Episode 15 MasterChef: The Professionals


Episode 15

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Transcript


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'Only an elite group of chefs holds two Michelin stars.

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'Michel Roux Jr is one of them.'

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-Now!

-THEY CHEER

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'Now he and MasterChef judge Gregg Wallace

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'are on the hunt for Britain's next culinary superstar.

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'A professional with the talent to cut it in the world's top kitchens.'

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OK.

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'This week, ten professional chefs face their first challenge

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'to prove to Monica Galetti that they have the skills required

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'to cook at the highest level.

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'Now they've been split into two groups.

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'Today four will face the final test to decide who is good enough to cook for Michel Roux Jr.

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'At the end of it, one of them will be going home.'

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I want to work in Michelin star restaurants.

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I think MasterChef could give me that opportunity.

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You really have to bring your A game if you want to do well here.

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I think I am good enough to be the champion.

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For me to win would be huge.

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I just want my son to see me and to be proud of his daddy.

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We've got four keen but quite nervous chefs outside waiting for their test.

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-What are you expecting from them?

-Today I'd like them to make a Swiss meringue and use that meringue

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to decorate this lemon tart and make a sauce using anything on the table.

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So, meringue. Sugar, egg whites, vanilla. What's a Swiss meringue?

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It's a more dense meringue. Just completely different to a very airy meringue.

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The texture is light and crusty on the outside

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-but the inside is almost like a marshmallow texture. Absolutely delicious.

-How would you do it?

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Right, I'm just going to separate the yolks from the egg whites.

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150 grams of sugar.

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With the Swiss meringue, you whisk the egg whites and the sugar over the bain-marie.

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The sugar melts into the egg whites and it starts to combine.

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I'm checking the temperature. I want it to about 40 degrees.

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-So what's the significance of 40 degrees?

-That's when it completely breaks down. You see?

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-What happens if you carry on heating it?

-It will start to cook.

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-Like a little white omelette?

-A sweet omelette.

-You're a sweet omelette.

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And you can see, that's now at 40.

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It's completely melted the sugar down and it's combined really well with the egg whites.

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-Into the food processor. You can see this is just liquid at the moment.

-Yeah!

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We leave that to whisk until it's cold and it will thicken as it's cooling.

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Can you see that, Gregg? A really dense meringue.

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It's starting to hold its peak when you pull it up.

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Now we're going to use it to decorate our lemon tart.

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-Doesn't matter how they decorate it, does it?

-You want to see some piping skills.

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They can use any skills they want to,

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just show us that they can pipe.

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I want the meringue to be absolutely shiny like this

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-and glossy.

-Lovely.

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It's in the oven to glaze, to give it a nice colour on top.

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-Yeah!

-Now, I'm making caramel sauce.

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They can make whatever sauce they like.

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And that's me. I'm ready to plate.

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Mm! Come on!

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-And there we have it.

-Oh, my word. Where's me spoon?

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This task will show me who deserves to go through and cook for Michel.

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-I think this is going to terrify them.

-Let's bring them in.

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'After working in kitchens in Bermuda and France,

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'Chris is now head chef of a Buckinghamshire hotel.

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'In the first test, Chris's tofu tempura was one of the most original dishes of the day.'

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My worst nightmare would be a really complicated pastry task.

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Although I think I'm competent, I'm not a pastry chef,

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so that would be my worst case scenario.

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This is a skills test, Chris.

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What we'd like you to do is make us a Swiss meringue,

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use that meringue to decorate the lemon tart and then glaze it

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and then make us a sauce.

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Show me why you deserve to go through and cook for Michel.

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15 minutes. Off you go.

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-When you make the meringue, Chris, what do you normally add with it?

-Sugar.

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Perfect. Seven and a half minutes left.

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-All done?

-All done.

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-It's not pleasant, Chris. The burnt meringue destroys anything that you've got on this plate.

-Yep.

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It's all a little bit bitter and then raspberry tang

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in the middle of it and lemon sharpness. It's a bit weird, Chris.

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When you were making your sauce, you were doing everything right, wonderful sauce,

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but with the raspberries in there, as well, it's just too much.

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The plate's a bit of a disaster at the end of the day. I wouldn't dream of putting that in front of Michel.

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Off you go.

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Bit bruised, really. Not great.

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I don't think my brain was functioning correctly, to be honest.

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I'm much better than that. I'm much, much better than that.

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'Next up is Byron, who comes from a family of chefs.

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'In the first round, his stuffed aubergine delivered on flavour

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'but lacked finesse.'

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Today I'm really determined. I really want to cook for Michel

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and show him what I'm capable of, so I'll pull out all the stops.

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Bryon, this is a skills test.

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-Pretty straightforward. You've got 15 minutes.

-OK.

-Off you go, chef.

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-Er, Byron, I wanted you to glaze the tart with the meringue.

-Oh! Sorry.

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Five minutes left, chef.

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90 seconds, Bryon.

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-All done?

-Yeah.

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Byron, when you were making the meringue, there was not enough sugar to get the glossiness.

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You then tried to glaze the tart without the meringue on top, misunderstanding.

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Interestingly, you were making a caramel there. What were you trying to do?

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-I was going to spin some sugar.

-Oh, right.

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You should never stir a caramel that's got water in it.

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It will crystallise, OK? This should not happen.

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It's not been a good day at the office for you.

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I get a little bit of sweetness from your meringue

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but it just dissolves in the mouth because it's so wet.

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The chocolate is far too dense and heavy.

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Not what I would expect if I was out for afternoon tea.

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By the look on Monica's face, not what she expected.

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Off you go.

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Rather than just using my basic chef instincts,

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I just panicked.

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It was quite a simple task, which has really upset me more than anything else.

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'Ursula currently caters for banquets, but dreams of becoming a pastry chef.

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'She's already demonstrated an accomplished palate with her onion tartlet.'

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I don't think I have any weaknesses in the kitchen.

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I think as a sous chef, you have to be strong and confident on every section.

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-Ursula, are you ready?

-Yeah.

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Take a deep breath, 15 minutes, off you go.

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You've had five minutes, Ursula.

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-What are you doing?

-Heating my sugar to pour into the meringue.

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-I need the sugar and the egg whites together.

-Right, OK.

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Get it out and get the other egg white in.

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-You need the egg white.

-The egg white.

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-You can do this. You've got seven and a half minutes left.

-Come on, let's go.

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Five minutes left.

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HE LAUGHS

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Two minutes. You can do this, you know?

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Go on, girl! It's working!

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Ooh-hoo-hoo!

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HE LAUGHS

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It looks wonderful.

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You made us a chocolate sauce, I think in the last two or three minutes.

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I thought it was a very intelligent choice, one, for flavour,

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and second, for the speed that you needed to get a sauce out. And you glazed your tart at the same time.

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The colour is wonderful on that. You showed great skill in piping, as well.

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Yeah, I love that. Your meringue is sweet

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and it's thick and it's sticky and a sweet chocolate cocoa flavour underneath.

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It tastes lovely, it looks wonderful and you did it in seven minutes. Very impressive.

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Ursula, you've made my day. To have something like this

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-really puts a smile on my face and would put a smile on Michel's face.

-Thank you.

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Ursula, very well done. Off you go.

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-Thank you.

-Good luck.

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That made you smile, didn't it, you big, tough chef?

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I knew my back was up against the clock to do a second meringue.

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But I produced it on time.

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It all went well in the end.

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'Finally, it's demi chef de partie Joshua,

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'who works in a one Michelin star kitchen in London.'

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'Failure to remove the strawberry stalks in the last round

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'tainted an otherwise exceptional dessert.'

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I made a stupid schoolboy error last time. I feel I've got a little bit to prove today.

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I really want to show them what I can do and do myself justice.

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Joshua, we want a Swiss meringue on that lemon tart with a sauce. Off you go, chef.

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-What temperature are you looking for?

-Around 120.

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Joshua, four minutes left.

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-All done?

-Yeah, I'm done now.

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Josh, what you've made is a variation of an Italian meringue, not a Swiss meringue.

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What I admire, Josh, is that you didn't give up.

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You burnt the first one that went in the oven,

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yet you scraped it off and put a fresh one on.

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Some people would just leave that on there. So points for that, OK?

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It's not the best-looking meringue. Piping skills leave a lot to be desired.

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The meringue is not quite right. It's very spongy, almost like a souffle.

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I think the sauce is wonderful. We could do with more of it.

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The raspberry sauce is nice. It's sharp and it's sweet. I really like that.

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Your meringue, it's a bit flat. There's not enough sugar in it, either. You can taste the egg.

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Josh, thank you.

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Although my meringue wasn't that great, I'm just glad I managed to put something up on time.

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Varying degrees of success but one or two here have got a real touch.

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I very much enjoyed watching Ursula in particular.

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She made the wrong sort of meringue to start with and then actually had half the time

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and produced by far the best meringue on the lemon tart. Even the chocolate sauce was great.

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She pulled it out the bag in the end. Her plate was perfect. She definitely goes through.

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I'd like to talk about Joshua. When he burnt his meringue,

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he pulled it back out of the oven, whisked the top off and actually piped it on again.

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You liked his raspberry coulis, I liked it.

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I think it actually ended up looking one of the better plates.

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Yes, the coulis was nice, but he looks like he did OK

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because the other two did so bad.

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Now, Chris had a half-decent attempt at the meringue

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but then he burnt it in the oven and turned what could've been a beautiful sauce

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into a big, lumpy, raspberry, chocolaty mess. I don't... I...

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He just ruined what would've been a wonderful sauce.

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Silly errors here. Frustrating to watch, actually.

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What concerns me about Byron was his attempt at a chocolate sauce,

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which is quite a basic technique for a chef.

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He attempted a caramel, which crystallised.

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These are skills that you need to be sure are going to work if you want to show them off.

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We're discussing who's going to leave the competition here and it's either Byron or Chris.

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I came here to cook for Michel Roux Jr.

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If I don't get the opportunity, obviously I'm going to be devastated.

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I'd love another chance. Absolutely love another chance.

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If I went home now, I'd be desperately disappointed. I've let myself down.

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Both these guys made fundamental errors here today.

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But we've got good contestants still in the competition that have had bad skills tests.

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They get nervous. Who's got the potential?

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It's a very hard decision, but I know who's going to go through and cook for Michel.

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Three of you will go through and cook for Michel.

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And one of you will have to leave us.

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The chef that is leaving us today...

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..is..

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-..Byron.

-Thank you.

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I definitely didn't show the judges what I could do. It definitely wasn't me out there.

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It's one of those things.

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Well done, the three of you. You now get to cook for Michel.

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If you want this, you've got to work for it.

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'There are classics that should be part of every professional chef's repertoire

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'and Michel Roux Jr is looking for chefs who aspire to cook them

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'at his two Michelin-star level.'

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For today's classic recipe, the chefs will have to cook un pigeon roti aux petits pois.

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'Sharing its name with a Picasso masterpiece,

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'pigeon aux petits pois requires the peas to be cooked a la francaise

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'with bacon, lettuce and onions,

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'a traditional recipe dating back to the 17th century.'

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Peas are a classic accompaniment to pigeon in France. It's rather like bangers and mash in England.

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This dish is going to be accompanied by a confit grilled potato.

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It needs long, slow cooking, so it's the first job to do.

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And cut it about a centimetre and a half and then just shape it.

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I'd rather see the skills of the chef using the knife than using a cutter.

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Grilled on a bar grill, so it has the lovely criss-cross

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and slightly smoky flavour, and then long, slow cooking in goose or duck fat.

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Beautifully marked on both sides. It goes into the fat.

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So now this is going to go in the oven for long, slow cooking.

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Chefs cannot afford to serve an undercooked potato.

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Al dente potato is a no-no.

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The next step is to prepare the pigeon for roasting.

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Chefs should know how to do this.

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They have to remove the wishbone, which will help to carve later.

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The customer doesn't want a mouthful of feathers when he's eating his pigeon.

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I want to see a nice, golden skin on that pigeon, then into the oven.

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I want it served pink but not underdone. If it's rare, it will be totally inedible.

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The sweetness of the peas is what works with the pigeon.

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Just the perfect marriage. I'm looking for peas that are shelled and peeled.

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It's taken me about ten minutes to get just this much. It really is painstaking.

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Chicken stock here. I'm going to infuse the pods with the stock.

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Pass the stock through a fine sieve and that's intense, sweet pea flavour.

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I'll be looking for neatness and precision all the way through the process

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and at all times working methodically.

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Then the carrots.

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At this stage, no salt. The bacon is very salty there, so we have to be very careful.

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Now for the peas. All the flavours mingling there.

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And then our intense pea stock.

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Lots of butter.

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Everything has still got vibrant colours.

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Pigeon is now fully rested.

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I expect the chefs to be doing this.

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Cleaning that pigeon properly and making it look beautiful.

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Ooh, yes. That is a lovely, perfect pink.

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It's moist, it's hot inside.

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And just how we like it.

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At the last second, the lettuce goes into the peas.

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It should be wilted but still have a bit of a crunch.

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The crispy legs.

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It looks divine.

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There you have it. Pigeon aux petits pois.

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A beautiful dish. A great French classic.

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It's an amazing feeling to go further in the competition.

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This is what dreams are made of and hopefully I can just keep on progressing.

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I haven't cooked to Michel's level, but I believe I can strive to that and it's what I want to do.

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It feels like the competition's really on now, so I'm just going to come in all guns blazing.

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'Returning to join them is 27-year-old head chef Ben,

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'who was unable to finish his classic round.'

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-You've taken the top of your finger off.

-I can't go out with a cut finger.

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I felt a little bit embarrassed, a little bit robbed, a little bit angry.

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I never expected a second chance, so to be given one, it's made me extremely determined.

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I want to take it as far as I can possibly take it, and hopefully win it.

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Welcome back. Ben, good to see you back with a repaired finger. You've got another chance.

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You've all now got a chance to impress.

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But let me tell you, it's about to get tougher.

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I want you to cook pigeon roti aux petits pois.

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There are many versions of petits pois a la francaise,

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but there is only one true one.

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This is one of my favourite all-time dishes. I know it inside out. Get it right.

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It will test you on all your skills.

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This is the first of two classic recipe tests.

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At the end of the tests, one of you will leave the competition.

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It's up to you. Now is the time to turn it on.

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One hour. Do yourselves proud, do this recipe justice. Off you go.

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To be back here now feels incredible.

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The number one determination for me is to finish what I started.

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I need at least closure.

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-Great to have you back, Ben.

-Yeah. Unexpected, but really excited, really pleased. Very grateful.

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It's a horrible way to go out. A little eye-off-the-ball moment for one second

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and it's game over. Yeah, it was gut-wrenching.

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You're the only one in this competition that's done two of Michel's classic recipes.

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A silly mistake cost me big time last time and there certainly won't be a third chance,

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so I'm more determined than ever. No mistakes, no excuses.

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Concentration. This is extremely important.

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Ben's back. His finger's bandaged and he looks like a man on a mission.

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He's preparing two kinds of potato when I only asked for one.

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He's thinking out of the box.

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He's cut the carrots in different shapes. It's little things like that that make the difference.

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You've had 20 minutes. 40 minutes left.

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I think Michel Roux Jr will like what he sees with me.

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He sees hundreds of chefs every year, but I'd like for him to see a spark in me. I'm pretty confident.

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Chris let himself down badly when he cooked in front of Monica.

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He's now really got a point to prove.

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He's tied the pigeon beautifully.

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And prepared it for roasting just as I would.

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And he's working like a professional chef.

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I do have an understanding of the classics.

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They're the basis of everything that we know, that we cook.

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They're so important, from your bechamel sauces right up to your pigeon dishes, such as this.

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I'm quite confident I'll do all right with this.

0:28:440:28:47

-So far, it looks good.

-Fingers crossed.

-THEY LAUGH

0:28:470:28:52

You are half way, 30 minutes left.

0:28:570:29:00

I've been a chef for quite some years.

0:29:090:29:11

When I was at college, it was all classic French.

0:29:110:29:14

I'm quite confident. Hopefully I'll just keep a level head and everything should come back to me.

0:29:150:29:22

How long have you been a chef, Ursula?

0:29:280:29:31

-22 years.

-Is that like a gentleman asking a lady her age?

0:29:320:29:36

-It is, yeah.

-Sorry. Why did you become a chef?

0:29:360:29:40

It's a passion of mine. Both granddads were chefs, so it was kind of in the blood.

0:29:400:29:46

Why MasterChef? Why pit yourself against a load of other chefs?

0:29:460:29:50

I think, at the age that I am,

0:29:500:29:54

I have more confidence now than I had as a junior chef.

0:29:540:29:57

I think now is the right time for me to progress in my career

0:29:570:30:01

-and actually get out there and show people what I can do.

-Hm.

0:30:010:30:06

Ursula did very well in the previous round. I've got high hopes for her.

0:30:070:30:11

I believe Ursula to be a class act.

0:30:120:30:15

You have 20 minutes to go.

0:30:200:30:23

The places I work at are a bit more contemporary,

0:30:250:30:28

but there's still that ethos around classic dishes.

0:30:280:30:31

I'm hoping I can do a classic dish justice.

0:30:330:30:36

-All right, Josh, have you cooked pigeon with peas before?

-No, I haven't.

0:30:390:30:43

I don't really have much classical training,

0:30:430:30:46

but I think I understand the processes and what's needed,

0:30:460:30:51

-so I'm hoping I can do OK.

-And where do you think you're at now?

0:30:510:30:55

I still consider myself in a very junior position within kitchens, constantly learning.

0:30:550:31:00

I think I'm always going to be learning. But I'm just hoping that every day, every week,

0:31:000:31:05

I'll continue to improve and one day that pays dividends.

0:31:050:31:09

Being a chef is tough. Have you made many sacrifices?

0:31:090:31:12

I've always been a really keen rugby player, played since I was ten, so that's a sacrifice I've had to make.

0:31:120:31:17

But I'll focus on where I want to go and that's a pretty easy sacrifice, really.

0:31:170:31:22

Joshua I think is a young chef who's got an eye for detail.

0:31:250:31:29

He is shelling the peas properly.

0:31:320:31:35

I noticed him taking off the legs of the pigeon to roast them separately.

0:31:390:31:42

I think this young man can really cook.

0:31:450:31:48

It's your last five minutes.

0:31:520:31:54

The last minutes, attention to detail,

0:32:000:32:02

making sure the bird has rested properly so the blood doesn't seep into the plate.

0:32:020:32:07

It's not easy to make a roast pigeon look elegant and dainty on a plate, but I am expecting it.

0:32:170:32:23

Last 60 seconds.

0:32:280:32:31

Stop. Time's up.

0:32:370:32:39

I asked you to cook un pigeon roti aux petits pois.

0:32:510:32:55

A truly great French classic.

0:32:550:32:57

The pigeon should be roast with a nice crispy skin and pink.

0:32:570:33:02

The legs, beautifully trimmed.

0:33:020:33:05

The secret of this dish is to get intensity of flavour in the stewed peas.

0:33:050:33:09

It should be full of butter and rich.

0:33:090:33:12

Confit potato should really be moist and succulent.

0:33:120:33:17

It's the attention to detail that will make the difference in this dish.

0:33:170:33:23

Chris, you first.

0:33:330:33:36

First off, Chris, it's not neat.

0:33:390:33:41

It's just a mound of pigeon.

0:33:410:33:43

The pigeon leg hasn't been trimmed up properly. There's a lack of attention to detail here.

0:33:430:33:49

Oh, that's good, chef. Gamey flavour of the pigeon, soft meat, peas are sweet,

0:33:520:33:57

buttery potatoes, good seasoning on there.

0:33:570:34:00

It's got to be worth taking the extra couple of minutes just to make it look a bit smarter, surely.

0:34:000:34:05

The pigeon has been very well roasted.

0:34:100:34:13

I like it served pink like that.

0:34:130:34:15

And you've roasted the legs again, cos the legs should be served well done. So that's good.

0:34:150:34:20

Your vegetables are well cooked. The taste in there is very good.

0:34:200:34:25

I like the fact that there's a lot of peas and a lot of sauce there,

0:34:250:34:29

because that is the way petits pois a la francaise should be.

0:34:290:34:32

Great flavour, but not as neat as I would've liked.

0:34:320:34:37

I feel a lot better than I was in my previous challenge.

0:34:410:34:44

I think this time I've justified my being here.

0:34:440:34:48

Right, your turn, Ben.

0:34:480:34:51

When you roast a bird, it needs a long time resting

0:34:580:35:02

so that the blood permeates back into the flesh

0:35:020:35:04

and it doesn't leach all over the plate when you cut it.

0:35:040:35:07

This is almost like a deconstructed dish,

0:35:070:35:11

with the lattice of carrots and the onions placed there.

0:35:110:35:14

I think it's the chef side of you showing off.

0:35:140:35:17

Ooh.

0:35:170:35:20

It's a bit burnt there. When it's like that, don't put it on the plate.

0:35:200:35:23

The pigeon is absolutely lovely. It's cooked so well, it's soft and full of flavour,

0:35:270:35:33

but it's not coated in sauce.

0:35:330:35:36

So you're missing all that slippery, buttery flavour.

0:35:360:35:39

I love your little cubes of confit potatoes. They are really very tasty.

0:35:430:35:48

Ben, in parts, this is the classic dish, but only in parts.

0:35:480:35:52

On the positive side, look, all your fingers still there.

0:35:540:35:57

I maybe went a little bit too chefy, but I'd say it was 90 percent there.

0:36:000:36:04

If I can just... eradicate the stupidity

0:36:060:36:10

then, yeah, we'll do all right.

0:36:100:36:12

Ursula.

0:36:140:36:16

First off, Ursula, it's not roasted properly. The skin isn't brown and crispy.

0:36:210:36:26

It looks a bit pale. And obviously you haven't trimmed up the wings there. Attention to detail.

0:36:260:36:31

Beautifully turned carrots there.

0:36:310:36:33

You've trained a bit in the classics, because turning vegetables is a classic skill.

0:36:330:36:38

Gamey, buttery, sweet pea, lovely.

0:36:430:36:47

We're a crisp skin away from a very good dish, aren't we?

0:36:470:36:50

I like the fact that there's a lot of sauce there, a lot of buttery braising juices of the peas.

0:36:570:37:02

The potato is beautifully cooked, but not seasoned enough.

0:37:020:37:05

It's your pigeon that's the problem.

0:37:050:37:07

It should be a star, but it isn't, it's a letdown. It's a shame.

0:37:070:37:11

A bit disappointed in myself.

0:37:140:37:17

I shouldn't be making those type of mistakes, being at this level.

0:37:170:37:21

Joshua, now for you.

0:37:230:37:25

First off, it's a bit small. It's half a pigeon.

0:37:320:37:36

If I order pigeon as a customer, I'm expecting a whole one.

0:37:360:37:39

Saying that, the presentation is exactly what I'm looking for.

0:37:390:37:42

The pigeon leg has been roasted, it's nice and brown.

0:37:420:37:47

Cleaned up that bone, as well. It's attention to detail

0:37:470:37:50

that great chefs aspire to and that you have given me here.

0:37:500:37:54

One thing, though, is petits pois a la francaise, peas. That's the first word you get.

0:37:540:38:01

There are no peas in this dish, or very few.

0:38:020:38:05

Oh, that's lovely. I don't think I chewed more than three times.

0:38:110:38:15

Everything is so soft, so lovely, so buttery, and that pigeon, gamey and then almost metallic.

0:38:150:38:21

It tastes divine. I mean, really, really lovely. Well done.

0:38:210:38:24

Very chuffed. Could kiss you.

0:38:240:38:27

Mm. Lovely potato, beautifully confit.

0:38:320:38:36

Soft and tender. Your peas, when you get to them, are delicious.

0:38:360:38:39

You've gone to the trouble of shelling them completely and removing the outer skin.

0:38:390:38:43

The bacon has been beautifully cut into thin strips.

0:38:430:38:47

The carrots into beautiful, tiny little cubes.

0:38:470:38:50

You're showing off a lot of knife skills here, which is great.

0:38:500:38:54

I like your dish, Josh, I really do.

0:38:560:38:58

Hearing those comments made my day.

0:39:000:39:03

I'm going through to the next test with my head held high.

0:39:030:39:06

We've seen you cook my choice of a classic recipe, now it is your turn.

0:39:140:39:18

Your classic recipe.

0:39:190:39:22

It should be a dish that you have cooked time and time again.

0:39:230:39:27

I want to see perfection.

0:39:290:39:31

After this, one of you will be leaving the competition.

0:39:330:39:36

You have one hour.

0:39:370:39:39

Off you go.

0:39:410:39:43

Chris, what classic dish are you cooking for us?

0:39:580:40:00

-I'm cooking sole Veronique for you today.

-Where did you come across this dish?

-College, initially.

0:40:000:40:06

-It's stuck with me since.

-Done properly it's beautiful, great recipe.

0:40:060:40:09

What will make this sole Veronique really special?

0:40:090:40:12

I'm going to cook it on the bone. It's far better.

0:40:120:40:15

-It doesn't dry out.

-This is down to timings.

0:40:150:40:17

I ate sole cooked by Michel when I asked my wife to marry me.

0:40:170:40:22

-And that was cooked on the bone, as well.

-It was, yeah.

-It was.

0:40:220:40:25

-Did she say yes?

-She's my wife.

-Oh, yeah.

0:40:250:40:29

Chris is doing sole Veronique, which is sole served with cream sauce with white seedless grapes.

0:40:390:40:44

A lovely, lovely dish if he gets it right.

0:40:460:40:49

But Chris gave us scruffy, untidy presentation in his first dish.

0:40:520:40:56

He's going to have to deliver beautiful sole Veronique this time round.

0:40:560:41:00

I've been cooking sole Veronique on and off for 19 years.

0:41:020:41:08

The most challenging thing is making sure the fish is cooked to perfection.

0:41:090:41:14

And also that there is not a bone in sight.

0:41:150:41:18

I will lose sleep over that.

0:41:190:41:22

20 minutes gone.

0:41:240:41:26

Right, Josh. What classic recipe are you cooking?

0:41:300:41:34

I've chosen to do sole Veronique. Trying to keep it, in essence, as it's supposed to.

0:41:340:41:39

One variation, I'm going to make my potato look like my rollmops of sole.

0:41:390:41:43

So it gives aesthetic value to the dish

0:41:430:41:45

-as well as a nice textural difference.

-Excellent.

0:41:450:41:49

There's another sole Veronique going on in the room.

0:41:490:41:52

Yours has got to be a lot better, hasn't it?

0:41:520:41:54

Yes, I'm hoping that my refinement, attention to detail and slight adaptation might give me the edge.

0:41:540:42:00

Josh is also doing sole Veronique.

0:42:090:42:12

But he is playing around with little potato ribbons

0:42:120:42:15

that he's going to make into shapes that are going to match the fish.

0:42:150:42:18

I've eaten out a lot and I've never seen any chef make potatoes try to look like fish.

0:42:180:42:23

With this dish, the thing that could go wrong is perhaps my adaptation that I am doing.

0:42:260:42:31

But I think, without it, it could just be an ordinary plate of food.

0:42:320:42:35

A modern cooking technique could really bring this dish up into the 21st century.

0:42:370:42:43

You're half way.

0:42:470:42:50

Ursula, what are you cooking for us?

0:42:550:42:58

I'm doing a rack of lamb with confit sweet potatoes and a red wine jus.

0:42:580:43:04

-Have you got a sweet tooth?

-I have, yes.

-This is a very sweet dish.

0:43:040:43:08

When I've served it in the past, I've had some good feedback, and it's been a popular dish.

0:43:080:43:13

I've put my own twist to it with a mint jelly.

0:43:130:43:16

I just wanted to do something maybe a little bit more different than actually mint sauce.

0:43:160:43:21

Ursula, I look forward to your lamb and mint.

0:43:210:43:24

Ursula knows a thing or two about butchery.

0:43:290:43:32

That rack of lamb was superbly butchered. Every bone scraped clean.

0:43:330:43:38

But I'm not sure about this mint jelly thing. I don't know how that's going to work.

0:43:410:43:46

If it does, my chef's hat off to her.

0:43:460:43:50

I'm 100 percent confident that I can make this dish perfect.

0:43:530:43:56

It's just up to me to step up to the plate.

0:43:560:44:00

You've got 20 minutes left.

0:44:060:44:08

-Go easy!

-Yes, chef.

0:44:150:44:17

Right, Ben, what are you cooking for us?

0:44:260:44:28

We're doing roasted poussin, ballantine of leg, saffron dauphinoise.

0:44:280:44:32

-What is so classic about this recipe?

-It's essentially a roast chicken,

0:44:320:44:37

-which is about as classic a British dish as it gets.

-Who came up with saffron dauphinoise?

0:44:370:44:41

Well, we've done a few different, over many years, flavoured dauphinoise.

0:44:410:44:46

I think saffron gives a nice edge to this particular dish.

0:44:460:44:49

-How important is it that you get this dish right?

-Yeah, sink or swim, this.

0:44:490:44:54

There's no messing. If this isn't right, there's nowhere really to hide behind.

0:44:540:44:58

OK, Ben, you know what's at stake.

0:44:590:45:01

Ben's cooking chicken two ways. The legs stuffed with the mousse, with some tarragon and olive oil,

0:45:030:45:08

and the breast, slow-cooked in a water bath.

0:45:080:45:14

And he's making something I can't wait to get my spoon in and that is a saffron dauphinoise.

0:45:160:45:21

If he gets this right, this will show off all the skills necessary.

0:45:220:45:26

This is now the second time for me having a go at this dish.

0:45:290:45:33

And so the determination to finish the dish and to do it justice is very strong.

0:45:330:45:38

Last five minutes.

0:45:460:45:48

There's some food in here I'd actually walk over hot coals to get at.

0:45:570:46:00

Great classic recipes, great classic cooking.

0:46:010:46:04

And they're all 100 percent focused. They want this.

0:46:040:46:08

Last 60 seconds, guys.

0:46:190:46:21

Stop!

0:46:290:46:31

'Ben's roast chicken has been served with a ballantine of chicken and tarragon,

0:46:410:46:47

'saffron dauphinoise, carrots, asparagus, onions, broad beans,

0:46:470:46:51

'and a lemon and thyme reduction.'

0:46:510:46:54

The carrots could have been scraped a little bit more there, just to remove a bit more of the skin.

0:46:550:47:01

but very vibrant colours, very appetising for the diner.

0:47:010:47:04

But I really don't approve of stacking the chicken up. It looks a little bit like Stonehenge.

0:47:040:47:10

Bits of it are absolutely glorious. The chicken is cooked really well,

0:47:150:47:18

the tarragon inside the ballantine is lovely.

0:47:180:47:21

That little hint of aniseed, and it's very subtle, and I love the saffron in that dauphinoise.

0:47:210:47:27

What's lacking is a good sauce. It's too thin. Much, much, much too thin. It's such a shame.

0:47:320:47:38

I think I've almost done myself justice.

0:47:410:47:44

It was only the sauce that I wasn't happy with.

0:47:440:47:47

I hope it doesn't cost me.

0:47:470:47:50

'Chris has made a sole Veronique with glazed carrots and new potatoes.'

0:47:510:47:57

I'm not keen on the presentation.

0:47:570:47:59

I don't think it looks elegant enough.

0:47:590:48:02

The fish itself is well-cooked. It's really moist, tender, and no bones.

0:48:060:48:11

For me, the high point of this dish is the quality of your sauce.

0:48:110:48:15

It's got the right consistency, perfect balance, you can taste the fish,

0:48:150:48:20

the grapes, the wine, the herbs in there. That's a very good sauce.

0:48:200:48:25

One potato needs a bit more cooking.

0:48:330:48:35

However, the sauce, thick and creamy, it's almost sweet like a caramel,

0:48:350:48:39

it is very, very good indeed.

0:48:390:48:42

-I'm very happy with that.

-How do you look when you're happy?

0:48:420:48:45

HE LAUGHS

0:48:470:48:49

Presentation-wise, I didn't get there, again. I've struggled with that.

0:48:520:48:57

But I hope the flavour will compensate, and they'll turn a blind eye this time.

0:48:570:49:03

'Joshua's also made a sole Veronique, but with his take on a potato galette.

0:49:040:49:10

'The dish is scattered with micro herbs.'

0:49:100:49:13

First off, incredibly neat dressing of the plate again.

0:49:130:49:17

And I quite like your play on a galette.

0:49:170:49:21

I like the fact that, erm, you've rolled the potato in a similar fashion as a classic sole Veronique.

0:49:210:49:26

It's pretty good. It's pretty good.

0:49:320:49:34

The fish is lovely and soft, the potatoes are crispy but still light.

0:49:340:49:39

The grapes give lovely sweetness, it is a lovely balance. But look at this sauce. Look.

0:49:390:49:44

You said you were going to put the poaching liquid in from the sole.

0:49:470:49:51

But it needed more, it needed to be reduced down to intensify those flavours.

0:49:510:49:55

Very nearly, Josh. Very nearly wonderful.

0:49:550:50:00

There was a bit of style over substance. But some real positive feedback.

0:50:020:50:06

Erm, no, I'm happy with that.

0:50:060:50:10

'Ursula has made a rack of lamb, with confit of sweet potatoes,

0:50:130:50:17

'tomato petals, red wine sauce and a mint jelly.'

0:50:170:50:22

First off, Ursula, the presentation, I think, is beautiful.

0:50:220:50:26

Really vibrant colours, a lot of attention to detail.

0:50:260:50:29

The tomato petals are beautifully cut. You can just see the orange of the sweet potato,

0:50:290:50:35

thrown off there with the bright red of the tomato. Butchery skills on show, superb.

0:50:350:50:40

The bones are perfectly scraped down and clean. And that's beautiful. That really is fantastic.

0:50:400:50:47

Lamb is cooked beautifully, well-seasoned, pink. Very nice.

0:50:520:50:57

However, I find these mint jellies a little bland.

0:50:570:51:01

I'm not a great fan of sweet potatoes,

0:51:010:51:04

but they actually add a little sweetness to this plate of food which I like.

0:51:040:51:08

It tastes good.

0:51:130:51:15

You got a little bit of texture on the outside of the lamb but it's perfectly soft inside.

0:51:150:51:20

There's a little bit of mint sweetness in there, as well. Also a little bit of red wine sweetness.

0:51:200:51:25

It tastes good. And it's not very often I disagree with Michel,

0:51:250:51:29

but looking at it, I think it's too many big, bold colours. I don't like it.

0:51:290:51:34

I've got mixed emotions right now.

0:51:350:51:39

I don't know who to, sort of, put my beliefs into, you know...

0:51:390:51:43

I don't know.

0:51:460:51:48

I'm really pleased we had four decent plates of food. And it was good. It was a great standard.

0:51:570:52:02

This is really tough. The first round with the pigeon, ups and downs,

0:52:020:52:07

but then in the second round they all upped their game, and all gave us really good food.

0:52:070:52:11

These guys can cook.

0:52:110:52:14

Chris's roast pigeon dish looked fairly uncouth and heavy-handed,

0:52:140:52:19

however, the taste was by far the best on all the bench. But it wasn't neat.

0:52:190:52:24

There's got to be a question mark over his ability to give us stylish food.

0:52:240:52:29

He struggled a bit with the look of his sole, but he's got a good touch, the fella.

0:52:290:52:33

I thought what Chris's food lacked in presentation more than made up for in taste.

0:52:330:52:38

Chris understands flavour like probably nobody else in that kitchen today.

0:52:380:52:44

The further you get in the competition, it gives you something to work towards.

0:52:440:52:48

The presentation will definitely come.

0:52:480:52:50

Joshua gave us the best-looking food and looks the most competent chef.

0:52:500:52:55

His presentation of food is really classy.

0:52:550:52:58

Josh's pigeon, I thought, looked so elegant. It was, however, tiny.

0:52:580:53:03

It was only half the pigeon and there weren't enough peas.

0:53:030:53:07

-Other than that, it was perfection.

-And I loved his take on that sole Veronique,

0:53:070:53:12

I thought the potatoes, spiralled and rolled up to resemble the shape of the fish was great.

0:53:120:53:17

I just loved the look of that young fella's food.

0:53:170:53:21

As the competition has progressed, I have shown what I'm capable of,

0:53:210:53:25

and I think I've put myself as one of the contenders.

0:53:250:53:28

If we could morph together Josh and Chris, we'd have the perfect chef.

0:53:280:53:32

They are two that should definitely go through.

0:53:320:53:36

How do you then choose between Ben and Ursula?

0:53:360:53:42

Ursula's skill test was so good, so good, that I was expecting great things from her

0:53:420:53:48

and was quite disappointed that she hadn't carried on the momentum and done a brilliant pigeon dish.

0:53:480:53:54

Ursula contradicts herself because the roast pigeon was not right.

0:53:540:53:58

It wasn't trimmed down properly. But then the roast lamb was perfect.

0:53:580:54:03

It was a decent-tasting plate of food. Everything was cooked really well. It was yummy lamb.

0:54:030:54:08

I'll give it to you, it was a bit garish and OTT. But I'd far rather that than a very dull plate of food.

0:54:080:54:14

Ben, that ballantine with the tarragon flavouring was terrific.

0:54:140:54:19

The bird, the poussin, was cooked really well. And I loved, literally loved that saffron dauphinoise.

0:54:190:54:26

Technically, there were a lot of good skills there.

0:54:260:54:29

He can cook, but he's got a strange way of presenting his food.

0:54:290:54:32

He made a concertina shape out of the carrots. I don't know what that was for.

0:54:320:54:36

-What's all that about?

-What is that about?

-I don't know.

0:54:360:54:39

Why did he want to create Stonehenge out of a poussin?

0:54:390:54:42

I think he's trying too hard with his presentation to the detriment of the food.

0:54:420:54:46

It's the most important thing in my life right now.

0:54:480:54:51

I've already gone home once. And I don't want to put myself through that again, it was horrible.

0:54:510:54:56

What are we going to do? It's a quarter-final ahead. We've got to make this decision.

0:54:580:55:02

I can't even think what I'd be like if I went home today.

0:55:030:55:07

I just think I'd be mortified.

0:55:070:55:11

Everything would just come crashing down.

0:55:110:55:13

I think I'd be quite emotional.

0:55:130:55:16

Ursula and Ben showed signs of being good chefs.

0:55:160:55:22

I know who, sadly, has got to go home.

0:55:230:55:27

We have made a decision.

0:55:470:55:50

And the chef leaving us today is...

0:55:550:55:58

..Ben.

0:56:020:56:04

It's a bitter pill to swallow.

0:56:140:56:17

I'm upset and I don't want to go.

0:56:170:56:20

But I feel like this time, at least it was for the right reasons.

0:56:210:56:25

Well done, guys. Well done.

0:56:280:56:31

Oh, mate, over the moon. I'm so chuffed. Glad to be through.

0:56:310:56:36

I made a few mistakes but I did just enough. Going to have to up it a level. Chuffed.

0:56:360:56:41

I can't believe I'm through to the next round.

0:56:420:56:45

It just gives me more motivation to keep on succeeding in what I'm doing. I'm so happy.

0:56:450:56:51

Every time I come here, I want it more. Through to the quarter-finals, over the moon, ecstatic. Can't wait.

0:56:510:56:57

I'm so excited.

0:56:570:56:59

'Tomorrow night, Ursula, Joshua and Chris will join three other heat winners.

0:57:080:57:14

'First, they'll battle to impress Michel and Gregg with a dish of their own invention.'

0:57:180:57:24

You don't get to a quarter-final without talent. Now you have to prove that for a place in the semis.

0:57:240:57:30

'Only the best will go on to cook their food for some of the UK's toughest food critics.'

0:57:300:57:37

None of it tastes of anything.

0:57:370:57:39

Very good indeed. Can't fault it.

0:57:390:57:42

'In a bid to win a coveted place in the semi-finals.'

0:57:420:57:47

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

0:57:490:57:53

E-mail [email protected]

0:57:530:57:57

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0:57:570:57:57

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