0:00:02 > 0:00:03Four of Britain's top chefs are on the hunt
0:00:03 > 0:00:06for their perfect culinary partner,
0:00:06 > 0:00:09and three amateur home cooks are here to prove they have
0:00:09 > 0:00:11what it takes to be paired with the best in the business
0:00:11 > 0:00:14for the cooking experience of a lifetime.
0:00:14 > 0:00:15No pressure(!)
0:00:18 > 0:00:20Each day a different chef will choose their partner
0:00:20 > 0:00:23from three talented home cooks.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25Everyone's taking it very seriously.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27LAUGHTER # Croquetas, la-la-la... #
0:00:29 > 0:00:32Then all four pairs will go head-to-head in our Friday final,
0:00:32 > 0:00:35cooking for culinary royalty, Pierre Koffmann.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39What impresses me with food is the end result.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41The taste is the most important.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45The professional chefs' reputations are on the line.
0:00:45 > 0:00:46Come on, Danny boy!
0:00:46 > 0:00:49And the amateur home cooks have a lot to live up to.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51This is Yes, Chef.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Hello, and welcome to Yes, Chef.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56Let's meet today's home cooks.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01First up, it's Danny David, a solicitor from the Wirral.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04I'm quite calm in the kitchen, but sometimes,
0:01:04 > 0:01:06when the heat gets going, I can get a bit more animated.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10I want to win, and that's hopefully what I'm going to do.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14Next is Elisa Bowman, a business consultant from Liverpool.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17My cooking style is a little bit haphazard.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19And I use pretty much every single dish in the kitchen as well,
0:01:19 > 0:01:21so my sink is always full.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26And, finally, it's Ozzy Beck, a translator from Cambridge.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29When I cook something and it's really nice,
0:01:29 > 0:01:31then I'm really pleased with myself,
0:01:31 > 0:01:34and what I'm looking for is sort of the constructive criticism
0:01:34 > 0:01:37from a professional chef.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40Our home cooks are ready to go, so let's meet today's chef.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43OK, new order - nine sea bass...
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Theo Randall grew up in south-west London,
0:01:46 > 0:01:50but it was his childhood trips to Italy that inspired his cuisine.
0:01:50 > 0:01:51Service, please!
0:01:51 > 0:01:53My style of cooking's all about the ingredients
0:01:53 > 0:01:55and making the most of the ingredients
0:01:55 > 0:01:58and letting the ingredients really speak for themselves.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00Only the very best is good enough for Theo,
0:02:00 > 0:02:04and his approach to quality Italian ingredients has ensured that
0:02:04 > 0:02:07his dishes are unquestionably authentic.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10With peas, one bavette... It's clear.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13Having earned his first Michelin star as head chef
0:02:13 > 0:02:15at the River Cafe,
0:02:15 > 0:02:19his current restaurant on London's Park Lane boasts an array of awards.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21What I'm looking for in the contestants is people
0:02:21 > 0:02:25that really love cooking and are really happy to cook.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28I see it. That's the last plate. Thank you very much.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30Welcome, everyone, to Yes, Chef.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32Now, Theo, you're going to be picking one of our home cooks
0:02:32 > 0:02:35to be your partner in this week's Friday final.
0:02:35 > 0:02:36What are you going to be looking for?
0:02:36 > 0:02:39I'm going to be looking for some really perfectly cooked food,
0:02:39 > 0:02:41nicely seasoned, and a bit of seasonality.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43Oh, OK, well, let's get on with it.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46So round one - you've got 45 minutes, cooks,
0:02:46 > 0:02:48to create your best dish for Theo.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50So, Theo, any last tips for them?
0:02:50 > 0:02:53- Keep it simple.- Perfect. Right, well, let's begin!
0:02:55 > 0:02:56So, our cooks are off.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59Theo is looking for a partner with flair, confidence
0:02:59 > 0:03:02and a good understanding of flavour.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04Today, Danny is making his own pasta -
0:03:04 > 0:03:06a spinach and ricotta ravioli -
0:03:06 > 0:03:09which he'll serve with a sage and butter sauce.
0:03:09 > 0:03:10No mean feat when he's cooking for
0:03:10 > 0:03:13one of Britain's top chefs of Italian cuisine.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15It's one of my favourite dishes to cook at home.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18You just notice the difference when you make your own pasta
0:03:18 > 0:03:19compared to dried pasta,
0:03:19 > 0:03:22and the sage butter sauce just complements
0:03:22 > 0:03:25the spinach and ricotta very well.
0:03:25 > 0:03:26Over at the green station,
0:03:26 > 0:03:30Elisa is oven baking a fillet of hake with a white crab meat crust,
0:03:30 > 0:03:35served with brown crab croquetas, a fennel salad with a gin dressing.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38I love cooking fish and using really delicate flavours,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41and also doing the croquetas, because I'm half Spanish,
0:03:41 > 0:03:43so I really enjoy doing those.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45It's one of those things, it's just in your blood.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48If you're Spanish, it's paella and croquetas.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52Creating a dish for a famous chef is a nerve-racking experience.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56Today, Ozzy's also cooking a fillet of hake,
0:03:56 > 0:03:58but his will be pan-fried in chorizo oil,
0:03:58 > 0:04:01served with a ratatouille of Mediterranean vegetables
0:04:01 > 0:04:03and chickpeas.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05I really love cooking fish,
0:04:05 > 0:04:08and so I thought that would be the ideal dish
0:04:08 > 0:04:11to sort of showcase what I do.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13Hi, Danny. How are you?
0:04:13 > 0:04:18I'm good. A bit nervous, cooking pasta for Theo, but there you go.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20I'm just wilting my spinach down
0:04:20 > 0:04:23cos I want it to cool before I mix it with the ricotta.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25I've got my dough resting, so that's...
0:04:25 > 0:04:28Yeah, it's all going well so far. No hiccups yet.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31So you've got some nutmeg in, you've got nutmeg in the filling?
0:04:31 > 0:04:33- I'm going to put the nutmeg in the filling.- Lovely.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35Once it's cooled, I'll mix that together.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37And pine nuts, will you toss through the pasta at the end?
0:04:37 > 0:04:40- I'll toss through at the end as a garnish, yeah.- Lovely.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42- Italian's my favourite type of food, so...- Good man.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Oh, good pairing here!
0:04:45 > 0:04:46Little tip for the ravioli filling -
0:04:46 > 0:04:49make sure it's not too wet because that'll break the pasta.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52- Thank you.- Ooh. Good luck.- Yes.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54- Hi, Elisa.- Hi.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57- How are you?- Nervous... - Oh...!- But I'm OK.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59Is this something you make at home all the time?
0:04:59 > 0:05:02Croquetas is something that I make a lot, for a lot of people,
0:05:02 > 0:05:04especially if I'm doing tapas for people.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07I'll make a massive paella and then a huge pile of croquetas,
0:05:07 > 0:05:10and all sorts of Spanish meat and vegetables.
0:05:10 > 0:05:11"Croquetas!" I like it!
0:05:11 > 0:05:14I know, croquetas! # La-la-la. #
0:05:14 > 0:05:17- It sounds lovely when you say it! - Thank you.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19So, how are you going to do your hake?
0:05:19 > 0:05:22It's going to go in the oven with a crab crust,
0:05:22 > 0:05:24and I'm also going to serve it
0:05:24 > 0:05:27on a bed of blanched samphire and fennel with a gin dressing.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29Ah, so that's the juniper?
0:05:29 > 0:05:31So you're going to infuse the juniper...
0:05:31 > 0:05:33Yeah, I'm going to put the gin, juniper,
0:05:33 > 0:05:35a tiny little bit of white wine vinegar,
0:05:35 > 0:05:37- Maybe a little splash of lemon juice.- Sound lovely.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39It sounds like a really interesting combination,
0:05:39 > 0:05:41the crab and the hake and juniper. Really good.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43Thank you.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47- Hi, Ozzy.- Hello. - How are we getting on?- Yeah, good.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50So, what are you going to do with the vegetables and the chickpeas?
0:05:50 > 0:05:54- That's sort of going to be some sort of ratatouille.- Nice.
0:05:54 > 0:05:55And then the fillet of hake on top.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57It sounds like a really well-thought-out dish.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59- Looking forward to tasting it. - Thank you.- Yes!
0:05:59 > 0:06:02- Well, we'll let you carry on. Good luck.- Thank you.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04I'm feeling quietly confident, yes.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07Because I've done it quite a few times before,
0:06:07 > 0:06:12it's something I'm familiar with, and, yeah, it should be fine.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14I'm quite nervous doing pasta for Theo.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16Someone who's famed for Italian cuisine,
0:06:16 > 0:06:20and then you're doing pasta for them. Best not get it wrong!
0:06:20 > 0:06:24So, let's start with Danny. So, he's making you pasta.
0:06:24 > 0:06:25He's making ravioli,
0:06:25 > 0:06:28and he's making a classic - spinach and ricotta ravioli -
0:06:28 > 0:06:30which is one of the most delicious things to eat.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32Yeah, let's see how his pasta dough comes out.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34I mean, it takes a lot of skill to do that.
0:06:34 > 0:06:35And what could horribly go wrong?
0:06:35 > 0:06:40If the mixture's too wet then the pasta will break on top.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43There is no dish without the pasta dough.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45You're high and dry, unfortunately.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47- Elisa?- Elisa, she seems really confident.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49She's cooking something that's really interesting.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51I love the fact she is using crab.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55The gin - I mean, she's got the fresh juniper there.
0:06:55 > 0:06:56So it'll be interesting to see...
0:06:56 > 0:06:58I mean, she could go too far with it - that's the problem.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01So, you know, with these things it's less is more.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03It's about getting just the right balance.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06It should be delicate.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08You know what? It's the croquetas that I'm more worried about,
0:07:08 > 0:07:10because you can...
0:07:10 > 0:07:14you can overdo them, you can burn them, you can underdo them.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16Yeah, it's not really low risk.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20- Last but not least, Ozzy. - Ozzy seems very confident.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22I mean, you know, he was chopping like a pro.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24I think he's cooked that dish a lot, a lot of times.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26He seems to be a real foodie.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29And he's got a nice big piece of hake, so let's see how he cooks it.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31I mean, you know, it's all about the produce,
0:07:31 > 0:07:34and the produce is good, so let's see what they can come up with.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36- OZZY:- I'm just waiting for the chorizo
0:07:36 > 0:07:39to render its fat and the onion to start cooking.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41Cooks, you've had half an hour.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43You've got 15 minutes to go.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46I usually don't cook with the time limit,
0:07:46 > 0:07:49so I'm not quite sure if it's going to be there
0:07:49 > 0:07:51exactly at the time I want it.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54Now on the home straight, the pressure is mounting,
0:07:54 > 0:07:56and things are starting to slide.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59Have we got any more gin? I've just completely...
0:07:59 > 0:08:00It is one of those things, it's there,
0:08:00 > 0:08:03and then, suddenly, it just disappears, and then that's it.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07And over at the red station,
0:08:07 > 0:08:10Theo's noticed that Danny's struggling with his pasta.
0:08:10 > 0:08:11How are you getting on?
0:08:11 > 0:08:15It's not going particularly well right now, but I'll do everything
0:08:15 > 0:08:17I can to make sure it comes out all right in the end.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19How can you...? How would you rescue this now?
0:08:19 > 0:08:22So what I do is I get a damp tea towel, put it on top,
0:08:22 > 0:08:24just get a bit of moisture back in the pasta,
0:08:24 > 0:08:25cos you haven't got long to go.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29You've got ten minutes, so...get a move on!
0:08:29 > 0:08:31As Danny attempts to save his pasta,
0:08:31 > 0:08:33Elisa's dish is playing up again.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37One of my croquetas has just gone and collapsed and just...
0:08:37 > 0:08:39I can fix it.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43But the fish looks good. I can rescue it.
0:08:43 > 0:08:44Time's running out for Danny,
0:08:44 > 0:08:48and so are his chances of getting anything on the plate.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50Are you going to get it done in time? Two minutes left.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52Just about.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55Cooks, you've got just two minutes left, two minutes to go.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59Come on, Danny. You can do this.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02- ELISA:- You can do it, mate. - Danny, Danny, Danny!
0:09:02 > 0:09:05- Danny, Danny! - Aw, they're all rooting for you!
0:09:05 > 0:09:06Do it, do it, do it, do it, do it!
0:09:07 > 0:09:10As the other cooks make the final touches to their dishes,
0:09:10 > 0:09:13Danny still hasn't got his pasta in the pan.
0:09:13 > 0:09:19Nervous still, but we will hopefully have something to plate up at least.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21I'm just trying to think of anything else I need to do.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23I don't want to forget... Ah, seasoning the salad!
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Right. Oh, God. It's all nerve-racking.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29But it tastes good.
0:09:29 > 0:09:30I think it was a bit fast.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33It's basically done now and shouldn't cook any further.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36Looks good, tastes good.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38One minute left.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41- Come on, Danny. - No, I forgot about my pine nuts...
0:09:41 > 0:09:42Come on, Danny boy!
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Don't worry - just put them in the pan.
0:09:47 > 0:09:5030 seconds to go.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52Oh! I've finished it.
0:09:52 > 0:09:53'Almost!
0:09:53 > 0:09:56'In the nick of time, Ozzy remembers to plate up the chorizo,
0:09:56 > 0:09:58'in his chorizo and hake dish.'
0:09:58 > 0:10:06Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five,
0:10:06 > 0:10:11four, three, two, one - that's it!
0:10:11 > 0:10:13Stop cooking. Thank goodness, Danny!
0:10:13 > 0:10:16Well done, guys, well done. It's time to taste.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20First to take the taste test is Danny,
0:10:20 > 0:10:23with a home-made spinach and ricotta ravioli,
0:10:23 > 0:10:26served with a sage and butter sauce, topped with toasted pine nuts.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30Hi Danny, come in.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34- Hi. There you go. - How was the challenge for you?
0:10:34 > 0:10:36It was a bit stressful towards the end.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38- It was right to the wire, wasn't it? - It was, yes.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40I didn't think we were going to get anything on the plate,
0:10:40 > 0:10:43- but you did! And you didn't lose your cool, so well done.- Thank you.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50Good flavour sage. It's nice. The filling's very nice too.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53- It's kind of really creamy, isn't it?- Mm, lovely.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57Very good seasoning. You've got the filling just right.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00And the pasta, I'd say, is a little bit undercooked.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03I mean, I like al dente, but that's a little bit raw.
0:11:03 > 0:11:08But as far as taste, it's very good. I think you did very well.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10- Good.- Chuffed!- Well done, Danny.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12If you'd like to go back to the waiting room, we'll see you shortly.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15- Thank you very much.- Thank you very much.- See you shortly.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17I'm absolutely over the moon with Theo's comments.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20To be cooking pasta in an Italian dish for him
0:11:20 > 0:11:23and to get such positive feedback, it's brilliant.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25- Happy with Danny's dish? - It was good.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28I mean, you know, he had a real challenge at the end,
0:11:28 > 0:11:30and he put that together in minutes,
0:11:30 > 0:11:32and I think that's a lot of credit to him.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34He did make everything from scratch.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36- Ooh!- How did it go?
0:11:36 > 0:11:39Yeah, it was mainly positive.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41The pasta's a little bit underdone,
0:11:41 > 0:11:43but I was pushed for time at the end.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46As far as flavour-wise goes, that was actually very nice.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48The flavours are amazing.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50Lovely, strong flavour, I love that.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54Next to take the taste test is Elisa.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58She's made crab-crusted hake, with brown crab croquetas,
0:11:58 > 0:12:02on a bed of fennel and samphire, drizzled with a gin dressing.
0:12:02 > 0:12:03Come in, Elisa.
0:12:07 > 0:12:08Did you enjoy the challenge?
0:12:08 > 0:12:10I did, yes, a lot more than I thought I would!
0:12:10 > 0:12:12Good, that's good.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Nice. It looks really clean and fresh.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19I'm looking forward to tasting this. Let's see the fish.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21Beautifully cooked fish. Look at that.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24Absolutely stunning.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26- It's really tasty.- Mm.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28And that is cooked absolutely spot-on.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30You've got that saltiness, which is...
0:12:30 > 0:12:31It's quite subtle in flavour,
0:12:31 > 0:12:34but you've got that kick of salt at the end,
0:12:34 > 0:12:37which gives it a really good balance.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39And you've got great textures as well.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41That is absolutely delicious. Really good.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43- Well done!- Thank you so much.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45- Happy?- Yes, extremely. - Thank you so much.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47If you'd like to go back to the waiting room, we'll see you shortly.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49- Thank you.- Thank you.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51Amazing. I can't believe that I've just cooked
0:12:51 > 0:12:53for a Michelin-starred chef, and he said my fish was perfect.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55I'm just... Yeah.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57- Really good dish. - That was really good.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00I mean, the fish was so perfectly cooked,
0:13:00 > 0:13:02you could see the sort of shininess on it.
0:13:02 > 0:13:03She had the right kind of seasoning,
0:13:03 > 0:13:05the textures were right.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08- It was very, very well done. Very well done.- Wow.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10Theo said that the fish was cooked perfectly,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13and seeing as I haven't actually managed to find a piece
0:13:13 > 0:13:17that thick to cook it... I'm astounded, yeah.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21Finally, it's Ozzy.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24He's made a fillet of hake, pan-fried in chorizo oil,
0:13:24 > 0:13:26served with a ratatouille of Mediterranean vegetables
0:13:26 > 0:13:27and chickpeas.
0:13:29 > 0:13:30Come on in, Ozzy.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32How was that for you?
0:13:32 > 0:13:36It was good. It was a bit faster than I thought it would be.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40- 45 minutes is not long. - No.- It smells delicious.- It does.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42- It smells really nice.- Thank you.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44Good. OK, well, let's tuck in.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48So, let's see the fish. It's beautifully cooked.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54- The chorizo is gorgeous.- Mm.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56It's a really good combination.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00That's really nice.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05The spice in there is really perfect, because it lifts the fish.
0:14:05 > 0:14:06- Thank you. - And the sweetness of the peppers,
0:14:06 > 0:14:10because you reduced that down, it's got a natural sweetness.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12You could've cooked the vegetables a little bit more,
0:14:12 > 0:14:14to get a bit of, almost, caramelisation on them.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17The flavour's very good, it's very nice.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19- The fish is cooked perfectly. - Perfect, lovely comments.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21- Are you happy? - Yeah, happy, definitely.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23- Thank you.- Well done, Ozzy.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25Well, if you'd like to go back to the waiting room,
0:14:25 > 0:14:26we'll see you shortly.
0:14:26 > 0:14:27It was really good.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31When a Michelin-starred chef says that you cooked your fish perfectly,
0:14:31 > 0:14:34that is really, really satisfying.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37I love that idea of frying the chorizo to get the oil out,
0:14:37 > 0:14:39and then cooking the fish in that oil.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41It's very smart, very good.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43It's really nice, Ozzy, you've done well there.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46I love the smokiness of the chorizo with it as well.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49Is anybody standing out at this moment?
0:14:49 > 0:14:51Well, I mean, they're all confident cooks.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54- It's quite even at the moment, I think.- OK, well, that's good.
0:14:54 > 0:14:55Well, it's all still to play for.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58We've got your skills test now, so let's go and get on with that.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02Theo can choose only one home cook
0:15:02 > 0:15:05to be his partner in the Friday final.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08And to help him decide who will be first to leave the competition,
0:15:08 > 0:15:10he's set them a skills challenge.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13So, Theo, what's the skills test today?
0:15:13 > 0:15:16We're doing linguine with asparagus carbonara.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19The idea of it is cooking the egg yolk so it's just perfect,
0:15:19 > 0:15:20so it coats the pasta.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23It is simple, but it can go horribly wrong.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26The texture of the pasta and the texture of the asparagus
0:15:26 > 0:15:27- is very important.- OK.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29OK, so always season the water.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31Plenty of salt, always use sea salt.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33OK, let's get the pasta in first.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35So this is going to take about eight minutes.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38Pasta in, move it around so it doesn't get stuck together.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40OK, let's get our asparagus.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43Get the asparagus, and just snap it where it snaps.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45It sounds a bit ridiculous, but if you do that,
0:15:45 > 0:15:46then you won't have the tough ends.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48So, this end here is really tough.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51OK, so just snap those off.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53The skill, really, is to cook the pasta perfectly,
0:15:53 > 0:15:54so it's got a nice bite to it.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56It's not overcooked, it's not undercooked.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00And then, the asparagus, getting the asparagus cooked with the pasta.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03Then just cut the asparagus at an angle,
0:16:03 > 0:16:07just so it's almost a similar shape to the pasta.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10Then once I've done that, I'm going to make the carbonara sauce,
0:16:10 > 0:16:12which is egg yolks, Parmesan.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14I add a little bit of garlic and a bit of salt,
0:16:14 > 0:16:16just to, kind of, give it extra flavour.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18And then we're going to toss that together
0:16:18 > 0:16:22with the cooked asparagus and the linguine.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25Linguine's a good pasta to use cos it's quite flat pasta,
0:16:25 > 0:16:27so it'll hold the sauce.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30The thing about carbonara, it should really coat...
0:16:30 > 0:16:34the sauce should coat the pasta, almost like a sleeve.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36So I'll keep that going.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39So, we're going to get good quality eggs...
0:16:40 > 0:16:42..and then just take out the yolk.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48The egg yolks in there.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50And then we're going to get a clove of garlic,
0:16:50 > 0:16:53and we're going to put this into the pestle and mortar.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55I'm just going to crush that with some sea salt.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58Put that in there. A bit of salt.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03Just crush the garlic and the salt together.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Check the pasta.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07See how far away...
0:17:07 > 0:17:13So, we'll put this garlic and salt into our egg yolks.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17And then we're going to grate some Parmesan.
0:17:17 > 0:17:18Then pop that into the eggs.
0:17:21 > 0:17:22Let's get some black pepper in there.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29So kind of build up your seasoning as you go along.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31Check the pasta.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34- And then what we're going to do, a bit of...- Starchy water.- ..water,
0:17:34 > 0:17:35add that to the eggs.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38The thing about pasta is, always take the pasta out from the water
0:17:38 > 0:17:41with a pair of tongs or a slotted spoon,
0:17:41 > 0:17:42- and then add it to your sauce.- OK.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45- And that way, you'll always have hot, lovely pasta.- Yeah.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49Into the pan, nice warm pan.
0:17:49 > 0:17:50And then just take the asparagus out.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53It's better to undercook pasta than overcook pasta.
0:17:53 > 0:17:54So, let's get this on. The pasta just...
0:17:54 > 0:17:56So you're heating it up again.
0:17:56 > 0:17:57It's very important the pasta's hot,
0:17:57 > 0:18:00because you're going to add these yolks to them.
0:18:00 > 0:18:01So, let's get the eggs in.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07And then just move that pasta around,
0:18:07 > 0:18:09add the mixture of more egg.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13And then just keep moving it around, and start tossing it,
0:18:13 > 0:18:16so all that starch on the pasta is going to thicken the sauce,
0:18:16 > 0:18:20along with those eggs, which are just going to start to set.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24And the pasta water and asparagus all emulsifying together.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26And then a nice...
0:18:28 > 0:18:32..round of pasta in the middle of the plate, with that
0:18:32 > 0:18:38beautiful asparagus, just, sort of, in between each bit of pasta.
0:18:38 > 0:18:45And then finish it off with a good shaving of fresh Parmesan,
0:18:45 > 0:18:48like that all over.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51And then plenty of black pepper.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54- And there you have... - It smells so good.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57- ..linguine carbonara.- Wa-hey!
0:19:00 > 0:19:02Amazing! Right, guys, have a taste.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12- It's delicious.- The asparagus is still a bit crunchy, so that's good.
0:19:12 > 0:19:13Yeah, it's amazing.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16How are you feeling? Are you feeling confident you can do this?
0:19:16 > 0:19:18Yeah, I think so.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20If you'd like to make your way back to your work stations, we'll begin.
0:19:20 > 0:19:21Good luck.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28With just 20 minutes on the clock,
0:19:28 > 0:19:30the cooks have a lot to contend with.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32It seems a simple enough dish,
0:19:32 > 0:19:36but in reality it's a tough exercise in technical skill and timing,
0:19:36 > 0:19:40with eggs that could split at any moment.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43You know what, I've always deliberately avoided carbonara,
0:19:43 > 0:19:46because I'd always anticipated that
0:19:46 > 0:19:49I would struggle to not scramble the yolks.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51I've actually never made, for some reason,
0:19:51 > 0:19:53never made carbonara before on my own.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57So this is twice the challenge today.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02The hardest part's not getting egg white in with my yolks.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05I like how I missed it there.
0:20:05 > 0:20:06- Hi, Danny.- Hello.
0:20:06 > 0:20:11- All good?- Yeah, just... separating my eggs.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16I've got my pasta on, and the asparagus is in.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20Hopefully going to produce one that will be close to Theo's.
0:20:20 > 0:20:21Hopefully!
0:20:21 > 0:20:23Despite being a simple classic,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26this carbonara is making the cooks anxious.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28- Hi, Elisa.- Hi.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31- Going good? So far so good? - Yeah, yeah,
0:20:31 > 0:20:34I can't believe that the first time I'm ever cooking carbonara
0:20:34 > 0:20:35is for Theo Randall!
0:20:37 > 0:20:39- There's always a first time. - There is, yeah. Yeah.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42- You'll never forget it! - No, no, no, I won't!
0:20:42 > 0:20:43So, your pasta's on...
0:20:43 > 0:20:47- It is, yeah. eventually I remembered to season it, which is good.- OK.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49All right, we'll let you carry on.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52- Hello.- How's it going? - Yeah, going quite well.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55- So garlic and salt in there.- Yeah.
0:20:55 > 0:20:56The yolks, nice.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58How are you feeling about this challenge?
0:20:58 > 0:21:02Um... I'm a bit wary about the eggs.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06- Yeah. What you said... - That's why I did it!- Exactly!
0:21:06 > 0:21:09And it's also my first time making carbonara, for some reason, yeah.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11- So far so good?- So far so good.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13I mean, they haven't cooked the eggs yet,
0:21:13 > 0:21:15so that's going to be where it's going to go.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18You get that sense that they feel quite confident now.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20They've got the first stage out, they've cooked their own dish,
0:21:20 > 0:21:22they've all done pretty well.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24- Now they're, kind of, enjoying it more.- Good!
0:21:24 > 0:21:27Yeah, I'm a lot more comfortable making a paella,
0:21:27 > 0:21:29with my Spanish roots.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32It's still Mediterranean, though, so...it's all good.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34He did make it look very easy.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36It was very nice, it tasted very nice.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39Hopefully this will compare slightly!
0:21:39 > 0:21:41Once the eggs have been mastered,
0:21:41 > 0:21:43the cooks must balance their flavours
0:21:43 > 0:21:46and ensure that the pasta is cooked to perfection.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48I think I added a little bit too much cooking water,
0:21:48 > 0:21:50it's a little bit loose at the moment.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52That's OK, just keep tossing it and the starch will thicken it up.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55Time is nearly up, and all three cooks are glad
0:21:55 > 0:21:58to get it out of the pan and on to the plate.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00I've chased this asparagus round, it doesn't want...
0:22:00 > 0:22:02to get out of the water.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05I have to say, they're all looking lovely.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07- They do look good, don't they?- Yeah.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09- I think it's going to be a tough job, Theo.- Yeah.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13Everyone's taking it very seriously, which is very good.
0:22:13 > 0:22:14No pressure(!)
0:22:16 > 0:22:18After a scramble to the finish in round one,
0:22:18 > 0:22:20Danny's taking no chances.
0:22:20 > 0:22:24- You finished early! - No last-minute panic this time!- No!
0:22:24 > 0:22:26- It looks good. Well done. - Thank you.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29Time to taste.
0:22:29 > 0:22:30Come in, guys.
0:22:32 > 0:22:33Hi, guys.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37- Did you enjoy that? - Yes.- Really enjoyed it.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41- So, let's have a taste, then. - Let's have a taste, yes.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43I have to say, they all look very nice.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45I mean, there's no scrambled eggs here at all,
0:22:45 > 0:22:47so, you know, that's brilliant.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49Do you want to pull that down here and we'll start?
0:23:22 > 0:23:25- Delicious. All of them. - Thank you.- Thank you.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27It's going to be tough for you, Theo!
0:23:27 > 0:23:29It's a real tough one because they're all very good.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33Danny, your one is really nicely emulsified.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36You've tossed the pasta, you got the starch out there.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39The seasoning's kind of nice, it's not overpowering.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41Ozzy, yours is very nice.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43Well seasoned, lots of seasoning there.
0:23:43 > 0:23:48The Parmesan is more subtle in yours.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52It's a really lovely sort of velvety texture and flavour.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54Elisa, yours, you've got this
0:23:54 > 0:23:58sort of perfect combination of egg yolk, Parmesan,
0:23:58 > 0:24:02pasta cooked perfectly, and the asparagus is just spot-on.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05- Wow!- Thank you. - Well, well done all three of you.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07If you'd like to go back to the waiting room,
0:24:07 > 0:24:09you can take your plates with you.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11We'll see you very shortly. But really well done.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13- Thank you.- Fantastic challenge.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17- All very good. - Yeah, they did a very good job.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19I mean, they're all really good cooks.
0:24:19 > 0:24:20This is quite a difficult decision.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22Being able to cook for Theo Randall
0:24:22 > 0:24:25and seeing him taste my food and say such nice things about my food,
0:24:25 > 0:24:28it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31I had some technical difficulties with my hob, so...
0:24:31 > 0:24:34First it wasn't hot enough, and then it was too hot.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36But, yeah, in the end, it worked out.
0:24:36 > 0:24:37Absolutely amazing.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40I've just been taught how to cook carbonara by Theo Randall,
0:24:40 > 0:24:42and then he said that my version was amazing,
0:24:42 > 0:24:45and it's the first time I've ever made it. So... Yeah!
0:24:46 > 0:24:48I can't believe it.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51You have to now decide who is going to be the first
0:24:51 > 0:24:53to leave the competition.
0:24:53 > 0:24:54Have you got any idea of who that might be?
0:24:54 > 0:24:56Yeah, I think I have.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59This is all about a competition, and I want to win this competition!
0:24:59 > 0:25:02- OK. Well, let's go and break the news.- OK.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Sadly, one of you does have to leave the competition now,
0:25:06 > 0:25:08and Theo has made his mind up.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10Well, it's a really tough call, this,
0:25:10 > 0:25:12because you're all brilliant cooks.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15You did a pasta dish which was very difficult to do.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18You know, the pasta dried, but what was good about your dish was,
0:25:18 > 0:25:21actually, your level of not panicking,
0:25:21 > 0:25:25and you had five minutes to do it, and you did it.
0:25:25 > 0:25:26Ozzy, you've done brilliantly.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29I mean, your pasta dish was very good,
0:25:29 > 0:25:31your first dish was really nice.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33I mean, obviously, you're a really good cook, I can tell.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35You cook with passion, you cook with love.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38Elisa, you've done brilliantly. I mean, you really have.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40Both things you've done have been absolutely superb.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43I'm afraid there's one person that has to go.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47I'm sad to say it's going to have to be you, Ozzy.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49- I'm very sorry.- OK. - I'm so sorry, Ozzy.
0:25:49 > 0:25:50Have you enjoyed yourself?
0:25:50 > 0:25:53Absolutely. It was really good fun, thank you.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56I'm going home, but, you know,
0:25:56 > 0:26:01I've done the best I could, and I really, really enjoyed myself.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03Congratulations, guys, you're through to the next round!
0:26:03 > 0:26:05- Thank you.- Brilliant.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08Through to the third and final round are solicitor Danny...
0:26:08 > 0:26:12I really want to win. You know, every step you get further on,
0:26:12 > 0:26:13the desire grows more and more.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16..and business consultant Elisa.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18I'm determined to win now.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20With all the positive comments that I've had,
0:26:20 > 0:26:22I feel so optimistic, so... Yeah.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25It's now time for our third and final round.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28Now, our home cooks have been given all the ingredients to
0:26:28 > 0:26:29one of Theo's dishes.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32They'll have one hour to identify all the ingredients
0:26:32 > 0:26:34and to create a dish of their own.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36So, for you at home, here's what Theo's chosen.
0:26:36 > 0:26:42Sea bass fillets, spinach and Puy lentils, butter, lemons,
0:26:42 > 0:26:45extra virgin olive oil and dry white vermouth,
0:26:45 > 0:26:47basil and parsley.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51Easy enough for Theo, but what will our home cooks make with these?
0:26:53 > 0:26:56So, Theo, any advice you can give our home cooks?
0:26:56 > 0:26:57I think it's very important that
0:26:57 > 0:26:59you don't get too stressed when you cook this dish,
0:26:59 > 0:27:02because it's very simple, there's very few ingredients,
0:27:02 > 0:27:04you've got to get them absolutely spot-on
0:27:04 > 0:27:06to make it taste really good.
0:27:06 > 0:27:07Well, let's get started.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09Cooks, you have one hour.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13Reveal your ingredients, because your time starts now.
0:27:19 > 0:27:20Underneath the covers,
0:27:20 > 0:27:22the cooks have found some familiar ingredients,
0:27:22 > 0:27:25but not ones they're used to combining.
0:27:29 > 0:27:30This challenge is at its trickiest
0:27:30 > 0:27:32when there's just a few ingredients to cook with,
0:27:32 > 0:27:36and for our home cooks today, this is certainly the case.
0:27:37 > 0:27:38Oh, I'm baffled.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44Fish is my worst nightmare. I just don't really cook with it.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47Is that it? The fish is to one side? "Not doing that!"
0:27:47 > 0:27:49It's to one side for now.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54- It doesn't help that we're standing watching you, does it?- No!
0:27:54 > 0:27:58I'm just trying to think what to do next.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02- I think it's even more difficult with so few ingredients.- Yeah.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04Just thinking about the timings in your head as well,
0:28:04 > 0:28:06and when you need stuff to be done by...
0:28:08 > 0:28:09..so it comes together.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13- Less is more. Less is more.- Fry or oven...?
0:28:15 > 0:28:17Decisions, decisions.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19It's just how to put it all together,
0:28:19 > 0:28:20if I'm going to use everything,
0:28:20 > 0:28:22or if I'm not going to use everything.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27- Lots of thought.- Lots of thought.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29It's going to be a well-thought-out dish.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32A lot of thought and not a lot of doing - I don't like that.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35I don't know whether to pan-fry the fish, cos it's got the skin on...
0:28:35 > 0:28:39Am I going to pan-fry it? Am I going to pan-fry it?
0:28:39 > 0:28:41Cook it en papillote, or...
0:28:41 > 0:28:45But it's got the skin on, and I haven't done that before.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48I was just looking at Elisa, and she's got the parchment out,
0:28:48 > 0:28:51- I was like, "Is she going to do it in the oven?"- I know.
0:28:51 > 0:28:52So I'm thinking pan-fry mine.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55I'm just thinking what's best to do, with fish being my weakness.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00Danny's first to make a start,
0:29:00 > 0:29:03and begins with something he knows how to cook.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06It's just wilting down some spinach.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10I'm not 100% sure what I'm going to do with it yet.
0:29:10 > 0:29:12Elisa is still deliberating over the fish.
0:29:12 > 0:29:14I'm absolutely torn.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17I don't know whether to cook it in the oven or to pan-fry it.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23I've never cooked with this combination of ingredients before.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26Everything separately, but completely different cuisines,
0:29:26 > 0:29:30with the lentils that I usually do with Indian cooking.
0:29:30 > 0:29:31I'm going to pan-fry the fish.
0:29:31 > 0:29:35A bit of oil on the skin to try to get it nice and crispy in a hot pan.
0:29:35 > 0:29:36That's the plan, anyway.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38Finally, she's made a plan.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41I'm going to do a parcel and cook it with the white wine,
0:29:41 > 0:29:44but I'm notoriously bad at making these parcels.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47I don't know if it's going to work.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49Or has she?
0:29:49 > 0:29:53Ah! Still torn, but I think I'm going to pan-fry it.
0:29:53 > 0:29:57- Hi, Danny.- Hi, there, Sheree. Are you OK?- Good. How are you?
0:29:57 > 0:29:59I think I'm good, yeah. I'm getting on OK at the moment.
0:29:59 > 0:30:01I've just got some lentils boiling away.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05I'm hoping to soften them up, use them as a bed to lie the fish on.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08I'm going to pan-fry the fish. I think it's sea bass?
0:30:08 > 0:30:09- I could be wrong.- Absolutely right.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12- This is your worst nightmare, isn't it?- It is, it is.- Fish!
0:30:12 > 0:30:13It's not something I'm used to cooking,
0:30:13 > 0:30:15- but I'm going to give it a go.- OK.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18Once the lentils are done, I'll try and put together a sauce.
0:30:18 > 0:30:22I don't know what yet, but I'll come to it as I get along.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25- How's it going?- OK. Erm...
0:30:25 > 0:30:28I've spent a long time deliberating whether to pan-fry the fish
0:30:28 > 0:30:30or whether to actually cook it in the oven.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33I was thinking about doing it en papillote with white wine,
0:30:33 > 0:30:35but it's actually quite a thin piece of fish
0:30:35 > 0:30:37and I'm worried about how the skin's going to turn out as well.
0:30:37 > 0:30:39- You're a smart cookie, you are! - Hmm...
0:30:39 > 0:30:41- Are you changing your mind, though? - And so...
0:30:41 > 0:30:43Yeah, I'm going to pan-fry it instead.
0:30:43 > 0:30:48I'm going to do something with the lentils and the spinach.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51- OK.- But with everything else, I'm a little... I'm unsure.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54- We'll see how it develops. - Right.- Yes.
0:30:54 > 0:30:55- Good luck.- Thank you.
0:30:59 > 0:31:01I've never been so indecisive in my entire life.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04- This is so hard.- Danny...
0:31:04 > 0:31:06I think fish is something that he's a bit scared of.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08I think he's had... Just never cooked it,
0:31:08 > 0:31:11or had a bad experience of cooking it.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13When he saw that fish, his face was, like, "Aargh!"
0:31:13 > 0:31:15- Yeah.- But he's getting on with it. I mean, they're both...
0:31:15 > 0:31:18You know, they've got this far, they both can cook.
0:31:18 > 0:31:19They've both proved they can cook.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21Elisa this morning did the fish baked,
0:31:21 > 0:31:23and I think she's probably thinking that
0:31:23 > 0:31:26maybe she shouldn't do the same thing of baking the fish.
0:31:26 > 0:31:30And I think Danny's probably trying to do something really good,
0:31:30 > 0:31:31cos he knows he's up against Elisa
0:31:31 > 0:31:33and he knows that she's done really well so far,
0:31:33 > 0:31:35- so the competition's on.- Yeah.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37So you can feel the stress in there already.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40I'm just going to cook the wine down and then add a bit more
0:31:40 > 0:31:43butter through it just to try and whip up a sauce.
0:31:43 > 0:31:45I've committed to putting the fish in a pan,
0:31:45 > 0:31:47so that's a really good sign.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50- How are you getting on, Elisa? - Erm, not too bad.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52How are you? How about you?
0:31:52 > 0:31:54Yeah, we'll see. Winging it a little bit at the moment, but...
0:31:54 > 0:31:56Yeah, I think we both are, aren't we?
0:31:56 > 0:31:59The cooks' attention now turns to sauces.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01- WHISPERS:- Ah, I've burned my butter.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03I didn't cook the wine off enough, I don't think,
0:32:03 > 0:32:07so it's still tasting really winey, which it shouldn't do,
0:32:07 > 0:32:09so I'm just going to scrap that.
0:32:09 > 0:32:11Erm, I'll take it over here.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14- Danny...- Hi, Sheree.
0:32:14 > 0:32:16- Hi. How are you getting on? - Yeah, I'm going well.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18Got the fish on now, so I'm feeling a bit more comfortable
0:32:18 > 0:32:20now that everything's cooking.
0:32:21 > 0:32:23What's this? And why are you discarding it?
0:32:23 > 0:32:25It was going to be a white wine sauce,
0:32:25 > 0:32:27but I didn't cook the wine off enough
0:32:27 > 0:32:30before I added the butter, so it wasn't right.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34Can't you just put it in the pan and keep reducing it down?
0:32:34 > 0:32:37No, I didn't feel like it would come back round, so it was spoiled.
0:32:37 > 0:32:38It's best not to put it on.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40- Are you sure?- Yeah.
0:32:40 > 0:32:42- Sure?- Sure, I'm sure.
0:32:42 > 0:32:43What sauce are you going to serve then?
0:32:43 > 0:32:46- Cos you've got a little drop there. - I'm not going to serve any sauce.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49- Aren't you?- No. It's going to be good enough without the sauce.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52Oh, the fish is going to be good enough without the sauce?
0:32:52 > 0:32:54- Have you got any idea of how you're going to present it?- Yes.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56It's just going to be...
0:32:56 > 0:32:57I think I need to put the fish in for a bit longer.
0:32:57 > 0:33:01- Sorry, I'm worrying about it now. - Do you? Why? No, it looks fine.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03I think it's cooked through.
0:33:03 > 0:33:05Can I do this in one piece without breaking it?
0:33:05 > 0:33:09'For both cooks, it's now all down to the presentation.'
0:33:09 > 0:33:12Just four minutes left, guys. Four minutes to go.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16It looks like you're both nearly finished.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18Is there anything else I can do?
0:33:18 > 0:33:20There you go, my little fishy friend.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26No, I'm done. Yeah.
0:33:26 > 0:33:27Sometimes less is more.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30Right, that's it. Time's up. Step away from your plates.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32It's time to taste.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34First up, it's Danny.
0:33:34 > 0:33:36He's made a pan-fried fillet of sea bass
0:33:36 > 0:33:39on a bed of wilted spinach and Puy lentils,
0:33:39 > 0:33:42with a vermouth, lemon and parsley butter sauce.
0:33:44 > 0:33:45- Come in, Danny.- Thank you.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51- How was that for you?- I'm looking forward to you trying it.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53- Oh, good!- Great.- Let's have a try.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09It's got a nice flavour.
0:34:09 > 0:34:10The only thing I'd say is
0:34:10 > 0:34:14the butter has slightly overpowered the flavour of the fish.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16The fish is a little bit overcooked.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18The lentils are perfectly cooked.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20- But it's a very good effort... - Thank you.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22..and, you know, for someone who doesn't cook fish,
0:34:22 > 0:34:25you've cooked the fish and it hasn't stuck in the pan.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27You've got a nice crispy skin, and the spinach,
0:34:27 > 0:34:30it's not swimming in water, and the lentils are cooked right.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32- A really good job. - Thank you.- Well done.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34If you'd like to go back to the waiting room for the last time,
0:34:34 > 0:34:36- we'll see you very shortly. - Thank you.- Thank you, Danny.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39It was a bit of a nightmare when I pulled the cover back
0:34:39 > 0:34:40and saw the fish. I thought, "Oh, no!"
0:34:40 > 0:34:41It's a good effort.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44A very good effort for someone that's never cooked fish.
0:34:44 > 0:34:46I mean, it's...fantastic.
0:34:46 > 0:34:47Go on, how did it go?
0:34:47 > 0:34:49Yeah, it went quite well.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52The fish, he said, was a little bit overcooked, but not much,
0:34:52 > 0:34:55so the lentils and spinach were brilliant, they went well together.
0:34:55 > 0:34:56Fantastic.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58I've really enjoyed it. I think it went well,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01considering I've never really cooked fish before.
0:35:03 > 0:35:04Finally, it's Elisa.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07She's also made a pan-fried fillet of sea bass
0:35:07 > 0:35:09with lentils and spinach,
0:35:09 > 0:35:11and a lemon, vermouth, basil and butter sauce.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14Come in, Elisa.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19- Thank you.- Thank you. Did you enjoy that?- I did, yeah.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21- OK.- Well, it looks very nice.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23Nicely cooked.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31Cooking spinach is an art form,
0:35:31 > 0:35:33and that spinach is absolutely perfect.
0:35:33 > 0:35:37Oh, you're kidding? Oh, my God. Wow.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39The fish is really nice.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43The lentils, I like them al dente. They're little bit...too al dente.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46A little bit under, but a nice piece of fish.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48- It's very good.- Oh, good.
0:35:48 > 0:35:50- Well, thank you so much. - Thank you very much.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52If you'd like to go back to the waiting room
0:35:52 > 0:35:53for the last time, we'll see you shortly.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55- Thank you very much.- Thank you.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58Yeah, I was really surprised that that went as well as it did.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00- Happy with her dish?- Very nice.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02I mean, that spinach was absolutely delicious.
0:36:02 > 0:36:04I mean, did you taste it? It was so sweet.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06- How did you get on, then? - It was nerve-racking.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08Yeah, it went...went surprisingly well.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10Cos I didn't think I did the fish justice at all.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13I don't know how I did that spinach so well.
0:36:13 > 0:36:15So, yeah, I'm really surprised.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18- Have you made your mind up? - Yes, I've made my mind up.
0:36:18 > 0:36:20- I know who I'm going to take through to the next round.- OK.
0:36:20 > 0:36:22Well, don't tell us just yet,
0:36:22 > 0:36:24cos we're going to see what you make with those ingredients,
0:36:24 > 0:36:25so let's go and do it.
0:36:26 > 0:36:28So, Theo, what are we making?
0:36:28 > 0:36:31So what we're going to do is we're going to do a sea bass in cartoccio,
0:36:31 > 0:36:33which basically means in, like, a bag.
0:36:33 > 0:36:38And we're going to bake it with vermouth, basil, lemon and butter,
0:36:38 > 0:36:40and it's going to puff up, and inside it's going to sort of create
0:36:40 > 0:36:44this lovely steam which is going to make the fish cook really gently.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47So let's get the lentils in first.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49In they go.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52So, tinfoil, a nice big piece of tinfoil.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54And then we're just going to fold this over.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56What we're going to do is we're going to create a little kind of...
0:36:56 > 0:36:59like a little oven. And we put some butter in the bottom.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01So a nice rubbing of butter.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03And then we're going to get a piece of bass.
0:37:03 > 0:37:07So just take a little bit of the belly fat off.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10Take that tail bit off, and then just trim that up there.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12Then we're going to season.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16And we're going to pop that into here, like so.
0:37:16 > 0:37:17And then we get a lemon.
0:37:17 > 0:37:19It's important when you do this dish
0:37:19 > 0:37:21to put the basil on the bottom of the skin...
0:37:21 > 0:37:23- Then put the lemon on top. - ..and the lemon on top of that.
0:37:23 > 0:37:25And then I'm just going to fold this over,
0:37:25 > 0:37:27just seal the edges.
0:37:27 > 0:37:29One, two - nice seal.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32And then open up, so you've got that little kind of bag like that.
0:37:32 > 0:37:34Yeah.
0:37:34 > 0:37:35And then get your vermouth,
0:37:35 > 0:37:38and then just put a few spoons of vermouth - about three -
0:37:38 > 0:37:41and then we're just going to fold it and then just seal it.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44Now, I'm doing this one seal on it so I can check it,
0:37:44 > 0:37:47so when it's cooking, I can just lift it up like that, OK?
0:37:47 > 0:37:51- Then that goes in the oven probably for about ten minutes.- OK.
0:37:55 > 0:37:56OK, so, in goes the spinach.
0:37:56 > 0:37:58Almost just count to ten,
0:37:58 > 0:38:01and then put it into a colander and let it cool down naturally,
0:38:01 > 0:38:03and it will taste so much nicer.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06OK, so just chop the parsley.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10The parsley in, and then some olive oil.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14Going to get some seasoning in there.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16Salt and some pepper.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18A nice bit of lemon.
0:38:20 > 0:38:22And then let's have a look at this sea bass.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25- So, you can see that it's sort of puffed up...- Yeah.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28And then just open up the bag,
0:38:28 > 0:38:30- and you'll see that kind of steam coming out.- Oh, yeah.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34- Can you smell that?- Yeah. - OK, sea bass, nicely done.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36And then pour all that juice from the fish,
0:38:36 > 0:38:38and all that vermouth,
0:38:38 > 0:38:41and the basil and the lemon has all sort of combined together.
0:38:41 > 0:38:45I'm just going to cut some basil.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47You've got a bit of butter in this.
0:38:47 > 0:38:49And then just move the butter around the pan.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54And the butter will start to emulsify,
0:38:54 > 0:38:58and you'll get this lovely buttery sauce.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00Let's get the lentils in here.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05Let's drain those lentils.
0:39:05 > 0:39:09So it's got this really lovely herby lentil with the lemon juice.
0:39:09 > 0:39:10Then we'll plate up.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13So put the spinach on the bottom.
0:39:15 > 0:39:16Here are the lentils.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22So, it's all nice and steamy.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25And then you pick up the piece of fish,
0:39:25 > 0:39:27pop that on the side there,
0:39:27 > 0:39:32- and then pour that beautiful sauce all over the fish.- Gorgeous.
0:39:36 > 0:39:38And there you have steamed sea bass
0:39:38 > 0:39:40with basil, lemon, lentils and spinach.
0:39:40 > 0:39:42Wow.
0:39:44 > 0:39:45Dig in, guys.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49- How quick was that?- Very.- Too quick.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53- What do you think? - The sauce is amazing.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56- The sauce is incredible. - Is it super buttery?- Yeah.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58- Ah, wow.- Lovely, Danny?- Mm.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00I don't want you to take it away from me.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02Right, Theo, it is time to declare your winner
0:40:02 > 0:40:05and who you're going to take through to the Friday final,
0:40:05 > 0:40:06but before you do,
0:40:06 > 0:40:09let's have a quick recap of what our cooks made earlier.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14In the first round, Danny almost ruined his pasta,
0:40:14 > 0:40:18but brought it back from the brink to turn out a flavoursome dish.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22In round two, he created a well-seasoned,
0:40:22 > 0:40:24good all-round carbonara.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29And in the third and final round, his sea bass was slightly overcooked
0:40:29 > 0:40:31but he fared better with the lentils,
0:40:31 > 0:40:33which were cooked to perfection.
0:40:34 > 0:40:35I'd love it to be me.
0:40:35 > 0:40:37I'd love to be the person going through to tomorrow.
0:40:37 > 0:40:41You know, I love cooking, and I love other people tasting my food.
0:40:41 > 0:40:45Meanwhile, in round one, Elisa's hake was praised for both flavour
0:40:45 > 0:40:46and technical ability.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51Her pasta was the best of the bunch in round two,
0:40:51 > 0:40:55and in the final round, her sea bass and spinach were cooked perfectly,
0:40:55 > 0:40:58but she was let down by the lentils, which were a little raw.
0:40:58 > 0:41:00I really hope I've done enough to get through,
0:41:00 > 0:41:02so...fingers crossed.
0:41:04 > 0:41:06Theo can only take one of you through to the Friday final.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08So, Theo, it's over to you.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11Well, I have to say, you've both been brilliant.
0:41:11 > 0:41:12You've both cooked very, very well today.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15I mean, Danny, I was really worried about your pasta at the beginning,
0:41:15 > 0:41:18but what was great about you is you listened to what I was saying.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21You acted straightaway, which was great.
0:41:21 > 0:41:22Your pasta was very good.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25Your linguine was excellent, you cooked it really beautifully.
0:41:25 > 0:41:27And your sea bass was good too,
0:41:27 > 0:41:28so you've had a really good day's cooking.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30You should be really proud of yourself.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32Elisa, you've been brilliant all day.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34I mean, from the start, for me, that first dish,
0:41:34 > 0:41:37I thought, "Wow, this person can really cook."
0:41:37 > 0:41:39And your piece of sea bass was really nicely cooked as well.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41- Your lentils were a bit underdone. - I know.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44I want to take someone really strong into Friday's final.
0:41:45 > 0:41:47- Elisa, you're coming with me. - Thank you.
0:41:47 > 0:41:52- Oh, my gosh.- Yay! Congratulations! - Thank you.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55- How do you feel?- In shock.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57- Aw! Congratulations! - You shouldn't be in shock.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00- So I can really cook, then? - You certainly can.- Wow.
0:42:00 > 0:42:04In shock. I didn't know I could cook that well, so I'm really surprised.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07So, Theo, any last tips for your new partner?
0:42:07 > 0:42:11So, Friday - you've got to focus on what you're doing.
0:42:11 > 0:42:12It's tough.
0:42:12 > 0:42:16My game plan for Friday is to make sure that she is calm
0:42:16 > 0:42:20and we go into this understanding exactly what we're going to cook.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22I've just really enjoyed the experience,
0:42:22 > 0:42:24and I think I've learned a lot
0:42:24 > 0:42:27and I think I've...you know, I've done myself proud.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30I'm just really excited to get into the final.
0:42:30 > 0:42:32I don't want to let Theo down at the final,
0:42:32 > 0:42:36so I'm going to work really hard and listen really well,
0:42:36 > 0:42:38and hopefully do him really proud.
0:42:38 > 0:42:42Tomorrow on Yes, Chef, it's the Friday final.
0:42:42 > 0:42:43The teams go head-to-head
0:42:43 > 0:42:46to cook for culinary royalty, Pierre Koffmann.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49Whip the cream! Whip it!
0:42:49 > 0:42:51Four chefs, four home cooks...
0:42:51 > 0:42:52Get in there!
0:42:52 > 0:42:56..but only one team will be crowned Yes, Chef champions.