0:00:02 > 0:00:05This year on Great British Menu...
0:00:05 > 0:00:06Hey!
0:00:06 > 0:00:09..24 of the country's most talented chefs...
0:00:09 > 0:00:11Hold on to your hats.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13..are fighting it out in the
0:00:13 > 0:00:15toughest competition of their lives...
0:00:15 > 0:00:18The old gloves are off now, aren't they?
0:00:18 > 0:00:19I'm going to flip out!
0:00:19 > 0:00:21..as previous competitors...
0:00:21 > 0:00:23It's literally blood, sweat and tears.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25..and ambitious newcomers...
0:00:25 > 0:00:26Don't jinx me.
0:00:26 > 0:00:30..go head-to-head for the chance to cook at this year's banquet.
0:00:32 > 0:00:37Celebrating 140 years of the iconic Wimbledon Championships -
0:00:37 > 0:00:43the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament in the world.
0:00:43 > 0:00:44Go, go, go!
0:00:44 > 0:00:48To get there, the chefs must create outstanding dishes
0:00:48 > 0:00:51which match the exceptional skill and flair
0:00:51 > 0:00:54of the tournament's greatest champions...
0:00:54 > 0:00:55Perfect harmony.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59..and celebrate the incredible smells, colours and tastes...
0:00:59 > 0:01:00A little bit of a wow factor.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03..of the best of British summer time.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05Hats off, really well done.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07First, they'll have to impress a
0:01:07 > 0:01:10formidable veteran of the competition...
0:01:10 > 0:01:12It wasn't the kind of dish I would expect
0:01:12 > 0:01:14in the Great British Menu kitchen.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18..who between them hold a total of eight Michelin stars.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20This was a super dish.
0:01:20 > 0:01:21Thank you.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25This week, competing to represent the central region,
0:01:25 > 0:01:26a returning chef...
0:01:26 > 0:01:29If my sorbet doesn't work, I'll use yours.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31..being challenged by two first-timers.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33It's maybe thinking outside the box, being a bit edgy.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35This is a masterclass in fine food.
0:01:35 > 0:01:40But which chefs will make it through to cook for the judges on Friday?
0:01:40 > 0:01:43It's stuck to the shell. I've never had this before in my life.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58This year marks the 140th anniversary
0:01:58 > 0:02:01of the Wimbledon tennis championships.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05The competition first took place in 1877, and since then...
0:02:05 > 0:02:07You cannot be serious!
0:02:08 > 0:02:11..has become the ultimate Grand Slam tournament...
0:02:11 > 0:02:14- COMMENTATOR:- That's absolutely fantastic!
0:02:14 > 0:02:18..attracting the greatest players from around the globe,
0:02:18 > 0:02:20and signalling the start of the British summer.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24- COMMENTATOR:- Straight sets again!
0:02:24 > 0:02:27Wimbledon champion again.
0:02:30 > 0:02:31This week, competing for the
0:02:31 > 0:02:34penultimate place in the national finals
0:02:34 > 0:02:36are newcomer Ryan Simpson,
0:02:36 > 0:02:38one of the youngest chefs in the
0:02:38 > 0:02:40country to be awarded a Michelin star...
0:02:40 > 0:02:42My food is about passion, it's about flair,
0:02:42 > 0:02:45and I've got a real appetite to succeed.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47..returning chef Pip Lacey,
0:02:47 > 0:02:51who received high praise from the judges two years ago...
0:02:51 > 0:02:52I've learned from last time.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54Just a bit more attention to detail,
0:02:54 > 0:02:57and that will, hopefully, get me through to the banquet.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59..and first-timer Nick Deverell-Smith,
0:02:59 > 0:03:01protege of Marco Pierre White,
0:03:01 > 0:03:04known for his elegant, modern cuisine.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06My dishes are bold, tasty and moreish
0:03:06 > 0:03:08and I think they're going to make
0:03:08 > 0:03:09me really stand out in the competition.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14Judging them this week is a chef who knows all about the heat
0:03:14 > 0:03:16of the Great British Menu kitchen...
0:03:16 > 0:03:19I'm quite nervous to see who's going to be judging us.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23Hopefully, they like what I do. It's my biggest worry.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25..one of only three chefs to get two dishes
0:03:25 > 0:03:29all the way to the Great British Menu banquet.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31Probably look up to every single one of them.
0:03:31 > 0:03:32Bring on the vet!
0:03:32 > 0:03:37And the man who knocked Pip out of the competition two years ago...
0:03:38 > 0:03:40..Richard Bainbridge.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45- Morning, chefs, how are we?- Morning. - ALL: Morning.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48- Pip.- Nice to see you, Rich. - Always a pleasure.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50So how are you feeling about this year's competition?
0:03:50 > 0:03:53Yeah, I'm really excited, I know what it takes now, so...
0:03:53 > 0:03:56- Ryan?- I can't wait to get cooking in that kitchen and hopefully impress you.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58Nick, are you excited about the competition ahead?
0:03:58 > 0:04:02A bit petrified, nervous, excited, loads of emotions, but, yeah,
0:04:02 > 0:04:05- can't wait to get going now.- I've been exactly where you are now,
0:04:05 > 0:04:06feeling how you guys feel.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09Because this year, you know, with it being 140 years of Wimbledon,
0:04:09 > 0:04:11that passion and that drive that you need to be a tennis player,
0:04:11 > 0:04:13you guys need that in that room.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15So heads down, eyes in and get on with it.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17- Thank you.- Thanks.- Good luck. - Cheers.
0:04:22 > 0:04:23Wow.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27He did get two dishes at the banquet, so...
0:04:27 > 0:04:29I'll be happy if I just got one, so...!
0:04:29 > 0:04:30THEY LAUGH
0:04:34 > 0:04:35To impress Richard,
0:04:35 > 0:04:37the chefs must create outstanding
0:04:37 > 0:04:40dishes that capture this year's brief,
0:04:40 > 0:04:41A Taste Of Summer,
0:04:41 > 0:04:46and pay tribute to 140 years of the Wimbledon Championships.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49To come back as a veteran in the central region is a dream come true
0:04:49 > 0:04:50for me. We've been one of the most
0:04:50 > 0:04:52successful regions in this competition,
0:04:52 > 0:04:55and I want those guys in there to really wave that flag for us.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58A specialist in Italian cuisine,
0:04:58 > 0:05:03returner Pip Lacey is determined to impress Richard with her summer
0:05:03 > 0:05:05starter, Whatever The Weather,
0:05:05 > 0:05:08which she hopes will take her all the way to the banquet.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11- So, Pip.- Hello.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14How are we feeling now we're back in the room?
0:05:14 > 0:05:16It's good to see you, I think.
0:05:16 > 0:05:17Good, so tell me about your dish.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19So the starter this time,
0:05:19 > 0:05:23essentially it's like a minestrone soup.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27The idea is to appreciate all the people at Wimbledon that make it all
0:05:27 > 0:05:28happen, you know, whatever the weather.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30So what are you going to do with the tomatoes?
0:05:30 > 0:05:33We've got honey with the cherries, with ox blood,
0:05:33 > 0:05:35just going to get the hearts seasoned up.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37Got tomato water, also tomato jelly.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39You're doing a tomato jelly.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41You know how versatile this kitchen can be.
0:05:41 > 0:05:42The heat, the temperature.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45Yeah, whatever the weather, so it's fine.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49- Good, lovely.- I'm making little raviolis filled with goat's cheese.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52Is there anything that you're really worried about?
0:05:52 > 0:05:54Slightly worried about the pasta, because obviously
0:05:54 > 0:05:56that's what I do a lot of.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59It's a late addition, so we'll see.
0:05:59 > 0:06:00To me, it sounds simple,
0:06:00 > 0:06:04but sometimes with simplicity can come mess ups, and you can mess that
0:06:04 > 0:06:07- up quite easily.- Yeah.
0:06:07 > 0:06:08- Good luck.- Thank you.
0:06:09 > 0:06:10Pip is playing to her strengths.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13You know, she makes pasta for a living, so if she gets this wrong,
0:06:13 > 0:06:15it's going to be embarrassing for her.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20Newcomer Ryan Simpson is hoping to score highly with his dish,
0:06:20 > 0:06:25Summer Fruit And Veg, which uses the same main ingredients as Pip.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28Ryan, so tell me about your dish.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32So it's essentially a tomato salad, but it's kind of a few twists on it,
0:06:32 > 0:06:33a little bit of texture. Got a
0:06:33 > 0:06:36marriage of goat's cheese with it as well.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39- Sounds familiar.- Very similar to Pip's dish.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42So kind of put the goat's cheese in a cannelloni and then wrap it with a
0:06:42 > 0:06:45tomato water gel, very similar again.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47So are you using pasta as well?
0:06:47 > 0:06:50No, the actual cannelloni is actually going to be made with this,
0:06:50 > 0:06:52- feuilles de brick.- Oh, OK.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54It stays quite crispy when you put moist things with it,
0:06:54 > 0:06:56- as long as you cook it right. - What's this?
0:06:56 > 0:06:59What I'm going to be doing is a squid ink shortbread,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01and I'm going to flavour that with tomato.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03There seems to be lots of different
0:07:03 > 0:07:04elements that need to come together...
0:07:04 > 0:07:07- Yeah.- ..in your first time in this kitchen.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09I thought, "You've got to try and push yourself."
0:07:09 > 0:07:11I'm looking forward to trying it. Crack on.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15This cannelloni with the tomato gel around the top sounds like it could
0:07:15 > 0:07:18mess up really easily, and his eyes are telling me that.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21But if he pulls it off, it could really go all the way.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24Fellow first timer Nick Deverell-Smith
0:07:24 > 0:07:26is hoping to triumph with his
0:07:26 > 0:07:29tribute to Wimbledon's pristine courts,
0:07:29 > 0:07:33The Grass Is Always Cut To 8mm.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36- Nick, how are you feeling? - Very well, thank you.- Good.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39- Well, petrified.- You look nervous.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41So what is in the dish?
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Mainly peas. Lots and lots of peas.
0:07:44 > 0:07:45Right.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48We're doing a beautiful, fresh, clean pea mousse,
0:07:48 > 0:07:50and then pea salad with asparagus.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53A lovely light lemon oil, just to lift it all,
0:07:53 > 0:07:55and then dress that beautifully over the plate.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57OK, sounds super simple.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00Obviously, you've got a couple of bowls there with a few ingredients.
0:08:00 > 0:08:01You know, these guys have got a
0:08:01 > 0:08:03bounty of produce over on their sides.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05How do you guys feel about it?
0:08:05 > 0:08:08It does sound simple, but sometimes the most simple things are the best.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10Obviously I've got a starter to the
0:08:10 > 0:08:11banquet and I know how much dedication
0:08:11 > 0:08:15and hard work that takes to get it there, so good luck, guys.
0:08:15 > 0:08:16- Thanks.- Thanks, Chef.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20Nick's dish, to me, sounds super basic.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22It could be an amazing show stopper,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25and if his enthusiasm is coming across, then it will be.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27But if he messes it up, it's going to be devastating.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33With Pip having competed against Richard two years ago,
0:08:33 > 0:08:36she knows how exacting his standards can be.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38Do you think Richard's put any doubts in our minds?
0:08:38 > 0:08:40He's put few in mine.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42The simplicity.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44Well, if yours is simple, what's mine?
0:08:47 > 0:08:51Newcomer Ryan is using tomatoes in five different elements for his
0:08:51 > 0:08:55complex dish, Summer Fruit And Veg, including a confit, a tartare,
0:08:55 > 0:08:59a spiced gel and a tomato and squid ink shortbread.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01What is it you're actually most worried about?
0:09:01 > 0:09:03- Getting these tomatoes in. - HE LAUGHS
0:09:03 > 0:09:05Ryan's dish looks like there's a lot of elements to it.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07There's quite a lot going on.
0:09:10 > 0:09:15Ryan was just 28 when he opened his own restaurant in 2010.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18Food has always played a big part in my life.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20It puts a smile on everybody's face. It puts a smile on my face.
0:09:22 > 0:09:23Originally from Nuneaton,
0:09:23 > 0:09:25he runs Orwells in Shiplake near
0:09:25 > 0:09:28Henley-on-Thames with his partner, Liam.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32We kind of say it's like a rural cooking with a modern technique and
0:09:32 > 0:09:34big flavours. That's what we want to do.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37We want to put big flavours on those plates.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41Around 75% of the produce used in the restaurant comes from their
0:09:41 > 0:09:44- kitchen garden...- Ryan, have you seen these tomatoes?
0:09:44 > 0:09:46Absolutely amazing.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49..where partner Liam is chief grower.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51I'm really proud of Ryan. He's worked so hard.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54From the minute he gets up to the minute he sleeps, it's just
0:09:54 > 0:09:55passion, passion, passion.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57So, what do you reckon, tomatoes for a starter?
0:09:57 > 0:09:59- Do you reckon it could be a winner? - Yeah.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02I really think that this brief is absolutely perfect for me because I
0:10:02 > 0:10:04love cooking within the seasons.
0:10:04 > 0:10:05So this is right up my street.
0:10:06 > 0:10:07Beautiful.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16In the kitchen, returning chef Pip is preparing a delicate tomato gel
0:10:16 > 0:10:21canopy, which will lie on the top of her technical pasta dish,
0:10:21 > 0:10:22Whatever The Weather.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24Pip's dish absolutely smells fantastic.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26I've got the concentration of tomatoes, she has,
0:10:26 > 0:10:29so it's going to be interesting how Richard finds it.
0:10:29 > 0:10:30The competition is on.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32Pip starts by making a clear consomme
0:10:32 > 0:10:35using tomatoes before straining.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39It all comes flooding back now.
0:10:39 > 0:10:44I was all calm and now I'm flustered, you know?
0:10:44 > 0:10:49Next, she adds a gelling agent, before pouring onto a tray and
0:10:49 > 0:10:50leaving to set in the fridge.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54The agar's not really dissolved, so it might not set, but we'll see.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00Pip is head chef at Angela Hartnett's
0:11:00 > 0:11:03Michelin-starred restaurant Murano
0:11:03 > 0:11:05in London's Mayfair.
0:11:05 > 0:11:06Service, please.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12She became a professional chef just seven years ago after beginning her
0:11:12 > 0:11:16working life as a graphic designer, and her approach to cooking is as
0:11:16 > 0:11:19- versatile as she is. - At work, you know,
0:11:19 > 0:11:23my style is fine dining but I also cook completely different things at
0:11:23 > 0:11:24home, quite rustic.
0:11:25 > 0:11:30This year's banquet holds extra appeal for Pip,
0:11:30 > 0:11:32who grew up playing tennis competitively
0:11:32 > 0:11:34in her hometown of Nottingham.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37Having Wimbledon as part of the brief was massive for me.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41I was like, "Yes, this is something I can get my teeth into."
0:11:41 > 0:11:45It's going to be really interesting. Pollock, cavatelli.
0:11:45 > 0:11:46Yeah.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48- Hi.- Hi!
0:11:48 > 0:11:52Today, she's invited over some of her oldest friends, who remember how
0:11:52 > 0:11:55she used to dream of one day playing at Wimbledon.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59This one is the only one I could find after tennis.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01And you are in whites.
0:12:01 > 0:12:02Brown legs and your whites.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05- Jazzy racket.- I used to love that hat as well.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08Her wife, Gemma, supported Pip through her disappointment when she
0:12:08 > 0:12:11was knocked out of Great British Menu two years ago.
0:12:11 > 0:12:16She knows how much Pip, as a former sportsman, wants to go all the way.
0:12:16 > 0:12:22She was so thrilled to be part of it last time and this time she's
0:12:22 > 0:12:23desperate to get to the banquet.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25Really, really wants to get there,
0:12:25 > 0:12:27and I think it would mean everything.
0:12:30 > 0:12:31Back in the kitchen,
0:12:31 > 0:12:35Nick is under pressure to perfect his technically simple dish,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38The Grass Is Always Cut To 8mm.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42For his mousse, he defrosts frozen peas in a microwave.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Then adds butter in boiling water.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49He blitzes before straining to create a smooth texture.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54- So, Nick, what are you up to? - I'm just passing the pea mousse.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56Shall I... I see you were using a microwave.
0:12:56 > 0:12:57Yeah, I use a microwave.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59- Oh!- I don't actually cook anything on it,
0:12:59 > 0:13:03so I get defrosted peas and then I just take the chill out of them.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05- I call it "ding-ding."- So, this is your showstopper?
0:13:05 > 0:13:07- Yeah, it is, yeah.- At the moment it's delicious.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09It's so simple. If you can pull it off,
0:13:09 > 0:13:11the simplicity that you're talking about,
0:13:11 > 0:13:13- they can be a showstopper.- Yeah, yeah.- Good luck.
0:13:13 > 0:13:14You better get back in the fridge now.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16Yeah, yeah, I know, yeah. About time.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Award-winning Nick Deverell-Smith
0:13:20 > 0:13:22worked alongside some of the country's biggest
0:13:22 > 0:13:25chefs before opening his own restaurant,
0:13:25 > 0:13:27The Churchill Arms, in 2015.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30When I started cooking there wasn't many water baths,
0:13:30 > 0:13:32sous vide machines, vat pack.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36I learnt on a good old stove with a fryer, really good oven.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39I started from the real simple things, and that's how we work here.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45Today, Nick's returned home to Warwick to see his mum, Yvonne.
0:13:45 > 0:13:46- Hi, Nick.- Hi, you all right?
0:13:46 > 0:13:50- How are you, darling?- Part of a sport loving family,
0:13:50 > 0:13:53Nick's life changed at just nine years old when his brother Paul
0:13:53 > 0:13:58was paralysed in a riding accident, and cooking provided a distraction.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02I think, you know, your love of cooking came after Paul's accident.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06You know, that time when he was in hospital and you just used to make
0:14:06 > 0:14:08things for when I came home at midnight or whatever.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11I used to try and think if I made a nice cake, it might put a smile on
0:14:11 > 0:14:13your face when you came home from the hospital.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15It did.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17Nick's brother passed away four years ago,
0:14:17 > 0:14:19and opening his restaurant
0:14:19 > 0:14:23in the neighbouring county was like returning home.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25It was either sport or food.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27Loved both. He took the food route and look at him now.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29We're so proud of him.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34Back in the kitchen,
0:14:34 > 0:14:39Pip is making the dressing for her complicated ravioli soup dish.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42But the pressure is starting to show.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44Why does it taste completely different?!
0:14:46 > 0:14:48- Pip, how are you getting on?- All right.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50That face is not looking so cheery any more.
0:14:50 > 0:14:51- No!- What's happened?
0:14:51 > 0:14:53Oh, no, I'm just making a
0:14:53 > 0:14:55vinaigrette and it's not the same as it normally is.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58- Can I try the dressing? - Yeah.- What should it taste like?
0:15:00 > 0:15:02Vinegar and oil.
0:15:02 > 0:15:03It tastes fine. As long as the other
0:15:03 > 0:15:05elements are there to really lift it.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07All I can say is you know what it's like, don't let it wave you,
0:15:07 > 0:15:09take it on board, move on,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12make sure the rest of the dish gets out exactly as you want it to.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14- Yeah.- Good luck.
0:15:14 > 0:15:15Can I have my spoon?
0:15:15 > 0:15:16HE LAUGHS
0:15:16 > 0:15:18It's not quite going to plan.
0:15:18 > 0:15:19I've been there, I know how that
0:15:19 > 0:15:21feels and you've got to block it out.
0:15:21 > 0:15:22You've got to stay focused on the
0:15:22 > 0:15:24rest of the dish because it could really
0:15:24 > 0:15:25mess the whole thing up now.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29Ryan is preparing his tricky cannelloni for his dish,
0:15:29 > 0:15:30Summer Fruit And Veg,
0:15:30 > 0:15:34which he's making out of pastry instead of pasta and will fill with
0:15:34 > 0:15:39a cream and goat's cheese mix before wrapping with a tomato water jelly.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41So, Ryan, what are you up to?
0:15:41 > 0:15:43I'm actually making feuilles de brick cannellonis.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45This is the thing that could make or break your dish?
0:15:45 > 0:15:47Yeah, because basically, the tomato gel,
0:15:47 > 0:15:48it has to taste like tomato.
0:15:48 > 0:15:53I've added two kinds of seaweed extracts in there, so one hardens it
0:15:53 > 0:15:55and one softens it to create flexibility.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57- OK.- So basically, essentially, you
0:15:57 > 0:16:00can actually just lift it up like that, so it's a flexible gel.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03Really some amazing technical skills going on here and I'm really looking
0:16:03 > 0:16:05forward to seeing the whole dish come together.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07He seems as cool as a cucumber, but I think, you know,
0:16:07 > 0:16:11if you look behind that and you see his fingers shaking and he's at the
0:16:11 > 0:16:14technical part now, so if he messes this up, the whole dish is ruined.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19Nick is working on the accompaniments for his dish,
0:16:19 > 0:16:23The Grass Is Always Cut To 8mm, including a lemon dressing,
0:16:23 > 0:16:25which will coat his salad.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29He adds lemon peel, thyme and oil to an aeration gun,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32a technique he hopes will intensify the flavour.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35I'm just going to infuse my dressing, pump it with gas,
0:16:35 > 0:16:37infuse all the favours quickly.
0:16:37 > 0:16:38It'll be as intensified as possible.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43Next, he moves on to the summer salad of asparagus,
0:16:43 > 0:16:45peas and mange tout,
0:16:45 > 0:16:47which will top his pea mousse.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51But with so few elements on his dish, they have to be perfect.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54It's going quicker than I thought. My pea mousse is in the fridge.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56Hopefully it'll be there. I think it'll set.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01Ryan is first to plate up his dish, Summer Fruit And Veg,
0:17:01 > 0:17:06his tribute to an allotment, which he's serving in a mini polytunnel.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09- Feeling nervous?- Yeah, I'm feeling nervous as to how you find it,
0:17:09 > 0:17:10- to be honest.- He starts with his
0:17:10 > 0:17:12squid ink shortbread soil and avocado
0:17:12 > 0:17:14rolled in tomato powder.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18- What is that you're plating up?- So I'm putting the Bloody Mary gel...
0:17:18 > 0:17:20He adds confit tomatoes,
0:17:20 > 0:17:26a tomato salsa and fried courgette slices, before deep-frying courgette
0:17:26 > 0:17:27flowers coated in batter.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33He pipes his goat's cheese mix into his cannelloni and wraps in tomato
0:17:33 > 0:17:35water jelly.
0:17:35 > 0:17:40Having placed on the soil, he adds spiced tomato gel, edible flowers...
0:17:40 > 0:17:43- And we're nearly there.- ..and basil cress.
0:17:43 > 0:17:44Ryan, how are we looking?
0:17:44 > 0:17:47- You should be at the pass.- Yeah, 20 seconds and I'm there.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50He finishes with the deep-fried courgette flowers.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52So, here we go, Summer Fruit And Veg.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54Yeah, all the flavours are on there.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57So what we've got is summer fruit and veg in a polytunnel.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59Wow. Beautiful.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01- What do you guys feel?- Yeah, it looks great.
0:18:01 > 0:18:02It looks really summery.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04- Amazing.- Let's go and try it, shall we?- Let's go.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14It shouts summer, so he's hit the brief there.
0:18:14 > 0:18:15Yeah.
0:18:17 > 0:18:18I think the polytunnel is great.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20The first thing we get is that smell,
0:18:20 > 0:18:22that tomato smell comes through.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26Where are we going first? Cannelloni?
0:18:30 > 0:18:33- That's a lot of goat's cheese.- Yeah, that is a lot of goat's cheese.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36Do you think that richness of the goat's cheese is coming through?
0:18:36 > 0:18:39I think it just bounces on the plate because it's zesty.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42So the tomato jelly on outside of the cannelloni,
0:18:42 > 0:18:45is that doing everything that you want it to do?
0:18:45 > 0:18:48Yeah, I think so. It's not a big-hitting tomato flavour.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50I think it's more delicate.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54- I don't get anything on the outside. - Yeah, that tomato gel.- That's lost.
0:18:56 > 0:18:57So do you like the soil?
0:18:57 > 0:18:59Yeah. Do you know what it reminds me of?
0:18:59 > 0:19:02As a kid, like, spicy tomato crisps.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Like you say, it's a great addition to it and I think visually,
0:19:05 > 0:19:07colour-wise, I think it's great.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10I was a bit dubious about the soil, but no,
0:19:10 > 0:19:12it works really well together.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16So, Ryan, if you were me, what would you score that dish?
0:19:16 > 0:19:18I'd like to think it would be a good eight.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24How did you get on, mate? What did he say?
0:19:24 > 0:19:27He don't give much away. So what do you guys think to it?
0:19:27 > 0:19:28I think it looked great.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32The only criticism was probably the goat's cheese - a bit too much.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38Next up to the pass is Nick with his dish,
0:19:38 > 0:19:43The Grass Is Always Cut To 8mm, inspired by the courts at Wimbledon.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46He starts by checking if his pea mousse has set,
0:19:46 > 0:19:50crucial if it's to take the weight of the salad.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53So, Nick, you've gone quite simple on the presentation, as in, like,
0:19:53 > 0:19:55plates. Is there a reason for that?
0:19:55 > 0:19:59So the plate is dipped down by 8mm, so the mousse is set at that level.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02Hopefully it looks like the tennis court's setting.
0:20:02 > 0:20:03How did you actually set the mousse?
0:20:03 > 0:20:06- Just used gelatin.- You're not worried that it might start to melt?
0:20:06 > 0:20:09Not really, no, it should be all right.
0:20:09 > 0:20:14He tops with lemon-infused roast asparagus, wild asparagus,
0:20:14 > 0:20:17mangetout slices and skinned peas.
0:20:20 > 0:20:26Finally, asparagus spears, edible violas and pea shoots,
0:20:26 > 0:20:28reflecting the Wimbledon colours.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34- How are you feeling?- Shattered. - HE LAUGHS
0:20:34 > 0:20:37- What do you guys think?- It looks really fresh, looks inviting.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39- Yeah, it looks beautiful.- Let's go and try it, shall we?
0:20:39 > 0:20:40Beautiful.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49Very elegant, very beautiful.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51- Less is more, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56That mousse is perfectly set.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58- Yeah.- Could that be a little bit more?
0:20:58 > 0:21:00Is that just more like a thickened puree?
0:21:00 > 0:21:03I don't want it to be a jelly, I don't want it to be too hard,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06I want it to be a beautiful, light pea mousse.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08It could be a bit smoother for me. It's a bit grainy in your mouth.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11I'd expect it to be silk smooth.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Yeah. For something so simple.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16- This young asparagus.- Yeah. - Do you think that's seasoned enough?
0:21:16 > 0:21:18I think I'm on point with my seasoning.
0:21:18 > 0:21:19You try that.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26- Maybe a little bit more?- Yeah.- It needs one more element, I think,
0:21:26 > 0:21:28to take it somewhere.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30Do you think that lemon oil is coming through enough in
0:21:30 > 0:21:32- the vegetables?- Just lightly, just to lift it.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34I don't want it to be too lemony.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37I don't want it to take away from its peas and asparagus.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41What would you give that out of ten?
0:21:41 > 0:21:43I'd give it a nine or a ten.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47I have to give it a five, I think.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49I would mark it at around about the five mark as well.
0:21:53 > 0:21:54How did it go?
0:21:54 > 0:21:56Yeah, scary. What did you think, guys?
0:21:56 > 0:21:58Maybe the pea mousse could be a bit smoother.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00I'd have to agree, just fine tuning.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06Pip is last to the pass with her refined take on a minestrone soup,
0:22:06 > 0:22:07Whatever The Weather.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10Wow, Pip, I love your tennis balls.
0:22:10 > 0:22:11Thank you very much.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16At the last minute, she prepares her Wimbledon coloured ravioli by
0:22:16 > 0:22:19blending beetroot and basil into purees,
0:22:19 > 0:22:23adding to her pasta dough and rolling.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25- IN ITALIAN ACCENT:- Like Mamma used to make.
0:22:28 > 0:22:29Interesting.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32- This is broken.- How are you getting on, Pip, do you need a hand,
0:22:32 > 0:22:35- are you all right?- Can you fix a pasta machine or...?
0:22:35 > 0:22:37Yeah, it just keeps flicking back.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41With the pasta machine working again,
0:22:41 > 0:22:45Pip pipes her goat's cheese filling, and with time running out,
0:22:45 > 0:22:47cuts and cooks the ravioli.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49Oh, my God, these are too small.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51So, Pip, you're up in one minute.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53OK.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55She places deep-fried tomatoes
0:22:55 > 0:22:58soaked in a honey marinade into bowls, along
0:22:58 > 0:23:02with summer vegetables and the ravioli.
0:23:02 > 0:23:03Next, she adds tomato hearts...
0:23:05 > 0:23:09..and pours hot tomato water into watering cans.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11- So, they're going to pour it through the watering can?- Yeah.- Right, OK.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13The idea is that you've got the roof
0:23:13 > 0:23:16of Centre Court and then the rainwater.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20She finishes by laying her tomato gel canopy over her dish.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28Well done. How do you feel?
0:23:28 > 0:23:30- Emotional.- Shall we have a quick look in?
0:23:30 > 0:23:33- Yeah, go for it.- Wow, looks like summer.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35- Yeah.- Completely.- Really neat and tidy.
0:23:35 > 0:23:36- Lovely.- Shall we go and try it?
0:23:36 > 0:23:38Yeah.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49- Shall I take a look?- Yeah, let's go.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52The thing I get first is a big hit of the smell of tomatoes as you lift
0:23:52 > 0:23:53that lid off.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57A bit of tomato rainwater.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01I love the interaction of pouring it over with your rain can and then
0:24:01 > 0:24:04you're left with this beautiful bowl of soup in the bottom there.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08- Smells lovely.- Smells lovely, yeah.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10Very elegant looking.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12Has the canopy of the gel dissolved
0:24:12 > 0:24:15as much as you wanted it to, or is it going to sit there or...?
0:24:15 > 0:24:18I think, you know, it's another texture as well.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20Once you move it around, it'll be fine.
0:24:23 > 0:24:24Wow.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26- Wow.- Yeah.- Certainly hits the brief.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28Definitely, yeah.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33Are you happy with those raviolis?
0:24:33 > 0:24:35Yeah, I think the pasta's really soft, it's really nice.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39Do you think that's fit for a banquet?
0:24:39 > 0:24:43- I do, yeah.- If you were me and you had to judge that out of ten,
0:24:43 > 0:24:45what would you give it?
0:24:45 > 0:24:46I think maybe an eight.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55- How did you get on, Pip?- Yeah,
0:24:55 > 0:24:57he said a few nice things and a few that makes you...
0:24:57 > 0:25:00- Makes you think.- ..makes you doubt. Yeah, makes you think, "Oh, no..."
0:25:04 > 0:25:06- How are you feeling, Nick?- I was nervous plating up,
0:25:06 > 0:25:08I was nervous in the tasting kitchen,
0:25:08 > 0:25:10I'm nervous now waiting for the results.
0:25:20 > 0:25:21Hi, chefs.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24First course down, how are we feeling?
0:25:24 > 0:25:26- Nervous.- Terrified.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30Ryan, I'm going to start with you.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32For your dish, Summer Fruit And Veg.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37The presentation in the polytunnel was really lovely.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41The acidity of the tomatoes and the richness of the goat's cheese was
0:25:41 > 0:25:42beautifully balanced.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46And with that soil coming through, it gave it the texture it needed.
0:25:48 > 0:25:49But...
0:25:50 > 0:25:53..when I opened it, I felt a little let down.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55It was just really a plate of goat's cheese and tomatoes.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57I wanted a little more.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02The gel, I don't necessarily think it added anything to the cannelloni.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06Nick...
0:26:07 > 0:26:12Your dish, The Grass Is Always Cut To 8mm.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14I loved your passion for the dish.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18I liked the purity of the pea flavour,
0:26:18 > 0:26:20and the lemon oil over the vegetables
0:26:20 > 0:26:22really gave it the lift it needed.
0:26:23 > 0:26:24But...
0:26:26 > 0:26:29..when your dish is that simple, everything needs to be perfect.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32I just think the dish didn't have that wow factor I was looking for.
0:26:36 > 0:26:37Finally, Pip.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40Whatever The Weather.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44I didn't really like the look of the
0:26:44 > 0:26:46vegetables underneath the canopy of gel.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50It almost looked as though you've left clingfilm on there.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55But...
0:26:55 > 0:26:57the dish was a real taste of summer for me.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03The smell, as you opened it and poured the broth over, lovely.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06There was so much flavour packed into such a small bowl,
0:27:06 > 0:27:09it made me want to eat more of it and made me want to sit down and
0:27:09 > 0:27:11get really comfy and enjoy the rest of the bowl.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16So to the scores.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20I'm going to start with you, Ryan.
0:27:23 > 0:27:24I'm going to give you...
0:27:25 > 0:27:26..an eight.
0:27:29 > 0:27:30Nick...
0:27:33 > 0:27:34..I'm going to give you...
0:27:35 > 0:27:37..a seven.
0:27:39 > 0:27:40Pip...
0:27:42 > 0:27:43..I'm scoring you...
0:27:48 > 0:27:49..a nine.
0:27:51 > 0:27:56With a few tweaks, I could really see this dish being at the banquet.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58So well done.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00- Good luck, guys.- ALL:- Thank you.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04- Congratulations.- Well done. Well done, Pip.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06I'm ecstatic, really. I didn't think I'd get that.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09- You did really well.- I thought I was going to burst into tears.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11No, I'm so happy. Really happy.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14It's a massive confidence boost to get a nine.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16There's nothing in it at all.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20I wanted an eight, I got an eight, so I'm quite happy with that.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22I just want to improve on that now.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25You've set the marker now. We've all got to try and catch you up.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27Obviously it's not nice to come last out of the three.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29I've got to come back fighting and
0:28:29 > 0:28:31hopefully I can blow Richard's socks off.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34- The game is on.- Bring on the fish course.- Yes.