0:00:02 > 0:00:08Britain's best chefs are bringing out their funny sides on this year's Great British Menu.
0:00:08 > 0:00:14This week, it's a re-match between three of the North East's most talented chefs.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17- Returning champion Colin McGurran... - Simplicity is not simple.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21- ..rustic chef Charlie Lakin... - Bring it on!
0:00:21 > 0:00:25- ..and determined returner Stephanie Moon...- I'm going steady.
0:00:25 > 0:00:29..are fighting for the opportunity to serve witty, playful dishes
0:00:29 > 0:00:33at a special banquet celebrating 25 years of Red Nose Day.
0:00:34 > 0:00:40In yesterday's starter course, Colin thought technical wizardry would put him ahead of the game.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44- Is this dish going to make me smile? - I think it ticks all the boxes.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48- But when the scores came in... - Seven.- ..he was left deflated
0:00:48 > 0:00:53- when he had to share the top spot with Stephanie.- I think my dish was the best out of all three.
0:00:53 > 0:00:59- Charlie's gag on a plate received a stony response.- My breath's been taken away for the first time here.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03Today, it's the fish course and Colin is intent on victory.
0:01:03 > 0:01:08- You're not letting go of that crown. - Once you've got it, you want it again.
0:01:08 > 0:01:13- Charlie hopes to turn yesterday's tragedy into comedy. - I have to start catching back up.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15But he has a tough fight on his hands.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18Anything but banquet is failure!
0:01:28 > 0:01:33This year's challenge is to create a gastronomic performance on a plate, a dazzling dish
0:01:33 > 0:01:36that will make people smile.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39The chefs have joined forces with Britain's best loved entertainers.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42Would anybody like to come and buy a pie?
0:01:42 > 0:01:49And undergone all kinds of wild and wacky challenges to raise a laugh and raise some much needed cash
0:01:49 > 0:01:51to support Comic Relief.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53CHEERING
0:01:53 > 0:01:59Judging the chefs in the fish course today is former Great British Menu champion,
0:01:59 > 0:02:01straight-talking Jason Atherton.
0:02:01 > 0:02:07On the starters, the humour was there. On the fish course, I'd like to see them pushing the boundaries.
0:02:07 > 0:02:13This is the hardest thing to get right. They've got to put humour into it, but also keep it simple.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17I'm two points behind. I've got my weak dish out of the way.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21No-one's really in front and it's my opportunity to claw them points back.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23I'm delighted with my score.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27Today is a new day, so you've just got to keep striving for perfection.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34First up on seven points is third-time returner Stephanie.
0:02:34 > 0:02:39Currently in the lead with the defending champion, she's flying high.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43Joint first, what a place to be in! Going into the fish course,
0:02:43 > 0:02:48my fish course carries on a similar vein to my starter. It is humorous, it is funny.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51I just want to keep winning!
0:02:51 > 0:02:56You've got a lot of stuff in that box. Start going through it all.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00- I'm making Whitby crab custard pie. - Custard pie?
0:03:00 > 0:03:05- Yeah.- It's a fish course.- It's basically a crab tartlet. I've put fennel pollen in the tartlet.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07I've got fresh wasabi.
0:03:07 > 0:03:13That's going to be grated with the brown crab meat, then rolled in fresh pea dust.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17It will look like wasabi peas, but it will have brown crab meat in the centre.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21Are you sure and confident you've hit the brief?
0:03:21 > 0:03:24Has this got enough humour, but it's also serious cooking?
0:03:24 > 0:03:29I've worked hard to make sure the pastry is razor-thin, the crab is nice and sweet.
0:03:29 > 0:03:35I'm serving it on a porcelain hand, so it looks like a pie in the face, just for a bit of fun.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40Stephanie is hitting the comedy brief with her crab custard pie,
0:03:40 > 0:03:42but has she compromised the gastronomy
0:03:42 > 0:03:45with her many flavour combinations?
0:03:45 > 0:03:47Stephanie's dish is a custard pie.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Will it be substantial enough? Steph's using fresh wasabi.
0:03:50 > 0:03:55She'll have to be extremely careful not to overpower the other flavours.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57Next up is former champion Colin.
0:03:57 > 0:04:03He scored a seven with his starter yesterday and he is intent on maintaining his lead.
0:04:03 > 0:04:10I got a very low score in my eyes, but if I deliver this fish perfectly, it should get a high score.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15- So, Colin, name your dish. - Salmon, cockles and mussels.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18It's the flavours of the North Sea, using wonderful ingredients.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22We'll simply cook the salmon using the Japanese influences
0:04:22 > 0:04:26of flavours like dashi, bonito. It's fantastic and goes well with fish.
0:04:26 > 0:04:32If we want to get as much flavour into a fish dish without changing the ingredient, this is the one for me.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36They're good at cooking fish because they keep it simple.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39To finish it, we've got a garnish of potato crackers.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43It's very fine potato sheets that we're going to paint with nori,
0:04:43 > 0:04:46deep-fry it, it will puff up and be like a cracker.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49That's right up my street. My food is part Asian.
0:04:49 > 0:04:55- Steph, you've got a few Japanese ingredients. Have you guys been conversing?- No.- What's the humour?
0:04:55 > 0:04:58This won't be a hilarious dish. It will be a charming dish.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02Eating of the dish will carry the satisfaction through.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05Out to win again, Colin has forgone the comedy
0:05:05 > 0:05:08and focused on gastronomy with salmon, mussels
0:05:08 > 0:05:12and a sea rock infused with bold Japanese flavours.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15I love Japanese food. Colin's dish sounds amazing.
0:05:15 > 0:05:21I hope he's really pushed the boundaries because I want to give somebody a nine or a ten.
0:05:21 > 0:05:27Finally, it's risk-taker Charlie whose controversial dish yesterday got him off to a poor start
0:05:27 > 0:05:29with a score of five points.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33The first course, that was my demon. Today's strategy is just nailing it.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37I can't afford for it to be anything but perfect.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42- Hi, Charlie. Name the dish. - My dish is tongue in cheek.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46I'm using cod heads. I'm taking the cheeks off, the tongues out.
0:05:46 > 0:05:51What works really well with it is a pig jowl and I'll serve that with a reduction of cider,
0:05:51 > 0:05:56a few capers, a few chives, so I'm looking for a tartare sauce sort of flavour.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58I'm sitting it on a crisp scallion rosti.
0:05:58 > 0:06:04- Some cod's roe in here? - I've dried them down and I'll mix them with breadcrumbs, dried chives,
0:06:04 > 0:06:08- to roll the cheek through and deep-fry that.- Where's the humour?
0:06:08 > 0:06:12Mainly in the title. It's an enjoyable dish. It brings happiness to the soul.
0:06:12 > 0:06:18You've got this beautiful cod's head which most chefs throw away. Why not a nice piece of the fillet?
0:06:18 > 0:06:24You're taking the mickey a bit if you use prime ingredients for everything. Let's save a bit of cash.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26Back to serious cooking.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29Hoping to redeem himself with cheffy surf and turf,
0:06:29 > 0:06:33Charlie's cod cheeks and crispy pig jowl need to be a winner
0:06:33 > 0:06:36if he is to remain a serious contender.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40There's a lot of powerful flavours going on there.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43A big slab of pork sat there - will that overpower the cod cheeks?
0:06:43 > 0:06:46He's got to balance that properly.
0:06:47 > 0:06:53Cooking is well under way. Colin is making an oyster emulsion which he will use to decorate his sea rocks
0:06:53 > 0:06:57and Charlie is prepping his cuts for his surf and turf,
0:06:57 > 0:07:03but with the two chefs out in front using Asian ingredients, he's feeling uneasy.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07You've both got a Japanese influence. You think it could be to your advantage?
0:07:07 > 0:07:10Jason said it's something he really enjoys.
0:07:10 > 0:07:15I'm using it because it's very, very tasty. It complements fish wonderfully.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19Stephanie has made fennel-infused pastry cases for her pies
0:07:19 > 0:07:22and is now grating fresh wasabi for her peas.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26Out to impress with flavour, she's keen to get the opinion of the boys.
0:07:26 > 0:07:32- Guys, come and have a try of this fresh wasabi.- Is it going to burn my head off?- No.
0:07:32 > 0:07:37- I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. - I burned my head off on wasabi once.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41- I couldn't taste anything for a few days.- This is delicate and sweet.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45- It's hot, but not crazy hot. I like it.- Yeah, it's a nice flavour.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48- I like that. - Milder than a normal wasabi, yeah.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51I love the colour as well. Isn't that groovy?
0:07:51 > 0:07:55The guys have got Asian influences, but I'm staying true to who I am.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01As Charlie gets to work on his very English cider reduction,
0:08:01 > 0:08:05he lets his fellow chefs know he's not one to go down without a fight.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09For me, it's a course where I start catching back up.
0:08:09 > 0:08:14You've got two guys snapping at your heels. We want your crown of North East champ.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17That's why I've got to dig deep to try and break away.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21That's my strategy. Once you've got it, you want it again.
0:08:21 > 0:08:27Colin is out to deliver a first-class dish, but he's keeping his salmon quite straightforward
0:08:27 > 0:08:29by cooking it in its own juices.
0:08:29 > 0:08:34In this course, simplicity is the beauty. Simplicity is not simple. That's the key factor.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38If I get it right, I might be able to get some good scores.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42- You're jumping a bit ahead. - I know. I'm thinking positive. I need to get ahead.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46For you, anything but banquet is failure!
0:08:46 > 0:08:50Colin's going into himself a little bit on this one.
0:08:50 > 0:08:55I saw it last year. He's going into himself and he's going to pull it out of the bag.
0:08:55 > 0:09:00Colin is making his salmon tartare with an infusion of Japanese flavours,
0:09:00 > 0:09:03something that should impress Jason.
0:09:03 > 0:09:08- Colin, how are we getting on?- On track again. I just made my tartare.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11- Has that got the...? - Bit of bonito in there.
0:09:11 > 0:09:16Sometimes tartares are nice, but they don't hold a great deal of flavour.
0:09:16 > 0:09:21Trying to sell salmon to the public is difficult because it's become an everyday protein.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25As a professional chef, how are you going to make that better?
0:09:25 > 0:09:30It is a beautiful piece of fish, very flaky, very textural, so I'm going to just gently confit it,
0:09:30 > 0:09:34then finish it in the pan, so it will be a bit pink inside.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37- OK?- Great.- Thank you.
0:09:39 > 0:09:44Across the kitchen, Stephanie's crab custard pie is a potential banquet-winning dish.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48Her custard filling is a mix of crab meat and cream
0:09:48 > 0:09:51and infused with crab shells for enhanced flavour.
0:09:51 > 0:09:57Next, she moves on to her wasabi peas. Her flavours must deliver if she's going to impress Jason.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01- So, Steph, where are we? - Basically, I've grated fresh wasabi.
0:10:01 > 0:10:08- Strong, right?- Yeah, it is. Along with some fresh lime, brown crab meat and Ultra-tex just to thicken it.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14It's a kind of a wasabi hit that when it's rolled through the pea dust,
0:10:14 > 0:10:18it adds a bit of a hit of something hot to the sweetness of the crab.
0:10:18 > 0:10:24- With fresh wasabi, you've got to be extra-careful. It can be super-hot. - Yeah, I'm going steady, chef.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28I'm quite intrigued with these peas. Show me how you do one.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31Take a tray and pipe a very small dot of wasabi, brown crab,
0:10:31 > 0:10:33and then set it on here,
0:10:33 > 0:10:39then roll it in the dust, very small like a pea. I roll them again afterwards, then it looks like a pea.
0:10:39 > 0:10:45- A pea with a kick!- If this dish gets through to the banquet, you'll need a lot of hands to do enough peas.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48I've learnt my lesson from the last course, I think.
0:10:48 > 0:10:54My fish course, I think Jason likes the ingredients, I think he's expecting a lot from it
0:10:54 > 0:10:57and I think it's up to me to deliver that,
0:10:57 > 0:11:02so the pressure, as always in this game, the pressure is on.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06As well as going all-out to win the competition,
0:11:06 > 0:11:12the chefs are also taking part in fund-raising challenges this year to raise money for Comic Relief.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16To get feedback on her crab custard pie,
0:11:16 > 0:11:20Stephanie is packing up her dish to take to Harrogate Bakers' Fair
0:11:20 > 0:11:24to have it judged at the annual baking competition.
0:11:24 > 0:11:30I'm really looking forward to it. I think it will be a tough crowd, they'll be quite harsh.
0:11:30 > 0:11:36But we'll finish off with a bit of good, old-fashioned charity fund-raising, all for Comic Relief,
0:11:36 > 0:11:39with a custard pie toss.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43I know it's going to get ugly and messy, but I'm up for the challenge.
0:11:43 > 0:11:48For passionate baker Stephanie, the fair is the perfect place to road-test her pie
0:11:48 > 0:11:52and pull in the crowds for her custard pie fund-raiser.
0:11:52 > 0:11:57Joining her in her fund-raising challenge is someone from the North East who knows about having fun -
0:11:57 > 0:11:59TV presenter Kirsten O'Brien.
0:11:59 > 0:12:05- Hello.- Hello.- Kirsten, how are you doing?- Fine.- Nice to meet you. - Is this us then?- This is us.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09It's looking good. I'm afraid, Kirsten, because it's Comic Relief,
0:12:09 > 0:12:15- we want to try and make this funny, so unfortunately...- Can you see the slow dawning on my face there?
0:12:15 > 0:12:21- It's getting a bit wet and messy. - I thought I'd given that up in my kids' telly career. It's back!
0:12:21 > 0:12:25But before the fun starts, Kirsten has also made a pie
0:12:25 > 0:12:31and it's time for both women to put their dishes under the scrutiny of Harrogate's top baking judges.
0:12:31 > 0:12:37- I'm quite nervous for this. Hello.- Hello.- Hi.- We've brought a couple of pies for you to taste.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40We've got two very different pies here.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42This is a crab custard pie.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45And next to that, here is the Comic Relief!
0:12:46 > 0:12:49- Sweet lemon meringue?- Yes.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52OK, shall we try the savoury first...?
0:12:53 > 0:12:58- I didn't expect that flavour. - I wouldn't have put crab with egg custard.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02- But that works for me.- I think that's a winner.- Yeah, I do.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Yay!
0:13:04 > 0:13:09- We've got to try this lemon meringue pie.- It can only be downhill now, can't it?
0:13:09 > 0:13:12- I think the pastry's dodge. - LAUGHTER
0:13:12 > 0:13:17When you bake it, that's the face you want. You want someone to slightly gag.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19The pastry you need to work on.
0:13:19 > 0:13:24- I'm drooling. I never got the chance to try that. Can I give it a go? - Go for it, Kirsten.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30- Oh, it's really nice.- There we go.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34LAUGHTER
0:13:34 > 0:13:40It's got "Best in Show". I can't complain. If I can get that on the day in London, I'll be really happy.
0:13:40 > 0:13:46Confident her crab custard pie has what it takes, it's time to raise some much-needed cash.
0:13:46 > 0:13:51- Here we go.- First in line for a throw, some familiar faces.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54I'm really sorry about this, ladies.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57- It's not a fair fight.- Sorry!
0:13:57 > 0:14:02With Stephanie and Kirsten in the firing line, they're soon raising plenty of cash.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05It's been great hanging out with Steph today.
0:14:05 > 0:14:11And it's great being from the North East, supporting my girl. I really hope she goes all the way.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14We really got into it. We've raised loads of money.
0:14:14 > 0:14:19But the thing I'm most looking forward to right now is sticking my hair under the tap
0:14:19 > 0:14:23because I smell like sour cream and it's horrible.
0:14:23 > 0:14:28If you've been inspired to do your bit for Comic Relief and you enjoy eating out,
0:14:28 > 0:14:34the easy way to get involved is through Menu Relief. Find out more at bbc.co.uk/rednoseday
0:14:34 > 0:14:38and learn about other ways to help raise money too.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Back in the kitchen, the chefs are hard at work.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47Stephanie is on the lemon mayonnaise for her custard pie-style topping.
0:14:47 > 0:14:52Colin is determined to impress with flavours and is using dashi, a Japanese stock,
0:14:52 > 0:14:56to make starfish jellies for his salmon, cockles and mussels dish.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00And for Charlie, the pressure's on after yesterday's failure.
0:15:00 > 0:15:05He's prepared his pig jowl to be deep-fried and now he's coating his cod cheeks
0:15:05 > 0:15:08in a mix of breadcrumbs, cod roe and dried chives.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12He's hoping that Jason will appreciate his cheap cuts.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15It's comfort food. It's fun. That's what's nice about it.
0:15:15 > 0:15:20It's cod heads. It's not the first thing that pops into your head to order.
0:15:20 > 0:15:26Keeping it at a relatively low cost and not taking the mickey out of guys that can't afford to eat top end.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30I commend you for doing that, but it's still a cookery competition.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33- What's the pitfall for you on this dish?- It's a fish dish.
0:15:33 > 0:15:38The pork mustn't end up being the main ingredient. I've got to make sure that ratio is met.
0:15:38 > 0:15:45- It's quite easy to get a bit carried away when you're doing that sort of...- Surf and turf?- Yeah.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49Charlie's dish, there seems to be a good hunk of pork on there.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53Pork and cod is a great combination, but I don't know if it belongs on a fish dish.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56Colin moves on to his sea rocks.
0:15:56 > 0:16:02Determined to keep his lead, he's feeling the scrutiny of Asian food expert Jason.
0:16:02 > 0:16:07Using Japanese nori seaweed, he's coating potato starch sheets before deep-frying them
0:16:07 > 0:16:09to form the cracker base.
0:16:09 > 0:16:15- They look pretty.- They should just give the visual effect of sea rock. It's got a lot of flavour on it.
0:16:15 > 0:16:21I'll dress it with oyster emulsion, some cockles and herbs, so it's going to be a lovely, delicate eat.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25I'll let them cool down, then I'll dress them with my emulsions.
0:16:25 > 0:16:31Some way of me introducing a different texture, but via a different vehicle to do so.
0:16:31 > 0:16:36I'm really excited about this dish. If he gets it right, I think this is a banquet-winning dish.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39It's close to plating-up time.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42For his seafood extravaganza, Colin steamed his cockles
0:16:42 > 0:16:45and having filled his mussels with salmon tartare,
0:16:45 > 0:16:49he's individually piping each one with herb and oyster emulsion.
0:16:49 > 0:16:54Stephanie is bringing together her grapefruit and chicory salad.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58But Charlie is taking things at a more leisurely pace.
0:16:58 > 0:17:03Any cooking of his fish cuts is being left right until the last minute.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07# Dance for your daddy, dance for your mammy, till the boat comes in... #
0:17:07 > 0:17:13Stephanie is first to plate up. She starts with a grapefruit and chicory salad,
0:17:13 > 0:17:17then on goes her crab meat and wasabi peas.
0:17:17 > 0:17:22The crab custard pie is displayed on a porcelain hand and topped with hot lemon mayonnaise,
0:17:22 > 0:17:26which she finally blow-torches for a golden finish.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29- Want a hand? Are you OK? - Give us a hand(!)
0:17:35 > 0:17:38- It's a fairly obvious pie in the face, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:17:38 > 0:17:44- Do you believe that this dish has what we're looking for?- I think it is.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46- Shall we go taste it?- Please.
0:17:50 > 0:17:56- How do we eat this dish? - I think it's a bit of fun with your neighbour, sort of pie in the face.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00But the ideal way is just to pop that down and eat it like that.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03It's very delicate. The pastry is almost too thin.
0:18:03 > 0:18:09- If it hung around too long, it would be soft. But I think she's done well with refinement, finesse...- Hmm.
0:18:09 > 0:18:14The fennel is a nice flavour and I like the fact that there's fennel on the top.
0:18:14 > 0:18:20When you taste the pastry with the crab and the lemon, at the very end, you get the pollen.
0:18:20 > 0:18:25And knowing what fennel pollen's like, it wasn't a flavour I picked up.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28And the wasabi peas, you don't think they're too hot?
0:18:28 > 0:18:31- So these are the peas. - Does the wasabi come out?
0:18:31 > 0:18:36Have you incorporated that in the dish enough to be able to know that it's there?
0:18:39 > 0:18:44- There is no flavour... - I think she's played it too safe with the wasabi in that.
0:18:44 > 0:18:50I wanted the whole thing to taste like crab. That was absolutely paramount.
0:18:50 > 0:18:56It was a great crab tart with a lovely citrus salad. The other flavours, the fennel pollen, wasabi,
0:18:56 > 0:18:58- they got lost a little bit.- Yeah.
0:19:00 > 0:19:06I hope that's a good score because to keep the momentum up would be superb.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10Next to plate up is Charlie and it's a last-minute dash.
0:19:10 > 0:19:15Having been wary of overcooking his cod tongue and cheeks, he's only just got them on the heat.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19This is how I like it, last blooming minute! Bring it on!
0:19:19 > 0:19:23You said you work better under pressure. Are you working better?
0:19:23 > 0:19:27I love it. It's what it's about. Let's raise the heartbeat!
0:19:27 > 0:19:31On to the plate go the crispy coated cod cheeks on a bed of wilted spinach,
0:19:31 > 0:19:37then cod tongues go on top of a potato rosti, followed by crispy pig jowl.
0:19:37 > 0:19:42He finishes off by drizzling over a cider reduction with sticky onions.
0:19:48 > 0:19:54- This is for Comic Relief. The humour factor is just in the title.- Just in the title.
0:19:54 > 0:19:59- Will this dish make me smile when I eat it? - Hopefully. Let's go and try.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08With cod tongue, if you're not careful, if you overcook it,
0:20:08 > 0:20:12I hate to use the word, but it can be quite disgusting.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16- This is the tongue?- Yeah. Pan-frying cod's tongue, it can be quite tough
0:20:16 > 0:20:21- and you've got to really work with it.- That's nice. - Yeah, it's a nice texture.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25- Is that pork not too crunchy? - Maybe on the rind.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28That skin's quite hard, isn't it?
0:20:28 > 0:20:31I'd have maybe taken it off because it's tastier.
0:20:31 > 0:20:36The flavour of the cod cheek in the... Are they panko breadcrumbs?
0:20:36 > 0:20:40- A mixture of panko, dried chives and dried cod roe.- Yeah.
0:20:40 > 0:20:46- The cod cheeks are lovely in a nice breadcrumb. If you were blindfolded, you'd know what you've eaten.- Yeah.
0:20:46 > 0:20:51- Will this get you enough points to get you back in the game? - That ball's in your park.
0:20:51 > 0:20:57- Back in the game is Charlie. This is a good dish. - That's a good one.- Yeah.
0:20:57 > 0:21:02I'm not really certain how that one went. I loved eating it. It was really nice. I enjoyed it.
0:21:02 > 0:21:07I felt I needed more sauce on the plate and he had a fair point, the jowl was crisp.
0:21:08 > 0:21:14Last to plate up is Colin. He's still decorating his time-consuming sea rocks with oyster emulsion
0:21:14 > 0:21:17and his handiwork isn't going unnoticed.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21You've got a bit of work going on, a lot of last-minute rushing around.
0:21:21 > 0:21:27- How is this going to work for a lot of covers?- It will be a tricky dish, but you can do it in advance.
0:21:27 > 0:21:33Being at the banquet last time, I've designed the dish, making sure that I will have time to do this.
0:21:33 > 0:21:39Colin starts the intricate detailing of his plate with dots of herb and oyster emulsion.
0:21:39 > 0:21:45Looking at Colin, he looks really focused. He wasn't happy with his score, joint first.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49That, to me, is amazing to be joint first, but Colin wanted more.
0:21:49 > 0:21:54You can almost smell the concentration. He's really going for it!
0:21:54 > 0:21:57Next, Colin places a mussel atop a hessian sack,
0:21:57 > 0:22:01followed by a dashi jelly starfish and a quenelle of salmon tartare.
0:22:01 > 0:22:07He pan-fries his salmon, then places it in the centre of the plate.
0:22:07 > 0:22:13Last on, his hand-crafted centrepiece, a sea rock decorated with oyster emulsion and trout roe.
0:22:13 > 0:22:20The dish is completed using mussel stock and dry ice to create a spectacular seaweed mist.
0:22:23 > 0:22:29- I'm very happy with it. - Do you feel that you've hit the brief?- It's visually exciting.
0:22:29 > 0:22:34- It's going to be a talking point in the dining room.- Can you do this for a large number of people?
0:22:34 > 0:22:39Doing this for the banquet won't be a problem. Cooking the fish is last-minute.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43The rest is just preparation, so it won't be an issue for large numbers.
0:22:43 > 0:22:49- It looks pretty as a picture, but it's got to taste good. Shall we go taste it?- Yes, please.
0:22:53 > 0:23:00- Do you think there's a lot of fish on the plate?- It's a 120-gram fish, but there's not much else with it.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04It's fish, fish, fish and more fish.
0:23:04 > 0:23:09- There ain't no meat on it. - There's pork on his cracker. - I'll give you that.
0:23:09 > 0:23:14It should be very light and delicate and have that kind of fishiness,
0:23:14 > 0:23:17shrimpy, kind of oystery...
0:23:18 > 0:23:24Are you happy with the taste and the texture of that? Do you think it will hold up for a banquet?
0:23:24 > 0:23:28I'd normally cook it, then put it in the dehydrator to dry more.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31Once you've got the ingredients on it, it will go soft.
0:23:31 > 0:23:37This is a curious thing. It's meant to be crisp and it's already gone moist. The initial crunch...
0:23:37 > 0:23:40It's a little bit chewy.
0:23:40 > 0:23:46- Are you happy with the...? - Yeah, it's cooked all the way through in a bath at 50 degrees, so...
0:23:46 > 0:23:49It's very, very soft, but it's cooked through.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52- Mi-cuit of salmon, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56That is spot-on.
0:23:56 > 0:24:02It's a beautiful dish with the dry ice effect. Is that something you might have to change a bit?
0:24:02 > 0:24:08I've been toying with doing it at the table or even pouring the sea water through the holes here
0:24:08 > 0:24:11or just maybe some more water in there, so it's easily fixed.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15- Is that style over substance? - I loved the way it looked.- Yeah.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19It's fantastic. But is it really bringing much of a flavour?
0:24:20 > 0:24:25- I wish Jason would give more away. He just kind of... - There's nothing there.- "No." "Yeah."
0:24:25 > 0:24:31- I think this could be a very strong round.- All three dishes were a step up from the starters.
0:24:31 > 0:24:37As long as you're personally happy with what you're cooking, that's all you can go on, isn't it?
0:24:45 > 0:24:49I think my fish was better than my starter, so I would be expecting an eight.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53I would hope on this dish I've got a better score than with my starter.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57I'd be pretty disappointed if it's below a seven.
0:24:57 > 0:25:03I think this time it's anybody's game because all three dishes, I felt, were really strong.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14Steph, I liked your crab custard pie.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18I liked how you got the humour into the dish.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20I loved the idea of the wasabi peas.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24I was worried about the wasabi peas being a little bit too hot.
0:25:24 > 0:25:30But they weren't too hot. If anything, I would like to have seen a little bit more heat.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32Overall, it was a nice dish.
0:25:33 > 0:25:39The dishes that get through to the banquet on this competition are the best of the best
0:25:39 > 0:25:44and I felt that dish just didn't have enough wow factor on the palate for me.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50Charlie, I liked the concept of tongue in cheek.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54I liked the whole idea of making a bit of fun out of the title.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58I liked the temperature of the cod cheek inside the batter,
0:25:58 > 0:26:02but I didn't like the batter. I think it was too dry.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05It almost tasted like falafel mix.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09All in all, it was a good to great bit of cookery,
0:26:09 > 0:26:13but it just needs a bit more to take it to that level of greatness.
0:26:13 > 0:26:20Colin, for your cockles, mussels with salmon, it was a visual spectacle to look at.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24But when you poured in the sea water,
0:26:24 > 0:26:29by the time we got it to the judges' chambers, it lost that, right?
0:26:31 > 0:26:37That dish, I would have paid a lot of money to eat in any restaurant I've ever sat in.
0:26:37 > 0:26:43I thought it was sensational. When I put that nori cracker in my mouth, it just danced on my tongue.
0:26:43 > 0:26:50- It was streets ahead of everything I've seen in the last couple of days.- Thank you.- Steph...
0:26:50 > 0:26:53For your dish, I'm giving you...
0:26:58 > 0:26:59..a six.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04Charlie...
0:27:04 > 0:27:09for your dish, I'm going to give you a score of...
0:27:11 > 0:27:12..seven.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17Colin...
0:27:18 > 0:27:20..for your dish...
0:27:21 > 0:27:24..I'm going to give you...
0:27:26 > 0:27:28..a nine.
0:27:30 > 0:27:35If you had just nailed the sea water, that was a ten out of ten. It was as simple as that.
0:27:37 > 0:27:43I want to see somebody from the North East go to the banquet with the main course. See you tomorrow.
0:27:43 > 0:27:48- Well done, big man.- Well done. - It was a cracking dish. I was surprised not to hear a ten.
0:27:48 > 0:27:53Halfway through and Colin's in the lead with an overall score of 16.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56Stephanie's fallen backwards with 13
0:27:56 > 0:27:59and Charlie is snapping at her heels with 12.
0:28:00 > 0:28:07I wanted to get a high score and get ahead of the other two guys which I've done, so I couldn't be happier.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10Yesterday was Charlie's rough day. Today is mine.
0:28:10 > 0:28:15I'm one point behind Steph. I'm still confident to get through to the judges' chamber on Friday.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19Colin is moving on ahead and that's a worry.
0:28:19 > 0:28:24Tomorrow, it's the main course and the showcase continues.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26Woo-hoo, that's warm!
0:28:26 > 0:28:29- But tensions run high. - BLEEP... BLEEP
0:28:29 > 0:28:33- And the laughs run dry. - I wouldn't have the nerve, would you?
0:28:52 > 0:28:55Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd