0:00:03 > 0:00:06It's been a closely fought week on Great British Menu.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08I've never been so nervous.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11It's do or die today.
0:00:11 > 0:00:15With two award-winning newcomers, Matt Gillan and Adam Simmonds...
0:00:15 > 0:00:19- Critical. Critical time. - There's nothing I can't handle.
0:00:19 > 0:00:23..Snapping at the heels of returning contender, Tom Aitkens...
0:00:23 > 0:00:24No chance.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27..for the opportunity to cook at a special banquet,
0:00:27 > 0:00:30celebrating 25 years of Red Nose Day.
0:00:30 > 0:00:34Yesterday's dessert course was a hectic fight for survival
0:00:34 > 0:00:37between technical Adam and risk taker Matt...
0:00:37 > 0:00:40Can I get another tray, please, really quickly?
0:00:40 > 0:00:42..that saw Matt leave the competition...
0:00:43 > 0:00:45..and Tom score a perfect 10.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49I loved every single element of that dessert.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53Today, Tom and Adam will go head-to-head,
0:00:53 > 0:00:56cooking all four dishes for the Last Laugh.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59- Do you seriously think you're going to beat me, do you?- Absolutely.
0:01:00 > 0:01:05Backstage, the judges are expecting a performance on a plate.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09It's very exciting. It's the London region, it's very competitive.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11And making sure the food has wit as well as flavour,
0:01:11 > 0:01:14there will be a fourth comedy judge this year.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16BALLOONS POP, WOMAN SHRIEKS
0:01:16 > 0:01:19This week it's Comic Relief supporter Arabella Weir.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23A glace cherry wouldn't have gone amiss. Would it hurt? No.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26The food must deliver gastronomic excellence...
0:01:26 > 0:01:28I think it's a really beautiful bit of cooking.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30..and make the judges laugh.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33- One, two, three... ALL:- Oh!
0:01:33 > 0:01:37Today will be the final curtain for one of Britain's finest chefs.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39I'm sure you're both anxious to know
0:01:39 > 0:01:42- who's going through to the final. - BOTH: Yes.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58New boy Adam made it to the final by the skin of his teeth yesterday
0:01:58 > 0:02:00after a low score for his dessert.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02How do you think you got on yesterday?
0:02:02 > 0:02:04Obviously, I had a bit of a howler.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08Hopefully, the judges will understand the concept of the dishes.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10- Hopefully, they will. - If not, I'm in trouble.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12- Well, let's see, shall we? - All the best.- Yeah.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18Returning contender Tom Aitkens has led the way all week,
0:02:18 > 0:02:20with playful, cutting-edge cooking,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23but crashed and burned the last time he faced the judges.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25It's super important for me to win the day.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28Last time I was on the competition I really messed up badly,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31so I really want to get through today
0:02:31 > 0:02:34and, you know, put the ghosts of the past to rest.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38But rival Adam is no pushover, and is just as determined
0:02:38 > 0:02:41to go all the way with his highly technical menu.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44It would be a tremendous achievement to get to the banquet,
0:02:44 > 0:02:48and that's why I'm doing this, is to get a dish to the final banquet.
0:02:51 > 0:02:56Both chefs have tried to design fun, gastronomic menus to make people smile.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58What do you reckon?
0:02:58 > 0:03:01This year's judges - Prue Leith, Oliver Peyton,
0:03:01 > 0:03:04and Matthew Fort - are getting a heads up on the competition
0:03:04 > 0:03:06with a preview of the menus.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09Is it going to make us smile? Cos it's not just got to be fantastic,
0:03:09 > 0:03:13it's also got to fulfil the brief of being witty or amusing.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17Oliver, he has an almost impossible task to put a smile on your face.
0:03:17 > 0:03:18- That's true. - MATTHEW CHUCKLES
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Tom and Adam are hard at work on their starters.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25- How are you feeling, Tom? Confident? - Very confident.- Are you?
0:03:25 > 0:03:27Very confident.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31This year, the judges are scoring every dish to determine the winner.
0:03:31 > 0:03:32So, for the first time,
0:03:32 > 0:03:35they're venturing into the kitchen to meet the chefs.
0:03:35 > 0:03:40- We're looking for witty, amusing, clever - have you done it?- I have.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42Have you? How?
0:03:42 > 0:03:46I haven't seen any sense of humour from you in the last few days, that's for sure.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50We still want the most delicious food we've ever tasted.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53You've got to impress us, not Richard Corrigan.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55- Good luck.- Thank you.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03- So, Tom, that was a bit intimidating, no?- Are you feeling nervous, are you?
0:04:03 > 0:04:05Yeah. Cos, I'm the new boy, aren't I?
0:04:05 > 0:04:07You're a bit more used to it.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11That was quite interesting. Tom Aitkens seemed very happy to me.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13Maybe it is the benign influence of Comic Relief.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16They're at the top of their game, these chefs,
0:04:16 > 0:04:18and it's desperately important that they do well.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23Returning competitor Tom is taking the competition very seriously,
0:04:23 > 0:04:28determined to reverse his fortune with his chicken and egg starter.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32An extremely complex dish, with chicken breast, stuffed eggshells,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35langoustine tails and slow-cooked egg yolks
0:04:35 > 0:04:36that scored 9 in the week.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39He's preparing three stuffed eggshells to go
0:04:39 > 0:04:42with his egg and chicken, and still has a lot to do.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45So, Tom, how's it going? Happy?
0:04:45 > 0:04:48HE EXHALES
0:04:48 > 0:04:50How determined are you to get through today?
0:04:50 > 0:04:53It's like I've got a bone in my mouth and I'm not going to let go.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56- Like a little Jack Russell?- Exactly. - Around my ankles?- Yeah.
0:04:56 > 0:04:57I ain't going to let go.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02This week the guest judge is actress, writer
0:05:02 > 0:05:05and the fast show comedienne, Arabella Weir.
0:05:07 > 0:05:08Hello!
0:05:08 > 0:05:10Hello, I'm Arabella. Right, I'm ready.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12You know what this is all about?
0:05:12 > 0:05:15- Yes. Performance on a plate. - So, what are you looking forward to?
0:05:15 > 0:05:18I'm looking forward to being surprised, I suppose.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20You will be surprised, maybe not always delighted.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22But always surprised.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27For his starter, Tom's hoping to dazzle the judges with
0:05:27 > 0:05:31cutting-edge cookery, and playful bird's nest props,
0:05:31 > 0:05:33and can't afford to lose focus.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37Are you trying to put me off from counting? You are, aren't you?
0:05:37 > 0:05:41Are you sure you've got four there? Don't you need five, Tom?
0:05:41 > 0:05:42Shut up!
0:05:46 > 0:05:49Ignoring Adam, he plates up his langoustine tails,
0:05:49 > 0:05:51adds his slow-cooked egg yolks...
0:05:51 > 0:05:54So, you know my hands were steady as a rock before?
0:05:54 > 0:05:56- Yeah?- They ain't now.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00..finishes his eggshells off with langoustine sabayon...
0:06:00 > 0:06:02and slices his chicken breast,
0:06:02 > 0:06:06ready to be doused in chicken consomme at the table.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08Finally, he scatters on some langoustine powder
0:06:08 > 0:06:11and delivers his chicken and egg starter to the pass.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14OK, go please.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19BIRDS CHIRPING
0:06:21 > 0:06:23BIRDS CONTINUE CHIRPING, WOMAN LAUGHS
0:06:23 > 0:06:25That is very funny.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29- Are you relieved that course is over for you?- Yes.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31It's nice to get one out the way.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33I'm not sure whether this is
0:06:33 > 0:06:35a display for the window in a department store,
0:06:35 > 0:06:37or actually a dish.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39I think he's having a laugh if he thinks this is a starter size.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41This is a main course size, really.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43Oh, Oliver, that's nonsense!
0:06:43 > 0:06:46Surely this is an opportunity to say, "What the cluck is that?"
0:06:46 > 0:06:47THEY LAUGH Hey!
0:06:47 > 0:06:49See what I've done there?
0:06:49 > 0:06:52There's humour, there's wit, there's fun, there's laughter.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55There's a chicken and an egg. It tells a story.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57What more do you want?
0:06:58 > 0:07:01You've got the first course, the fish course, the meat course,
0:07:01 > 0:07:02all in one dish.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04It is absolutely delicious, though.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07That was perfectly cooked langoustine.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09The technique is terrific.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11I have no quarrel with it at all.
0:07:11 > 0:07:16I think there is a lot of very serious technical cooking going on.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18- There is.- And I think a lot of it
0:07:18 > 0:07:20is very, very good and very, very nice.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24There's love missing there, for me. There's love and humour missing.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27- Oh!- I think he may have had a humour bypass.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31That guy doesn't look like he'd have enough sense of humour to do that, so he wins for me on that.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35And it's always nice to have a little live representation of what you're eating.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37OLIVER LAUGHS I think it was funny.
0:07:38 > 0:07:39New boy Adam is up next,
0:07:39 > 0:07:43and setting the scene with a technical smoked pigeon starter,
0:07:43 > 0:07:46with freeze-dried sweetcorn and pine oil granola -
0:07:46 > 0:07:49a dish that nearly choked veteran Richard earlier in the week.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52Are you serving any, er, bones in your pigeon today?
0:07:52 > 0:07:56I thought it might be a good idea that I didn't try and do that.
0:07:56 > 0:07:57A bit of a schoolboy error, that, no?
0:07:57 > 0:08:01- Pressure, that's what I put it down to.- Yeah, absolutely.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04I mean, do you think you've got any humour on it?
0:08:04 > 0:08:05I think the thing is
0:08:05 > 0:08:08- we've both interpreted the brief differently, haven't we?- Yes.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10It's about what the pigeon eats.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12I see.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15You kind of remind me exactly of the first time that I came on -
0:08:15 > 0:08:16not having a clue.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21Losing's not an option.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24I don't do things to lose, I do things to win.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28Determined to make his mark with his starter,
0:08:28 > 0:08:30Adam dots his plate with sweetcorn.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32Just make sure there's no bones.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36Then slices his smoked pigeon breast
0:08:36 > 0:08:38and places it on his pine oil granola...
0:08:40 > 0:08:43..with smoked sweetcorn and freeze-dried pigeon liver parfait,
0:08:43 > 0:08:47before delivering his simple smoked pigeon dish to the judges.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54- Do you think that's going to put a smile on their faces?- I think so.
0:08:54 > 0:08:55Do you?
0:09:03 > 0:09:05Do you know, I feel really sorry for Adam.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08Because if this had come first, we wouldn't feel,
0:09:08 > 0:09:09"Oh, that's rather disappointing."
0:09:09 > 0:09:11I haven't tasted it, I'm sure it's delicious,
0:09:11 > 0:09:14but it is hard to see where he thought the laughs were going to be.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17Unless pigeon is inherently funny.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20What you think the judges might be thinking?
0:09:20 > 0:09:21Hopefully, they'll love both dishes,
0:09:21 > 0:09:23but there's only going to be one winner.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27I think this is absolutely delicious.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30The humour is that we are both eating the pigeon
0:09:30 > 0:09:33and the things that the pigeon actually lives off.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35I like the granola.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37That makes a lovely bit of eating.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39It is absolutely delicious.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42The pigeon is fantastic pigeon, it's perfectly cooked.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45But there are no laughs.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47- It's short on laughs.- Yeah.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51Wit isn't always, you know, chuckle, chuckle, you know,
0:09:51 > 0:09:54thigh slapping, rib tickling - all of that.
0:09:54 > 0:09:59It can be that still, small, quiet, of intelligent pleasure, can it not?
0:09:59 > 0:10:01No. It's either funny or it's not.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04I mean, I think this is absolutely delicious,
0:10:04 > 0:10:08but it's as if he's forgotten that there was a sort of comedy element.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17RATTLING
0:10:17 > 0:10:19Can you keep the noise down, please?
0:10:19 > 0:10:20I'm trying to concentrate.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23Well, I'm sorry about that, you know, but some of us are busy.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25Just carry on peeling your langoustine.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27Make sure you don't leave any shell in there, yeah?
0:10:27 > 0:10:29You don't want another schoolboy error, yeah?
0:10:33 > 0:10:36Tom's pulling out all the stops with his fish course,
0:10:36 > 0:10:41serving cold marinated scallops, with jasmine, vanilla and apple.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43Another complex dish with more witty props.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48- See this guy here?- Yes. - He's going to sink you.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50He's the hand diver. He's diving for my scallops.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53- He brought your scallops, did he? - Yeah, he did.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56He's serving his scallops with tapioca and burnt apple -
0:10:56 > 0:11:01usual textures and flavours, with an unusual plate to match.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03Do you like my little seaside picture?
0:11:03 > 0:11:05Where's it based on, Bognor? Skegness?
0:11:07 > 0:11:10But it's the food Tom hopes will really delight the judges
0:11:10 > 0:11:13with its tapioca pearls, blanched cucumber
0:11:13 > 0:11:15and fragrant apple and jasmine juice.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23- Very nice, Chef. Happy?- Very.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27- Nothing you'd change?- No. - Nothing at all?- No.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31- That's what I like, a man with confidence.- Exactly.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40- That's funny. That's proper funny. - It is fun.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42Er... And it's just great.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44You know, I love this dish already.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47I see the humour in it, there's a lot of very, very,
0:11:47 > 0:11:48VERY clever things happening.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52Well, I have to tell you that I think this is all very funny,
0:11:52 > 0:11:55but I really don't like the look of the scallops.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58That's quite funny, too, cos that's one of those bottles
0:11:58 > 0:12:00you wee into in a hospital - I mean, depending on your size.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03So, what do you think the judges will think of that?
0:12:03 > 0:12:04I hope they'll like it.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06I think there's definitely wit and humour in there.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09And it says what is in the bowl, hand dived scallops.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12Mmm!
0:12:12 > 0:12:16This is not just good, I think this is really, really good.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18This is one of the most original dishes
0:12:18 > 0:12:20we have had in any competition.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22I've never had anything like this before.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24This is truly an original piece of cooking.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26And it's funny, I really like it.
0:12:26 > 0:12:27And it's quite restrained.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31There's not too many flavours, and it's not too complicated,
0:12:31 > 0:12:33it's just delicious.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35But it's also got that lovely contrast.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38It's got the sweetness of really good scallops,
0:12:38 > 0:12:40cut quite thickly enough to give you that sweetness,
0:12:40 > 0:12:42and the tartness of the juice.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45I thought the first joke was very good and this is an even better joke.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49So, so far, his cooking, he's doing well, he's building it up.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52- I feel I'm laughing, I'm there. - The Lord be praised!
0:12:52 > 0:12:55The Lord be praised! Oliver has found a joke!
0:12:55 > 0:12:57I love that. "I feel I'm laughing."
0:12:57 > 0:13:01I'm not actually laughing, but I feel I'm laughing. That's good.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10Do you think your dish is worthy of Comic Relief?
0:13:10 > 0:13:13- I've changed the plate I'm putting it on.- I can see.
0:13:14 > 0:13:15- It's a pebble.- A pebble.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20For his fish course, Adam's serving feta cheese balls
0:13:20 > 0:13:23with langoustine and oysters.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25A gastronomic dish that tied with Tom's in the week.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29Make sure you don't overcook them, Chef.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34Look, you're more of a hindrance than a help. Now go over there.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39With Tom watching on, Adam plates up his langoustine,
0:13:39 > 0:13:42poached oysters, and unusual feta balls,
0:13:42 > 0:13:44on his new entertaining plates.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47Just be careful, it's heavy, yeah?
0:13:54 > 0:13:59So, do you think your dishes fitted the criteria - wit, humour?
0:14:00 > 0:14:03It's a curling stone! OLIVER LAUGHS
0:14:03 > 0:14:06They're going to get all that from when they lift the top off the pebble.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08If they can. They're quite heavy.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14This is not made for people with weak wrists.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18It's meant to look like a little rock pool or seaside.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20It does do that.
0:14:20 > 0:14:21What have we got here?
0:14:21 > 0:14:24We've got some borage flowers, some langoustine, the oyster,
0:14:24 > 0:14:26a bit of cucumber in there.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28What is the white...spumy bit?
0:14:28 > 0:14:31Probably oyster. Maybe oyster of some sort.
0:14:31 > 0:14:36It's about what's inside the pebble that's witty, funny, you know,
0:14:36 > 0:14:39as in, when they eat it, it's the explosion of flavour in their mouth.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42- Served with a burst of what?- Feta.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44Feta - not a burst of laughter.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46But in that burst of feta will be a burst of laughter.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48- Oh, really?- Yes.- Oh!
0:14:50 > 0:14:51I do love a little oyster, you know.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54And I think the vegetables are nice, don't you think?
0:14:54 > 0:14:55- No.- Don't you?!
0:14:55 > 0:14:58The samphire's nice and crunchy, but not funny.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02PRUE: The langoustine and oysters are perfect.
0:15:03 > 0:15:08But, somehow, that cucumber juice is overpoweringly bitter
0:15:08 > 0:15:11and it makes the whole thing much duller than it should be.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14- It's flat.- It's flat. - Instead of zingy.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17It is a performance on a plate, it did look wonderful.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20The stone - that's flamboyant and, you know, exciting.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22- No laughter?- No.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25- Tears, possibly?- If you drop it on your foot, most certainly.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30So, Adam, how are you feeling?
0:15:30 > 0:15:32Er, yeah, not too bad.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35A bit apprehensive as to what the judges think about the food.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37But I think that's normal, no?
0:15:39 > 0:15:43With two courses down, the judges are reflecting on the food so far,
0:15:43 > 0:15:45and discussing their scores.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47So, it tasted better than it looked.
0:15:47 > 0:15:48So often true.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50LAUGHTER
0:15:51 > 0:15:52I think that was a 10.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55I think it was a brilliant dish, brilliantly conceived.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05Time for the main course, a dish Richard Corrigan gave Tom a nine for
0:16:05 > 0:16:07and Adam eight earlier in the week.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11- I did get a higher score than you. - But this is four judges,
0:16:11 > 0:16:13- and not just Richard.- That is true.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16Adam's up first, serving rose veal
0:16:16 > 0:16:19with tongue, artichokes and hay curd,
0:16:19 > 0:16:22a restaurant dish marked down by Richard in the week
0:16:22 > 0:16:23for its lack of humour -
0:16:23 > 0:16:26something the judges are also scoring them on this year.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29- Hello.- Hello.- Hello, Arabella.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32Now, we've been having some very, very exciting food in there,
0:16:32 > 0:16:35really, really nice. Were not all on the same page, all four of us,
0:16:35 > 0:16:38- about how much we're enjoying it. - Oh, really?
0:16:38 > 0:16:42I'm just going to say somebody has got 10.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45Obviously, I'm not going to say who. Very, very nice food, though.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48- Can you not give us a clue, though? - It's one of you. All right?
0:16:48 > 0:16:51- That's really helpful(!)- That narrows it down a bit, doesn't it?
0:16:51 > 0:16:55- Yeah, so, good luck. - Thank you.- Thank you.- See you later.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03What do you think she's going to be looking for?
0:17:03 > 0:17:07- Humour and wit. - So, where does that leave you?
0:17:07 > 0:17:08Up a drainpipe right now.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11Well, you know, there's always next time.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18But there's no time for Adam to rethink his veal main course now,
0:17:18 > 0:17:21ao he quickly fries his accompanying artichokes
0:17:21 > 0:17:24and gets his artichoke puree on to the plate,
0:17:24 > 0:17:27with his rose veal, strips of tongue and delicate hay curd.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44That smells delicious.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46Do you think the judges will be happy with that?
0:17:46 > 0:17:49- Yeah, I think the judges will be happy with that.- Arabella?
0:17:49 > 0:17:51- We'll see what happens. - See what happens.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54- Mmm.- I must say, hay curds, that's a novel one to me.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57ARABELLA: Looking like blancmange.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00- I think the hay curd is absolutely delicious.- Do you?
0:18:00 > 0:18:03That dehydrated artichoke is a revelation to me.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06- It's delicious, isn't it? Like a crisp.- A revelation?!
0:18:06 > 0:18:09Are you struggling with your biblical references?
0:18:09 > 0:18:12It's the revelation of St Oliver the Divine.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15I think it's a really beautiful bit of cooking, you know.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Every single ingredient here with this
0:18:17 > 0:18:20is working very beautifully together, and that's very hard.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24I think this is a really harmonious dish, isn't it?
0:18:24 > 0:18:26There's not one element there that doesn't actually fit
0:18:26 > 0:18:28beautifully with the next.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30I'm sorry to rain on your parade,
0:18:30 > 0:18:34but as the expert panellist in this genre,
0:18:34 > 0:18:36how is it in any way a performance?
0:18:36 > 0:18:38Could that be the joke?
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Maybe this is just so straight-faced,
0:18:41 > 0:18:43that that is indeed itself humour?
0:18:43 > 0:18:46- Are you here as the representative of style over content?- No!
0:18:46 > 0:18:48Content over content.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Tom's pulling a rabbit out of a hat for his main course,
0:18:54 > 0:18:57with home-made black pudding and caramelised carrots
0:18:57 > 0:19:00and has a lot of last-minute cooking to do.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03- This is the hardest course to get out, though.- It is, yeah.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05I struggle with this.
0:19:05 > 0:19:06I agree with you, sir.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10With no time to lose, he fries his black pudding,
0:19:10 > 0:19:13caramelises his carrots and starts his plate
0:19:13 > 0:19:15with carrot puree and chervil sauce.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22He then slices his stuffed rabbit, glazes it with carrot dressing
0:19:22 > 0:19:25and pops it onto a plate underneath a playful top hat.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30- Thank you.- Will the joke be on Tom and his rabbit in a hat?
0:19:30 > 0:19:32- Happy?- Yes.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38It's cabaret!
0:19:40 > 0:19:41Wow!
0:19:44 > 0:19:46Oh, it fits. I'm happy!
0:19:46 > 0:19:50So, is there any element of your dish that you think the judges won't like?
0:19:50 > 0:19:51No.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53Blimey!
0:19:55 > 0:19:58That is, um, black pudding.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01- Not very good black pudding, at that.- No.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Lots of flavour in the rabbit, though, right?
0:20:04 > 0:20:07I think the caramelised veg could be better, actually.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09I think it looks good,
0:20:09 > 0:20:12but I think the flavour's been slightly lost on the carrots.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15- This is not his best dish. - Everything's sticky.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18The rabbit's sticky, the carrots are sticky, the gravy's sticky.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21Sticky, sticky, sticky, sticky, sticky!
0:20:21 > 0:20:23I'm fractionally disappointed.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25I like that stickiness.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27The only thing I don't like is the black pudding,
0:20:27 > 0:20:28which is not very good.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30But I love the caramelised veg,
0:20:30 > 0:20:33it's slightly dehydrated, isn't it, the veg?
0:20:33 > 0:20:37Once you've actually stripped away the top hat...
0:20:37 > 0:20:39Or, in your case, the Fat Controller's hat.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41..or indeed the Fat Controller's that,
0:20:41 > 0:20:42is there any humour on the plate?
0:20:42 > 0:20:45- A hat does not a rabbit make. - Indeed.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47The hat's the best part of this dish.
0:20:47 > 0:20:48MATTHEW LAUGHS
0:20:48 > 0:20:49The hat is the best part of the dish.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51I would agree with you on that!
0:20:51 > 0:20:54But, unfortunately, I've tried eating the hat, Prue,
0:20:54 > 0:20:57and it's pretty indigestible, to be perfectly honest.
0:20:59 > 0:21:00Back in the kitchen,
0:21:00 > 0:21:04Adam's under pressure to steal a march on Tom with his dessert.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06He's serving frozen white chocolate mousse
0:21:06 > 0:21:09with lemon granita and dehydrated fennel,
0:21:09 > 0:21:12a dish Richard awarded just six points yesterday,
0:21:12 > 0:21:15something Tom remembers all too well.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18I mean, it's hard, isn't it? I understand. I feel for you, man.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24Adam's using lots of different temperatures and textures
0:21:24 > 0:21:26to surprise and delight,
0:21:26 > 0:21:30including soft lemon mousse and a frozen white chocolate counterpart.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32It looks like something out of Harry Potter.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36He's kept his presentation incredibly simple,
0:21:36 > 0:21:38and with a final scattering of lemon granita,
0:21:38 > 0:21:40delivers his last course to the pass.
0:21:42 > 0:21:43Thank you. Woo!
0:21:45 > 0:21:46- Finito.- Done.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48- Well done.- Thank you.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53- Arabella?- Yes.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56Do you think she's going to be impressed with your dessert?
0:21:56 > 0:21:58I'm happy with the flavours that have gone out on the plate.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02You know, so, for me, I've done all I can in that respect.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04- Looks good, it looks good. - ARABELLA: Mmm!
0:22:04 > 0:22:06And it tastes good.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09It's really delicious - limey.
0:22:09 > 0:22:10- PRUE: Is it?- Limey?
0:22:10 > 0:22:14Well that was like "blimey" without a B.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16That's very, very good.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18And, also, there's a lovely contrast of textures.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20You've got the creaminess of the white chocolate,
0:22:20 > 0:22:23there's that crunchy of the granita, isn't it?
0:22:23 > 0:22:28And the sharpness of the lemon, and a little bit of aniseed,
0:22:28 > 0:22:30a little trace of aniseed from the fennel.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32Is this a granita moment?
0:22:32 > 0:22:36I think it's a "granita and bear it" moment, don't you?
0:22:36 > 0:22:40I'm going to go back on to the humour element again pretty fast on this one.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42I was expecting some sort of redness.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46He hasn't even paid a bit of lip service to the red thing here.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51Smiles, laughter, humour, comedy... Arabella, do you see it?
0:22:51 > 0:22:55A glace cherry wouldn't have gone amiss, you just pop it on top.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57It's asking no questions, you don't have to eat it,
0:22:57 > 0:23:00but it's saying, "Look, I'm here for comedy purposes,
0:23:00 > 0:23:02"and I represent a red nose."
0:23:02 > 0:23:04Would it hurt? No.
0:23:04 > 0:23:05THEY LAUGH
0:23:07 > 0:23:10Tom's final showdown is a hugely ambitious
0:23:10 > 0:23:13strawberry and coconut dish with comedy in the name
0:23:13 > 0:23:18"A nose too far" - and in the props, that Richard awarded 10 out of 10.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21What dish do you think would take you through to the banquet?
0:23:21 > 0:23:25- Definitely this one. - Like the "perfect" 10.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31Tom's throwing everything at this last course to make sure
0:23:31 > 0:23:34history doesn't repeat itself, serving panna cotta,
0:23:34 > 0:23:35jelly and two types of sorbet.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38- Thank you, Adam. - Oh, no, you're welcome.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44He then finishes his dessert with some vibrant green mint oil,
0:23:44 > 0:23:48adds a quenelle of coconut sorbet, and delivers it to the pass,
0:23:48 > 0:23:50where his comedy props are waiting.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55Away you go.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01Oo-oo-oh!
0:24:01 > 0:24:03There you go.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05Well, he's read the brief.
0:24:05 > 0:24:06"Pull me."
0:24:06 > 0:24:08One, two, three...
0:24:08 > 0:24:10Ooooh!
0:24:10 > 0:24:12- OK.- Time to get our noses in the trough.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15- Oh, my God, this looks awful! - It looks weird.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17- What's that?- Don't know yet.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19It looks like lobster.
0:24:20 > 0:24:21Good sorbet.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24I think the oil is unpleasant. I think...
0:24:24 > 0:24:25It's a great colour.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27It's a great colour, but I can't...
0:24:27 > 0:24:29Can you make out what the flavour is, though?
0:24:29 > 0:24:32- Strawberries and mint is such a classic.- Hmm.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35- But can you pick up any flavour of mint off of it?- Yeah.
0:24:35 > 0:24:36You know what?
0:24:36 > 0:24:39There's a tremendous amount of things happening here,
0:24:39 > 0:24:41- and I quite like that. - Great flavour.
0:24:41 > 0:24:42There's tons of flavour.
0:24:42 > 0:24:47You've got your strawberries and very wet panna cotta, which is delicious.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49This is a very unusual pudding.
0:24:49 > 0:24:50Love all this.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53I think that's all very funny and like the "pull me".
0:24:53 > 0:24:55There should have been a "push me".
0:24:55 > 0:24:56Um, good pud.
0:24:58 > 0:24:59Very good pudding.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02I like the fact that the panna cotta is room temperature.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05He's got that absolutely right.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07I think it's a bit effortful, to be honest.
0:25:07 > 0:25:08Yeah, but that's lovely!
0:25:08 > 0:25:11No, I don't want to work... I'm working too hard.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14- That is a pudding for pudding lovers, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17There's a lot of oohs and aahs to be had there, isn't there?
0:25:17 > 0:25:19MATTHEW HUMS A MELODY
0:25:19 > 0:25:22It's like bell ringing. # Doing, doing, doing, doing. #
0:25:22 > 0:25:23Come on, come on.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26Can we have a little bit of, you know, a little teamwork here?
0:25:26 > 0:25:28No, my bells are...
0:25:28 > 0:25:30Ah! LAUGHTER
0:25:30 > 0:25:31Oliver!
0:25:33 > 0:25:36Cooking complete, all the chefs can do is wait
0:25:36 > 0:25:39while the judges consider their final scores.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42I have given that dish...
0:25:42 > 0:25:44- nine.- So have I!
0:25:47 > 0:25:50I would love to get to the final banquet.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52It would be absolutely amazing. I'd love to do it.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56Tom's tried to impress the judges with gastronomy and spectacle
0:25:56 > 0:25:58and thought hard about raising a laugh
0:25:58 > 0:26:00at the Red Nose Day banquet this year.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04I cannot think of a single fault, and I'm going to give it a 10.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06Obviously, I'd like to go through,
0:26:06 > 0:26:09but I'm not sure if I've done enough.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12Adam's opted for a less obvious approach to the brief
0:26:12 > 0:26:15and relied on textures and flavours to make the judges smile.
0:26:17 > 0:26:18That tongue was perfect.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21That was a stroke of genius, adding the tongue.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23- Good luck.- Good luck.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37Welcome, Chefs. How are you feeling?
0:26:37 > 0:26:39- Shattered.- Exactly the same.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42- A long week?- Yeah, a very long week.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44But a fun week, a very fun week.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46We've had some amazing eating today.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50The quality of the cooking is absolutely fantastic.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54So, I'm sure you are both anxious to know who's going through to the final?
0:26:54 > 0:26:56BOTH: Yes.
0:26:56 > 0:27:01So, I can now announce that the winner is...
0:27:07 > 0:27:09..Tom.
0:27:09 > 0:27:10Well done.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13Congratulations. Well done.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16Come on, Tom, how does it feel after that "no"?
0:27:16 > 0:27:18It feels great. It feels fantastic.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21I've kind of, um, laid some ghosts down.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23The fish dish that really impressed me,
0:27:23 > 0:27:27was not only visually funny and amusing and witty and clever,
0:27:27 > 0:27:31but when I came to eat it, it was an absolute stormer.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33"Scallop with a wallop", I would call it,
0:27:33 > 0:27:35rather than just "Hand dived".
0:27:35 > 0:27:36Great, thank you.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39Adam, commiserations. How are you feeling?
0:27:39 > 0:27:41Yeah, of course I'm gutted.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44But I have to say, that rose veal,
0:27:44 > 0:27:46I thought that was the best dish of the day.
0:27:46 > 0:27:47ADAM: Thank you.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51The next time, if they make you cook and dance, concentrate on the dancing.
0:27:51 > 0:27:52Because the cooking's nailed.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55Tom, well done. We look forward to seeing you in the national finals.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58Adam, commiserations. I know we're going to see more of you again.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00Great cooking. Thank you both very much.
0:28:00 > 0:28:01- Thank you.- Thank you.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09Gosh, I feel they were looking right through me there.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12I was feeling... I was sweating inside there.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17Brilliant. Yeah, I'm very, very happy.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19It was the result that I wanted.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23Mr Aitkens! Well done.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25- Congratulations.- Thank you very much.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29- You deserved that.- Well, you put up a very good fight, I have to say.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32- But I will whoop your - BLEEP- next time.- Oh, really?
0:28:52 > 0:28:55Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd