Episode 19 The Chef's Protege

'Getting to the top of a profession takes skill and hard work,

'but you also need a break along the way.'

I still believe in you.

'Over the past three weeks, Theo Randall,

'Tom Kitchin and Michel Roux Jr

'have each returned to catering college

'to select a student to take under their wing.'

You're a free spirit now! Where's the monster in you, boy?!

'Now that search is over.

'Each mentor has found their protege.'

-Well done.

-Thank you.

-Give us a hug. Well done.

-Thank you.

-I'm so proud of you, Jamie.

-Thanks.

-You've got what it takes.

-Hey, hey!

-Thank you.

'Over the next two nights,

'the three chefs will bring their students together

'for the finals of this competition.'

'It will be judged by the three legends

'who guided their own careers.'

I think I've made the right choice.

Sophie's got bags of talent

and that will to win.

Team Roux! That's it. We've got it.

I've tasted the food the other students have created and it's a very high standard,

but this is my man.

I've got to make sure he does well!

-You being here in this final, you're here to win it, Jamie.

-Yes.

Believe in yourself because you're going to win it.

'Jamie, Sophie and David

'have arrived at St Ermin's Hotel in London.

'Today, they have just one task -

'to devise a three-course menu

'they'd like to serve in the final.

'Those dishes then have to pass muster with their mentors.'

It matters a lot that Tom likes the dishes

before I put them up to Tom's mentor Pierre Koffmann,

because he's obviously going to be expecting the best from Tom and me

so it's very important that I put this up correct for Tom.

It's probably the biggest moment in my life so far.

I've got to put everything into it

and be running round, trying to get everything done.

Today is a massive, massive deal for me.

It's a lot of pressure, but, erm,

I'm just going to have fun and try my best.

It has got to be good enough to impress Michel, and I hope it is.

It's quite French so, hopefully, he likes it.

Coffee?

How are we feeling? Confident?

Erm, confident, excited, erm...

-For any chef in the country, this would be daunting.

-Of course it would.

And I think what's interesting - they're all really the same age,

-17, 18.

-Yes!

-Isn't that crazy? I mean, that is young.

You think back to ourselves when we were 18...

It's a tough ask.

It is a tough ask, to rise to the occasion,

keep their nerve and hopefully keep everything that we've taught them,

because, ultimately, that's it, isn't it?

I think the big thing is understanding the philosophy

of ourselves and our mentors.

'Out of the seven students he originally saw at University College Birmingham,

'Michel has chosen 18-year-old Sophie to represent him.'

There's something about Sophie.

She is a great girl and a great talent in the making.

She has her strengths,

her eagerness to learn

and, I think, a naturally finely-tuned palate.

I just love her character, as well.

-Grrr!

-She's got a chippy little character.

I'm getting annoyed now!

And she's not afraid to answer back -

politely, with respect - and I like that!

I think Chef Michel believes in me. I hope he believes in me because I do want to do him proud

and prove to him that he made the right decision in choosing me.

For me, I think she is the future.

She's got exactly what it takes.

Right...

'Sophie is basing her menu on Michel's classic French style

'and is cooking stuffed chicken thigh with truffle,

'duck supreme and passion fruit souffle.'

Chef Michel's inspired me quite a lot.

When I started this competition, I would cook Italian,

but now I love French. It's amazing.

He's taught me a lot about French cuisine

and a lot about being a chef, as well,

like, what it takes to be a chef and what you need to be a good chef.

I don't want to be beaten by lads, considering I'm the only girl.

It'd be nice for a girl to win.

'Theo has chosen David to represent him.

'He comes from Brooklands College, where Theo also trained.'

David had a very rocky start at the beginning.

He was very nervous, but there was something about him that I quite liked.

There was something about his attitude and his willing to learn.

Theo's a really good mentor. He's calm in the kitchen.

He likes to help you learn.

I think David's got lots of skills.

For me, he's got the right attitude. That's what I look for in people.

'David is hoping that his menu of cappelletti pasta,

'monkfish cooked in a bag al cartoccio,

'and tiramisu

'will prove he's absorbed Theo's rustic Italian style.'

My menu's inspired by Theo.

I'm just trying to fit in everything that he's taught me.

I know one of his favourite pasta dishes is cappelletti

so I thought I would try that.

I've never made them before so it should be interesting.

I'm nervous about the final, but I think Theo's taught me well

and I think I can pull off a victory

if I really perform well.

It's the biggest day of the competition so far.

I'm just trying to get a few things on first to give me a head-start.

I definitely can't let Tom down. It's such an important day

so I can't get anything wrong today.

'At 17, Jamie might be the youngest student,

'but Tom has every faith in him.'

Where Jamie and I first met at Perth College,

the amazing adventure we've been on,

and now, wee Jamie from Perth

is coming to London for the first time!

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,

and he's got this great wee smile on him,

absolutely loving it and he's just delighted to be here.

I'd like to think that Tom's quite proud of me at the moment,

to seeing me at the start of the competition,

to see how far I've come and how much I've taken on board.

I'm very keen to do Tom proud.

'Jamie has composed a menu that he believes reflects Tom's philosophy

'of maximising flavour

'by using the very best Scottish ingredients.

'He's come up with an Orkney scallops starter,

'a grey-legged partridge main

'and a set chestnut cream for dessert.'

I hope that Tom's going to look at them

and see that they represent his style

and the way that he approaches food.

I've invested an incredible amount of time and effort

and love and, you know, everything I could into Jamie.

We've come all the way down to London, we've come from Scotland and we're going to win.

'The students have each devised these menus themselves,

'but before they cook them in the final,

'they need to get the approval of their mentors.'

SHE GROANS IN ANNOYANCE

-Holding it together?

-Er, yes.

-I've just got to put my partridge in the oven.

-Focusing. Focusing. It's all about focusing.

Clean. Tidy. Precision. Seasoning.

-If something's not right, you know it's not right, yes?

-Yes, Chef.

Come on.

'Jamie is finishing the partridge-stuffed cabbage balls for his main course.'

Don't use the green-green leaves. They're a bit bitter. Use the leaf a little bit further in.

These are the kind of things that you'll be marked on. Listen to me.

'David's attempt to make cappelletti pasta for the first time

'has put him behind.'

OK, David, so you've got 15 minutes to serve.

I might be just a few minutes behind.

-You've done the pasta?

-Yes.

But they're not of cappellettis because I rolled it out wrong for the cappellettis.

-So, what have you made?

-Raviolis.

OK. Well, you know, I guess that's...

-I won't lie and try and hide it.

-..initiative, I suppose.

How about your monkfish dish?

Monkfish is pretty good. It's almost there.

Erm, it's more about my tiramisu at the moment.

-You need to get on, really.

-Yes. OK. Erm...

Team Randall's a little bit behind, I'd say.

I think he's a bit nervous.

It's all very well the kind of preparation stuff,

but this is the moment, and I think he's panicking slightly.

-HE SIGHS

-But everything smells good,

which is quite nice.

'Sophie checks on her carrot tuile for her duck main.'

That's not coming off, that.

You look in a bit of a tizz.

-Annoyed.

-Annoyed? What's up? Tell me all about it.

-I'm just annoyed.

-Annoyed at what?

Just...

-SHE SNIFFS

-Nothing.

You're not going to be able to do this if you're in this state.

That's what I'm here for. Tell me all about it.

The carrot tuile, I didn't do it thick enough.

-I ain't got time to do another one so I might do carrot puree.

-Yes.

And then... I've got everything ready for the duck.

-I've just got to make the souffles and that's it.

-OK.

Don't worry if it's not "exactly" exactly how you envisaged it

-because this is what it's all about.

-But you know me!

I know what you're like. But it's like a dummy run.

Yes? I know you want to do well, and you will do well.

-Hey, we're going to win this.

-I'm going to try!

We're going to win it, all right? Come on.

Right.

She's in tears. She's not happy and cooking with a smile on her face.

If a chef doesn't cook with a smile on his face, the food suffers.

She needs a big boost and she needs an arm round the shoulder

and to be told the right things to get her back in the groove.

It's a massive task and a huge ask for these young chefs.

When you're only 17, 18, it's daunting,

and I think they've realised now, you know, how much of a challenge this is.

I'm counting the grey hairs now!

It's nerve-racking but, you know, we're all in the same boat.

I'd take those out pretty quickly! They're going to be overcooked.

'David's menu will be first to face the scrutiny of his mentor.'

I am nervous, but I'm just trying to get it all done.

OK, can we plate the pasta first?

I've taken a very inexperienced student

and trained him to as much as I can in a short space of time.

Hopefully, he's learnt a lot from me.

-OK, ready?

-Yes.

'David's first course is ricotta and spinach ravioli

'with an enoki and chanterelle mushroom sauce.'

-So, you've got Japanese mushrooms with Scottish mushrooms?

-Yes.

OK, your pasta's pretty good.

It's got a nice bite to it. You've learnt something.

Your spinach is nice, the ricotta's good,

but I think you could do something a bit more, er,

-seasonal with this one.

-Yes.

Right!

The pasta's good.

-I'm not sure about this mixture of mushrooms.

-The enoki's quite a wet mushroom.

They're not very Italian, enoki mushrooms, are they?!

-I think Theo will improve that.

-I think he'll improve it.

He'll grab it by the scruff of the neck! Young man!

'For his main, David's cooked monkfish in a bag

'with olives and vermouth

'and served it with Swiss chard, peppers and datterini tomatoes.'

OK, let's have a look at this.

The monkfish is bordering on being overcooked, but it's just under.

-That's the problem with steaming monkfish - it's going to boil in the bag.

-Yes.

It tastes nice, the chard is nicely cooked,

but, it's erm...

It's quite a tricky dish to get right.

-The thing is, it's tasty, it's nice. It's a nice piece of cooking.

-Yes.

Is it going to impress Albert, Chef Koffmann?

And, more importantly, is Ruth Rogers going to see this

and think to herself, "Hmm!"?

'David's dessert is hazelnut and amaretto tiramisu.'

So, erm,

-not much presentation, is there?

-No.

-It looks like something you'd find in a...

-In a pub.

No, I wouldn't even say that.

Not good. Not good at all.

Ruthie would have one mouthful of that

and just think what have I been doing with this student?

-That's just like... That's just so not me.

-No.

It's so not her, either.

This is the worst cooking you've done for me.

-The worst time to do it, as well.

-The worst time. It's the final.

-You've got one more chance, OK? One more chance.

-Mm-hm.

'Theo now has to choose which two dishes out of the three

'are good enough to cook in the final tomorrow.'

I think we should forget the dessert.

I think the two dishes we should put up are the main course and the pasta.

The pasta... The mushrooms were wrong.

-OK.

-I didn't like it.

I like the way you did the ravioli,

but I'm thinking of a different shape called pansotti,

-which is like a ravioli but it's a half-moon shape.

-OK.

And then, looking at that monkfish, it's a difficult fish to cook.

I would do sea bass. I would cook it the same way.

I like the way you cooked it in the bag, keeping all the juices in.

I think it needs a pulse or something like that.

Lentils would work really nicely.

I think then you'd have a dish that works and has a balance.

-OK.

-You can do it. You know you can. You've cooked beautifully all week.

I'll give it my best.

Disappointed. I feel really disappointed.

This is the toughest thing I've done so far in my career.

There is so much pressure on you.

I'm representing Theo alone,

so I've got to try and do as good as I can,

not just for me but for him, as well.

'Sophie is next to face the judgement of her mentor.'

I am nervous about today.

Sophie is going to have to be, for all intents and purposes,

me in the kitchen.

I can guide her, I can talk to her,

but I can't actually jump in and do the work.

Make sure the plates are stinking hot

because they're sticklers for that.

-Are we off?

-Yes.

-OK. Come on.

'Sophie's starter is stuffed chicken thigh

'with black pudding and a cranberry jus.'

Right. It's a starter, it's far too big.

-I like the idea of the stuffing, but it needs to be refined.

-OK.

We need to show off more of your skill, which you've got.

Let's have a taste.

-The sauce is OK, but it's too sharp.

-Sharp.

-Yes. Too sharp.

The concept - good. Execution - we can do better.

Black pudding is quite a kind of fatty dish.

-And the sauce, what's this?

-It's cranberry, erm...

-..cranberry jus.

-Hoo!

-It's tart.

-Tart!

It doesn't strike me as a Roux classic.

-I think he's got a bit of work to do.

-I feel a bit relieved, actually!

'Sophie's main is pan-fried duck breast

'with confit cabbage balls,

'mashed potato and a carrot puree.'

What a lovely creamy mash. That'll go down a storm.

Your duck...

-It's a bit chewy, isn't it?

-Mm.

-Bit chewy.

It needs to be trimmed.

-Wow!

-HE COUGHS & LAUGHS

-What's in those cabbage balls?

-Erm, just cabbage, confitted in duck fat.

-With a load of...?

-Salt! That's all I can taste.

That really is over-seasoned!

I'm intrigued by the confit cabbage.

Cabbage... HE GIGGLES

Cor! That's well seasoned! Whoa-ho!

Taste the cabbage.

THEO LAUGHS

-Ugh!

-That's pretty, erm...

Over to you, Michel!

'For her dessert, Sophie has made a passion fruit souffle.'

It is really light. It's holding up.

You've got a kick of passion fruit because of the grains on the top,

but the actual mix itself is just egg white.

There's no depth of flavour.

-It's not a traditional Roux brothers creme patisserie base.

-No.

It hasn't got any flavour, apart from the passion fruit on the top.

We need to choose two dishes

out of these three here.

I think we should go with the chicken with the black pudding,

and the duck supreme.

The starter - you need to show off your skills.

-Let's not get rid of the black pudding, let's do something with it.

-OK.

Blitz it up,

put three pieces of your stuffed leg

-and your sauce...

-Round the outside.

But it needs to be refined because it's far too sharp.

The main course -

-the duck needs to be trimmed down properly.

-Yes.

Mashed potato - be generous with it because it's delicious!

Don't do a swipe.

-Do a dollop.

-Do a big spoonful!

-The cabbage...

-Less salt!

-Ugh!

-And I'd love to see some duck leg in there.

-Yes.

I really do believe that you have got what it takes.

So chill out a bit, get yourself organised.

-Remember -

-I'll just be a mini you.

-You be a mini me!

I love it! I love it!

That, to me, was terrible.

That's really upset me.

I know I'm better than that and I know I can do better than that and, er,

and I didn't do it today.

I think I need to pick myself back up now,

have a little bit of a breather and I'll be fine.

'Jamie is the last student to present his menu.'

Five minutes, Jamie, OK? Clean that bench. Clean that bench.

If you work clean and tidy, your mind will be clean and tidy.

-Yes, Chef.

-That's when you will deliver something really exceptional,

-something that you'll be proud of, Jamie.

-Right.

This is very much about, you know, me and Jamie, we're in this together.

-They need a good rest, those, as well, yes?

-Yes.

I'm the one that's mentoring him. I take responsibility.

I pushed him in the right direction, in what I believe in.

-Have you thought about your presentation?

-I have, Chef.

Nice and clean. Nice and clean.

But then, at the end of the day, he's the one that's got to deliver

and he's the one that will deserve the plaudits,

if he wins.

-OK?

-Yes, Chef.

'Jamie's starter is seared Orkney scallops

'with celeriac puree, apple and crispy chicken skin.'

The scallops are undercooked.

-It's a fine, fine line between undercooked and overcooked.

-Yes.

You're missing ten seconds,

-five to ten seconds in the pan there.

-Yes.

-The chicken skin is too salty.

-Yes.

-It's crispy, but it's too salty.

-Yes.

-The puree's good. The rest, we've got a lot of work there.

-Yes.

A lot of work.

-Mm.

-It's almost sashimi.

It is, isn't it? I know my dad wouldn't eat it.

-Good celeriac, though. Really strong and pungent.

-Yep.

'For his main, Jamie has roasted grey-legged partridge

and served it with a cabbage ball of leg meat and Jerusalem artichokes.'

Let's taste.

-Mm?

-Yes, Chef.

-It's not cooked, Chef.

-No.

-It's raw. That's raw, as well.

-Yes.

If we served that to Pierre Koffmann, Albert Roux, Ruth Rogers,

we might as well get our jackets and go back and get the train, boy.

-Do you understand?

-Yes.

Is it nice and moist?

Oof! Gee! A little bit rare.

As far as the flavours go, a bit more seasoning,

get the cooking a bit more accurate,

it should be good.

-I don't know about you, Theo, but...

-I'm impressed.

-Impressed and, er...

-Worried.

-A little bit worried.

-Mm.

'Jamie's dessert is a set chestnut cream

'with pumpkin sorbet.'

The taste is not bad, you know? It's not bad.

But, for me, the pumpkin's sweet, the chestnut's sweet

-and it's all the same kind of consistency.

-Yes.

Hm. I'm not too sure about that.

-What is it?

-I don't know!

-Does it taste of chestnut?

-No.

-It doesn't really.

-I'll have to think about this. I've got a lot to think about.

-Yes.

We can turn any of these dishes into something special,

but we have to work on this together and you have to feel comfortable, OK?

I think we can do something really good with the scallops and celeriac

and the partridge. We can do something nice.

OK, scallops... Think back to day one

when we did the scallops and the fennel in the shell.

We're going to do something similar with the celeriac.

We're going to add a little bit of coriander seed,

a little touch of curry powder and a touch of turmeric, as well.

Your lovely herbs on top... It's going to sing, Jamie! OK?

-Can you feel that dish?

-Yes.

-Do you get excited by it?

-Yes.

-OK. Good.

Now, when we do the partridge, these judges love game,

if we get this partridge right, they'll be happy.

If we do it like we've done here,

-we're in big trouble, young man. Do you understand me?

-Yes.

I think my confidence has taken a bit of a knock.

I was confident in those dishes when they were on paper.

Having such a disastrous round there,

it gives you a bit of a knock.

There's no point getting too down. You need to keep your head up

to put everything you've got into the next two dishes.

'Now, all that remains is one final test.

'Tomorrow night, the grand mentors arrive,

'and Jamie, Sophie and David are on their own...

Oh, yes!

'..to be judged

'by three of the world's greatest chefs.'

I've had experience of my father being grumpy for a month

because a plate of food that I served him

wasn't to his liking.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd