0:00:02 > 0:00:05It's the professional MasterChef semifinals.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11Last week, the knockouts reduced 12 chefs down to the best eight.
0:00:13 > 0:00:17Tonight, the pressure builds...
0:00:17 > 0:00:21as the remaining chefs cook off against one another
0:00:21 > 0:00:24for the chance to work with some of the most inspirational
0:00:24 > 0:00:26culinary talents in the country.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40You always hope and you always want to do your best.
0:00:40 > 0:00:41In my wildest dreams,
0:00:41 > 0:00:44I didn't think that I would be here at the last eight.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50I'm 100% up for this. I'm fit, I'm ready, I'm raring to go.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54The pressure is full-on, it's full-on.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57I'm not scared of the other boys.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59At the end of the day, it's a competition
0:00:59 > 0:01:01and we're all here to win it now.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04The confidence is starting to kick in.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06This is going to be one fantastic round.
0:01:09 > 0:01:10This is huge.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14Two of our chefs are going to be leaving the competition at the end of it.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40Chefs, welcome back into the kitchen.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43You are our final eight chefs.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Today, you're going to have to cook something very special to
0:01:46 > 0:01:48keep yourself in the competition.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55What we want from you is a dish dedicated
0:01:55 > 0:01:57to someone that inspires you.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01It could be a teacher, a mentor, a chef,
0:02:01 > 0:02:03it can be an historical figure, we don't mind,
0:02:03 > 0:02:06as long as that person inspires you.
0:02:09 > 0:02:15This is a fantastic opportunity for you to pay homage to someone
0:02:15 > 0:02:17who has touched you and your career
0:02:17 > 0:02:19and made you the chef that you are now.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24You will have 1 hour and 45 minutes.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30- GREGG:- Eight chefs here now. We're going to taste eight plates of food.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32We will choose our favourite two.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34Those two will go straight through to the next round.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36That will leave sick chefs remaining,
0:02:36 > 0:02:41and you're going to have to cook again for the remaining four places.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48At the end of today, two of you will be going home.
0:02:50 > 0:02:51Off you go, chefs.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03Brighton-based sous-chef James
0:03:03 > 0:03:06has shown real character to make the semifinals.
0:03:06 > 0:03:12He divided the judges with his last dish he called Frustration.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15I think this dish is just wrong.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18- I just don't think it's you at your best, James.- 'It hurt me.'
0:03:18 > 0:03:21You know, getting that critique off Marcus really hurt me.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24It's someone you look up to as a chef.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27But I think, as I'm going through this competition,
0:03:27 > 0:03:29I'm getting stronger, and you're just starting to see
0:03:29 > 0:03:32a little bit of a shimmer of what's to come.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38- Has Mr Angry stayed at home? - Yeah, I've left him well at home.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42- Is he here?- He's nowhere near. You've got Mr Love today.- Good man.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44Tell me about your dish, and tell me the inspiration behind it.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47This dish is dedicated to my daughter, Alexandra.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51It's called Alexandra. And it's everything that she means to me.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54When we're at the seaside, we always go for a fish and chip lunch.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57So I'm doing a bit of a play with fish and chips today.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59With that, I've got a caper ketchup.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02I like tartare sauce, my daughter likes ketchup.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06- Amalgamate the two together. - We all love fish and chips, James.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09- Looking forward to this dish, James. - If I get it right.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19He's taking two fillets of brill and he's put them together.
0:04:19 > 0:04:20He's going to pan fry it,
0:04:20 > 0:04:24so he's going to get a nice golden colour going over the fish.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27He's also going to be bringing the vinegar element into the cockles,
0:04:27 > 0:04:31he's going to dip them into tempura batter and deep fat fry them.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34He loves tartare sauce and his daughter loves ketchup.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38He's put the two together. I can't wait to see if it works.
0:04:38 > 0:04:39James has got a point to prove.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42He's got to do that here now with this dish.
0:04:49 > 0:04:5339-year-old Arnaud moved to the UK when he was 17.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55He has impressed with his classic French food.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00I want to make it through to the last three. At least.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02- Winning would be great, but... - HE LAUGHS
0:05:03 > 0:05:06Most of all, I wouldn't like to let my wife down.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08She's expecting a trophy on her fireplace.
0:05:14 > 0:05:20Well, the dish is a roasted rump of lamb with cassoulet of white beans.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23And it's cooked with cavolo nero, sweetbread.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25It's going to be a pleasant dish,
0:05:25 > 0:05:29but it's going to have truffle on, which is a bit more refined.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31Who's the inspiration behind this dish?
0:05:31 > 0:05:33I used to work in a restaurant in Cheltenham.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35David Everitt-Matthias is the chef owner.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37It's a two Michelin-starred restaurant.
0:05:37 > 0:05:42And David was the biggest inspiration in my life.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45He taught me French cooking. And he's English.
0:05:45 > 0:05:46I didn't expect that from him today.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48Did you think it might be an old French...?
0:05:48 > 0:05:52An old friend chef, or Escoffier, or someone like that.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56- No.- And you go for an English chef! Wow.- Yeah.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59- We must be getting pretty good over here.- That's what I was thinking.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07Rump of lamb, a stew with the beans. Some marrow.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09This is comfort food for me.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12I'd happily sit down with that and a lovely glass of wine.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Can he refine that beautiful classic cookery?
0:06:15 > 0:06:19Well, this is the time he has to do it, right now.
0:06:19 > 0:06:2125 minutes have gone, chefs.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26Junior sous-chef Elly works in a Michelin-starred kitchen and
0:06:26 > 0:06:29is the youngest semifinalist.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31Her precise, well-executed cookery
0:06:31 > 0:06:34has impressed the judges from day one.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36I think I've performed really well
0:06:36 > 0:06:38and I've done what I've wanted to do.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40But it's a competition at the end of the day,
0:06:40 > 0:06:43and someone else will go home, but I'm going to go in there,
0:06:43 > 0:06:45produce something that I love.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49It's all about cooking and that's what I do best, and I love it.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Today, I'm doing Dexter beef two ways.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01I'm doing a braised and a fillet itself, pink.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03And then I've got a mushroom and onion risotto,
0:07:03 > 0:07:08charred morels and sherry vinegar jelly.
0:07:08 > 0:07:09Where does the risotto come into this dish?
0:07:09 > 0:07:12I think, personally, risotto brings everything together.
0:07:12 > 0:07:13Because you've got two lots of meat.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16You need something to bind everything together.
0:07:16 > 0:07:17It doesn't all sit on a risotto,
0:07:17 > 0:07:19the risotto is on the side like a mashed potato?
0:07:19 > 0:07:22No, the risotto is in a Roscoff onion shell.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24This dish is for my father.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27He brought me up single-handedly until I was about eight years old,
0:07:27 > 0:07:31so he used to come home with steak and he used to cook it well done.
0:07:31 > 0:07:36- My dad did that!- And then the fillet, I've done my style. Pink.
0:07:36 > 0:07:37And I've come up with this dish,
0:07:37 > 0:07:40cos it's a journey for both of us to come together.
0:07:40 > 0:07:41And I've done his element and mine,
0:07:41 > 0:07:43and I've put it in together as one dish.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47- Is it going to be good enough to get you straight through?- I hope so.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50With everything I've done today, I've pushed myself,
0:07:50 > 0:07:53so with the little tweaks that I hope that you pick up on,
0:07:53 > 0:07:57I hope it just gets me into that final two.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05The beef cheek, it's so important she gets the cooking right.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08She doesn't need a lot, so hopefully she's broken that muscle down,
0:08:08 > 0:08:10so that it's going to cook in time.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15The steak also has to be cooked well.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17You want it beautifully caramelised in the pan,
0:08:17 > 0:08:19but lovely and pink in the middle.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22You want that Dexter beef flavour to come through.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31Yorkshire-based Matt has earned his place in the semifinals
0:08:31 > 0:08:34cooking pared-back dishes with intense flavours.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40Matt's cooking us quail breasts with a Scotch egg on the side,
0:08:40 > 0:08:43so he's going to be confiting the quail legs down,
0:08:43 > 0:08:45and he's going to be putting that into his Scotch egg mix.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52He's got some onions and a Pedro Ximenez sauce.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57The sherry sauce has got to have the right balance.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00You want these flavours to really shine through.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07Tell me, who has inspired you to cook today?
0:09:07 > 0:09:09My wife will be upset to know that it's not her.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12It's my main mentor in cooking, a bloke called Simon Shaw.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15He opened a little restaurant in the North of England
0:09:15 > 0:09:17in the middle of nowhere, made it a destination restaurant.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20And I was falling out of love with food massively, I just...
0:09:20 > 0:09:23I was at a really low end, went there as sous-chef.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25He grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and dragged me through
0:09:25 > 0:09:27kicking and screaming, ended up being his head chef.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30You've got to go through the rough to appreciate the smooth.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33That's what I did with Simon, so this dish is for him.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35How good do you think you have be right now
0:09:35 > 0:09:37to be one of the chosen two dishes?
0:09:37 > 0:09:40It's got to be mega. I've really got to put everything into this.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42Fingers crossed, I'm in the top two, but there's seven
0:09:42 > 0:09:44other phenomenal chefs in here that I've got to compete with.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49There's loads that could go wrong with this dish.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52I could overcook the quail breasts, I could overcook the Scotch eggs.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55You've got to be really careful with the sauce,
0:09:55 > 0:09:59because Pedro Ximenez can go quite clacky and quite sticky.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01Yeah, this dish has got to be perfect,
0:10:01 > 0:10:03otherwise I'll be under the cosh.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10Development chef Rich has worked all over the world.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13His daring and experimental flavour combinations
0:10:13 > 0:10:16have both challenged and excited the judges.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18I've got, you know,
0:10:18 > 0:10:20an hour and 45 minutes to produce
0:10:20 > 0:10:23something that means so much to me.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27I'm going to be testing myself with this one,
0:10:27 > 0:10:30because I'm not a pastry guy. But, you know, I'm confident.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34It's just a beautiful dish with a lot of history involved in it.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42Tell us, who has inspired you for this dish?
0:10:42 > 0:10:45It's my nan, she's in an end-of-life home.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47But she's the first person who taught me this dish.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50This exact dish. It's a lime meringue pie
0:10:50 > 0:10:52with a strawberry and jasmine tea and pistachio.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55I remember it as a six-year-old, having it with a cup of tea,
0:10:55 > 0:10:57some jasmine tea and some strawberries out of the garden.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59So the whole dish is designed around that.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01Are we going to see a little bit of you in it?
0:11:01 > 0:11:03Have you put a bit of a twist on this?
0:11:03 > 0:11:06Definitely, yeah, it's not going to be the bog-standard sort of
0:11:06 > 0:11:09lime meringue pie that you'd expect to see if you went to a shop
0:11:09 > 0:11:12and bought one or whatever, or went to a normal patisserie.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14It's going to be a little bit different.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Recipes passed on from grandparents, for me, are some of the best,
0:11:17 > 0:11:21and I'm looking forward to seeing what your twist is on this dessert.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23- Thank you very much. - Make your nan proud.- Thanks, guys.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33Lime curd, pastry, pistachio paste, pistachio crisp.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35Meringues with strawberries.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37The question is, is it going to be too much?
0:11:40 > 0:11:42The key flavour in this dish for me is the lime,
0:11:42 > 0:11:44that's the one I want to taste first.
0:11:46 > 0:11:501 hour gone. 45 minutes left, please.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53Australian-born sous-chef Brenton
0:11:53 > 0:11:55has worked in Michigan-starred kitchens
0:11:55 > 0:11:57in both the UK and France.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01In the last round, he produced one of the stand-out dishes.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04You sit on your couch at home going,
0:12:04 > 0:12:07"That's easy, how could he have stuffed up like that?"
0:12:07 > 0:12:09But I'm telling you, the pressure is immense.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13And to be able to block out everything
0:12:13 > 0:12:16and just focus on doing your own food, it's quite a challenge.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18For me it is, anyway, I don't know about the other guys,
0:12:18 > 0:12:20but for me, I'm finding it a challenge.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27My biggest inspiration in my whole entire career is actually my mum.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29She's the one who got me into cooking.
0:12:29 > 0:12:30She's always got a cup of tea in her hand.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33Even today, ask her, "Can I do something for her?"
0:12:33 > 0:12:34"Make me a cup of tea."
0:12:34 > 0:12:37Not only that, my earliest childhood memories is of her...
0:12:37 > 0:12:39roast lamb for dinner on a Sunday.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42So I'm making a lamb consomme,
0:12:42 > 0:12:46then garnishing that with a potato foam, minted potato foam,
0:12:46 > 0:12:48have some little mint jellies
0:12:48 > 0:12:51to do with, like, a mint sauce kind of concept.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54Did you pour the consomme over the rest of the dish?
0:12:54 > 0:12:56You will pour the consomme on the rest of the dish.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58There's a pot of the consomme, it's your tea,
0:12:58 > 0:13:00pour it into a bowl, unfortunately I don't have a big cup,
0:13:00 > 0:13:03I'd love to have a big cup, it just looks a bit tacky.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07How do you feel now? You've got down to the semifinals.
0:13:07 > 0:13:08I still have to push myself
0:13:08 > 0:13:10and make sure that I stand out from the crowd.
0:13:10 > 0:13:11I don't to cook again today,
0:13:11 > 0:13:13I want to get into the top two and get through.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15I don't want to have to cook twice in one day.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18That's too much stress for me, I'm already stressed out.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20- Aw, poor Brenton(!) - Yeah, don't be like that.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Consomme is one of the hardest things to make in a kitchen.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31He can't serve a cloudy consomme.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35If he'd have called it a broth, he may get away with it,
0:13:35 > 0:13:38but this is a consomme, it's got to be clear,
0:13:38 > 0:13:41it has to be clarified and it's got to have a good flavour.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47This is a huge twist that Brenton is putting to what we know as
0:13:47 > 0:13:49a classic roast lamb dinner.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51I hope it's going to work.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58Head chef Wayne works in a boutique hotel in the Cotswolds,
0:13:58 > 0:14:00and earned a semifinal place
0:14:00 > 0:14:03with his stand-out pork and langoustine dish.
0:14:03 > 0:14:04I have had some adverse comments,
0:14:04 > 0:14:07about possibly playing it a bit safe.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11Perhaps not being enough on the plate. But that's how I cook.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14Everything that goes onto a dish that I prepare
0:14:14 > 0:14:15is there for a reason.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18So I don't believe in doing too much for the sake of it.
0:14:20 > 0:14:21So, what's the dish?
0:14:21 > 0:14:24I'm doing an elderflower panna cotta with champagne jelly,
0:14:24 > 0:14:28and then variations of strawberry to garnish with a shortbread crumb.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31- And who's inspired that? - My wife.
0:14:31 > 0:14:32She made me apply for this,
0:14:32 > 0:14:34she made me believe in myself.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36And every day, when it's a bit of a struggle,
0:14:36 > 0:14:39a little pep talk from her, she's the rock that I depend on.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41If I was poetic, I would say this is a dish of sunshine,
0:14:41 > 0:14:44- and she sounds like the sunshine in your life.- Yeah, no, absolutely.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47She loves elderflower, she's a very summery, lively,
0:14:47 > 0:14:51bubbly person, so this dish is basically her in a bowl.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57This is a very simple dish at this stage of the competition.
0:14:57 > 0:14:58It's got to be right.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00The elderflower has to come through,
0:15:00 > 0:15:04the strawberries have got to be beautifully cooked or poached.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06There is no room for error on this dessert.
0:15:12 > 0:15:1330 minutes, chefs.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21Glaswegian Gary has been a catering college lecturer for 15 years.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24His workrate and mastery of modern techniques
0:15:24 > 0:15:26has produced some memorable dishes.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32I think today there's a definite change in myself,
0:15:32 > 0:15:35I think I'm being definitely a lot braver,
0:15:35 > 0:15:39I'm doing things that I said I would never, ever do.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42But I feel, to beat the rest of the competitors,
0:15:42 > 0:15:45I really have to be doing the risky elements
0:15:45 > 0:15:47and the techniques that other people might not try.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57- Gary, it's good to see you. Always got that smile on his face.- Yeah.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59- THEY LAUGH - Loving it, absolutely loving it.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02First of all, who's the inspiration behind this dish?
0:16:02 > 0:16:06- It's my wife Sharon and my five kids.- What?- Five kids, yeah.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10- That's more than you. - Five kids?!- Five kids, yeah.
0:16:10 > 0:16:11Tell me about the dish, then.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15Right, so, we've got a little gateau that is built up in several layers.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18I've got five kids, so there's a little layer for each of them.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22The truth is, the only thing that joins my kids together is chocolate.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24We've got the gateau, what's on the plate?
0:16:24 > 0:16:28We're using elements from what's inside the gateau,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31so we're using little bits of the praline, chocolate, the mousse,
0:16:31 > 0:16:35we're also putting in some cherries, soaked in kirsch,
0:16:35 > 0:16:38and I'm also going to do a little bit of pulled sugar.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41I love the idea of the dessert and I love the layer for each child,
0:16:41 > 0:16:44and chocolate combining the whole lot, cos that's what they all love.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50It's got a little element of the Black Forest gateau
0:16:50 > 0:16:52about this dish that I love.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55There's some ganache, poached cherries, there's a cherry gel.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57He's also going to be spraying the gateau with chocolate.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02But it's all about these beautiful flavours coming together,
0:17:02 > 0:17:05especially with the cherries, to complement each other.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09Chefs, five minutes now.
0:17:13 > 0:17:14HE SIGHS
0:17:22 > 0:17:24Three, three minutes!
0:17:44 > 0:17:47- Time's up. - HE SIGHS
0:17:47 > 0:17:51- You good?- Yeah, I think so. I don't know how I feel about it, though.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54That is stunning.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57Cheeky monkey.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00Sexy, mate, sexy. Oof!
0:18:05 > 0:18:07James, come on, mate.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18Inspired by his daughter's love of fish and chips,
0:18:18 > 0:18:21James has cooked pan-fried fillets of brill,
0:18:21 > 0:18:22tempura cockles,
0:18:22 > 0:18:26pea puree, charred baby gem lettuce,
0:18:26 > 0:18:29samphire, confit chips,
0:18:29 > 0:18:31and caper ketchup.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45The fish you've sandwiched together, and I like the idea of that
0:18:45 > 0:18:47and I love the fact that you've used brill.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50The pea puree's got a lovely acidity to it.
0:18:50 > 0:18:51I'm loving all the flavours.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55It's a reincarnation of fish and chips, restaurant style.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57I like the dish a lot.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01That delights me, chef. Absolutely delights me.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05And it's the sharpness of vinegar running through all of it.
0:19:05 > 0:19:06I think it's really, really clever.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12The best thing for me on this plate is the caper ketchup.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15I love that and I could have more of this on the plate.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19It's a lovely memory of you being by the seaside with your daughter,
0:19:19 > 0:19:22and it's great to see you cooking when you're happy
0:19:22 > 0:19:23rather than frustrated.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26That was me cooking with love.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29- Every ounce and more. - I'm welling up here!
0:19:29 > 0:19:33You big, hairy chefs, what's the matter with you? Well done, James.
0:19:33 > 0:19:34Thank you all so much. Thank you.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38HE SCREAMS SILENTLY
0:19:38 > 0:19:43- That's a lovely dish.- I've done what I needed to do, they're all happy!
0:19:43 > 0:19:45Yes! All of them.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48Put a smile on Marcus's face, that means the world to me.
0:19:54 > 0:19:59Inspired by her dad, Ellie has cooked Dexter beef two ways -
0:19:59 > 0:20:01a fillet and a braised cheek,
0:20:01 > 0:20:06with onion and mushroom risotto, served in a Roscoff onion shell.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09Swiss chard,
0:20:09 > 0:20:10girolles,
0:20:10 > 0:20:12sherry vinegar jelly
0:20:12 > 0:20:14and a red wine jus.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22Ellie, I think your presentation is always very precise,
0:20:22 > 0:20:23and well thought out.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25And this is no exception.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34Dexter fillet steak that good, it only needs to kiss the pan.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36You've just taken it a tad too far.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39But I do like the idea of the risotto with the braised cheek
0:20:39 > 0:20:43and I'm loving the flavour of the braised cheek coming through
0:20:43 > 0:20:44in that lovely sauce as well.
0:20:44 > 0:20:51The risotto, I've never had with beef before, and that is delicious.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53- Thank you.- I like the fact that the mushroom risotto
0:20:53 > 0:20:55matches the other mushrooms on the plate,
0:20:55 > 0:20:57I love two bits of beef to get stuck into,
0:20:57 > 0:20:59love the richness of the sauce.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02Really like the little sweet notes that I get through the jelly.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05- Love this dish, Ellie. - Thank you.
0:21:07 > 0:21:08We're in the final eight now,
0:21:08 > 0:21:12nothing's going to be smooth, but I think overall I've done a good job,
0:21:12 > 0:21:14I just hope it's got me through to the next round.
0:21:19 > 0:21:24Inspired by his grandmother, Rich's dish is a lime meringue pie,
0:21:24 > 0:21:26lime curd with strawberry meringue,
0:21:26 > 0:21:28a pistachio pastry base,
0:21:28 > 0:21:32topped with a pistachio caramel wafer.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34It's served with strawberry spheres,
0:21:34 > 0:21:36macerated strawberries,
0:21:36 > 0:21:40strawberry powder, a strawberry and jasmine tea sorbet,
0:21:40 > 0:21:42and a pistachio puree.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55I love the flavours of the strawberry
0:21:55 > 0:21:57and I get the sharpness of the lime,
0:21:57 > 0:21:59I get the finish of the pistachio,
0:21:59 > 0:22:01but it's very sweet even for me.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03You've definitely got the flavour of the lime
0:22:03 > 0:22:05running through the curd, that's for sure.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08I think you've got your curd and meringue the wrong way round.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11You should have a lot more meringue over the sweet,
0:22:11 > 0:22:14acidic flavour of the curd itself.
0:22:14 > 0:22:19I really like the pistachio caramel tuile that you have on the top,
0:22:19 > 0:22:21but I'm a bit disappointed in the base, though.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23I think I need it just a bit thicker,
0:22:23 > 0:22:26just to take the richness of this dessert.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28- It's just missing in parts for me.- OK.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34'I don't think the judges got the dish.'
0:22:34 > 0:22:36I don't really want to cook again,
0:22:36 > 0:22:40but I'm 90% sure that I'm going to be cooking again.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42Do I feel good about it? No.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56Arnaud is serving roasted rump of lamb
0:22:56 > 0:22:59with a white bean and cavolo nero cassoulet...
0:23:00 > 0:23:01..sweetbreads,
0:23:01 > 0:23:03bone marrow,
0:23:03 > 0:23:05truffle shavings,
0:23:05 > 0:23:07caramelised onion puree,
0:23:07 > 0:23:10and finished with a red wine sauce.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22What I've enjoyed is the cooking of the lamb.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24I love the onion puree that you have on the plate.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27The sweetbreads, for me, are cooked wonderfully.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29I really enjoy the sauce that goes with the lamb.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33A bit strong, but I actually don't mind.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36All the textures are lovely,
0:23:36 > 0:23:39I like that you've got a little bit of firmness to the beans.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42And of course the lovely fat on the bone marrow.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45However, I think that bean and cavolo nero
0:23:45 > 0:23:47lacks a little bit of flavour.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50Do you know what those beans are really lacking? Lamb fat.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53This is very close to being a great dish, Arnaud,
0:23:53 > 0:23:55just that little bit of lamb fat
0:23:55 > 0:23:57and some more salt and a twist of pepper,
0:23:57 > 0:23:58and you'd have nailed it.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00OK.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05The judges' comments were very fair.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08And I take on board the seasoning in the white beans.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11- Tough gig.- Yeah.- Tough gig.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15I think there's a big chance I'm going to have to cook again.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24Brenton's roast dinner, inspired by his mum,
0:24:24 > 0:24:27consists of lamb loin fillets,
0:24:27 > 0:24:30potato skin filled with peas and lardons,
0:24:30 > 0:24:33yellow cauliflower, baby carrots,
0:24:33 > 0:24:37Brussels sprout leaves, mint jellies,
0:24:37 > 0:24:39lamb consomme served in a teapot,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42finished with a potato foam.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50It looks a stunning plate of food and I love the beautiful colours
0:24:50 > 0:24:51that are coming out of it.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Once you've poured the consomme on, it actually completes it.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06The consomme is perfectly made.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10I love that you can taste the lamb bones through that.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12The vegetables are well cooked.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15For me, I quite like the richness that potato foam
0:25:15 > 0:25:16brings to this dish.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20I've got the flavours of a roast dinner.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22If I haven't got all the textures,
0:25:22 > 0:25:25I've most certainly got the flavours, but as a customer,
0:25:25 > 0:25:29is there enough actual lamb there for me to smash into?
0:25:29 > 0:25:31The cooking of the lamb, the potato skin,
0:25:31 > 0:25:34everything about this dish is brilliant.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38But I don't think the dish works as a concept,
0:25:38 > 0:25:41because it's very difficult to eat in this bowl.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43You don't know how it works,
0:25:43 > 0:25:45and I think customers would struggle with it.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50I looked at it and I thought it was a stunning plate of food.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52I thought it was something that did my mum proud.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54The flavours were there.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58You had faith in it, so you've got to stick by your guns, buddy. Yeah?
0:25:58 > 0:26:00Yeah. It's not top two, though.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03Matt, showtime. Up you come, please.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14Matt is serving roasted quail with quail's eggs scotch egg...
0:26:16 > 0:26:19..girolles, spinach,
0:26:19 > 0:26:21apple puree,
0:26:21 > 0:26:23and a Pedro Ximenez sherry sauce.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37Bird is cooked brilliantly, as I expect it to be.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40Lots of great flavours, lots of good texture.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42And with a little bit of apple sauce as well,
0:26:42 > 0:26:45I think that's a lovely sweet sharpness to go with
0:26:45 > 0:26:48the meaty scotch egg. That's a good dish, that's a fine dish.
0:26:50 > 0:26:55For me, it's the apple that comes through in this dish.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59It's the hint of the spice that's coming through the scotch egg.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02I always knew that you could deliver us good food,
0:27:02 > 0:27:07I wanted that extra something special, and you've done that here.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10- I'm really, really happy with this dish.- Thank you.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13I have to say, Matt, I think that's probably one of the best sauces
0:27:13 > 0:27:15- I've tasted in this competition to date.- Ooh!
0:27:17 > 0:27:19I think that's sensational.
0:27:19 > 0:27:24You've absolutely delivered a beautiful sherry sauce
0:27:24 > 0:27:26with a little edge of alcohol at the end.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28- Great job, Matt, well done. - Thank you.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34'Unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable.'
0:27:34 > 0:27:38In my career, I don't think there's been a better moment.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50Wayne's dish, inspired by his wife,
0:27:50 > 0:27:54is an elderflower panna cotta served with champagne jelly,
0:27:54 > 0:27:55shortbread biscuits,
0:27:55 > 0:27:58caramelised white chocolate,
0:27:58 > 0:28:00strawberry meringue,
0:28:00 > 0:28:02and variations of strawberry -
0:28:02 > 0:28:05macerated, freeze-dried,
0:28:05 > 0:28:06and a strawberry gel.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20Wayne, I'd have liked a little bit more punch
0:28:20 > 0:28:23of the elderflower and the champagne itself,
0:28:23 > 0:28:26and I feel it's slightly lacking in both of those flavours,
0:28:26 > 0:28:31because that's the two things I was really excited about.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35It does conjure up an English summer. However, the flavours
0:28:35 > 0:28:38are far more sophisticated for me than the appearance.
0:28:39 > 0:28:43It's a nice panna cotta, it's a nice dessert.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46But I'm wanting something more when I eat this.
0:28:51 > 0:28:52Finally, it's Gary,
0:28:52 > 0:28:56whose dish is dedicated to his wife and five children.
0:28:56 > 0:29:00A chocolate and cherry gateau with layers of joconde sponge,
0:29:00 > 0:29:02chocolate praline,
0:29:02 > 0:29:04mascarpone mousse,
0:29:04 > 0:29:05cherry ganache,
0:29:05 > 0:29:07and cherry jelly,
0:29:07 > 0:29:11served with liquid cherry spheres and spun sugar.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27That is a lovely, lovely gateau.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30Cherry and chocolate is the backbone of a Black Forest gateau.
0:29:30 > 0:29:32Tried and tested. What I really love
0:29:32 > 0:29:35are the little cherries that you've had drowning in booze,
0:29:35 > 0:29:38because that's heat and that's a grown-up favour and, for me,
0:29:38 > 0:29:40that makes the whole thing divine.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45I really, really, really like this dessert a lot.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48Love the cherries, love the kirsch, love the spheres,
0:29:48 > 0:29:51when you burst them open, you can see it splattering all over the plate.
0:29:53 > 0:29:54- Good job.- Thank you.
0:29:55 > 0:30:00For me, your gateau is not as perfect as it should be.
0:30:00 > 0:30:01The spray was not thick enough,
0:30:01 > 0:30:03and, because you've got so many layers in there,
0:30:03 > 0:30:06you've got to make sure it's as smooth as possible.
0:30:06 > 0:30:08But they are things that I see as a chef on the plate.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11But in saying that, love the cherries, love the chocolate.
0:30:11 > 0:30:13I'd happily be a member of your family for a day.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19'It was a difficult dish, it was a big risk,'
0:30:19 > 0:30:22but I think my kids will be proud, my wife will be proud.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24She'll love the boozy cherries.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31We are going to choose our favourite two dishes.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34Those two chefs will go straight through.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36The remaining six of you will have to cook again
0:30:36 > 0:30:40for the remaining four places. There are eight of you here.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43At the end of the day, there'll be six of you.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45Well done. Off you go.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58Great cook-off. That was fab.
0:31:05 > 0:31:09I'm knocked out by the standard of dishes they're delivering here.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12That is top, top-notch cookery.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15You could pick about six, maybe even seven chefs
0:31:15 > 0:31:17that did a great, great job today.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20It's going to be hard to decide which two were my favourites.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26The one chef that really impressed me today was Matt.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29Love that sauce, and I really meant that.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32Outstanding sauce for me. I loved that dish.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36Brenton managed to get so much flavour into that consomme,
0:31:36 > 0:31:38it was beautiful and clear.
0:31:38 > 0:31:40The presentation was stunning.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42Loved the colours of this plate.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45Last time I saw James, he was fighting for his MasterChef life,
0:31:45 > 0:31:47giving us a feta and tomato salad.
0:31:47 > 0:31:52Today, I thought that fish and chips was absolutely brilliant.
0:31:52 > 0:31:54I loved Arnaud's lamb dish with the beans.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56Just a little bit of lamb fat, some more seasoning,
0:31:56 > 0:31:58and that would have been sensational.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00I loved Gary's gateau.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02That was skilful and it tasted divine.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04You can't ask for anything more.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06Elly gave us a great plate of food.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09The beef cheek of that risotto I thought was genius.
0:32:09 > 0:32:11There was only a small amount,
0:32:11 > 0:32:14but boy, didn't it pack a lot of flavour?
0:32:14 > 0:32:16- I've got my top two. - I know who my top two are.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18I've got my top two.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21That still makes six. What are we going to do?
0:32:36 > 0:32:38What a fantastic cook-off.
0:32:38 > 0:32:42I think you all did a great job today. Well done.
0:32:42 > 0:32:46All the people that you dedicated your dishes to today
0:32:46 > 0:32:48would be proud of what you've done.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54We've chosen our favourite two.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56Those chefs are going to go straight through.
0:32:56 > 0:33:00The remaining six are going to have to stay here
0:33:00 > 0:33:02and cook again.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07Our first favourite dish...
0:33:17 > 0:33:18..is Matt's.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22Well done. Congratulations.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32Our second favourite dish is...
0:33:44 > 0:33:45..James's.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53Congratulations, James.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55What a turnaround, huh?
0:33:56 > 0:34:00Matt. James. You're through. Off you go. Very well deserved.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02Do well. Do well.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11- Come on, James! - MARCUS:- Come on, Jimmy!
0:34:11 > 0:34:13Good luck, good luck.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22I can't believe that, man.
0:34:22 > 0:34:23Brilliant.
0:34:25 > 0:34:26It's about time.
0:34:26 > 0:34:30- Oh, fortune has come our way. - Absolutely.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32I need a beer.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35I'm not going to lie, I'm so glad I don't have to cook again.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39Oh, wow.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42I didn't go through, because other people's weren't as good -
0:34:42 > 0:34:44theirs were good. Mine was just a little bit better on the day.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51Chefs, you should not be disappointed with yourselves,
0:34:51 > 0:34:54but you've now got another chance to prove yourselves.
0:34:54 > 0:34:58This challenge has been set by Gregg.
0:34:59 > 0:35:01Do you know what I want you to do?
0:35:01 > 0:35:04I want you to cook with something
0:35:04 > 0:35:08that has been part of me and close to my heart for over 30 years.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11And something that I really love and enjoy.
0:35:11 > 0:35:16I want you to cook with and celebrate only
0:35:16 > 0:35:18fruit or vegetables.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21It can be sweet, it can be savoury.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25You will have an hour and 15 minutes
0:35:25 > 0:35:29for one dish, either vegetable or fruit-based -
0:35:29 > 0:35:30completely up to you.
0:35:32 > 0:35:34Off you go.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43As well as the wide range of fruit and vegetables,
0:35:43 > 0:35:50the chefs also have herbs, spices and dairy products.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54In so many dishes, the vegetables are a side-show.
0:35:54 > 0:35:56They're a backing singer.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59I want to see these chefs really highlight
0:35:59 > 0:36:03and make the fruit or the vegetable the star of the dish.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06Four of them are going to love fruit and veg forever,
0:36:06 > 0:36:08two of them are going to curse the day
0:36:08 > 0:36:11this bald greengrocer ever walked into the MasterChef kitchen.
0:36:13 > 0:36:16I can't say I was really looking forward to coming back.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19Just got to get on with it and cook something nice.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24The two people that went through were amazing,
0:36:24 > 0:36:27so I'm not disappointed that I've got to cook again.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30We're all here for a reason, so we're just going to do what we can.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35I want to get through, so, I mean, I've got to do what I've got to do.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37I've got to get through, that's basically it.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39That's what's on my head right now.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43If they can think as a chef should,
0:36:43 > 0:36:45it does not have to be complicated
0:36:45 > 0:36:48to achieve a great vegetarian or fruit dish.
0:36:50 > 0:36:51I don't want to see
0:36:51 > 0:36:5460 types of vegetables on the plate, char-grilled.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57No. They've got to elevate it and be creative
0:36:57 > 0:36:59and be innovative about it.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02I've already got loads of ideas working in my head.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05I've kind of got to settle on one or it could get a bit confused.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07It's... Yeah, it's pretty cool.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09This is the second cook-off.
0:37:09 > 0:37:10This is huge.
0:37:19 > 0:37:23I wouldn't say I was confident, but I'm enjoying the challenge
0:37:23 > 0:37:25and I'm pretty sure I can get some nice food out.
0:37:28 > 0:37:32I don't mind admitting to you that, with your last dish,
0:37:32 > 0:37:35you came within a millimetre.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37How do you feel now?
0:37:37 > 0:37:39It's a wee bit disappointing coming back in,
0:37:39 > 0:37:41but you've got to lift yourself and fight for your spot.
0:37:41 > 0:37:45I mean, we're talking about final six of MasterChef,
0:37:45 > 0:37:47so these places don't come easy.
0:37:47 > 0:37:49And what are you going to do for that spot?
0:37:49 > 0:37:52We're doing all things citrus,
0:37:52 > 0:37:56so we've got a vanilla and lime posset,
0:37:56 > 0:37:59we're going to do a lemon tart,
0:37:59 > 0:38:03we've got, er, a vanilla and lime syrup,
0:38:03 > 0:38:05we've got a pistachio praline.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09- That's not lemon!- I know, but there needs to be something other!
0:38:15 > 0:38:17We've seen a lot of skill from Gary.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19I just hope he's not trying too hard.
0:38:21 > 0:38:25He has to stay focused on the main event, he's got to get it spot on.
0:38:27 > 0:38:31I personally love desserts that have a lot of citrus flavours in it,
0:38:31 > 0:38:34so this one I'm really looking forward to.
0:38:41 > 0:38:45We cook, in our restaurant, pretty vegetarian-based food all the time.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47Does that make me confident?
0:38:48 > 0:38:50Kind of, you know.
0:38:50 > 0:38:54But again, look at the competition, look what I'm surrounded with.
0:39:03 > 0:39:04I'm going to do a gnocchi.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07I'm going to do it with a roasted chilli and tomato dish
0:39:07 > 0:39:10with a balsamic and garlic reduction
0:39:10 > 0:39:14and I'm going to do some literally just touched vegetables.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16I haven't got a completely clear idea
0:39:16 > 0:39:18of exactly how it's going to be plated up yet,
0:39:18 > 0:39:23but it will be very much in the restaurant style.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31I love the sound of the dish - the tomato sauce,
0:39:31 > 0:39:32the balsamic with garlic.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37Can he keep this a simple, beautiful, light dish
0:39:37 > 0:39:39without having too many twists?
0:39:48 > 0:39:5025 minutes have gone, chefs.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00So I'm basing my dish around artichokes.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03I'm going to make a kind of pistou -
0:40:03 > 0:40:05it's kind of like a pesto, essentially -
0:40:05 > 0:40:09and then I'm going to garnish it with some pickled girolles
0:40:09 > 0:40:13and a nice, really quite intense lemon dressing.
0:40:13 > 0:40:15Do you know how much I love artichokes?
0:40:15 > 0:40:18I think they may actually be my favourite vegetable in the world.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20Soon as you grabbed them, I thought, "Go on, son."
0:40:23 > 0:40:26The artichokes have got to be prepared properly.
0:40:28 > 0:40:29He's going to then cook them
0:40:29 > 0:40:32and yet still have them nice and firm.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36There's a lemon dressing and various other vegetables
0:40:36 > 0:40:38which he will keep in their raw form.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43Sounds like a lovely light dish that Brenton is going to create here.
0:40:57 > 0:40:58What are you cooking?
0:40:58 > 0:41:00OK, yeah, so I'm going to go down an Asian route.
0:41:00 > 0:41:02I'm actually braving to use tofu.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05I'm going to do a nice pan-fried mooli
0:41:05 > 0:41:08and then I'm going to do some nice raw vegetables
0:41:08 > 0:41:09with a nice Asian dressing.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12I love tofu. Quality protein, no fat.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14Problem is, it tastes of nothing.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16- It's like eating a raw button mushroom.- Exactly.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19So that's why, you know, I've done the nice strong dressing,
0:41:19 > 0:41:21the nice strong marinade, and I've compressed it as well
0:41:21 > 0:41:24to help get as much flavour into the tofu as possible.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26It's a style of food that I personally eat a lot of.
0:41:26 > 0:41:27I don't cook a lot of it.
0:41:27 > 0:41:31It's not food that you cook, but it's food you love to eat,
0:41:31 > 0:41:34- and you're trying it right here, right now?- Yeah.
0:41:34 > 0:41:37- Go big or go home.- You're a brave boy. You're a brave, brave chef.
0:41:47 > 0:41:4930 minutes left.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58Arnaud is making a pistachio and olive oil cake.
0:41:58 > 0:42:02He won't be the first French person to shout, "Let them eat cake!"
0:42:02 > 0:42:04The last one got their head chopped off.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08With that, he's got a pumpkin puree.
0:42:10 > 0:42:12He's poached some beautiful pears.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14He's also made a peanut praline.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17There is also a ricotta and vanilla cream.
0:42:17 > 0:42:19I think there's a lovely idea,
0:42:19 > 0:42:23the combination of the savoury and the sweet dessert.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27Yes, please. I'm really liking
0:42:27 > 0:42:29what Arnaud's coming to the table with today.
0:42:35 > 0:42:41Elly has decided that she's going to make us a cold potato and leek soup.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44She's also got some quail eggs
0:42:44 > 0:42:46and there's some apple diced in there.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49A cold soup may sound easy,
0:42:49 > 0:42:51but it's a very, very difficult thing to get right.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56Absolutely delicious... when done well.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04Three minutes.
0:43:04 > 0:43:06I'm telling you - three minutes left, come on.
0:43:25 > 0:43:28One minute. One minute.
0:43:40 > 0:43:43Guys, that's it. Finished. Time's up.
0:43:43 > 0:43:44Please, thank you.
0:43:49 > 0:43:51Oh, man.
0:43:51 > 0:43:53Elly, come and join us.
0:44:02 > 0:44:05Ellie has served a cold vichyssoise soup
0:44:05 > 0:44:07made with leek and potato,
0:44:07 > 0:44:09and a salad of quail's eggs,
0:44:09 > 0:44:12pickled apple, pickled mooli,
0:44:12 > 0:44:15spring onion and frisee leaves.
0:44:29 > 0:44:32- I think the vichyssoise is absolutely stunning.- Thank you.
0:44:32 > 0:44:34Very light, very delicate.
0:44:34 > 0:44:36I love the eggs in the dish
0:44:36 > 0:44:39because it just gives it another level of richness.
0:44:39 > 0:44:42I love the acid of the apple, I love the sweetness of it,
0:44:42 > 0:44:45and the salad is just lovely to go with it as well.
0:44:45 > 0:44:47The vichyssoise is beautiful.
0:44:47 > 0:44:49Thickened with potato and creamy,
0:44:49 > 0:44:52but still has a slight harshness of those leeks.
0:44:52 > 0:44:54The pickled apple, I don't mind,
0:44:54 > 0:44:55but it's taken over.
0:44:55 > 0:44:59And it's the vichyssoise is what I want to taste.
0:44:59 > 0:45:02I quite like the apple and the sharpness that it has in here
0:45:02 > 0:45:05as well as the sweetness it brings to the dish.
0:45:05 > 0:45:08When you use potato, it's so easy to get the starch to thicken the soup
0:45:08 > 0:45:12too much, but you've got a wonderful consistency into it.
0:45:12 > 0:45:14- Very nice and very clever. - Thank you.
0:45:14 > 0:45:17Well, listen, I thought the apple was too much,
0:45:17 > 0:45:19but the guys beside me really like it.
0:45:19 > 0:45:20So one of us has got it wrong, Elly.
0:45:22 > 0:45:24SHE CHUCKLES
0:45:24 > 0:45:28I've done two dishes today that I think are fantastic, and if I can
0:45:28 > 0:45:31get through to the final six, it'll absolutely be amazing.
0:45:31 > 0:45:33You've done so well.
0:45:40 > 0:45:43Brenton's dish is a salad of artichokes,
0:45:43 > 0:45:46pickled girolles, Parmesan crisps,
0:45:46 > 0:45:50carrot shavings, broad beans,
0:45:50 > 0:45:52a Parmesan and basil pistou
0:45:52 > 0:45:55drizzled with a lemon vinaigrette.
0:45:55 > 0:45:58That's a beautiful, delicate-looking plate
0:45:58 > 0:46:02that showcases those artichokes brilliantly.
0:46:10 > 0:46:13Brenton, I really like your dish here.
0:46:13 > 0:46:16The pistou with the hint of the basil coming through,
0:46:16 > 0:46:19and then the nice surprise of the Parmesan as well.
0:46:19 > 0:46:22I really enjoyed the hints of the sweet lemon dressing.
0:46:22 > 0:46:26It's so light, yet so, so delicious.
0:46:28 > 0:46:30You've brought sweetness to the carrot,
0:46:30 > 0:46:33you've brought a little acidity and sweetness to the artichokes.
0:46:33 > 0:46:36The broad beans are delightful, the mushrooms are light.
0:46:36 > 0:46:39You haven't just cooked those, I feel like you've picked 'em up
0:46:39 > 0:46:43and cradled them and just done your best you can to look after 'em.
0:46:43 > 0:46:46I think, if you take away the lemon dressing,
0:46:46 > 0:46:49I think this would be just a very nice plate of vegetables,
0:46:49 > 0:46:53cooked very well and presented in a pretty fashion.
0:46:53 > 0:46:57I can't take that away from you, but that's about it for me.
0:47:01 > 0:47:05Yeah, it was a little bit simple, but I felt I executed it very well.
0:47:05 > 0:47:07That was hard to take.
0:47:07 > 0:47:08Oh, well, let's just hope
0:47:08 > 0:47:10it's enough to keep me in the competition.
0:47:17 > 0:47:21Wayne's dish is soy in mirin-marinated tofu.
0:47:21 > 0:47:25It's served with roasted mooli, roasted aubergine,
0:47:25 > 0:47:28carrot shavings, sticky coconut rice
0:47:28 > 0:47:30and an Asian dressing.
0:47:39 > 0:47:42I think you've been very clever getting lots of Asian flavours
0:47:42 > 0:47:45into the tofu, cos tofu is terribly bland.
0:47:45 > 0:47:48I wanted it to be about veg - you've used a lot of veg.
0:47:48 > 0:47:49I love you for that.
0:47:49 > 0:47:53I'm not convinced you're making everything harmonious on this plate.
0:47:53 > 0:47:55It's not a dish that wows me.
0:47:55 > 0:47:58The main thing that I enjoy is the vegetable with the chilli,
0:47:58 > 0:48:02the mirin and the citrus coming through it.
0:48:02 > 0:48:06I wish you'd have done more mooli, because it tastes delicious.
0:48:06 > 0:48:09But then what you've got on this dish is two neutrals -
0:48:09 > 0:48:12the rice and the tofu - and I think you should have just focused
0:48:12 > 0:48:14on your tofu and some good vegetables.
0:48:14 > 0:48:17You added the rice at the last minute and I think maybe
0:48:17 > 0:48:20you slightly over-thought this dish.
0:48:20 > 0:48:23The judges are right, I put things on a plate
0:48:23 > 0:48:25that didn't really need to be there, which isn't really
0:48:25 > 0:48:29what I do, so maybe the pressure got to me a bit, I don't know.
0:48:38 > 0:48:42Arnaud has served a pistachio and olive oil cake,
0:48:42 > 0:48:47pumpkin puree, poached pears, peanut praline,
0:48:47 > 0:48:51puffed quinoa and a ricotta in vanilla cream.
0:48:59 > 0:49:03Arnaud, this cake's got body and it's got really good flavour and
0:49:03 > 0:49:06there's a moisture to it that stops this dish from being dry.
0:49:06 > 0:49:13The ricotta and vanilla just adds a lovely light, velvety, sweet
0:49:13 > 0:49:16touch to this dish.
0:49:16 > 0:49:20The cake is heavier than I would like, denser than I would like.
0:49:20 > 0:49:25However, I love the vanilla cream with that pumpkin puree.
0:49:25 > 0:49:29And then the slight saltiness of peanuts that you got on there!
0:49:30 > 0:49:33- MONICA:- And you've got the sweetness from the pumpkin,
0:49:33 > 0:49:35the pears that have been roasted.
0:49:35 > 0:49:38The cake for me is heavier than I'd like it to be.
0:49:38 > 0:49:42- Everything else on the plate I really enjoyed.- Thank you.
0:49:44 > 0:49:47The flavour combination is very risky.
0:49:47 > 0:49:48- Well done.- Cheers.
0:49:48 > 0:49:50But overall I think it worked.
0:49:57 > 0:50:02Rich has made potato gnocchi with heritage tomato cylinders,
0:50:02 > 0:50:04a courgette flower filled with an egg yolk,
0:50:04 > 0:50:09croutons, a red pepper chilli and tomato sauce,
0:50:09 > 0:50:13parsley oil and a balsamic and garlic reduction.
0:50:15 > 0:50:16I don't like the presentation.
0:50:16 > 0:50:19It doesn't look put together for me at all.
0:50:29 > 0:50:33It's one of the simplest plates of food that you've put up.
0:50:33 > 0:50:35You've got the gnocchi, which is very well made,
0:50:35 > 0:50:37you've got a lovely golden colour to it,
0:50:37 > 0:50:42and it's such a light plate of food and there's no gimmick,
0:50:42 > 0:50:44no craziness about this.
0:50:44 > 0:50:47The pepper sauce, the heat of it, is delicious.
0:50:47 > 0:50:50Little dots of it is just harmoniously just coming together
0:50:50 > 0:50:51in different stages.
0:50:51 > 0:50:55You have used loads of veg and you have worked hard to bring out
0:50:55 > 0:50:57the best flavour you can in them.
0:50:59 > 0:51:02'They've seen me cook a normal dish now,'
0:51:02 > 0:51:06and, you know, the execution's been relatively perfect.
0:51:06 > 0:51:08How could he not like that presentation?
0:51:08 > 0:51:11But you can't be too confident, cos you never know what'll happen.
0:51:18 > 0:51:23For his citrus dessert, Gary has made a lemon tart,
0:51:23 > 0:51:25a lime and vanilla posset,
0:51:25 > 0:51:28meringues, pistachio praline,
0:51:28 > 0:51:32a line and vanilla syrup garnished with candied lemon and lime zest.
0:51:44 > 0:51:47That piece of lemon tart I had is just perfect.
0:51:47 > 0:51:49- It takes you to the edge of... - HE SLURPS
0:51:49 > 0:51:51..and then brings you back in again with sweetness.
0:51:51 > 0:51:53- It's almost...- Do that again! - Tffft-tffft-tffft!
0:51:53 > 0:51:56It calms you back down again with sweetness. It's absolutely perfect.
0:51:56 > 0:51:59But do you know what I absolutely thought was brilliant?
0:51:59 > 0:52:02Putting a meringue into that lemon and vanilla syrup.
0:52:02 > 0:52:04That is just beautiful!
0:52:04 > 0:52:06Thank you.
0:52:06 > 0:52:10The pastry on the lemon tart is beautiful and delicious and light.
0:52:10 > 0:52:14The texture of the lemon tart itself is perfect.
0:52:14 > 0:52:17You made your life very, very difficult, and
0:52:17 > 0:52:20at this stage of the competition, that is exactly what I look for
0:52:20 > 0:52:24in a chef - pushing the boundaries and giving the dish a little extra.
0:52:24 > 0:52:27You've absolutely nailed that brief, Gary.
0:52:27 > 0:52:29Thank you.
0:52:30 > 0:52:31Limes and lemons,
0:52:31 > 0:52:34that's what this dish is about and that's what you've done.
0:52:34 > 0:52:35Thank you.
0:52:40 > 0:52:45To get that feedback from my second dish is an incredible feeling.
0:52:45 > 0:52:47It's just been such an amazing day.
0:52:48 > 0:52:49Well done, wee man!
0:52:49 > 0:52:52You know what's going to happen now.
0:52:52 > 0:52:56We've got to somehow decide on sending two of you home.
0:52:57 > 0:53:00Thank you very much indeed. Go and take a break.
0:53:13 > 0:53:17To have to come back and cook again a second time was
0:53:17 > 0:53:22a big ask of our chefs, but I admire their spirit and their attitude
0:53:22 > 0:53:24to be able to pick themselves up, come back refreshed,
0:53:24 > 0:53:28ready to tackle the challenge from Gregg.
0:53:28 > 0:53:30- GARY:- How are they going to split that?
0:53:30 > 0:53:33Wayne is a really good chef and I was really surprised.
0:53:33 > 0:53:35He was cooking a dish today with flavours that
0:53:35 > 0:53:37he doesn't normally use in the kitchen.
0:53:37 > 0:53:40Why today of all days?
0:53:40 > 0:53:43He did the Asian veg, and, although not an unpleasant dish,
0:53:43 > 0:53:47it no way lived up to the other five dishes in the room.
0:53:47 > 0:53:50So I think Wayne has unfortunately run his course, don't you?
0:53:50 > 0:53:53- I do. Do you agree?- I agree, I do.
0:53:54 > 0:53:56I think Gary's the one chef in this kitchen
0:53:56 > 0:53:58that really nailed the brief.
0:53:58 > 0:54:01He pushed himself to the limit and what a plate full of detail!
0:54:01 > 0:54:02I mean, wow!
0:54:02 > 0:54:05To be able to give us a wonderful lemon tart like he did,
0:54:05 > 0:54:07for me, just shows so much skill.
0:54:07 > 0:54:10The guy cooked another great dessert here,
0:54:10 > 0:54:13this time not with chocolate, this time with citrus.
0:54:13 > 0:54:16I mean, I think Gary has proved his class, actually.
0:54:16 > 0:54:21Elly's dish was great. Technically, a very difficult thing to get right.
0:54:21 > 0:54:24I loved the sweetness of the apple and the pickled vegetables.
0:54:24 > 0:54:27It looked really delicate, tasted even better.
0:54:27 > 0:54:29Gary's going through, OK?
0:54:29 > 0:54:32Young Elly's going through as well.
0:54:32 > 0:54:34Wayne, we've agreed is going out.
0:54:34 > 0:54:38Brenton...Rich or Arnaud?
0:54:38 > 0:54:44Now, Arnaud, he made an olive oil and pistachio cake
0:54:44 > 0:54:46which I thought was slightly dense.
0:54:46 > 0:54:49Then, with that, he poached a pear and made a puree.
0:54:49 > 0:54:52You, Monica, thought his cake was a bit heavy,
0:54:52 > 0:54:54you, however, liked everything he did.
0:54:54 > 0:54:57What we have here is a chef that understands the marriage of flavour.
0:54:57 > 0:55:00That, for me, is as important as skill.
0:55:00 > 0:55:02And I thought that he did that very well today.
0:55:02 > 0:55:05We all agree that Rich managed to get some good flavour out
0:55:05 > 0:55:08of that gnocchi and tomato dish.
0:55:08 > 0:55:12It wasn't the best-looking plate of food, but I thought Rich did well.
0:55:12 > 0:55:18Brenton took the artichokes and I loved it. It really appealed to me.
0:55:18 > 0:55:23- You loved it, Monica. You thought he played a little safe.- I did. I did.
0:55:23 > 0:55:26Yeah, when you first look at it, you think it's very simple, very light,
0:55:26 > 0:55:30but I liked the surprises that I got as I went through the dish.
0:55:30 > 0:55:33This is a hard decision. Really, really hard.
0:55:39 > 0:55:43I want to go as far as I can, and getting down to the last eight
0:55:43 > 0:55:46is good, but getting down to the last six is better.
0:55:46 > 0:55:49I'm not here to sort of go out in the semifinals and go,
0:55:49 > 0:55:51"OK, I tried my hardest."
0:55:51 > 0:55:56So, disappointment is imminent if I go out today.
0:55:56 > 0:56:01My fingers are crossed. I'm hoping to get through.
0:56:01 > 0:56:02I want to get through.
0:56:21 > 0:56:25This was the most difficult judging decision I've been involved in
0:56:25 > 0:56:27in this competition.
0:56:28 > 0:56:30We had - well, we've had to -
0:56:30 > 0:56:33take into consideration both your dishes today.
0:56:34 > 0:56:37Regrettably, we are sending two of you home.
0:56:39 > 0:56:41The first chef leaving us...
0:56:44 > 0:56:47..is Wayne. Thank you, sir. Pleasure to meet you.
0:56:47 > 0:56:49Thank you very much. Cheers.
0:56:50 > 0:56:53The second chef...
0:56:53 > 0:56:54leaving us...
0:57:01 > 0:57:02..is Rich.
0:57:14 > 0:57:16I can't be down on myself for going out at this stage,
0:57:16 > 0:57:18because I'm a semifinalist, you know.
0:57:18 > 0:57:20So I've got to be chuffed about that.
0:57:20 > 0:57:24Pretty devastated. But I've loved the experience.
0:57:24 > 0:57:26It's one of the best experience that I think
0:57:26 > 0:57:29I'm ever going to be able to experience in my life, so, yeah.
0:57:36 > 0:57:38Congratulations!
0:57:38 > 0:57:42You join James and Matt in the final six.
0:57:42 > 0:57:46Wow! Wow, wow, wow. Wasn't expecting this.
0:57:46 > 0:57:50Whatever happens, I'm happy. Last six is a real achievement.
0:57:51 > 0:57:53It's not real. Has that just happened?
0:57:53 > 0:57:56It's incredible, absolutely incredible.
0:57:56 > 0:57:59I feel so drained right now. I'm...
0:57:59 > 0:58:01I'm exhausted. I'm ready for bed.
0:58:03 > 0:58:06SHE CHUCKLES
0:58:06 > 0:58:08I know... I can't believe it.
0:58:10 > 0:58:14Tomorrow night, the semifinals continue
0:58:14 > 0:58:17as the first three chefs take on one of the country's
0:58:17 > 0:58:19most inspiring kitchens.
0:58:21 > 0:58:25You've got to move fast, but you've got to do it with grace and style.
0:58:25 > 0:58:28They will then have to showcase their own talents
0:58:28 > 0:58:30if they want to stay in the competition.
0:58:30 > 0:58:33I think I could eat it all over again. It's that good.