0:00:01 > 0:00:05For the last four days, there's been high drama in the Great British Menu kitchen.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08We need you at the pass, Charlie.
0:00:08 > 0:00:09I've never attempted this yet.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11Seriously?
0:00:11 > 0:00:14For me, I'm not sure that actually quite works, Steph.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16In the Northeast battle to reach the Olympic feast,
0:00:16 > 0:00:19one chef has already bitten the dust.
0:00:19 > 0:00:20BLEEP
0:00:20 > 0:00:24I'm gutted to be going home. I think you can probably tell that!
0:00:24 > 0:00:27Now the two who remain face the fight of their lives...
0:00:27 > 0:00:29I don't want to go through easily,
0:00:29 > 0:00:31I'd like to give you a beating first.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34..as they brave the fearsome judges for the very first time...
0:00:34 > 0:00:38I don't know if I can be bothered cos he hasn't been bothered, why should I be bothered?
0:00:38 > 0:00:42- It ain't good enough. - Matthew, that is so unfair!
0:00:42 > 0:00:46..with experimental chef Colin McGurran taking yet another massive risk.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49- Is this your new design for the dessert?- Yeah.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52- Have you practised?- Nope? - Ah...like your style.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56Could rustic newcomer Charlie Lakin smash his way through to the finals?
0:00:56 > 0:00:58I'm going to give it everything I've got.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02There'll be a lot of blood, sweat and tears in this kitchen. Hopefully the tears are Colin's.
0:01:13 > 0:01:18It's been a close-fought battle so far between the two new boys.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20Yorkshire lad Charlie Lakin has had steady scores
0:01:20 > 0:01:22for his updated hearty classics
0:01:22 > 0:01:25and finished the heats one point ahead of his rival.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28This week for me has been bloomin' hard,
0:01:28 > 0:01:31but today, it's a fresh day, I'm going to nail it today.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34Breathing down his neck is ambitious Colin McGurran,
0:01:34 > 0:01:36whose highly technical, visionary cooking
0:01:36 > 0:01:38has veered from the sublime to the ridiculous.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41I think Charlie finishing the frontrunner yesterday,
0:01:41 > 0:01:44I still don't think that gives him the lead.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47I know the dishes are fantastic, they just need that perfection on them
0:01:47 > 0:01:49and I think they'll be show-stoppers.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52They both know that this time, it's do or die.
0:01:52 > 0:01:53Morning, fella.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56- Morning. - So you're practising at last?
0:01:56 > 0:01:58Well, yeah I have to. I've got to nail these dishes today.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02Up and down there, but I've been nice and consistent throughout.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04I'm going to go grab a coffee and kick back for five minutes.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06- Good luck to you.- Good luck, you.
0:02:06 > 0:02:11The chefs have been challenged to translate the Olympic spirit into daring dishes,
0:02:11 > 0:02:15creating technically perfect food that breaks gastronomic boundaries.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19Deciding whether they've succeeded or failed are our demanding judges,
0:02:19 > 0:02:23Prue Leith, Oliver Peyton and Matthew Fort.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26This is such an Olympic opportunity,
0:02:26 > 0:02:29a once-in-a-lifetime chance to do EXACTLY what they dream of.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33It's about world-class food. It's about being the best.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36It's about putting British food on a world map.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40They'll never get another chance to do this again. This is gold-medal time.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42This is break-the-records time for the chefs.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52Both chefs are cooking for the judges for the very first time
0:02:52 > 0:02:54and Charlie's determined to win the psychological battle.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57I've kind of got it going today, yeah?
0:02:57 > 0:02:58Steady Eddie all the way through.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02Well, as you know me I'm a risk-taker and I'm going to try and achieve it.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04I've really got a proper fight on my hands today,
0:03:04 > 0:03:07which is going to be good. I like idea of that.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09I don't want to go through easily,
0:03:09 > 0:03:11I'd like to give you a beating first.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Colin's first to brave the judges today
0:03:17 > 0:03:18with his Quail In The Woods -
0:03:18 > 0:03:23a theatrical dish which uses several experimental techniques.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25It bombed with veteran Nigel,
0:03:25 > 0:03:28who gave Colin a devastating four for poor execution.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31Obviously, this dish for you, the lowest score.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33A bit nervous going into it?
0:03:33 > 0:03:36I still think that this is a great dish.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39I still believe in it so I'm going to today nail it and show the dish
0:03:39 > 0:03:40and what it's truly for.
0:03:40 > 0:03:45Colin's pushing himself by using four tricky techniques -
0:03:45 > 0:03:48coating the quail breast in a gelled consomme,
0:03:48 > 0:03:49confiting the legs,
0:03:49 > 0:03:52deep-frying the eggs in batter
0:03:52 > 0:03:54and making a chicken liver parfait.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57There's a lot going on on that plate. The quail egg could overcook,
0:03:57 > 0:04:00the dry ice might not work and then that just looks duff.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03So he could've stitched himself a little bit there.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06The woodland presentation is dramatic,
0:04:06 > 0:04:09but is the gastronomy equally ground-breaking?
0:04:10 > 0:04:12Very fragile, guys.
0:04:12 > 0:04:19I just hope the dry ice and the aroma gets to them and they feel the dish.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24Will the judges think Colin's experimental dish reaches Olympian heights?
0:04:24 > 0:04:26Good God!
0:04:26 > 0:04:29- What is going...? Ah!- Wow. - ALL LAUGH
0:04:30 > 0:04:33This is fun, it's a bit of drama. You've got the forest
0:04:33 > 0:04:37and you've got a sort of haute-looking plate next to it, it's a big contrast.
0:04:37 > 0:04:38Fancy stuff there.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41I would guess this is quail by the size of it.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45You've got the crisp crunchiness of the deep-fried egg in its batter.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48I'm not sure if it's ground-breaking but it certainly is unusual.
0:04:48 > 0:04:54I'm a man who likes my meat still walking, but that breast is raw.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57I think the pate's delicious and absolutely a thing of great beauty.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00Other than that, I think it's quite ordinary.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02When you get rid of all the wonderful decor,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05that is what you've got.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09- Yeah.- And I don't think that amounts to gastronomy.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12When something like this comes in in front of you, you go,
0:05:12 > 0:05:13"Wow, this is amazing!"
0:05:13 > 0:05:15The problem is you have to follow it up
0:05:15 > 0:05:18and I don't think Chef's followed it up here.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22If I were marking this, I would say, "Imagination - 10/10."
0:05:22 > 0:05:25Practicality, I think I'd probably give it about 4/10.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32Colin's cheffy quail has failed to live up to its promise.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36Will Charlie's more rustic style give him the edge?
0:05:36 > 0:05:39His starter trounced Colin's in the heats with a strong score of seven.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42I don't have half the woodland floor in there,
0:05:42 > 0:05:45but I still am quite confident, I think I've got the better starter.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48Charlie's preparing wild rabbit three ways -
0:05:48 > 0:05:50making a classic rillette from the legs,
0:05:50 > 0:05:54deep-frying strips from the belly and smoking the loin -
0:05:54 > 0:05:56a method that Colin is quick to pick up on.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59It looked quite smoky, is it over-smoked or...?
0:05:59 > 0:06:00No, not really.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02It's nice and moist.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04It's how we like it.
0:06:05 > 0:06:10He's hoping to wow the Olympians at the feast with his star ingredient,
0:06:10 > 0:06:11foraged Douglas fir.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15I tend to disagree with new combinations being ground-breaking
0:06:15 > 0:06:19cos you could put a really horrible flavour into something and then say,
0:06:19 > 0:06:20"Well, it's ground-breaking."
0:06:20 > 0:06:23Douglas fir has a distinctive pine taste and Charlie's using it
0:06:23 > 0:06:27in a carrot puree, a flatbread AND a vinaigrette dressing.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29# Dum... #
0:06:29 > 0:06:31So, Charlie you're singing now, is that a sense of nerves?
0:06:31 > 0:06:34- Nah, just trying to give you a bit of entertainment now, lad. - Great, thank you.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38ground-breaking ingredients are going to be a feature of this year's brief,
0:06:38 > 0:06:42so the judges have been given cards to help them identify flavours.
0:06:45 > 0:06:50Will they be wowed by Charlie's daring use of Douglas fir?
0:06:50 > 0:06:55Well, that's totally smoked. It's so smoked I can't tell you what it is.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Judging by the size of it, I think it's probably rabbit.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00Well, it's the problem with rabbit.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02Rabbit is actually a very delicate dish.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04It's over-smoked.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07The pate I don't like at all, erm, but there are some nice elements in it.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09I mean, this little bit of flatbread is delicious.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12I like these bacon-like...
0:07:12 > 0:07:14Do you? I think they're SO chewy.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18On a competition level, I really don't understand this idea
0:07:18 > 0:07:22of this being in any way world-beating.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24I just don't understand this dish.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27- Do you think there might be a clue in this piece of card here? - We'll see.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Well, actually this confuses me even more,
0:07:30 > 0:07:32cos it says this dish is flavoured with Douglas fir pine.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34Hmm. Where?
0:07:34 > 0:07:36Well, I thought it was flavoured with smoke.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40Here's a chef who's trying very, very hard - there's no question about that.
0:07:40 > 0:07:41But he doesn't know when to stop.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43He's entered for the pentathlon
0:07:43 > 0:07:46and what he should've done was enter for the shot-putting.
0:07:46 > 0:07:47PRUE LAUGHS
0:07:52 > 0:07:55So, Charlie's starter has failed to dazzle
0:07:55 > 0:07:58and, going into the fish course, Colin's leading by a whisker.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01Having shone in this round in the heats,
0:08:01 > 0:08:02he's keen to press home his advantage.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04So, what score did you get on your fish?
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Yeah, all right, I got a seven, you got an eight,
0:08:07 > 0:08:10I know what I've got to do to bring it up.
0:08:10 > 0:08:11I know what I've got to do.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14And that's bang the ovens really hard and knock your dishes off.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17Colin's highly technical and visually spectacular mullet dish
0:08:17 > 0:08:20recreates a seascape
0:08:20 > 0:08:23using exotic ingredients including purple potatoes,
0:08:23 > 0:08:24pomegranate and seaweed.
0:08:24 > 0:08:29His imaginative approach has been a talking point all week.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31Colin's definitely got some big risks taken in there.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34He's got some very impressive dishes,
0:08:34 > 0:08:37but are they actually achievable for 100 people?
0:08:37 > 0:08:42The piece de resistance is shimmering water made from set seaweed stock.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45It's a risky technique and the dish stands or falls by its success.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49That's looking a tad fragile there, Chef, coming off as you want it to?
0:08:49 > 0:08:51It's a lot thinner, a lot finer.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53It's been reduced so it's a lot clearer as well,
0:08:53 > 0:08:55but that one was a bit too thin.
0:08:55 > 0:08:56Am I irritating you, lad?
0:08:56 > 0:08:58- You are, yeah.- Grand.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01Game plan's working.
0:09:01 > 0:09:06Can Colin pull his challenging dish out of the bag for a second time?
0:09:12 > 0:09:14- Better?- Two down...two to go.
0:09:14 > 0:09:19Will the judges think Colin's flight of fancy is fit for the banquet?
0:09:19 > 0:09:21My interest is already piqued.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23This is the first dish today where I've gone,
0:09:23 > 0:09:25- "Ooh, interesting, what is this?" - It's certainly novel.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28I mean, whatever it is... What are those purple bits?
0:09:28 > 0:09:31What's this plasticky stuff on top? It'll be some gelatine-y...
0:09:31 > 0:09:34That's very clever, actually, cos it does look like a rock pool.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38- Looking down there you see fronds of seaweed.- Very pretty!
0:09:38 > 0:09:41This is absolutely delicious!
0:09:41 > 0:09:44I love it. I love the cleanliness of the vegetables.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46The fish is really beautifully cooked.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48It's got tons of flavour.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51- Do you actually think we NEED the gel?- Oh, yes.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54I like the gel. It sort of makes it feel mysterious.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58The problem I have is with the purple potatoes.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00I just don't think they fit.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02What you want is banalness, plainness.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04No, no. You don't eat colour.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06Colour doesn't taste.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09I think the potatoes taste absolutely delicious
0:10:09 > 0:10:13- and they LOOK absolutely wonderful, so what are you on about?- I know.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16This is Olympic-class cooking.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19It's gastronomic. It's creative.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22It breaks all the boundaries. It leaps all the hurdles...
0:10:22 > 0:10:24- Gold-medal winner? - Gold-medal winner!
0:10:28 > 0:10:31So a stellar review for Colin's fish.
0:10:31 > 0:10:36How will Charlie's dish measure up?
0:10:36 > 0:10:38His fish is cooked in a water bath,
0:10:38 > 0:10:40a cheffy technique he's not used to using.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42I did it on a bit of a wing and a prayer to be honest.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45I don't think Charlie's dish is original.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48Water-bathing in fragrant juices like beetroot and things like that,
0:10:48 > 0:10:50it has been done.
0:10:50 > 0:10:51He-hey!
0:10:51 > 0:10:55In the heats, Charlie was criticised for a lack of finesse
0:10:55 > 0:10:57and he knows today he must produce a polished dish.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01Charlie, it looks a bit charred there, is it OK?
0:11:01 > 0:11:03Yeah, I mean that one definitely is a bit of a bin-filler,
0:11:03 > 0:11:06but to be honest I'm not too worried cos I'd be silly to cook
0:11:06 > 0:11:09only what I needed, wouldn't I?
0:11:09 > 0:11:12Quietly inside I'm thinking, "Oh, my GOD!"
0:11:12 > 0:11:13But I ain't going to show no-one.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15I ain't going to show Colin that I had a bit of a...
0:11:15 > 0:11:18- HE THUMPS HIS CHEST - ..going on.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20Charlie's putting up a good front,
0:11:20 > 0:11:23but is his simple fish served with cauliflower puree,
0:11:23 > 0:11:27cauliflower fritters and beetroot garnish enough to impress the judges?
0:11:27 > 0:11:29- Happy?- Yeah, I suppose I am.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32Can this course put him back in the running
0:11:32 > 0:11:35for a place at the Olympic feast?
0:11:35 > 0:11:36Thank you.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Prue, shall I take that away from you now?
0:11:43 > 0:11:44I know you don't really want it!
0:11:44 > 0:11:47It's my worst thing, spoonage and masses of foam.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50And foam over beetroot is particularly dumb
0:11:50 > 0:11:52because the beetroot leaks into it.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55I don't know if I can be bothered, cos he hasn't been bothered,
0:11:55 > 0:11:57why should I be bothered?
0:11:57 > 0:12:00- No, he has...- I'm not bothered, this is not a dish to bother about.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03- Oh, no, it's not THAT bad. - Oh, come on! It's terrible!
0:12:03 > 0:12:05What's good about it?
0:12:05 > 0:12:06The monkfish is tasteless.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08This is not a ground-breaking dish.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10There's no revolutionary technology here.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12There's no revolutionary technique here.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14There is a very interesting use of sea radish,
0:12:14 > 0:12:18which I confess I've never come across and which I would very much like to come across again.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21I think the monkfish is perfectly cooked.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23Actually, I think the cauliflower fritters are nicely cooked
0:12:23 > 0:12:25but I think they don't go together.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29I don't think a cauliflower fritter, frankly, can save a dish, do you?
0:12:29 > 0:12:32I mean, if your life hung by a cauliflower fritter...
0:12:32 > 0:12:35No, no, I quite agree, this is not the best fish dish.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41So Charlie's fish has failed to hit the high notes.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43Halfway through the contest,
0:12:43 > 0:12:46the chefs can only guess what the judges are thinking.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48I reckon I've got it by a nose.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51I do think I've got JUST that little bit ahead.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54But I can feel him breathing down the back of my neck, to be honest,
0:12:54 > 0:12:56so just got to keep going and keep looking over my shoulder,
0:12:56 > 0:12:59make sure he ain't too close.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01I'm hoping that he starts to panic.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03I need to shake him psychologically.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06I need to start playing a little bit more tactically now
0:13:06 > 0:13:08cos he just doesn't bother about anything.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11He has a very cavalier attitude, which is sometimes great under a lot of stress.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Now, it's the main event, the main course.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Charlie's first up with Dexter beef, with braised snails
0:13:23 > 0:13:28and his special innovation - snail and marrowbone croquettes.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31I don't think his snail croquette is the bomdiggidy of cooking.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34It's nothing unusual, it's nothing new.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36I don't think it's great so it could be his downfall,
0:13:36 > 0:13:38or Achilles heel in this particular dish.
0:13:38 > 0:13:39Alongside the croquettes,
0:13:39 > 0:13:43he's serving slow-cooked blade of Dexter beef and beef fillet.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46But are two classic cuts really the food of champions?
0:13:46 > 0:13:49What's your thoughts about the Olympics and the association with this dish?
0:13:49 > 0:13:52I think you've got both ends of the spectrum of the Olympics,
0:13:52 > 0:13:56you've got the big impact, sort of heavy weightlifters,
0:13:56 > 0:13:57judo fighters in the braised.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00You've got your 100-metre sprinters in the fillet.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03Will that be obvious to the judges? Are they going to think,
0:14:03 > 0:14:07- "Yeah, heavy weightlifters and sprinters," and things like that? - I think they will.
0:14:09 > 0:14:10OK.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15Competent cooking won Charlie a solid seven in the heats,
0:14:15 > 0:14:18but is it enough to wow the judges?
0:14:22 > 0:14:24It smells absolutely lovely.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26Mmm, looks like a bit of shoulder.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28Oh, look at that.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30And it just falls apart!
0:14:30 > 0:14:32- Look at that, is that sexy or is that sexy?- Beautiful.
0:14:34 > 0:14:35Delicious!
0:14:35 > 0:14:39It could be Dexter beef, couldn't it? Cos it's small, it's tiny.
0:14:39 > 0:14:40- Tiny, tiny. - But, oh, it tastes so good.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43And there's a snail here, you know.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46They are sort of glistening in goodness.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48The thing about the croquettes is,
0:14:48 > 0:14:50I'm not getting big flavour from the marrow
0:14:50 > 0:14:52and I'm not getting a big flavour from the snail.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54That's the only sort of sadness here for me.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57Very nice, lovely ingredients, beautifully handled...
0:14:57 > 0:14:59Beef and mash.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02- ..but honestly, about as radical as I am.- Come on, listen...
0:15:02 > 0:15:04You really do have to travel an awful long way
0:15:04 > 0:15:08to find beef better than that and better cooked than that.
0:15:08 > 0:15:09And that makes me happy.
0:15:09 > 0:15:14This dish is the gastronomic equivalent of a really good accountant.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16Matthew, that is so unfair!
0:15:16 > 0:15:20The brief is to actually push back the boundaries of cooking.
0:15:20 > 0:15:21Does this do that? No!
0:15:23 > 0:15:26Charles's found a staunch defender in Oliver.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29but is it enough to see him overtake Colin?
0:15:29 > 0:15:31He got a nine for his pork cheek with black pudding cream
0:15:31 > 0:15:35and mock apples, super-chilled using liquid nitrogen -
0:15:35 > 0:15:38a daring element which could be a step too far.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40Do you think they'll like the idea of the cold on the plate?
0:15:40 > 0:15:43You know, when we tasted it, we had a hard, frozen ball
0:15:43 > 0:15:46- in the middle of ours, so it wasn't... - Did you?! That's definitely a risk.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49You know, if he thought it was too frozen that's fine,
0:15:49 > 0:15:53but it was one of Nigel's favourite components that he thought really worked well.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56Colin's using the unusual cut of pigs' cheeks,
0:15:56 > 0:15:59but he was criticised in the heats for less-than-generous portions.
0:15:59 > 0:16:04So, me old mucker, are we putting them up as starter or is it going to be a main course portion today?
0:16:04 > 0:16:08This one is a main course. A main course for normal people, not for you.
0:16:08 > 0:16:13I hope we get some decent canapes then if it's your menu. I'll be starving at end of it!
0:16:13 > 0:16:18You're thinking it's just little gymnasts you're cooking for.
0:16:18 > 0:16:23Is black pudding served with humble pork cheeks a dish fit for our sporting heroes?
0:16:30 > 0:16:33- Thumbs up with that. - It's a smaller portion.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35- A bigger portion. - Are you sure?- Two pieces.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38It's big for a starter but I don't think there's enough for a main.
0:16:40 > 0:16:45Will Colin's dish satisfy the judges' appetite for pioneering cooking?
0:16:47 > 0:16:49Mm!
0:16:50 > 0:16:53Does that look like a main course to you?
0:16:54 > 0:16:56A very, very small dolly's main course.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59Is that a toffee apple we see before me?
0:16:59 > 0:17:03I have absolutely no idea at all but I think this is a canape, not a main course.
0:17:03 > 0:17:08This smearage is black pudding, which is the first use of smearage in an effective manner!
0:17:08 > 0:17:13- It's lovely!- This pork is utterly delicious. It is so tender.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16Look at this! It's a mousse.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20- Stone cold for a start! It's apple. - It's pork and apple, isn't it?
0:17:20 > 0:17:24It's a very conventional dish masquerading as a very unconventional dish, isn't it?
0:17:24 > 0:17:27- Yes.- That is a really beautiful piece of cooking.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31I'm not enjoying it anything like as much as you are.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33There's not enough oomph in it.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36The one misgiving I have, and it's shown up by the difference in textures.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39Parts of it cold and parts of it are only just warm.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43Clearly, plating this up is a lot of work
0:17:43 > 0:17:48and doing it for 100 people could be a bit of a big ask.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51It's dolly's food. It's not for Olympians.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59So, a mixed review for Colin's main.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03It's dessert time and Charlie's last chance to show the judges what he's made of.
0:18:03 > 0:18:09It's three people's palates. Three peoples interpretation of the brief today.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12If you get a straight, clear swoop, ding-dong!
0:18:12 > 0:18:16He's cooking his Earl Grey souffle with gorse flower ice cream
0:18:16 > 0:18:18which got just six points from Nigel yesterday.
0:18:18 > 0:18:23If you get it all right, will it be good enough to go through to the finals.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26The ingredients is where the difference comes in.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30Yes, it's a souffle, but a great souffle is always pretty impressive to see in front of you.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32It's a souffle, at the end of the day.
0:18:32 > 0:18:38It's not a great idea. It's risky in the way that it can fall flat.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40Charlie's Earl Grey-infused souffle
0:18:40 > 0:18:43contains a ripple of fresh-cooked and freeze-dried strawberries.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47After a disappointing rise yesterday, he's keeping everything crossed.
0:18:47 > 0:18:52I've got an oven. A naughty oven. And you will rise.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55And that goes for you too.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59I know I left you till last, but I still love you all the same.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01There's no doubting the technical challenge,
0:19:01 > 0:19:06but will the fragrant flavours of Earl Grey and gorse flavour pack a gastronomic punch?
0:19:10 > 0:19:13Move fleet-footed and gently, please, gentlemen.
0:19:15 > 0:19:20Is Charlie's dessert a fitting finale for a celebration of sporting ambition?
0:19:22 > 0:19:26So, a souffle is quite a traditional thing, right?
0:19:26 > 0:19:28You know, there's something amazing about this ice cream.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Let's see if there's any illumination on the card, shall we?
0:19:31 > 0:19:35Well, blow me down! The ice cream is flavoured with gorse flower.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38Well, that is a first. I didn't even know they were edible.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42You see them on the hillsides, yellow from horizon to horizon.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46- I don't know what you're so excited about.- When was the last time you ate gorse flower?
0:19:46 > 0:19:50I've never eaten gorse flower and hopefully I will never have to ever again.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54I had mixed feelings when I'd seen a souffle coming at us.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57It's not a great souffle, is it?
0:19:57 > 0:20:00I think it is delicious and the strawberry flavour is very strong.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02The fruit has really got a kick to it.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06To find that little base of strawberry down at the bottom
0:20:06 > 0:20:10without it turn to mush is... Clearly, there's some sort of technique going on.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12I think if you choose a pudding like souffle,
0:20:12 > 0:20:16you need to have a really strong vision for it.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19I don't think the chef has a strong vision for this dish.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22I've been defending this dish because I've enjoyed it
0:20:22 > 0:20:25but if I'm talking about Olympian heights of gastronomy,
0:20:25 > 0:20:28it doesn't crack it because it isn't world-beating.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30It just is not exciting enough.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38So it seems Charlie has not taken a big enough risk.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40Not something his rival Colin could be accused of.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44He shocked everyone yesterday by putting up an untested dessert
0:20:44 > 0:20:47and, having failed to impress, he's taking a massive gamble
0:20:47 > 0:20:50and completely changing his dish once again.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54- Is this your new design for the dessert?- Yeah.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56- Practised?- No. - Nah, I like your style.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59Colin swapped dark chocolate for white
0:20:59 > 0:21:01on his rhubarb and custard dessert
0:21:01 > 0:21:04and ditched yesterday's presentation in favour of a theatrical surprise.
0:21:04 > 0:21:10I reckon Colin is a nutcase, to be honest, doing another dessert that that he hasn't practised.
0:21:10 > 0:21:15Colin is still serving layers of rhubarb puree, set custard and praline inside his chocolate shell
0:21:15 > 0:21:17topped by his special non-melting sorbet
0:21:17 > 0:21:22and he's about to reveal his brainwave for showing off this ground-breaking element.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26I'm going to try and flame the sorbet.
0:21:26 > 0:21:31OK. Sounds good. It's an interesting thing I've been wanting to see for a long time.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33I've toyed with the idea of doing it myself.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35- Instead, I've flamed the- BLEEP- vodka.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38And you nearly had my beard there.
0:21:38 > 0:21:45We're going to pour the vodka over the sorbet directly.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49Then light it. OK?
0:21:49 > 0:21:54Just watched him do a demo to the waiters on he wants them to flame it
0:21:54 > 0:21:55and it didn't flame.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59I'm just kind of hoping that when he gets in front of the judges,
0:21:59 > 0:22:01it's not a duff duck.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04You know, I hope it works because that's the big thing for him
0:22:04 > 0:22:06on that plate. That's his big impact.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10So, if it doesn't flame, what's the point of it?
0:22:10 > 0:22:13Ugh!
0:22:24 > 0:22:26It's not working.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29I'm loving this already. There's two things going for it.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31It looks good and he's taken a risk.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34It mightn't have worked but he tried.
0:22:34 > 0:22:40I agree it's ambitious and he took a risk. That also tells me that he hasn't rehearsed it enough.
0:22:40 > 0:22:41These things can be done.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44No matter how ambitious this is,
0:22:44 > 0:22:48we could not afford a failure of that kind at the final feast.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52This chef here has some greater problems than that.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55The whole combination is not actually working together.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59I don't like the chocolate much and what I think is truly horrible
0:22:59 > 0:23:01is this sort of custardy stuff on the bottom.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05It's rhubarb and custard with fancy bits.
0:23:05 > 0:23:11This is a classic example of a pudding which was designed to be admired,
0:23:11 > 0:23:14ooh-ed and ahh-ed at but not to be eaten.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17The chef, if he goes through, should be told to change this pudding
0:23:17 > 0:23:19because it ain't good enough.
0:23:22 > 0:23:27They've given their all. Now the chefs face an agonising wait.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29I'm bricking it.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31Right now, I feel like a sprinter looking down the track,
0:23:31 > 0:23:38thinking to myself, "In ten seconds' time, am I going to be an Olympic gold winner?" Me, I'm nervous.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42Only one chef can win the honour of representing the Northeast.
0:23:42 > 0:23:48When you stand in front of the judges and they're looking at you, commenting, I'll be worried.
0:23:50 > 0:23:55The judges are about to discover which dishes make up which menu.
0:23:55 > 0:24:00Today, I slightly sensed some of the inexperience of two novices in the competition.
0:24:00 > 0:24:06- But there were also some very brave attempts.- You couldn't criticise them for lack of ambition.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08- No. - Sometimes for lack of achievement.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10Colin's taken big risks
0:24:10 > 0:24:12in his bid for Olympian glory,
0:24:12 > 0:24:17combining imaginative presentation with cutting-edge techniques,
0:24:17 > 0:24:20while Charlie stayed true to his rustic style,
0:24:20 > 0:24:22seeking out rare foraged ingredients
0:24:22 > 0:24:25and creating unusual flavour combinations.
0:24:25 > 0:24:30The judges will only learn who is behind each menu once they have picked a winner.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34Pru, I can sense there are anxious chefs out there. Have you made a decision?
0:24:34 > 0:24:39- I have made a decision, yes. - Matthew?- I have.- Good. So have I, so let's call in the chefs.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46Time for Colin and Charlie to be put out of their misery.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49One will taste victory. The other, crushing disappointment.
0:24:52 > 0:24:57Welcome, chefs. I know it's both your first time here in the judges' chamber.
0:24:57 > 0:25:02- Charlie, how are you feeling? - Nervous. It's been hard. Feeling quite drawn, to be honest.
0:25:02 > 0:25:08- And, Colin?- A tiny bit apprehensive. It's a mentally draining competition as well as physical.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12Well, we've had some really ambitious dishes, I've got to say.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15Some of them were absolutely world-class.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18But it's not just about a dish.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21It's obviously about the overall menu and we have to make a decision.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24- Prue, have you made up your mind? - I have.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26- It's Menu B.- OK, Prue. Matthew?
0:25:26 > 0:25:28It's Menu B for me as well.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35I am also Menu B. That means we have a clear winner.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38We don't know who Menu B is and neither do you.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40Let's find out.
0:25:52 > 0:25:57The chef going forward to represent the Northeast in the final of the Great British Menu is...
0:26:10 > 0:26:13- Colin McGurran. Well done, Colin. - Well done.- Thank you very much.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15Colin, you look like a relieved man.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19A lot of effort, a lot of work, so it's nice that they pay off
0:26:19 > 0:26:23and I look forward to improving throughout the competition.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26There was some extraordinary dishes and cooking.
0:26:26 > 0:26:31The fish dish, which was a dish I think of extraordinary visual beauty and beautifully accomplished.
0:26:31 > 0:26:36I think the quail needs work, to be honest with you. I think it's an incomplete dish.
0:26:36 > 0:26:41The pork to me was really soft, a beautifully balanced dish but what about the pudding?
0:26:41 > 0:26:43Well, it was disgusting.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45LAUGHTER
0:26:45 > 0:26:50However, it was a great concept. I love the whole idea of the Olympic torch.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54- You could have taken some advice from Charlie on that.- Yes.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57There were some wonderful things to admire about your food.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01- Your beef was absolutely sublime. - That was fantastic! - That was your centrepiece dish.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04You just didn't replicate it through the rest of the dishes.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07What do you think at the end of the Great British Menu week?
0:27:07 > 0:27:10Never want to be here again or prepared to have another go?
0:27:10 > 0:27:13- I'd love to have another crack at it. - Charlie, commiserations to you.
0:27:13 > 0:27:18Colin, we look forward to seeing you in the final of the Great British Menu
0:27:18 > 0:27:22with a revamped starter or pudding or whatever it is you decide to do.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25You both deserve a drink. Thank you very much.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:27:28 > 0:27:32I am a bit disappointed that I didn't get to represent my region.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35I'm really pleased for Colin.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38I really want to see him get a dish through to the final banquet.
0:27:38 > 0:27:43When they all said, "Menu B, Menu B, Menu B,"
0:27:43 > 0:27:47I thought, "This is either going to be very good or very bad."
0:27:47 > 0:27:50I got through and I'm over the moon. I'm ecstatic. It's so amazing.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56Next week, Northern Ireland step up to the plate.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58Last year's winner, Chris Fearn...
0:27:58 > 0:28:01Back here again. Round two, ding-ding.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03..takes on the chef he beat, Chris Bell...
0:28:03 > 0:28:07- Feeling under a bit of pressure today?- Big time.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11I'm really determine to get to the banquet this year. It'll take something pretty good to stop me.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13..and former champion Niall McKenna.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16These guys have got a lot going on here.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19Has it got the "wow" factor, the flavours, the combinations?
0:28:19 > 0:28:23Their quest? To create the ultimate Olympic dish.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27- The mousse collapsed. Left the plates in the oven too long.- God help us!
0:28:42 > 0:28:45Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd