0:00:02 > 0:00:07These eight chefs all want to become professional MasterChef champions.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10They've been split into two teams.
0:00:10 > 0:00:15Today, the first group of four have to prove they're good enough to make it to the next level.
0:00:15 > 0:00:21I don't feel as if I've performed at my peak so far. I really need to come out and nail it.
0:00:21 > 0:00:27I'm going in with a solid mind-set. I'm very determined. I want everything to be perfect
0:00:27 > 0:00:32Everyone has got the chance to go through. Who will do it on the day is the question.
0:00:32 > 0:00:38I want to be judged. I've got nobody judging me at the moment. I want to see how good I am.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43First, they will face Monica's infamous skills test.
0:00:43 > 0:00:47You're one messy guy and I don't want to see that.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50You've got one really happy customer here
0:00:50 > 0:00:57Then they finally get the chance to cook for Michel Roux Junior in his classics challenge.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01Whoa, my word! I tell you what that far away, yeah?
0:01:01 > 0:01:05At the end of today, one of them will be sent home.
0:01:10 > 0:01:15Up next is the skills test, a really tough challenge for the chefs.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18What are you going to get them to do?
0:01:18 > 0:01:23Today, Gregg, I'd like them to skin this Dover sole and cook us a portion on the bone.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26Show me how it's done. I'm fascinated with this one.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30I just put the knife through and pull that away, so it loosens a bit.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33It gives me something to hold on to.
0:01:34 > 0:01:40You can cut the sides here off immediately or you can leave them on and remove them afterwards.
0:01:41 > 0:01:46Hold this part down without damaging the flesh and you're just going to pull the skin away,
0:01:46 > 0:01:50so pressure on there and just pull it away.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55That looked remarkably easy.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58The same again on the other side. Pull that away.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01Yeah, I see.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04Wahey! Yay! OK...
0:02:04 > 0:02:08This is how we normally see a lovely Dover sole when you get it whole.
0:02:08 > 0:02:14I love a whole fish like this, but we want our chefs to have a bit of a challenge.
0:02:14 > 0:02:19Just go straight through there You're not using the head.
0:02:19 > 0:02:25OK? And you can portion from about that. That would give you enough for one portion. OK?
0:02:28 > 0:02:34You then have these little bones here which you see. Make sure you take them all off
0:02:37 > 0:02:40Right, and now I'm ready to cook. Good, good, good.
0:02:43 > 0:02:48Cooking the fish on the bone lets the heat travel through the fish evenly.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50It keeps the fish more moist.
0:02:50 > 0:02:55It's got that flavour that I find you lose when you remove the fillets of fish.
0:02:55 > 0:03:00They can use any of these ingredients, but I want them to do this fish justice.
0:03:29 > 0:03:34There you have it, Gregg - pan-fried sole on the bone, caper butter and samphire.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36Beautiful.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38Yeah!
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Soft, delicate piece of fish,
0:03:44 > 0:03:47slippery saltiness from the butter,
0:03:47 > 0:03:51slight sharp tang from the capers. Beautiful.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55I don't see why they can't cook a piece of fish beautifully.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58I just worry about a portion on the bone.
0:03:58 > 0:04:04I think I'll get some decent plates today from our chefs, otherwise I'll be a very unhappy Monica.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08Shall we get 'em in? Yeah, let's do it.
0:04:12 > 0:04:17First up is Kit who runs his own restaurant in Cornwall
0:04:17 > 0:04:23In the first round, Monica and Gregg were confused by his decision to combine sardines,
0:04:23 > 0:04:25gnocchi and an endive salad.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29I've been cooking for 20 years
0:04:29 > 0:04:31If it's fish or meat prep, that's fine.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35I think if they catch me out, they'll catch us all out.
0:04:39 > 0:04:45This is obviously a Dover sole We would like you to skin that
0:04:45 > 0:04:50and then prepare and cook a portion on the bone
0:04:51 > 0:04:55And serve it using anything on the table.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59Right oh, Kit, 12 minutes. It's just you and that fish. Off you go.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13There you are.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28Yay!
0:05:48 > 0:05:50Halfway, Kit. Six minutes left
0:06:02 > 0:06:05You've got three minutes left.
0:06:26 > 0:06:2830 seconds left.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34All done?
0:06:34 > 0:06:37Yeah, I think so.
0:06:41 > 0:06:46Kit, you've always removed the skin from the top? Yeah, it's how I was taught.
0:06:46 > 0:06:51Oh, I'd like to meet who taught you. We normally start from the tail of the fish.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55Should you slip with the knife and cause any damage, it's on the tail.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59It's not an important part of the fish. OK.
0:06:59 > 0:07:04You've roasted it in the oven which is fine. It's a nice, tidy plate.
0:07:04 > 0:07:10My only issue as a diner is the bones sticking out. I want that work done for me in the kitchen
0:07:10 > 0:07:12Sure.
0:07:23 > 0:07:28Kit, your Dover sole has been cooked really well. It comes off the bone quite easily.
0:07:28 > 0:07:35Your beurre noisette was getting very dark, but you added enough butter back in there to rescue it.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38You showed skill in being able to fix the situation.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40Not bad, Kit. Not bad at all.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44Trim the bones off. Yeah, sure
0:07:44 > 0:07:46Thank you very much. Thank you
0:07:58 > 0:08:01I feel OK. It could have been worse.
0:08:01 > 0:08:07The way I've got to look at it is if these three boys get it perfect, I'm out of here. So we'll see.
0:08:11 > 0:08:1626-year-old Steven was Sussex Young Chef of the Year in 2010
0:08:16 > 0:08:21He got off to a good start with a dish of sardines served three ways.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26I would love to have another good round
0:08:26 > 0:08:29and to be able to do a skills test I'm happy with
0:08:29 > 0:08:35would give me a good foundation for the rest of the competition It could make or break me.
0:08:37 > 0:08:42Steven, skin the sole and cook us one portion on the bone.
0:08:42 > 0:08:4412 minutes. Off you go, chef.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08That's one bit gone.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31You're halfway. Six minutes left.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50You know we want you to serve a portion on the bone
0:09:50 > 0:09:52Yeah.
0:09:52 > 0:09:57Do you? I'm going to serve the whole fish as a portion.
0:09:57 > 0:09:58Right.
0:10:02 > 0:10:0560 seconds. Come on, mate.
0:10:11 > 0:10:1430 seconds. Right, 30 seconds. Come on, come on.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16Done?
0:10:16 > 0:10:18Done.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20Phew!
0:10:29 > 0:10:34What we wanted you to do was to skin the sole
0:10:34 > 0:10:37and cook us a portion.
0:10:37 > 0:10:43What you've given us is a half-skinned Dover sole and a whole fish on here.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49Wahey!
0:10:57 > 0:10:58Hmm!
0:10:58 > 0:11:03Beautifully cooked piece of fish. You really kept your eye on that, took care over that.
0:11:03 > 0:11:10It's just got that soft springiness, the capers giving it sharpness and the samphire giving it salt - great.
0:11:10 > 0:11:15Make sure you get all those little bones off. You can cook you have skill, but listen.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18Cheers, mate. Thank you. Off you go.
0:11:31 > 0:11:37It's easy to hear what you want to hear, rather than listen to what she's saying,
0:11:37 > 0:11:42so schoolboy errors, really, but there are some positives in there, I think.
0:11:45 > 0:11:4929-year-old Vinny has seven years' professional experience.
0:11:50 > 0:11:56His first dish of grilled sardines with endive and pomegranate salad scored well on taste,
0:11:56 > 0:11:58but fell short on refinement.
0:11:58 > 0:12:03Following on from last time, Monica will be looking for the basic skills,
0:12:03 > 0:12:07but also maybe a little bit of improvisational skills possibly.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10Who knows how her mind works?
0:12:12 > 0:12:16OK, Vinny, I want to see a professional chef here.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20OK, a portion on the bone. Off you go, Vinny.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29I've got the shakes. It's terrible.
0:12:41 > 0:12:42Hmm...
0:12:42 > 0:12:46I love that. I've never seen that done like that. That's fantastic.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49Really? Yeah, yeah. Well done.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01You've had three minutes. OK.
0:13:05 > 0:13:10I've still got the shakes. Stop shaking. You're doing well
0:13:31 > 0:13:34Last 60 seconds there, chef.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48I think that's it. All done? I think so, yeah.
0:13:55 > 0:14:00You obviously are a chef with skills because you managed to skin that sole like a pro.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04However, you're one messy guy and I don't want to see that.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21For me, one side of that fish is slightly underdone.
0:14:21 > 0:14:27I can understand that from a customer's point of view As a chef, I'd happily eat that
0:14:27 > 0:14:33Listen, you've done what I've asked you to do, but I'm not happy with the process it took you to get there
0:14:33 > 0:14:38because I told you from the beginning that I wanted to see a professional chef working here.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41Off you go. Thank you.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57I think I showed the skills that I thought they were looking for,
0:14:57 > 0:15:03but a massive part of being a professional chef is working like a professional
0:15:03 > 0:15:06Yeah, if you can go back in, it'll be so much different.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13Last up is 25-year-old Tom,
0:15:13 > 0:15:18junior sous-chef in a one Michelin-starred restaurant in Wiltshire.
0:15:18 > 0:15:25Last round, his sardines, cucumber and caramelised endive showed definite potential.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28For my age, I've got a lot of knowledge,
0:15:28 > 0:15:32but it's out of my hands. I'm either going to know what I'm doing or I'm not.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37If I don't make a good impression, I'll be disappointed in myself
0:15:38 > 0:15:42Right oh, 12 minutes. Off you go, young man.
0:15:50 > 0:15:55I haven't done this in quite a while, this process.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12You've had three minutes.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26Yeah, I think so, chef. Well done.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30Monica was ready to scream then
0:16:33 > 0:16:35You've got six minutes left.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13Three minutes left, chef.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26Aagh! Sorry.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28Sorry, I forgot it was in the oven.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36Come on.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43There you go. All done?
0:17:43 > 0:17:45Yes.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55How was that for you, Tom? It was OK.
0:17:55 > 0:18:00There's a couple of things that, looking back, I'd have done a bit differently. Such as?
0:18:00 > 0:18:07I'd have trimmed the frills off the fish and I wouldn't have put as many capers on the plate. Exactly.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10I asked you to work like a professional chef and you did
0:18:10 > 0:18:13Wahey!
0:18:23 > 0:18:26Look at the way it comes off of here. It's just perfect.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33Absolutely lovely. Really, really lovely.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36You've got one really happy customer here
0:18:36 > 0:18:41That is soft, beautiful fish. Really lovely, salty tang of the capers.
0:18:41 > 0:18:46The butter's going brown, leaving a bit of nuttiness. I tell you what, I'm really happy.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49That's enveloping me in yum, that is, mate.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53There's a lot of capers, but because you rinsed them off, they're fine.
0:18:53 > 0:18:59And I love it with the samphire as well that's been put through the butter.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02It's all really well done. I'm happy you enjoyed it.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04Enjoyed it?
0:19:04 > 0:19:07That's gone beyond tasting, mate.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11Thank you very much. Off you go
0:19:15 > 0:19:17Good lad.
0:19:20 > 0:19:25I feel like Monica was impressed with what I cooked today for her.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28Gregg also seemed quite happy, so it's a thumbs-up for me.
0:19:32 > 0:19:37Gregg, there's the skill test done. A couple, I think, will go on and impress Michel.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40A couple, I think, are highly doubtful. I don't know.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44We might be surprised. Really. We could well be surprised.
0:19:55 > 0:20:00This classic recipe is a selle de lievre rotie a la moutarde
0:20:00 > 0:20:05a saddle of hare roasted with mustard veloute sauce.
0:20:05 > 0:20:10Not all chefs are experienced in cooking game and this is a true test of their craft.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14The first job is to prepare the saddle.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17We need to remove all the sinew
0:20:21 > 0:20:28And all this sinew and trimming is going to go to make a wonderful stock,
0:20:28 > 0:20:30a base for our sauce.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38So the hare saddle is prepped
0:20:38 > 0:20:42and we now need to colour off all these trimmings.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49I'm going to add to that some onion.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55A little bit of garlic.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03Some juniper berries.
0:21:03 > 0:21:08Juniper berries are very strong so you only want a few in there
0:21:08 > 0:21:12They give a lovely fragrant flavour which works perfectly with game
0:21:12 > 0:21:15A bay leaf and some thyme.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19Again it's about layers of flavours.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24A little bit of brown sugar, just a tiny bit...
0:21:25 > 0:21:28..to add sweetness to this dish
0:21:28 > 0:21:30The red wine goes in.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37And simmer for about ten, fifteen minutes
0:21:37 > 0:21:40A reduction will happen, so it will intensify the flavours.
0:21:43 > 0:21:48As a garnish for the hare, I'm going to prepare a classic pomme fondante.
0:21:50 > 0:21:55I'm going to make the classic bar of soap shape.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59Butter, a little bay leaf.
0:21:59 > 0:22:04You could put some thyme in there, another flavouring, seasoning and a touch of water.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10We have to roast the saddle of hare now.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14And in it goes.
0:22:14 > 0:22:19The pan should be hot, hot enough to sear the outside of this lovely hare saddle.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21It mustn't burn.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27Now the hare has got that lovely colour,
0:22:27 > 0:22:33it goes in the oven for about six minutes, no more because we want this to rest.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41That's what I want to see in a fondant,
0:22:41 > 0:22:43beautiful, golden,
0:22:43 > 0:22:48and truly, truly soaked in butter.
0:22:59 > 0:23:05In the roasting pan, we have got lots of beautiful, natural, caramelised flavour.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07To that, I add brandy...
0:23:09 > 0:23:11..and port.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17And for sweetness, a little bit of blackcurrant liqueur.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24Then I add our hare stock that we made with the red wine
0:23:26 > 0:23:31We're gradually building layers of flavour to this sauce.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34Just a touch of cream.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41Bring that back to the boil and reduce it down a tiny bit.
0:23:41 > 0:23:46To finish it off, add a little bit of spice and sharpness -
0:23:46 > 0:23:48some Dijon mustard.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58The sauce has got that almost chocolatey look.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01It's absolutely divine.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04Time to plate up.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11Oh, that is perfect,
0:24:11 > 0:24:15lovely and pink, just as it should be.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45And there we have it,
0:24:45 > 0:24:50selle de lievre rotie and veloute de moutarde -
0:24:50 > 0:24:55a saddle of hare roast on the bone with a red wine and mustard veloute sauce.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58This is exactly what I want to see.
0:24:59 > 0:25:04This will really test our chefs skills, knowledge and palate.
0:25:17 > 0:25:22Welcome back to the MasterChef kitchen. You've had your chance to cook and impress Monica.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25Now's your chance to impress me -
0:25:25 > 0:25:29first, to cook my classic recipe,
0:25:29 > 0:25:34and then to cook your interpretation of a classic dish.
0:25:34 > 0:25:40For my dish, I want you to cook un rable de lievre au vin rouge et moutarde.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43That's a saddle of hare in a red wine and mustard sauce
0:25:43 > 0:25:49You have a basic recipe, but without any weights or measures.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53Trust your judgment as chefs.
0:25:54 > 0:25:59One hour to nail this dish. Do yourselves proud. Off you go
0:26:23 > 0:26:27I think I've got what it takes to impress Michel. I hope so anyway.
0:26:27 > 0:26:34It's tricky because he knows what he wants, what the dish is supposed to be like and how it's always been.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40Are you classically trained, Tom?
0:26:40 > 0:26:45Not overly classically trained Obviously, I had a bit of classic training at college
0:26:45 > 0:26:48But places that I've worked, it's more been modern-style food.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52Where are you working now? At a country house in Wiltshire
0:26:52 > 0:26:57What position? Junior sous-chef How old are you, Tom? 25. 25?
0:26:57 > 0:27:00That's a good position to have at your age. Thank you.
0:27:00 > 0:27:06What's your background? I've worked in Michelin-star restaurants for the past three years.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09Prior to that, one and two rosette restaurants
0:27:09 > 0:27:13I look forward to tasting this Thank you. Thank you, Tom.
0:27:16 > 0:27:22Tom has got really good experience in high-end restaurants and I think I can see that in him.
0:27:22 > 0:27:29He's roasting off the trimmings and the bones to get caramelisation to add flavour to the sauce.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31I like the way Tom is working.
0:27:38 > 0:27:45I think Michel will be looking for professional standards in all aspects of the challenge
0:27:45 > 0:27:49It's something I've probably taken from the last one, so I've taken my earrings out
0:27:49 > 0:27:52and hopefully, I'll be smarter, cleaner.
0:27:54 > 0:27:59My whole approach would be as you would expect in a two-star kitchen.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06All right, Vinny?
0:28:06 > 0:28:07Chef.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09Have you worked with hare before?
0:28:09 > 0:28:14Never, but I've worked with rabbit, so I'm taking that as a similar principle.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17Are you classically trained? No, I'm not.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21A lot of my early work was in high volume chain restaurants.
0:28:21 > 0:28:27Why MasterChef? It's just a great opportunity to test myself against all the other guys
0:28:27 > 0:28:31and put something in front of yourself that you hopefully won't hate.
0:28:33 > 0:28:39This is a real classic and he has no classic background training
0:28:40 > 0:28:44Has he got enough experience, really, to nail this dish?
0:28:49 > 0:28:52Halfway. 30 minutes gone.
0:29:00 > 0:29:04For Michel Roux Junior to love my dish would mean the world to me.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08I think it would just give you the confidence
0:29:08 > 0:29:12that you're on the right track in a way and that you can do it
0:29:17 > 0:29:20Steven, do you understand this recipe?
0:29:20 > 0:29:24I've never used hare before and I've never done a recipe like this,
0:29:24 > 0:29:30so I'm not quite sure whether I should have taken it off the saddle, but that's the way I've gone with it.
0:29:30 > 0:29:35It's too late now. You can't stick it back on. This is how I'd do a rabbit.
0:29:35 > 0:29:39I'm just going with what I can work with and hope I do a good plate of food for you,
0:29:39 > 0:29:44even if it's not the exact plate that you were looking for.
0:29:44 > 0:29:49Where are you working now? I'm working in a five-star hotel in West Sussex.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52I'm head chef of one of the restaurants. Well done.
0:29:52 > 0:29:56It's not the top of the ladder I'm still trying to learn as much as I can.
0:29:56 > 0:30:00Absolutely. I'm still learning Absolutely. I love your attitude.
0:30:01 > 0:30:07Steven says he's cooking his interpretation of my dish which is fine,
0:30:07 > 0:30:12as long as he's showing off the skills and technique that I want to see.
0:30:13 > 0:30:1820 minutes. You should be thinking about the garnish now.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21Have an idea of how you're going to plate it up.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25My basics is French classic cooking.
0:30:26 > 0:30:31It's the only way I was taught and I still think it's the right way.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37Hi, Kit. Hi, chef. How's it going? I'm happy.
0:30:37 > 0:30:39Am I going to be happy? I hope so.
0:30:39 > 0:30:45Are you trained in the classics I did two years at a classic French restaurant in London as my grounding.
0:30:45 > 0:30:51That was a long time ago, so, yeah, I'm getting it all back. But I still use it today in my own kitchen
0:30:51 > 0:30:53In your own kitchen, so head chef?
0:30:53 > 0:30:56Chef de patron. Chef patron? I know.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58An owner of a restaurant.
0:30:58 > 0:31:03I've done a lot of years in the lower ranks and just learned how to do it, how not to do it
0:31:03 > 0:31:09then you get your own place and you apply all those things, so I'm happy with the direction I took.
0:31:14 > 0:31:18I like the fact that Kit is using some of the offal of the hare.
0:31:18 > 0:31:24He's using all of the animal as a little garnish. He's thinking outside of the box.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28Ten minutes.
0:31:34 > 0:31:39Everyone's focused, paying attention, looking at that little detail.
0:31:39 > 0:31:41I think I'm in for a treat.
0:31:49 > 0:31:5390 seconds. Everything should be falling into place now.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04That's it. Time's up.
0:32:05 > 0:32:06Finished.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17I asked you to cook a rable de lievre, sauce vin rouge et moutarde -
0:32:17 > 0:32:23a saddle of hare with a red wine and mustard sauce to be cooked on the bone,
0:32:23 > 0:32:25served beautifully pink,
0:32:25 > 0:32:30the sauce a perfect balance and harmony for the saddle of hare.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34The potato fondant should be laden with butter
0:32:34 > 0:32:38and the garnish has to be beautiful.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42Tom, let's see what you've done
0:32:57 > 0:33:02Tom, you've chosen to roast on the bone which is what I was looking for
0:33:02 > 0:33:09but you've served it on the bone and that's quite tricky for the customer to take it off there.
0:33:09 > 0:33:14It's neat, dainty. It's a really big pomme fondante, though. That's a lot to eat.
0:33:14 > 0:33:18I can see your endives have gone slightly too far.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21When they're black like that, they tend to be a bit bitter.
0:33:38 > 0:33:43The seasoning of the whole dish is very good. Really good seasoning.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46The hare itself is a little bit chewy
0:33:46 > 0:33:50and that's because you've taken that part which is nearer the neck
0:33:50 > 0:33:56and not the most tender part which is the saddle that I was looking for,
0:33:56 > 0:33:58but it is pink and still moist
0:33:58 > 0:34:05I love the fact that you've roasted the white asparagus. It just adds another dimension and adds flavour.
0:34:05 > 0:34:09The sauce, which is very important, is a bit wishy-washy.
0:34:09 > 0:34:13It hasn't got the depth of flavour I'm looking for, but not a bad effort.
0:34:13 > 0:34:16Thank you, Tom. Thank you, chef
0:34:21 > 0:34:24I could have just whipped that off the bone.
0:34:24 > 0:34:28It would have taken me ten seconds. But I didn't.
0:34:28 > 0:34:32It is quite annoying looking back on it now, but...hey-ho.
0:34:33 > 0:34:35Vinny, your turn.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54It's very neat, very tidy, very skilful.
0:34:54 > 0:34:58For a big fella, you've got a light touch.
0:35:16 > 0:35:17Hmm...
0:35:17 > 0:35:23You took the saddle off the bone and roasted it in plenty of butter.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27It's not what I was looking for
0:35:27 > 0:35:31but...it's been well cooked.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33It's lovely and pink and succulent.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38The sauce is just right.
0:35:38 > 0:35:43Right amount of mustard, cream. . Sweet and sour. Really good.
0:35:43 > 0:35:47The pomme fondante and the endive are lacking in seasoning,
0:35:47 > 0:35:52but you've used raw white asparagus, shaved really fine.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54It adds a bit of freshness to this dish.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57It shows to me, on a classic dish,
0:35:57 > 0:36:02you can actually do your own little interpretation
0:36:02 > 0:36:04and it works.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07Well done, Vinny.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18I feel relieved that I haven't gone down in a blaze of disaster.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21I think this is my strongest challenge so far.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24Steven, let's have a look.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42Yeah, I like that.
0:36:42 > 0:36:48The one thing that really strikes me, though, that I don't like is the fondant.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51It looks like there's a chunk missing.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54I'd be annoyed if I had half a fondant on my plate.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58That broke up, didn't it? It collapsed.
0:37:12 > 0:37:17The saddle of hare you've roasted off the bone,
0:37:17 > 0:37:20but in plenty of butter and it's kept nice and pink.
0:37:20 > 0:37:24Medium-rare, pink, which is lovely. It's moist, succulent.
0:37:24 > 0:37:30The sauce is very good. The right consistency, right amount of cream and mustard. Good judgment.
0:37:30 > 0:37:35The whole dish is seasoned well Good palate and good attention to detail there.
0:37:35 > 0:37:40A lot of positives here, but such a let-down, the fondant.
0:37:51 > 0:37:55I wanted it to be perfect for him and I just let myself down a little bit,
0:37:55 > 0:38:01but I'm confident that I've got his attention, hopefully for the right reasons
0:38:01 > 0:38:03Kit, your turn.
0:38:19 > 0:38:25I like your plate here, Kit. I think the presentation is really good You've got a bit of height on there.
0:38:28 > 0:38:33Not only you've served it on the bone, but you've put it upside down.
0:38:33 > 0:38:38This side is where the bone is and there's just the tiny little fillets there.
0:38:38 > 0:38:41That side is where the loin is
0:38:54 > 0:38:58Hmm... The saddle of hare is slightly overdone,
0:38:58 > 0:39:05but because it was roasted on the bone, it has retained moisture and is not too dry.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07The sauce is really good.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10Very good indeed. Intense flavour.
0:39:10 > 0:39:15And it's just got enough mustard in there to cut through the richness,
0:39:15 > 0:39:21but then again, I expect that from you with your classical background and classical training.
0:39:21 > 0:39:26For me, the star of the show, the star of this plate is something which I didn't ask for - the offal.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29I could have a plate of just that and your sauce.
0:39:33 > 0:39:34Thank you.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40Today really was my cup of tea
0:39:40 > 0:39:46There was a few little things wrong, but he was really happy and if he's happy, I'm happy.
0:39:54 > 0:39:57Now it's your classic recipe.
0:39:57 > 0:39:59I want to see fireworks.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04After this round, one of you will be leaving us.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10One hour. Off you go.
0:40:29 > 0:40:34I couldn't do what I'm going to do today en masse. It's going to take me an hour to do one.
0:40:34 > 0:40:39I timed it at 57 minutes in my own kitchen, so it will be hard today,
0:40:39 > 0:40:43but it's worth it, I think. It's really, really good.
0:40:45 > 0:40:50Right, Kit... Hi there. What's the classic recipe you've come up with?
0:40:50 > 0:40:57The dish I'm doing today is tuna nicoise. Salade nicoise is a basic staple of the French Riviera.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00Have you been there? I've been to France, but not to the Riviera.
0:41:00 > 0:41:06I've done a nicoise at the classic restaurant I worked at and I've done it ever since.
0:41:06 > 0:41:11This is my best interpretation of it. The ingredients need to sing because it is a salad.
0:41:11 > 0:41:16It's not massively technically difficult, but I just want it to taste amazing.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21Kit is cooking tuna two ways.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24He's confiting and grilling, so serving some of it seared
0:41:24 > 0:41:31and some of it cooked, like you would in a tin, in oil, which is delicious when it's done properly.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34I hope Kit is going to deliver that.
0:41:42 > 0:41:46I'm not taking it easy today. I m going to push myself to the limit.
0:41:46 > 0:41:51Things have got to be right, but I'm confident that I can do that.
0:41:51 > 0:41:56I haven't come here to do an average dish. I've come here to do a great dish.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07Steven, what classic are you cooking?
0:42:07 > 0:42:09Provencal lamb.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11Provencal lamb? Yeah.
0:42:11 > 0:42:16I thought it looked a bit Provencal with the peppers and these lovely Provencal ingredients.
0:42:16 > 0:42:22What's that cooking? Chef, that's my fondant potatoes. That's your fondants? Hmm.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26Take two. Is there something in there?
0:42:26 > 0:42:33We've got butter topped up with water and then we've got vanilla in there as well, so that's a bit unusual.
0:42:33 > 0:42:38A bit, yeah. I mean, vanilla is not Provencal. No, it's not. No.
0:42:38 > 0:42:42This is where I'm adding my... That's your take... Of course. Your twist, yeah.
0:42:46 > 0:42:51He has to prove to me that he knows how to cook a fondant properly now.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56For me, potato and vanilla is not my favourite.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04Halfway, guys. 30 minutes.
0:43:16 > 0:43:18Vinny, what are you cooking for me?
0:43:18 > 0:43:23I'm doing fillets of sole with a cucumber gazpacho and salsify.
0:43:23 > 0:43:26Not a classic dish as such. I thought the gazpacho was classic,
0:43:26 > 0:43:33but twisting it slightly to make it very light and summery to accompany the sole which is quite delicate.
0:43:33 > 0:43:36I was really impressed with your presentation in the first round
0:43:36 > 0:43:41and this sounds like it's a very light and delicate dish. That is the idea behind it.
0:43:41 > 0:43:45Let the fish speak for itself, really. Yeah.
0:43:48 > 0:43:54There's not massive amounts of technical skill, barring the fish prep,
0:43:54 > 0:43:58so I've got to nail every single element and it'll be beautiful
0:43:58 > 0:44:02but if one of them's off, it'll be average at best.
0:44:10 > 0:44:15I'm quite nervous about cooking my classic dish because it is one of the big classics.
0:44:15 > 0:44:18It's a north France, traditional peasant dish.
0:44:18 > 0:44:21If it doesn't work, then Michel might take offence
0:44:23 > 0:44:26I'm doing my interpretation of coq au vin.
0:44:26 > 0:44:30I'm trying to get the depth of a classic coq au vin,
0:44:30 > 0:44:35which is, as we both know, quite a time-consuming dish, a day marinading.
0:44:35 > 0:44:40I've got to get those flavours on a plate in an hour. What got you into cooking?
0:44:40 > 0:44:44When I was younger, my mum was a single parent.
0:44:44 > 0:44:50She used to work late hours. I'd get home from school, see what was in the fridge and rustle something up.
0:44:50 > 0:44:57There were some interesting towers of food, everything bound with rice because that's all we had in.
0:44:57 > 0:45:03My mum suggested to me that I go into it, I went to college and I've never looked back.
0:45:04 > 0:45:06I've just got to go up and up and up.
0:45:09 > 0:45:11I love a coq au vin.
0:45:11 > 0:45:18I mean, the classic tradition of braising an old cockerel in red wine and marinading it the day before,
0:45:18 > 0:45:20it's a truly wonderful dish.
0:45:24 > 0:45:29Can he get the real taste of a coq au vin in this dish in under an hour?
0:45:34 > 0:45:38Five minutes. Woo-hoo! Five to go.
0:45:58 > 0:46:02Come on, we're in the dying seconds. Get it on the plate now.
0:46:17 > 0:46:19That's it, finished. Time is up
0:46:24 > 0:46:30First up is Kit with his version of tuna nicoise -
0:46:30 > 0:46:33seared tuna rolled in wild garlic,
0:46:33 > 0:46:36tuna confit and a deep-fried poached egg,
0:46:36 > 0:46:41served with potatoes topped with French beans, anchovy, tomato,
0:46:41 > 0:46:46an olive tapenade, mustard aioli and charred flatbread.
0:46:48 > 0:46:51I love the colours
0:46:51 > 0:46:56and I love the fact that there's recognisable elements of the salade nicoise.
0:47:00 > 0:47:02Hmm, lovely.
0:47:06 > 0:47:08Hmm!
0:47:13 > 0:47:16The egg is lovely.
0:47:16 > 0:47:19It's crisp on the outside and beautiful and runny.
0:47:19 > 0:47:26The yolk running into all those lovely flavours is delicious. It makes the salad and the dressing.
0:47:26 > 0:47:32The seared tuna, rolled in the chopped-up wild garlic, is lovely. Really, really nice
0:47:32 > 0:47:37The tuna confit, the one that's cooked in the oil, is a bit dry, unfortunately.
0:47:37 > 0:47:39The flatbread didn't quite make it.
0:47:39 > 0:47:46You could have done with another three or four minutes to cook it off completely. Not quite cooked enough.
0:47:46 > 0:47:52It's not quite a balanced dish It's not as light as I was imagining you were going to make it.
0:47:52 > 0:47:56He can see that I pushed myself and I did push myself,
0:47:56 > 0:47:59but I want perfection for him and that wasn't perfect.
0:47:59 > 0:48:06For his take on lamb Provencal Steven roasted his lamb in a thyme and rosemary crust
0:48:06 > 0:48:12and served it on a bed of ratatouille with vanilla fondant potato,
0:48:12 > 0:48:15courgette and basil puree,
0:48:15 > 0:48:19a strip of black olive crumb, topped with capers, pine nuts
0:48:19 > 0:48:21and a lamb sauce.
0:48:24 > 0:48:26Beautiful colours.
0:48:26 > 0:48:30Beautiful colours and I really do like your presentation.
0:48:30 > 0:48:34I would have liked to see a little bit more of that black olive crumb.
0:48:34 > 0:48:39If you had moved that slightly to the left and that slightly to the right
0:48:39 > 0:48:44the customer would see that lovely black line which draws the eye
0:48:49 > 0:48:50Hmm!
0:49:08 > 0:49:12The pomme fondante cooked, buttery, seasoned properly,
0:49:12 > 0:49:14did not need the vanilla.
0:49:16 > 0:49:19Vanilla in Provence...? No.
0:49:20 > 0:49:24Beautifully cooked lamb. Lovely
0:49:24 > 0:49:27Good seasoning. Pink, moist, tender.
0:49:27 > 0:49:31Lovely herb crust on top of the rack there as well.
0:49:31 > 0:49:37The ratatouille is good, but it s too tomatoey. A classic ratatouille only has a bit of fresh tomato
0:49:37 > 0:49:44The crumb of black olive going down the middle is really nice Lovely tones of tapenade almost
0:49:44 > 0:49:49A delicious plate of food, singing of Provence. Such a shame about the fondant
0:49:49 > 0:49:52Vanilla-flavoured potato? No.
0:49:52 > 0:49:57Although there was a bit of controversy with the flavour
0:49:57 > 0:50:00it was nice to prove to Michel that I can do a fondant.
0:50:01 > 0:50:06Vinny's fillet of sole has been served on charred courgette ribbons
0:50:06 > 0:50:11with pickled onion, salsify, garlic croutons, pea shoots
0:50:11 > 0:50:14and a courgette and lettuce gazpacho.
0:50:16 > 0:50:18First off, it is beautiful.
0:50:18 > 0:50:24It looks lovely. It looks so elegant and light, exactly how you described it to me.
0:50:24 > 0:50:27I love the fact that you've cooked it on one side only
0:50:27 > 0:50:31and residual heat has carried on cooking the sole
0:50:31 > 0:50:35It's not an easy way to cook fish, but it's very effective.
0:50:47 > 0:50:50It's not easy to cook lemon sole
0:50:50 > 0:50:56because if you overcook it by a matter of seconds, it becomes cotton wool and bland and horrible.
0:50:56 > 0:51:00You've managed to cook it perfectly. It's lovely and moist.
0:51:00 > 0:51:04It's delicate and it's got a lovely crisp edge to it as well.
0:51:04 > 0:51:09Very good cooking. You've got texture with the croutons and the cucumber.
0:51:09 > 0:51:13My only little criticism I can find is the gazpacho.
0:51:13 > 0:51:18The cucumber gazpacho is a little bit too sharp,
0:51:18 > 0:51:21but whoa, my word, I tell you what!
0:51:21 > 0:51:24Hmm! That far away, yeah?
0:51:27 > 0:51:33I'm a little bit in shock, really, but yeah, that was more than I could have hoped for him to say.
0:51:33 > 0:51:36Last up is Tom.
0:51:36 > 0:51:42For his interpretation of a classic coq au vin, he poached then roasted the crown
0:51:42 > 0:51:47and served it with braised chicken wings, fondant potato, pancetta crisp
0:51:47 > 0:51:51cep powder, a swipe of sweet onion puree
0:51:51 > 0:51:54and a red wine sauce.
0:52:08 > 0:52:12The chicken, poached and then roast, really works.
0:52:12 > 0:52:16It's a shame you didn't have more time to leave it
0:52:16 > 0:52:19in that red wine broth to pick up more red wine flavour.
0:52:19 > 0:52:24But you've got that in the wings. Pomme fondante, slightly over.
0:52:24 > 0:52:26The colour on there is too much
0:52:26 > 0:52:30I love the dried mushroom or dried cep powder on there.
0:52:30 > 0:52:35It really does intensify the mushroom flavour to this dish.
0:52:35 > 0:52:42The sauce is heavenly. It really has got all the flavours of the classic coq au vin. Delicious.
0:52:42 > 0:52:45This was a very ambitious dish
0:52:45 > 0:52:48but I think you've pulled it off. Yeah.
0:52:51 > 0:52:53I'm pleased with how I executed it.
0:52:53 > 0:53:00It should be OK, but nothing's set in stone. There are three very good chefs that I'm working with.
0:53:00 > 0:53:02It's a shame, really.
0:53:04 > 0:53:08Well done, chefs. Truly, truly good cooking today
0:53:08 > 0:53:14I'll have to sit down with Monica and go through everything she saw in the first round,
0:53:14 > 0:53:17but remember, sadly, one of you will be leaving us.
0:53:17 > 0:53:19Off you go.
0:53:34 > 0:53:36I've had a great day, Monica.
0:53:36 > 0:53:40Really, really great day. The food today was fantastic. You can tell.
0:53:40 > 0:53:46I'm happy. I really am. And I'm happy you're here because you'll help me make a decision
0:53:46 > 0:53:50Vinny was an interesting character, but I like Vinny the chef.
0:53:50 > 0:53:55Every dish he plated up looked really, really elegant.
0:53:55 > 0:53:58His lemon sole was cooked to perfection.
0:53:58 > 0:54:01You look a little bit baffled.
0:54:01 > 0:54:05I am because there was issues with Vinny's first plate.
0:54:05 > 0:54:09It did look nice, yet it was very heavy. There was no finesse in it.
0:54:09 > 0:54:16It's good to hear that when you say, "You need to refine your food," he is taking it on board. Good on him.
0:54:16 > 0:54:20Today has given me confidence to take forward, should I go forward.
0:54:20 > 0:54:24I just hope I haven't shown too little, too late for the judges.
0:54:24 > 0:54:28Tom cooked the flavours of coq au vin. Under the time constraints of an hour
0:54:28 > 0:54:36there was no way he was going to cook a proper one, but the sauce was the true essence of coq au vin.
0:54:36 > 0:54:40On the skills test, he cooked a great piece of sole on the bone.
0:54:40 > 0:54:43He made a great attempt at the first invention test.
0:54:43 > 0:54:50Not without fault, a few issues there, but it was to do with age, I find, or maybe experience.
0:54:50 > 0:54:54I'm quite nervous at the moment I don't feel comfortable.
0:54:54 > 0:54:59I don't feel that I'm definitely through. I don't feel like I nailed it today at all.
0:54:59 > 0:55:02Kit runs his own restaurant
0:55:02 > 0:55:05and had classical training.
0:55:05 > 0:55:09I was expecting him to deliver perfection.
0:55:09 > 0:55:14For his classic recipe, he chose a tuna nicoise.
0:55:14 > 0:55:18I was a bit disappointed because I found it too heavy.
0:55:18 > 0:55:22He is a chef with a lot of experience, but when he came to skin the sole,
0:55:22 > 0:55:25he started from the top, the head.
0:55:25 > 0:55:29It does put doubts in my mind about where he's at with his cooking
0:55:29 > 0:55:33If my MasterChef journey finished today, I'd be gutted, obviously
0:55:33 > 0:55:36Yeah, there's definitely still more to show.
0:55:36 > 0:55:42Steven really stood out in the first round for me. He made a lovely plate, great presentation.
0:55:42 > 0:55:47On the day of the skills test, however, Steven did not listen to the instructions.
0:55:47 > 0:55:54The mirrors what happened today as well. I wanted the hare roasted on the bone and he filleted the hare.
0:55:54 > 0:55:57Steven's classic, I really enjoyed. It was a Provencal lamb.
0:55:57 > 0:56:01But the one thing that really annoyed me,
0:56:01 > 0:56:05he chose to cook his pomme fondante and flavour it with vanilla.
0:56:09 > 0:56:11Vanilla?!
0:56:11 > 0:56:17There's been a few setbacks, but I think the core of what I've done has been to a good standard.
0:56:17 > 0:56:20All four of these guys can cook
0:56:20 > 0:56:22I mean, we have to split them.
0:56:22 > 0:56:25We have to find the tiniest mistake.
0:56:25 > 0:56:28It's not easy.
0:56:51 > 0:56:53It's not been easy.
0:56:53 > 0:56:57It's not been easy at all, but we have made a decision.
0:56:57 > 0:56:59The chef leaving us is...
0:57:08 > 0:57:10..Kit.
0:57:16 > 0:57:20There's so much more I wanted to do,
0:57:20 > 0:57:23but the two judges are the best you could get,
0:57:23 > 0:57:27so if they don't think that I'm good enough, I take that.
0:57:31 > 0:57:33Well done, guys. Congratulations.
0:57:33 > 0:57:38It's sad to see Kit go, but it would have been sad to see any of us go.
0:57:38 > 0:57:41But I'm over the moon really.
0:57:41 > 0:57:48I'm definitely happy and relieved. Definitely. Hopefully, the confidence can just keep growing and growing.
0:57:48 > 0:57:55I'm proud of myself to get this far and, hopefully, I've done everyone back at work proud, so, yeah, happy.
0:58:03 > 0:58:09Tomorrow night, the remaining four will battle to impress Monica and Gregg...
0:58:09 > 0:58:13Maria... Yes? Breathe. No-one's going to hurt you.
0:58:16 > 0:58:21..before facing Michel Roux Junior for the first time.
0:58:21 > 0:58:27I think our chefs have realised they have got to pull their socks up They have got a point to prove
0:58:28 > 0:58:32At the end, one of them will be going home
0:59:02 > 0:59:05Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:59:46 > 0:59:51On the 8th of November, Typhoon Haiyan tore through the Philippines.
0:59:51 > 0:59:56It was one of the most powerful storms ever recorded on land.