0:00:01 > 0:00:03Over the past three weeks,
0:00:03 > 0:00:07Theo Randall, Tom Kitchin and Michel Roux Jr
0:00:07 > 0:00:09have been searching for a young protege
0:00:09 > 0:00:11they can take under their wing.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14If you can find people who have the same feeling as you do about food,
0:00:14 > 0:00:16that's the sort of magic you want.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18I have to see that sparkle. I've got to see something
0:00:18 > 0:00:23that means they will be able to take on board my DNA almost.
0:00:24 > 0:00:28Their challenge has been to spot their potential.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31Scrambled eggs. That's what I want you to cook.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33Normally, I use a microwave.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37And pass on their knowledge.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41You're a young man. Just try and learn gastronomy before you change gastronomy, OK?
0:00:41 > 0:00:44What kind of chefs are you? What's going on?
0:00:44 > 0:00:45It's a pig sty!
0:00:47 > 0:00:49I know you're hurting. So am I.
0:00:51 > 0:00:56Each has had a week to select their two strongest candidates from their catering colleges.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58It has to be more than just the cooking.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00It has to be about the relationship.
0:01:00 > 0:01:05I have to thrive on seeing them to the next level.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09I'm giving you another chance, OK?
0:01:17 > 0:01:21This week, they must choose just one apprentice to bring to London.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28Where the young chefs will compete to show what they've learnt from their mentors.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32This is quite simply the biggest moment of your cooking career.
0:01:33 > 0:01:39And their food will be judged by the people who have guided their mentors' own careers.
0:01:40 > 0:01:45I can't put a limit on how much Pierre Koffmann has influenced me as a chef.
0:01:45 > 0:01:50You need to have someone who can really push you and get the best out of you.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54My father is an incredibly hard task master.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56But he's a huge inspiration.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03Just how good do you have to be to create a legacy?
0:02:10 > 0:02:15Today, Michel will finally decide who his protege will be.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18From an original group of seven,
0:02:18 > 0:02:21he is resting his hopes on 18-year-old Sophie
0:02:21 > 0:02:23and 21-year-old Alex,
0:02:23 > 0:02:25both from Birmingham College.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27It's been great to work with students.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31I love teaching and I love seeing them progress.
0:02:31 > 0:02:36I do think that Sophie and Alex have given their all
0:02:36 > 0:02:42and today is really the big day. Today I'm going to have to choose one
0:02:42 > 0:02:45and that one student is going to be very special.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48I'm learning so much.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50I've learnt so much already.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52I just want to carry on learning.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55Sophie's had a very strong competition.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57She's always impressed me with her palate.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59My only worry with Sophie
0:02:59 > 0:03:03is that she still has that giggly kind of attitude.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06I wasn't wrong.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08- Simple!- Pardon?
0:03:08 > 0:03:10Was I wrong? Was I wrong? I was wrong.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13- What's all that?- I was wrong by a little bit.- What's all that?
0:03:14 > 0:03:16I've just averted a disaster.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21I think Sophie doesn't realise how good she is, or could be.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25'I thought the essence of the dish felt real.'
0:03:25 > 0:03:29- It had a soul, didn't it?- It had a soul. Exactly. It had a soul.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33If she really does set her mind to this,
0:03:33 > 0:03:35she could excel.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40I feel quite privileged to get into the final two.
0:03:40 > 0:03:41I think now I'm having more belief in myself
0:03:41 > 0:03:44that maybe I do have what it takes to be Michel's protege.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47So I'm trying to seize this opportunity with both hands.
0:03:48 > 0:03:54Alex is great. He's obviously got the skills, and he's a hard worker.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00That was tight, wasn't it? That was very tight.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02I was so out of my comfort zone!
0:04:02 > 0:04:04If you don't enjoy the kitchen life,
0:04:04 > 0:04:06then you're not going to cook properly.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09One thing for sure is that Alex just loves being in the kitchen.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13Seasoning, cooking, very good.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17It would be quite bad, after six years, if I can't cook an omelette! In a catering college.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25- Morning, Chefs!- Morning. - Morning, Chef.
0:04:26 > 0:04:31Special day, today. At the end of today, I have to make my final decision.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35One of you will be my protege.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37- Excited.- Excited, yeah. - Excited, nervous.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40- A bit of both. - A bit of both is good.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42Let's go.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44One of you over there. One on this side.
0:04:46 > 0:04:51Michel only wants a protege who understands the Roux' classic French roots.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53And so he's asked the students to begin
0:04:53 > 0:04:57by cooking two of his father Albert's iconic recipes.
0:04:57 > 0:05:03There is a direct link between my father's style of food and my style of food.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06That link is French gastronomy.
0:05:06 > 0:05:11So I want them to cook the Souffle Suissesse and the Mousseline de Volaille.
0:05:14 > 0:05:19The Souffle Suissesse has been on the menu of our restaurant now since 1967.
0:05:19 > 0:05:20It's become a signature dish.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22It's a cheese souffle
0:05:22 > 0:05:26floating on a wonderful pool of double cream.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30The chicken mousse is one of my father's favourite recipes.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32It mustn't be bouncy.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35I remember my father in the kitchen, and he still does it now
0:05:35 > 0:05:38if there's a chicken or fish mousse,
0:05:38 > 0:05:41he'll come around with his spoon and just go, "Bing, bing", like this.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45If it's rubbery and bouncy, he'll frown, and, "Look at this! No!
0:05:45 > 0:05:46"We're not playing squash today!"
0:05:48 > 0:05:50The secret of this dish
0:05:50 > 0:05:52is to make a chicken mousse
0:05:52 > 0:05:55then stuff it with walnut and Roquefort
0:05:55 > 0:05:58and serve with a classic sauce Mousseline
0:05:58 > 0:06:00which is a Hollandaise with whipped cream added.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03I'm loving it. It's amazing.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06I'm so delighted to have got this opportunity to do this.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12This is where you need muscles, which I don't possess!
0:06:18 > 0:06:21The key for this chicken mousse is that it should be really light.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25A classic method of making a mousse.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27A little bit of cream, beat, beat, beat.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29Get that consistency going.
0:06:31 > 0:06:36It's quite a daunting prospect, cooking Albert Roux's recipes,
0:06:36 > 0:06:38but at the same time exciting, because if I can pull it off
0:06:38 > 0:06:43then it'll be a huge testament to what we've managed to learn over such a short space of time.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50Once the mousse mixture is ready,
0:06:50 > 0:06:53the real skill is to shape the walnut stuffing
0:06:53 > 0:06:56and then place it perfectly inside the mousse, ready to poach.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59This is the tricky bit. OK.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04Stuffing in.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09It's got to be completely encased in there
0:07:09 > 0:07:11otherwise it's going to leak.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14As near as possible a nice shape.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17- That's it. In there, quick. - It is so hard.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21Give that a little tap and it should come off.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24Gently. That's it. Gently.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26That's it. Make sure this doesn't boil.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32I've never done that before, so that's new to me.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34Considering I've done it, I'm quite pleased with myself.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36We've learned something new today.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38Yeah. As we do every time.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42Whilst Sophie is already poaching her mousse,
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Alex is running into problems with his sauce Mousseline.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48Oh, dear! What happened here?
0:07:48 > 0:07:51I just split the Hollandaise.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53Why do you think it split?
0:07:53 > 0:07:57I hadn't cooked the egg yolks out long enough and added too much butter too quickly.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00- Over the heat too long.- So you've made another one?- Yes, Chef.- OK.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02Easy on the butter. Not too much.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11Still behind, Alex moves on to stuff and poach his chicken mousse.
0:08:20 > 0:08:21Give it a little tap.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25Careful, careful.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28Just try and coax it off.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37- What happened was... - Too slow.- Too slow.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40Too slow. And the mousse has stuck to your spoon.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42- Yep.- Yep?
0:08:42 > 0:08:43I think you've got a leak there.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46- Be very careful. When you flip it over, there might be a hole.- OK.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53The pressure for the two students is unbelievable.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55But I'm feeling the pressure, too,
0:08:55 > 0:08:57because I have to make that right choice.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08Now the students move on to the tricky Souffle Suissesse.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10Right. Quick explanation.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12It's the souffle that's twice cooked.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14Cooked the first time in the oven.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17About halfway through cooking, when it's set,
0:09:17 > 0:09:20you tip it out onto the hot cream.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Cheese on top. Under the grill.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25- OK?- Uh-huh.- Yep.- Happy?
0:09:25 > 0:09:26Yep.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30The key to a good souffle. What is it?
0:09:30 > 0:09:32- That it rises.- That it rises.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35What could go wrong with a souffle, Alex?
0:09:35 > 0:09:38Too vigorous when whisking the egg whites so you lose the air from the egg whites.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41- So over-whisked egg whites, yes? - Yep.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44Equally, under-whisked egg whites.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00- Whisked enough?- Yep.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02It's firm, not slippy.
0:10:06 > 0:10:07Is it holding?
0:10:09 > 0:10:12- No.- Not really. Come on. A bit more.
0:10:17 > 0:10:22Sophie is already mixing her egg whites into the souffle's Bechamel base.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24Oh, you've raced ahead.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27OK. Right.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31A little bit more in them. That's it. Get them in the oven quickly.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39- Come on. You've got to work quickly, otherwise they'll collapse.- Chef.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48Quick. In the oven.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53Put them in there. Top shelf. That's all right.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55That's it.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04Alex and Sophie start plating up their chicken mousse.
0:11:09 > 0:11:10That's smashing.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25Sophie.
0:11:25 > 0:11:26Look at yours.
0:11:28 > 0:11:29I reckon we can give it a go.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31They're not even set.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34They'll be barely set, but they should hold.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36- Hopefully.- OK. Let's go.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39Oh, this is scary.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43Please, lord!
0:11:48 > 0:11:50- Cheese on top.- I'm on it.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05Yours out. OK. Quick!
0:12:05 > 0:12:06Right.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10OK. Come on, then.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15Whoa! Well done.
0:12:15 > 0:12:16Perfect. Get it under the grill.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27Look at that!
0:12:33 > 0:12:36This dish has got to be nothing more than perfection.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38I can't do anything wrong with this dish.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40It's got to be absolutely beautiful.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44I think Sophie's got her nose in front slightly
0:12:44 > 0:12:47but I still think it's a really close race between the two of us.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50Let me taste Sophie's first.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55Michel is starting with the complicated Mousseline de Volaille,
0:12:55 > 0:12:57the walnut-stuffed chicken mousse.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02A beautiful quenelle. Very good chicken mousse. Nice and light, not bouncy.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05Well cooked. My only issue
0:13:05 > 0:13:09is that your Hollandaise wasn't cooked enough.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11It's more like melted butter.
0:13:14 > 0:13:15Alex.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21Texture is good and it's cooked all the way through.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23You can see the Roquefort in the middle.
0:13:24 > 0:13:25Mm. Actually...
0:13:25 > 0:13:27the texture is better than good.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31The texture is very good. It's really light. A very light mousse.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34Your Mousseline sauce cooked to perfection.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36This one hasn't split.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39It's holding beautifully. It's light, it's fluffy.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42My old man would be pleased with that, I tell you.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46He'd give you a rollicking for the shape of it.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48He'd say that doesn't look like a quenelle.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50But he'd be impressed with your sauce.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54The chicken mousse is a tricky dish.
0:13:54 > 0:14:00As for the cheese souffle, some chefs just never grasp it, full stop.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02This I insist on you tasting.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04Dive in.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07- Look at that. My word!- Mmm.
0:14:09 > 0:14:10It's a cheesy pillow.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19- Like it?- It could do with a touch more salt.
0:14:19 > 0:14:24I thought the cheese might be a bit saltier and I was concerned that I'd get...
0:14:24 > 0:14:28It's lovely and light, yet rich as well, and indulgent.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30- It's a really good effort. - Thank you, Chef.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32Right. Let's taste yours. Come on.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34Dive in!
0:14:39 > 0:14:41- Mmm.- I liked it.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44- Not enough cheese.- Not enough cheese.- It's a cheese souffle.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47- Lots of cheese.- If I was a customer, I'd feel robbed!
0:14:47 > 0:14:49"Where's my cheese?"
0:14:49 > 0:14:50The seasoning is bang on.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52- Right.- As usual.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55Well done, both of you.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57A very, very good effort.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59Every chef that comes to work for me
0:14:59 > 0:15:01wants to cook this iconic dish.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04Only a few ever get to do it.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06And I'm impressed because you've done a very good job of it.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11'They are, literally, neck and neck.'
0:15:11 > 0:15:14They're two very good young chefs.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18And I really don't know how I'm going to be able to split them.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21'I don't know what he sees in me.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24'I'd like to know. Wish I could ask him!
0:15:24 > 0:15:27'Maybe he sees something in me that I don't see.'
0:15:27 > 0:15:30Maybe I've got to start believing in myself a little bit more.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35'I do feel I've progressed from the start of this to now.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37'I feel I can relate to this cooking.'
0:15:38 > 0:15:40I'm learning more about myself as a chef.
0:15:44 > 0:15:45Throughout generations,
0:15:45 > 0:15:49the Roux family has taken mentoring very seriously
0:15:49 > 0:15:53and hundreds of great chefs have served apprenticeships in their kitchens.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55The teaching part, for me, is easy,
0:15:55 > 0:15:57because I really do enjoy that
0:15:57 > 0:16:01and I enjoy watching students progress and learn.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04Their eyes light up when they've learned something and got it right.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07My father has always done it, my uncle has.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10We've always encouraged young chefs.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15But there is only so much a mentor can teach.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19The students still need to have their own creative flair.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22Before he finally chooses who will represent him,
0:16:22 > 0:16:24Michel wants to test them
0:16:24 > 0:16:27by opening up the kitchen larder to the two young cooks.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31They've got to cook one more dish. It's the dish that will separate them,
0:16:31 > 0:16:36the dish that will make my mind up of who will be my protege.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41I want to see a touch of imagination, but not too much.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43Not out of my style.
0:16:50 > 0:16:51Everything I've learnt off Michel,
0:16:51 > 0:16:54through this whole competition,
0:16:54 > 0:16:57I'm going to put into this last dish.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02It's exciting. There's loads of different ingredients.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04Looking forward to getting stuck in now.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09They've got to prove to me that they can cook on their own.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11And stand on their own two feet.
0:17:11 > 0:17:15I want to see that they can actually work with pressure
0:17:15 > 0:17:17and deliver the goods without me jumping in.
0:17:20 > 0:17:25Right. "Fillet of fish, or cod, with a potato scale crust,
0:17:25 > 0:17:27"rosemary and lobster butter sauce
0:17:27 > 0:17:29"wilted baby gem lettuce,
0:17:29 > 0:17:31"tempura batter lobster claw."
0:17:31 > 0:17:34If I see that on a menu, I would order it.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37- Oh, thank God! - I would. I'd order it.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39Tempura batter. Made that before?
0:17:39 > 0:17:41Yeah? Confident? Good.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43Explain how you're going to make the sauce.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47Basically as an original, but a sauce, with shallots and everything.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51But I'll put the rosemary sprig and the lobster in right at the end
0:17:51 > 0:17:53so it doesn't overpower it.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55So it's like a beurre blanc, a butter sauce,
0:17:55 > 0:18:00- with lobster in it.- With lobster and rosemary in it.- OK. I'm with you.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02I'd still order it. Good.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06It's a rich, indulgent dish.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08In that sense, it's very much a Roux dish.
0:18:08 > 0:18:13And a good butter sauce, yes, that's real French classics.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16So I'm expecting great things from Sophie.
0:18:22 > 0:18:23Right, what have we got here, sir?
0:18:23 > 0:18:28"Pheasant breast on bed of Savoy cabbage, roasted potatoes and jus."
0:18:28 > 0:18:30Doesn't sound inspiring to me.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32- No, but...- "No, but, Chef."
0:18:32 > 0:18:34Go on. Sell it to me!
0:18:34 > 0:18:37In the cabbage I'm going to have some nice carrot, onion,
0:18:37 > 0:18:41some smoked bacon, so I'll nicely chiffonade the cabbage up there.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44- Yes.- The potatoes, I was thinking I can turn the potatoes.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47- You're using purple potatoes, Vitelotte.- Yes.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50- Have you cooked with them before? - No, not before.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52- They're very, very floury.- OK.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55When you cook them, especially boil, they fall apart.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58- OK.- You're roasting the pheasant whole?
0:18:58 > 0:19:02- I was going to roast the breast... - The crown.- Crown.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04And then nicely get the breast off
0:19:04 > 0:19:07but make sure my skin is really crispy, seasoned up very nicely.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09What about the legs. Using the legs?
0:19:09 > 0:19:11Um...
0:19:11 > 0:19:14- I haven't... Hmm.- Think of using the legs somewhere.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17- It would be great if you can use the legs.- Yes.- Braise them,
0:19:17 > 0:19:20- and remember that makes the basis of your sauce.- Yep.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25Because if I read this as a diner, I'm not really inspired.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27- You still haven't sold this to me. - OK.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30As you're prepping, just think, yeah?
0:19:30 > 0:19:33A little think. Think, think, think.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42It does sound very reminiscent of the pigeon dish and the duck dish
0:19:42 > 0:19:44that he's cooked previously.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47But he got it right.
0:19:47 > 0:19:48If he can cook that pheasant just right
0:19:48 > 0:19:50and make a magnificent sauce,
0:19:50 > 0:19:52then I can't have any complaints.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57Some people can look at it as meat and two veg,
0:19:57 > 0:20:01but then you could say some of Michel's dishes could be like that as well.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05But there's so much more complicated things involved in it
0:20:05 > 0:20:07just to get to that stage, really.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16What have you decided to do with the legs?
0:20:16 > 0:20:18Instead of doing the roast potatoes with the purple ones,
0:20:18 > 0:20:23- I've decided to make a pomme boulangere. - Like a little potato stack?
0:20:23 > 0:20:26- Yeah.- Sounds very nice.- Thank you, Chef.- Very nice. Good.
0:20:26 > 0:20:27Looking forward to that.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35I've put clarified butter on to set the scales onto the fish.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38So when I fry it, the scales won't fall off.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45I just hope they'll stick. If they don't, I'm in trouble!
0:21:00 > 0:21:06I'm quietly confident I can get all this done and if I manage to pull it all off, it should be a great dish.
0:21:06 > 0:21:11I'm making my jus from the braising liquor, and roasting the crown off, all techniques that he's taught me,
0:21:11 > 0:21:15the classical French, are going into this dish at the same time.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20Sophie's lobster claws are prepped.
0:21:21 > 0:21:2320 minutes to go, guys, yeah?
0:21:23 > 0:21:25That's your 20-minute warning.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29I'm just about to pick my meat down,
0:21:29 > 0:21:31and my sauce is on the go,
0:21:31 > 0:21:33so I'm quite confident at the moment
0:21:33 > 0:21:35that I'm on time.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37I'm where I want to be at this point.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45After Michel's encouragement,
0:21:45 > 0:21:49Alex has decided to use the braised leg to stuff his potato stack.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57Ten minutes to go, and I think I'm going to see two great plates of food.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59They really want this. They really do.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03Come on, guys. Last few minutes.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06Make it a dish that my dad would be proud of.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18It's a little bit under. If I just seal it in the pan,
0:22:18 > 0:22:20I should get it really nice. Ready by the time I plate up.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39- Done?- Yep.- Good. Well done.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54Alex, two minutes late.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57On a busy service, it wouldn't be acceptable.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00My pheasant came out a bit under-done.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03I managed to get that right. That's why I'm two minutes late.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05I wouldn't serve something wrong. I'd rather serve good food late
0:23:05 > 0:23:07than wrong food on time.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10You were bang on time. Well done for your effort.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27I'm cleaning up to take my mind off it!
0:23:27 > 0:23:29Do you want to watch his facial reactions?
0:23:29 > 0:23:31Oh, man. Oh, no! No!
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Michel starts with Sophie's cod
0:23:42 > 0:23:45covered in potato scales with tempura lobster.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49The fish is absolutely cooked to perfection.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51It really is spot on.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55The sauce is a really good beurre blanc butter sauce.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57A classic French sauce.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59I like the concept of the dish.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02It's simple, but good straightforward cooking.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Alex ended up serving his pheasant crown and potato stack
0:24:11 > 0:24:13with a game jus.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15The sauce is well reduced.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17It's thickened as it should be.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19It is a very good sauce. The seasoning is good.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22A lot of thought has gone into this dish.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26It's not as simple as the heading was on the menu.
0:24:30 > 0:24:31Hmm.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37Not an easy decision. It really isn't.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40Because I can see that both of these students
0:24:40 > 0:24:43have learned so much and taken so much on board.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48I really enjoyed Sophie's fish dish.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50There was a lot of attention to detail.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53Precise cooking, and great seasoning again.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59When I think back to the first sauce that Alex put in front of me,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02and this one, I mean, wow!
0:25:02 > 0:25:04What a difference. That's amazing.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07It's great to see the progress like that.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10But I've got to think now...
0:25:11 > 0:25:13..which one of these two students,
0:25:13 > 0:25:15Alex or Sophie,
0:25:15 > 0:25:17can reproduce this kind of cooking
0:25:17 > 0:25:19and more.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41All right, chefs. Come on. Up you come.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50My word, you've come a long way.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52Well done.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54That was tough.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01But I've got to make a decision.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04One of you two has got to represent me.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08So my protege will be...
0:26:12 > 0:26:14..Sophie.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19Alex, that was so, so close.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21So, so, close.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23Thank you, Chef.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25You have got an immense future in front of you.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28- And I mean that.- Thank you, Chef.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31- When you've finished college, come and see me.- Thank you, Chef.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43From where I started to now,
0:26:43 > 0:26:46it's been a great journey.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51Both of us really wanted it,
0:26:51 > 0:26:53so I hope Sophie does really well.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56She has the capability to win this
0:26:56 > 0:27:00so it's a great achievement for her at the same time.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02So I'm definitely rooting for her in the final.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06- Well done.- Thank you!
0:27:08 > 0:27:11You're going to knock their socks off, right? You are.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13That was brilliant.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15- Thank you.- It was!
0:27:15 > 0:27:16Good.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20'I feel like I'm doing something with my life.'
0:27:21 > 0:27:24I could never have imagined me
0:27:24 > 0:27:27going to college, going to uni.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31This opportunity has opened so many doors for me.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33And now I know I can actually do it.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36So, yeah, I've got a lot more confidence in myself now.
0:27:36 > 0:27:37A lot, lot more.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43'From now on, I'm going to give it everything I've got to win this thing.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45'Not just for me, but for him,
0:27:45 > 0:27:47'for my college, for myself.'
0:27:47 > 0:27:51I'm going to do it. Knock 'em dead, hopefully!
0:27:51 > 0:27:53Team Roux! Yes!
0:27:56 > 0:27:57Well done!
0:28:00 > 0:28:02Over the next two nights,
0:28:02 > 0:28:05the mentors bring their proteges to London
0:28:05 > 0:28:07to compete in the final...
0:28:08 > 0:28:11This is quite simply the biggest moment of your cooking career!
0:28:12 > 0:28:14Come on!
0:28:17 > 0:28:20Concept, good. Execution, we can do better.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23..to be judged by the three legends
0:28:23 > 0:28:25who guided their own careers.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd