressure's on!

-Pressure is definitely on.

Mark's ignored Michael's criticism,

and is still serving his dessert on a mirror.

First he pipes on dark chocolate and blackberry marquise,

before pyramids of English sparkling wine and honey jelly

and compressed strawberries.

Followed by cubes of partially dehydrated sponge

soaked in blackberry pickling liquor.

-This is a push to the end.

-Yeah.

-Push to the end, mate.

Then on with pickled blackberries,

sliced blueberries,

a blueberry compote

and shattered nitro raspberries.

A quenelle of yoghurt sorbet tops

the berry elements.

How's your sorbet today, chef?

It's set. That's a bonus.

Mark finishes the dish with strawberry gel

and a sugar tuille representing

a fluttering Union flag.

Thank you very much.

Oh, my goodness. Oh, that's exquisite.

-Oh, wow.

-MATTHEW CHUCKLES

It's all so patriotic.

Now that is the kind of dessert you would hope for at a banquet.

That's a beautiful piece of pulled sugar.

-It's a very technical piece of stuff, isn't it?

-Mmm.

-That jelly...

-Very grown-up jelly.

..is a bit of poetry.

Doesn't this look and taste incredibly British?

Technically, there's lots of interesting things going on. I just don't like it.

What he's done is show off every technical skill,

to the detriment of the combination of flavours.

There's a bunch of very interesting contrasts.

Pickled blackberries, which have that sort of vinegary, acidic taste,

and then there are these soaked sponges

which are a completely different texture to the fruit.

I don't think it's an harmonious pudding.

He's also got to learn when to turn off the tap.

I have an even more serious objection than Oliver.

It's just not large enough!

I think we could do with a bit more of that.

Chris's multisensory dessert,

A Sense Of Occasion, scored seven.

Veteran Michael marked it down for imperfect chocolate work

and not enough lemon curd, or additional textures.

I'm up pushing myself against young chefs like you

that are up-and-coming.

I'm an old dog trying to learn new tricks, do you know what I mean?

First into Chris's bowls,

droplets of lemon curd followed by a spoonful of granola.

Fresh raspberries are next,

along with more lemon curd and a garnish of micro-lemon verbena.

Chris fills the bottom half of his white chocolate spheres

with even more lemon curd,

and raspberries.

Then he adds them to the serving bowl.

Chef, can you get me my ice cream, please?

I'd really appreciate that, thank you, thanks a lot.

To help out, Mark adds the lavender ice cream

before Chris encloses in the other half of the sphere.

The desserts will be presented in a gift box

filled with fresh flowers and on a bed of dry ice and moss.

The dry ice is activated at the pass with a hot mint,

lemon verbena and lavender infusion.

Thank you very much. All done, mate.

-Listen.

-It's been a pleasure, whatever the result is.

The class of 2016, yeah?

-Northern Ireland.

-Yeah.

-I think we've done all right.

-PRUE:

-Wow!

-AMOL: Wow.

I love the box.

And there's a message for us here.

"Great Britain is a brighter, more beautiful place

-"because of people like you."

-Aw...

Look, it's not about us!

This is for all the guests at the banquet.

It is very beautifully done.

There is the brittleness of the white chocolate,

crunchiness of the granola...

And then the ice cream is very heavily flavoured with lavender.

As a person who generally dislikes white chocolate,

and then lavender, I think the lavender ice cream,

the white chocolate sphere, the granola,

the raspberries, are absolutely sensational.

-I love...

-Hurray!

I think this is an interesting combination of flavours

-that all work together.

-I think the chocolate's perfect.

I think the interior's perfect.

I think this is the best dish we've had all day.

There's a lot going on for something that's essentially quite simple.

And I thought it was perfection.

Well, I like the idea that Great Britain is a better place

because of people like us!

-Last one done.

-It's all down to the judges now.

I feel like some of the food that's been produced this week would grace

not just this banquet but any major banquet.

I just thought it's been a most wonderful day.

I really feel like I've been on a tour of British cuisine

in the late 20th century.

-I've just given every ounce of me...

-Yeah.

And if I don't get through, I'll be upset.

Whoever wins, I think, will do well.

But I want it to be me.

It's probably the highest scoring day I think I've ever had, really.

One of them is going to go home and that is heartbreaking,

because both of these chefs could easily have dishes at the banquet.

Welcome, chefs.

You have given us a day of truly exceptional cooking.

Chris, it has been an absolute privilege to eat your food again.

Have you enjoyed cooking it?

I have. I threw my heart and soul into it.

And Mark, your first time...

You've made a tremendous impression this week.

I came here with the attitude of, I have to do my best,

push myself as far as I possibly can.

The results are incredibly close.

And the winner is...

..Mark.

Congratulations, Mark. Absolutely amazing.

-It's been a pleasure, chef.

-Absolutely amazing.

So, Mark, how does that feel?

This week has just been phenomenal.

It has been a battle,

and thank you so much for putting me through.

Chris, we are all so sorry.

-It was so close.

-What can I say?

He's put his heart and soul into it today,

and I think one of those dishes will get to the banquet.

Mark, your fish dish just lived up to its name perfectly.

We all gave it ten marks.

And that must give you a certain amount of pleasure.

That dish has taken chunks out of me, and to hear you say that,

thank you very much.

By his fish course, Mark was ahead.

But you almost caught him this afternoon, you really did.

I loved that pudding. It was great.

I did, too, I gave that pudding ten out of ten.

-Thank you very much, I appreciate that.

-We have to see you at the finals, Mark,

and you have to cook your socks off.

And Chris, I just hope we see you again.

Oh, please!

I can't really believe it.

It's been a complete...

It's been a roller-coaster of a week.

It's just been fabulous.

Mark, I think he was absolutely overwhelmed.

I think the future of British cooking with chefs like him

is really, really rich.

I came into this brimming with confidence,

but I came up against Mark.

The quality of his food was fantastic this week.

Well done. I mean that genuinely.

You pushed me to the maximum.

It's been properly up there with the most intense,

enjoyable weeks I've ever had.

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

Do not darken Northern Ireland's doorstep if you do not get to the banquet, I'm telling you.