0:00:04 > 0:00:05Four of the best chefs in Britain
0:00:05 > 0:00:08are on the hunt for their perfect partner.
0:00:08 > 0:00:12For the first time ever, amateur home cooks will be paired with
0:00:12 > 0:00:16the best in the business for the cooking experience of a lifetime.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18I was expecting a lot more from you.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21Each day, a different Michelin-starred chef will choose
0:00:21 > 0:00:24their perfect partner... A small slip can cost you.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26..from four talented home cooks.
0:00:26 > 0:00:30In terms of flavours, it was bang on. Everything was there.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32Then, in the Friday Final,
0:00:32 > 0:00:36all four pairs will go head to head to cook for culinary royalty,
0:00:36 > 0:00:38Pierre Koffmann.
0:00:38 > 0:00:43What I look for for a perfect dish is to keep it simple and tasty.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46The professional chefs' reputations are on the line.
0:00:46 > 0:00:47I feel like going and slapping him.
0:00:47 > 0:00:52Oh. But will the amateur home cooks live up to their expectations?
0:00:52 > 0:00:55What are you doing? And who will win?
0:00:55 > 0:00:58You're shaking. Are you all right? This is Yes Chef.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06Hello, and welcome to Yes Chef. Let's meet today's four home cooks.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08First up, it's Helen Jackson.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11She's a retired civil servant from Walthamstow.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13I'm hoping to impress the chef today
0:01:13 > 0:01:16with the combination of the flavours. It's quite a spicy dish,
0:01:16 > 0:01:18and so hopefully they've got a spicy palate.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21Next, it's Chris Baber, a model from Northumberland.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24I would describe my cooking style as healthy home cooking.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27I would say my strengths are cooking with spices.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29It tastes absolutely amazing.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32Annabel Cornfoot is a publisher from London.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36I really enjoy fresh ingredients, Asian herbs and spices.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39I want to learn some new tricks from the chef who's going to teach us
0:01:39 > 0:01:41something fantastic.
0:01:41 > 0:01:46Finally, Caroline Tennyson Wilcox is a social media manager from Kent.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49I would describe my cooking style as adventurous. I love foraging.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52I want to share with the world what I can do,
0:01:52 > 0:01:54and I really want to be the champion for today.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58So, our home cooks are at the ready. It's time now to meet our chef.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02It's the twice Michelin-starred Atul Kochhar. Wow!
0:02:02 > 0:02:05In 2001, Atul became the first Indian chef
0:02:05 > 0:02:09to be awarded a Michelin star for his unique take on Indian cuisine.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13I've been cooking in the United Kingdom for the last 23 years now.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16And in 2007, Atul received another star
0:02:16 > 0:02:18for his London restaurant, Benares.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20The food is very sensorial.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23Seasonality is extremely critical on my menus.
0:02:23 > 0:02:28I grew up in India, where we respect all the five senses.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30When you eat something, all the senses need to be involved,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33otherwise there's no enjoyment of food.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35With his reputation on the line,
0:02:35 > 0:02:38Atul is extremely focused on the competition.
0:02:38 > 0:02:39Winning is everything.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42I need a lamb samosa, chicken tikka and a crab kofta.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46What really impresses me most is when people show creativity.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49They have to have this natural, inborn thing,
0:02:49 > 0:02:51an urge that they want to do well.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54You like this one better? Don't be so scared of me.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56You know, they wake up every morning
0:02:56 > 0:02:59excited with the sense that, "I have to go cook."
0:02:59 > 0:03:03If I can get that, man, I'll be winning.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06Welcome, Atul. It's an absolute pleasure to have you here today.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09So good to be here. What will you be looking for?
0:03:09 > 0:03:10A general passion for food.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13They should know their seasons, know their flavours,
0:03:13 > 0:03:16and really know how to turn the heat on when it's required,
0:03:16 > 0:03:18creativity, and show me what they can do,
0:03:18 > 0:03:22because that's what I'll be looking for. OK, let's get on with it.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26This is round one, Dish of the Day. Now, home cooks, you'll be creating
0:03:26 > 0:03:30the one dish that you believe will set you apart from the rest.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33Now, you need to make it count, because after this round, sadly,
0:03:33 > 0:03:34one of you will be going home.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38You'll have 45 minutes, so use your time wisely.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40So, Chef, it's over to you.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44Well, guys, use your creativity, dig deep and get cooking.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46ALL: Yes, Chef!
0:03:47 > 0:03:50So, our cooks are off, and with one of them destined to leave
0:03:50 > 0:03:53the competition at the end of this round, they are going all out
0:03:53 > 0:03:56to impress Atul with their Dish of the Day.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03And for home cook Helen, it's not just about the taste,
0:04:03 > 0:04:05because she knows timing is crucial.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09I'm making my curry paste at the moment. So this is the easy bit.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14I think it's just getting it all ready on time,
0:04:14 > 0:04:16getting it all brought together at the end.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19And the pressure is most definitely on for model Chris,
0:04:19 > 0:04:22who is a huge fan of Atul's, so he's desperate to impress.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25I think I've been fairly ambitious. I've given myself quite a few
0:04:25 > 0:04:28different elements to do in the 45 minutes. Let's hope that I can
0:04:28 > 0:04:30bring it all together. I'm sure I will.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34Hi, Helen. Hello.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37How are we? Not too bad at the moment, thank you.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40Good. How are you doing? Good. What are you making?
0:04:40 > 0:04:43I'm doing a Thai red curry with salmon and prawns.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47I see a pepper sauce with you. Yes. And I also see...
0:04:47 > 0:04:49Yes. That's Mexican, and it's a Thai meal.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52THEY LAUGH
0:04:52 > 0:04:55OK. That's back from my holidays.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58Thai food is all about really raw heat from chilli.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02Yeah. Yeah. OK. Good luck. Thank you. You are doing well.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09Our home cooks are all keen to win Atul over,
0:05:09 > 0:05:14but when you've only got 45 minutes, the key to this challenge is timing.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16I feel as though I've gone too hard, too fast, too soon.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19Hi, Chris. Hey, how are you doing? Hi, Chris, how are you?
0:05:19 > 0:05:22Very well, thank you. What are you cooking?
0:05:22 > 0:05:24Today I'm making a pan-fried sea bass with a coconut curry,
0:05:24 > 0:05:28and I'm going to do some crushed new potatoes with a bit of coriander
0:05:28 > 0:05:31and lemon in there, and a few mustard seeds as well.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33This curry sauce is something I've been doing for years at home,
0:05:33 > 0:05:37but I want to demonstrate some skill, and see if I can show you
0:05:37 > 0:05:40how to cook a piece of fish properly as well. What have you got there?
0:05:40 > 0:05:42I've got chicken stock. All that is going in the sauce?
0:05:42 > 0:05:45In the curry sauce. There's a lot going on. There's a lot going on.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47Good luck with that. Thank you very much.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50Good luck. Look forward to tasting it. Cheers.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02Hi, Annabel. Hi. How are we getting on?
0:06:02 > 0:06:04We're getting on well. I think I've got my lamb backstrap,
0:06:04 > 0:06:07which I stuffed with goat's cheese and basil. What are you cooking?
0:06:07 > 0:06:10Tell me that. I should tell you that! I'm doing a lamb backstrap.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12We call it a backstrap in Australia.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14It's called a cannon of loin lamb here.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18So I've butterflied it, filled it with goat's cheese and basil,
0:06:18 > 0:06:21then wrapped in prosciutto. It is now in the oven. And then
0:06:21 > 0:06:24I'm serving that with some honey tomatoes. I've got my tomatoes
0:06:24 > 0:06:26that are cooking with cardamom pods, peppercorns,
0:06:26 > 0:06:29honey and balsamic vinegar. So then I'm going to stir-fry my samphire
0:06:29 > 0:06:32with beans and asparagus, ginger and...
0:06:32 > 0:06:34Garlic? ..garlic. Beautiful flavours.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37Hopefully. And it looks like you certainly know what you're doing.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39Which is good. Good luck. Thank you very much.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49Hi, Caroline. Hello, Caroline. Hello. How are you?
0:06:49 > 0:06:50Very good. How's it going?
0:06:50 > 0:06:53It's all good. I've done a lot of my prep already.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57I'm going to be doing a monkfish which is wrapped in Parma ham,
0:06:57 > 0:06:58that I'm going to poach,
0:06:58 > 0:07:03and with the monkfish I've got lemon zest and a hint of chilli.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05OK. So I've already prepared it.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07It's in the fridge and it's chilling.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10So I'm just going to wait for the potatoes to finish cooking.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13I'm also going to be serving it with a vermouth and cream sauce.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17As a chef, if I ever had to use ham and monkfish, the first thing
0:07:17 > 0:07:21that comes to mind - wrap it neatly and in the oven.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25I would agree with you, but wait till you see what I've done with it.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28Ooh. OK. All right. I like the confidence.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32Good luck. Thank you. Good luck. Thank you.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35Well, it's so far, so good for all our home cooks,
0:07:35 > 0:07:37and everyone seems to be coping.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41But with time ticking away,
0:07:41 > 0:07:43things start to get a little more stressful for Caroline,
0:07:43 > 0:07:45as she struggles with her potato ricer.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48Agh! No. This ricer is not going to work.
0:07:52 > 0:07:56And, in comparison, things appear to be going smoothly for Annabel,
0:07:56 > 0:07:58who seems to have a lot of time on her hands.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06I thought we'd start with Helen, she's making her Thai curry.
0:08:06 > 0:08:11I quite like her own personal touch that she brought, that chilli sauce.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13From Mexico. But chilli's chilli, at the end of the day,
0:08:13 > 0:08:16and she likes that kind of chilli flavour. She's going to go for it.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18Yeah. And why not? Now, let's move on to Chris.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21He's got a lot going on, with his pan-frying sea bass.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24I think pan-frying sea bass is very good, but it can be very tricky,
0:08:24 > 0:08:28as well. He's going to add, he said, some chicken stock,
0:08:28 > 0:08:30and I'm wondering why he hasn't gone for the fish stock.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33Next up is Annabel. What do you think of her dish?
0:08:33 > 0:08:35I think her cooking is so Australian.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37It's a bit of a mishmash, then?
0:08:37 > 0:08:39You know what, that's what Australian food is all about.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42They have so many influences, their creativity just comes alive,
0:08:42 > 0:08:43and she's doing exactly that.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46I think her dish is the most exciting so far, in my opinion.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50I'm really looking to taste that. Oh, OK. Finally, we have Caroline,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53with her monkfish wrapped in Parma ham. But she's potting it.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55I've never come across that.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58I have to accept it. Maybe I'm wrong as a chef that I haven't tried it.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00She was absolutely adamant
0:09:00 > 0:09:02and confident that she's going to do it right.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05This competition is going to be tough. It's going to be tough.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09Why don't you go back in and see how they're getting on? Oh, yes!
0:09:09 > 0:09:12The tastes and flavours of the cooks' dishes is crucial
0:09:12 > 0:09:14when it comes to Atul's judging.
0:09:14 > 0:09:15Too much lemon.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19And with his mind on the Friday Final,
0:09:19 > 0:09:22he's keen to keep a close eye on their progress.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24Sauce ready to go.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39Two minutes left, cooks, just two minutes to go.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Finishing the plating up now. Hopefully I'm going to get this
0:09:44 > 0:09:48piece of sea bass off without it falling apart.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51Thank you.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04There's nothing like added pressure when you're cooking for your idol.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10Meanwhile, Caroline's got more problems with her potatoes.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13Potatoes, I just keep looking at these potatoes,
0:10:13 > 0:10:15deciding what I can do with them.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22And for Chris, the competition is really hotting up.
0:10:29 > 0:10:30Hot!
0:10:32 > 0:10:34We were all staring at you as you were testing it.
0:10:48 > 0:10:54Five, four, three, two, one,
0:10:54 > 0:10:59that's it! Time's up, stop cooking and step away from your plates.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03You've done all you can. It's time to taste.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07First to be judged is Helen with her Dish of the Day.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10She's made Thai red curry with salmon and prawns,
0:11:10 > 0:11:12served on a bed of noodles.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17There we go. Wonderful. How was the challenge for you?
0:11:17 > 0:11:20I felt a bit more relaxed than I thought I would.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23Oh, good. Good. Right. Let's taste.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33Some very nice flavours.
0:11:33 > 0:11:34You've kept the heat down.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37Any reason for it? Because I'm conscious that not everyone likes
0:11:37 > 0:11:42heat as much as I do. Did you put your special sauce in from Mexico?
0:11:42 > 0:11:43I did!
0:11:43 > 0:11:46You added that? A little bit!
0:11:46 > 0:11:48Good. Good.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52Beautiful flavours. If you had pan-fried the seafood...
0:11:52 > 0:11:55OK. ..this dish would be a different dish. OK. I personally would have
0:11:55 > 0:11:57liked it slightly more hot,
0:11:57 > 0:12:01but the flavour of basil coming through, the flavour of ginger,
0:12:01 > 0:12:04lemon grass, all that is really spot-on.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07For me, it's a cracking dish, I like it. Thank you.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12I'm disappointed. I think it just should have been hotter.
0:12:12 > 0:12:17It wasn't fiery enough for me, cos when you talk about red curry,
0:12:17 > 0:12:19it's always really hot.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23I think she got to the half level of it and then she decided,
0:12:23 > 0:12:26"No, I'll go mild." I think she pulled back.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29Next is Chris with his Dish of the Day -
0:12:29 > 0:12:32pan-fried sea bass with a coconut curry,
0:12:32 > 0:12:36served with spiced new potatoes, fresh peas and crispy masala onions.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42Lovely. It looks beautiful.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Thank you very much. What was your inspiration behind this dish?
0:12:45 > 0:12:49I actually took the inspiration from yourself, from something you did,
0:12:49 > 0:12:52which you've probably gathered!
0:12:52 > 0:12:55But, yeah... I saw you using chicken stock.
0:12:55 > 0:12:56Why didn't you go for fish stock?
0:12:56 > 0:12:59Because I'd traditionally cooked the curry with chicken,
0:12:59 > 0:13:01I've just kind of balanced the flavours.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04I just found it added a little bit more flavour to my sauce.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08Let's try it. Yes. Your sauce looked very tempting, so I want to...
0:13:09 > 0:13:12..try it on its own. Good sauce.
0:13:12 > 0:13:13Thank you very much.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17Ah, you have done such a good justice to the potatoes,
0:13:17 > 0:13:20I have to say that. Thanks so much. Really, really good.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23When I found out it was you, I thought the pressure's now on,
0:13:23 > 0:13:26cooking a curry, you're sort of one of my heroes, but the fact that
0:13:26 > 0:13:29you like that means so much to me, I can't believe it.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31Right, I've said all the good things to you now.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34Now let's go for some bad things as well. Yeah, let's go for it.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36Flavour wise, you have nailed it. Really, really good.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39Fish, you have burned it, actually, in my opinion. Yeah, yeah.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43Next time, when you are frying the fish, just remember - take it off
0:13:43 > 0:13:46onto a paper that doesn't stick to the fish.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49You were struggling there, I saw that. Yeah, I was.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52I think that's it, and next time do use fish stock.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55Yeah, yeah, yeah. Chicken stock is not required.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Well done. Thank you very much. Fantastic. No, brilliant.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02Please feel free to start. He said I'd nailed the flavours,
0:14:02 > 0:14:04which am absolutely blown away with,
0:14:04 > 0:14:06getting that sort of feedback from Atul.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09Nerves were going a little bit, cos I knew I'd overcooked the fish
0:14:09 > 0:14:10and I thought that might have let me down.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13You can just see his smile, even when you are giving him critique,
0:14:13 > 0:14:16he was still smiling cos he's happy! Because it's you. Bless him. Yeah,
0:14:16 > 0:14:19which is lovely, but I felt like he took everything on board
0:14:19 > 0:14:21that you said. Yes.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24But overall, I think amazing fish. Amazing dish.
0:14:24 > 0:14:30Happy with that. Good. Next up is Annabelle with her Dish of the Day -
0:14:30 > 0:14:33lamb backstrap stuffed with goat's cheese and basil,
0:14:33 > 0:14:35wrapped in prosciutto, and served with samphire,
0:14:35 > 0:14:38asparagus and honey tomato.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42Fantastic! How are you feeling now?
0:14:42 > 0:14:45I'm a bit shocked at how quickly I prepared the dish today.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47I sort of went go, go, go, go,
0:14:47 > 0:14:51and I'm hoping that I haven't ruined anything and it still tastes good.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53Ready to taste? Yeah, can't wait.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55OK. OK.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58Tomatoes, I've been salivating on these.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06A lot of influence is going on. There are a lot of influences.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08Tomatoes were French, looking at this lamb,
0:15:08 > 0:15:11it's more Mediterranean to me. I know. And then you have gone
0:15:11 > 0:15:13Far East with your samphire,
0:15:13 > 0:15:15you took it from England, of course, and then...
0:15:15 > 0:15:17The asparagus and the beans...
0:15:17 > 0:15:19The asparagus and the beans and the way you toasted it.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22Well, you've got creativity, I have to say that.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28You've done an excellent job, flavours work, the crunch is there,
0:15:28 > 0:15:33the spice is there, the tomatoes are absolutely sweet.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35Lamb works really well.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38If I was you, I would actually reduce one of the elements,
0:15:38 > 0:15:40just because the time was less.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43I would have gone to make a small sauce. It's not easy to pull
0:15:43 > 0:15:45flavours from different continents
0:15:45 > 0:15:48and put them on a plate, and you have done that. Thank you.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50It's amazing. Thank you very much. You should be proud of yourself,
0:15:50 > 0:15:52well done. Thank you. Oh, lovely.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55Here we have my lamb backstrap.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58I was actually very worried when she was cooking, how she's going to
0:15:58 > 0:16:02bring all these flavours around, and I was excited at the same time,
0:16:02 > 0:16:04because that's the kind of food I love.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06What she brought out to us was just absolutely amazing,
0:16:06 > 0:16:08I have to say that. Oh, good.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10I'm not a big lamb fan, but that's really nice,
0:16:10 > 0:16:13because it's cooked nicely for me. Yes. It was delicious.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15I can understand why a sauce...
0:16:15 > 0:16:18I would have had time to make a beautiful sauce, but I just didn't
0:16:18 > 0:16:21know how to incorporate that with the busyness of the flavours
0:16:21 > 0:16:23that I'd already selected.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26And, finally, it's Caroline with her Dish of the Day -
0:16:26 > 0:16:30monkfish wrapped in Parma ham, served on a bed of spinach,
0:16:30 > 0:16:34creamed potatoes with a Vermouth and lemon cream sauce.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37How did you find the challenge? It was nerve-racking.
0:16:37 > 0:16:38Was it? But I think I got it,
0:16:38 > 0:16:41I think once the nerves started calming down,
0:16:41 > 0:16:42then I really started to enjoy it.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45Ready to try? Let's tuck in. Let's tuck in.
0:16:56 > 0:17:01Extremely good dish, extremely good dish, good skill.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04I would still say that had you gone...
0:17:04 > 0:17:06putting the monkfish in the oven
0:17:06 > 0:17:10would have actually resulted in a lot better dish. Try it some time.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13The kind of dish you have done, that would sit on top of it like a king.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16OK? Like a crown of the king, I should say.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18Next time, I promise you I will...
0:17:18 > 0:17:21But it's still... This meal is fit for a queen, I would say.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23Thank you. Hello, guys.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26Oh, that looks lovely. Yeah. I'm feeling a bit stunned.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29I'm so happy, and despite the couple
0:17:29 > 0:17:33of things that weren't necessarily totally perfect, he still loved it.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36You need to get that heat, and I think that's what was required.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40I think if she had used a little bit more garlic and chilli together
0:17:40 > 0:17:42in the spinach, that would shine out
0:17:42 > 0:17:45and work incredibly well with monkfish.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49Only three people can be taken through to the next round.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52For one of our home cooks, it's time to leave the competition.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54I really want to go on and win.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56I'd be devastated if I left at this point.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59However, the fact that I've cooked a curry for Atul,
0:17:59 > 0:18:02that was just mind-blowing. I was really sort of kicking myself,
0:18:02 > 0:18:05cos Atul felt there should have been a bit more heat and a bit more
0:18:05 > 0:18:08kick in it. I'm sort of a bit cross with myself, really.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11I perhaps went a little bit too fast, and I was worried on timing.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14I hope I've done enough to get through. I would be gutted if I go
0:18:14 > 0:18:17home at this stage, cos I would love to learn some tricks.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19There's some really stiff competition, but to say
0:18:19 > 0:18:23that I've cooked for Atul, I'm so honoured, and to have some of his
0:18:23 > 0:18:25positive comments, it's something I'm going to take with me.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27So there's always the silver lining.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31So do you think you've seen enough of the four cooks to decide
0:18:31 > 0:18:33who's going home? They have created some really fabulous dishes.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37It makes it very hard for me, but looking at their skill levels
0:18:37 > 0:18:40and the kind of flavours they have put on the plate,
0:18:40 > 0:18:42I think I have a fair idea what I want to do.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44Well, let's go break the news.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46Let's do. This is the worst bit.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51Firstly, I'd like to say well done to all four of you.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55Unfortunately, only three of you can go through to the next round,
0:18:55 > 0:18:59and Atul has made his mind up, so over to you, Chef.
0:18:59 > 0:19:00Well, before I say anything,
0:19:00 > 0:19:04I want to say each and every dish stood out in its own right.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06Whatever you said, you delivered, and in terms of flavours,
0:19:06 > 0:19:09it was bang on. Everything was there.
0:19:09 > 0:19:14Unfortunately, the only dish which came not to my expectation...
0:19:15 > 0:19:17..was Helen's. OK.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20Where it was lacking - I needed more flavours there. OK.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22And heat was lacking. Mm-hm.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25Adding too much noodle took it away from you. OK.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27I loved the way you used the spices,
0:19:27 > 0:19:30the way you used your own infusion into it.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34It's very important as a cook to bring your personality to the food.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36You're an amazing cook. Thank you.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39Oh, Helen. It was nice to have cooked for you. No, thank you.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42An honour that I get cooked for by you. Love it.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44I'm really disappointed to go but, you know,
0:19:44 > 0:19:48having the experience of cooking for Atul has been absolutely fantastic.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50Once in a lifetime. Continue to cook like that.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53I will. And hope to see you again. Thank you, thank you very much.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56So that leaves three home cooks.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58They are model Chris,
0:19:58 > 0:20:01publisher Annabel and social media manager Caroline.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04This is round two, it's the Chef's Challenge.
0:20:04 > 0:20:05So in this round,
0:20:05 > 0:20:09Atul has devised a test to see who's got the skills he's looking for.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12So, Atul, what's today's challenge?
0:20:12 > 0:20:15Well, I thought I'd give them a little butchery challenge.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19Remove the skin as intact as possible,
0:20:19 > 0:20:24so that the skin of the chicken can be used for making a sausage.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26Skin can be put into many uses.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29A lot of people just take it off and throw it away,
0:20:29 > 0:20:31but I always take pride in creating new dishes out of it.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35OK? So the first thing I want to do is...
0:20:37 > 0:20:40..remove the wing bones, OK?
0:20:40 > 0:20:43And you have to cut it on the joint.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45If you do it on the bone, it will not come out.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49So it's much easier if you slice through the joint? Absolutely. OK.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53And then you rest the chicken on its breast.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55Its tail, the parson's nose, it's called,
0:20:55 > 0:20:59we lose that, don't need that. Rest the chicken.
0:20:59 > 0:21:00Cut a slit.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05And this has to be really through and through.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07If you don't do that, you will have problems.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11Right through the skin, so make sure this is nicely separated,
0:21:11 > 0:21:16through your index finger, just go underneath, not taking any flesh,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19just the skin. Very gently.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22Use your thumb, go under the skin,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25use the index finger from the other hand.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28Peel it very gently.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30So, when I was a student,
0:21:30 > 0:21:33I had to do this...under a minute.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35Under a minute? Under a minute.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37OK? But I'm not asking you to do that.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40Yeah! And then on the other side, you rest the chicken this way,
0:21:40 > 0:21:42and use your thumb this time.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47So the idea of this challenge is to get it off in one piece?
0:21:47 > 0:21:51Yes, as much as possible, to be honest. OK.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55And then you peel, it comes off easier here,
0:21:55 > 0:21:57and this part is the tricky part,
0:21:57 > 0:21:59make sure you put your thumb through,
0:21:59 > 0:22:02and then hold it with a cloth.
0:22:03 > 0:22:04Wow.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10You cannot tear it. If you tear it, you fail.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13No pressure. No pressure!
0:22:13 > 0:22:14OK? OK.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23That's what I would like to see. Well, it's a fantastic challenge,
0:22:23 > 0:22:27so any last words or tips for our cooks, Atul?
0:22:27 > 0:22:31I think you saw how to do it, so you think you've got it all?
0:22:31 > 0:22:33ALL: Yes, Chef! Good luck.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37So our cooks have just 15 minutes to complete Atul's butchery challenge
0:22:37 > 0:22:42and remove the skin from a chicken in one perfect peace.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Whilst Atul is looking for a partner with natural flair,
0:22:45 > 0:22:47he also needs to know they can follow instructions,
0:22:47 > 0:22:50and is watching closely for any mistakes.
0:22:50 > 0:22:55It is, actually... I'm so worried about breaking it.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58It is quite hard. It's a tough challenge,
0:22:58 > 0:23:00and one they all know has huge consequences.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02It's much harder than it looks.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06Atul, you made it look really easy!
0:23:08 > 0:23:10It's quite tricky, it's very slippery, as well.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14If it's too slippery, wipe your hands and get on with it again.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19Don't forget, you've got a cloth to help you.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22A small slip can cost you.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26I'm stuck on the wing.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31OK, just go back, think how I did it, you'll get it.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33The pressure is really on for our home cooks
0:23:33 > 0:23:37in a challenge that requires concentration and a steady hand.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39Gosh, you're shaking, trying to take the skin out!
0:23:39 > 0:23:41I am!
0:23:41 > 0:23:43And it's not just Annabel that's struggling.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47Are you all right? Yeah. Squeak!
0:23:48 > 0:23:51It's one of the hardest things, even though it's so simple,
0:23:51 > 0:23:53but to do it without the tear is really hard.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55Caroline has missed a key instruction,
0:23:55 > 0:23:57and failed to cut right through the bone,
0:23:57 > 0:24:00making it impossible for her to remove the skin,
0:24:00 > 0:24:03and with the 15 minutes nearly up, it's all getting too much for her.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06Just take a breath, here's some tissue if you want a bit of tissue.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09I'll pop it there for you, OK? Thank you. Thank you.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16Cooks, you have 30 seconds left.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22Ten, nine, eight,
0:24:22 > 0:24:27seven, six, five,
0:24:27 > 0:24:32four, three, two, one.
0:24:32 > 0:24:37That's it, guys, step away from your chickens, time is up.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44Atul, that has been one of the toughest challenges yet.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46It really has been. It looked easy when you did it
0:24:46 > 0:24:49but, obviously, it was tough. Yes, it is tough.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51SHE LAUGHS
0:24:51 > 0:24:53OK, well, it's time to judge.
0:24:53 > 0:24:58I generally did honestly feel very sorry for all three of you.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01All three of you were shaking.
0:25:01 > 0:25:02Some of you have gone wrong
0:25:02 > 0:25:06purely because you didn't listen or you didn't see what I was doing.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10So, if I may just guide you through this, what has happened here.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13OK. This one is...?
0:25:13 > 0:25:16Mine. Yours? I would say perfect.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21Well done. Perfect. As I would have liked it to be.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23You've pierced it once.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25Good piece. It can be made into good sausages.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27Perfect.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30This one, you've pierced it,
0:25:30 > 0:25:31you fiddled with it too much. Yeah.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36You were trying to get it out, you were lucky that you got it out.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39Normally, at this point, if you fail, if you don't do it properly,
0:25:39 > 0:25:43the whole skin goes off, but you are lucky that you saved it, somehow.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47Oh!
0:25:47 > 0:25:50It was a tough bird.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53It was a tough bird, tough old bird! It was a tough old bird.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55OK, let's show you what you didn't do.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58You made a massive error, this bone was to go out.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03Oh! And that's why you were struggling.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05I see. Remember?
0:26:05 > 0:26:07You didn't chop it high enough.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09OK.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12Now, because I'm not under pressure... Yeah.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19Gone. Wow.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23Boom. Done. I got stuck. When I trained, I had to do it very quickly
0:26:23 > 0:26:25because the last guy who finished the chicken
0:26:25 > 0:26:28had to clean the whole butchery.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31So, Caroline, I guess it's your turn this time to clean the butchery.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34Oh, Caroline, what a shame.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38But you're a great cook, you have a real good grasp of flavours,
0:26:38 > 0:26:39you're a foodie. Thank you, Atul,
0:26:39 > 0:26:42that is the biggest compliment I could have, so thank you.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45No, thank you. That's lovely.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47I am a bit gutted.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49Atul makes it look so simple.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51It's slippery, it's a beast, it's moving around,
0:26:51 > 0:26:55and it seems to be stuck in more places than you actually realise.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57So it's not the easiest challenge.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59So just two cooks remain -
0:26:59 > 0:27:01model Chris and publisher Annabel,
0:27:01 > 0:27:05but only one can be chosen as Atul's partner for the Friday Final.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09So it's now time for our third and final round, the Chef's Special.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13In this round, our cooks will be given a set of ingredients
0:27:13 > 0:27:16to one of Atul's signature dishes. Cooks, the aim of this round
0:27:16 > 0:27:19is to see what you can make with the produce.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22You'll get to see what Atul makes a little bit later on,
0:27:22 > 0:27:24but for you at home, here's today's ingredients.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29Atul's chosen a rack of lamb,
0:27:29 > 0:27:34spinach, ginger, beetroot and garam masala, ground coriander,
0:27:34 > 0:27:38cumin seeds, chilli powder and dried fenugreek seeds,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41black cardamom pods, cinnamon bark, a bay leaf,
0:27:41 > 0:27:43black peppercorns and cloves.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45Easy enough for a Michelin-starred spice king,
0:27:45 > 0:27:47but what on earth will our home cooks make?
0:27:47 > 0:27:49Cooks, you have one hour.
0:27:49 > 0:27:54Reveal your ingredients, because your time starts now.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05So, the clock is ticking and this is the first time our home cooks have
0:28:05 > 0:28:09seen these ingredients, but will they know where to start?
0:28:12 > 0:28:15Chris wastes no time in getting started,
0:28:15 > 0:28:18but Annabel appears less confident.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22Because I'm looking at everything, thinking...it is quite hard.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27Hi, Annabel.
0:28:27 > 0:28:28Hi.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31How are we getting on? Have you planned it?
0:28:31 > 0:28:33Herbs and spices look very different when they're not
0:28:33 > 0:28:36in their little containers. With the labels on?
0:28:36 > 0:28:39Yes. You smell and taste them to make out what they are.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42Exactly, exactly. So, where I'm heading at the moment is,
0:28:42 > 0:28:44I know that lamb doesn't take terribly long to cook,
0:28:44 > 0:28:47so I want to get my onions on. I'm going to soften my onions
0:28:47 > 0:28:52and then add my tomatoes and then my spinach with a...
0:28:52 > 0:28:55not aloo saag, but similar to that.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57So that's what I'm up to at the moment.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59Have you identified all the ingredients?
0:28:59 > 0:29:02Yes, but please don't test me.
0:29:02 > 0:29:04Good luck. Thank you very much. Good luck. Thank you.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13Hi, Chris. Hiya. How are you doing? Good. Good.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16How are you doing, more importantly? All right at the minute, I think.
0:29:16 > 0:29:18I think I've identified all the ingredients.
0:29:18 > 0:29:23At the minute, I've got sort of a stock that I'm going to boil down
0:29:23 > 0:29:26to create the contents of a curry sauce.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29I'm actually going to pan-fry the lamb, finish it in the oven
0:29:29 > 0:29:32on top of a curry base.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35So we'll see how it pans out, but I would like to use, I think,
0:29:35 > 0:29:37as many of the ingredients as possible.
0:29:37 > 0:29:39I've got quite a good idea of what I'd like to achieve.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42Brilliant. Good luck. Cheers.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53The smells that are coming through from the kitchen already excite me.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55Chris has dived straight in there.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59He has a vision in his mind what he wants it to look like on a plate.
0:29:59 > 0:30:00Which is very rare.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03So whenever I look at him and the way he's planning his work
0:30:03 > 0:30:06and the way he's prepping, I think he's read all my books,
0:30:06 > 0:30:08or he reads my mind very carefully.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11It's dangerous.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14Annabel, maybe it's a little out of her comfort zone.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17I think she's got it in her. She's good.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20She may not have figured out
0:30:20 > 0:30:24which spice is what, but she'll have a pretty good clue how to use it.
0:30:24 > 0:30:25She's an out-there cook, in my opinion.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28I really love her approach to food. Yeah.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37Both cooks know Atul has incredibly high standards
0:30:37 > 0:30:40and is keeping a very close eye on them as they work.
0:30:40 > 0:30:41No pressure there, then!
0:30:45 > 0:30:48Atul is looking for someone who's creative in their cooking
0:30:48 > 0:30:50and confident in the seasoning of the food.
0:30:50 > 0:30:54He'll only accept the best to partner him in the Friday Final.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01Hi, Chris. How's it going? Yeah, going well.
0:31:03 > 0:31:05What are you aiming to achieve from this?
0:31:05 > 0:31:10I'm trying to get the stock down so I can add it to the curry sauce.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12Fantastic. Good luck. Thank you.
0:31:15 > 0:31:19How's it going, Annabel? It's going not too bad.
0:31:19 > 0:31:20Your plan is working? We'll see.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23Well done. Good luck. Thank you.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37Chris and Annabel are desperate to do their best,
0:31:37 > 0:31:40but hard work can come at a cost in the kitchen.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43That was hot. Are you all right? Yeah. I wasn't even thinking.
0:31:43 > 0:31:44I don't have them pans at home.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48But aware that time is ticking away, Chris bravely carries on.
0:31:53 > 0:31:58OK, cooks, you have just ten minutes left. Ten minutes to go.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15With time running out,
0:32:15 > 0:32:17both cooks turn their attention to presentation,
0:32:17 > 0:32:19and Annabel's not happy with hers.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21My plating up is not very good.
0:32:28 > 0:32:29I'm done.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34Right, cooks, that's it. Time is up.
0:32:34 > 0:32:38Step away from your dishes, you've done all you can.
0:32:38 > 0:32:39It's time to taste.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41First up, it's model Chris.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43He's chosen to make a spiced rack of lamb,
0:32:43 > 0:32:46served on a bed of sauteed spinach
0:32:46 > 0:32:48with garlic, mixed spices and a curry sauce.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54How was that challenge for you? Yeah, it was really interesting.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57Obviously, I was pleased to see a lot of spices in front of me.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00I've tried to utilise as many of the ingredients as possible and really
0:33:00 > 0:33:02challenge myself. Let's try it. Yeah.
0:33:14 > 0:33:15You like the chilli, do you?
0:33:15 > 0:33:18Yeah. Really like it.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26Spinach nicely cooked.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29Sauce is amazing.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32Tad bit hot for me. I'm not a fan of chilli,
0:33:32 > 0:33:34in spite of cooking Indian food.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37Yeah, yeah. I like the flavour of chilli, not the heat of chilli,
0:33:37 > 0:33:38so it's very important for me.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41I think you did the lamb very well.
0:33:41 > 0:33:45There's only one bad point and that is, I think you overdo it.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49Yeah. More is not good. Don't try to hard. Yeah, all right.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52I'll happily eat this for my dinner. Fantastic.
0:33:52 > 0:33:54Very well done. Thank you.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59That is delicious. Atul said he would finish that plate of curry
0:33:59 > 0:34:01for his dinner, and for him to say that
0:34:01 > 0:34:03about one of my curries just blows me away.
0:34:03 > 0:34:07The sauce was very hot. So you don't like very, very hot curries?
0:34:07 > 0:34:11No. I like the flavour of the chilli.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13Next into the tasting room is publisher Annabel.
0:34:13 > 0:34:18She's made herb-crusted lamb, served with spinach, onions and tomato.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26Are you happy with it? I look back now and think I should have perhaps
0:34:26 > 0:34:27used the spinach for a salad.
0:34:27 > 0:34:30I think you got bogged down looking at that many spices in front of you.
0:34:30 > 0:34:33Absolutely. This is amazing, by the way, but I know,
0:34:33 > 0:34:35I was expecting a lot more from you. I know. I'm sorry about that.
0:34:35 > 0:34:37I just got puzzled.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39One critique I want to give you now.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42Yes? Where's the sauce? I know.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57You can cook. Thank you. Love that.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00You really know how to handle your meat, and that's an art.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03Beautiful texture. Spot-on. I'll give full marks to that.
0:35:03 > 0:35:04Thank you very much.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07Fantastic. Atul said I was very good and I knew my flavours.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10I do need to work out some sauces and I'm absolutely thrilled
0:35:10 > 0:35:11with the feedback that I've had today.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14There was a nice kick to her spinach, too.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16She's used chilli in there. Fantastic.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18So with the final challenge complete,
0:35:18 > 0:35:22it's just left for Atul to deliberate over our two home cooks.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25It's a really difficult one because there are a few things in Chris
0:35:25 > 0:35:27I like, absolutely love.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29The way he handles the spices, his understanding,
0:35:29 > 0:35:32his in-depth knowledge of how to treat food.
0:35:32 > 0:35:36And on the other side I have Annabel, who's just an amazing cook.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38She's got everything right.
0:35:38 > 0:35:40She's just too scared of spices.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43She's keen, though, as well. She's very keen. No, no, she's amazing.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46And she wants to learn but, however, you've got to think about Friday.
0:35:46 > 0:35:50Cooking for Pierre Koffmann. You're talking about cooking for God.
0:35:50 > 0:35:53Cooking for God. That's tough.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56So, do you have any idea who you're going to take with you
0:35:56 > 0:35:57to the Friday Final?
0:35:57 > 0:36:00Honestly? No. Oh!
0:36:02 > 0:36:04Before Atul announces the winner,
0:36:04 > 0:36:08let's see what our Michelin-starred spice king makes with all this.
0:36:09 > 0:36:12This is one of the dishes you make in your restaurant?
0:36:12 > 0:36:14Yes. Yes, actually, yes.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17It's an inspiration on one of the classics.
0:36:17 > 0:36:19If you go to an Indian restaurant,
0:36:19 > 0:36:22it's called saag gosht and this is a kind of saag gosht,
0:36:22 > 0:36:25my version of it. You need to blanch the spinach.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28That needs to cool down pretty quickly.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30That's very important.
0:36:30 > 0:36:35And it's incredibly important for spices to crackle so that they
0:36:35 > 0:36:37release the flavour in the oil,
0:36:37 > 0:36:40because that oil becomes the carrier of the flavour as it goes forward.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46The idea is to colour these vegetables first.
0:36:46 > 0:36:48So at what age did you start cooking?
0:36:48 > 0:36:51My grandad was a baker and my dad had a catering business,
0:36:51 > 0:36:55so I learnt first-hand from them. I went to hotel school and then
0:36:55 > 0:36:58I trained with a very prestigious hotel chain in India.
0:36:58 > 0:37:02They only take 12 students each year from all over the country. Wow!
0:37:02 > 0:37:05So I was very privileged to go to that school.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09Now, when you cook Indian food, onion is incredibly important.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11Indians used to be vegetarians,
0:37:11 > 0:37:15so for us to cook onion to get different sauces was paramount.
0:37:15 > 0:37:19We would saute onions till they were translucent
0:37:19 > 0:37:22to get light-coloured sauces, like kormas. We would cook onions
0:37:22 > 0:37:25till they were light brown in colour, with the help of tomatoes
0:37:25 > 0:37:28and other ingredients, we would get red-colour sauces,
0:37:28 > 0:37:30like chicken tikka masala in this country.
0:37:30 > 0:37:32And then you brown the onions,
0:37:32 > 0:37:36deep brown them, to get sauces like rogan josh and vindaloo.
0:37:36 > 0:37:40And if bones were there, it will be a lot easier, hence my punchline -
0:37:40 > 0:37:44you want to cook Indian food, you've got to know your onions.
0:37:44 > 0:37:45Yeah, yeah.
0:37:45 > 0:37:47I want to add the tomatoes.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51Cumin powder, and that's coriander powder.
0:37:53 > 0:37:59We also add the paste and I'll take that stock and all I want to do is
0:37:59 > 0:38:02bring it to the boil and let it simmer.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04Let's take this beetroot juice, and the onions go in.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07These pickled onions will turn absolutely ruby-red in colour.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11Now let's do our lamb.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13Now, what we do, we seal it very quickly.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18The idea is, when I put it for roasting,
0:38:18 > 0:38:20all the flavours should remain in.
0:38:20 > 0:38:22I'll let it cook a bit.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24I have garam masala.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33And we will put this in a preheated oven.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36180 degrees.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39So let's cook it first... six to seven minutes.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42Then it comes out, rests a bit, then it goes back later.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45It's the most critical part of Indian cooking,
0:38:45 > 0:38:48that spices should be sauteed properly at a good temperature.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51Yeah. That's where you get the punch from. Yeah.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53And we'll add a little chilli for the heat.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56And some garlic. A good quantity of garlic.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01Spinach goes in.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07We have coriander powder. Not too much. Garam masala.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11OK. So we add a little bit of cream.
0:39:13 > 0:39:15This is good. I'll leave it aside.
0:39:16 > 0:39:18Here's the lamb. There you go.
0:39:18 > 0:39:22Perfect. Foil. We'll flash it again in the oven just before we serve.
0:39:22 > 0:39:23OK.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28Spice, which is fenugreek leaf.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33OK, I think we're good. Now we're going for finishing.
0:39:33 > 0:39:37Yeah. This goes back in the oven for three minutes, comes out,
0:39:37 > 0:39:38rests and then we serve.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41So let's balance the sauce now.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45I'm going to add just about half a teaspoon of garam masala to finish.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47Large blob of butter.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51There you go. The lamb is done.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54Beautifully cooked. It just needs to rest.
0:39:55 > 0:40:00So, add one teaspoon of ginger in there and the cream.
0:40:03 > 0:40:05And the butter. The remaining butter, that goes in last,
0:40:05 > 0:40:07and we're done with that.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12So let's take this out.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16For me, it's perfectly cooked. Let's see. It is.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20Look at that. Oh, I love that.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27You put that...
0:40:30 > 0:40:32There you go. Wow. Yum!
0:40:32 > 0:40:36There we go, guys. Looks absolutely incredible.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39Go on, Annabel.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41Absolutely unbelievable.
0:40:41 > 0:40:43Delicious.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45Glad you liked it.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48It's time to reveal who you're taking through to the Friday Final,
0:40:48 > 0:40:49but before you tell us,
0:40:49 > 0:40:53let's just have a quick recap of what they made earlier.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56In the first round, Chris impressed by bravely attempting a variation
0:40:56 > 0:40:58of one of Atul's own recipes
0:40:58 > 0:41:01with his pan-fried sea bass and coconut curry.
0:41:01 > 0:41:02Flavour wise, you've nailed it.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05He rode his luck in Atul's butchery challenge.
0:41:05 > 0:41:06You're lucky that you got it out.
0:41:06 > 0:41:10And in the final round he utilised all the ingredients to produce
0:41:10 > 0:41:12an impressive spiced rack of lamb dish.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14But was the heat too much for Atul?
0:41:14 > 0:41:16I'm not a fan of chilli.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19OK. I like the flavour of chilli, not the heat of chilli.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22I would absolutely love to win, and the opportunity to cook with Atul
0:41:22 > 0:41:24would be absolutely amazing.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27Meanwhile, Annabel impressed Atul with her fusion of flavours in her
0:41:27 > 0:41:31stuffed lamb backstrap, samphire and honey tomatoes.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34She stole the show by perfectly removing the chicken skin
0:41:34 > 0:41:36in the skills challenge. Perfect.
0:41:36 > 0:41:40And showcased her incredible cooking techniques in the final round.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43You can cook. Thank you. You really know how to handle your meat.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45But will her failure to make a sauce
0:41:45 > 0:41:48cost her a place in the Friday Final?
0:41:48 > 0:41:51I'm not sure if I've done enough to win today. I would love to win.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54If I go out, I go out and I've had a great day.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58Firstly, I'd like to say a massive well done to both of you.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01The standards have been really high as well.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03However, Atul has made his mind up.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06He can only take one of you to the Friday Final.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09So it's time to reveal your winner.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11Well, it's a shame that I have to choose only one.
0:42:11 > 0:42:15I wish I could take you both with me. Both of you put your heart
0:42:15 > 0:42:17and soul into your cooking today,
0:42:17 > 0:42:20but the person who's going to cook with me...
0:42:20 > 0:42:22will be Chris. Well done.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24Well done, Chris. Thank you.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27It means absolutely everything to me to be working with my idol Atul.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30I'm going to do everything that I can to make sure me and Atul win.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33So, Atul, any tips for Chris for the Friday Final?
0:42:33 > 0:42:36First thing, more is not good.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38You don't have to bung everything on one plate.
0:42:38 > 0:42:40And cook your meat really well.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43Don't overcook it. If you do all that, we're winning.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46Yes, Chef! Yay! Well done.
0:42:50 > 0:42:52Tomorrow on Yes Chef -
0:42:52 > 0:42:57four more home cooks go all out to impress super chef Ryan Simpson.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00I honestly don't envy you, Ryan.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03It's the chance for them to work alongside the best in the business,
0:43:03 > 0:43:06but only one can become his partner for the Friday Final.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09The person that's coming through is...
0:43:46 > 0:43:49If there is nothing new, then the Court of Appeal
0:43:49 > 0:43:51aren't going to change their decision.
0:43:53 > 0:43:55You have to question everything.