Starters Final Great British Menu


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The Great British Menu finals are on.

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Fire!

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From 24 chefs, we're down to just eight.

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I'm a master at this, boys.

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In this Olympic year of the London 2012 Games,

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our chefs have taken inspiration from sporting legends...

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There's my piece of bling. It's what keeps you motivated.

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Goodbye, Mr Nice Guy!

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You want to absolutely deliver your absolute maximum.

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-Arghh!

-Oh, look at that!

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..In their bid to create groundbreaking food...

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Good God!

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..For a dazzling Olympic feast.

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Wahey!

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Over the last eight weeks, Britain's culinary elite

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have been pushed to their absolute limit...

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I'm getting dangerously close to aborting this.

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Calm, calm, calm down!

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..Judged by the greatest veterans.

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I need a sick bag.

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For me, I'm not sure whether that quite works.

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There have been tears...

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-Ten out of ten.

-Thank you, Marcus.

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I'm kind of upset with myself, really.

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..And tantrums...

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-Johnnie? Can I just say something?

-No.

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..And our panel of judges haven't held back.

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-I don't know if I can be bothered.

-Now this guy took a hell of a risk and fell off the edge of the cliff.

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It ain't good enough.

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Now, the eight culinary titans left standing...

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We're going to be watching YOU, sunshine!

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..Are about to come to blows.

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-Do you want some help, Phil?

-No.

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-I don't want you to be able to take any credit while I'm at the Olympics.

-Ohh!

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This is going to be the biggest week of my life.

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-Didn't drop it.

-I want to win this competition.

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I want to get a dish in the final badly.

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From award-winning heavyweights of British cuisine...

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There'll be great things coming from the Howard corner. Watch this space!

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..To rising gastronomic stars...

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Every dog has its day and hopefully, this will be mine.

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..They're about to face the biggest shock of their lives.

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"This week, only some of you

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"will be cooking all four courses for the judges."

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The fight is on for the starter course

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and we've a glittering line-up, all gunning for gold.

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First to arrive is newcomer Simon Rogan from the North West,

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the South West's Nathan Outlaw

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and first-time finalist Daniel Clifford from the Central region.

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-Here we are again.

-That's it.

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It's going to be a tough week. Looking forward to it.

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One-time veteran Alan Murchison is fast on their heels,

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representing Scotland.

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-Ready?

-I'm ready.

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Been here third time now, so hopefully I can get a dish in the Final Banquet this time.

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Good morning.

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He's followed by Northern Ireland's Chris Fearon and Stephen Terry for Wales,

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who've both got dishes through to the Final Banquet before.

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It was an exciting year last year.

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Hopefully, I can get a bit of a repeat of the same, maybe.

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Maybe. Fingers crossed.

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Next to arrive is Colin McGurran,

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a first-timer from the North East.

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Hey!

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And last but not least,

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it's two-Michelin-starred newcomer Phil Howard.

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A little nervous.

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Let's go.

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Well, good luck everyone.

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Yeah. Good luck!

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Our formidable judges,

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Prue Leith, Oliver Peyton

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and Matthew Fort will choose their top three dishes every day.

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So, come Thursday, they can create a perfectly balanced Olympic menu.

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Here is an opportunity for us to see the Olympian nature of British chefs.

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I think this is a cracking competition. I think we are going to see Olympic cooking. We really are.

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We've got to pick gold medal winners.

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Helping them decide is a veteran of the competition

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who knows what an incredible privilege it is

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to cook in the Final Banquet.

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Today, it's the king of former champions,

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with three winning dishes under his belt.

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It's Richard Corrigan.

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Welcome, Richard. It's a pleasure to have you here.

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Oliver, thank you very much.

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Today, we've got to choose the top three starters

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from which we can then assemble the final menu.

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But this year, things have changed a little bit.

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We think, that having discussed things among ourselves,

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that not ALL of the courses that we tasted

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from the regional heats are actually suitable for consideration.

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Well, we made recommendations that some dishes need to be changed completely,

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some of them need some pretty hard work if they're going to be

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brought up to the standard that we are expecting here.

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So, unless there have been really substantive changes to them,

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we think that they should be eliminated.

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That's something new on the Great British Menu.

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The truth is that if we've said,

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"Look, this dish isn't suitable. It has to be changed completely."

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And they refuse to change it,

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then we're going to come to the same conclusion.

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You know, all we want is excellence.

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We said we didn't like them.

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-You know, why should they stay?

-Well, exactly.

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I mean, we've got to narrow it down, sooner or later.

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The judges firmly believe that this change to proceedings

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will keep the chefs on their toes

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and ensure the food they taste this week will be truly Olympian.

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But the chefs have no idea what's coming.

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So, the judges have decided to give them a heads-up.

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"This week, only some of you

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"will be cooking all four courses for the judges.

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"The judges advised you which of your dishes need changing

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"and which need tweaks.

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"Judges want to see dishes that stand a real chance

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"of making it through to the Banquet.

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"So, we'll be eliminating those which, in their view,

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"don't stand up against the rest."

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-What do you mean? How many will they eliminate?

-Whatever dishes they think we could...

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..They'll just say, "Don't bother doing it."

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This is going to cause a little bit of trouble in the camp.

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I mean, the question is, how far these actually fulfil the brief.

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Simon Rogan's grilled salad I think unquestionably did.

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Excellent bit of cooking, that.

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Love that dish!

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If you weren't feeling a bit quiffy before, you really are now!

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Daniel Clifford's veal sweet bread textures and textures of onion.

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I, personally, wasn't a huge fan of the sweetbreads.

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-I loved that.

-Oh, yes! I loved that.

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No, sorry. Over my dead body and my sweetbreads, frankly!

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If I don't cook today, it might, you know, ruin the rest of my week.

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And we've all come down here, fired up. It's a massive body blow.

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There's going to be some tears today.

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-What about Alan Murchison's duck and pineapple?

-Oh, I loved that!

-OK.

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I believe it's a strong dish. I think it fits the brief,

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and I really want to cook that dish today.

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Chris Fearon's clay pigeon shoot.

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I judged that one.

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I think the presentation was very, very good.

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-I thought the cooking was a bit... not so good.

-We loved it.

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I'm pretty psyched by what's going on at the minute.

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I can understand the logic behind it,

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you want to just cut to the chase and, you know,

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showcase the best available menu if possible.

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But at the same time, it's a bit heartbreaking.

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Nathan Outlaw, Hog's Pudding potato terrine and mushroom ketchup,

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it wasn't the greatest looker we've ever had put in front of us.

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But, when you came to eat it, ooh, yes! Please, mother!

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It was REALLY hearty, too, wasn't it? Powerful.

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Stephen Terry, the opening ceremony pigeon dish.

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I thought it was utterly delicious

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but it can't be said to be brilliantly innovative.

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That was probably one of his weakest dishes there.

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If I'm told not to cook my starter today,

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I would be very disappointed.

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But then, by my own admittance, it's probably my weakest dish.

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But I'm happy with it.

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Phil Howard's salad of spring vegetables,

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I think it's a beautiful piece of cooking,

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but I do NOT think that this is the kind of creative cookery

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that we're looking for for this particular competition.

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Well, it depends if he's changed it or not.

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If he hasn't changed it, I think that's the dish that should go.

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I've no intention of changing the content of it. I like it. On the other hand,

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it wasn't one of my strongest dishes, so I think it's vulnerable.

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Now, the last one is Colin McGurran.

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I thought it was EXTREMELY theatrical.

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There was certainly rather more plate than there was food.

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But it's got some great things in it.

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If he tweaks it right...

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If he's made some changes, then I think he should stay in.

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-If he says "no", he's out.

-Out!

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If I don't get the opportunity to cook today, I'd be gutted.

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I believe in it and I want to cook it.

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There is definitely a winner in that lot.

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Yeah, absolutely.

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However, there is one or two dishes in there

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which we think needs substantive changes.

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They've had feedback from us, you know. Will they have listened?

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If they haven't, they're out.

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We are agreed.

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Then I think we should get in the chefs to give them the news.

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Good morning, chefs, and welcome to the judge's chamber.

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You've heard the news.

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Not all of you may have the chance

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of actually cooking your dishes today.

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We've gone through the starters.

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We've discussed, among ourselves.

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We've taken into consideration the delivery of them in the regional heat,

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and we've also seen how they sort of stack up against one another.

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So, let's get straight to the point.

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There are two, possibly three, chefs

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who are in danger of NOT cooking today.

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The chefs at risk are...

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..Phil...

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..Stephen...

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and Colin.

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Now, you were each given a chance to change your dish,

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or make tweaks to it.

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Have any of you actually changed a dish completely?

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Nope.

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At all?

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I'm quite happy with the dish.

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Phil, what about you?

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Yeah, I made some tweaks and I think it is...

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Yeah. I think it's a great dish.

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Well, we DID suggest

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that you actually change this dish completely.

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It was not suitable for this occasion, in our view.

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Colin, we thought your dish had possibilities.

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Have you actually changed it in any way?

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Yeah, I listened to the comments that you'd suggested, worked on them,

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I spent a lot of time on improving and tasting,

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making sure it delivered on flavour, which I think it does.

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Well, Phil and Stephen,

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I'm afraid you will not be cooking your starters today.

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Colin, we're going to give you a second chance,

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but there has to be a marked improvement.

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Chefs, the rest of you are safe for today.

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Very good luck to you.

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So, get cooking. Thanks very much.

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I feel very frustrated, I have to say.

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You're here, you're ready to compete,

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you're ready to cook, and that's what you want to do.

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Yeah, I feel robbed of a gold medal.

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You know, it's a bit of a knock,

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but you're going to have to hit me a lot harder than that to put me down.

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Massive shock, you know. We just lost two of the biggest names

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involved in the competition for the starter.

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Today's six remaining chefs will cook in three groups of two.

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First out of the blocks are two-Michelin-starred Daniel Clifford

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from the Central region

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and Michelin-starred Scotsman Alan Murchison,

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with five award-winning restaurants to his credit.

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Good luck, chef.

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-And to you, Daniel.

-Let's go.

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Both of them are still reeling from today's surprise elimination.

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I'm shocked. I'm slightly upset.

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I was really looking forward to cooking with Phil today

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but, you know, the show must go on. Let's crack on and get it done.

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Sending somebody like Phil Howard out at this stage is...

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It's a brave move.

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Stephen Terry and Phil Howard are the two most experienced chefs

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in this competition by some margin, you know.

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It's showing us all nobody's safe

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and complacency cannot creep in at all.

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-Chaps.

-Hi, boys.

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How's it going? Hi, Phil.

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Life from the spectator stands! How are you?

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It's a bitter pill to swallow, you know.

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It's just thrown it all into chaos, really, from my point of view.

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-We're not happy, are we?

-No. No, we're not happy.

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It could come to us all, though. Do you know what I mean?

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It's going to happen to most people on one day,

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so, get it out the way your first day.

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I'm sure we can, you know, taste a lot of food,

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give some feedback.

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See, actually, whether you guys churn something out better.

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We're going to be watching YOU, sunshine!

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There's more pressure from you guys than there'll be from the judges!

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First-time finalist Daniel Clifford is first to cook

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and looking to set the bar with his love-it-or-hate-it veal sweetbreads

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with veal tartare and radical burnt onion powder.

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I liked this dish. I thought it was very accomplished,

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very skilful dish.

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But it just didn't have that extra wow factor for me.

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You know, I absolutely loved it.

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Well, I love sweetbreads anyway.

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I just thought it was sophisticated, original,

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and I thought they were perfectly cooked.

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I feel that, actually, having offal at all on the menu,

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let alone in the first course, is actually quite a bold statement.

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But I would urge caution.

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Would it be a dish you would serve to an Olympic banquet?

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It is a risk.

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If I can give sweetbreads to 100 people and they all enjoy it,

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you know, I've won a gold!

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Where does the inspiration come from your dish?

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I wanted to do something that's a bit daring, something that's a bit different.

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It's just based on asparagus, onion and sweetbreads.

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Classic combo(!)

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Hello, chefies!

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Hello, boys. How are we?

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Probably marginally better than you.

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Come on, then. Let's see what you've got. What are you cooking?

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I've made an onion juice,

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which is just basically

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baked onions en papillote.

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That's just pressed onion juice, straight out the onion.

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And then, obviously,

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I've made a burnt onion powder that goes with the asparagus.

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That's amazing.

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-Yeah, it's lovely, isn't it?

-I like that a LOT.

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Sweetbreads for a banquet. Brave man.

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I'm keeping my fingers crossed, anyway.

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But sweetbreads require careful cooking,

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and Alan's not convinced they're Banquet-friendly.

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I think it's an impressive dish.

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Would I want to do it for 100? Not a chance. Hot? Nah.

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Sweetbreads aren't the only risky ingredient to catch Alan's eye.

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Where's your tartare, Chef?

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I haven't seasoned it yet.

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-You serving it on the cinnamon?

-Yeah.

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-Not seen that before. Not overpowering?

-Nope.

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Nice plates!

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Four for a fiver!

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-I'm not listening to your

-BLEEP.

-Just trying to stay focused.

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I haven't come down here to come second this year.

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You know, I've come to come all the way.

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This is going to be the biggest week of my life and, to be honest,

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it means everything to all my family just as much as me.

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Daniel's counting on his radical burnt onion powder,

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raw veal tartare and caramelised veal sweetbreads to seal the deal.

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But will the judges think offal and onions

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groundbreaking enough to open the Olympic feast?

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All right, boys. I'm the customer, OK?

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-And please be really careful with it.

-Beautiful food.

-Good luck.

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Dish done!

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-Interesting.

-It's wicked, isn't it?

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It looked really, really cool, didn't it?

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I think it went really well.

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Exactly how I wanted it to go, you know.

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Obviously, being the first cooking today,

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after what we found out, I mean, I'm still in a little bit of a shock.

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But I'm happy with the dish and, you know, all to play for.

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This looks like a Picasso abstract.

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It's beautiful, isn't it?

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And what's more, you'll be pleased to hear,

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there's far more sweetbread than there was last time.

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The star performer of this dish, for me, is the tartare.

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And that was amazing. When you ate it off the cinnamon,

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you got the flavour of both and it was delicious.

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The spice really doesn't come across.

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Although there's a wonderful little cinnamon part here,

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I just feel like it needs more.

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I love the spice,

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but I particularly love the burnt onion bit around the asparagus.

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I thought that worked absolutely beautifully, and that, to me,

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lifts that dish into that... extra league.

0:17:110:17:14

Delicious.

0:17:140:17:15

You know what? It's not quite as delicious as last time.

0:17:150:17:19

I love the cinnamon. I love the onion.

0:17:190:17:22

But for me, the sweetbreads,

0:17:220:17:23

possibly because they're so much bigger,

0:17:230:17:26

are just a little undercooked.

0:17:260:17:28

This one is undercooked as well.

0:17:280:17:30

Would have liked a little bit less of the sweetbread

0:17:320:17:34

and a bit more veal tartare, to be fair.

0:17:340:17:36

I mean, where is the cinnamon in the dish?

0:17:360:17:38

Is it round the sweetbread?

0:17:380:17:39

The cinnamon doesn't come through.

0:17:390:17:41

I don't think it's anything more than pleasant.

0:17:410:17:43

It being sweetbread's irrespective of you want to

0:17:430:17:46

change the world with having sweetbreads as a starter.

0:17:460:17:49

I don't think that's enough innovation for me in any way, shape or form.

0:17:490:17:52

I don't find that any more innovative

0:17:520:17:53

than what my dish was going to be.

0:17:530:17:55

No. I mean, it's...

0:17:550:17:57

There's absolutely nothing groundbreaking about it.

0:17:570:17:59

But we know that behind the scenes,

0:17:590:18:01

there's clever cooking techniques going on.

0:18:010:18:03

That onion juice was absolutely magical.

0:18:030:18:04

It is a dish of understated originality and beauty.

0:18:040:18:09

I think understated is what it is.

0:18:090:18:11

But I don't think it's world-class.

0:18:110:18:13

I don't think it's fit for an Olympic feast

0:18:130:18:15

and also, I think, you know,

0:18:150:18:18

I'm expecting a lot more passion.

0:18:180:18:19

This is a very well-behaved dish.

0:18:190:18:21

I expected my palate to be bouncing around here going, "Wow! Oh! Ah! Ah!"

0:18:210:18:26

All of those wonderful words that come with good food. It just doesn't.

0:18:260:18:31

Doesn't quite work because it's not...

0:18:310:18:33

It's difficult to eat and there's not enough tartare.

0:18:330:18:36

If I was one of the judges, I'd be saying...

0:18:360:18:39

For an Olympic banquet, it's a tricky one.

0:18:390:18:42

This dish gave the meal veal appeal for me.

0:18:430:18:46

I loved this dish the first time we had it.

0:18:470:18:49

This time, he didn't quite get there.

0:18:490:18:52

I really don't think Daniel cooked that dish properly,

0:18:540:18:56

and it's snooze, you lose for me.

0:18:560:18:58

That dish was a very good dish. It could have been a great dish.

0:18:590:19:03

It's a good start.

0:19:080:19:10

So, can Scotland's award-winning Alan Murchison

0:19:100:19:14

raise the bar even higher?

0:19:140:19:16

He's up next with his Battenberg-style duck terrine

0:19:160:19:18

with foie gras and pineapple,

0:19:180:19:20

a technical dish he's practised and practised

0:19:200:19:23

like the world-class Olympians he's desperate to cook for.

0:19:230:19:27

I want to win this competition and get a dish in the Final Banquet.

0:19:270:19:30

I think my starter has the potential to go all the way.

0:19:300:19:32

There's a bit of magic in this dish, and that magic is when you look at it, you think,

0:19:320:19:36

"Wow! This chef has gone to a GREAT deal of bother

0:19:360:19:39

"to bring this food to this plate."

0:19:390:19:41

I thought it was exquisite. It was original.

0:19:410:19:44

It looked fantastic and it tasted amazing.

0:19:460:19:49

Somehow, the use of the pineapple

0:19:490:19:51

I thought was a really original touch and worked beautifully.

0:19:510:19:54

Especially fruit and duck is delicious.

0:19:540:19:56

You think, cherries and duck, you think apples. Ah! Delicious!

0:19:560:19:59

It's GOT to be one of the three finalists

0:19:590:20:01

if he does it like he did it before.

0:20:010:20:03

You think this is your strongest dish?

0:20:040:20:06

I think it's one of my strongest dishes.

0:20:060:20:09

I've thought about the Final Banquet as well.

0:20:090:20:11

I'm thinking, "OK.

0:20:110:20:13

"Is this scalable for 100?"

0:20:130:20:14

You know, I could sit there for an hour.

0:20:140:20:16

Ain't going to go anywhere.

0:20:160:20:18

Well, you should have dressed it an hour ago, then, Chef!

0:20:180:20:21

Alan, you know, he's been in finals week.

0:20:210:20:23

He's never got to the Banquet. It's my job to make sure he doesn't.

0:20:230:20:26

Have you trained hard for this, Chef?

0:20:290:20:31

I've worked hard on this this year.

0:20:310:20:33

Having been in the final before and got,

0:20:330:20:35

quite frankly, a good old kicking. So, I'm leaving nothing to chance.

0:20:350:20:38

I'm weighing and checking everything. I've brought my own sets of two scales

0:20:380:20:41

because it is going to come down to fine details.

0:20:410:20:44

You know, the difference between success and failure

0:20:440:20:47

and cooking in the Olympics

0:20:470:20:48

is a very thin line.

0:20:480:20:50

So for me, hopefully, this will give me the edge.

0:20:500:20:52

He's very measured, Alan. Everything is precise.

0:20:540:20:57

I don't feel he's going to be getting the jitters

0:20:570:21:00

as he's plating up.

0:21:000:21:02

He's probably the best craftsman out of all of us,

0:21:020:21:04

I'd say, for sheer technique because of his training.

0:21:040:21:08

Alan's serving his duck terrine with textures of pineapple,

0:21:080:21:10

an unusual pairing that might not appeal to everyone.

0:21:100:21:14

-Is this how you did it for the regionals, Chef?

-It was indeed.

0:21:140:21:17

I think Jeremy was a bit challenged by the pineapple.

0:21:170:21:20

I really liked the pineapple on that and the judges liked it.

0:21:200:21:23

So, that's what's important, really.

0:21:230:21:25

They liked his intricate presentation, too,

0:21:250:21:29

and his Olympic-themed brioche rings.

0:21:290:21:32

-Phil, brioche, please!

-It's like being back at work, Chef!

0:21:320:21:34

Will his meticulous attention to detail result in a top three finish?

0:21:360:21:40

-You're very precise, even the way you put it on the tray, Chef.

-I am.

0:21:400:21:43

-Well done.

-Cheers.

0:21:470:21:49

-That is amazing, isn't it?

-Yeah, it's really smart.

0:21:540:21:57

Really happy with it.

0:21:590:22:00

I think that this is exactly how I wanted it to be.

0:22:000:22:03

It shows great technique, it shows great flair.

0:22:030:22:06

And I would like to think that that dish is a contender.

0:22:060:22:09

I'll be surprised if it's not.

0:22:090:22:10

-I mean, that's a looker, right?

-That's a stunner.

0:22:190:22:22

That pineapple is working SO beautifully with the duck.

0:22:260:22:28

It's just making it sing for me.

0:22:280:22:31

It is absolutely subtle,

0:22:310:22:33

beautiful cooking because...

0:22:330:22:36

..nothing is over-seasoned,

0:22:370:22:38

the flavours are powerful,

0:22:380:22:40

but they don't cramp each other,

0:22:400:22:44

and goes beautifully together.

0:22:440:22:46

He makes a mean brioche, too.

0:22:460:22:48

It eats beautifully.

0:22:480:22:50

The confit and the foie gras is just supreme, isn't it?

0:22:500:22:54

That was good, yeah.

0:22:540:22:56

You know, it's a big, punchy starter, isn't it?

0:22:560:22:58

It eats really, really well, but is it really, really radical?

0:22:580:23:02

Is this actually a dramatic piece of cooking that, you know...

0:23:020:23:06

that is fit to go in front of the Olympic diners? I'm not quite sure.

0:23:060:23:10

Do you think a bit conventional, Matthew, is what you're saying?

0:23:100:23:13

-Yes.

-Missing the spark of genius and inspiration?

0:23:130:23:17

-Does this surprise you, this dish?

-No, it doesn't.

0:23:170:23:20

-Is it groundbreaking?

-It's nothing I haven't seen before but, you know,

0:23:200:23:23

it's a very great... It's a very clever marriage of flavours

0:23:230:23:26

and the craftsmanship involved is just second to none.

0:23:260:23:30

Come on, what is wrong with you people?!

0:23:300:23:31

This is a chef at the top of his game!

0:23:310:23:33

The balance, the consideration, the technical prowess, the visual impact.

0:23:330:23:38

If this is an Olympic feast, anybody who sees this

0:23:380:23:41

coming in front of them would go, "That looks beautiful."

0:23:410:23:44

It just grows on you.

0:23:440:23:46

I think it is an absolutely perfect dish.

0:23:460:23:48

It's good, but is it great?

0:23:480:23:51

I'm not too sure about that.

0:23:510:23:53

He's got all the elements.

0:23:530:23:54

Absolutely beautiful, but that's as far as he can go.

0:23:540:23:57

-I think all around it's a cracking dish, though.

-It's great.

0:23:570:24:02

He's a superlative craftsman and he's nailed it.

0:24:020:24:06

I love this dish because it shows off Alan's cooking skills

0:24:080:24:11

to its best. A couple little tweaks.

0:24:110:24:14

It could've been a ten, but it's an eight.

0:24:140:24:16

I like my duck.

0:24:160:24:17

And with pineapple, it gets a seven.

0:24:170:24:21

This was a near perfect dish.

0:24:210:24:24

Pretty, witty, delicious.

0:24:240:24:27

It's a nine.

0:24:270:24:29

I loved his duck terrine a lot but it lacked

0:24:290:24:31

the last ounce of creativity and originality

0:24:310:24:34

that I think this competition really needs, so it's a seven from me.

0:24:340:24:38

Two down, four to go.

0:24:430:24:45

And the chefs that have cooked already are breathing a sigh of relief.

0:24:450:24:48

-Today's been a massive shock, so...

-Yeah.

0:24:480:24:51

I just can't believe

0:24:510:24:52

that two of the most experienced chefs, not only in this competition

0:24:520:24:57

but in the industry, weren't allowed to cook today

0:24:570:25:00

because their dishes weren't deemed strong enough,

0:25:000:25:02

so, yeah, I know what you mean,

0:25:020:25:04

but I think the pressure's on the other guys now.

0:25:040:25:06

-That's it, it's pressure now, isn't it?

-It's good.

0:25:060:25:09

It's how they cope with it that's going to define

0:25:090:25:11

-who wins this competition.

-Yeah.

0:25:110:25:12

-I want to watch them squirm.

-Yeah.

0:25:120:25:14

Chris Fearon's up next, cooking for Northern Ireland

0:25:140:25:18

with newcomer, Colin McGurran, from the north-east.

0:25:180:25:21

-Neither of them have Michelin stars.

-Good luck, Colin.

-Good luck to you.

0:25:210:25:26

-Have you got much to do to start off with?

-Yeah, yeah. Busy, busy.

0:25:260:25:29

Chris won the starter course last year

0:25:320:25:34

and is hoping for a repeat performance

0:25:340:25:37

with his Olympic-themed clay pigeon shoot,

0:25:370:25:39

a tagine with lots of playful props, typical of his style of cooking.

0:25:390:25:44

Being involved with Great British menu last year, getting to the People's Banquet,

0:25:440:25:48

it changed my life.

0:25:480:25:49

It really put me out there, put it on the map,

0:25:490:25:51

gave me a lot of confidence.

0:25:510:25:53

I'm pretty grand. Good, yeah.

0:25:530:25:55

Chris knows this year's brief is a whole new ballgame.

0:25:550:25:59

There's a lot of big boys in the kitchen at the minute.

0:25:590:26:01

You know, a lot of Michelin stars flying about,

0:26:010:26:03

a lot of egos and then there's me.

0:26:030:26:05

It's amazing to be in the same room as them. Intimidating as well.

0:26:050:26:09

It's hard for me to compete in the kitchen with this sort of calibre of chefs.

0:26:090:26:12

-Chris made silly schoolboy errors in the heats.

-It looks great.

0:26:120:26:16

The presentation, fantastic.

0:26:160:26:19

But the pigeon, it was overcooked.

0:26:190:26:21

My problem was that I wondered how much

0:26:210:26:23

we loved it because it was sitting on a cartridge tray.

0:26:230:26:26

I do think there's a sense of theatre we expect from these chefs

0:26:260:26:31

because we are...we're looking for some drama, aren't we?

0:26:310:26:34

I think there is a winning dish trying to get out in there.

0:26:340:26:36

If you separated the dish from the presentation, would it stand up?

0:26:360:26:40

Would it get through?

0:26:400:26:42

How are you doing, boys?

0:26:420:26:44

We've been at a car boot sale.

0:26:440:26:46

Props, guys. Wasn't that last year's brief?

0:26:460:26:50

That's my style, you know? That's what I do. Worked for me last year.

0:26:500:26:54

It worked for me in the regionals, so hopefully it can work for me again.

0:26:540:26:58

What are you putting in there, Chris?

0:26:580:27:00

I'm doing like a wee ragout, North African sort of spices,

0:27:000:27:03

very aromatic,

0:27:030:27:06

bit of pigeon breast, bit of offal, bit of liver, bit of heart.

0:27:060:27:09

And then like a pastilla with the leg meat.

0:27:090:27:11

My version of a pastilla,

0:27:110:27:13

it's not really a traditional pastilla, almost like a spring roll.

0:27:130:27:16

When you're using props like that,

0:27:170:27:19

the food's got to be absolutely spot-on

0:27:190:27:22

because you open yourself up to all sorts of ridicule.

0:27:220:27:24

Chris is up against some tough competition this week,

0:27:270:27:29

including culinary heavyweight Phil Howard.

0:27:290:27:32

-How are you doing, Chris?

-Not bad, Phil.

0:27:350:27:37

Just...coming up to about ten minutes now.

0:27:370:27:40

-Pastilla, there.

-It's effectively a spring roll, really.

0:27:400:27:43

I know little about Chris. He's not somebody I've worked with,

0:27:430:27:46

I'm not familiar with his food.

0:27:460:27:48

-How are you cooking that?

-I'm just going to bake that.

0:27:490:27:52

Bake it nice and clean.

0:27:520:27:53

Last year's banquet was so completely different,

0:27:530:27:56

I would be surprised if he was running around that kitchen

0:27:560:27:58

with any kind of assumption that he's ahead of anybody else

0:27:580:28:01

because he's surrounded by some seriously good cooks.

0:28:010:28:03

-Everything going according to plan?

-Yeah, so far, so good, chef.

-Good.

0:28:030:28:07

Having him near you asking questions about a dish,

0:28:070:28:10

you're just going to tremble, and just go,

0:28:100:28:12

"Phil Howard's asking me questions...about food."

0:28:120:28:15

Chris can't afford any lapses in concentration.

0:28:170:28:20

He's got a lot of different elements

0:28:200:28:22

to bring to his quirky gunshot plates.

0:28:220:28:24

He overcooked his pigeon

0:28:240:28:26

when he dished it up to Richard in the heats.

0:28:260:28:28

Let's do it.

0:28:280:28:29

He puts the finishing touches to his clay pigeon tagines,

0:28:290:28:33

adds peas and slices of pigeon breast to his aromatic broth,

0:28:330:28:37

scatters over some almonds and pea shoots

0:28:370:28:40

and delivers it to the pass.

0:28:400:28:41

Serve them like that, quickly, please. Thanks.

0:28:470:28:50

Fair play.

0:28:560:28:58

-It's bonkers!

-It's Chris on a plate, innit?

0:28:580:29:02

I'm really happy with what I've done.

0:29:020:29:04

Whether or not I'll stand shoulder-to-shoulder with these guys is another thing but I'm happy.

0:29:040:29:08

I'm not disappointed in myself, that's the main thing.

0:29:080:29:11

But as soon as his dish is out of the door,

0:29:110:29:14

Chris realises he's made a fatal mistake.

0:29:140:29:16

Come here, stop, can I get the hearts on them?

0:29:160:29:19

Hearts, heart, hearts.

0:29:190:29:21

-BLEEP

-hearts.

0:29:220:29:24

What?

0:29:240:29:26

LAUGHTER

0:29:260:29:30

Stop, stop, stop.

0:29:300:29:31

-"Hearts!"

-"Hearts!"

-That's class, innit?

0:29:310:29:34

He's got them in his hand, four hearts in his hand!

0:29:360:29:38

LAUGHTER

0:29:380:29:39

Go, go, go. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

0:29:390:29:43

What a chief!

0:29:430:29:45

LAUGHTER

0:29:450:29:49

"Don't forget the hearts!"

0:29:510:29:52

-Manage to get them on before it went in?

-Yeah, yeah. Just.

0:29:520:29:56

Was plating up, making sure everything was there, perfect.

0:29:560:29:59

I was taking my time, maybe too long. It's a very small thing.

0:29:590:30:03

It's a really nice wee extra bit I put in there.

0:30:030:30:05

You know, the heart, the heart of the Olympics,

0:30:050:30:08

the heart and spirit, that's where it all comes from.

0:30:080:30:11

Will the judges think he's done enough?

0:30:110:30:14

It's very striking to start with.

0:30:180:30:20

It hasn't lost any of its drama and humour and everything else.

0:30:200:30:23

Although it looks really good, it doesn't keep the heat, these things.

0:30:240:30:28

It's cold. I'm not blown away.

0:30:280:30:31

It doesn't have the same clarity of thought as before. I think it's too sweet, there's too much sauce.

0:30:310:30:36

I don't think the pastilla is as good as it was.

0:30:360:30:39

Mine's been undercooked.

0:30:390:30:40

The elements actually are delicious.

0:30:400:30:42

I love the slight crunchiness of the nut, I like the freshness

0:30:420:30:46

of the greens, but the sauce seems to be smothering everything.

0:30:460:30:51

-It's sort of brought everything down.

-It's a bit murky now. But it's good.

0:30:510:30:56

I like the flavours.

0:30:560:30:57

I'm not too mad about the pastilla, to be honest.

0:30:570:31:00

It was a bit soggy. I don't know how he cooked it.

0:31:000:31:02

-Was it meant to be soggy, or was it meant to be crispy?

-The pastilla?

0:31:020:31:05

Well, I don't think it was crispy enough.

0:31:050:31:08

Groundbreaking, Richard?

0:31:080:31:10

In presentation, yes.

0:31:100:31:12

As a food item, no.

0:31:120:31:15

I agree with that. I think it's just...

0:31:150:31:18

what I was expecting Chris to do here was to step up.

0:31:180:31:21

You know, the visual appeal's great,

0:31:210:31:24

but I think the dish needed him to get more involved in it,

0:31:240:31:27

to turn it into a winner.

0:31:270:31:29

It is absolutely delicious

0:31:290:31:30

but, frankly, if this little dish had come to us in a white bowl,

0:31:300:31:34

we'd just shrug and said, "So?"

0:31:340:31:36

All the glory is in the presentation.

0:31:360:31:39

I think the concept is great.

0:31:390:31:41

And I think, you know, he should get Alpha double plus, frankly, for presentation,

0:31:410:31:45

but in terms of the sort of high-level

0:31:450:31:47

refined, finished, imaginative cooking...

0:31:470:31:51

-Hm.

-Hm.

0:31:510:31:52

Is there a wow factor in it? I'm not sure.

0:31:520:31:55

It doesn't look anywhere near as good like that, does it?

0:31:550:31:58

You take away all the props, it is essentially a little stew

0:31:580:32:02

with a pastilla on it. It's quite simple.

0:32:020:32:04

It's done with shot, you expect fireworks.

0:32:040:32:07

I wasn't convinced first time around.

0:32:100:32:12

And I'm still not convinced. It's a four.

0:32:120:32:15

I sort of hope Chris doesn't shoot the messenger

0:32:150:32:18

because it's also a four.

0:32:180:32:19

Well, I like this dish.

0:32:190:32:21

I didn't like it as much as last time,

0:32:210:32:23

but I did like it and it's a six.

0:32:230:32:25

If only Chris's technical ability had matched his imagination,

0:32:250:32:29

he'd have got more than a six from me.

0:32:290:32:32

Not the flying start last year's winner was hoping for.

0:32:360:32:38

Will newcomer Colin McGurran pick up the pace?

0:32:380:32:42

He nearly wasn't allowed to cook today

0:32:420:32:45

and is teetering on the edge of a cliff

0:32:450:32:46

with his Quail In The Woods,

0:32:460:32:48

a dramatic dish that bombed in the heats.

0:32:480:32:50

In the regionals, it didn't go down well.

0:32:500:32:52

I only got a 4/10 for that, so I'm hoping that this time round,

0:32:520:32:56

you know, by perfecting it, I'll get higher scores

0:32:560:32:58

because we need that one to kick off the competition.

0:32:580:33:01

I don't think that dish, as it currently stands,

0:33:010:33:05

is anywhere near good enough for an Olympic feast.

0:33:050:33:07

If you take away the forest floor and the bark, what have you got?

0:33:070:33:12

You've got four little elements of quail.

0:33:120:33:14

He spoke passionately about the changes he had made.

0:33:140:33:18

It's almost a new dish.

0:33:180:33:21

If he has not improved this dish immeasurably

0:33:210:33:24

since the last outing, I think he'll be barking.

0:33:240:33:27

Colin has taken the judges' comments to heart

0:33:270:33:31

and created three new elements for his dish,

0:33:310:33:34

including crunchy pastry, pungent black garlic

0:33:340:33:36

and a bold miso glaze.

0:33:360:33:38

He's using groundbreaking modern techniques

0:33:380:33:40

that his rival chefs want a closer look at.

0:33:400:33:42

-All right?

-Not so bad, thanks.

0:33:420:33:44

-What's all this behind you?

-That's...

0:33:440:33:47

-I suppose, the nitrogen side of it.

-Nitrogen?

-Liquid nitrogen, yeah.

0:33:470:33:51

I'm just going to make a horseradish cream and...

0:33:510:33:55

what I'm after is to get the sensation of ice cream.

0:33:550:33:58

And all it is, I'm literally just going to...

0:33:580:34:01

put liquid nitrogen into here.

0:34:010:34:02

That's just a Thermos?

0:34:040:34:06

Yes, just holds the batch. What I'm going to do...

0:34:060:34:10

..is just drop bits of...

0:34:110:34:13

bits of horseradish in there. What happens...

0:34:140:34:17

all these kinds of textures.

0:34:170:34:19

Put it in your mouth.

0:34:200:34:22

I think it's going to be quite nice.

0:34:220:34:24

It's delicious.

0:34:240:34:26

It's a bit quirky, but at the same time...

0:34:260:34:29

It works nice with the horseradish. It's clean and fresh and dry.

0:34:290:34:33

This for me isn't a liquid nitrogen dry ice type of environment

0:34:330:34:38

because it's...it's a bit obvious, isn't it? And...I don't know.

0:34:380:34:42

The judges wanted excellence

0:34:420:34:45

and they wanted to see something they hadn't seen before.

0:34:450:34:48

It's mad, isn't it? Look at it.

0:34:480:34:52

Colin could be a dark horse in this competition.

0:34:520:34:54

He's probably the person that everyone knows least about.

0:34:540:34:57

Everyone loves the underdog and, you know,

0:34:570:35:00

the saying goes that every dog has its day

0:35:000:35:02

and, hopefully, this will be mine.

0:35:020:35:04

Colin glazes his quail breast in punchy new miso,

0:35:060:35:09

dresses his crunchy new pastry with miso glaze, too,

0:35:090:35:13

and pops his deep-fried quails eggs in pride of place

0:35:130:35:17

before placing it on his spectacular woodland plate.

0:35:170:35:19

I'm not sure about that wood and everything else and moss.

0:35:220:35:24

I don't know how you eat off a piece of moss.

0:35:240:35:26

I can't see Richard Corrigan eating...

0:35:260:35:29

eating off a load of moss. I could be wrong.

0:35:290:35:31

Take them now, please.

0:35:310:35:33

OK, thank you.

0:35:340:35:36

-Good lad. Are you happy with that?

-Yeah.

0:35:360:35:38

Looked good, man. It looked smart. Really, really smart.

0:35:380:35:41

-Looks like he's put a lot of effort in there.

-Yeah.

0:35:460:35:49

It means a lot. To say I've got this far is massive.

0:35:490:35:52

So it's not just for me.

0:35:520:35:55

I'm doing it for area and also for my family as well.

0:35:550:35:58

That's why I'm not going to let it slide away from me.

0:35:580:36:00

I'm going to fight it right to the end

0:36:000:36:02

and not let this opportunity slip me by.

0:36:020:36:04

I like it. In a strange, obscene way I like it. I like it.

0:36:090:36:15

These little white blobs...

0:36:150:36:17

..which are actually delicious horseradish cream.

0:36:190:36:22

Horseradish? Delicious!

0:36:220:36:24

You know, forget about the bark for a minute.

0:36:240:36:27

The plate itself has just got some wonderful flavours going on.

0:36:270:36:30

I mean, it's really beautiful.

0:36:300:36:32

And...he HAS made some very substantial changes to this.

0:36:330:36:38

It is not actually recognisably the same dish.

0:36:380:36:40

Interesting flavours, isn't it?

0:36:430:36:46

There's horseradish, miso, garlic.

0:36:460:36:48

-I think it works.

-It works really well. I like this dish.

0:36:480:36:50

The Quail breast is really beautifully cooked.

0:36:500:36:53

You know, it's moist, it's got a lot of flavour in there.

0:36:530:36:57

Yummy.

0:36:570:36:58

Really love the sort of...

0:36:580:36:59

you know, the contrast of flavours between the mousse and the garlic

0:36:590:37:04

and the egg and the horseradish.

0:37:040:37:06

There's a continual little journey on your tongue there

0:37:060:37:09

which is just perfect.

0:37:090:37:11

I like it. I like it. I think he's got it.

0:37:110:37:13

It's interesting, really interesting.

0:37:130:37:15

Presentation's a bit wild for me.

0:37:150:37:18

It's wonderful presentation.

0:37:180:37:20

It's utter deliciousness in its eating.

0:37:200:37:23

And it is astonishing cos it is really complicated.

0:37:230:37:26

There are lots of different flavours,

0:37:260:37:28

some of them very powerful.

0:37:280:37:30

And it just goes on and on and on.

0:37:300:37:32

It's really complicated and yet it isn't a mess.

0:37:320:37:35

Groundbreaking, it is.

0:37:350:37:37

Colin's actually pulled it off.

0:37:370:37:39

It's a really interesting dish.

0:37:390:37:41

It does challenge you cos there's hot, there's cold,

0:37:410:37:43

there's crispiness there as well.

0:37:430:37:46

It shows intent from Colin, that's for sure.

0:37:460:37:50

He's pushing boundaries, and I think, you know, good effort,

0:37:500:37:53

and absolutely well done.

0:37:530:37:54

It's not just dramatic, it's not just fancy,

0:37:540:37:57

it's not just dressed up,

0:37:570:37:58

it's actually absolutely fantastically good to eat.

0:37:580:38:01

No-one really knows much about Colin.

0:38:010:38:04

-He's got a few tricks up his sleeve.

-Bit of a dark horse.

0:38:040:38:07

-It's the quiet ones you've to watch out for.

-Yeah.

0:38:070:38:10

This dish is what this competition is about.

0:38:110:38:14

It was absolutely wonderful.

0:38:140:38:16

For that reason, it's a nine.

0:38:160:38:18

It had presentation. It had imagination.

0:38:180:38:22

And it had gastronomy. And I gave it an eight.

0:38:220:38:26

I think this was a case where inspiration and delivery

0:38:260:38:30

and execution were all of a piece, and for that reason,

0:38:300:38:32

I'm giving it a nine.

0:38:320:38:34

Quail In The Woods...I loved it.

0:38:340:38:37

Four down, two to go

0:38:420:38:44

and all anyone can think about is what's at stake.

0:38:440:38:48

What's it like actually getting through to the banquet?

0:38:480:38:51

Yeah, it was an overwhelming experience, you know.

0:38:510:38:54

-I was very humbled and honoured to be there.

-It is incredible.

0:38:540:38:57

It's a phenomenal experience. It'll stay with you for ever.

0:38:570:39:00

We're all here to win, let's make no bones about it.

0:39:000:39:02

We all want this more than anything.

0:39:020:39:04

The chefs have no idea how the judges are feeling.

0:39:040:39:08

We've all got completely different cooking techniques.

0:39:080:39:11

Completely different ideas of the brief and, at least today,

0:39:110:39:14

when we get the verdict,

0:39:140:39:16

we'll start to understand who's gone down the right path.

0:39:160:39:19

The last chefs to take their marks are north-west newcomer Simon Rogan,

0:39:190:39:24

with one Michelin star, and Cornish giant, Nathan Outlaw, with two.

0:39:240:39:27

-All right, Simon?

-Hello, Nathan.

0:39:270:39:29

Been a long day waiting for everybody?

0:39:290:39:32

-It's been a bit of a nightmare waiting, hasn't it?

-Yeah, yeah.

0:39:320:39:36

Watching all the amazing stuff going out before has made it even worse now.

0:39:360:39:39

So...yeah, got to crack on.

0:39:390:39:42

New boy Simon Rogan is up first

0:39:470:39:49

with a grilled salad with cheese sauce and truffle custard -

0:39:490:39:53

a pioneering vegetarian dish he thinks is worthy of Olympians.

0:39:530:39:58

I want to show people that you don't have to have meat or fish proteins

0:39:580:40:01

on a dish for it to be a great dish.

0:40:010:40:03

Simon Rogan's dish I remember as one of the most original

0:40:030:40:06

and remarkable I think we ate in the whole of the regionals.

0:40:060:40:09

I know, and it didn't look as if it was going to taste so wonderful.

0:40:090:40:12

I mean, you don't really expect a salad

0:40:120:40:15

to have the punch that thing had.

0:40:150:40:16

I think Simon Rogan has been the standout chef for me.

0:40:160:40:19

I felt it was completely appropriate

0:40:190:40:22

for a banquet of this nature, Olympians.

0:40:220:40:25

-Do you know his cooking?

-Yeah.

0:40:250:40:27

Simon is coming up with very innovative dishes.

0:40:270:40:30

I think also one of the things

0:40:300:40:32

I noticed a lot about Simon's cooking is it's inherently healthy.

0:40:320:40:35

There's no question.

0:40:350:40:37

He's a really superbly talented chef

0:40:370:40:39

with a very original view on what cooking can do.

0:40:390:40:42

He's grilling vegetables on a barbecue which has been specially installed for indoor use.

0:40:440:40:48

A modern twist on an age-old technique

0:40:480:40:51

that has his fellow chefs intrigued.

0:40:510:40:54

-So, what's in it?

-That and that.

-What's that?

0:40:540:40:57

It's getting up to...well, 250, it's working at at the moment.

0:40:570:41:02

-It's fairly warm.

-Very interesting cook, some interesting ideas.

0:41:020:41:06

And it's his first time in GBM as well.

0:41:060:41:08

-So you cook it on this stone, do you?

-Yeah.

-Oh, right.

0:41:080:41:11

Just keep moving it so it's not burning.

0:41:110:41:14

You get areas which are crisp and areas which are soft

0:41:140:41:17

and, you know, it's a play with textures.

0:41:170:41:18

Obviously, his pedigree speaks for itself.

0:41:180:41:21

I'm sure he's going to produce some very interesting dishes.

0:41:210:41:24

But not everyone's convinced by Simon's vegetarian starter.

0:41:260:41:30

What do you think a big, robust Irish gentleman

0:41:300:41:34

like Mr Corrigan is going to think about a nice salad of vegetables?

0:41:340:41:38

That's the question. I don't really know, to be quite honest.

0:41:380:41:42

You got a nice, rich truffle custard.

0:41:420:41:45

You've a nice Isle of Mull cheese sauce as well,

0:41:450:41:48

so there's big flavours in there, big gutsy flavours,

0:41:480:41:51

so, hopefully, you know,

0:41:510:41:53

a known meat and fish lover will...

0:41:530:41:57

will appreciate what I'm doing.

0:41:570:41:59

For me, I would always think there is something missing.

0:42:000:42:04

You know, that would be my worry about it.

0:42:040:42:06

Yeah, smoky, cooked vegetables,

0:42:060:42:09

but, you know...I don't know.

0:42:090:42:10

I'm really looking forward to eating it.

0:42:100:42:12

It's a fairly challenging combination for me.

0:42:120:42:15

Did the judges like this course you're doing

0:42:150:42:17

when you did the regionals, Simon?

0:42:170:42:19

They had real positive things to say about it, no negatives,

0:42:190:42:22

so, hopefully, I can nail it today and, you know,

0:42:220:42:25

take it that step further.

0:42:250:42:27

He plates up his truffle custard, cobnut crisps,

0:42:280:42:31

simple chard leaves and rich cheese sauce.

0:42:310:42:34

And, under close scrutiny from his rivals, delivers it to the pass.

0:42:340:42:39

That way,

0:42:390:42:41

cabbage pointing out to two o'clock.

0:42:410:42:44

-Pleased?

-Quite hard to get out.

0:42:440:42:47

-It's not easy to get out, is it?

-No, it's not.

-Imagine doing it for 100!

0:42:490:42:53

Everything about that dish is right.

0:42:590:43:01

It's a cracking dish, but, you know,

0:43:010:43:03

there's been so many different styles today,

0:43:030:43:07

you just can never tell.

0:43:070:43:09

It's not as good as I remember.

0:43:200:43:21

-I do think he's added more cheese this time.

-Yeah.

0:43:210:43:25

Cholesterol feast.

0:43:250:43:28

-Very healthy(!)

-Yeah!

0:43:280:43:29

There's more cheese than before.

0:43:320:43:33

And I think it's lost some of its, sort of,

0:43:330:43:36

taste balance it had before.

0:43:360:43:37

It still is a remarkable dish, though.

0:43:370:43:39

It's very brave cooking, it has to be applauded.

0:43:390:43:42

That's really good.

0:43:420:43:44

-It's delicious, isn't it?

-That's a great plate.

0:43:440:43:47

The dressing's fantastic.

0:43:470:43:49

-Beautifully balanced.

-That's a class act. That is a class piece of food.

0:43:490:43:53

-I like it. I like it.

-Do you love it?

0:43:530:43:55

No. I had a grilled piece of lettuce, or something, which was hot,

0:43:550:43:59

it was delicious. It was still raw.

0:43:590:44:01

That was gorgeous, but there was very little of it.

0:44:010:44:04

Exactly, and there were last time more of those slightly charred,

0:44:040:44:08

or dried out leaves.

0:44:080:44:10

I think the last time it was 100% precision,

0:44:100:44:14

but I think that precision has just left it.

0:44:140:44:17

It had something to it before where you tasted it, and you went,

0:44:170:44:20

"Oh, that's good."

0:44:200:44:21

And I think that it's all got a bit sort of slapdash, in a way.

0:44:210:44:25

It had a sort of dancing quality before, whereas,

0:44:250:44:29

if this does resemble a dance,

0:44:290:44:30

it's more of a clog dance than it is the ballet.

0:44:300:44:33

Just doesn't feel like as much love has gone into the dish.

0:44:330:44:37

The first time, it fulfilled the brief beyond expectation,

0:44:370:44:40

but our disappointment is just crushing,

0:44:400:44:44

because we wanted something that was utterly beautiful!

0:44:440:44:47

Let's not forget, this is still a crackingly good dish.

0:44:470:44:50

It is absolutely delicious,

0:44:500:44:53

it's just not as good as it was last time, that's all.

0:44:530:44:56

-There's no chinks in the armour to get in there.

-No.

0:44:560:44:59

It takes a hell of a lot of confidence and skill to do a dish like that.

0:44:590:45:02

Yeah, nearly as good as the salad I didn't get a chance to make.

0:45:020:45:05

LAUGHTER

0:45:050:45:07

If only we'd been served the dish that we had in the regional heats,

0:45:090:45:13

I would have given him 11!

0:45:130:45:14

But, by his own high standards he's just slipped a bit,

0:45:140:45:18

so, I think it's a seven.

0:45:180:45:19

I agree, it was perfect the first time,

0:45:190:45:22

a bit too much truffle custard the second time, so it's a seven.

0:45:220:45:26

I do like my veg, but I want more of it. For that, it's a six.

0:45:260:45:30

I just automatically assumed it was going to be a ten,

0:45:320:45:35

but he's slightly dropped the ball today,

0:45:350:45:37

but he's still in the running with me, it's a seven.

0:45:370:45:40

A good score for Simon.

0:45:430:45:46

Will today's last chef, two-Michelin-starred Nathan Outlaw,

0:45:460:45:49

from the south-west, top it?

0:45:490:45:51

-That's a tough act to follow, that one, chef.

-Really tasty.

0:45:510:45:54

-Beautiful, that.

-Don't be cruel.

0:45:540:45:57

We haven't given up yet, we haven't given up.

0:45:570:46:00

I won't be last every day,

0:46:000:46:02

I'll be on that side tomorrow.

0:46:020:46:04

Whoever's last is going to get it as well.

0:46:040:46:06

The people in the background, it doesn't really faze me.

0:46:070:46:10

They can say what they want,

0:46:100:46:11

I'm very confident in my style of cooking and what I'm doing.

0:46:110:46:14

Yeah, there's nothing they can do to wind me up.

0:46:140:46:16

Nathan's looking to sprint to the finish with a modern take

0:46:160:46:20

on hogs pudding, which scored eight in the heats.

0:46:200:46:23

It's a combination of hogs pudding and the liver and seaweed.

0:46:230:46:27

-Yeah.

-So, we've got the mushroom ketchup,

0:46:270:46:30

we've then got potato terrine,

0:46:300:46:31

that's been baked in the oven,

0:46:310:46:33

and then all finished off with a crispy Crowley, soft-boiled.

0:46:330:46:36

It's almost a little bit breakfasty, in a way,

0:46:360:46:40

but it's all tasty stuff.

0:46:400:46:41

It's my job to try and marry them.

0:46:410:46:45

You should have been up first, if you were going to do breakfast.

0:46:450:46:47

Exactly. Yes, I'd have made breakfast for everyone. Maybe tomorrow?

0:46:470:46:51

I think it's something Richard would love, it was like breakfast.

0:46:510:46:54

-Oh!

-It was good.

-Pork, breakfast.

0:46:540:46:58

It was a cracking good thing to eat.

0:46:580:47:00

My problem with the dish was not so much the quality of the dish,

0:47:000:47:03

was its visual impact, and I thought it was a little bit too rich,

0:47:030:47:07

in terms of the idea.

0:47:070:47:09

It sounds like a dish to give to all the opposition in the Olympics,

0:47:090:47:14

to do really well, or not!

0:47:140:47:15

I am confident about my starter,

0:47:190:47:21

it's the sort of dish that you can get it right,

0:47:210:47:23

execute really well, and I think it's different,

0:47:230:47:26

you wouldn't have seen it anywhere else before.

0:47:260:47:28

Hello, mate, what have we got?

0:47:280:47:29

Yeah, this is the starter with the mushroom ketchup.

0:47:290:47:32

Shallots, garlic, and button mushrooms, just cooked down.

0:47:320:47:35

Salt-and-pepper, little bit of cream,

0:47:350:47:38

when I blitzed it, I added some lime juice, and that's the acidity to the ketchup, and that's it.

0:47:380:47:42

That's the accompaniment to go with the hogs pudding,

0:47:420:47:46

-and with the terrine.

-There it is.

-There is the potato terrine.

-Nice.

0:47:460:47:50

Simple flavours, but they marry well together.

0:47:500:47:52

-Yeah, yeah. Where's the brief come in?

-All finished off with a bit of seaweed, for a bit of difference.

0:47:520:47:57

-Bit of seaweed?

-The combination of hogs pudding with seaweed.

0:47:570:48:00

-You're not going to see that on every menu.

-No, no.

0:48:000:48:02

Not at all, this seaweed is the rogue ingredient, without a doubt.

0:48:020:48:06

The addition of the seaweed, he's based in Cornwall,

0:48:060:48:09

so it's a nice touch.

0:48:090:48:10

Whether it genuinely a logical pairing, only time will tell.

0:48:100:48:14

I don't eat enough seaweed to, kind of,

0:48:140:48:16

intuitively know whether it's going to work or not.

0:48:160:48:18

Busy boys. Busy boys. What have you got there, Nick?

0:48:200:48:23

This is my hogs pudding. It's traditionally Cornish.

0:48:230:48:27

So, what I've done is just lightened it up a bit,

0:48:270:48:29

because it's quite heavy.

0:48:290:48:31

In my one, I've got pork, I've got chicken, I've got bacon,

0:48:310:48:34

and really, it just lightens it up,

0:48:340:48:37

and it's not as heavy as a usual sausage.

0:48:370:48:39

I really like the sound of Nathan's dish.

0:48:390:48:42

It's a good, hearty plate of food.

0:48:420:48:44

I love traditional hogs pudding, so I'll be interested to see his dish.

0:48:440:48:47

Nathan's serving his hogs pudding with a slice of potato terrine

0:48:490:48:53

and deep-fried quail's eggs, under the watchful eyes of his rivals.

0:48:530:48:56

-What's that, Nathan?

-The mushroom ketchup.

0:48:560:49:00

He then finishes it off with a generous helping of sauce,

0:49:000:49:04

and some crispy, deep-fried seaweed.

0:49:040:49:06

OK, if you can serve the egg to your right.

0:49:100:49:14

That's it, thank you.

0:49:140:49:15

It's gone to plan, it's gone how I wanted it to.

0:49:230:49:25

That first course is what I'm about, it's a little bit different,

0:49:250:49:28

and it's from my area, and I'm really pleased with how it went.

0:49:280:49:31

I think it looks like boring hotel food, that's my opinion.

0:49:410:49:43

When it goes down, it's got no visual impact whatsoever.

0:49:430:49:48

It's a very uninspired-looking dish.

0:49:480:49:51

It's his style. A beautifully layered potato terrine.

0:49:510:49:55

Wonderful, crispy egg.

0:49:550:49:57

The hogs pudding...

0:49:570:49:59

slightly disappointing.

0:49:590:50:01

Beautiful.

0:50:020:50:04

-Breakfast at the end of the day, boys.

-A little bit of seaweed on it.

0:50:040:50:08

That's good.

0:50:080:50:09

Delicious, absolutely delicious.

0:50:100:50:13

Lots of very rich flavours going on.

0:50:140:50:17

I do think the dish is too heavy.

0:50:170:50:19

It's a winter dish for the middle of summer.

0:50:190:50:22

You don't feel like eating much afterwards.

0:50:220:50:24

You feel, "Yeah, I'm happy now."

0:50:240:50:25

And that's what happens when you put a potato onto a starter.

0:50:250:50:28

Richard, I think that's a very, very fair comment.

0:50:280:50:31

It's a bit too substantial, not in the size of it,

0:50:310:50:33

but in the nature of it, isn't it?

0:50:330:50:35

I love the way that the crispy, crunchy seaweed seasons it,

0:50:350:50:40

but it is not that sort of thing which says,

0:50:400:50:43

"Roll on the next course." It's, "Can I get down now, please?"

0:50:430:50:47

-Very good.

-End of a good day, isn't it?

0:50:470:50:51

Hectic.

0:50:510:50:53

I don't think this is going to get through.

0:50:560:50:58

Nathan is a fabulous chef, there's no question about it.

0:50:580:51:02

I don't know how, or where this dish originated from,

0:51:020:51:06

but it seems slightly misconceived.

0:51:060:51:09

Yeah, I think the idea of having breakfast as a first course

0:51:090:51:12

for a banquet of this nature would itself be seen as an innovation,

0:51:120:51:18

but not necessarily one which would be welcomed by everybody there.

0:51:180:51:22

I think, irrespective of what we think about the cooking,

0:51:220:51:25

this dish is just not appropriate

0:51:250:51:26

for this competition, as a first course. It's just not.

0:51:260:51:30

-A tasty plate of food, that.

-It is, very, very good.

0:51:300:51:34

-Interesting to see what the judges think now.

-Yeah.

0:51:340:51:38

-Very interesting.

-Who knows?

0:51:380:51:40

This dish was just a bit heavy,

0:51:420:51:44

and a bit breakfasty, for me,

0:51:440:51:46

it's a six.

0:51:460:51:48

It was a brave decision, but I'm not sure it was a wise one,

0:51:480:51:51

so I'm going to give it a six.

0:51:510:51:54

The starter was a little bit on the potato and eggs side,

0:51:540:51:56

and in that case, it's a five.

0:51:560:51:59

I just felt this dish was far too heavy, it wasn't very summery.

0:51:590:52:02

I don't think it's appropriate as an opening dish

0:52:020:52:04

for such an important occasion, so it's a five.

0:52:040:52:07

Cooking complete,

0:52:130:52:15

all the chefs can do now is anxiously await the judges' verdict.

0:52:150:52:20

The judges' chamber is always so difficult to predict.

0:52:200:52:22

I'm happy with the dish I delivered.

0:52:220:52:24

Saying that, I've been happy with dishes in the past,

0:52:240:52:26

and got a caning for it.

0:52:260:52:28

I'm nervous, sort of anxious.

0:52:310:52:33

Big shock today to see the standard of food. It was excellent.

0:52:330:52:36

Just seeing everybody else's food gives you a doubt in your mind.

0:52:360:52:39

I'm quietly confident, but you never know with the judges,

0:52:400:52:44

you just don't.

0:52:440:52:46

Today, the judges are choosing their top three dishes.

0:52:460:52:50

The winning menu will be decided on Thursday,

0:52:500:52:53

once they've tasted all four courses.

0:52:530:52:55

A bit nervous. To be in the top three is really important.

0:52:570:53:01

I think it gives you a boost for the whole week.

0:53:010:53:03

I don't think I'm expecting a top-three finish on this.

0:53:060:53:09

Of course, I'd love it, it would be a surprise shocker if I was.

0:53:090:53:12

But, you know, I can really see now

0:53:120:53:14

that the level of cooking is immense.

0:53:140:53:16

And it is up to the scratch of Olympian.

0:53:160:53:18

So, you really have to step up your game to win.

0:53:180:53:21

Time to find out which three starters are front-runners

0:53:250:53:29

for the Olympic feast.

0:53:290:53:30

Good evening, chefs.

0:53:430:53:44

The first day of the final of the Great British Menu, and if that

0:53:440:53:48

wasn't a tough enough ask, you also had a bit of a surprise this morning.

0:53:480:53:51

How did that go down?

0:53:510:53:53

Very frustrating. It was frustrating not to be given

0:53:530:53:56

the opportunity to produce a dish.

0:53:560:53:58

You know, that's the way it is.

0:53:580:54:00

Yeah, frustrating is the right word. I could share a bit more

0:54:000:54:04

about how I feel about it,

0:54:040:54:06

but I'll spare you the details.

0:54:060:54:08

Well, we have eaten some fabulous dishes,

0:54:080:54:12

one of which will go forward

0:54:120:54:14

to make the first course at the Olympic feast.

0:54:140:54:17

I'm going to announce the names of the chefs in reverse order.

0:54:200:54:24

So, in sixth place, it's...

0:54:260:54:31

..Chris Fearon.

0:54:340:54:35

Chris, you know, we chose your dish

0:54:370:54:38

because it was theatrical, it was fun.

0:54:380:54:41

I was hoping, personally, that you would take it to another level,

0:54:410:54:44

I was expecting a bit more

0:54:440:54:45

gastronomy from you and it didn't really happen.

0:54:450:54:48

To be honest with you, I had a lot of confidence in the dish,

0:54:480:54:51

once I'd seen what everybody was doing,

0:54:510:54:53

I was like, "It's not good enough. You know, it's not good enough."

0:54:530:54:56

So, in fifth place, it's...

0:54:580:55:02

..Nathan Outlaw.

0:55:060:55:08

Nathan, your dish was really delicious. Very, very good,

0:55:110:55:14

it's just that we didn't think

0:55:140:55:16

it was quite suitable as a first course.

0:55:160:55:19

It was a bit like breakfast, but it was a great dish.

0:55:190:55:22

-Does that surprise you?

-Nothing surprises me in this competition.

0:55:230:55:27

LAUGHTER

0:55:270:55:28

Nothing surprises me with you guys.

0:55:280:55:31

No, that's fair enough, it's your judgement,

0:55:310:55:33

and I know it's a good dish.

0:55:330:55:35

So, that means that in fourth place, it's...

0:55:350:55:40

..Daniel Clifford.

0:55:470:55:50

Which means that, in no particular order,

0:55:500:55:53

the top three are -

0:55:530:55:55

Simon, Colin and Alan.

0:55:550:55:57

So, congratulations to you three.

0:55:570:55:59

Well done, chief.

0:55:590:56:01

-Well done.

-Cheers. Cheers.

-Thank you.

0:56:010:56:05

How do you feel about that?

0:56:070:56:09

Really good to get the week off to a good start, really.

0:56:090:56:13

Hopefully can gain a bit of confidence for the rest of the competition.

0:56:130:56:16

-Colin, you did some tweaking to that dish.

-I did. Yeah.

0:56:160:56:20

I just wanted to pack a bit more flavour into it.

0:56:200:56:22

-I really wanted to give the quail justice, really.

-And Alan?

0:56:220:56:26

Practise, that's all I did. Practise, practise, practise.

0:56:260:56:29

I was happy with it in the regionals, and I've just tried

0:56:290:56:32

to practise it, and get all the flavour combinations just right.

0:56:320:56:36

Yeah, it's been a tough day. I think we are all quite happy with that.

0:56:360:56:39

And in your case, Daniel,

0:56:390:56:40

I think there were technical difficulties

0:56:400:56:43

with some of the sweetbreads,

0:56:430:56:46

which possibly came about as a result of you having to be first up.

0:56:460:56:50

To be honest, my head wasn't really in the right place

0:56:500:56:53

when we first started cooking so, it was...

0:56:530:56:55

Anyway, I can't make excuses. I'm happy with fourth.

0:56:550:56:57

Well, I was very happy to eat fourth, the fourth dish!

0:56:570:57:02

Anyway, congratulations to the three of you,

0:57:020:57:04

but remember only one of you will be cooking

0:57:040:57:06

your course at the final dinner.

0:57:060:57:08

-So, there's still all to cook for tomorrow.

-I know it's tough.

0:57:080:57:11

I wish you the best, there's some great food there today. Well done.

0:57:110:57:16

What a result. I can't stop smiling.

0:57:170:57:20

You know, to say that this morning I was this close to not cooking,

0:57:200:57:24

I'm surprised.

0:57:240:57:26

I'm just overwhelmed, really. I'm chuffed to bits.

0:57:260:57:29

Absolutely brilliant. Over the moon with it.

0:57:300:57:33

To get through is absolutely fantastic.

0:57:330:57:37

But, you know, I'm not counting my chickens, just got to keep going.

0:57:370:57:41

Really happy about getting a top-three dish.

0:57:410:57:44

I've got to keep focused, because this is only the start, I can't rest on my laurels.

0:57:440:57:47

I'm not going to go out without giving it a good go here.

0:57:470:57:50

I'm a reigning champion,

0:57:500:57:53

you know, I have to, kind of, prove that I do deserve to be here.

0:57:530:57:56

I'm going to give it my all for the rest of the week. I have to.

0:57:560:58:00

You know, I've got double the amount of energy tomorrow

0:58:000:58:03

to go just racing into, and catching the other boys up.

0:58:030:58:05

There'll be great things coming

0:58:050:58:07

from the Howard corner for the rest of this week.

0:58:070:58:10

I'm ready to crack on. It's going to be great, watch this space.

0:58:100:58:13

Tomorrow, it's the fish course.

0:58:130:58:15

And Phil and Stephen get the chance to redeem themselves.

0:58:150:58:18

-Do you want some help, Phil?

-No. I don't want you to be able to take any credit

0:58:180:58:22

-while I'm at the Olympics.

-Ooh! Ooh!

0:58:220:58:24

One will triumph...

0:58:240:58:26

It's got to be a ten.

0:58:260:58:28

..the other, crash and burn.

0:58:280:58:30

Is there a way it could be rescued?

0:58:300:58:32

No, you are not going to salvage this dish.

0:58:320:58:34

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