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00:00This week, I'm back in Inverness to see what's become of La Riviera.
00:05Oh, is this bassin new?
00:07Two years ago, I told head chef Lewick to simplify his menu and he'd get a Michelin star.
00:12So has he changed his ways?
00:14I don't think so.
00:18Wanting the salted porridge?
00:20Now it's a strange hybrid of Franco-Scottish cooking.
00:23New dishes on the menu?
00:25Marinated calamari, potato foam, salty peanut ice cream.
00:28And I'd love to see a giblet.
00:30Club sandwich?
00:31Yeah.
00:43Scotland, home of the brave.
00:45Home, too, of haggis, neeps and tatties.
00:48And the deep-fied Mars bar.
00:52But in Inverness, there's a restaurant on a mission
00:55to bring sophisticated French cooking to my fellow countrymen.
00:58OK, you send me two prestatars right now, please.
01:00Yes.
01:01Two prestatars.
01:02It's the vision of French head chef, Louis Lefer,
01:05who's trained in some of the best kitchens in France.
01:08I went to work for the president in France, Mr Chirac.
01:12When we had, like, Mr Bush is coming, our Japanese president is coming,
01:16used to do, like, big functions.
01:18Service, one sea bass, one green, table 14, go.
01:21Then I moved to work with the Porcel brother in Montpellier,
01:24and they have three Michelin stars.
01:27Service, please.
01:28I can't wait to meet a young chef with such an impressive pedigree.
01:31Hello, Louis.
01:32Nice to meet you.
01:33Enchanté.
01:34Enchanté.
01:35Enchanté.
01:36And this is the team.
01:37Yeah.
01:38To help realise his dream,
01:39Louis handpicked an impeccably trained brigade.
01:42Sous chef Jeffrey has worked in restaurants
01:45with both one and two Michelin stars.
01:47Did you work with Louis in France?
01:49No.
01:50No.
01:51I came, basically, here.
01:53It's a very good opportunity to work for somebody,
01:55a three Michelin stars.
01:56Regis also has a Michelin star-studied background.
02:00How long have you been cooking?
02:03Uh, eight years in France.
02:05Uh-huh.
02:06And, uh, in a different country, you know.
02:09And so does the junior of the team, Nicola.
02:12And, uh, Nicola, where are you from?
02:14Britain.
02:15Britain.
02:16Not.
02:17You've got a good football team there, huh?
02:18Yeah.
02:19But now you support Celtic or Rangers?
02:20FC Nantes.
02:21FC Nantes.
02:22Oh, I fear you.
02:23Hey, you're in Inverness, for God's sake.
02:25You've got to support a proper team.
02:27And Gerard's not letting the side down, either.
02:29His previous jobs were at Michelin star level, as well.
02:32Gerard, do you have a Scottish girlfriend?
02:35Uh, yes.
02:36I find accent.
02:37It's a good point.
02:38LAUGHTER
02:401,400 miles from the French Riviera, Louis has created a mini French stronghold in Inverness.
02:47And no one's Scottish in the kitchen?
02:49No, no Scottish.
02:50No Scottish.
02:51There was some, but not anymore.
02:53Did you sack them?
02:54No, no, no, no.
02:55The first time when I came in the kitchen, I switched off the microwave, put it in a car park, and three days after, I was by myself.
03:03They got the message?
03:04Yeah, because they were using microwave all the time.
03:07Oh, God.
03:08Powder for stock.
03:09Oh, dear.
03:10Deep frying everything, even fondant potatoes.
03:13So I had to build a new team, which is good.
03:16Okay.
03:17Which is good.
03:18Lewick's determined that his dream team is going to get him his very own Michelin star.
03:22A bit like Roman Abramovich when he wanted to get the premiership title.
03:26He went around and got the best manager, the best football players, and then brought them all over to Chelsea.
03:31Yeah.
03:32Fantastic.
03:33Yeah, all done.
03:34I think if we can get a Michelin star...
03:39That should be great for us.
03:41We are looking to achieve, like, one Michelin star to start with.
03:45Why not two and, you know.
03:48This is new.
03:49Even the fridge is top of the league.
03:51Wow.
03:52Walking fridge.
03:53Fucking hell, look at the size of it.
03:54Yeah.
03:55It's like a one-bedroom flat.
03:56Yeah.
03:57And the produce is the very best.
04:00Flying vegetables in from France is over the top, even for me.
04:04But the local shellfish is really top-notch.
04:07They are amazing.
04:09When they come down to London, they're definitely not that fresh, I can show you.
04:12That is incredible.
04:14Fuck me.
04:15They've got the best of everything here.
04:16I mean, really the best of everything.
04:18Someone must be paying a small fucking fortune to run this place.
04:21And that someone is multi-millionaire Barry Larson, hot from a 600-acre private shooting estate.
04:27He made his fortune from the catering business, but it wasn't exactly fine dining.
04:32Morning, Julie. How are you?
04:34This is the man who brought Kentucky Fried Chicken, Winpeat and Harry Ramsons to Scotland.
04:39All right. We'll see you in a minute.
04:40And now he's invested nearly two million pounds trying to prove he can make fine dining finger-licking good.
04:46It sounds amazing, the sort of dream team that you've put together.
04:49Yep.
04:50I'm slightly concerned about the expense involved in that, because dream teams don't come cheap.
04:54No, no, they don't.
04:55You haven't got any grey hair.
04:56I've got some.
04:57Well, you're hiding it very well. Unless you die the fucking thing.
05:00No, no, no, I don't die. Not yet.
05:03But no, it's expensive. You know what the school is.
05:05Yeah, big time.
05:06Have you owned hotels?
05:07No, I haven't owned hotels before.
05:08No, no, I haven't owned hotels before.
05:10We've had various restaurants, fast food chains that we've built up, sold out.
05:13Really?
05:14Family restaurants that we still run.
05:16But obviously at a different, completely different level.
05:18I mean, a fast food restaurant's miles away from anything to do with fine dining.
05:22Yeah.
05:23But, you know, you still want to produce quality for the, for the, for the spend.
05:28It sounds fantastic, but this place is costing Barry over 8,000 pounds a week on food and staff costs alone.
05:35And they seem to have forgotten the three most important things in the restaurant business.
05:40Customers, customers, customers.
05:47Four days a week, the restaurant's dead.
05:51And one cheese sandwich.
05:52And every night it's empty.
05:53It's another big dent in Barry's investment and Louie's ego.
05:58Sometimes you get zero.
06:00Really?
06:01Yeah.
06:02Must be hard there when it's zero, no?
06:03Yeah.
06:04Especially with all these team here.
06:05It's a nightmare for us.
06:07Does it hurt?
06:08Yeah, a bit, yeah.
06:09You've got the team, but you want to play.
06:11You're ready to go.
06:12Oh, yeah.
06:13That's difficult.
06:14Yeah.
06:15We are like dogs, you know, when they go shooting.
06:17Yeah.
06:18They are ready.
06:20Louie's hungry for success, but the locals aren't biting.
06:23Can you do me a favour?
06:24Can you read that out for me?
06:26Oh, of course, I can't say that.
06:29What the Bollinger of Jerusalem artichoke?
06:32Do you know what that is?
06:34One glance at his menu, and I think I've spotted the problem before I've even tasted the food.
06:39Not sure.
06:40Declinisation salmon.
06:43That sounds good.
06:44How's your gulies?
06:45That doesn't sound very appetising.
06:46I'd probably order that one.
06:47What do you think that means?
06:48This food may appeal to the connoisseurs in the south of France, but this is Scotland's
07:01smallest city.
07:02Would you eat that?
07:03Would I eat it?
07:04We can't eat it.
07:05We can't eat this.
07:06You don't know what else.
07:08Barry and Lewick want Michelin-level success, but I'm afraid they've lost sight of the basics.
07:13You are an impatient bastard.
07:14Yeah.
07:15You want it, and you want to get your shopping troll in, go along and get that and get that,
07:22and I can see it in your eyes.
07:23You've had a lot of success beforehand, bringing all these things in together.
07:26Yeah.
07:27It's not the perfect recipe for an instant hit.
07:29Right.
07:30I'm just worried that you don't fall into the same fucking trap that I did, and I lost
07:34a lot of money.
07:35Right.
07:38It was a proud day for me when I opened Amaryllis in my hometown, Glasgow.
07:41We got off to a great start, and within our first year, we'd won a Michelin star.
07:46But as the menu became more elaborate, the diners started to dwindle.
07:51The food was so fancy, it put off the locals.
07:55They stopped coming, and I was forced to close Amaryllis down.
07:59It's a bit of a deja vu for me, and I'm concerned that you may be running.
08:04What?
08:05Too quickly, too soon.
08:06You know, you're in danger.
08:07Oh, fuck it.
08:08It's going too far.
08:09That happened to me after 12 years at the top.
08:13There's no doubt in Louis' talent.
08:16It's his lack of experience that worries me.
08:18One scallop.
08:19Table three.
08:20Table three.
08:21It's his first ever head chef's job.
08:23There's always a big, big trap they fall in.
08:25How are we doing it?
08:26Where they try to do too much too soon, and almost try to be sort of competitive, and thinking
08:31that what they saw in their previous kitchen, which was in a three-mission star, I've got
08:34to be better than that.
08:35And that's where a lot of young chefs fail.
08:38Could you check double ten for me, please?
08:39You put the name and everything, huh?
08:41It's my second day at La Riviera, a top restaurant with no customers.
08:46So if the locals aren't eating here, where are they eating?
08:50Busy for lunch?
08:51Fuck me, $5.95 for two courses.
08:54Starter and main.
08:56Inverness is a fast-growing city, and the restaurant market is clearly thriving.
09:00$7.95, that's fucking cheap, isn't it?
09:02Now, look, early supper menu, two courses, $9.95.
09:05I've asked Louis to serve me dinner from his a la carte menu, which costs £34 for two courses.
09:12With that team in there, and the produce in the fridge, it's to die for.
09:17So it should be a great dinner.
09:19I'm looking forward to this one.
09:20One scallop to follow one duck, the breast pink.
09:24Yes, yes.
09:25All right, let's go.
09:26This is your canapes.
09:27You have an olive medallion and a cheese beignet.
09:30Canapes and a pre-starter.
09:32This is ambitious food for London, let alone Inverness.
09:36Potato soup with wasabi.
09:39Mmm, very creamy.
09:42Very, very rich.
09:44I'm excited about the food, but I don't feel comfortable sitting here.
09:50I'm all right.
09:52If you're like a painter, you need a good eye.
09:56You know, like, to paint, you will put something like black here and not here.
10:01Because for him, it doesn't look right.
10:03Okay, okay.
10:04Let's go.
10:05One scallops.
10:06Seven, nine.
10:07Very complicated.
10:08A lot of combinations of flavours going on.
10:12For me, the golden rule is always keep it simple.
10:16You're tasting a broad bean and white asparagus and a citrus vinaigrette, a confit tomato,
10:21fennel seeds, fennel flowers, chervil, salad, parmesan.
10:25There must be 20 things going on this plate.
10:27And then, you know, that looks fantastic.
10:29But, it doesn't do anything really.
10:34Next up, duck on deux services.
10:37This is a duck leg.
10:38Decided to make it a ravioli on duck leg for the nine.
10:42A good ten to twelve flavours on the plate again.
10:46It's just confusion.
10:47And your mind is sort of working overtime to try and understand what's happening.
10:52Okay, service, please.
10:53A main course served in two parts.
10:55That's just pretentious.
10:57Almost like someone is uncontrollable.
11:01And almost like a little bit carried away and overexcited and nothing's saying,
11:07Just stop.
11:08Come back.
11:09Oh, la la.
11:10Is that all for me?
11:12Yes, it's all for me.
11:13Louis seems desperate to impress.
11:15Next, he'll be telling me how to eat it.
11:17If I may, to recommend you the order.
11:19You've got the tiramisu first, please.
11:22Then the floating island.
11:23Yep.
11:24Then you'll have the souffle.
11:25Mm-hmm.
11:26Then the sorbet.
11:27Mm-hmm.
11:28Finally, the cordito with mamelette.
11:29What a load of bollocks.
11:30Next, we'll be told which temptation to pee in because of the fucking salmon in the river.
11:34Technically, flavours were amazing.
11:39The scallops were delicious.
11:41Mm-hmm.
11:42The light vinaigrette.
11:43Yeah.
11:44And did it need the parmesan?
11:45Did it need the flowers?
11:46And do you need that many flavours to make it work?
11:50I won't change anything on the flavour.
11:51I think the way we work, the product, bring to the guests the flavours that I want.
11:59Your personality has to be comfortable on the plate.
12:04Mm-hmm.
12:05And I see a lot of uneasiness on the plate.
12:08I don't know if you're confident enough in what you're doing.
12:10And I've got to be very honest because this is very crucial.
12:13But this has to work.
12:15Mm-hmm.
12:16Barry, what do you think?
12:17When you think about it, it's probably right that he has to just find his own style.
12:23Barry's acting more like a besotted sugar daddy than Lewick's boss.
12:28You take on somebody like that and you're taking them on because of their capabilities and their ambition.
12:33And, you know, the last thing I want to try and do is restrain that ambition and what he's doing.
12:39I'm not, you know, I'm not a chef and I couldn't do what he does.
12:42I'm not really in a position to criticise.
12:47But I am.
12:48This place isn't even breaking even.
12:50And yet Barry's forking out four and a half grand a week just on staff.
12:54It's no way to run a successful business.
12:57Barry's in love with you.
12:59No, he's in love with your food.
13:02Um, yeah, I think he'll like it, yeah.
13:04He's never going to be your critic.
13:06And what I've got to understand is where is your critic coming from?
13:10Who's telling you to stop?
13:12That's it, send it.
13:14When I think it's all right, don't touch it anymore.
13:16Goes.
13:17Goes.
13:18No wonder his food's over the top.
13:21Now I want to see how he runs his kitchen.
13:24Scalpel.
13:27As every plate journeys around the kitchen, each of his seven chefs adds another flourish.
13:40And all this unnecessary fussing is wasting time and money.
13:45Hurry up now.
13:46Yeah, all done.
13:47There's so many hands that are going on round the kitchen.
13:51The plate, is that normal for it to go round?
13:53Can they not finish anything?
13:54They need my sauce.
13:55The same for the lofters, they need my sauce.
13:56Okay.
13:57You put the plate under the grill and I sauce, okay?
13:58Service please.
13:59Service.
14:00Service.
14:01Oh!
14:02One is missing.
14:03No, no, no, it's okay.
14:04It's okay, sorry.
14:05It's okay now.
14:06It feels like we've done 250.
14:07And all we've cooked in the last two and a half hours is ten.
14:10Service please.
14:11I felt that I wanted to just say stop.
14:14What you've got at the beginning was just enough for me.
14:17I'm proud of you.
14:18I'm proud of you.
14:19I'm proud of you.
14:20I'm proud of you.
14:21I'm proud of you.
14:22I'm proud of you.
14:23I'm proud of you.
14:24I'm proud of you.
14:25I'm proud of you.
14:26I'm proud of you.
14:27I'm proud of you.
14:28I'm proud of you.
14:29I'm proud of you.
14:30I'm proud of you.
14:31I'm proud of you.
14:32You will process something more simple.
14:33Simple because the ingredients you've got are phenomenal.
14:36He needs to let his food speak for itself.
14:39His approach feels outdated and pretentious.
14:42It's easier if we maybe cook a dish, like cooking scallops, and look at the difference and
14:48go through it together that way.
14:49Right.
14:50right now what should we do scallops now now whatever I've got two things to do okay for
15:04the guests tonight and I'll be with you if the restaurant was full I could understand
15:10his arrogance but it's hemorrhaging cash and no one seems to care it's almost like
15:15the barricades are up and you know nothing's gonna get through because what I want to do
15:19is do the dish together and look at the different stages were taken out to make it more appealing
15:23but it doesn't seem to sink in I only want to be part of the team just let me in being hard asses
15:32yeah nice but when you're in this situation with over complex food no direction I'd fucking grab
15:38that kind of insight was in his shoes the owner trust me completely I can do what I want whatever
15:43I want so it was a deal between us carte blanche and whatever I do Louie's behaving like a spoiled
15:52brat so as a last resort I'll try his brigade this is something you can work closely with Louis yeah
15:58I want to help definitely let me fucking in yes first I'm gonna tackle the language barrier
16:09I'm gonna have to get you thinking fluent Scottish dutty wee bastard dutty wee bastard no
16:14before dutty wee bastard it's getting there dutty wee bastard sorry it's fluid in Scottish now all right
16:22so when someone upsets him in the high street dutty wee bastard or piss off or piss off no piss off
16:29it's already my third day but nothing sinking in surely no it can't ignore the evidence if it's
16:43staring him in the face this isn't a meal for six all this is dinner for one at La Riviera it looks
16:51like a fucking feast for a king Henry the eighth it's quite interesting when you start from one
16:59end and go all the way right to the very end it helps you to identify where you can just draw back
17:06a little bit and look at the whole balance of exactly what you're doing and people have to
17:11understand and they are here to enjoy it so they have to spend a bit more time on the table like just
17:19say okay we've got two hour and a half yeah to enjoy it I couldn't eat all that I'd have to stop
17:26halfway I think I'd stop halfway yes I don't know if I was not able to do it all this I wouldn't do it
17:36what Louis can't get into his stubborn French brain is that refusing to trust his ingredients isn't just
17:43putting off his customers it's also a turnoff for Michelin inspectors maybe I can convince Barry it
17:51is his money after all recommend me a whiskey I'll try to explain in terms that any hot-blooded Scotsman
17:57will understand I'm one for Barry please Barry's paying so because there's a touch of ice in there
18:03please sure yeah thank you to ever touch a soda in there please no because you're going to spoil the
18:09complicated the drinks are you suggesting or telling me I'm doing both and no way so down there on the
18:15mortgages there's no way no let me just say something you're absolutely right you don't fuck with things that
18:25are good and the first thing I said to live it about the food when you've got quality ingredients let
18:32them speak for themselves and when you've got something as good as that that speaks volumes
18:38doesn't need anything else no fucking passing no shovel no bailiff no fucking fruit garden nothing
18:44just meant get it out do you understand yeah I do Barry seems to be getting it and I've got an
18:51idea that just might convince his chef the San Jack dish I want you to cook that another cook a San Jack
18:57dish alongside you yeah no no no that's what don't of course it's just I'm 38 I'm 10 years older than
19:06you know yeah and so it's not because I'm fucking 10 times better you I just want to make you understand
19:10how I say yeah okay what Newick doesn't know is that I've invited XAA inspector David Young to judge
19:18the dishes for himself and what he won't know is whose is whose my San Jack dish has just four simple
19:27ingredients as well as the scallops it has a cauliflower puree and a caper and raisin dressing
19:33how long for you Luke's dish has at least 14 different flavors so you've got a new season
19:44asparagus white asparagus with the roasted scallops you've got a funnel artichoke and anise
19:51juice and I mix it with a funnel make okay you've got the parmesan crisps and you've got the broom
20:00food inspectors are feared and revered by chefs all over the country if they judge your food worthy of
20:24Michelin stars or a rosettes the reward is a place on the gastronomy map and ideally customers beating
20:32a path to your door will you prefer Louis elaborate playful or my simpler rendition this particular
20:41one has much more visual impact I get the feeling that the dish is going to taste of exactly what was
20:47described to me whereas this one looks a little bit over garnished and there's a bit of a muddle of
20:53different types of flavors inspectors like David can make or break a restaurant's reputation if Luke
21:02is going to gain a coveted Michelin star his food really needs to be worthy of four rosettes how difficult
21:09David is it to get four AA rosettes well it's very difficult because to put it into context as at
21:16this moment there are only two AA four rosette restaurants in Scotland in the whole of Scotland
21:21in the whole of Scotland is it a four-star dish what you've eaten this one Gordon yes no no that this
21:29particular dish would be somewhere between two and three rosettes whereas this dish would be probably
21:35four rosettes the combination of the cauliflower and caper puree just absolutely lifted the dish
21:41into a different dimension whereas this one some of the flavors were over complicated to to be frank
21:49about it and it may be just a case of sometimes less is actually more Louis has taken the news badly
21:59he thinks I've stitched him up
22:04this in addition anglo-french relations have hit an all-time low but time is running out at the Riviera
22:17it's got to work hasn't it it's your first-hand chef job you can't afford to fuck that will I ever
22:22make princes out of this colony of frogs I'm getting towards the end of my week at La Riviera and I
22:33don't know if Louis is still speaking to me last night he reacted badly when an AA inspector confirmed
22:40that his food was over fussy what was the first thing you thought about this morning after yesterday
22:45with inspector was the was one message you you learned from it now I had your advice I had his advice as
22:58well so one you can say maybe he's wrong to you start to take care of asking them maybe I am wrong
23:09so it's a difficult thing to accept
23:15the French franc has finally dropped it's been hard for Louis but he's already changing his game
23:22plan he's come up with a new much simpler idea for the scallop dish it looks fucking brilliant and
23:30what I can identify now I know there's apple because you kept the green on there I know there's
23:34rocket I know there's pumpkin seed and it makes me feel comfortable because I know what I'm about to eat
23:40yeah I can identify what you're doing that that's delicious everything that goes on the plate has to
23:50have a reason not for this but for here yeah for the palate and what you've just done there
23:57Louis you've given your food clear insight okay I'm it's not three four or five or is that for me I'd be
24:05happy eating that anyway you know that where's that fucking inspector
24:07damn fucking hell hallelujah I've just taken fucking France now Louis has finally swallowed his
24:17pride we can begin to move forward with his team behind him maybe he has a chance of achieving his ultimate goal
24:24and he told me that you wanted a Michelin star and at first I didn't think that was possible you know
24:32that because of how things got so complicated but with this here there's no two ways about it it's
24:38definitely worth the star I respect Louis for taking it on board because it's fucking hard lesson very
24:45hard lesson but you know it's got to work hasn't it it's your first headshot job you can't afford to
24:51fuck that crucial you've got the right training now you've got the perfect position to do it but
24:58winning over the kitchen is only half the battle Karen is the maitre d and she's also Louis girlfriend
25:05she's responsible for writing the elaborate menus and have already discovered that the locals haven't
25:11got a clue what they mean it's time to turn the tables read that for me crunching pepper head with
25:19my said that is nice to prove a point I've given them a menu of classic Scottish dishes what do you
25:30think it is something sexy something spicy that is what do you think that one is there this one here
25:42do you have any idea what I'm trying to say it's impossible to choose anything you don't understand
26:00exactly that's exactly it's good for make a choice when you have this one because yes it's difficult for
26:07Scotland to understand you guys that's what I'm trying to say yeah he's saying yes so it's less
26:12intimidating if you have an assortment of salmon you know a selection of Mandarin you understand what
26:19I'm trying to say yeah at last I'm getting somewhere just look at what you're taking to the table and
26:25fucking hell you know it's like you're a librarian you should see what it's like when the table are set
26:34and six of them are looking in here you've lost everybody yeah yeah there's no dinner anymore because
26:41everyone's behind a brick wall you can simplify the whole thing just one beautiful open card starters
26:48mains so everything going down there is simplified it and it's not just the menus that need lighting up
26:54smile smile he's far better looking when he's smiling it doesn't cost anything in Scotland well
27:07tried yeah oh fucking hell throw him in the river we're supposed to be in a restaurant not a Sunday
27:13school church service where's my Bible Barry's grass the nettle and has radical plans to transform the
27:29dining room we're gonna take this column away yep gonna take the raised area away at the back on that
27:35side so we've got a cost of 35,000 pounds the arches over the doors we're gonna square off yeah and
27:42then it's all parallel all the way around some nice artwork it doesn't look that bad does it it doesn't
27:48look I don't think it looks particularly it's not glamorous but it's not glamorous but it's not
27:53glamorous but it's shitty no but it's just not I just think it doesn't look right but I've got a
27:58low-cost idea which I think will give La Riviera a unique selling point I'd like you to start
28:07thinking about having a table in the kitchen where you have local to come and sit and eat yeah it
28:14starts to break up the sort of wall that you know sometimes you have when you come to a strange new
28:20country as I've discovered having a chef's table in the kitchen is a great way to bring customers into
28:26your world and keeping the chefs on their toes and this would be the first restaurant in Scotland to
28:32have one I think this this would be the best place yeah it's definitely yeah just in a corner and they
28:38will see everything everything and it can help create something exciting Inverness can you imagine
28:43the buzz going around town the chef's table could be a way of showing off and establishing your
28:46reputation here and be be be first yeah you know it's exciting idea yeah it is yeah yeah I mean
28:55for once you're gonna see how do the people react to your food if it's no good I mean like just to
29:01throw it hopefully they won't do that but it all costs money and although the chef table is a great
29:09investment until they've got customers coming in they need to make economies elsewhere crab foie gras and
29:17hand-dived scallops which are king scallops so I mean the Rolls-Royce of ingredients I mean everything's
29:24here fucking out Louie needs to do what I did when I started out learn to use good cheap cuts to put
29:32together an inspiring menu making something exquisite from a shin of beef or an ox tongue takes a lot of skill
29:44and it's a great way to identify talent right I'll tell you you and you Bridges a little competition
29:58want you to cook a dish come up with something really exciting and then lyric myself will look
30:05at it and the most tastiest delicious dish will put on the lunch menu and for me the most important
30:13thing about this is always a sign of a very very good cook to turn something very very cheap into
30:20something quite special so Bridges take it to bed and think about it next morning I'm pleased to see the
30:31young chefs have taken their oxtail challenge seriously pasta yes and it's very you know yeah
30:39nice not very long yep yep roll it put it back into a shape from the beginning juice reduction reduction
30:50glass like a phone yeah the oxtail dishes for the lunch menu are almost ready and they've each cost
30:58about a quid to put together this is like these are not only highly profitable but bringing together
31:09great Scottish produce with French flair is a winning formula and just a bit of Australian yes
31:16tastes delicious with the white root vegetables it made it feel earthy and together yeah yeah who's next
31:24and despite what Louie thinks simplifying his dishes will actually make them more likely to win
31:29awards I've never had off sale and sesame seed together before Michelin inspectors never reveal their
31:36criteria but I know from experience that beautifully cooked food is not enough next inspectors look for
31:42good quality ingredients ideally regional and definitely in season and I put the carrots celery
31:49hug this idea is great and the balance of flavors is crucial very rich it needs a salad yeah because
31:56it's quite rich and what I like is only put the salad just next to and not on a plate like this you can
32:01choose thank you first and foremost don't confuse a Michelin inspectors palette by putting too many
32:07ingredients on the plate thank you the simpler the better what you've managed to do is to bring out
32:21the true flavor loxtail oh thank you okay Mel Gibson any one of these dishes would be worthy of a place on
32:28the lunch menu but we're choosing just one I want to see if Luke and I will agree on the winner I'm going
32:34to touch my plate which I'd like on the lunch menu and you touch the plate after three yeah okay one two
32:40three equal level well done it was real and authentic Scottish food yep that's I think he understood really
32:55understood it's where we want to go with Lewick leading the way we're ready to relaunch the restaurant
33:00for me it's a critical stage for any restaurant is to get a lunch full and if our customers have an
33:05enjoyable lunch chances are they'll be back from more expensive a la carte dinner when they leave
33:10with a bloody good lunch good prices I can guarantee by the time five o'clock in the afternoon hits you
33:18know they've told a hundred people go there for dinner because I had a fantastic lunch I want to see if
33:23we can push this starter main and dessert one hour yeah as well as the new oxtail dish the menu will
33:34include mackerel pheasant and goat cheese ravioli venison from Barry's estate tuna and the cheapest cut
33:41of pork customers sometimes are scared about belly of pork thinking fat greasy we've taken the fat off
33:47rolled it and spiced on a bed of spinach it's a caramelized onion puree and I've got some other
33:57ideas to give Scottish traditional dishes a modern twist this is a soup that doesn't look pretty but
34:03tastes amazing they would expect the French one to make a cookie soup which is a really nice way of
34:09putting your identification on it just an idea for the rice pudding and we grew up with this kind of
34:17food so we can go a little bit further caramelized pineapple mango or even marinade the prunes in a nice
34:24more whiskey the kitchen's finally turning out the kind of food that I know will definitely appeal to the
34:34local and even the waiters have promised to try and smile but there's one more thing to complete the
34:44transformation you've got to come with me now because we're going to become even more Scottish
34:49any ideas yet Bridges have you ever taken your knickers off before no no chance to show
35:03your scotch eggs okay it's time for lewik and his small colony of french comrades to surrender
35:09themselves to the Scots the things I'll do to get the arrogant French to become a little bit more
35:17Scottish is amazing you know it's cold how do you put your tongue on it we don't wear pumps I'm going to turn it out it's wonderful very hot and it's very sexy
35:29there's 25 very important guests coming for lunch yes but some really good news they're all women
35:45very powerful women if they can impress 25 influential local business women there'll be the talk of the
35:54town
36:21at last lewik's team are beginning to dance to a different
36:24different tune the food looks really good clear and simple
36:42everyone's coming really well it's the first time I've actually seen a real
36:45taste of Scotland in this kitchen
36:50Lewis on his way to the top of the Premier League and judging by the
37:01reaction of his fans he's definitely scored absolutely divine just perfect
37:07absolutely perfect you couldn't fall anything you'd be talking at least a
37:16couple of hours for lunch but to get something like this in that time scale
37:19brilliant it's beautiful
37:22you have tried you in this okay thank you I think it's a big chef and what is that
37:39there thank you yeah to chin chin Louie can his team I've come a long way this
37:51week and if he sticks to my keep it simple mantra I think La Riviera might
37:56be on the right track for a Michelin star outside just for the ladies Regis to
38:08understand that you really are part of Scotland now we're all gonna turn around
38:13on my last visit to La Riviera chef Luke had simplified his food by reducing a
38:30number of ingredients Barry had spruced up the dining room the restaurant was
38:35heaving and I left it with every chance of becoming success and obtaining that
38:39elucid Michelin star
38:43in the two years since I was last here La Riviera has been renamed abstract I
38:49wonder what else has changed marinated calamari Chinese white potato foam salty
38:55peanut ice cream it sounds like the fucking menus upside down is that dessert or starter
39:00I don't think how are you not too bad family well yeah very indeed thank you this looks nice and you my god it's lunchtime
39:09but abstract is empty what's wrong and how many got booked for lunch lunch we
39:15don't open for lunch here now we just open next door so you've actually opened a
39:18new restaurant in there yeah we open contrast in at the end of the second week
39:22in June this year just a brasserie so it's to try and give us a balance between the
39:27fine dining okay and something more simple bizarre instead of serving simple
39:31lunches in here as I advised Barry's opened an entirely new restaurant we just
39:36thought we're doing the lunches there it's really busy there yeah we'll close this
39:39one Barry says turnover at abstract is down 27% in the past year although it is
39:44popular in the evening big question Michelin star we never got it and that
39:50was it we just keep working hard and see what happens this year I thought by
39:53simplifying the menu I'd put them on course for a star it's lyric over
39:57elaborating in the kitchen again how are you finding you yeah good to see you well
40:02yeah I'm sorry about the Michelin star I thought that would have arrived a year
40:07ago you've done well without the star and the business is running very well new
40:12dishes on the menu marinated calamari Chinese way potato foam salty peanut
40:16ice cream yeah oh dear this must be a vegetarian delight a giblet club sandwich
40:20what was that mashed giblet but in Inverness now mm-hmm not in Edinburgh or
40:27London or New York if you said to someone you know fancy a club sandwich you
40:32know they would expect some fucking chicken tomato mayonnaise where'd you get
40:38these ideas from I don't want to be like my neighbors I feel like I'm just preparing
40:43lunch for the silence of the lambs brown hair and black pudding pigs trotter
40:48carpaccio sound like everything's intensified tenfold I just hope it comes off some of
40:55Lewick's menu seems very strange indeed it's more Frankenstein than Franco
41:01Scottish so that's the cup sandwich thank you then we serve with the rosy partridge ably risotto
41:10with plum and white mushrooms and just a normal G it's a shame he's a talented chef but he's still
41:19trying too hard and it's only one one or two bites at the end of the dish you're satisfied because you
41:27didn't have a lot to eat and I can guarantee there won't be anywhere anywhere in across the Europe
41:34will be selling a giblet club sandwich so we can relax on that front if Lewick carries on like this
41:39he can forget the Michelin star maybe the brasserie isn't the only reason takins are down at abstract
41:49Lewick tells me his customers like the giblet club sandwich but surely not I'm going to unleash it
41:55onto the streets of Inverness yes of course darling would you like to know what it is yes um it's a
42:01um it's a giblet club sandwich all of it right you fire away you like that yes like this um it's a
42:13um it's actually a giblet club sandwich would you order it if you saw on a menu in a restaurant
42:18absolutely no way sounds gross what's in it uh giblets i don't think i would order it
42:24you wouldn't order it would you like to have a little taste giblet club sandwich
42:30giblet club sandwich think about it no it's weird because i feel a little bit sorry for him as a chef
42:37because he's very talented but he doesn't know where to draw that line however Lewick is getting
42:43something right he finally took my advice about simple food but not at abstract he's doing it here
42:48in the brasserie and the place is heaving it's nice in there yeah how many tables we can sit 70
42:54people and what style of food is it more simple food cheaper obviously you've gone simple yeah no
43:01yeah i can do something no it can be simple and modern sometimes 5.95 for lunch two course lunch 5.95
43:105.95 only fresh produce that's amazing what kind of things on the menu it's a challenge you've got
43:17some scottish ling very good monkfish tower 12 pound yeah fucking i wonder it's so busy we still making good
43:23money but bring people back in the evening contrast offers great value dishes made with fresh ingredients
43:30i only wish he'd done this next door at abstract so what did you have for dinner the belly of pork
43:36and how many times have you been here twice lovely i've been about 16. really yeah i like it wow
43:42that's great i think it's beautiful how many times have you been to abstract once how long about a
43:47year ago why haven't you been back there i'll be honest well i felt it was a bit stiff it's very
43:52relaxed in here yes nice and casual yes yeah and you come for the value yeah this is probably about the
43:58seventh time now yeah and i've recommended it as well should be on the payroll he always made it
44:05quite clear from day one that lunch was his headache because he couldn't quite make the standard of fine
44:10dining for the lunch menu they didn't want to eat playing food well they do because this place
44:17is a big success it's a big success saturday 4th of november four hundred for dinner another hundred for dinner
44:30contrast success is startling with a turnover of a quarter of a million pound in its first four months
44:36but why didn't barry do this in abstract and save himself 80 grand building a new brasserie it's been
44:45phenomenally busy but there's something really weird going on because that's getting less busy in abstract
44:54over there and contrast seems to be the draw
45:14i'm leaving this morning but barry and luic have dropped a bomb they're opening a third restaurant
45:19together in edinburgh modeled on you've guessed it abstract this is a first for you in terms of
45:29investing in the business in terms of partnership yes i have yeah and the expenditure probably you know
45:34we're about 400 000 on the you know shop fit probably another hundred thousand opening expenses
45:41and stuff so half a million big one yep in terms of edinburgh edinburgh's a tough market i i would play it
45:48fucking safe safe safe safe safe whilst it's really exciting to go down and play with the
45:55fucking big boys in edinburgh in a major fucking you know city if i was in your shoes i'd be doing
46:01something simple i'd be going in with a an upmarket version of contrast not abstract i so wanted to
46:08work you know that if you stick to those lines you'll be a massive massive success for sure we'll have
46:16to simplify to simplify we know that yeah we've got your advice on your opinion on it now which i
46:20think is great and you know luic and i have a chat about it perfect good luck yes thank you thank you
46:27once again appreciate it it's such a little fucker you know that if they keep it simple and win the
46:34mystery star they've got every chance of their business being really successful but forget the
46:38quirkiness no russian's going to be successful with a fucking giblet club sandwich anywhere in the world
46:44let alone fucking scotland
46:59last in the series next tuesday more in a minute another nightmare next tonight imagine losing 37
47:04years of your life the true story of doug bruce who became an unknown white male
47:21you
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