0:00:05 > 0:00:09Only an elite group of chefs holds two Michelin stars.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12Michel Roux Junior is one of them.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15- One lamb, two fish. - ALL: Oui!
0:00:15 > 0:00:19Now he, Gregg Wallace and Monica Galetti are on the hunt
0:00:19 > 0:00:23for Britain's next culinary superstar,
0:00:23 > 0:00:28a professional with the talent to cut it in the world's top kitchens.
0:00:30 > 0:00:31Perfect.
0:00:40 > 0:00:46Ten professional chefs have been put through their paces by Monica.
0:00:46 > 0:00:52Today, five of them have one last chance to perform to her demanding standards...
0:00:56 > 0:01:02..because only the strongest can go through to cook for Michel Roux Junior.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06One of them will be going home.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12I'm really worried about facing Gregg and Monica.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15It's like being back at school, big time!
0:01:17 > 0:01:20I like the pressure. It's good fun. I want to keep going.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23Above all, I just want to prove
0:01:23 > 0:01:27that I'm good enough for this and I'm going to win it.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39Monica, a tricky-looking skills test. What have they got to do?
0:01:39 > 0:01:43Today, Gregg, I'd like them to prepare and serve these sea urchins.
0:01:43 > 0:01:47If possible, I'd like to see them use the juice as well.
0:01:47 > 0:01:53- I've got to say, Monica, I'm not a huge fan of the sea urchin. Are you?- I love them.
0:01:53 > 0:01:58Sea urchins, or the uni as it's known in Japan, flavours of the ocean, it tastes of the sea.
0:01:58 > 0:02:03- It's a delicacy.- Well, if anyone can make me like them, it's you.
0:02:05 > 0:02:10The first thing they need to do is to remove the mouth from the urchins,
0:02:10 > 0:02:13then you just want to pull that out.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18It looks like a scene from a sci-fi movie.
0:02:19 > 0:02:25And what you see here, the orange, which is also known as the uni, that is what we want.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28We do not want to be eating any of this black on the side.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31We want to keep that juice.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35- It's an acquired taste.- Yeah, yeah.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38Right, now we want to remove the uni out.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43Gently does it.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47That's a very delicate operation.
0:02:47 > 0:02:53If you happen to get some of the grit on there, you can rinse it in salted water.
0:02:53 > 0:02:58Don't leave them to soak because that will just wash out any flavours that you've got.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02Nice, whole roes, undamaged and clean.
0:03:03 > 0:03:09What I'm going to do is serve my urchins with some cucumber juice and avocado cream.
0:03:09 > 0:03:10Oh!
0:03:14 > 0:03:17A bit of lime.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20A touch more lime.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24You know how important it is, Gregg, to be tasting.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27And I'm going to serve it with an avocado cream.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34I'm going to use some of the juice from the sea urchin to flavour that.
0:03:40 > 0:03:45There you have it, Gregg - sea urchins with an avocado cream and cucumber juice.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49- It's very elegant.- But are you going to eat it?- Of course I'll eat it.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53I'm looking forward to tasting everything apart from the urchin.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57That's a very unusual texture,
0:03:57 > 0:04:00but the flavours are very good.
0:04:00 > 0:04:06I would eat this, handled by somebody like you. Let's see if they can get anywhere near this.
0:04:07 > 0:04:12First up is sous-chef Craig who works in a hotel bistro in Cornwall.
0:04:14 > 0:04:19In the first test, his minced beef served three ways was praised
0:04:19 > 0:04:22for its texture and flavour combinations.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26My game plan is to just go in there and, hopefully,
0:04:26 > 0:04:29Lady Luck is on my side and it's something that I've done.
0:04:29 > 0:04:35Craig, we're going to give you 12 minutes to remove the urchins from the shell
0:04:35 > 0:04:37and then plate them up.
0:04:39 > 0:04:44- Have you seen an urchin before? - I've never, ever done one. I don't even know how to open it.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48Craig, you're a chef. You have used seafood before.
0:04:48 > 0:04:53Think of the flavours you get from an oyster and use what you have on the table to get something for us.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57Right, 12 minutes, Craig. Off you go.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05- Mind your hands, OK?- Yeah.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13That'll do it.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15Oh, it stinks!
0:05:33 > 0:05:35You've got three minutes.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42Yeah, I've done it too quick.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58Craig, you've never worked with sea urchins before.
0:05:58 > 0:06:03- No.- At least you managed to get them out without too much damage to the uni.
0:06:03 > 0:06:09The plate is tidy and neat. However, you've got so much salad on there, it's not been properly seasoned.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11I'm curious to see how it tastes.
0:06:11 > 0:06:16You didn't know what they tasted of, yet you made a dressing without tasting them.
0:06:16 > 0:06:22- I just thought of oysters. - I'd much rather have seen you taste because that is a leap in the dark.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29The mixture for your urchin is actually really nice.
0:06:29 > 0:06:34Slight bit of acidity and it matches it perfectly. That, though, is luck.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47It was really, really hard.
0:06:47 > 0:06:53I wanted seafood, I got seafood, but a seafood that I'd never done before. It's just typical, isn't it?
0:06:54 > 0:07:00Next up is Oli, a chef de partie who is in charge of the sauce section.
0:07:00 > 0:07:06At 22, he has already gained experience in three Michelin-starred restaurants.
0:07:06 > 0:07:13In the last round, his pear dessert with caramelised rosemary and an almond tuile blew the judges away.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16I left school, I applied to be a chef
0:07:16 > 0:07:18and they just stuck me in the sink.
0:07:18 > 0:07:24Then a few months later, I was on the stoves, then it just went from there. I love it. I have a wicked time.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28Oli, you've got a big grin on your face. Can I ask you what's going on?
0:07:28 > 0:07:31I've never seen one of them in my life.
0:07:31 > 0:07:38- You've worked with seafood before? - Yes.- Shellfish, oysters? The urchin flavour is very similar to that.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42- Can I ask a question?- Yes.- Can you eat it raw?- Yes, it's preferred raw.
0:07:42 > 0:07:4312 minutes. Off you go.
0:07:59 > 0:08:05- I know you haven't worked with these before, but remember, the orange bit is what we want.- Yeah.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41You've got two minutes left. You'll have to start plating up, Oli.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53You've got ten seconds, chef.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57Right, that's it. Time's up. Time's up.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00- All done?- Uh, yeah.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10Uh...Oli, Oli, Oli, Oli.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13The problem is the urchin is the main ingredient,
0:09:13 > 0:09:18but you've washed it so much, you've lost a lot of the flavour in there.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22And then you cut it up, chopped it up even smaller.
0:09:22 > 0:09:28With such a big salad that you have in there, I very much doubt we'll get much taste of the urchin.
0:09:32 > 0:09:37You've made a neat little salad that tastes very nicely of avocado and lime,
0:09:37 > 0:09:41but it's absolutely nothing to do any more with those urchins.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47Thank you.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56Yeah, it was just hard, to be honest.
0:09:56 > 0:10:01I didn't have a clue what it was. I've never used it. At least I learnt something.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05Paul heads up a brigade of 18,
0:10:05 > 0:10:08serving modern British food in Leeds.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12In the invention test, he impressed with both his cooking
0:10:12 > 0:10:16and the presentation of his pear tarte tatin.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20It's still an unknown, what we're going into at this point,
0:10:20 > 0:10:25so if I don't know it, I'll use my chef's intuition and make something.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28Paul, have you worked with an urchin before?
0:10:28 > 0:10:32- No.- No, OK. Off you go.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24You've had five minutes.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45You've got two minutes.
0:11:54 > 0:11:59I won't hold it against you if you want to use a spoon.
0:12:13 > 0:12:19Paul, you managed to get quite a bit of the orange flesh out which was very good.
0:12:20 > 0:12:25I see where you're going, trying to use the uni to make a dressing,
0:12:25 > 0:12:31but you had so much juice there to use and it has a lot of flavour. I would have preferred that instead.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33And also it's a very expensive ingredient.
0:12:33 > 0:12:38To see it passed through a tammy like that was not nice to see.
0:12:40 > 0:12:45You struggle to get any urchin flavour out of there. What I've got is olive oil and pepper.
0:12:45 > 0:12:52The one thing you do expect to find on your palate when you order a dish of urchins is urchin, obviously.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56I'd feel pretty cheated, actually.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03You like to think you're accomplished
0:13:03 > 0:13:05and you can tackle anything,
0:13:05 > 0:13:08so it's just...you know...
0:13:09 > 0:13:12It's done now, so... Yeah.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14Sea urchins.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21Sam is head chef of a Hampshire restaurant specialising in seafood.
0:13:21 > 0:13:27In the first round, his brioche topped with wild mushrooms fricassee and a poached egg
0:13:27 > 0:13:29was criticised for its sloppy texture.
0:13:29 > 0:13:36I thought I was good enough before the first round, then I've had my confidence smashed. Fingers crossed,
0:13:36 > 0:13:39cooking one bad dish doesn't make you a bad chef.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43- Sam, have you worked with an urchin before?- Um...once.
0:13:43 > 0:13:48I've made, um... I made a risotto with it, I think.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52- Fantastic.- OK then, Sam, off you go.- Thank you.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10Right...
0:14:22 > 0:14:24Sam, you've had five minutes.
0:14:46 > 0:14:4890 seconds, Sam. Come on, please.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03All right, 30 seconds. Quick, quick, quick.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05That's it.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09- All done?- Thank you. Yeah.
0:15:14 > 0:15:19Sam, you managed to get the uni out of the sea urchin quite quickly. Well done.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23The only reservation I have is you got so many out,
0:15:23 > 0:15:30I wish you'd sorted through it and got the nice pieces out on your plate.
0:15:30 > 0:15:35What I don't want to see is you throwing everything in the bin that could be used later on.
0:15:35 > 0:15:40All that lovely salad that went in the bin, don't do that ever.
0:15:46 > 0:15:51I really like your salad and I like the cucumber with the lime and the cream.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55You've actually handled this delicately.
0:15:59 > 0:16:04- I like him. I think he did really well.- Hmm.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07I got told off for a couple of little things,
0:16:07 > 0:16:12but she seemed to like my food this time. I don't know. It's quite hard to tell though.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17Last up is Stuart, a sous-chef at a hotel in Cardiff.
0:16:18 > 0:16:23In the first test, his pain perdu with red wine poached pear
0:16:23 > 0:16:27impressed on both flavour and technical skill.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32I have two very young children. I'm hoping that both my sons
0:16:32 > 0:16:34will start the cheffing industry too
0:16:34 > 0:16:37and we'll be the next dynasty in cooking.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41Just like the Rouxs.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45- Stuart, you look a bit bemused. - Indeed.- Why?
0:16:45 > 0:16:49I've never used one before, so I'll give it my best shot.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52Let's go, Stuart.
0:17:12 > 0:17:17- You want to be tasting the orange bit.- I was just wondering if I should throw it away.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53Three minutes left, Stuart.
0:18:20 > 0:18:26I'm sorry. It was quite funny to watch you eat the grit, instead of the orange bit which we want.
0:18:26 > 0:18:32I'm a little confused then about how you proceeded to try and pick out the grit,
0:18:32 > 0:18:35then passed it into a pan.
0:18:35 > 0:18:41And then using the bits you had in the strainer through the salad, it was just silly.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44I've never seen a chef pass something through a sieve
0:18:44 > 0:18:49- and use the stuff he's passed as well as the stuff he hasn't.- Yeah.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08I'm really sorry, chef. There's grit in every single mouthful
0:19:08 > 0:19:13and all I can really taste is avocado and olive oil.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18Thanks.
0:19:22 > 0:19:28That was really hard. I thought I'd be OK, you know, my skills will get me through.
0:19:28 > 0:19:34It just shows that you can't ever be complacent about your own knowledge.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39Gregg, I'm obviously disappointed by what we've seen today.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42No-one treated this ingredient with enough respect.
0:19:42 > 0:19:48You shouldn't be disappointed. For all of those chefs, it was about drawing on their instincts
0:19:48 > 0:19:53and trying to work it out as they went along with varying degrees of success.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57Sam was the only one here today who had used an urchin before.
0:19:57 > 0:20:03He tasted as he worked, he managed to get the urchins out and he had some nice pieces.
0:20:03 > 0:20:08I want to go through so much. I hope they've seen something in me that they want to put through.
0:20:08 > 0:20:13Sam struggled less than the others, so he deserves to go through.
0:20:13 > 0:20:20We have Craig. Never worked with a sea urchin before, yet he got very nice pieces of the urchin out.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24I don't know if I impressed them. They might have thought I was lucky.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28But if I go through, I will be extremely, extremely happy.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32Because he treated those pieces of urchin with respect,
0:20:32 > 0:20:35he didn't damage them so much, he deserves to go through.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39Oli actually managed to get the pieces out of the urchin,
0:20:39 > 0:20:42then he washed them once, twice, maybe even three times.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46There was hardly any flavour left when Oli finished with the urchin.
0:20:46 > 0:20:51Now I've done that badly, I want to go through more. That sounds weird.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54But I just want to do better.
0:20:54 > 0:21:00Oli has issues here, but I'm willing to put him through because he was so strong on his last round.
0:21:00 > 0:21:07So now the biggest problems lie with the two chefs that put their sea urchins through a sieve.
0:21:07 > 0:21:13Paul managed to get the urchins out, yet he passed it all and attempted to make a dressing with it.
0:21:13 > 0:21:20It wasn't a pretty salad either. He was good in the last round. What happened to him with this urchin?
0:21:20 > 0:21:23I wish I'd done it all different,
0:21:23 > 0:21:25but you can't do that now.
0:21:26 > 0:21:31Stuart put his urchin through a sieve.
0:21:31 > 0:21:36Everything on Stuart's plate was full of grit.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38Unpleasant, although I like his presentation.
0:21:38 > 0:21:45At least you found something to like on there. He did taste as he was working, yet still left grit in it.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49I would go as far as to say that's my biggest balls-up to date.
0:21:49 > 0:21:54I just hope I get the opportunity to show them what I'm really about.
0:21:54 > 0:22:01Which chef has shown enough to make you think he might be able to handle the pressure of the next round?
0:22:01 > 0:22:06There are four chefs I'm willing to take a risk on. One of them I am not.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20It's a difficult round. We realise that.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24We have made a decision.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28The chef that is leaving us today is...
0:22:35 > 0:22:37..Stuart.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46As a chef, I had so much more to give
0:22:46 > 0:22:48and they just haven't seen it.
0:22:49 > 0:22:54And it came down to 12 minutes of something I'd never done before,
0:22:54 > 0:22:57so, yeah, gutted to be going home, gutted.
0:23:02 > 0:23:10As far as I'm concerned, I am taking a huge gamble on all four of you going through to cook for Michel.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13Shape up. Get ready for what comes next.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15Oh, my...
0:23:19 > 0:23:24There are classics that should be part of every professional chef's repertoire.
0:23:24 > 0:23:31And Michel Roux Junior is looking for chefs who aspire to cook them at his two Michelin star level.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36Today, I want our chefs to cook "un oeuf froid Careme".
0:23:36 > 0:23:42This recipe was created by Antonin Careme himself, a famous chef of the 1800s.
0:23:42 > 0:23:48Presentation is vital. It has to look elegant, how Antonin Careme would have served it to royalty.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52The first job is to make the blinis.
0:23:52 > 0:23:57The yeast needs time to rise and to work its magic,
0:23:57 > 0:23:59so we need milk just warm.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03If it's too hot, it will kill the yeast.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05And a little bit of flour.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11Cover this and leave it in a warm place to rise.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Next job, turn the artichoke.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18Turning vegetables is a skill that every chef should know.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22I want a nice, round artichoke heart.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25If the artichoke is badly turned
0:24:25 > 0:24:30or if they leave too much of the inedible green on there, it could go horribly wrong.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38I remember one particular banquet, I had to turn a thousand artichokes
0:24:38 > 0:24:41and every one had to be perfect.
0:24:42 > 0:24:47So this now goes into the boiling water.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50So next, the mayonnaise.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52Dijon mustard.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59And the veg oil.
0:25:00 > 0:25:05And I like to add just a drop of chilli, of bite to it.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08And just to make it very rich and special,
0:25:08 > 0:25:11a spoonful of cream.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16Now for the smoked salmon.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20Some of the mayonnaise.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24Just enough to bind it all together.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29And now a little drop of brandy.
0:25:30 > 0:25:35Just that little bit extra to give a kick to this dish.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37I'm also going to add truffle.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41This is an extravagance, but Careme cooked this dish for royalty,
0:25:41 > 0:25:45so it has to be something special.
0:25:49 > 0:25:50Hmm!
0:25:52 > 0:25:54The next step is to poach the eggs.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58The shape of the poached egg is very important.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01It has to have that lovely, rounded edge to it.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05The skill of the chef is to achieve that without cheating.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09The real way is in water with a drop of vinegar.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13A good boil and then in they go.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24The yolk is still runny and the white has set.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30The next job is to add the remaining ingredients to the blinis.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35We put the egg yolks into the batter mix...
0:26:40 > 0:26:46..and the egg whites we are going to whisk up and fold in at the very last second.
0:26:47 > 0:26:52That is going to give us a blini that is incredibly light.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59There we go. Now we need to cook them.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07It's a matter of seconds
0:27:07 > 0:27:13and you can see those beautiful bubbles which means it's light and airy.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16Check the artichoke.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20If the knife goes through it easily, we know it's cooked.
0:27:20 > 0:27:26The final step, we need to remove these leaves here which are totally inedible
0:27:26 > 0:27:31to reveal what is the choke which is not nice to eat.
0:27:36 > 0:27:41There we go. Perfect shape, perfectly cooked. That's what I'm looking for.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47Time to plate up.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09There we have it - the oeuf froid Careme.
0:28:10 > 0:28:14150 years old recipe,
0:28:14 > 0:28:16but still fit for a king.
0:28:27 > 0:28:33Given the MasterChef jacket makes you feel like you're properly in the competition. It'll only get harder.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36I'd love to cook for Michel. Any chef would.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40Whether he opens you up or he thinks it's good, it doesn't matter.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44I can't wait to cook for Michel, do some old-fashioned dishes,
0:28:44 > 0:28:47turn 'em modern and see what he thinks. It'll be ace.
0:28:47 > 0:28:51He knows what he's talking about. If he doesn't like it, he'll tell you.
0:29:14 > 0:29:19Gregg and Monica told me the skills test wasn't the easiest for you.
0:29:19 > 0:29:23Well, this might be even more of a challenge.
0:29:23 > 0:29:28My classic recipe is an oeuf poche Careme.
0:29:28 > 0:29:33It's a Roux household favourite. One hour. Off you go.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53In the last couple of rounds I've made stupid mistakes
0:29:53 > 0:29:59that could easily have cost me my place. I need to cut those out so nothing gets me knocked out.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03- All right, Sam?- Yes, Chef. - Were you a bit nervous?- Very, today.
0:30:03 > 0:30:10- Why?- I haven't done very well in the first two tests and I feel quite fortunate to be here today.
0:30:10 > 0:30:15- Are you going to redeem yourself with this recipe?- Yeah, I think so.
0:30:15 > 0:30:20- You've turned an artichoke before? - Yeah.- Poached an egg before.- Yeah. But not for a little while.
0:30:20 > 0:30:26- Why MasterChef? Why put yourself through all this pain and agony?- You want to find out how good you are.
0:30:26 > 0:30:31- And to be judged by yourself is an honour. I'm looking forward to it. - Good.
0:30:31 > 0:30:36Sam is classically trained. He's turned his artichoke really well
0:30:36 > 0:30:41and his mayonnaise is spot on. I'm expecting good things from Sam.
0:30:41 > 0:30:4315 minutes gone, guys.
0:30:50 > 0:30:56I think he's looking for sharp food that's done correctly, hopefully.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59I'm not trying to do anything flash. I just want to do stuff right.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02Oli, how's it going?
0:31:02 > 0:31:07- I've got everything on. - Good. Artichoke, smoked salmon, mayonnaise.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11- I'm about to make the blinis. - Have you made blinis before?- No.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14- Classically trained? - Em...sort of.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17- Sort of classically trained. - Sort of, yeah.
0:31:17 > 0:31:23- What is it about work that turns you on?- I love being at work as much as I love cooking.
0:31:23 > 0:31:28- I just like being there, to be honest.- And why MasterChef?
0:31:28 > 0:31:32Something to do on my days off. And I want to learn more, you know.
0:31:32 > 0:31:36MasterChef is something to do on your days off. I love that.
0:31:36 > 0:31:44Oli said he's never cooked this dish before, but Oli is working methodically, step by step.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47Like a true chef. ..Halfway, chefs.
0:31:50 > 0:31:57I've never cooked for any famous chef, so it'll be a treat to see what he thinks.
0:31:57 > 0:32:03Craig has obviously never turned an artichoke before. I don't think he's ever seen an artichoke!
0:32:04 > 0:32:08He's just cut it in half and not taken the leaves out.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13Ah...I don't know.
0:32:14 > 0:32:16- All right, Craig?- Yeah. Nervous.
0:32:16 > 0:32:22- What's making you nervous? - I've never done this before, so... I don't cook a lot of French food.
0:32:22 > 0:32:26- You don't cook French food? - Not a lot. Modern British
0:32:26 > 0:32:32- and I like a bit of Thai as well. - Well, smoked salmon artichokes, poached egg is not the Thai route!
0:32:32 > 0:32:38- No, it's not!- What elements are you worried about?- Just all of it. I don't know what it should look like.
0:32:38 > 0:32:44- I'll just do it my way. That's honest.- Well, maybe your creation is going to be
0:32:44 > 0:32:49- the one that sets you apart - for the right reason.- I hope so!
0:32:49 > 0:32:51Yeah! I hope so, too!
0:32:55 > 0:32:5815 minutes to go.
0:33:09 > 0:33:14I expect to cook the best I can. Michel has achieved his Michelin status.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17Maybe one day I will as well.
0:33:17 > 0:33:24- Paul, where have you trained? - I didn't do college. Classically trained with old-school head chefs
0:33:24 > 0:33:28- who put me through the wringer. - What style of food are you cooking?
0:33:28 > 0:33:31It's modern fine food.
0:33:31 > 0:33:37- Very busy restaurant. Saturday lunch we'll do 150-200 for lunch.- Oh, yes. - So it's just trying to balance that.
0:33:37 > 0:33:42- Making sure we can keep it right every time.- How have you fared?
0:33:42 > 0:33:50It's been a bit of a rollercoaster. Pressure's on now to raise my game and put a good plate of food out.
0:33:50 > 0:33:54- I'm expecting great things from you, Paul.- I hope so! No pressure.
0:33:58 > 0:34:06Paul has really badly turned the artichoke and for some unknown reason he's decided to roast it.
0:34:06 > 0:34:10It doesn't say roast it on the recipe. It's a cold dish.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14Come on, guys. Final five minutes.
0:34:15 > 0:34:20Craig hacked his artichoke, then he started pan frying it.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23Now I think he's put it in the bin.
0:34:24 > 0:34:28- You've not got the artichoke?- No. - Not serving it?- No, it's gone.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47OK, that's it.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05I asked you to cook an oeuf poche Careme.
0:35:05 > 0:35:09The artichoke should be a perfect round,
0:35:09 > 0:35:17cooked just right to have a little bite to it. The blinis should be light, small, airy.
0:35:17 > 0:35:23The egg should be poached perfectly and have a runny yolk, but have the right shape.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40Sam, let's taste yours.
0:35:47 > 0:35:52Sam, your artichoke is well turned. It's a nice round shape.
0:35:52 > 0:35:56I don't like the fact that you've put the blinis underneath it.
0:35:56 > 0:36:02Such a shame when you go to all the trouble of making a light batter to then squash it.
0:36:02 > 0:36:06First we'll see if this egg yolk is runny.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09It's lovely.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18The whole dish is slightly under-seasoned. The artichoke is well turned,
0:36:18 > 0:36:22however, you could have taken away a little bit more leaf.
0:36:22 > 0:36:29But it is a perfect round shape and well cooked. It's well presented, it's neat, it's tidy,
0:36:29 > 0:36:31but it is lacking in flavour.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35'There was a couple of small things Michel picked up on,'
0:36:35 > 0:36:39but overall I think I did a pretty good job of it. Well, hopefully!
0:36:39 > 0:36:42Oli, now for you.
0:36:47 > 0:36:54I like the presentation. It also looks very round. You've turned the artichoke properly.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03Lovely.
0:37:08 > 0:37:13I have to stop myself because I would very easily eat all of that.
0:37:13 > 0:37:15Thanks.
0:37:15 > 0:37:22Seasoning, bang on. A little bit of lemon juice, the right amount of pepper in there,
0:37:22 > 0:37:28the mayonnaise just holds that salmon together. The blinis are light, airy.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31It's a very well-balanced dish.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35- First time you've made blinis?- Yeah. - That's very good, Oli.
0:37:41 > 0:37:43'Massive confidence booster.'
0:37:43 > 0:37:47Just to do well in any round helps you with the next one, hopefully.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50Paul, your turn.
0:37:53 > 0:37:58It's not how I would present the dish.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02But there's a certain style to it.
0:38:06 > 0:38:08That's good.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16The artichoke isn't particularly well turned.
0:38:16 > 0:38:22There's still some very hard pieces there, the exterior green leaf that should be off.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26You poached it or boiled it and then decided to roast it.
0:38:26 > 0:38:30It's got a slightly bitter taste from that roasting.
0:38:30 > 0:38:35The filling is... a little too seasoned.
0:38:35 > 0:38:42Your mayonnaise on the bottom of the plate is really nice and I like the super-fine Julienne.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45The blinis are very light and really nice, good blinis.
0:38:46 > 0:38:51It's not without fault, but it's not a bad attempt.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54Thank you.
0:38:54 > 0:38:58A little bit of inexperience, a little bit of nerves of the day.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01Yeah. It's done now.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05Craig, your turn.
0:39:13 > 0:39:20- So what happened, Craig?- I've never prepped an artichoke. I messed it up and didn't want to serve it to you.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23I thought I'd try Eggs Benedict instead.
0:39:23 > 0:39:29I'd much rather you didn't put those artichoke leaves on the plate. They're not edible.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32It looks really nice. It's a lovely plate of food.
0:39:39 > 0:39:44The egg is well cooked, but the dish that I asked you to prepare asked for a mayonnaise
0:39:44 > 0:39:47and you've given me a hollandaise.
0:39:47 > 0:39:52The blinis are a little bit rubbery. The yeast hasn't had time to work.
0:39:52 > 0:39:58Ah. It's very difficult for me to understand what kind of a chef you are when you don't give me
0:39:58 > 0:40:03anything remotely like the dish I've set.
0:40:06 > 0:40:10It wasn't a hard thing to do, really, if you think about it,
0:40:10 > 0:40:16but it's just in that circumstance, you just... All your thoughts go out the window
0:40:16 > 0:40:21and you go the completely wrong way from the way you should be going.
0:40:33 > 0:40:37You cooked my classic recipe, but it wasn't fault-free.
0:40:38 > 0:40:44Now you're going to cook your classic recipe and I AM expecting fault-free.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47You have got a lot to prove.
0:40:47 > 0:40:52Not just to me, but also to the diner.
0:40:55 > 0:41:01One hour, at the end of which, one of you will be leaving us.
0:41:01 > 0:41:02Off you go.
0:41:18 > 0:41:23It's one dish, it's for an hour. I'm confident I can deliver it.
0:41:23 > 0:41:27It's tried and tested. I'm sure I can pull it off.
0:41:27 > 0:41:31Right, Paul. What are you cooking for us?
0:41:31 > 0:41:35- Fillet of beef a la bourguignon. - So the essence and flavour of the Burgundian style,
0:41:35 > 0:41:38- mushrooms, bacon, red wine.- Yeah.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41Fillet of beef roasted, I take it?
0:41:41 > 0:41:45I'm going to poach it in red wine first to get the Burgundy.
0:41:45 > 0:41:49- Have we got a potato with this? - There's no starch in this dish.
0:41:49 > 0:41:56- We've got cep puree. - Do you want me to quickly knock you up a dauphinoise?- If you have time!
0:41:56 > 0:42:02- What point have you got to make now? - This is the first time cooking our own food.
0:42:02 > 0:42:09This is the first insight into us as a chef, so if you mess it up, it doesn't leave a good taste.
0:42:10 > 0:42:16Paul is going to poach the fillet first in the red wine sauce and then roast it.
0:42:16 > 0:42:20Paul's messing around with it and not serving any spuds!
0:42:20 > 0:42:25- You don't want an overcooked fillet of beef.- 15 minutes have gone!
0:42:34 > 0:42:39I felt like I had a really good round, but this is where the nerves kick in properly.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42If you mess up, you're out.
0:42:42 > 0:42:49- Right, Oli, what are you cooking for us?- Sort of a sole Veronique. Not exactly the same, but similar.
0:42:49 > 0:42:53- What do you mean "sort of"? - I'm doing a beurre blanc.
0:42:53 > 0:42:59I've got some peeled grapes compressed and some salted grapes with a mousse and some truffle.
0:42:59 > 0:43:06Ohhh, wow! I've never, ever before in my life tasted a truffle and a grape together.
0:43:06 > 0:43:11- Does it work?- I think so, yeah. - It rings alarm bells for me.
0:43:11 > 0:43:14- Grapes, truffle. We'll see. - Yes, Chef.
0:43:14 > 0:43:19- What point would you like to prove? - Just that I can cook nice food,
0:43:19 > 0:43:23not complicated. Simple, but well done.
0:43:23 > 0:43:28You take a sole Veronique, change it, add truffle, add a mousse and you say it's simple?
0:43:31 > 0:43:37Sole Veronique is a great French classic. It's a heavenly dish when it's cooked properly.
0:43:37 > 0:43:41We've either got a young genius or somebody's taken the wrong A road.
0:43:42 > 0:43:45Halfway, guys!
0:43:49 > 0:43:56It's all or nothing for me. If I pull this dish off, I think I've got a good chance.
0:43:58 > 0:44:02But if I mess this one up, I'm definitely going home.
0:44:02 > 0:44:05- I'm doing Cornish cream tea. - Cornish cream tea?!
0:44:05 > 0:44:10I've turned a pot of hot tea into an Earl Grey and orange panna cotta
0:44:10 > 0:44:16and I've done an orange and beetroot jelly with baby meringues, mini scones, white chocolate ganache
0:44:16 > 0:44:24- to make little sugar cubes.- Why a dessert? Are you a trained pastry chef?- It's not my strongest aspect,
0:44:24 > 0:44:28but I thought it was go hard or go home, so I'll give it a go.
0:44:28 > 0:44:35- Is there someone special at home you're doing this for? - The wife, I suppose.
0:44:35 > 0:44:39- She thinks all chefs are lazy. - How can she say chefs are lazy?! - I know.
0:44:39 > 0:44:44- She sits in a bank all day. - You're going to prove her wrong. - Definitely.
0:44:45 > 0:44:47It sounds absolutely divine.
0:44:47 > 0:44:51It's like a Mad Hatter's tea party! But Craig has got a lot to prove.
0:44:51 > 0:44:57He had a poor round in my classic. If he pulls this off, this could put him straight back into contention.
0:44:57 > 0:44:5910 minutes!
0:45:05 > 0:45:09Michel's got very high standards. Hopefully, I'll meet them.
0:45:09 > 0:45:14I feel quite confident, as long as everything goes right today.
0:45:14 > 0:45:18- Right, Sam, what's your classic dish?- Chicken with morels.
0:45:18 > 0:45:23I've made a mousse out of the fillets and the chicken livers.
0:45:23 > 0:45:25Just roll that in the ballotine.
0:45:25 > 0:45:28Then a little pea puree. Hopefully, a pea surprise.
0:45:28 > 0:45:36- A pea surprise?- If there's time. Like a pea mousse. I've set it, then fry it and it should explode.
0:45:36 > 0:45:41- Not on you.- So there's really only three ingredients.- Yeah. Chicken, mushroom and peas.
0:45:41 > 0:45:45Classic combination, but you are doing different methods.
0:45:45 > 0:45:52- You're making a ballotine, a mousse, you're confiting.- Why would you push yourself this hard?
0:45:52 > 0:45:57I want to win. I've got my chance and don't want to throw it away.
0:45:57 > 0:46:01Sam is pulling lots of tricks out of his hat. He's got peas exploding...
0:46:01 > 0:46:06It seems improbable that he'll manage to get all of that work done.
0:46:06 > 0:46:08That was him!
0:46:08 > 0:46:11But if he does, we could be onto a winner.
0:46:13 > 0:46:15Last five minutes!
0:46:24 > 0:46:27You have literally got two minutes.
0:46:40 > 0:46:42Stop!
0:46:46 > 0:46:51First up is Paul with his version of beef bourguignon.
0:46:51 > 0:46:55Fillet of beef served with cep puree, pan-fried mushrooms,
0:46:55 > 0:47:00button onions, pancetta, garlic and parsley crisps
0:47:00 > 0:47:03and a red wine foam.
0:47:05 > 0:47:10Presentation, very neat. Colourful. Beef looks a bit small, though.
0:47:18 > 0:47:22For me, the beef is slightly overcooked. I like it a bit rarer.
0:47:22 > 0:47:25But I do like the flavour.
0:47:25 > 0:47:29Marinating it in a little bit of warm red wine, that's a good touch.
0:47:29 > 0:47:34The cep puree is very rich and the sauce is good. Just a little bit too sharp.
0:47:36 > 0:47:39It's crying out for a potato.
0:47:39 > 0:47:44I don't miss a potato, but I'm missing the rest of the beef. Who's got it?
0:47:44 > 0:47:48The beef is going a little dry and I find that red wine slightly bitter,
0:47:48 > 0:47:53but when you put it with that cep puree and bits of smoky bacon and foresty mushrooms,
0:47:53 > 0:47:58the whole thing really comes alive. Quite, quite delicious.
0:47:58 > 0:48:03They didn't tear me to bits. They were 90% happy with it,
0:48:03 > 0:48:07so I can walk away with my head held high.
0:48:07 > 0:48:12Oli's classic dish is a modern take on sole Veronique.
0:48:13 > 0:48:18Sole stuffed with fish mousse, topped with salted red and white compressed grapes,
0:48:18 > 0:48:23ratte potato crisps and slices of truffle,
0:48:23 > 0:48:27served with a leek puree and a verjus beurre blanc.
0:48:28 > 0:48:32Very modern, colourful. And...looks good.
0:48:32 > 0:48:36- Love it. Lovely looking plate. - Thanks.
0:48:41 > 0:48:45Wow! Almost, Chef.
0:48:45 > 0:48:49Almost. There's some heavenly, delightful flavours in there.
0:48:49 > 0:48:55That lovely fish and the truffle and the fish mousse inside is mouth-wateringly, meltingly good.
0:48:55 > 0:48:59And you put that beurre blanc on there and it's just so sharp.
0:48:59 > 0:49:06You've taken me from really, like, mellow and it's really nice and smacked me round the face with it.
0:49:06 > 0:49:11There's some good cooking here. I think the sole is lovely, well seasoned,
0:49:11 > 0:49:15and the truffle works very well with the puree, which is sweet.
0:49:15 > 0:49:20I'm still not sold on the truffle/grape combination, but the big issue is the beurre blanc.
0:49:20 > 0:49:26It's far, far too sharp. Otherwise, it's a very good dish.
0:49:27 > 0:49:30'So up and down, really.'
0:49:30 > 0:49:33There's stuff wrong with it, obviously, as they pointed out,
0:49:33 > 0:49:38but I think, in general, it went to plan kind of thing.
0:49:38 > 0:49:44For his classic dish, Craig has made a miniature Cornish cream tea.
0:49:44 > 0:49:48Beetroot and orange jelly, baby scones and meringues,
0:49:48 > 0:49:54served with an Earl Grey and orange panna cotta with white chocolate and praline sugar cubes.
0:49:56 > 0:49:59Where's the little meringues? ..Ah!
0:49:59 > 0:50:00Ha!
0:50:01 > 0:50:04Presentation - it's really great fun.
0:50:04 > 0:50:09Unfortunately, your sugar cubes of white chocolate have melted a bit.
0:50:19 > 0:50:20Oh...
0:50:20 > 0:50:23Your jelly is decent. It's good.
0:50:23 > 0:50:28Your scones don't work very well. Your panna cotta is an absolute knock-out!
0:50:28 > 0:50:35Comforting tea finishing in sweet, sharper orange is amazing. I've never had that combination before.
0:50:35 > 0:50:37Absolute knock-out.
0:50:37 > 0:50:43The orange and beetroot jelly just melts in the mouth as soon as it gets in there.
0:50:43 > 0:50:47It could have had a few more bits of strawberries to freshen it up.
0:50:47 > 0:50:51Your orange and tea panna cotta I find could do with more tea.
0:50:51 > 0:50:54A little bit more of a kick.
0:50:54 > 0:51:00The mini scones aren't quite as crumbly as they should be, but the combination works well.
0:51:00 > 0:51:06I like the fact that you're not a pastry chef, but you've shown some great skills here.
0:51:06 > 0:51:11'I'm really happy with that dish. Really happy. I don't know.'
0:51:11 > 0:51:1550% of me says I'm going home, the other 50 says, "You'll stay."
0:51:16 > 0:51:21Last up is Sam with a French classic of chicken with morels.
0:51:22 > 0:51:26Chicken breast stuffed with chicken liver and morel mousse,
0:51:26 > 0:51:31chicken wing lollipops, stuffed morels,
0:51:31 > 0:51:33peas served three ways
0:51:33 > 0:51:37and a chicken and sherry vinegar jus.
0:51:39 > 0:51:43It's a modern plate. Is it going to have old-fashioned flavour?
0:51:51 > 0:51:56The chicken is well cooked, the morels are well cooked, the pea puree is nice and smooth
0:51:56 > 0:52:04- and I like these little... How did you describe them?- Pea surprise.- Pea mousse in breadcrumbs, deep fried.
0:52:04 > 0:52:09Really nice. I appreciate the amount of work you've put into this dish.
0:52:09 > 0:52:16And for the best part I think it has worked, but the predominant taste of the sauce is of sherry,
0:52:16 > 0:52:18which is a shame.
0:52:18 > 0:52:24Nice textures, very pretty presentation, but it's not filling your head with yum.
0:52:24 > 0:52:26It's not making me go, "Ahhh!"
0:52:27 > 0:52:30'It feels absolutely fantastic'
0:52:30 > 0:52:34when they give you praise. There's not been quite enough so far for me!
0:52:34 > 0:52:39I hope if I can get through today they'll be happier from now on.
0:52:43 > 0:52:48Your work's over. Our hard work's just about to start.
0:52:48 > 0:52:50Off you go, please, gentlemen.
0:53:00 > 0:53:04That was good cooking today, Gregg. What I liked from all four chefs
0:53:04 > 0:53:09- was the imagination and presentation was up there with the best.- It was.
0:53:09 > 0:53:16There were errors, though. It wasn't fault-free in my round and there were little issues in their round.
0:53:16 > 0:53:21Oli in my classic round had an almost perfect plate of food.
0:53:21 > 0:53:27A beautiful artichoke, perfectly turned and cooked, wonderful poached egg and a beautiful filling.
0:53:27 > 0:53:35I'm pretty convinced Oli is a good cook. The fish was really nice and the fish mousse was delicious,
0:53:35 > 0:53:39but his beurre blanc was far too sharp. It had a "eeesh" factor.
0:53:40 > 0:53:47Obviously, I want to come back and show them more. All those little things I want to get right.
0:53:47 > 0:53:51- For me, Oli's a fine chef in the making.- Can't argue with that.
0:53:51 > 0:53:57Paul in my round didn't cover himself in glory. He turned the artichoke, boiled it and roasted it!
0:53:57 > 0:54:01- Why?! - It didn't say that on the recipe.
0:54:01 > 0:54:04We both agreed Paul's beef was a little dry.
0:54:04 > 0:54:10I thought the red wine sauce was a little sharp, a little bitter,
0:54:10 > 0:54:15but when you put it with that cep puree, the whole thing came alive and was a delight.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18It could have done with a potato,
0:54:18 > 0:54:22but it was good cooking and, above all, great flavours.
0:54:22 > 0:54:29You just keep working hard. The more you put in, the more you get out. Hopefully, we can cook again.
0:54:29 > 0:54:34Sam's attempt at my classic dish looked good, it was well presented,
0:54:34 > 0:54:38but lacked in flavour. And also he'd squashed the blinis.
0:54:38 > 0:54:42You make a lovely light batter and beautiful light blinis
0:54:42 > 0:54:47and you smother it with an artichoke, an egg and smoked salmon!
0:54:47 > 0:54:52He did some sterling work today with that chicken, mushrooms and peas.
0:54:52 > 0:54:53Real craftsmanship.
0:54:53 > 0:54:59There was some fine cooking there. It had lots of little surprises,
0:54:59 > 0:55:03but...the sauce was just overpowering with sherry.
0:55:03 > 0:55:08That's twice I've seen and tasted Sam's food and been let down on flavour.
0:55:08 > 0:55:12There's no weak link in this group of chefs,
0:55:12 > 0:55:16so it's going to be very, very hard to get through.
0:55:16 > 0:55:19Craig had issues with my recipe.
0:55:19 > 0:55:24He had never come across an artichoke before and just cut it in half,
0:55:24 > 0:55:28then decided to roast the leaves and throw away the edible bit.
0:55:28 > 0:55:34I will say Craig did give me a very good-looking plate of smoked salmon and blinis,
0:55:34 > 0:55:39with a perfectly-cooked poached egg and hollandaise. Instead of mayonnaise.
0:55:39 > 0:55:45But then his choice of a dessert for his classic recipe was really ingenious and clever.
0:55:45 > 0:55:51I absolutely loved the Earl Grey and orange panna cotta. I thought that was delicious.
0:55:51 > 0:55:55But his scones were really rubbery and chewy.
0:55:55 > 0:56:01I don't know what they'll judge me on. Will they forget the first one and judge me on my second dish?
0:56:01 > 0:56:03I hope so!
0:56:05 > 0:56:10They're all good cooks. They cooked well. All of them made mistakes,
0:56:10 > 0:56:15- but some made bigger errors than others.- What do you want to do?
0:56:25 > 0:56:29Impressive cooking. Imaginative.
0:56:29 > 0:56:32Skilful. Great to see.
0:56:32 > 0:56:36Unfortunately, one of you is leaving us.
0:56:40 > 0:56:43The chef leaving us is...
0:56:50 > 0:56:51Craig.
0:56:58 > 0:57:04I'm happy I got this far. I'm proud of myself, but I'd like to have come further.
0:57:04 > 0:57:10Just to make Michel smile and laugh was good enough for me. It's good experience.
0:57:10 > 0:57:14Apart from artichokes and bloody sea urchins!
0:57:14 > 0:57:17Well done.
0:57:21 > 0:57:25Absolutely fantastic. You won't wipe the smile off my face today!
0:57:26 > 0:57:32Really happy. I'm still here, so I get to live and fight another day.
0:57:33 > 0:57:39I'm not going to celebrate. I'm going to practise my next dishes and get on that tonight!
0:57:39 > 0:57:42Might have a couple of cheeky beers.
0:57:48 > 0:57:54Tomorrow night, Oli, Paul and Sam will join the other heat winners in the quarter-final.
0:57:55 > 0:57:59Come on! Get it in, out, on - plate it!
0:58:00 > 0:58:03Great flavours and great cooking.
0:58:03 > 0:58:08There's a big row of boxes and you just stuck a fat tick in each one.
0:58:08 > 0:58:11Only the best will go on to cook for the critics
0:58:11 > 0:58:15in a bid for a coveted semi-final place.
0:58:15 > 0:58:22When you start spraying gold onto plates, you are seriously over-compensating for something.
0:58:46 > 0:58:48Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd