0:00:02 > 0:00:03Four of the best chefs in Britain
0:00:03 > 0:00:06are on the hunt for their perfect partner.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09Three amateur home cooks are here to prove they have what it takes
0:00:09 > 0:00:11to be paired with the best in the business,
0:00:11 > 0:00:14for the cooking experience of a lifetime.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Oh, for goodness' sake, get some seasoning in that!
0:00:18 > 0:00:21Each day, a different top chef will choose their perfect partner
0:00:21 > 0:00:24from three talented home cooks.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26Has anyone nearly finished, like me?
0:00:26 > 0:00:29Then. in the Friday final,
0:00:29 > 0:00:31all four pairs will go head-to-head
0:00:31 > 0:00:34to cook for culinary royalty Pierre Koffmann.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37The way they impress me with food is the end result.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39The taste is the most important.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43The professional chefs' reputations are on the line,
0:00:43 > 0:00:46but will the amateur home cooks live up to expectations?
0:00:47 > 0:00:49This is Yes Chef.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53Hello and welcome to Yes Chef.
0:00:53 > 0:00:54Let's meet today's home cooks.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57First up, it's Seb Richardson.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00He's an RAF driver from Lincoln.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03I would describe my cooking as very rustic.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05My biggest weakness would be my presentation.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08Hopefully my flavour will make them oversee it.
0:01:08 > 0:01:13Next is Lauren Grimes, a local government officer from the Wirral.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15I wouldn't say I was the most confident in the kitchen
0:01:15 > 0:01:16but I really enjoy it.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19My worst nightmare would be that I didn't turn the oven on,
0:01:19 > 0:01:20because I've done that before.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22And finally, Ian Phillipson.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26He runs his own car events business in Chelmsford, Essex.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28I'm really looking forward to cooking for a Michelin-starred chef.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31It's really nice to know whether your food actually stands up.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34If it's good, it's good. If it's not, they're going to tell me.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37Well, our cooks are ready to go, so let's meet today's chef.
0:01:38 > 0:01:42Stephen Terry is the chef and owner of The Hardwick in Abergavenny
0:01:42 > 0:01:46and earned his first Michelin star aged just 25.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50My cooking style is modern British with French foundations.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53Honest, seasonal - but, most importantly, tasty.
0:01:54 > 0:01:59He trained under Marco Pierre White, Michel Roux Jr and Alain Passard.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02Stephen's built up an impressive CV and knows exactly what it takes
0:02:02 > 0:02:04to stay ahead of the game.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08The qualities I'm going to be looking for in a home cook
0:02:08 > 0:02:10are someone who can keep a cool head.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12- How long on the haddock, please? - Two minutes, Chef.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14We're cooking for Pierre Koffmann.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17There's a lot of pressure there, so someone who's going to listen to
0:02:17 > 0:02:18my instructions and carry that out.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21You want someone who is going to stand by your side
0:02:21 > 0:02:22and help you do your best.
0:02:22 > 0:02:23BELL RINGS
0:02:25 > 0:02:27Welcome, everyone, to Yes Chef.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29Now, Stephen, you're going to be picking one of our home cooks
0:02:29 > 0:02:31to be your partner in this week's Friday final.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33What are you going to be looking for?
0:02:33 > 0:02:35I think, most of all, confidence.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38Stick to your plans and think about how you want it to be at the end.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40It may not be 100% what you want
0:02:40 > 0:02:42but sometimes you've got to settle for 95%, you know?
0:02:42 > 0:02:45Don't beat yourself up about it if it doesn't go quite to plan.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47OK, right, well, let's get on with it.
0:02:47 > 0:02:48So, in round one,
0:02:48 > 0:02:52you've got 45 minutes to create your best dish for Stephen.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55Good luck. Your time starts now.
0:02:57 > 0:02:58So, our cooks are off.
0:02:58 > 0:02:59Stephen will be looking for
0:02:59 > 0:03:02a partner that he can work together with.
0:03:02 > 0:03:03He'll be looking for passion,
0:03:03 > 0:03:06technical flair and a natural gift with flavours.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10Today, Seb has chosen a Texas roadhouse chilli,
0:03:10 > 0:03:11inspired by a trip to the States.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15Despite being a simple dish,
0:03:15 > 0:03:19Seb hopes his take on this American classic delivers big, bold flavours
0:03:19 > 0:03:21that will make Stephen take note.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23I went to visit family in America
0:03:23 > 0:03:26and they took me to a Texas roadhouse
0:03:26 > 0:03:28and the chilli there was phenomenal,
0:03:28 > 0:03:30so I've tried to recreate it and then over time
0:03:30 > 0:03:33added to it just to make it the way it is now.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35Over on the green station,
0:03:35 > 0:03:38Lauren is making a prosciutto ham-wrapped chicken breast
0:03:38 > 0:03:40stuffed with goat's cheese and spinach,
0:03:40 > 0:03:44served on a bed of creamy garlic mashed potato.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47She's well practised at home but with just 45 minutes on the clock,
0:03:47 > 0:03:51she must work fast to ensure the chicken has time to cook.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54The main part is trying to get it all stuffed nicely.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57I've cooked this dish quite a lot so hopefully it won't go too wrong.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02Events manager Ian has also set himself a busy workload.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05He's opted for a chicken, mushroom and tarragon pithivier -
0:04:05 > 0:04:07that's a posh pie to me and you -
0:04:07 > 0:04:11with a side of pea puree and heritage carrots.
0:04:11 > 0:04:12The thing that really worries me
0:04:12 > 0:04:14is not getting the pie in the oven early enough,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17so I need to make sure I get this chicken cooked off quickly
0:04:17 > 0:04:19and then I'm ready to go.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22- Hiya, Seb.- Hello.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24How are we getting on?
0:04:24 > 0:04:26- Good.- So, what's the difference between
0:04:26 > 0:04:29a Texas roadhouse chilli and a normal chilli?
0:04:29 > 0:04:33The Texas roadhouse chilli has got lots of bold flavours and smoke.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35How are you putting the smoke flavour into it?
0:04:35 > 0:04:38- Burning something or are you...? - I've got some liquid smoke.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40- Can I have a smell of it? - Oh, certainly.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42It's a weird thing, isn't it, a liquid smoke?
0:04:42 > 0:04:44It's so smoky.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46Now, you call your rice dirty rice.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50- Yes.- Why do you call it dirty rice?
0:04:50 > 0:04:53Originally, the dirty rice came from chicken livers,
0:04:53 > 0:04:55which give it that colour.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57I've got some cayenne pepper,
0:04:57 > 0:04:59Cajun spice and some chilli seeds.
0:04:59 > 0:05:00Well, we'll let you carry on.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02- Thank you very much. - Good luck, it's looking lovely.
0:05:09 > 0:05:10- Hi, Lauren.- Hello.
0:05:10 > 0:05:11- Hi, Lauren.- Hiya. - How you getting on?
0:05:11 > 0:05:13I'm OK. My chicken's in the oven.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15- Can I have a look?- Yeah.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17Oh, that looks lovely.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19Oh, wow, so what's in there?
0:05:19 > 0:05:21Chicken breast stuffed with goat's cheese,
0:05:21 > 0:05:23roasted pepper, a bit of spinach and thyme
0:05:23 > 0:05:25and then wrapped in prosciutto ham.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27Nice, I'm going to put it back in.
0:05:27 > 0:05:28I understand your husband's a chef.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30Yes, he is, yeah, in the Marines.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32- In the Marines?- Yeah.- Fair play.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35- So he's a hard chef then? - Yeah, you could say so!
0:05:35 > 0:05:37- Fair play.- He's very jealous.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39It was actually him that pointed me to come on the show.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41- Really?- We do compete in the kitchen a little bit.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43What does he think of your cooking?
0:05:43 > 0:05:45- He loves it.- Does he? - He does like it, yeah.
0:05:45 > 0:05:46That's good. OK, we'll let you get on.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49- Thank you very much.- Good luck. - Best of luck, Lauren.
0:05:49 > 0:05:50- See you in a bit.- Thank you.
0:05:55 > 0:05:56- Hello, Ian.- Hi.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59- Hi, Ian.- Oh, this looks interesting.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02It's that critical point of trying to get these together
0:06:02 > 0:06:03and get them in the oven in time.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05Pithivier, we used to make them at Le Gavroche,
0:06:05 > 0:06:06when I used to work with the Roux brothers.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08What's inside, did you say?
0:06:08 > 0:06:10It's a chicken, mushroom and tarragon.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13- So you're giving yourself quite a lot to do then, aren't you?- Yes.
0:06:13 > 0:06:14In 45 minutes.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17Is this well-rehearsed, this dish?
0:06:17 > 0:06:19I have practised it. I have achieved it.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23- So you can do it.- This is the classic pithivier marking -
0:06:23 > 0:06:26you sort of spiral it, this marking around the edge, which gives it...
0:06:26 > 0:06:29that's what makes it a pithivier.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31OK, so, Ian, you used to be a police officer, didn't you?
0:06:31 > 0:06:33A long, long time ago, yes, I did.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36So you're very regimented in the way you cook?
0:06:36 > 0:06:38Not always, as you're starting to see!
0:06:38 > 0:06:40THEY LAUGH
0:06:40 > 0:06:41Well, I didn't want to say!
0:06:41 > 0:06:43Do you want me to have a little tidy round for you?
0:06:43 > 0:06:46We'll have to get CSI in a minute, cordon this off!
0:06:49 > 0:06:52Right, cooks, you're halfway through.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00So, let's start with Seb. What do you think of his menu?
0:07:00 > 0:07:03I like what he's doing with what could be quite a simple dish.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05I just hope that it comes through and the layers are there
0:07:05 > 0:07:07and all the effort that he's actually putting in.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10Because there is a lot of effort, there's a lot of ingredients,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13- lots of spices, and they're all well thought out, aren't they?- Yeah.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16I think it's time to add in the smoke to the dish.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20Hopefully now this is where the magic comes in.
0:07:20 > 0:07:21- Well, let's move on to Lauren.- Yeah.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23You know, she's got a nice dish.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Personally, I don't think the mash is really needed.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28What would you put with it, then?
0:07:28 > 0:07:30I would have done polenta and fried it or something,
0:07:30 > 0:07:33because I think texturally it's going to be quite samey.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37I was going to peel my asparagus but I decided to roast it instead,
0:07:37 > 0:07:38so hopefully I'm going to be on time...
0:07:38 > 0:07:41but I'm beginning to think I've forgotten something
0:07:41 > 0:07:42because I've never got this...
0:07:42 > 0:07:43I'm not normally this prepared!
0:07:45 > 0:07:47And last but not least, Ian.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49- Very ambitious.- Very ambitious.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51- He's given himself a lot to do. - He has, yeah.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54I think he's being a little bit too ambitious with the design
0:07:54 > 0:07:57of the dish because in the time that he has, 45 minutes,
0:07:57 > 0:08:01it's quite hard. Let's just hope that this pithivier tastes amazing.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03Fingers crossed for him.
0:08:03 > 0:08:04I'm just trying to pass this the pea puree
0:08:04 > 0:08:07through a sieve to make sure I get rid of all the skins,
0:08:07 > 0:08:08and then once that's done,
0:08:08 > 0:08:10I can just check the seasoning on it again
0:08:10 > 0:08:12and if I need to add a little bit more liquid, I can do so -
0:08:12 > 0:08:14but I just want to make sure that there's no skins,
0:08:14 > 0:08:17none of those horrible bits that get stuck between your teeth.
0:08:17 > 0:08:18A pinch of salt.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22Right, cooks, there is just ten minutes left.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24Ten minutes to go.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26Ah. Yeah, is anyone nearly finished, like me?
0:08:26 > 0:08:28THEY LAUGH
0:08:28 > 0:08:29- IAN:- Oh, thanks(!)
0:08:30 > 0:08:33The plating-up's worrying me.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37I just hope I can present it nicely and the chicken doesn't fall apart.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39It just about should be OK.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41The pithivier's starting to brown off.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43Yeah, we're OK.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47A little bird tells me you've got a tattoo on your bum of a chilli.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51That's right. Well, I'd love to say it's a chilli,
0:08:51 > 0:08:54but it looks more like the strawberry from Munch Bunch!
0:08:54 > 0:08:55THEY LAUGH
0:08:55 > 0:08:56Why did you get that?
0:08:56 > 0:08:59It was a dare from when my son was seven and he had dared me,
0:08:59 > 0:09:02because he put a transfer of a chilli on his bum and he says,
0:09:02 > 0:09:03"Look, Dad, I've got a hot bum!"
0:09:03 > 0:09:06And I got challenged and I thought, "Challenge accepted."
0:09:06 > 0:09:08Good on you, good on you!
0:09:11 > 0:09:14Right, cooks, you have just two minutes left,
0:09:14 > 0:09:17so you really need to start thinking about plating up.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19'Our three home cooks are on the home straight,
0:09:19 > 0:09:22'each one trying their hardest to impress Stephen -
0:09:22 > 0:09:25'but to prove further that this is no ordinary chilli,
0:09:25 > 0:09:27'Seb adds a final twist.'
0:09:27 > 0:09:29Time for the magic.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31How's that chocolate working out?
0:09:31 > 0:09:33I'll tell you what, there's some extra for yous.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35Oh, thank you.
0:09:37 > 0:09:38Ooh!
0:09:40 > 0:09:43'Seb has one final flourish up his sleeve.
0:09:43 > 0:09:44'As well as adding liquid smoke to his chilli,
0:09:44 > 0:09:47'he's adding to the intensity by charring the peppers.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53'Meanwhile. Lauren has some unwelcome charring in her mash.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55'It seems she may have ruined her spuds.'
0:09:55 > 0:09:58Oh, burnt mash potato.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02Oh, dear me.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06- I've just left the pan on without realising!- Don't worry, it's OK.
0:10:11 > 0:10:12One minute left.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14Get that food on the plate.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18'Ian has reached his goal.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20'The pithiviers are about to come out of the oven
0:10:20 > 0:10:24'and he's hoping they deliver big on looks and flavour.'
0:10:24 > 0:10:26- Getting there?- Yeah. We'll get there.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31Ten, nine, eight,
0:10:31 > 0:10:34seven, six, five,
0:10:34 > 0:10:37four, three, two,
0:10:37 > 0:10:39one, that's it.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41Step away from your plates.
0:10:41 > 0:10:42You've done all your can.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44It's time to taste.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50First into the tasting room is Seb with his Texas roadhouse chilli
0:10:50 > 0:10:52served with dirty rice and cheese.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56How did you find the challenge?
0:10:56 > 0:10:59Time seemed to just dwindle away quite quickly
0:10:59 > 0:11:01compared to when I'm in my kitchen at home.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04- OK, shall we have a taste? - Yeah, absolutely.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09- Oh, it should have been ladies first.- Oh, it's all right.
0:11:09 > 0:11:13Excuse me. I was just too eager there.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15I've never had Texas roadhouse chilli before.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21You get that smokiness, but it's really light, it's not too much.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23I'm going to taste some rice.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27Oh! SHE LAUGHS
0:11:27 > 0:11:29- Yeah, it's got a bit more of a heat delivery there.- Yeah.
0:11:29 > 0:11:30Try both together.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33- That was my next move, that was. - Oh, was it?- Yeah.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35- It's got to be a together thing, hasn't it?- Mm.
0:11:38 > 0:11:39I think that works really well.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42For that...to get maximum delivery from this dish
0:11:42 > 0:11:45you need to have them both together, which is how it's designed.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47That works well for me.
0:11:47 > 0:11:48- Good.- I'm enjoying that.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50- Well done, sir.- Thank you. - Brilliant.
0:11:50 > 0:11:51That went better than I expected.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53- Can I have a little taste?- Yeah.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56- So the rice is spicy? - Yeah, the rice is quite spicy.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58I got it down to the last second,
0:11:58 > 0:12:00but I achieved everything I wanted to.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02- It's gorgeous.- That's lovely.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04- Thank you. - That's good, that is really good.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06I really enjoyed it. I mean, that rice was super spicy.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09In terms of flavour and everything, that's spot on, it's good.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11With the comments they made,
0:12:11 > 0:12:13I just hope I can live up to their expectations.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17Next up is Lauren with her dish
0:12:17 > 0:12:20of chicken breast stuffed with goat's cheese, roasted pepper,
0:12:20 > 0:12:24spinach and wrapped in prosciutto ham,
0:12:24 > 0:12:26served with red onion and balsamic jus,
0:12:26 > 0:12:31garlic and parsley mash and a side of Parmesan-roasted asparagus.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33- There you go.- Lovely.
0:12:33 > 0:12:34Calmed down yet?
0:12:34 > 0:12:37- Yeah, just about.- Did you enjoy it? - Do you know what? I did,
0:12:37 > 0:12:39- I thought it was really good fun, yeah. Really good.- Good, good.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41- Let's taste.- Let's tuck in.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51- Well, it's cooked nicely. - Mm, really nice.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00Oh, I got it on my chin.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03THEY LAUGH Always me!
0:13:05 > 0:13:07Everything you've cooked, you've cooked perfectly.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09It's the ratios, you know?
0:13:09 > 0:13:11The carbohydrate needs to be a little bit less
0:13:11 > 0:13:14so that protein can come forward and take prime position -
0:13:14 > 0:13:18but cooked nicely, presented nicely. Good job.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20- Thank you very much.- Well done. - Thank you.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23- How did that go, then? - Oh, it went good.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25- Yeah, it did, good. - Were you happy?
0:13:25 > 0:13:29Yeah. You know, those onions worked really well with the mash.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32- It was executed very well and presented nicely as well.- Yeah.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34He said I'd cooked the chicken perfectly,
0:13:34 > 0:13:36so I was blown away by that, really.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38- Is there goat's cheese in there? - Yeah.- I can notice.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41Gravy's really nice, sauce is really nice, lovely.
0:13:41 > 0:13:42Thank you.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46And finally, it's Ian with his Dish Of The Day -
0:13:46 > 0:13:49a chicken, mushroom and tarragon pithivier
0:13:49 > 0:13:52with pea puree, served with roasted carrot,
0:13:52 > 0:13:54cauliflower and asparagus.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Lovely. Did you enjoy the challenge?
0:13:56 > 0:13:59I did, yes. It went very quickly, though.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01- It does, it flies by, doesn't it? - It does.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03It's amazing how fast 45 minutes passes.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05Absolutely, yes.
0:14:05 > 0:14:06- Let's have a taste.- Yes.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10- What are you going to...? - Try some of these veggies.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13I do like the way the cauliflower has been sliced so finely.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15That's lovely.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18Yeah, nicely cooked, as well.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21Soft, but it's got texture. Yes, it's a good dish.
0:14:21 > 0:14:22I like the ambition.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25- It could have done with a little bit more cooking, the pastry...- Yeah.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27..but time was against you, really.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29Flavours are good. A bit of seasoning here and there but, yeah,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32- good job.- Thank you very much. - Well done, Ian.- Thank you.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34Time just flies by, but I was quite pleased with how it went,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37and I managed to plate up everything I wanted to plate up,
0:14:37 > 0:14:38and that was the most important thing.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40How did you get on?
0:14:40 > 0:14:44Yeah, good. I think generally they quite liked it.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47I think overall it was a good effort. It was an ambitious dish.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49I think it came out better than I thought it was going to
0:14:49 > 0:14:50when I saw him getting it together
0:14:50 > 0:14:52when it was just about to go in the oven.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54I love the way you've done the cauliflower, it looks really nice.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57- Thank you.- The next test is going to be so important,
0:14:57 > 0:14:59because the next thing is about following instructions,
0:14:59 > 0:15:00- and that's key.- Yeah.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03So, we'll see how they do with the Skills Test
0:15:03 > 0:15:04and make some decisions after that.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09With someone leaving the competition after the next round,
0:15:09 > 0:15:13these three home cooks have just one more chance to prove to Stephen
0:15:13 > 0:15:15that they're his perfect partner.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17So, Stephen's obviously seen you all in action,
0:15:17 > 0:15:19but before he decides who leaves the competition first,
0:15:19 > 0:15:21he's going to set you a Skills Test
0:15:21 > 0:15:23to see who's got the exact skills he's looking for.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25We're going to make some meringue, OK?
0:15:25 > 0:15:26We're going to make an Italian meringue.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28There are different types of meringues,
0:15:28 > 0:15:30there's the way you add the sugar. I am no pastry chef, OK?
0:15:30 > 0:15:32I'm just telling you what I know,
0:15:32 > 0:15:33and I have a little knowledge of pastry -
0:15:33 > 0:15:36but I know this. So it's making some Italian meringue,
0:15:36 > 0:15:38which is what you'd normally use for a baked Alaska.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40- Yeah.- So, let's get the sugar.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45It looks like a lot of sugar, but once it's in with the water...
0:15:45 > 0:15:49and this is a glucose, which is always a bit tricky.
0:15:49 > 0:15:50Have you ever tasted glucose?
0:15:50 > 0:15:53It's probably the unsweetest sugar you'll ever taste in your life.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55- It's a real disappointment! - THEY LAUGH
0:15:55 > 0:15:58It's got to get to 118 degrees.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00So I'm going to separate the egg white.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02- Oh, look, it's got a feather on it. - Fresh as!
0:16:04 > 0:16:07We're going to separate the eggs. We need 100g of egg white.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12These egg whites are going to take about a minute or so to whisk up,
0:16:12 > 0:16:15so while that's just whisking up, we can get our banana ready.
0:16:20 > 0:16:21Just going to lay these on here
0:16:21 > 0:16:23and I'm going to dust them with the icing sugar.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26I can hear from the sound of the egg whites,
0:16:26 > 0:16:28that's where you want to be - don't want to over-whisk them.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31Just dust, and we'll blowtorch those in a minute.
0:16:33 > 0:16:34There we are.
0:16:36 > 0:16:37What you want to do is...
0:16:38 > 0:16:40..from a height, just slowly...
0:16:40 > 0:16:42I find it easier just to look at where it's going
0:16:42 > 0:16:45instead of where it's coming from, you know, and just...
0:16:46 > 0:16:47That's that.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55You're quite handy with a blowtorch, Seb,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58so you'll be all right, won't you? THEY LAUGH
0:16:58 > 0:17:00So that's the texture we're looking for.
0:17:00 > 0:17:01It's nice and thick and glossy.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04You can feel the warmth there but it's not too hot,
0:17:04 > 0:17:06we've got a lot of the heat out of them.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09That's enough to do what we want to do,
0:17:09 > 0:17:10so what I'm going to do
0:17:10 > 0:17:14is put this piping nozzle into the bag.
0:17:14 > 0:17:15How are your piping skills?
0:17:16 > 0:17:18Not bad? Have you piped before?
0:17:19 > 0:17:22- Not really.- You have? - Yeah, yeah.- Oh!
0:17:22 > 0:17:25You haven't got to write anything, it's fine.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29I know it's funny, put it around your hand like that.
0:17:29 > 0:17:30Right, turn him off.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37Let gravity help you out here.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39Gravity is your friend when it comes to piping bag and meringues.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42Twist it so you've got, you know, it's there.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44So then we need to get our ice cream scoop.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48Don't be too worried about trying to get this super round scoop.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50What we're going to do, we're going to put it on here first
0:17:50 > 0:17:51so we don't make too much mess.
0:17:53 > 0:17:54So I'm just going to...
0:17:55 > 0:17:58- ..pipe around. - That looks like heaven.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03- So good.- Like so.
0:18:03 > 0:18:04Get the blowtorch again.
0:18:09 > 0:18:10Get underneath it.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15- Pop it on.- Perfect.
0:18:15 > 0:18:16- Amazing.- There we are.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19There we have our little banoffee Alaska.
0:18:19 > 0:18:20Amazing.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22Right, guys, you can have a taste.
0:18:24 > 0:18:25That's so good.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28- So good.- Banoffee heaven, isn't it? - Absolutely.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30So, how do you feel? Confident, guys?
0:18:30 > 0:18:34- Ready to go? - What could possibly go wrong?
0:18:34 > 0:18:35Nothing!
0:18:36 > 0:18:40Our cooks are attempting to make a perfect baked Alaska.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43Stephen is looking for a silky texture and a glossy finish,
0:18:43 > 0:18:45all in just 15 minutes...
0:18:47 > 0:18:50..and the first stage in the process is to mix the sugar and glucose
0:18:50 > 0:18:52with the water to make a hot syrup.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55Hopefully I've understood Stephen's instructions.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57I'm just hoping when I separate the eggs,
0:18:57 > 0:18:59I don't get any yolk into the whites.
0:18:59 > 0:19:00Here goes.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06Sometimes even the simplest ingredients can pose a challenge,
0:19:06 > 0:19:09and already Seb has made a huge error.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11- WHISPERS:- He needs to be on the scales.
0:19:11 > 0:19:12What, the eggs?
0:19:12 > 0:19:15He's supposed to be weighing them out...
0:19:17 > 0:19:21Our home cooks have no notes, and a sympathetic Stephen steps in
0:19:21 > 0:19:22to save Seb's meringue.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26Don't forget you're supposed to be weighing those, Seb, yeah?
0:19:27 > 0:19:28100g.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33'Seb's back on track, but his error has cost him valuable minutes.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37'As only two cooks can be taken through to the next round,
0:19:37 > 0:19:39'it's essential they can follow
0:19:39 > 0:19:41'Stephen's instructions to the letter.'
0:19:41 > 0:19:43Eggs already on? Happy days.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46'And once again, Seb needs a nudge.'
0:19:46 > 0:19:48You'd better get that sugar back on now, Seb.
0:19:51 > 0:19:52You've got plenty of time.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54That will shoot back up, that will.
0:19:57 > 0:19:58Mine did that.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03- Overall, everyone doing OK? - They seem to be doing OK overall.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06I think Seb's timing is a little bit out, to be honest with you.
0:20:06 > 0:20:07- He didn't weigh his eggs, did he? - No, no.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09Luckily you stepped in and said,
0:20:09 > 0:20:11otherwise it could have been a real disaster.
0:20:11 > 0:20:12Ten minutes previous to that,
0:20:12 > 0:20:14we were weighing egg whites at the demo.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16I need someone I can speak to and say, "We're going to do this,
0:20:16 > 0:20:18"this and this, I need you to do this,"
0:20:18 > 0:20:21and if they can't retain that, it's going to be an issue for me.
0:20:21 > 0:20:22- It's a worry.- Absolutely.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25I think they're nearly done so let's get back out there.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33'In the final minutes, it's time to build the dessert.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36'The consistency of the meringue is crucial.'
0:20:37 > 0:20:40It's always harder when it's not something that you've done before.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45'Whisking the egg whites until they're stiff and shiny
0:20:45 > 0:20:46'will make them easier to pipe.'
0:20:49 > 0:20:52Right, cooks, you've got just four minutes left,
0:20:52 > 0:20:53so get piping.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02'A steady hand will be crucial here, and Ian's speeding ahead,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05'but Stephen's spotted a different design.'
0:21:05 > 0:21:08- You going for the hedgehog, Ian? - Absolutely.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10As long as it's on there and it's nicely coloured, happy days.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13'Ian's first to cover his ice cream,
0:21:13 > 0:21:15'closely followed by a hesitant Lauren...
0:21:16 > 0:21:18'..and a shaky Seb.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23'With plenty of time to spare, confident cook Ian
0:21:23 > 0:21:25'is first to cross the finish line.'
0:21:26 > 0:21:27- Very nice.- Thank you.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29- Are you happy?- Yes.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31I wasn't sure how long it was going to take,
0:21:31 > 0:21:33but fortunately it was one of those ones that just clicked.
0:21:33 > 0:21:34- Yeah, good.- Yeah.
0:21:42 > 0:21:43Oh, it's all going off.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53But, for Lauren, plating up her pudding
0:21:53 > 0:21:55under the watchful eye of an award-winning chef
0:21:55 > 0:21:57is adding extra pressure.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09And using every last second, Seb's dessert is served.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12Right, that's it, time is up.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16'It's the moment of truth.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19'One of our home cooks will be leaving the competition
0:22:19 > 0:22:21'at the end of this challenge
0:22:21 > 0:22:23'and keeping their performance from round one in mind,
0:22:23 > 0:22:28'Stephen will be judging their baked Alaskas to firm up his decision.'
0:22:28 > 0:22:30Right, OK, so we're going to taste.
0:22:32 > 0:22:33So we've got Ian's.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44- We'll be bouncing off the walls after all this sugar!- Oh, yeah!
0:22:45 > 0:22:47OK.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53I am seriously in heaven.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55THEY LAUGH
0:22:55 > 0:22:56You just can't beat it, can you?
0:22:56 > 0:22:58Cold ice cream and a warm meringue.
0:22:59 > 0:23:00Taste combo.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02It is, isn't it?
0:23:02 > 0:23:03It's the taste combo sensation.
0:23:10 > 0:23:11You know, I think you've all done
0:23:11 > 0:23:13an exceptionally good job with this meringue.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15Something that you haven't really made on a regular basis,
0:23:15 > 0:23:17or at all for some of you, good job.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21With regards to the caramelisation of the bananas,
0:23:21 > 0:23:24I think Ian's nice and even, consistent.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26- A little bit more so than yours, Lauren.- Yeah.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29I mean, yours, Seb, was a little bit anaemic on the back.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32There could have been a little bit more going around with the blowtorch
0:23:32 > 0:23:34and a bit more evenly. Thank you again, great job.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39'Only two can go through to compete to become Stephen's partner.'
0:23:39 > 0:23:42That's quite a hard challenge to judge on, I would say,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45- because they were all pretty good. - The meringue was pretty consistent -
0:23:45 > 0:23:47it's just the way they finished it
0:23:47 > 0:23:48and the way they applied the blowtorch.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50I don't think I made any mistakes.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52I was quite happy with the end result,
0:23:52 > 0:23:54it's just down to what the chef thinks now.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56I'm really nervous about the upcoming result.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58It's come to the crunch time now where you're either going
0:23:58 > 0:24:00or you're staying, and I want to stay.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03For a dish I've never made before, I thought I did really well
0:24:03 > 0:24:07and I'm hoping I've done enough to get through to the next round.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10So, do you have an idea of who you might be sending home?
0:24:10 > 0:24:12No, at the moment I'm struggling
0:24:12 > 0:24:15- because I just can't get that quite right in my head at the moment.- OK.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18Well, I'll give you a few moments to think about it
0:24:18 > 0:24:21and hopefully it will come up.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23'Stephen's got a big decision to make.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27'He can choose only two cooks to compete in the final round.'
0:24:27 > 0:24:30So, you've all competed two challenges
0:24:30 > 0:24:32and Stephen has seen what you're capable of -
0:24:32 > 0:24:35but he can only take one of you through to the Friday final
0:24:35 > 0:24:37so, sadly, we have to say goodbye to one of you now
0:24:37 > 0:24:40and Stephen has made up his mind, so over to you.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42There was very little in it, really.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45You know, thinking about Friday's final
0:24:45 > 0:24:47and picking someone who can absorb the pressure
0:24:47 > 0:24:51and have that confidence to hopefully win Friday's round.
0:24:51 > 0:24:56So, the person who will be leaving at this stage and not going forward
0:24:56 > 0:24:57is...
0:25:00 > 0:25:03..Seb. So, thank you very much, buddy.
0:25:03 > 0:25:04- Thank you.- The chilli was delicious.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07- It was the best chilli I've ever had!- Thank you very much.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09- Well done.- Thank you.
0:25:10 > 0:25:11Yeah, I'm gutted I'm out,
0:25:11 > 0:25:14but I knew I was beaten by two better home cooks.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18Ready to cook again are civil servant Lauren...
0:25:18 > 0:25:20Hey! I'm absolutely made up.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22..and businessman Ian.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25It's so difficult, not knowing what we're going to be cooking.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27You're just going to have to try and go for it.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29Now it's time for our third and final challenge.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32Our home cooks have been given all the ingredients
0:25:32 > 0:25:33to one of Stephen's dishes.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36They'll have one hour to identify all the ingredients
0:25:36 > 0:25:38and to create a dish of their own.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42So, for you at home, here's what Stephen has chosen.
0:25:42 > 0:25:43Salmon fillet and mussels,
0:25:43 > 0:25:45smoked pancetta,
0:25:45 > 0:25:47red wine,
0:25:47 > 0:25:49double and whipping cream,
0:25:49 > 0:25:51potato, garlic and shallots,
0:25:51 > 0:25:54lemon, parsley and spinach.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58Easy enough for a culinary wizard, but what will our home cooks make?
0:25:58 > 0:26:02So, cooks, this is your last chance to really impress Stephen.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04Any last tips for them?
0:26:04 > 0:26:05Yeah, absolutely - just take your time,
0:26:05 > 0:26:09have a good look at the ingredients. Don't think, "What could this be?"
0:26:09 > 0:26:12- I think it's how well you cook it, really.- Good luck, guys.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15Reveal your ingredients because your time starts now.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24Best of luck.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26I like the ingredients. It's all what I like to eat,
0:26:26 > 0:26:28it's just what to do with it.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31I'm still not quite certain exactly which leaf this is.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35I don't if it's goat's milk. I don't know.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37Is there anything you would have hated to have seen
0:26:37 > 0:26:39- under that reveal? - Yeah, red wine with fish!
0:26:39 > 0:26:41IAN LAUGHS
0:26:41 > 0:26:44I just don't know how to incorporate the red wine.
0:26:44 > 0:26:45Is that to drink?
0:26:46 > 0:26:48How are you getting on?
0:26:48 > 0:26:51All right, I think I'm going to try and do some sort of chowder.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54I'm just trying to think how I'm going to incorporate the red wine,
0:26:54 > 0:26:56and then I'm going to pan-fry the salmon, I think.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59Maybe some wilted spinach in there to give it a bit of colour.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02OK. Well, at least you've got a plan and you know what you want to do.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04That's a really good start.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06- Yeah.- OK, good luck.
0:27:06 > 0:27:07Thank you.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10- Hi, Ian.- Hi.
0:27:10 > 0:27:11- Hi, Ian.- Hi.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14Oh, lots of things on the go here.
0:27:14 > 0:27:15- Cracking on?- Trying to make a start,
0:27:15 > 0:27:17trying to get myself into a position
0:27:17 > 0:27:19where I can suddenly have a spark of inspiration.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21What are you thinking, where are you going?
0:27:21 > 0:27:24I'm thinking somehow some sort of seafood broth,
0:27:24 > 0:27:27potentially with the mussels, and do something with the salmon -
0:27:27 > 0:27:30but again, it's trying to glue all these ingredients together
0:27:30 > 0:27:33into a single dish that is slightly confusing me a little
0:27:33 > 0:27:34at the moment, if I'm honest.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36Have you managed to identify everything?
0:27:36 > 0:27:39The only thing I'm a little unsure on is these leaves.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41I'm not quite sure if it's a form of chard.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44- Do you think you'll use them? - I'll do my best. Absolutely.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46- Well, good luck.- Thank you.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48'Both cooks feel the ingredients are driving them
0:27:48 > 0:27:50'to some sort of seafood soup.
0:27:50 > 0:27:54'But both are thrown by the myth that red wine and fish don't mix.'
0:27:54 > 0:27:56It's just this red wine and the pancetta,
0:27:56 > 0:27:58they're just two very strong flavours.
0:27:58 > 0:27:59Just a little bit off-putting.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02'And the tension is already starting to show.'
0:28:02 > 0:28:03- What's happening? - I've started again.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06I wasn't happy with the pancetta, it was too chunky.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08I don't want it to be the prominent flavour.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10You have got time to change your mind.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12I have to say, that does look a bit neater.
0:28:12 > 0:28:13THEY LAUGH
0:28:17 > 0:28:18Take two!
0:28:22 > 0:28:24There's some lovely smells coming from that kitchen.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27That's the power of pancetta.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29The power of pancetta, it's just wonderful.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31Have you decided what you're cooking?
0:28:31 > 0:28:33I sort of had but I think I'm changing my mind as I go along.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36I'm still trying to work out how to glue all these ingredients together.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38I know.
0:28:38 > 0:28:39They both, to me,
0:28:39 > 0:28:42seem like they're winging it a bit at the minute.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44Well, I think that's what they're supposed to do.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47They're both keeping the salmon back, they're going to pan-fry it.
0:28:47 > 0:28:49Don't overcook the salmon. Don't overcook the mussels.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52There's two things not to overcook, the rest of it is fine.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59Cooks, you have just 20 minutes left.
0:28:59 > 0:29:0120 minutes to go.
0:29:01 > 0:29:03- Lots of time. - Lots of time, plenty of time.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08'Finally, both cooks are back on track.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11'Lauren is more confident with her newly-refined chowder
0:29:11 > 0:29:14'and Ian has plucked up the courage to go for the red wine
0:29:14 > 0:29:16'and is using it to poach his mussels and pancetta.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21'Stephen's looking for more than just a creative cook -
0:29:21 > 0:29:24'he'll also be judging how well they work in the kitchen
0:29:24 > 0:29:26'to see who he feels he can partner.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30'Ian might be making good progress with his dish,
0:29:30 > 0:29:32'but he's also created quite a mess.'
0:29:32 > 0:29:35- Look at the state of this! - Well...
0:29:36 > 0:29:38Come on, have a clean-up.
0:29:38 > 0:29:39Do you want a hand?
0:29:39 > 0:29:42- I need to keep that piece of lemon. - Sorry.
0:29:45 > 0:29:47- What's going on? - I'm not getting very far, really.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49I'm just trying to incorporate the red wine into it.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52- Yeah.- So I was going to do a red wine reduction.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55That looks really good. Is it tasty?
0:29:55 > 0:29:56It does taste all right, actually.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58I just don't know how I'm going to...
0:29:58 > 0:30:01Because ideally with a chowder there would be more liquid to it,
0:30:01 > 0:30:04- but there's nothing to add to it. - Can't you add water?
0:30:04 > 0:30:06I could do, couldn't I?
0:30:06 > 0:30:07I'm off to get water.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11I hope I've not led her down a path that's not right.
0:30:17 > 0:30:19That's good.
0:30:19 > 0:30:23Cooks, you have just ten minutes left.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25- Ten minutes to go. - I've added water to this.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28I was going to say, that looks thin. It looks like milk.
0:30:32 > 0:30:34- I think you need to get your mussels going.- Yeah.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37You need to just crack on with the mussels.
0:30:37 > 0:30:39I can't make out whether these are cooked or not.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41- No, they're not cooked. - They're not cooked? Right.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44'Lauren quickly brings her mussels to the boil -
0:30:44 > 0:30:47'but will she have enough time to salvage her seafood chowder?
0:30:48 > 0:30:51'Meanwhile, on the other side of the kitchen,
0:30:51 > 0:30:53'Ian's decided to change direction.'
0:30:54 > 0:30:57Initially I was thinking along the lines of some kind of chowder
0:30:57 > 0:30:59or broth, but now I've decided to do a more traditional dish.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02So there's a mash, cooked the mussels...
0:31:02 > 0:31:03Did you cook them in the red wine?
0:31:03 > 0:31:05A little of the red wine, not too much.
0:31:05 > 0:31:06A little of the cream, as well,
0:31:06 > 0:31:08to give them a bit of a coating and a glaze.
0:31:08 > 0:31:10I'm going to serve them on the plate with the pancetta
0:31:10 > 0:31:12and I've made a parsley cream sauce to dress it with.
0:31:12 > 0:31:14Nice. That sounds good to me.
0:31:18 > 0:31:20Well, it's all changing around in there, isn't it?
0:31:20 > 0:31:22- It is, yeah.- At the beginning I said they were winging it,
0:31:22 > 0:31:25but I thought they might have had a plan - but they've changed ideas.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28I like that, I like that, because I think things should evolve
0:31:28 > 0:31:30and I think things will change.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32Lauren, she's at sixes and sevens, isn't she?
0:31:32 > 0:31:35She's trying to do this chowder,
0:31:35 > 0:31:37she's trying to work out how she's going to incorporate the mussels
0:31:37 > 0:31:40- and the red wine.- But she actually thought they were cooked
0:31:40 > 0:31:41- and they're not cooked.- No.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44Whereas Ian, he's a little bit more...
0:31:44 > 0:31:46He's got a bit more clarity, I think, in where he's going
0:31:46 > 0:31:48and how the dish is going to finish up.
0:31:48 > 0:31:50OK, not long to go now.
0:31:50 > 0:31:51No.
0:32:03 > 0:32:05'In the closing minutes of the challenge,
0:32:05 > 0:32:08'Lauren turns her mind to presentation
0:32:08 > 0:32:11'whilst Ian is first to finish for the second time today...'
0:32:12 > 0:32:14All done and dusted, are we?
0:32:14 > 0:32:15I ran out of ideas of other things to do
0:32:15 > 0:32:18so I thought I might as well plate up what I've done.
0:32:18 > 0:32:19Well done.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22I'm fascinated to see what Stephen does with it.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27'..and finally, Lauren serves her seafood chowder.'
0:32:29 > 0:32:31- I'm finished.- Sure?- Yeah.- OK.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34Right, you've both finished early, so it's time to taste.
0:32:36 > 0:32:40'First to be judged is Lauren, with pan-fried salmon on a bed of potato
0:32:40 > 0:32:43'and pancetta chowder with mussels in red wine.'
0:32:44 > 0:32:45- Hi, Lauren, come in.- Hello.
0:32:45 > 0:32:49- You got there in the end.- Well done. - In the end, yeah.
0:32:49 > 0:32:50How did you find it?
0:32:50 > 0:32:53It was challenging. The red wine just completely threw me off.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55I was like, "What do you do with it?"
0:32:55 > 0:32:57But just trial and error, really.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59I think it's a very pleasing plate of food.
0:32:59 > 0:33:01It looks very pleasing on the eye.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03I like its simplicity, it's quite rustic.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06It's honest, you know? I like the look of it.
0:33:06 > 0:33:07It's not overworked.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10I like the stalk on the spinach. It's appealing
0:33:10 > 0:33:12and I would look at that and think, "I want to eat that."
0:33:12 > 0:33:15- Oh, good.- So, shall we have a taste?
0:33:15 > 0:33:17- Yeah, let's do it. - You tuck in first.- OK.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20Oh, it's nice and pink.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22I like my salmon like that, but...
0:33:22 > 0:33:23- I do.- Oh, good.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26- That's how it should be cooked, that's perfect.- Good.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30- Mmm.- Mm-hm.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34The spinach is really nicely seasoned.
0:33:34 > 0:33:36I just got a big hit of that, yeah.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39- I'm going back for more! - That's good.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47I like it. I think it's a very accomplished piece of cooking.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50The salmon is absolutely on the money.
0:33:50 > 0:33:51The potatoes are cooked lovely as well.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55And because the fish is so fresh and is beautifully cooked,
0:33:55 > 0:33:59it goes really nicely with the creamy potatoes.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01- It complements each other, I think. - OK.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04It's like a thick chowder but it works, it's good.
0:34:04 > 0:34:06- Thank you.- I like it.- Well done. - Thank you.- Well done.
0:34:06 > 0:34:07It was nerve-racking
0:34:07 > 0:34:10because I didn't know for a while what I was going to do.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13I kept changing my mind and then I just thought, "Do you know what?
0:34:13 > 0:34:15"I'm just going to stick with the original plan,"
0:34:15 > 0:34:16and he said it was nice.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19That chowder underneath the salmon was a real success.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22The potatoes were cooked nicely, the pancetta was not overpowering,
0:34:22 > 0:34:25just enough of it there. The salmon was cooked perfectly.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27Perfectly.
0:34:27 > 0:34:30- That's really nice. - That's a one-star dish, that.- Yeah.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32SHE LAUGHS Good!
0:34:32 > 0:34:35I can't believe an award-winning chef has said my food was nice,
0:34:35 > 0:34:37so that's amazing.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39Last into the tasting room is Ian.
0:34:39 > 0:34:43He's also pan-fried his salmon, but served it with a mussel broth
0:34:43 > 0:34:46on a bed of mash with a spinach and parsley cream sauce.
0:34:48 > 0:34:50Lovely. How did you find it?
0:34:50 > 0:34:51Nerve-racking to start with,
0:34:51 > 0:34:54I just couldn't focus on exactly what to do -
0:34:54 > 0:34:56but once I'd decided what I was going to do,
0:34:56 > 0:34:59ultimately that's pretty much what I was looking to try and produce.
0:34:59 > 0:35:00- Did you enjoy it?- I did enjoy it.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02It's always nice, trying something new.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04- Let's have a taste.- Yes, let's.
0:35:04 > 0:35:05Because, you know, looking's one thing.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07You go in, you tuck in first.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09OK, I'm going to taste some mash first.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15Mmm.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18- That's well seasoned.- Mm-hm.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21- Really good.- So, this is the sauce you blitzed, isn't it?
0:35:21 > 0:35:23I did, yes. It was just some parsley sauce,
0:35:23 > 0:35:26a little garlic and some of the cream
0:35:26 > 0:35:28cooked through for a while and blitzed.
0:35:28 > 0:35:32Yes, lovely, nice garlic. Pancetta's there.
0:35:32 > 0:35:34Try a bit of salmon.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36- It's nicely cooked, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39Spot on there. That's good.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42It's lovely. Yeah, it's good. Tasty.
0:35:42 > 0:35:46The sauce is maybe a little bit wetter, maybe.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48- Yes.- Just a tad.
0:35:48 > 0:35:49I think the mash could, you know...
0:35:50 > 0:35:54..has something going on in there a little bit, just a wee bit -
0:35:54 > 0:35:57but the spinach is cooked nice, it's seasoned good,
0:35:57 > 0:35:58the salmon is cooked beautifully.
0:35:59 > 0:36:01- It's a good piece of cooking, Ian. - Thank you.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03- Yeah, it's good. - Brilliant, well done.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06You're not making my life easy, that's for sure!
0:36:06 > 0:36:08I was really pleased, Stephen made some quite nice comments.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10It would mean a lot to be chosen because obviously
0:36:10 > 0:36:13if someone of Stephen's stature wants to cook with you,
0:36:13 > 0:36:14that's a very high honour.
0:36:14 > 0:36:16So, are you impressed with Ian's efforts?
0:36:16 > 0:36:18Yeah, it was a good piece of cooking.
0:36:18 > 0:36:20The sauce could have been a little bit more wet,
0:36:20 > 0:36:21you know, it was more of a sauce.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24He spent all that time cooking the shallots and the garlic
0:36:24 > 0:36:27for the mussels in the red wine and then just left it.
0:36:27 > 0:36:28Which is a shame, isn't it?
0:36:30 > 0:36:32Really nice.
0:36:32 > 0:36:33So, have you got any idea?
0:36:33 > 0:36:36Do you know what? No, not really.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38Well, you've got a little bit more time,
0:36:38 > 0:36:41but let's go and see what you make with your ingredients.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43OK. What am I doing again?
0:36:43 > 0:36:45Cooking, cooking!
0:36:46 > 0:36:48Right, cooks, this is the best bit,
0:36:48 > 0:36:51because you get to put your feet up and watch the master in action
0:36:51 > 0:36:53and we get to see what he makes with these ingredients.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55OK, so, the first thing I'm going to do,
0:36:55 > 0:36:57which I wouldn't have expected you to do this,
0:36:57 > 0:37:00but I'm going to make a little salmon mousse.
0:37:01 > 0:37:02I'm going to take it down there.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08I'm going to take the skin off, anyway, so it's reasonably simple.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10I'm just going to pop it in here first.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18Spread it on here. It only needs five minutes in the fridge.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21Just spread that out. The thinner it is, the colder it will get.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24- OK.- OK, so, with the pancetta,
0:37:24 > 0:37:27I want that smoky flavour, which is good because it was very evident
0:37:27 > 0:37:30in both of your dishes. So we want to start cooking this.
0:37:32 > 0:37:33We'll have a bit of shallot.
0:37:40 > 0:37:42I'm going to put some parsley in with that.
0:37:42 > 0:37:44That's going to go in there
0:37:44 > 0:37:46and we're going to add some garlic in there.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49I saw you guys using these earlier so I thought I'd have a go on these.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53What's your least favourite food?
0:37:53 > 0:37:55My least favourite food? Blimey!
0:37:55 > 0:37:57My least favourite food...
0:37:58 > 0:38:00It's probably not the answer you're looking for,
0:38:00 > 0:38:03but it's food that someone clearly hasn't put any effort into.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06I don't mind what I eat as long as someone's put some effort into it
0:38:06 > 0:38:09and they've thought about it. It's food that's had no attention...
0:38:09 > 0:38:10I'll turn this up a wee bit.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13As long as it's been cooked competently,
0:38:13 > 0:38:15I really don't mind, to be honest with you.
0:38:15 > 0:38:17So, I'm going to add some red wine into this now
0:38:17 > 0:38:18before I add the mussels.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21A lot of people do raise an eyebrow when you cook with red wine.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23This is good red wine.
0:38:25 > 0:38:27Is it?
0:38:27 > 0:38:29It's all right, actually, yeah. I'm getting the train!
0:38:31 > 0:38:34That's fine. So I want to bring the heat up on there.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38- Do you want to grab that salmon out of the fridge, please?- Sure will.
0:38:38 > 0:38:40So you see that's now nice and cold.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49So, just put the mussels in now and take a couple of minutes.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54So, the whipping cream just gets it going a little bit first...
0:38:57 > 0:38:58..and then a bit of double.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05What sort of consistency are you looking to get?
0:39:05 > 0:39:08A soft sort of texture on the salmon.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11So we're just going to season that, a little bit of salt and some lemon.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17- Nervous about cooking for Pierre on Friday?- As always.
0:39:17 > 0:39:19SHE LAUGHS
0:39:22 > 0:39:24Let that rest on there a minute.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28So, we're making a wee sandwich, there.
0:39:28 > 0:39:30- I can't believe we didn't pick up on that.- I know.
0:39:30 > 0:39:32I can't believe you didn't make the mousse!
0:39:32 > 0:39:34Honestly, I'm so disappointed in you(!)
0:39:34 > 0:39:35I'm going to pop it in the steamer.
0:39:37 > 0:39:38So, the mussels are just cooked.
0:39:40 > 0:39:42- Nice.- Right, going to cook some spinaci.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44- So you're cooking it in the pan? - Yeah.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47This is reducing now, this is the mussel and the red wine.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50That's delicious.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53I'm just going to put a little bit of double cream in and that's it.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56We'll just finish the sauce in there.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58The spinach is ready.
0:40:02 > 0:40:03So I'm just going to bring...
0:40:12 > 0:40:14OK. Let's hope this is cooked.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25Put some oil, finish with a little bit of oil.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27It gives it a nice glaze.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31- There we are. - THEY APPLAUD
0:40:31 > 0:40:32Well done.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35So, it's not too dissimilar to what you both did.
0:40:35 > 0:40:37Right, guys, time to dig in.
0:40:39 > 0:40:40There you go.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44- Nice?- That is amazing.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46It's absolutely delicious.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49Thank you so much, Stephen, an absolute star. It was delicious.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51It's almost time to reveal who you're going to take through
0:40:51 > 0:40:53to the Friday final, but before you do,
0:40:53 > 0:40:56let's have a quick recap of what our cooks made earlier.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00In the first round, Lauren impressed Stephen with her stuffed chicken,
0:41:00 > 0:41:04she held her nerve to master the meringue challenge in round two
0:41:04 > 0:41:07and produced a flavoursome pan-fried salmon
0:41:07 > 0:41:09with seafood chowder in the third.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11I would be absolutely over the moon.
0:41:11 > 0:41:13I'd be shocked because the competition is really high.
0:41:13 > 0:41:14I'd love him to pick me.
0:41:14 > 0:41:19Meanwhile, Ian wowed Stephen with his technical ability in round one,
0:41:19 > 0:41:21he aced the Alaska challenge in the second,
0:41:21 > 0:41:24and after some quick thinking in the final round,
0:41:24 > 0:41:28his seafood broth became salmon on a bed of creamy mashed potato.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30I really don't know. Ultimately Stephen will decide
0:41:30 > 0:41:34and we have to respect his decision but we'll just have to wait and see.
0:41:34 > 0:41:38Congratulations to you both, you've been absolutely amazing today,
0:41:38 > 0:41:40but it is time for Stephen to declare his winner
0:41:40 > 0:41:43and who he's going to take to the Friday final with him,
0:41:43 > 0:41:46- so, Stephen, it's over to you. - To me!
0:41:46 > 0:41:49OK, well, you've both cooked exceptionally well.
0:41:49 > 0:41:50Outstanding, seriously.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54It's been neck and neck and if I'm honest,
0:41:54 > 0:41:58it came down to the final dish and the scales were tipped in...
0:42:00 > 0:42:02- ..your favour.- Oh, my God!
0:42:02 > 0:42:05- Well done, Lauren. - Thank you very much!- Well done.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07'I can't believe I've got to the final on Friday.'
0:42:07 > 0:42:09I can't believe it's me that they're taking through.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11To be honest, I think Lauren did fantastically well.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14I just want her to go on with Stephen and win on Friday.
0:42:14 > 0:42:15So, any last tips for Lauren?
0:42:15 > 0:42:17Communication is everything.
0:42:17 > 0:42:19If we've got to stay in contact and communicate,
0:42:19 > 0:42:22I do feel that you will respond to direction
0:42:22 > 0:42:24- and I think we'll do a good job. - Are you going to win?
0:42:24 > 0:42:26- Yeah.- Yay!
0:42:26 > 0:42:28Yeah, I do think I made the right choice.
0:42:28 > 0:42:30It was a tight decision but I think she will relish it
0:42:30 > 0:42:31and she'll have a good time.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34I'm so proud of myself for getting this far and I'm so excited.
0:42:34 > 0:42:36Roll on Friday.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39Tomorrow on Yes Chef,
0:42:39 > 0:42:44three more home cooks go all out to impress top chef Mary Ann Gilchrist.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47That sauce isn't a sauce, it's solid.
0:42:47 > 0:42:49It's the chance for them to work alongside
0:42:49 > 0:42:50the best in the business...
0:42:50 > 0:42:52- Great.- I think I put too much juice in.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55..but only one can become their partner in the Friday final.