0:00:02 > 0:00:03'Four of the best chefs in Britain
0:00:03 > 0:00:05'are on the hunt for their perfect partner.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09'For the first time ever,
0:00:09 > 0:00:12'amateur home cooks will be paired with the best in the business
0:00:12 > 0:00:15'for the cooking experience of a lifetime.'
0:00:15 > 0:00:17Let me back in there!
0:00:17 > 0:00:21'Each day, a Michelin-starred chef will choose their perfect partner
0:00:21 > 0:00:23'from four talented home cooks.
0:00:26 > 0:00:30'Then, in the Friday final, all four pairs will go head to head
0:00:30 > 0:00:33'to cook for culinary royalty Pierre Koffmann.'
0:00:34 > 0:00:37What impresses me with food is the end result.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39The taste is the most important.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43'For the chefs, their professional pride is at stake.'
0:00:43 > 0:00:45Bring the home cooks in!
0:00:45 > 0:00:49'For the home cooks, it will be the ultimate test.'
0:00:49 > 0:00:51It looks like a dog's dinner.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53'But who will win?
0:00:53 > 0:00:54'This is Yes Chef.'
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Hello and welcome to Yes Chef.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01Let's see which home cooks are in the kitchen today.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05First, it's Jo Cooksey, an account manager from Stockport.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07I'm a very organised cook.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11I can't bear to come into a kitchen and see lots of pots and mess.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13It just annoys me!
0:01:13 > 0:01:16Next is Paul Fibag, a factory worker from Scarborough.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19I really want to win today but, to be honest,
0:01:19 > 0:01:22I just really want to get through to the first...to the second bit,
0:01:22 > 0:01:24after I've made my dish.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27Andy Nightingale is a software developer from Northampton.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30I'm looking forward to working with a Michelin-starred chef.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32It's top of my bucket list.
0:01:32 > 0:01:33I'm here to win.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37And finally, Alyisha Vaughn is a barmaid from Dudley.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40I'm so looking forward to cooking today.
0:01:40 > 0:01:41I'm so excited.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43I've been looking forward to it all week.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48Our cooks are at the ready, so it's time now to meet our chef.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52He's held his Michelin star for the past ten years.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54It's Luke Tipping.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Luke Tipping is the executive chef at Simpsons in Birmingham,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02which has held a Michelin star since 2000.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05Our cooking style is very simple.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07We don't put too many ingredients on the plate.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10It's just a very free-flowing, natural kind of food, really.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12With his continued success,
0:02:12 > 0:02:15Luke's creative style of cooking truly speaks for itself.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19He knows exactly what he's looking for to stay ahead of the game.
0:02:19 > 0:02:20Service? Salmon ready.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25I'm looking for someone who can work cleanly, efficiently,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28know what food is really supposed to taste like,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31and not too over-seasoned or under-seasoned.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34I'd love to win. Cooking against my peers,
0:02:34 > 0:02:36there's always that challenge and we're mad for it.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42It's fabulous to have you here today, Luke.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44- Lovely to be here. - So, our cooks today
0:02:44 > 0:02:46are going to be going all out to try and impress you
0:02:46 > 0:02:48in the hope that you'll pick one of them
0:02:48 > 0:02:50to be your partner in the Friday final.
0:02:50 > 0:02:51What will you be looking for?
0:02:51 > 0:02:53Respect for their ingredients,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56clarity of flavours and just keep it nice and clean.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58That's the big thing for me.
0:02:58 > 0:02:59OK. Let's get on with it.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02This is round one, dish of the day.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Now, home cooks, you're going to be making one dish for Luke
0:03:05 > 0:03:07that you believe will set you apart from the rest.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11You've got 45 minutes, so use your time wisely.
0:03:11 > 0:03:12Chef, it's over to you.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14So, just enjoy yourselves.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16Have fun and cook your hearts out.
0:03:16 > 0:03:17- ALL:- Yes, Chef!
0:03:18 > 0:03:21Our cooks are off and with one of them destined
0:03:21 > 0:03:23to leave the competition at the end of this round,
0:03:23 > 0:03:27they're going all out to impress Chef Luke.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29There is only 45 minutes on the clock,
0:03:29 > 0:03:31but, just moments into the challenge,
0:03:31 > 0:03:33home cook Andy is already in tears.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35I love onions!
0:03:36 > 0:03:37Hello, Jo. How are you doing?
0:03:37 > 0:03:40- All right, thank you. - How are we getting on?
0:03:40 > 0:03:42Good, thank you. We're doing a seafood risotto...
0:03:42 > 0:03:44- OK.- ..with saffron.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46So, have you got some alcohol in there at all?
0:03:46 > 0:03:48Some white wine, yeah, a little touch.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50Some for the pan, some for me.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53Good! So we've got some scallops and prawns.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56- Any other fish going in there? - No, just those two.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58Is this a sort of thing you cook at home?
0:03:58 > 0:03:59It is, it is.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03Normally with chicken and broccoli, but jazzed it up a bit for today.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05- For the telly.- For the telly.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08- That's one of my favourite things, broccoli.- Is it?- BOTH: Oh, damn!
0:04:08 > 0:04:10THEY LAUGH
0:04:10 > 0:04:13While Jo wishes she had stuck to the original recipe
0:04:13 > 0:04:16for her family favourite, are the other home cooks
0:04:16 > 0:04:19managing to stick to their plans under pressure?
0:04:19 > 0:04:23It's going really well so far. Just see how things are doing.
0:04:23 > 0:04:24My main concern is timing -
0:04:24 > 0:04:28just to make sure it's done on time and that the rice is cooked.
0:04:30 > 0:04:31- Hi, Paul.- Hey, you all right?
0:04:31 > 0:04:33- Yeah. How you getting on? - Very well, thank you.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35Something smells nice!
0:04:35 > 0:04:36What are you making for us?
0:04:36 > 0:04:38Chicken tortillas...
0:04:38 > 0:04:43- Ooh, nice!- ..with guacamole, salsa, sweetcorn relish.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45So, this is some breast of chicken?
0:04:45 > 0:04:48- Yes, some breast of chicken. - So, what's the spices you have?
0:04:48 > 0:04:53Cumin, oregano, chilli powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55I'm going to put some cocoa powder in towards the end.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57It shouldn't be too spicy.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59- Well, we'll let you carry on. - Thank you.
0:04:59 > 0:05:00- Good luck.- Good luck.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06Luke's looking for technical ability as well as a great-tasting dish.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08Pulling out all the stops is key
0:05:08 > 0:05:12when you're cooking for one of Britain's top chefs.
0:05:12 > 0:05:13When you cook risotto rice,
0:05:13 > 0:05:16the secret is to wait until you can hear the rice crackling,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19because it means it will start absorbing the liquid.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21There it goes. It's like Rice Krispies.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23SIZZLING
0:05:23 > 0:05:25Hi, Andy, how are you getting on?
0:05:25 > 0:05:26Not too bad, thank you.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30It's all more or less together, on time.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32- A nice, simple...? - It is simple, that's my concern.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34It's just too simple, I don't want it to be...
0:05:34 > 0:05:37- So, what is it, a mushroom risotto? - It's a wild mushroom risotto, yes.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39- Oh, WILD mushroom risotto!- Yeah.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41What mushrooms are you putting in there?
0:05:41 > 0:05:43I've got some wild mushrooms - dried, so I've soaked them.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46I see you've got some porcini in there.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49- That's right, porcini, shiitake... - Do you do all the cooking at home?
0:05:49 > 0:05:51- No.- Oh, you don't? - My wife does the day-to-day cooking.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55- How do you get away...? I do! - I get home late, so... - "How do you get away with that?"
0:05:55 > 0:05:58- SHEREE LAUGHS Well, good luck.- Thanks very much.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01So, both Andy and Jo are making risotto,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04but Andy's worried about the lack of complexity in his dish.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07For Alyisha, it's all about timing.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10- Hello, Alyisha. How are you doing? - Actually, it's going quite well.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12- Good.- I'm quite shocked.- So, your lamb's in the oven. How long...?
0:06:12 > 0:06:16- 12½ minutes to 13 minutes. - Because it's quite a big piece.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20Yeah. Yeah, I like my lamb just to be rare to medium-rare.
0:06:20 > 0:06:21Well, not too rare.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23Yeah, not too rare.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25- Can we have a look at the lamb? - Yeah, of course.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28Smells good. So, what have we got on the top there?
0:06:28 > 0:06:30Some breadcrumbs, some herbs?
0:06:30 > 0:06:35Yeah, I've got some breadcrumbs, I've got basil, mixed herbs,
0:06:35 > 0:06:39nuts, and salt and pepper and a bit of cider vinegar, as well.
0:06:39 > 0:06:40Oh, right, lovely, OK.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43- Very nice!- Bit of acidity. So, we are just doing a sauce here.
0:06:43 > 0:06:44What's this - red wine sauce?
0:06:44 > 0:06:49Yeah, I'm doing a red wine and shallot sauce,
0:06:49 > 0:06:52because I think, personally, it tastes absolutely beautiful.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54- Good, lovely.- I love it.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56And is lamb your favourite meat?
0:06:56 > 0:06:591,000%! It's my favourite meat to cook,
0:06:59 > 0:07:02- and my favourite meat to eat, as well.- OK, good.- Brilliant.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04Good luck, anyway. We'll leave you to it.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06Carry on.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Halfway through and the cooks have just over 20 minutes left
0:07:09 > 0:07:11to wow Luke with their dish.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13So, we've had a walk round.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15Whose dish excites you at the minute?
0:07:15 > 0:07:18Well, it's funny because there's two that are very complicated
0:07:18 > 0:07:21and two that are very simple, so it should be interesting.
0:07:21 > 0:07:26I've kept it simple, but it's a dish that takes a while to cook, risotto.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29It will be fine, it will be good.
0:07:29 > 0:07:30It's all about the taste.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34Andy's is very simple.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36If he nails a mushroom risotto really well
0:07:36 > 0:07:37then it could be really nice.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40He seems a bit concerned that it's too simple, but...
0:07:40 > 0:07:42Maybe because everybody else is kind of...
0:07:42 > 0:07:45He's looked around, thinking it's all going on.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47I'm all for simplicity. I've got no problem with that.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50I keep meaning to have a look around at other people,
0:07:50 > 0:07:53but I hear noises and I hear spices and I hear ingredients
0:07:53 > 0:07:55and I'm thinking, "I've got one major ingredient - rice."
0:07:58 > 0:08:00Got a big piece of lamb going on there.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04That's going to take a little while to cook.
0:08:04 > 0:08:05Hopefully, she'll get it cooked.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08Do you think Alyisha's given herself long enough?
0:08:08 > 0:08:10It is a concern, got to be honest,
0:08:10 > 0:08:13- because if it's too rare, it's not going to be good.- No.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18It's harder than it normally is normally, let's just say that.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22- And then there's a lot going on with the fajitas.- Paul, yeah.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25He's made his own shell, which should be nice to taste,
0:08:25 > 0:08:28but he's got a lot going on. There's a lot on his plate.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31Honestly, I think I've been quite ambitious with my dish.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34It's supposed to be a tortilla! Would you believe that?
0:08:34 > 0:08:37And do you look at things like people's work stations
0:08:37 > 0:08:38and how clean they were?
0:08:38 > 0:08:40Yeah, I'm a stickler for cleanliness.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42- Are you?- Yeah, yeah, so we'll see.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45- We'll try the food first and... - SHEREE LAUGHS
0:08:49 > 0:08:53Cooks, you have just five minutes left.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56With time ticking down, will Alyisha's lamb be cooked in time?
0:08:59 > 0:09:02- Jo, you've finished with five minutes to spare.- I have, I know!
0:09:02 > 0:09:05If there is no more you can do, you might as well let it rest.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08- I know, just wait.- It looks lovely. - Thank you.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12So, while Jo has stormed ahead, all that Andy needs to do
0:09:12 > 0:09:15is top his dish off with a perfectly cooked egg yolk,
0:09:15 > 0:09:17but things aren't going to plan.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19Argh, disaster!
0:09:19 > 0:09:23- What have you done?- Broken two egg yolks, which was what I was trying to avoid.- Oh, no!
0:09:23 > 0:09:24Do you want me to get another one?
0:09:24 > 0:09:26I've got one there, so if you've got some spare,
0:09:26 > 0:09:30- that would be great. - Go and wash your hands.- Thank you.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32And it looks like he's not the only one
0:09:32 > 0:09:35having problems with the finishing touches.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38It looks like a dog's dinner.
0:09:40 > 0:09:41Wow. I tried.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46Time, that's all I'm saying.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49I don't think I've got much of it left to do everything I need to do.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52Two minutes to go, cooks.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55Start thinking about plating up.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57In the final moments of the round,
0:09:57 > 0:10:00Luke's concerned Alyisha's lamb hasn't cooked evenly,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03so he steps in to offer her some advice.
0:10:03 > 0:10:04OK? Is it cooked enough?
0:10:04 > 0:10:08- Go from that end. That'll be cooked a bit more.- Thank you.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10Don't break, don't break...
0:10:11 > 0:10:14The egg looks all right, but it's one of these things,
0:10:14 > 0:10:16I won't know until it gets cut into
0:10:16 > 0:10:18and it either oozes and looks brilliant
0:10:18 > 0:10:19or it just...doesn't.
0:10:19 > 0:10:2130 seconds to go.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34Three, two, one...
0:10:34 > 0:10:36Stop cooking. Step away from your plates.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42So, our four home cooks have served up their dish of the day.
0:10:42 > 0:10:43It's time to taste.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48First to be judged is Jo with her dish of the day -
0:10:48 > 0:10:52seafood risotto with scallops, king prawns,
0:10:52 > 0:10:55saffron, thyme, dill and peas.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57How did you find that challenge?
0:10:57 > 0:10:59It was OK, yeah, it was good.
0:10:59 > 0:11:00You happy with your dish?
0:11:00 > 0:11:02Yes, I think so.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04- I hope you are.- Shall we tuck in?
0:11:04 > 0:11:06- Yeah, after you.- You can go first.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14The rice is nicely cooked.
0:11:14 > 0:11:15That's a good sign.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20Lovely flavour of the saffron, as well.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23Apart from the white wine,
0:11:23 > 0:11:26is there any other acidity, any lemon or anything in here, or...?
0:11:26 > 0:11:29There isn't, but maybe it could have done with it.
0:11:29 > 0:11:30- Yeah.- Would you say that?
0:11:30 > 0:11:32Yeah, a little bit, yeah. Just to wake it up again,
0:11:32 > 0:11:35but, no, it's not bad, I like it.
0:11:35 > 0:11:36- That's good.- Thank you.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38Nice comments, there.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41It's nerve-racking to serve up for a Michelin-starred chef,
0:11:41 > 0:11:42but, yeah, it was good.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44- Do you want to have a try? - Shall we have a taste?
0:11:44 > 0:11:46That's lovely.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48Are you pleasantly surprise?
0:11:48 > 0:11:50A little bit heavy, but the flavour was quite good,
0:11:50 > 0:11:52nice flavour of the saffron,
0:11:52 > 0:11:54and the peas give it a nice pop in your mouth.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56- OK. Good.- I'm pleased.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58Next is Paul with his dish of the day -
0:11:58 > 0:12:01chicken tortillas with guacamole,
0:12:01 > 0:12:04served with charred corn and tomato salsa.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08- How are you going, guys?- Good. How are you after that challenge?
0:12:08 > 0:12:12I'm a bit flustered, to be honest, but I'll recover in due time!
0:12:12 > 0:12:15So you produced, anyway - that's the main thing.
0:12:15 > 0:12:16- I got it all on the plate. - You had a lot to do.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19OK, let's have a...
0:12:19 > 0:12:20You take one and I'll take one.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29It's tasty.
0:12:29 > 0:12:30Mmm!
0:12:30 > 0:12:34Not too spicy, as you say, the spices are just coming through.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37- You happy with it?- Yeah, quite.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39I think I probably could have done better on my corn salsa,
0:12:39 > 0:12:41- to be honest.- Why, in what way?
0:12:41 > 0:12:43I think I put a bit too much vinegar on it.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47- I like it.- Brilliant, OK, some nice comments there.- Thank you.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49I'm quite surprised he liked it in the end,
0:12:49 > 0:12:52because I had quite a few elements I hadn't tried to make before,
0:12:52 > 0:12:54and I had quite a lot of elements to put on the dish,
0:12:54 > 0:12:56but I think I managed to get them all down eventually.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59- That is lovely.- ANDY:- I like that.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01- Well done.- Thanks, guys.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04- I think he's incredibly nervous... - Yeah, yeah.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07..which doesn't help, does it, when someone is super nervous?
0:13:07 > 0:13:10- But it tasted good.- Yeah, yeah.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14Time for Andy, with his dish of the day -
0:13:14 > 0:13:17wild-mushroom risotto with watercress and Parmesan,
0:13:17 > 0:13:20topped with a boiled egg yolk.
0:13:20 > 0:13:21Lovely!
0:13:21 > 0:13:23So, how did you find that challenge?
0:13:23 > 0:13:25It was all right in the end.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28- I just hope it tastes nice... - Start breathing!- I can relax now!
0:13:28 > 0:13:30So, yeah, hope it's all right and the egg is also oozy,
0:13:30 > 0:13:34cos it should have been poached long enough for it to set on the outside.
0:13:34 > 0:13:35Let's see if it oozes.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37- Oh, yes.- Perfect!- That's a relief!
0:13:37 > 0:13:40- You can breathe now!- I really can.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42- Any dressing on this at all? - Just olive oil.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45I didn't have time to do anything more complicated
0:13:45 > 0:13:47and I thought, well, it's a risotto, primarily,
0:13:47 > 0:13:49that's just to cut through the richness.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51Are you happy with that, the seasoning?
0:13:51 > 0:13:54I think so. I tried it continually and I think it's all right,
0:13:54 > 0:13:56but taste's all subjective.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58My wife likes more salt, I like less salt,
0:13:58 > 0:14:01- so it's quite hard to get... - I'm the opposite in my house!
0:14:01 > 0:14:04- Yeah.- Oh, are you?
0:14:04 > 0:14:06Is this a starter or is it a main course?
0:14:06 > 0:14:08- We tend to have it as a main.- OK.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10But it certainly could be half the size,
0:14:10 > 0:14:12but then the egg might be too rich for a starter.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15- Is there any mascarpone or anything in there?- Just a bit of cream,
0:14:15 > 0:14:17single cream and butter and the rice.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19- And Parmesan.- Parmesan on top, yes.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21- Good.- OK. Brilliant.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23I'm not sure I did enough to be in the next round,
0:14:23 > 0:14:25because it's such a simple dish to make.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27It's a risotto, it's stirring rice,
0:14:27 > 0:14:30but hopefully the egg on top and just the flavours
0:14:30 > 0:14:32are good enough to make it through.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35- PAUL:- That's lovely, that.- Yeah, that's lovely!- Beautiful.- Thank you.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39- Obviously, he looked really panicked by...- Yeah.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42He's worried that's simple, but the first one was simpler than that.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46- Yeah.- I wouldn't say it was simple, his one.- Good.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50And finally, it's Alyisha, with her dish of the day -
0:14:50 > 0:14:53rack of lamb with mashed potato, baby carrots
0:14:53 > 0:14:55and a shallot and red wine jus.
0:14:55 > 0:14:56Hi, Alyisha, come in.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58- Hi!- Hello, Alyisha.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01- Are you OK?- Yeah, are you?- Yeah.
0:15:01 > 0:15:02Are you glad that's over?
0:15:02 > 0:15:06Yeah, it's the quickest I've ever known in my life!
0:15:06 > 0:15:08Literally!
0:15:08 > 0:15:10- So, are you happy with your dish? - I've got to be.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13Do you think the lamb is a little bit too undercooked?
0:15:13 > 0:15:15I like it medium to rare, so...
0:15:15 > 0:15:18OK, because that is very rare, but we'll try this bottom bit here,
0:15:18 > 0:15:20see how we get on.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25Have a bit of the crust.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29- The sauce is nice.- Thank you.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31You're proud of your sauce, aren't you?
0:15:31 > 0:15:33I am proud of my sauce!
0:15:35 > 0:15:40- Yeah, that, I would say, it is a little bit...- Undercooked.- Yeah.
0:15:40 > 0:15:41It needed longer in the oven
0:15:41 > 0:15:43- and more resting at the other end, as well.- Yeah.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45How long would you have left it in for?
0:15:45 > 0:15:48Well, we cook it in the restaurant really, really slowly.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50It's got to get up to a temperature of 58 degrees
0:15:50 > 0:15:53- to be sort of pink all the way through.- Yeah.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57But it's not... It's... The bit on the end's quite tasty.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59But it is a bit raw, that's the thing.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01OK.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03I'm not disappointed for the pure fact,
0:16:03 > 0:16:07I done everything from the book and everything went absolutely fine,
0:16:07 > 0:16:11except the meat being a little bit undercooked.
0:16:13 > 0:16:14Mm. I like your jus.
0:16:14 > 0:16:16Thank you. You like it?
0:16:16 > 0:16:18That's good.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21It's a shame because, obviously, it's undercooked.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Thinking forward to Friday, it's a massive thing.
0:16:24 > 0:16:25Big-time, yeah.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29Only three people can be taken through to the next round.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33For one of our home cooks, it's time to leave the competition.
0:16:34 > 0:16:35I want to go through so much.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37I've got so much more to show.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41I want to go further now, see how much further I can get with this.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44Technically, it might not have been enough to get through.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47But I think flavour-wise, maybe I'll get through.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50I'm hoping I've done enough to get through to the next round.
0:16:50 > 0:16:51But we'll see, won't we?
0:16:51 > 0:16:55So, have you got a good idea of who you want to leave the competition?
0:16:55 > 0:16:58- Yeah, I think so now. - OK. Well, let's go and tell them.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06First, I'd like to say well done to all four of you.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09It's not an easy challenge, but you all did really well.
0:17:09 > 0:17:10But, unfortunately, as you know,
0:17:10 > 0:17:12one of you has to leave the competition at this stage
0:17:12 > 0:17:15and Luke has made his mind up.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17So it's over to you, Chef.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19OK, I think you all did really, really well
0:17:19 > 0:17:22considering the time and the pressure you were under,
0:17:22 > 0:17:27but obviously, someone has to go, so unfortunately, today,
0:17:27 > 0:17:31- it's you, Alyisha.- OK, that's fine. - Aww!- That's fine!
0:17:31 > 0:17:35- That's fine.- Sorry, but well done. The lamb was a bit undercooked.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38That was the big issue, but keep doing what you're doing
0:17:38 > 0:17:40and keep cooking, That's the main thing.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42Thank you. Thanks.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48I'm fine. Yeah, my lamb was undercooked,
0:17:48 > 0:17:52so everyone else's tasted absolutely amazing so, believe it or not,
0:17:52 > 0:17:54I was already expecting it.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56That leaves three home cooks -
0:17:56 > 0:17:58Jo from Stockport,
0:17:58 > 0:18:00Paul from Scarborough,
0:18:00 > 0:18:02and Andy from Northampton.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04Round two, it's the chef's challenge.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07So, in this round, Luke is going to be testing you
0:18:07 > 0:18:09to see who's got the skills he's looking for.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11So, what is today's test?
0:18:11 > 0:18:15Today's test is one of the most classical sauces you could have.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18It's a creme anglaise, or an English cream.
0:18:18 > 0:18:23We've got some milk, sugar, some lovely vanilla and egg yolks.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27We will put our milk on to boil, we put half our sugar in.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31Right, so we've got our vanilla. Can you all smell that?
0:18:31 > 0:18:35Mm, my favourite flavour.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38We need to split the vanilla to get all the pods out.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40There's all our lovely pods.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43It all goes in.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48The rest of the sugar into the eggs.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50- Sorry.- Why do you do half and half?
0:18:50 > 0:18:54- Hopefully, with the sugar in there, it won't boil over.- Ah, right.
0:18:54 > 0:18:55So, what we're doing now
0:18:55 > 0:18:58is just whisking the eggs and sugar together.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01We just want them to go slightly pale.
0:19:01 > 0:19:02Right.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Any of you made creme anglaise before?
0:19:05 > 0:19:07I have. I make a lot of brulee.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11- Oh, OK.- I made a custard once, but it went a bit lumpy.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13- Oh, did it?- Those are the pitfalls.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16If you don't get it right, you're either going to get scrambled eggs
0:19:16 > 0:19:18or it'll be like double cream, I suppose.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21- We've just brought it to the boil? - Just up to the boil.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36- If it gets too hot, it will turn to scrambled eggs.- OK.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40Or, if you don't cook it enough, it's going to be too thin.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44So, we can take our spatula now.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46Just take your time with it, that's the thing.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48What consistency are we looking for?
0:19:48 > 0:19:51What we want it to do is just coat the back of the spoon.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55- So it will leave a trace on it. - Slick.- Yeah.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57And do you feel quite confident, the three of you?
0:19:57 > 0:20:00- It seems simple enough, doesn't it? - I would in my home kitchen...
0:20:00 > 0:20:02- THEY LAUGH - ..where nobody can see me!
0:20:02 > 0:20:05- Yeah.- You can see how it's starting to get...
0:20:05 > 0:20:07- Yeah, yeah. - You can see is starting to...
0:20:07 > 0:20:09- Thicken up.- ..a little bit more.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13- See how it's shaping up now?- Yeah.
0:20:13 > 0:20:14OK. That should do it.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21- Perfect!- There we go.
0:20:21 > 0:20:22Have a try.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27So, what will we be looking for?
0:20:27 > 0:20:29Obviously, that vanilla aroma coming through
0:20:29 > 0:20:32and the most important thing is, not too thick, not too thin,
0:20:32 > 0:20:35just enjoy it and let's have some nice custard.
0:20:35 > 0:20:36ALL: Yes, Chef!
0:20:37 > 0:20:41So, our cooks are attempting to make the perfect creme anglaise.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44Luke's looking for a silky texture and a glossy finish,
0:20:44 > 0:20:47all in just 20 minutes.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50The cooks must follow Luke's instructions to the letter
0:20:50 > 0:20:52and the first key stage in the process
0:20:52 > 0:20:54is to separate the egg yolks,
0:20:54 > 0:20:57and already, Andy's made a huge error.
0:20:57 > 0:20:58Urrrrgh!
0:21:02 > 0:21:04I think I've made a mistake.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06I think I've used the egg whites, as well.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08Well, I know I've used the egg whites.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11I don't think I was meant to.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13(I can't remember.)
0:21:13 > 0:21:17No, I wasn't meant to use the egg whites.
0:21:17 > 0:21:18Grrrr!
0:21:18 > 0:21:20Andy is mortified by his error,
0:21:20 > 0:21:23but with no more eggs, he can't do anything about it.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25- Andy?- Hello, Chef.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28- How are we doing?- Not so good. I've made a bit of a mistake.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30I, er...didn't observe properly
0:21:30 > 0:21:32and I added the egg whites as well as the yolks.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35Well, carry on, that's all we can do...
0:21:35 > 0:21:37Make it the best I can and hopefully...
0:21:37 > 0:21:38Exactly, see what happens.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42- You might have invented something, you never know.- Whole-egg custard!
0:21:42 > 0:21:44- Don't worry, keep going.- Thank you.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46Luke's looking for a smooth consistency,
0:21:46 > 0:21:48so the cooks must be careful.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51Overwhisking the egg yolks and the sugar
0:21:51 > 0:21:52will thicken the sauce too much.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56- How are we doing? - It's making my arms ache!
0:21:56 > 0:21:59- Any problems so far?- No, I've put the half sugar in each and...
0:21:59 > 0:22:01- Yeah, yeah.- Good, good.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04- Just don't want to make scrambled eggs!- No, no.
0:22:07 > 0:22:08Paul, how you doing?
0:22:08 > 0:22:11I'm a bit concerned about overworking my eggs, to be honest.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13Well, I'd probably stop there, then, if you're concerned.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18With his eggs already well beaten,
0:22:18 > 0:22:21Paul must stir gently or his sauce will continue to thicken.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25- So, we've both said it's a nice, simple task.- Yeah!
0:22:25 > 0:22:28But things can go wrong, and they clearly have...for Andy.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30Yeah, yeah, poor Andy.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34He's made the classic mistake of using the egg whites and the yolk.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38- It's a shame. He's realised it, but it's too late, I'm afraid.- I know.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40I'm so frustrated.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43- But the other two seem to be doing fine.- Yeah, yeah.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46There's a couple of... mess issues with Paul.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48Is he just a bit chaotic?
0:22:48 > 0:22:51Yeah, he just needs to, like, slow down a little bit
0:22:51 > 0:22:52and, you know, just think.
0:22:52 > 0:22:57Oh, yeah, I'm just not entirely sure what I'm doing, to be honest.
0:22:57 > 0:22:58Time is ticking away
0:22:58 > 0:23:01and our home cooks must use every last second
0:23:01 > 0:23:04to make sure their creme anglaise is properly cooked
0:23:04 > 0:23:05and the right consistency.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08- ANDY SIGHS - A watched pot never boils.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18Cooks, you have just 30 seconds left.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39All right, that's it, everybody, time is up!
0:23:39 > 0:23:41Step away from your bowls.
0:23:42 > 0:23:43Could be worse.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46That's it, end of round two.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48It's time to taste.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52Only two people can be taken through to the next round.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56For one of our home cooks, it's time to leave the competition.
0:23:58 > 0:23:59How did you find that challenge?
0:23:59 > 0:24:01- Nerve-racking.- It's funny, isn't it?
0:24:01 > 0:24:03Four ingredients...
0:24:03 > 0:24:05And so easy to go wrong!
0:24:05 > 0:24:06THEY LAUGH
0:24:06 > 0:24:09- Nowhere to hide.- No, there's not.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11You go ahead first.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19The consistency's probably a little bit too thick.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22That's probably from over-whipping the egg yolks.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24A little bit thick.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28- Now, we know what happened... - Certainly do!
0:24:29 > 0:24:30LUKE SIGHS
0:24:30 > 0:24:33Well, there's not a lot, really, we can say.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35You know your mistake, that is the main thing.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37I do. As soon as that sugar went in...
0:24:37 > 0:24:39We was watching and I could see straightaway.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41And finally...
0:24:43 > 0:24:44Perfect consistency.
0:24:44 > 0:24:45Nice shine.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49Very good, lovely.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51That's perfect, really good.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54So, Luke, in your mind, who is going straight through?
0:24:54 > 0:24:55OK, so, it's definitely that one.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57Congratulations!
0:24:57 > 0:24:58Ooh!
0:24:58 > 0:25:00- So, we have two left.- Yes.
0:25:00 > 0:25:05Both have had errors, which you can probably see.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08But the person I'm taking through is...
0:25:09 > 0:25:11- ..Andy.- Wow!
0:25:11 > 0:25:14- OK.- Well, I got through the first round.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18- Yes, you did.- You've done a great job, Paul.- You did well. Well done.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20- No, it's fine. Cheers. - Thank you.- Thanks a lot.
0:25:20 > 0:25:21I'm not too disappointed.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24I got as far as I expected to get and the two best people won,
0:25:24 > 0:25:25so I'm happy.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28So, Paul wasn't up to scratch for you. What was...?
0:25:28 > 0:25:32Well, I think they both made... big errors there.
0:25:32 > 0:25:37Andy instantly knew straightaway what his error was
0:25:37 > 0:25:39and was obviously mortified.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43But from his previous round, and I think going forward,
0:25:43 > 0:25:45he will be a better bet for me.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49And Paul, he obviously made some mistakes, he overwhisked.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53Yes, but he was still a little bit messy and a bit chaotic
0:25:53 > 0:25:56even with quite a simple-ish challenge.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59And that worries you because, on Friday, two of you together,
0:25:59 > 0:26:00there's not a lot of room.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03I can't do a lot to sort of help him in that respect.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05His cleanliness and...
0:26:05 > 0:26:08His organisational skills would let us down, I think.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10Just two cooks remain -
0:26:10 > 0:26:12account manager Jo from Stockport
0:26:12 > 0:26:15and software developer Andy from Northampton -
0:26:15 > 0:26:19but only one can be chosen as Luke's partner for the Friday final.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22Round three, it's the chef's special.
0:26:22 > 0:26:23In this round, our home cooks
0:26:23 > 0:26:27will be given a set of ingredients to one of Luke's signature dishes
0:26:27 > 0:26:29so the aim of this challenge, cooks,
0:26:29 > 0:26:32is to create a dish from these ingredients.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35You'll get see what Luke makes a bit later on.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38For you at home, here's today's ingredients.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40Luke has chosen salmon,
0:26:40 > 0:26:42lemon oil, radishes,
0:26:42 > 0:26:44Jersey potatoes, butter,
0:26:44 > 0:26:46double cream, white wine vinegar,
0:26:46 > 0:26:48caviar, shallots,
0:26:48 > 0:26:50asparagus and watercress.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53Easy enough for a Michelin-starred chef,
0:26:53 > 0:26:54but what will our home cooks think?
0:26:56 > 0:27:00So, cooks, you have just one hour to create a delicious dish.
0:27:00 > 0:27:05Reveal your ingredients because your time starts now.
0:27:05 > 0:27:06- JO:- Thank you. Oh, salmon.
0:27:09 > 0:27:10So, the clock is ticking
0:27:10 > 0:27:14and it's the first time our home cooks have seen these ingredients,
0:27:14 > 0:27:15but where will they begin?
0:27:19 > 0:27:23Putting his salmon to one side, Andy decides to start with the basics.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25I'm still trying to work out what I'm going to do,
0:27:25 > 0:27:27but there's a few things that will have to happen,
0:27:27 > 0:27:29like an onion has to get peeled at some point.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33Initially, I'm thinking crushed potatoes with the cream mixed in,
0:27:33 > 0:27:36pan-fry the fish in some butter,
0:27:36 > 0:27:38but that's as far as I've got so far.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40Meanwhile, Jo is focusing on Andy.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43I just keep glancing, having a quick glance.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45- What are you doing?- Fish!
0:27:45 > 0:27:47- What are you doing?- Fish! Yay!
0:27:48 > 0:27:50And also her veg.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52I'm just trying to work out my timings,
0:27:52 > 0:27:54which will take the longest to cook
0:27:54 > 0:27:56and which will be the quickest to cook.
0:27:56 > 0:28:01Just bringing my potatoes up to the boil and then think about my sauce.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05I'm going to try and do a beurre blanc, but without a recipe...
0:28:05 > 0:28:07I'm just sort of guessing.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11- Hello, lovely.- Hello.- How are we? - Hello.- Are you OK?
0:28:11 > 0:28:13I THINK so.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16What did you think when you saw the ingredients?
0:28:16 > 0:28:19Nice. I eat a lot of salmon.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21Love asparagus.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25I wasn't sure what to do for the best with the other bits,
0:28:25 > 0:28:28so I've done a bit of a vinaigrette salad
0:28:28 > 0:28:31- with the watercress, the radish and some onion.- Nice, OK.
0:28:31 > 0:28:36- I'm attempting to do a butter cream sauce.- OK, interesting, good.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39Whether the two would go together is another thing.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42But I've never done anything like that without a recipe before.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45Oh, haven't you? Well, you know what it should taste like.
0:28:45 > 0:28:46Er, yeah...?
0:28:46 > 0:28:49This is me, I just make things up as I go along.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51- That's fine.- That's fine, fine. - That's good.
0:28:51 > 0:28:55- Keep stirring. - I've spent all day stirring!
0:28:58 > 0:29:00So, Jo knows what she wants.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03Andy, on the other hand, knows what he definitely doesn't want.
0:29:03 > 0:29:05- Andy, how are we doing? - Not too bad so far.
0:29:05 > 0:29:07I'm pleased there is no eggs.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11I'll be doing some crushed new potatoes with some cream.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14Griddled asparagus, I'm going to pan-fry the salmon,
0:29:14 > 0:29:19and then dressing it with watercress and maybe some sliced radish.
0:29:19 > 0:29:23- Any sauce or anything?- Maybe. I haven't decided yet.- All right.
0:29:23 > 0:29:24Your caviar, are you using that?
0:29:24 > 0:29:26I'll probably use it for dressing at the end.
0:29:26 > 0:29:30- It's actually avruga caviar, it's like a herring roe.- Yes, yeah.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33I like it because it's nice and smoky, you can cook well with it.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35Well, it's nice to have on some canapes.
0:29:35 > 0:29:37I'm just trying to keep it simple.
0:29:37 > 0:29:38Is that your theme, being simple?
0:29:38 > 0:29:40- I thought you didn't want to be simple?- I didn't!
0:29:40 > 0:29:44- I want to make the final, but I want to deliver something good.- OK.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46Try and aim for less but deliver that,
0:29:46 > 0:29:49rather than aim for the sky and maybe not reach it.
0:29:49 > 0:29:51All right, we'll let you get on.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53Whilst Andy is playing it safe,
0:29:53 > 0:29:56Jo has hit disaster with her sauce.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59It's split, so she adds cream in the hope of rescuing it.
0:29:59 > 0:30:01- How far off are you? - I'm just waiting on my asparagus.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04I'm the same - asparagus is cooking, then I need to wait for my fish.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06Do you know when asparagus is cooked?
0:30:06 > 0:30:08No.
0:30:08 > 0:30:09- Neither do I! - THEY LAUGH
0:30:11 > 0:30:14Right, Luke, what are we thinking?
0:30:14 > 0:30:15The final two.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17They both took their time to deliver
0:30:17 > 0:30:19and have a think what they were going to do,
0:30:19 > 0:30:21so that is a good sign - they didn't rush into it.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24In terms of dream ingredients, I'm quite happy with what it is.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27Shame it's not wine, because I could do with a glass right now.
0:30:27 > 0:30:28JO LAUGHS
0:30:28 > 0:30:30Otherwise, I'm all right.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34Jo is going for it, almost living off the edge of her seat.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36It could all go horribly wrong.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38Do you quite like that, though?
0:30:38 > 0:30:40There's nothing wrong with that.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43If it comes out, then good luck to her, definitely.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45I am feeling quite calm, but I'm also internally
0:30:45 > 0:30:47feeling quite nervous because I feel I'm not doing enough.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50Andy is playing it safe. He is a very nice guy,
0:30:50 > 0:30:55but he needs to step up to the plate a bit now, this is his final chance.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57You'd better get in there and have another look.
0:30:57 > 0:30:58I'll see what they're up to.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03Oops, smoking. Smokin'!
0:31:05 > 0:31:07That's too much cream.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11There's no such thing as too much cream.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13Cooks, you have ten minutes left.
0:31:13 > 0:31:15You know how I was calm earlier on?
0:31:15 > 0:31:17I'm not feeling calm now.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22Luke wants a partner who has good timing, good clarity of flavours,
0:31:22 > 0:31:24and can work cleanly.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28With such delicate ingredients, there is no room for any mistakes.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30- How's it going?- OK. - Are you happy with everything?
0:31:30 > 0:31:33Yes, I'll be ready to plate up in a couple of minutes.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35OK. You work quick, don't you?
0:31:37 > 0:31:39How did your sauce come out, all right?
0:31:39 > 0:31:41Because it had been sat, it did split,
0:31:41 > 0:31:43so I just bunged a bit more cream in it.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46- And it's all right? - I think so, yeah.- OK.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51- Hello, Chef.- How are we doing? OK?
0:31:51 > 0:31:53Yeah, it is just a timing game.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56- Any problems?- I used a bit too much cream in my potatoes.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59- I think that's just nerves. And now it's plate up.- Good.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01Did you say you were using the caviar?
0:32:01 > 0:32:03I might try, just for a dressing at the end,
0:32:03 > 0:32:05just for a little bit of a different flavour.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07- Good. Good luck.- Thank you.
0:32:07 > 0:32:12Right, guys, you have just five minutes left.
0:32:12 > 0:32:17With time ticking, these last few minutes are crucial.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20The salmon needs to be cooked to perfection.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24If it's overcooked it will be too dry and start to flake.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27Undercooking it will result in a spongy texture.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29Argh, too soon!
0:32:39 > 0:32:42So, both cooks get their fish onto the plate,
0:32:42 > 0:32:45but whose salmon will secure them a place in the final?
0:32:45 > 0:32:49Right, cooks, that is it, your time is up.
0:32:49 > 0:32:50It's time to taste.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54First up, it's Jo.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56She's made griddled salmon and asparagus
0:32:56 > 0:32:59served with cream, lemon and butter sauce
0:32:59 > 0:33:04with new potatoes and a watercress and radish salad.
0:33:04 > 0:33:06How did you find that challenge?
0:33:06 > 0:33:08OK. That was the one I was most nervous about.
0:33:08 > 0:33:13It's difficult, but obviously you've managed a lovely plate of food here.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15Nice idea, with the salad and everything.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19- You had a thought about it and...yeah, good.- Thank you.
0:33:19 > 0:33:21- Shall we have a try?- Yes, let's.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30Nice, crunchy skin on the salmon... or the flesh on the salmon.
0:33:34 > 0:33:36Would you think that was a little bit overcooked?
0:33:36 > 0:33:40I was worried I would undercook it, but... Yeah, possibly.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42Would you say it's a little overcooked?
0:33:42 > 0:33:45I think so, for salmon, yeah, little bit.
0:33:45 > 0:33:47OK. The dressing is lovely.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50Yeah, lovely, it's very good. Really refreshes the palate.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53- Good effort.- Thank you.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56As I say, the salmon, for me, is a little bit overcooked, but good job.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59OK, thank you. I hope I've done enough to get through,
0:33:59 > 0:34:01but obviously Andy is a good cook, as well,
0:34:01 > 0:34:04so I think we're pretty well matched, really.
0:34:04 > 0:34:06The salmon was a little bit overcooked -
0:34:06 > 0:34:10could have done with a bit more acidity, a bit more seasoning.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12But there was elements of good and bad in there, I think.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15He said my salmon was a little overdone.
0:34:15 > 0:34:17- It seemed to turn really quickly. - It just flips, doesn't it?
0:34:17 > 0:34:20- It's simple things, they're easy to get wrong.- Yeah.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22It's been the story of the day.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25Next into the tasting room is Andy.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27He has made pan-fried salmon
0:34:27 > 0:34:28topped with caviar,
0:34:28 > 0:34:30served with griddled asparagus,
0:34:30 > 0:34:33crushed new potatoes and a watercress and radish salad.
0:34:33 > 0:34:35- Andy, how are you doing? - Not too bad, thank you.
0:34:35 > 0:34:39- How was that?- Straightforward, but difficult, ironically enough.
0:34:39 > 0:34:41The simplest things, we appreciate.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44It's the timing, as well. We have... It's things like,
0:34:44 > 0:34:45the fish doesn't take long to cook
0:34:45 > 0:34:48but all of a sudden it's overcooked and in the blink of an eye
0:34:48 > 0:34:50you've lost the plan, the plot.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54- There's nowhere to hide in simplicity. - There is not. Absolutely.
0:34:55 > 0:34:57- Tuck in.- Let's go for it.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02So, you pan-fried your...?
0:35:02 > 0:35:04Yes, I used butter, as well, lots of butter.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10It's still got some moisture in there,
0:35:10 > 0:35:12- it is a little bit overcooked.- Yes.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15It's difficult, salmon, because...one minute, it's gone.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17And you didn't use a dressing at all?
0:35:17 > 0:35:20No, I had a go, but I just abandoned it at the last minute.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23So that's watercress and a bit of oil.
0:35:23 > 0:35:24- Good.- Thank you.
0:35:24 > 0:35:26I'm not sure if I've done enough to win
0:35:26 > 0:35:28because I didn't challenge myself enough,
0:35:28 > 0:35:31so potentially that's one thing I need to learn from today,
0:35:31 > 0:35:33is just to take risks, to try things.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35Mm, those potatoes are lovely.
0:35:35 > 0:35:37- Thank you.- I think he wants to push himself,
0:35:37 > 0:35:40but he's just so worried that it's going to go wrong.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43- Yeah, exactly. - So it's maybe a bit too safe.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45A little bit, I think, yeah.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48With the final challenge complete,
0:35:48 > 0:35:53it's just left for Luke to deliberate over our two home cooks.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55I'd love to win, it would be great to be back on Friday,
0:35:55 > 0:35:56that would be fantastic.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58I would love to win it, it would be fabulous,
0:35:58 > 0:36:00a real feather in my cap.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02So, do you think you've made up your mind
0:36:02 > 0:36:04about who your partner is going to be on Friday?
0:36:04 > 0:36:07Yeah, it's changed a few times. But, yeah, I think so, yes.
0:36:07 > 0:36:09Well, hold that thought, because now
0:36:09 > 0:36:12we're going to get to see what YOU make with those ingredients.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14- OK.- My favourite part, so come on.
0:36:17 > 0:36:19So, cooks, before we find out
0:36:19 > 0:36:21who will be joining Luke in the Friday final,
0:36:21 > 0:36:24he's going to show us what he makes with those ingredients.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26So it's over to you, Luke.
0:36:26 > 0:36:28OK. We've got the same ingredients,
0:36:28 > 0:36:31but we're going to put the fish in first.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33- OK?- Right.- What I'm going to do
0:36:33 > 0:36:37is liberally season the fish with the salt and sugar,
0:36:37 > 0:36:41and this is like dry curing it and we're going to cook that
0:36:41 > 0:36:45at 65 degrees in a very slow oven, on the plate with clingfilm,
0:36:45 > 0:36:47so it will just tick away nicely
0:36:47 > 0:36:49and keep that beautiful salmon flavour.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53So what we're going to do is a very classical beurre blanc sauce.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55We take our shallot.
0:36:55 > 0:36:56So, what age did you start cooking, Luke?
0:36:56 > 0:37:00- 20, 21?- Is that quite late, in chef terms?
0:37:00 > 0:37:03Yeah, well, when I see some of the guys in the kitchen now,
0:37:03 > 0:37:07coming to us at 17, 18 and they've already done their college course,
0:37:07 > 0:37:10it is very late. So in goes our white wine vinegar.
0:37:10 > 0:37:11And some water.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14And the shallots can go in, as well.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17That needs to be reduced by about two thirds at least
0:37:17 > 0:37:20to get the bitterness out of the white wine vinegar.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23We've got some asparagus, what I'm going to do
0:37:23 > 0:37:24is some raw and some cooked.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26I don't want to change the shape of the asparagus,
0:37:26 > 0:37:30just keep it natural so it's still round rather than gouge it.
0:37:30 > 0:37:31OK, so, that is ready to cook.
0:37:31 > 0:37:36So, now this for salad, we can just take these stalky bits off,
0:37:36 > 0:37:37minding our fingers.
0:37:37 > 0:37:39Oh, I hate these things.
0:37:44 > 0:37:46That can be just popped in some ice water.
0:37:46 > 0:37:47I'll leave that there.
0:37:47 > 0:37:51- OK, so we're nearly there with the...- Yeah, yeah.- OK, yeah.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54What salmon needs is some acidity because it's sort of fatty,
0:37:54 > 0:37:56so it needs something acid.
0:37:56 > 0:38:00So, we've got our cream in there now, this is just to stabilise it,
0:38:00 > 0:38:02and we just reduce that a little bit more.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04We'll put some salt...
0:38:04 > 0:38:07Obviously, for green vegetables, we need some salt in our water,
0:38:07 > 0:38:09so we can cook the asparagus.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12Basically we're calling...
0:38:12 > 0:38:15This is now building our sauce and this is what we call
0:38:15 > 0:38:18monter au beurre - it's mounting it with butter.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20Very, very slowly.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24A bit like the creme anglaise, if we boil it, it will split.
0:38:24 > 0:38:28On Friday, obviously, you will be cooking for the king of...
0:38:28 > 0:38:30- The King, I call him!- The man!
0:38:30 > 0:38:32Does it make you nervous, cooking for him?
0:38:32 > 0:38:36Yeah, he looks at food very differently to everyone else,
0:38:36 > 0:38:39he will know stuff that us mere mortals don't even know,
0:38:39 > 0:38:42so that should be a challenge, for sure.
0:38:46 > 0:38:47- If you want to try that...? - Thank you.
0:38:50 > 0:38:51There's a lot of acidity there,
0:38:51 > 0:38:54- but you need that to cut through the richness of the salmon.- Yeah.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57So, do you only want the shallots for flavour?
0:38:57 > 0:39:00Yes, I just discard the shallots, but I did like the way
0:39:00 > 0:39:03you utilised your shallots, that was good.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06So, if we can to just keep that warm, we don't want to boil it.
0:39:06 > 0:39:07The asparagus can go in,
0:39:07 > 0:39:10just cook that for two or three minutes until it's tender.
0:39:10 > 0:39:15This is virtually asparagus and hollandaise, really.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17I've took the asparagus out now, I know it's cooked,
0:39:17 > 0:39:19you can see it's nice and vibrant.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23I can just pop that in there
0:39:23 > 0:39:24to heat through.
0:39:28 > 0:39:30So, we'll put that on our plate.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35So, we've got our asparagus, we can put our caviar in.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38And you said this caviar has a nice - did you say it's like a smoky...?
0:39:38 > 0:39:41It's avruga, it's herring roe, it's not actually roe,
0:39:41 > 0:39:44but it's from the herring, it's really, really smoky.
0:39:52 > 0:39:57And then we just take our potatoes, like a potato salad almost.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02- It looks amazing, doesn't it? - It does.- Yeah.
0:40:02 > 0:40:06And then we just finish it with a bit of lemon to wake it up.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08I love lemon.
0:40:11 > 0:40:16Not too much salt, because there is salt in the smokiness of the caviar,
0:40:16 > 0:40:20- and there we go.- There is our little asparagus and salmon.
0:40:20 > 0:40:21Ooh, let's taste!
0:40:21 > 0:40:23Have a little tuck in, come on.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30- It's delicious.- Yeah, it has really kept its flavour, hasn't it?
0:40:30 > 0:40:32Oh, my gosh, that tastes so fresh!
0:40:32 > 0:40:35- That little but of lemon is wonderful.- It just wakes it up.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38- That is absolutely delicious. - Thank you.
0:40:38 > 0:40:40But now it's time to declare your winner,
0:40:40 > 0:40:42and who you're going to pick to join you in the Friday final,
0:40:42 > 0:40:45but before you do, let's have a quick recap
0:40:45 > 0:40:47of the dishes they made earlier.
0:40:47 > 0:40:52In the first round, Jo impressed Luke with her tasty seafood risotto,
0:40:52 > 0:40:54she showed off her sweet skills in round two
0:40:54 > 0:40:57with her silky creme anglaise, then, in the final round,
0:40:57 > 0:41:00she produced classic flavour combinations.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03But was her griddled salmon too overcooked for Luke?
0:41:03 > 0:41:05I hope I've done enough to get through,
0:41:05 > 0:41:07but, obviously, Andy is a good cook, as well,
0:41:07 > 0:41:10so, I think we're pretty well matched, really.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13Andy wowed Luke with his flavoursome wild-mushroom risotto
0:41:13 > 0:41:15in the first round, he scraped through
0:41:15 > 0:41:18with his creme anglaise in the second
0:41:18 > 0:41:21and in the final round, he showcased his cooking techniques
0:41:21 > 0:41:23with his pan-fried salmon and griddled asparagus.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26But did he play it too safe by not serving a sauce?
0:41:26 > 0:41:28I would love to win, it would be great
0:41:28 > 0:41:31to have come all this way and be back on Friday -
0:41:31 > 0:41:34that would be fantastic, just to work with the chef,
0:41:34 > 0:41:35which would be brilliant.
0:41:35 > 0:41:38First, I would like to say a massive well done to both of you.
0:41:38 > 0:41:43It's been a great day, you've completed three challenges,
0:41:43 > 0:41:46but only one of you can go to the Friday final
0:41:46 > 0:41:50and Luke has made his mind up. Luke, it's over to you.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53- So, a long day, you've both done really, really well.- Thank you.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56There can only be one winner, as you both know.
0:41:56 > 0:41:57You're both really good,
0:41:57 > 0:41:59but I think the person I've chosen
0:41:59 > 0:42:02will be slightly more beneficial to me in the final.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04And that person
0:42:04 > 0:42:05is Jo.
0:42:05 > 0:42:09- Well done.- Well done, Jo! - Thank you!
0:42:11 > 0:42:14I'm absolutely cock-a-hoop, I can't believe it.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17I'm disappointed to be going home. I did my best.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20Unfortunately, I made some silly mistakes, so I think it's only fair
0:42:20 > 0:42:23that I'm the one taking the long journey home today.
0:42:23 > 0:42:24Any final tips for Jo?
0:42:24 > 0:42:28What sealed it for you, you was just consistent all the way through,
0:42:28 > 0:42:30you haven't flapped, you've worked tidy,
0:42:30 > 0:42:33and I think we could work together really well.
0:42:33 > 0:42:34You ready to do me proud?
0:42:34 > 0:42:36- Yes, Chef.- Yay!
0:42:38 > 0:42:39Tomorrow on Yes Chef...
0:42:41 > 0:42:45..four more home cooks go all out to impress super chef Nathan Outlaw.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48You've made it very difficult cos you were pretty much faultless.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52It's a chance for them to work alongside the best in the business.
0:42:52 > 0:42:56But only one can become his partner for the Friday final.
0:42:56 > 0:42:57No!