0:00:03 > 0:00:05Four of the best chefs in Britain
0:00:05 > 0:00:07are on the hunt for their perfect partner.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09For the first time ever,
0:00:09 > 0:00:12amateur the home cooks will be paired with the best in the business
0:00:12 > 0:00:15for the cooking experience of a lifetime.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19This is the hardest thing I've had to do in my life.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22Each day, a different Michelin-starred chef will choose
0:00:22 > 0:00:25their perfect partner from four talented home cooks.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29All of you, I thought, cooked really well.
0:00:29 > 0:00:33Then, in the Friday final, all four pairs will go head-to-head
0:00:33 > 0:00:36to cook for culinary royalty, Pierre Koffmann.
0:00:37 > 0:00:42What I look for in a perfect dish is to keep it simple and tasty.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45For the professional chefs, their reputations are on the line.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47Release the home cooks!
0:00:47 > 0:00:50But will the amateur home cooks live up to their expectations?
0:00:52 > 0:00:53What are you doing?
0:00:53 > 0:00:55This is Yes Chef.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04Hello and welcome to Yes Chef.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07Let's see who's cooking in the kitchen today.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11First, it's Julie Yould, a housewife from Chester.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14People tell me my food is delicious.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17I usually like to use quite a few hot and spicy things,
0:01:17 > 0:01:20lots of chillies. I'm going to try and pull out all the stops today.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22I'll do my very best, try to remember everything
0:01:22 > 0:01:24in the right order and present it in a beautiful way.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28Next is Ben Kenneally, an account executive from Harrogate.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30People say my food is inspired by travel.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33I take lots of influence from different places I've visited
0:01:33 > 0:01:35in the past. I really want to win. The opportunity to cook
0:01:35 > 0:01:37for a Michelin-starred chef is fantastic.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40Chris Dearden is a pre-sales manager from Milton Keynes.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42My cooking style is quite varied,
0:01:42 > 0:01:44fairly rustic. Not so great on the presentation.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48And, finally, Charlotte Davies is a contract scheduler from Cardiff.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52I've always wanted to cook for, like, a Michelin-starred chef.
0:01:52 > 0:01:53It's been my dream.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57To know someone else appreciates your cooking would mean
0:01:57 > 0:01:58the absolute world to me.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02Well, we've met our home cooks so it's now time to meet our chef.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04It's Nigel Haworth.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09Nigel Haworth is chef patron of Northcote, set in the heart
0:02:09 > 0:02:11of the Ribble Valley in Lancashire.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14The style of cookery I do, it's modern British.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18We're cooking food that is in season, at its best.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Nigel has an instinctive understanding of his region,
0:02:21 > 0:02:24and his cooking is described as local, rustic,
0:02:24 > 0:02:26and has a nod to heritage classics.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28OK, service!
0:02:28 > 0:02:31Having held a Michelin star for 20 years, his standards are
0:02:31 > 0:02:35incredibly high, and he's looking for the perfect partner.
0:02:35 > 0:02:36In an ideal world,
0:02:36 > 0:02:40I'd really like to have somebody who understands seasonality.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44It is the biggest factor in making a dish work.
0:02:44 > 0:02:49I'm looking for somebody who is really passionate and ambitious.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51And somebody who can win.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53Welcome, Nigel.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55It's an absolute pleasure to have you here today.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57It's great to be here.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00Well, our four home cooks will be doing all they can to impress you
0:03:00 > 0:03:02today, in the hope you'll pick one of them to be your partner in
0:03:02 > 0:03:05the Friday final. What are you going to be looking for?
0:03:05 > 0:03:09I think flavour is, for me, the most important thing. Seasonality's good.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13Really seeing those flavours work, seeing some harmony in the food.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15Just a simple, beautiful dish.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17OK, well, let's get on with it.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19This is round one, Dish Of The Day.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23Now, home cooks, you're going to be preparing one dish that you
0:03:23 > 0:03:25believe will set you apart from the rest.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28Now, you need to make it count because, after this round,
0:03:28 > 0:03:30one of you will be going home.
0:03:30 > 0:03:35You have 45 minutes, so use your time wisely.
0:03:35 > 0:03:36So, Chef, it's over to you.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40OK, let's see some fantastic ingredients coming together,
0:03:40 > 0:03:43some really fantastic food.
0:03:43 > 0:03:44ALL: Yes, Chef!
0:03:44 > 0:03:48Right, cooks. Your time...starts now.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54So, our cooks are off, and with one of them destined to leave
0:03:54 > 0:03:56the competition at the end of this round,
0:03:56 > 0:04:00they are going all out to impress Nigel with their Dish Of The Day.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05And, for Charlotte, the nerves are starting to show already.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08Just trying to remember everything, and trying to remember
0:04:08 > 0:04:13what I'm doing, and making sure I'm doing it all in order so nothing...
0:04:13 > 0:04:14hopefully messes up.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17One man who knows how to impress with his cooking is Chris.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19When I proposed to my wife, I cooked her chicken Kiev,
0:04:19 > 0:04:21which is her favourite dish.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24And I kind of combined that with a dish that my mother taught me,
0:04:24 > 0:04:27which is a sort of a chicken and bacon and white wine.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31And this is the result of the fusion of those two recipes.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33Well, it was good enough for Chris' wife,
0:04:33 > 0:04:36but let's hope it's good enough for Nigel.
0:04:36 > 0:04:37Hi, Julie. Hi.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40How's it going, Julie? Not too bad, thank you.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42I've got everything in for my paste.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44I've ground up my coriander seeds and my peppercorns. Right.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Got all the essential ingredients in there,
0:04:47 > 0:04:50ready to make a fabulously zesty Thai green sauce.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54So, that's for your monkfish? That is for my monkfish, yes. Right, OK.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56So, what, you're doing a Thai green curry, then?
0:04:56 > 0:04:58Yes, with king prawns and monkfish. It's one of my favourites.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01And which chilli are you putting in? You've quite a few on there.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04Well, I've put in two large green, one bird's eye...
0:05:04 > 0:05:06So we want a little bit of a kick
0:05:06 > 0:05:09but nothing's going to blow anyone's head off, so... You reckon?
0:05:09 > 0:05:11If it was for me, I'd add some more,
0:05:11 > 0:05:13but there's other people to think of, so...
0:05:13 > 0:05:16Right, well, we'll leave you to it. Thank you.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19With temperatures rising in the kitchen,
0:05:19 > 0:05:21our home cooks appear to be keeping their cool,
0:05:21 > 0:05:25although Julie's having a few problems with her chillies.
0:05:25 > 0:05:26Making my eyes water!
0:05:27 > 0:05:30There's a bit more heat in that green chilli than I thought!
0:05:33 > 0:05:36Hi, Ben. How are you doing? What are you up to?
0:05:36 > 0:05:38Well, I'm making a papaya salad at the moment,
0:05:38 > 0:05:40which is really fresh and zingy.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43And, with that, I'm also marinating a weeping tiger,
0:05:43 > 0:05:45which is a sirloin steak in fish sauce and soya sauce.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49And griddled, nice and caramelised. It's going to be good. OK.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51So, where do your peanuts come in, then?
0:05:51 > 0:05:52Are you bashing those in there?
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Yeah. We're going to toast those off slightly as well,
0:05:55 > 0:05:58and they're going to be chopped and sprinkled on top to give it texture.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00All right, well, we'll let you carry on. Thank you.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02Best of luck. Thanks.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10With just 45 minutes to prepare their dish,
0:06:10 > 0:06:12our home cooks must be organised and efficient.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15But, for Charlotte, time is ticking away.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17Time's just going by so fast,
0:06:17 > 0:06:20I just need to make sure the celeriac's cooked in time and
0:06:20 > 0:06:23I've got enough time to blend it as well to make the puree.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26We'll see when it comes to dishing up. How are we getting on?
0:06:26 > 0:06:28Pretty good, pretty good. So, what are you making?
0:06:28 > 0:06:30So, mushroom-stuffed chicken.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32Served with mashed potato,
0:06:32 > 0:06:36French beans and a white wine and tarragon cream.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38Mm. Sounds a lot going on.
0:06:38 > 0:06:39There's a few elements,
0:06:39 > 0:06:41but they should all come together nicely at the end.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44The Cumbria ham there, is that in the stuffing,
0:06:44 > 0:06:45or are you wrapping the chicken?
0:06:45 > 0:06:49Yeah, so the Parma ham goes down, a layer of spinach, mushrooms,
0:06:49 > 0:06:52roll up like a spring roll, and then that gets inserted into the chicken.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54Does that help seal the chicken as well?
0:06:54 > 0:06:56It does, and it also gives it a little bit of seasoning,
0:06:56 > 0:06:58cos of the saltiness of the ham. Very good.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00I think you'd better get on with it as well.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02THEY LAUGH
0:07:02 > 0:07:05On the other side of the kitchen, Ben and Julie are both on schedule.
0:07:06 > 0:07:10Meanwhile, poor Charlotte is still struggling.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13The fried potatoes haven't quite cooked. The heat was on too hot.
0:07:13 > 0:07:14I don't want them going too brown.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17So I've just had to turn the temperature down
0:07:17 > 0:07:18and just pop them back in.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21So just a small hiccup. SHE CHUCKLES
0:07:21 > 0:07:23Hi, Charlotte. Hi. Charlotte, how are you doing?
0:07:23 > 0:07:25Oh, getting there. Just getting the lamb out?
0:07:25 > 0:07:28Yes, getting it ready to go into the oven now.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32So I've put rosemary, thyme, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper,
0:07:32 > 0:07:36blended it to make a nice marinade to complement the lamb.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38I fried it, rendered the fat down,
0:07:38 > 0:07:41I'm going to put it in the oven now, just for ten minutes. Smells lovely.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44It does smell lovely. I'm hoping it'll taste as good as it smells.
0:07:44 > 0:07:45And what are you doing with that?
0:07:45 > 0:07:50So I'm going to make a celeriac puree, a red wine sauce.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54I've got balsamic roasted carrots, and then some pea shoots,
0:07:54 > 0:07:57just to give it... These look grand carrots, Charlotte.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59They're VERY big carrots! Easy!
0:07:59 > 0:08:01THEY LAUGH
0:08:01 > 0:08:03Huge! We've got a big breast and a big carrot.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05THEY LAUGH
0:08:05 > 0:08:06On separate dishes.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11But, yeah, I'm hoping all the flavours will come together
0:08:11 > 0:08:13and it'll just turn out nice.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15Good luck, Charlotte. Oh, thank you.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17OK, all the best, Charlotte. We'll see you very soon. Cheers.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19'So, Charlotte's back on track,
0:08:19 > 0:08:22'and all seems to be going well for Julie, too.'
0:08:22 > 0:08:23Fish doesn't take very long at all.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25Probably in about five or ten minutes or so,
0:08:25 > 0:08:29then I'll add the monkfish and the prawns a few minutes later.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31Try and time it for when the rice is ready.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33So let's start with Julie. Mm.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37She's doing a Thai fish curry. Looks good.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39I think she's calculated with her flavours.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42She seems to be confident, but not overconfident.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44So, yeah, I think she'll produce a nice dish.
0:08:44 > 0:08:49Ben. Ben. Who's doing another Asian-influenced dish. Yeah.
0:08:49 > 0:08:54With his steak. I get sort of not quite as much confidence there. OK.
0:08:54 > 0:08:55It's only a feeling. OK.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59But that suggests it's either going to be a hit or a real miss.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01And then Chris. That breast is big.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04There's going to be a lot on the plate, a lot going on.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07I hope I'm wrong here. We could have quite a clumsy dish.
0:09:07 > 0:09:08It always, you know...
0:09:08 > 0:09:11When you're pan-frying a chicken breast in breadcrumbs,
0:09:11 > 0:09:14it is quite tricky. Why? Why? It's always easier to deep-fry it.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18But, you know, he could come good.
0:09:18 > 0:09:19Charlotte.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21I'm excited about Charlotte. Lovely piece of lamb.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24It's a different way of actually doing it.
0:09:24 > 0:09:25Not marinating before, and sealing off
0:09:25 > 0:09:27and then putting the marinade over,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30and using that as like a cooking medium, is quite nice. Yeah.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32The girls, I feel, are more comfortable
0:09:32 > 0:09:33than the guys at the minute.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35But that can change. That can change.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38Why don't you go and have another look, see how they're getting on?
0:09:38 > 0:09:41I will do. Can I take my tea with me? Yeah, take your tea.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48A little tip I always do
0:09:48 > 0:09:50is I always put an upturned plate underneath the steak... OK.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53..so it allows the juices to run.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55It stops it cooking on.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57Ah, yes, great. Thank you.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08Cooks, you have just 30 seconds left.
0:10:13 > 0:10:14Ten.
0:10:14 > 0:10:15Nine.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17Eight.
0:10:17 > 0:10:18Seven.
0:10:18 > 0:10:19Six.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21Five.
0:10:21 > 0:10:22Four.
0:10:22 > 0:10:23Three.
0:10:23 > 0:10:24Two.
0:10:24 > 0:10:25One.
0:10:25 > 0:10:26Stop cooking!
0:10:26 > 0:10:28Step away from your plates.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31Right, that's it. That's the end of round one.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33It's time to taste.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37First to be judged by Nigel is Julie with her Dish Of The Day.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40She's made a king prawn and monkfish Thai green curry,
0:10:40 > 0:10:42served with Basmati rice.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47How we doing, Julie? OK, thank you. How did you find the challenge?
0:10:47 > 0:10:50A lot more difficult than at home, to be honest.
0:10:50 > 0:10:51Had a bit of a problem with the rice,
0:10:51 > 0:10:52which at home was just perfect.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54And I just, for some reason, ran out of time,
0:10:54 > 0:10:55and I didn't garnish it.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58I wanted to put some nice red in it with the red chillies
0:10:58 > 0:11:00and a bit of basil. But...
0:11:00 > 0:11:02It evaporates, doesn't it, your time when...? It does, yes.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06It's amazing. But I think I'm pleased with the Thai sauce.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09Happy with the flavours, but just not the presentation I wanted.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11It was a bit thrown on at the end. OK.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14I would have liked the presentation to be a bit different.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17I think I did say that I was more interested in flavour, so... Yeah.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20I hope so. OK. Shall we have a go?
0:11:20 > 0:11:22Tuck in. Tuck in? Right.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31I know what you mean about the rice. Yeah. It just isn't...
0:11:31 > 0:11:34It's not happening, is it? ..fluffy. Yeah.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38There's a lovely balance of flavours. Thank you.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41And I'm just getting that lovely kick of the chilli
0:11:41 > 0:11:45at the back of my palate. The rice, as we said, is a bit under.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49If anything, perhaps, slightly overcooked on the monkfish.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53Yeah. You know, but it was almost inevitable, cos...
0:11:53 > 0:11:55At the end, wasn't it...? It was a bit of a crash at the end there
0:11:55 > 0:11:59to get it on. Yeah. But your flavours are lovely. Thank you.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04Hi. Oh, how did you go? Not so bad. Yeah?
0:12:04 > 0:12:06Got the comments I expected about the rice,
0:12:06 > 0:12:09but wasn't happening on the convector top.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12She looked a bit disappointed, obviously, with her rice. She was.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15And she knew straight away, didn't she? Yes. That she...
0:12:15 > 0:12:18She knew she'd overcooked her food, and she knew, at the end,
0:12:18 > 0:12:24that she'd sort of not managed the assembly, is the best word. Yeah.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26She captured the flavour of Thai curry.
0:12:26 > 0:12:27The heat was lovely, I thought.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30Yeah, it wasn't too powerful, was it? But it was just nice.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34Yeah, it's just a shame about the rice, but...
0:12:34 > 0:12:37But I think, at the moment, it's all about the flavours. Yeah.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40Thank you. That's really good. Thanks.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43Next to take the taste test is Ben with his Dish Of The Day -
0:12:43 > 0:12:45weeping tiger steak,
0:12:45 > 0:12:49served with a papaya Thai salad and wok-fried broccoli.
0:12:49 > 0:12:50Hi.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53Ben. How did you feel you cooked?
0:12:53 > 0:12:55Um, it went OK, yeah, I was a little bit worried
0:12:55 > 0:12:57about overcooking or undercooking the steak,
0:12:57 > 0:13:00but I'm pretty happy with the way that's come out. Mm.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02You cooked it nice and medium rare, so... Yeah.
0:13:02 > 0:13:03Good. Let's try. Enjoy.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11All gone quiet now. HE CHUCKLES
0:13:15 > 0:13:18A little bit al dente, those, are they?
0:13:18 > 0:13:20They are very al dente. Yeah. Mm.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22You know, nice flavour. Thank you.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27You said that was zingy, didn't you? Yeah.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31Zingy's the word. I like zingy. Very zingy food. Good.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34I thought the papaya Thai salad -
0:13:34 > 0:13:36with the peanuts and the texture of that -
0:13:36 > 0:13:39worked really well with the softness of the steak.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42Great. And that zinginess, for me, worked.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45And the broccoli, you know, although it's al dente, very much enjoyed it.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47Thank you.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50How did it go? Good. Yeah? Good, yeah.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53Obviously, you were a bit worried about Ben's dish,
0:13:53 > 0:13:56cos you said it could be hit or miss. So was it a hit for you?
0:13:56 > 0:13:57Yeah. It worked.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59That's a really nice piece of steak.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03Sort of that sweetness of the marinade on the steak,
0:14:03 > 0:14:06and then that really... as he used, that word, "zingy".
0:14:06 > 0:14:08And the texture on the salad.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10It really brought it together.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12Time for Chris's Dish Of The Day -
0:14:12 > 0:14:16mushroom-stuffed chicken, served with mashed potatoes,
0:14:16 > 0:14:19French beans and a white wine and tarragon cream.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23There we go. Thank you, Chris. Lovely.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26And how did you find the challenge? It was really good.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28So you're pleased with the end result? I think so.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30The breading could have stuck a bit better.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34Probably cos you're actually, you know, in a competition,
0:14:34 > 0:14:36you maybe have rushed it.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39Just a little bit more care might have just passed that through.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41One of my biggest worries was that the chicken breast
0:14:41 > 0:14:43was a bit larger than the one I'd been testing with,
0:14:43 > 0:14:45and I had some concerns as to
0:14:45 > 0:14:47whether I was going to get it cooked properly in time.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51It actually looks, from here, cooked perfectly, doesn't it?
0:14:51 > 0:14:53Well, I'm going to taste it. Yes, let's.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08The chicken feels like it's cooked perfectly.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10You know, the stuffing's lovely, seasoned.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14And the French beans are al dente and a little bit under-seasoned.
0:15:14 > 0:15:15OK, yep.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18The sauce is kicking of tarragon. I mean, it is punchy tarragon.
0:15:18 > 0:15:23If anything, there's a little edge of sort of acidity.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27Which, for me, means you haven't reduced your alcohol down.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29OK. Before I add the stock? Before you add the stock. Ah.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32That's always the secret when you're making a sauce -
0:15:32 > 0:15:34reduce it right down, burn off the alcohol.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36It gives you a cleaner feel on the palate. Mm-hm.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38All in all, a very nice dish.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41Brilliant. Well, well done. Thank you very much.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44Hi. Right, dig in. Looks lovely.
0:15:46 > 0:15:47Oh, it's lovely.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50That sauce was just a little bit raw. Yeah.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53With the acidity. That's something you could teach him, you know.
0:15:53 > 0:15:54You've just told him how to...
0:15:54 > 0:15:56Absolutely. ..how to reduce the sauce, you know?
0:15:56 > 0:16:00So that's an amazing tip for him. But the crumb...
0:16:00 > 0:16:01You know, it's one of those things
0:16:01 > 0:16:04that you really have to take a great deal of care with.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06And maybe also, something I didn't say,
0:16:06 > 0:16:08is to allow it to set up a little. Mm.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12And finally it's Charlotte with her Dish Of The Day -
0:16:12 > 0:16:16Welsh rack of lamb, celeriac puree, parmentier potatoes
0:16:16 > 0:16:22and balsamic roasted carrots, topped with pea shoots and a red wine jus.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24Wow. Yes. So...
0:16:24 > 0:16:26How did it go?
0:16:26 > 0:16:29It went really well, actually. I was actually ahead of time.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33I just am a bit wary about the lamb, but we'll see. Why? In what way?
0:16:33 > 0:16:35I'd personally have it a bit more cooked,
0:16:35 > 0:16:38but some people might like it a bit more rare.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42So it's personal preference, isn't it? Have you cooked it rare, or...?
0:16:42 > 0:16:44It's...more medium rare,
0:16:44 > 0:16:47but it's more on the rare side, if that makes sense. OK.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51Is it any specific type of lamb? It's a Welsh rack of lamb.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54A Welsh rack, yeah? Good. Which was French trimmed.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01Crunchy carrots. Mm. CHARLOTTE CHUCKLES
0:17:03 > 0:17:07Right. The lamb has a lovely flavour. Yeah?
0:17:07 > 0:17:09I can tell it's Welsh lamb.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12There's a really long, long flavour on the palate.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15The seasoning's good. Potatoes are nice.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18I'm not overly keen on your celeriac puree. Yeah.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20Don't think it's necessary but...
0:17:20 > 0:17:22You know, you could have done without that.
0:17:22 > 0:17:23The one thing I'd say on presentation -
0:17:23 > 0:17:25if you were going to do that again another time,
0:17:25 > 0:17:27you'd present that that way round. Yeah.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29So that you're showing the... Colour.
0:17:29 > 0:17:30Yeah, the pinkness of the lamb.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32For some people, you're right, though, Charlotte,
0:17:32 > 0:17:36that might be a wee little bit undercooked. Yeah.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39And your sauce is really, really nice. Yeah? Yeah.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41Oh, that's good to hear. Well done. Well done.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44Happy with those comments? I am actually, yeah.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46Fabulous. Yes. They liked it.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50Just they thought... Nigel thought without the celeriac puree.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52Didn't think it was necessary.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54Why didn't you like the celeriac on the plate?
0:17:54 > 0:17:58It was coarse, it was half puree and half sauce.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00You know, it was an in-between thing. OK.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03With the sauce, I didn't think you needed that texture
0:18:03 > 0:18:05cos you had so much flavour going on.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08Only three people could be taken through to the next round.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12For one of our home cooks, it's time to leave the competition.
0:18:12 > 0:18:13I just ran out of time at the end.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16When I was doing it at home, I timed it perfectly.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18A little bit more under pressure here today.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21Didn't get time to garnish it or tidy it up a little bit,
0:18:21 > 0:18:23so it wasn't quite how I had liked it to have been.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25I'm expecting to go.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29I think I've done enough to get through. I could have done better.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31But there are three other really good plates of food
0:18:31 > 0:18:33that I'm competing against.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36I was pretty pleased. The steak was cooked as I hoped it would be.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38I'd really like to go through to the next round.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Benefited from some advice from a Michelin-starred chef already.
0:18:41 > 0:18:42But I want to continue.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44The fact I've got to cook for Nigel,
0:18:44 > 0:18:48saying that I have cooked for a Michelin-starred chef today,
0:18:48 > 0:18:51that's enough for me to take away and be happy with what I've done.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53I know I couldn't have done any better.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56Have you got an idea who you think you might be sending home?
0:18:56 > 0:18:58Yeah, I've got two in my head at the moment. OK.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01So I'm going to have a little cogitate and have a think.
0:19:01 > 0:19:02OK, well, you haven't got long,
0:19:02 > 0:19:05cos we're going to have to go and tell them.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08Firstly, I'd like to say a big well done to all four of you.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11However, only three of you can go through to the next round,
0:19:11 > 0:19:13and Nigel has made his decision.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16So, Chef, it's over to you.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18And an awfully difficult one it is.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21Because all of you, I thought, cooked really well.
0:19:21 > 0:19:26So the person not going forward to the next round is...
0:19:28 > 0:19:30..Chris.
0:19:30 > 0:19:31Aww.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35And it was an awfully difficult decision, Chris.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38A little bit deflated, I suppose. But these things happen.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40Oh, commiserations. Thank you.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42The end of the day, I've managed to cook a dish
0:19:42 > 0:19:45for a Michelin-starred chef so, you know, it's already on a winner.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48So that leaves three home cooks.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50They are housewife Julie,
0:19:50 > 0:19:52account executive Ben
0:19:52 > 0:19:54and contract scheduler Charlotte.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57Round two - it's the Chef's Challenge.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01Now, in this round, Nigel will be testing to see who's got the skills
0:20:01 > 0:20:04he's looking for, so, Chef, what is today's challenge?
0:20:04 > 0:20:09Today, Sheree, we've got spinach a la creme, or creamed spinach,
0:20:09 > 0:20:12so we've got our spinach, that's washed, in front of you,
0:20:12 > 0:20:13we've got an onion,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16some roast garlic and we've also got nutmeg, salt and pepper.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20And we've got milk and cream, which we're going to make beurre manie,
0:20:20 > 0:20:23which is like a paste, to thicken the sauce,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26which will give us a cream sauce.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29I'm going to start by peeling this onion.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32I always peel from the bottom up.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35You always cut the onion towards the core.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39When you are using your knife to cut an onion finely,
0:20:39 > 0:20:43put your thumb on the top and wrap your four fingers round it.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49And then cut once through, and then chop down.
0:20:49 > 0:20:55Now, you want the onion to be as fine as you can, like so.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58So, what skills would this challenge demonstrate?
0:20:58 > 0:21:01It's the basic cutting skills.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03If you were training in a kitchen as an apprentice,
0:21:03 > 0:21:07these are the first things we are going to teach you.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11I've got my beurre manie here, the flour and butter,
0:21:11 > 0:21:15which we can just mix together, just get it to form a paste.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18We've got our piece of garlic here, which we have roasted,
0:21:18 > 0:21:22and with your knife just break the garlic and just puree it down.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24OK? You've got to work quickly.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27When you pop your spinach in, you've got to get your nutmeg in,
0:21:27 > 0:21:29you've got to get your salt and pepper in.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32You can actually do this without any butter at all,
0:21:32 > 0:21:35and it will just wilt down.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38You need to get the milk up to the boil for the beurre manie,
0:21:38 > 0:21:39the paste, to work.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43Just let it mix in and then come back up to the boil.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47So, can you see that? How lovely and smooth that is? Yeah.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49OK. With our spinach...
0:21:49 > 0:21:53I'm just going to press it down, roll it into the middle...
0:21:54 > 0:21:57..give it a right good old squeeze, and just chop through.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59You're going to do a rocking motion.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02Your thumb goes to the side of the heel and you rock the knife,
0:22:02 > 0:22:06like so. And I need to just sweat these down.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09Let's get that garlic in and let's mix that well.
0:22:09 > 0:22:14Get a little bit of our cream sauce so it just binds, yeah?
0:22:14 > 0:22:15Can you see that? Yeah.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19Some salt. I'm just going to pop a little bit of nutmeg in there.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23So, you can see the texture there, and there you are,
0:22:23 > 0:22:25spinach a la creme.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29Here, guys, have a taste, so you know what you're making. Thank you.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31There you go.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35They're all going to say, "Mmm, that's lovely."
0:22:35 > 0:22:37It is really nice.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Oh, yum. So, what did you think, guys?
0:22:40 > 0:22:44It looks easy enough, but it's quite easy to mess up, so...
0:22:44 > 0:22:47Have you understood it? ALL: Yes, Chef.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49Let's get on with it.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51So, our cooks have just 15 minutes
0:22:51 > 0:22:53to make the perfect spinach a la creme.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00Whilst Nigel is looking for a partner with natural flair,
0:23:00 > 0:23:03he also needs to know that they can follow instructions,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06and he is watching closely for any mistakes.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09Hi, Julie. Hi there.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11How are you getting on? Not so bad, thank you.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13Have you ever been so nervous chopping an onion?
0:23:13 > 0:23:15No. I'm shaking. Aw!
0:23:15 > 0:23:18Be confident. Will do. Thank you.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25How are we doing, Ben?
0:23:25 > 0:23:28Just doing the...beurre manie? Beurre manie, yeah. Onion's chopped?
0:23:28 > 0:23:30Onion's chopped, ready to go.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34Milk and cream coming to the boil, hoping it's not too hot.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36About to start wilting this spinach.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39So, you're in control? Maybe.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41You are. You are. Maybe.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44Well, Ben might be keeping his cool under pressure,
0:23:44 > 0:23:47but Charlotte is feeling slightly anxious.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50How are we doing, Charlotte? Getting there, I think.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53You don't want to burn the milk and you don't want to burn that
0:23:53 > 0:23:56and everything else, so it is just trying to keep an eye on everything,
0:23:56 > 0:24:00really. You look a bit nervous. I can see your hands shaking. I am!
0:24:00 > 0:24:02Just relax and enjoy it. Good luck, Charlotte.
0:24:02 > 0:24:07Well, it's a tough challenge and one they all know has huge consequences.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10They all seem to be getting on OK. Yeah, they do.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12There's a few nerves there.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15There's three or four elements that have to be done.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17You've got to make your sauce and not burn it.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21You've to sweat your spinach down and you've got to then
0:24:21 > 0:24:23saute off your onions, get your garlic in,
0:24:23 > 0:24:25so then bring the whole thing together.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28It's the seasoning that is the killer, I think. Yeah.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31It will be the key to winning or losing.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33There's some chunky onions in there.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35You did ask for them to be very fine, didn't you? I did.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38Some have cut the onions a bit peculiarly, some have
0:24:38 > 0:24:41struggled because they've cut it from the wrong end as well.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44Yeah, it is a difficult technique.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48One minute, guys. One minute left.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Right, time is up. Step away from your plates.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03You have done all you can.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08Time to taste.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12Right.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15So, Nigel, based on creamed spinach,
0:25:15 > 0:25:17one of them is going to be going home.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20Yeah. Shall we have a try? Yeah.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41Hmm.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48Right. Well, there is one dish that I think has the edge.
0:25:50 > 0:25:51And that is yours, Ben.
0:25:51 > 0:25:56Oh, well done. Congratulations. Well done. Thank you. Well done.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00Ladies, there is one dish that is over-seasoned.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02That person is...
0:26:04 > 0:26:06..Julie. OK, that's fine. Aw, Julie.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09Have you enjoyed today? Fabulous, it's been brilliant, thank you.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11Can I give you a hug now?
0:26:11 > 0:26:13Well done. Thank you.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15'I'm a little bit disappointed that I've been knocked out'
0:26:15 > 0:26:19but I over-seasoned. It's that pesky salt bowl.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23So, just two cooks remain - account executive Ben
0:26:23 > 0:26:25and contract scheduler Charlotte -
0:26:25 > 0:26:28but only one can be chosen
0:26:28 > 0:26:30as Nigel's partner for the Friday final.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34Time for our third and final round, the Chef's Special.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36In this round, our cooks will be given
0:26:36 > 0:26:40a set of ingredients to one of Nigel's signature dishes.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43So, cooks, the aim of this round is to create
0:26:43 > 0:26:45a dish from these ingredients.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48You'll get to see what Nigel makes a little bit later on
0:26:48 > 0:26:50but, for you at home, here's today's ingredients.
0:26:50 > 0:26:55Nigel's chosen Goosnargh chicken, English asparagus and fresh herbs,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58red chicory leaves, roast garlic,
0:26:58 > 0:27:02white wine and chilli powder, blue cheese, sour cream,
0:27:02 > 0:27:06mayonnaise and buttermilk, goat's curd and Worcester sauce.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09Right, cooks, you have one hour.
0:27:09 > 0:27:14Reveal your ingredients, because your time starts now.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22OK.
0:27:22 > 0:27:23Interesting.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27So, our cooks must do their best to identify the ingredients
0:27:27 > 0:27:31before planning and preparing a dish in just one hour.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Well, there's a lot of ingredients. There's choices.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37I'm thinking...
0:27:37 > 0:27:38chicken(!)
0:27:39 > 0:27:43This is genuinely the hardest thing I've had to do in my life.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45With less than an hour on the clock,
0:27:45 > 0:27:48both cooks don't waste any time getting stuck in.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57Hi, Ben. Hi.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Hi, Ben. Are you all right? Yeah. Yes, good. Good.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03Overwhelmed by the choice of ingredients, though. Are you?
0:28:03 > 0:28:05Yeah, there's lots to go at.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07I'm going to pan-fry or griddle the chicken,
0:28:07 > 0:28:11I'm going to make a sauce using the white wine, wild garlic and lemon.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13I'll be using the asparagus as well.
0:28:13 > 0:28:17Is there anything on there that you're not really keen on using?
0:28:17 > 0:28:18That I'm not keen on using?
0:28:18 > 0:28:21I'm not keen on using soft cheese. You don't like cheese? Personally,
0:28:21 > 0:28:24I'm not a big... A big lover of cheese? Not really.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26I didn't know that before you did this,
0:28:26 > 0:28:29that you didn't like cheese!
0:28:29 > 0:28:31I won't be eating it.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36Well, good luck. Thank you. Best of luck, yeah.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42How is it going? Good. Some surprising ingredients.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45I'm not quite sure what some are.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48I've got a pretty good idea of what I want to do. Oh, OK.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50Tell us what you're going to do, then.
0:28:50 > 0:28:54I'm going to do pan-fried chicken breast stuffed with Stilton cheese,
0:28:54 > 0:29:00some soft cheese, I hope it is, and some parsley,
0:29:00 > 0:29:02I'm going to stuff in the chicken breast,
0:29:02 > 0:29:05pan-fry it to get the skin crispy, then put it in the oven,
0:29:05 > 0:29:07and then I'm going to do some asparagus,
0:29:07 > 0:29:11and then just make, like, a white wine and lemon sauce
0:29:11 > 0:29:14to go with it, and a bit of wild garlic to finish off. Nice.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17One of these is sour cream, one of them's vinegar.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19Again, I'm not sure which ones they are.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21I haven't cooked with this before,
0:29:21 > 0:29:24so I'm going to try and stay away from that.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26I don't need the egg or anything like that.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28I think the flavours will go really well. Yeah?
0:29:28 > 0:29:31Looking forward to it. Fingers crossed. Good luck. Cheers.
0:29:31 > 0:29:32Thank you.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42There's a few ingredients that they're both not using.
0:29:42 > 0:29:46I think Charlotte's made her mind up quite clearly.
0:29:46 > 0:29:50She's going to do a cheese pate and stuff that in the chicken.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52Ben is being a bit more flexible
0:29:52 > 0:29:56and I think, as it evolves, he'll perhaps use more or less,
0:29:56 > 0:29:58depending on how he feels.
0:29:58 > 0:30:01He's going to pan-fry the chicken. He's using the asparagus.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04The chicken and the asparagus are the key ingredients,
0:30:04 > 0:30:07and then you've got all the cheese and the mayonnaise and
0:30:07 > 0:30:11the buttermilk, and all those things are the sauce ingredients.
0:30:11 > 0:30:12Yeah.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15He's got to work out how he makes his sauce,
0:30:15 > 0:30:17and if he's not using the cheese,
0:30:17 > 0:30:21it is a big influence on the dish that he's not choosing to do.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26While Ben is steering clear of the cheese, Charlotte has combined hers
0:30:26 > 0:30:30with some herbs to make a filling for the chicken.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48But things aren't quite going to plan for Charlotte.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50All the cheese has melted and come out
0:30:50 > 0:30:52cos I didn't have nothing to tie it with,
0:30:52 > 0:30:55so it's seeping out a bit but I think if I just lay it underneath,
0:30:55 > 0:30:58the flavour will still be in there a little bit.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01It was a risk, but I think it will be fine in the end.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04So all is not lost for Charlotte.
0:31:04 > 0:31:06On the other side of the kitchen,
0:31:06 > 0:31:08Ben is still working on his asparagus.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24I had a bit of a drama with the cheese in the chicken,
0:31:24 > 0:31:26so I'm using that as a sauce now.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29Why, did it just kind of melt when you put it in? Yeah.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31I didn't have anything to tie it up with. Right.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34So I'm going to use it as a sauce now.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37I'm going to attempt a poached egg with it as well. Oh, wow.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40Fingers crossed luck's on my side today!
0:31:41 > 0:31:43Well, Charlotte is not the only one taking a risk.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46Are you being a bit more experimental as you're going along?
0:31:46 > 0:31:51Yes. Good. I'm gaining a bit of confidence, but it could go any way.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53Is everything tasting good, though?
0:31:53 > 0:31:54Yeah, it is tasting good.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57There's a lot of lemon coming through on that one.
0:31:57 > 0:31:58It is quite acidic.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01I've used the white wine vinegar with the asparagus,
0:32:01 > 0:32:03so I think it's going to be quite tart.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06I'd like to balance it out with some sugar. OK. But there is none.
0:32:06 > 0:32:07I don't see any, so...
0:32:07 > 0:32:10Right, cooks, you have just two minutes left.
0:32:10 > 0:32:14I've never felt so much pressure before to poach an egg in my life!
0:32:23 > 0:32:25One minute to go.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27One minute left.
0:32:31 > 0:32:36With just ten seconds to go, it's a last-minute rush to plate up. Done.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39And in the panic, Charlotte seems to have forgotten something.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42Poached egg...
0:32:42 > 0:32:44Five, four,
0:32:44 > 0:32:47three, two, one...
0:32:47 > 0:32:52Stop cooking. That's it. Time is up.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55Step away from your plates. It is time to taste.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58First up, it's account executive Ben.
0:32:58 > 0:33:02He's chosen to make pan-fried chicken breast, served on
0:33:02 > 0:33:05a bed of asparagus and wild garlic, cooked in a white wine vinegar.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08What have you got for us, Ben? There you are.
0:33:08 > 0:33:12I've gone for seasonality as much as possible,
0:33:12 > 0:33:14so asparagus and wild garlic,
0:33:14 > 0:33:17and I decided to use the white wine vinegar to basically
0:33:17 > 0:33:20cook the asparagus in, and then I pan-fried it in some of
0:33:20 > 0:33:22the juice from the chicken, from cooking the chicken,
0:33:22 > 0:33:24using the white wine vinegar.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27OK. Right, Nigel. I'm going to have a try.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30The chicken looks nicely cooked.
0:33:42 > 0:33:44It is nicely seasoned.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47The asparagus is a good al dente, so a little bit more than al dente.
0:33:47 > 0:33:52And I like the juices. It's almost asking me for more. Yeah.
0:33:52 > 0:33:56The ingredients you've put on the plate are well balanced. Great.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58Thank you. Well, well done. Thank you, Ben.
0:33:58 > 0:34:00I played it very, very safe.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03Stick to two or three ingredients that I knew really well,
0:34:03 > 0:34:05but there's so much more I could have done.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08He has missed a big opportunity there. Yeah. It's a shame.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10What he's got to look at is why
0:34:10 > 0:34:14were those ingredients in front of him. So they were obviously
0:34:14 > 0:34:18in my dish, but he chose just to say, "I'm not using any of those."
0:34:18 > 0:34:22Next into the tasting room is contract scheduler Charlotte.
0:34:22 > 0:34:26She's made pan-fried chicken breast in a Stilton cream sauce,
0:34:26 > 0:34:30served with asparagus, braised baby gems and topped with a poached egg.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35How are you, Charlotte? I feel better now it's over.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38It's not over yet!
0:34:38 > 0:34:40Shall we have a try? Yes, let's.
0:34:40 > 0:34:44Do you want to crack the egg? Crack the egg, yeah. Nicely cooked.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59Yeah, there's a lot going on there.
0:34:59 > 0:35:03Your asparagus is cooked nicely and the chicken is cooked really well.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07I'm not sure, because you've got a cream sauce,
0:35:07 > 0:35:10whether the egg actually works. Yeah.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13It sort of makes it a little bit of...almost over-rich.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15Presentation side, I'd say just a little bit cluttered. Yeah.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18You could have done with less on the plate.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22But I could seriously eat that. You've done very well. Thank you.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24The egg, it was last minute.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27'I do think it worked in a very weird way,
0:35:27 > 0:35:29'and it was a good poached egg, so I'm happy.'
0:35:29 > 0:35:30That looks really good.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32So, with the final challenge complete,
0:35:32 > 0:35:35Nigel must now deliberate over our two home cooks.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38I really was battling a little bit with that egg.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41She's utilised ingredients that were there.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44I'm quite surprised in myself, actually, with the sauce,
0:35:44 > 0:35:45because I don't really like Stilton.
0:35:45 > 0:35:49Charlotte could have left a bit off, and Ben needed to put more on.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51You would have had the perfect dish.
0:35:51 > 0:35:54If they met in the middle, it would have been the perfect dish. Exactly.
0:35:54 > 0:35:55Well done.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57Thinking about Friday, do you have...
0:35:57 > 0:36:00I know who I will take through. You do? Yeah.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02But before Nigel announces the winner,
0:36:02 > 0:36:07it's time to reveal what he makes with those ingredients.
0:36:07 > 0:36:11OK, well, we've got a multitude of ingredients.
0:36:11 > 0:36:16This bit, that you didn't know at the time, is the sauce. Hmm. OK?
0:36:16 > 0:36:21Hopefully we're going to end up with quite a delicate chicken dish.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24Now we have to get the marinade ready.
0:36:25 > 0:36:27Zest of lemon.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33And then a squeeze of lemon as well.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37Just press the garlic. It's roast garlic.
0:36:39 > 0:36:43We've got a little drop of white wine, rapeseed oil,
0:36:43 > 0:36:47and then we just need to mix that together. I'm going to put some...
0:36:50 > 0:36:52Is this one of your dishes on your menu?
0:36:52 > 0:36:54It's one I do in the cookery school. Oh, OK.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58But the idea for this comes from a salmon dish that I used to do.
0:36:58 > 0:37:03I'm going to pop our chicken breast onto the tray and then...
0:37:03 > 0:37:06Now we have to get the marinade.
0:37:06 > 0:37:11Just going to add a little bit of seasoning on there. OK.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15Get your morning paper! Oh, OK.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17THEY LAUGH
0:37:17 > 0:37:20OK, and then just soak that up.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23So, is this what you used to do with the salmon? Yeah.
0:37:23 > 0:37:25I do a whole salmon with this.
0:37:25 > 0:37:31So, we've got some silicon paper, or greaseproof paper, there,
0:37:31 > 0:37:35so I'm going to wrap that first of all in that.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39Now, what I want to do is keep all the goodness.
0:37:39 > 0:37:43I'll lose the colour if I bake it. So why do you wrap it in the paper?
0:37:43 > 0:37:44What does it do?
0:37:44 > 0:37:47Have a guess. Steam. Steam. That's it.
0:37:47 > 0:37:52So, you're steaming it rather than baking it. OK. OK?
0:37:52 > 0:37:55Over to you there, Chef. How long?
0:37:55 > 0:37:5822 minutes. Now we need to do the asparagus.
0:37:58 > 0:38:02What I do then is just pick off these little leaves.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05So you just give them a little scrub? Yeah.
0:38:05 > 0:38:10My wife doesn't like me doing this. Why? Because I use all these up.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13And then off they go.
0:38:13 > 0:38:15We're going to now make our sauce.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18We've got the sour cream and we've got the buttermilk,
0:38:18 > 0:38:20we've got the mayonnaise.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23And a little bit of white wine vinegar.
0:38:23 > 0:38:25So a few drops of white wine vinegar.
0:38:25 > 0:38:30Your syrup. OK? You just want a little bit of that in there.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34And I'm just going to put most of our blue cheese in here.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38A little bit of garlic and a little squeeze of lemon juice,
0:38:38 > 0:38:42pinch of salt and a little bit of rapeseed oil.
0:38:42 > 0:38:44And then, hey, presto...
0:38:48 > 0:38:52I'm just going to add a tiny drop of Worcester sauce in the top there.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55So, what age did you start cooking?
0:38:55 > 0:38:5716. 16?
0:38:57 > 0:39:00From that moment on, I've never, ever looked back,
0:39:00 > 0:39:02because I wanted to be a footballer.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05That was the only thing I ever wanted to be.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07OK. So what we need to do now
0:39:07 > 0:39:11is put our chicken skins into the egg white...
0:39:11 > 0:39:14What does the egg white do to the chicken skin?
0:39:14 > 0:39:16Makes the flour stick to it.
0:39:22 > 0:39:28OK, so my little scratchings look like they might be nice and crispy.
0:39:28 > 0:39:29Yeah.
0:39:29 > 0:39:34I'm going to put my little piece of lettuce in there
0:39:34 > 0:39:37and I'm going to now chiffonade this.
0:39:37 > 0:39:38This is the wild garlic.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41"Chiffonade" is just really finely shredded.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47I think we might be OK with the chicken.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53I'm definitely going to try this at home, in the newspaper.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55Oh, that smells good.
0:40:03 > 0:40:08I'm going to pop two pieces there, like so.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10Oh, that looks good.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15I need another crunchy bit to go there.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19I'm just going to drizzle this.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21That's the chicken dish. Amazing.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28I think it is definitely now time to taste.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31I'm so excited to try this.
0:40:33 > 0:40:35That is so delicious.
0:40:35 > 0:40:39I think the chicken is so juicy, having been cooked in newspaper.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43Nothing's too overpowering. Beautiful. Well done, Nigel.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46Thank you. That was absolutely delicious.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49But it is time now to reveal who you are going to pick
0:40:49 > 0:40:52to be your partner in the Friday final, but before you do,
0:40:52 > 0:40:55let's have a quick recap of what they made earlier.
0:40:55 > 0:40:56In the first round,
0:40:56 > 0:40:59Ben impressed Nigel with his confidence in the kitchen,
0:40:59 > 0:41:03and his weeping tiger steak with zingy papaya Thai salad.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06The texture on the salad really brought it together.
0:41:06 > 0:41:10He stole the show with his version of Nigel's spinach a la creme,
0:41:10 > 0:41:13but he left out quite a few ingredients in the final challenge,
0:41:13 > 0:41:16opting to play it safe with his pan-fried chicken
0:41:16 > 0:41:18with asparagus and wild garlic.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21If I won this round I would be delighted because the chance
0:41:21 > 0:41:23to work with Chef even more would be brilliant.
0:41:23 > 0:41:27Meanwhile, Charlotte impressed Nigel with her Welsh rack of lamb
0:41:27 > 0:41:28in the first round.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30The lamb has a lovely flavour.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32She scraped through with her spinach a la creme,
0:41:32 > 0:41:34and in the final round,
0:41:34 > 0:41:36her presentation wasn't quite up to scratch,
0:41:36 > 0:41:39but she did use all the ingredients to produce her pan-fried chicken
0:41:39 > 0:41:43in a Stilton cream sauce, served with braised baby gems,
0:41:43 > 0:41:46but was her last-minute addition of a poached egg too much for Nigel?
0:41:46 > 0:41:48I'm keeping all my fingers and toes crossed.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51I'm just praying that I do get through.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57Nigel, it's time to declare your winner, so it's over to you.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00It is, and it has been a very tough decision.
0:42:00 > 0:42:04You've both delivered, but the person to go through is...
0:42:07 > 0:42:09..Charlotte.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12Well done. Aw. Congratulations. Well done, Charlotte. Thank you.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15Well done. Well done. A big hug, come on.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17'I'm not going to stop smiling now.'
0:42:17 > 0:42:20That's it, I'm just going to keep smiling.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22Well done. Well done!
0:42:22 > 0:42:25It's been a privilege to sit alongside such an esteemed chef
0:42:25 > 0:42:29and to learn some tips, so it has been a fantastic experience.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32You've made her cry, Nigel. You made her cry! Aw!
0:42:32 > 0:42:35That's the easy bit now. I know.
0:42:35 > 0:42:37'I've never felt this happy.'
0:42:37 > 0:42:40Knowing a Michelin-starred chef like Nigel enjoying my food
0:42:40 > 0:42:44'and giving such good comments is just giving me more drive
0:42:44 > 0:42:47'and more passion. I think we'll work so well'
0:42:47 > 0:42:49as a team together. I'm going to just give it
0:42:49 > 0:42:52absolutely everything now on Friday. I cannot wait.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54Tomorrow on Yes Chef...
0:42:56 > 0:43:00..four more home cooks go all out to impress super chef Atul Kochhar.
0:43:00 > 0:43:02I was expecting a lot more from you.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05It's a chance for them to work alongside the best in the business.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07A small slip can cost you.
0:43:07 > 0:43:10But only one can become his partner for the Friday final.
0:43:10 > 0:43:12You're shaking. Are you all right?
0:44:09 > 0:44:09our mission is discovering more about the world.