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00:00Come and clean my octopus. No, you're right. Take three restaurants.
00:05Cheers! Aiming for culinary excellence. Do you need me to do anything? No. Ask each to host a
00:12three-course meal. King Gang's service, please. Which will be scored in secret. Aye. On today's
00:21show, wonderful worms. Our very own worm salt. Don't taste any worms. Yeah, it just tastes like salt, really, doesn't
00:27it?
00:27The worm cut from the sweetness of the dessert. Scorching sauces. I'm gonna get stuck right in.
00:33Oh, my God. Can I have some milk, please? I thought he was gonna pass up at one point.
00:37And a disgruntled diner. Stick to pub grub. Give me pub grub!
00:43Wow. Well, the man knows what he wants when he wants it.
00:47As they thrash it out for £1,000 in cash. On a personal man-to-fish basis, I don't like
00:52that fish.
00:59Today's professional competition comes from in and around Cardiff, the capital of Wales.
01:04A nation famed for its beautiful spring lamb. And looking to spring to top spot are our first duo,
01:13co-owner Sam and head chef Gary of Mexican taco bar, La Pantera.
01:18La Pantera is a tequila taco bar. We've developed a bit of a reputation.
01:23We like to burn the candle at both ends, like, every day.
01:28Let's hope you don't burn those tacos.
01:30It's kind of putting any kind of food inside of tacos and calling it Mexican.
01:34We change the menu every single week. We put pasta, rice, tacos. Everything. Big Macs.
01:39Whatever you can put in between the tortillas in there.
01:41The mind boggles. So what's the plan today?
01:44We're kind of all about fun dining, not fine dining.
01:47And we're just trying to have as much fun as we possibly can, and long may it continue, really.
01:51And the first course to have fun with is the starter, a trio of mackerel tostadas.
01:57I'm not a big fan of... bottom-dwelling fish.
02:03Meet Gareth and his wife Heather, proud owners of The Gate.
02:06The Gate is the best restaurant around these parts. Best steakhouse, freshest seafood.
02:12I just love food, love serving customers, love cooking it.
02:16We've worked together for years, but the rules are I don't get involved in the kitchen.
02:21And that's how we stay happy and married.
02:25We used to come here for date night. 20 years ago. Yeah.
02:28We used to sit here and think, oh, wouldn't it be lovely to have this place?
02:32And it was just a dream because we never, ever imagined we'd be able to have it.
02:35And now we come here every day and I still love this place.
02:39Back at La Pantera, there's something very fishy going on.
02:43We'll do a mackerel three-way, so we're going to do it pickled,
02:45we're going to do it potted in a pate form,
02:47and we're going to do grilled mackerel, kind of Asian-style.
02:51So, basically, a lot of mackerel,
02:53the first of which goes into a blender with creme fraiche for a blitz.
02:57It doesn't look too appetising at the moment.
02:59Maybe some chopped herbs will help? Delicious.
03:02Oh, it looks ten times better. I told you.
03:04A dollop of horseradish and...?
03:06That's really good.
03:09Just hope people like mackerel. Everyone loves mackerel.
03:12I hate mackerel. I hate mackerel.
03:14Not ideal.
03:16Completing the line-up, a lint-free chef, Joel,
03:19and owner Sian of Gastropub, the Horse and Jockey.
03:23The Horse and Jockey is my lovely little country pub.
03:26The food's amazing, the stuff's amazing,
03:29and we all thrive for greatness, yeah?
03:32Amazing.
03:33And what do you dish up at the Horse and Jockey?
03:35It's the top-end of pub food.
03:37If Michelin started a pub, we'd be it.
03:40We do.
03:41Do they?
03:42Oh, I don't know that.
03:44Well, something to aim for, then.
03:45We're a very, very busy restaurant,
03:47and being only 23, I think we do a fabulous job.
03:52Back at Fish HQ and the boys are in a pickle
03:56for their second tostada.
03:57A bit of water, a bit of sugar,
03:59and then just a variety of seeds.
04:01Which is poured over raw mackerel.
04:04The third mackerel offering will be seared before serving.
04:08On to the main.
04:10Welsh lamb tacos with pico de gallo and frijoles.
04:15Welsh lamb tacos...
04:17No. It doesn't make sense.
04:18That's not... They don't go together.
04:20A nice leg of lamb.
04:21We marinate it with loads of fresh chilies,
04:23peppercorns, some white wine vinegar,
04:25a bit of pineapple.
04:26This is our pièce de résistance, as they say in Germany.
04:30My way, Herr Gary.
04:31The marinated lamb will now roast for several hours.
04:34Bye!
04:36I like lamb. I like tacos.
04:39I like it all. What's not to learn?
04:42Next up, Sam and Gary get to work on their salsa.
04:46Pico de gallo, like the red, white and green of Mexico.
04:49So we've got the red of the tomatoes, the green of the coriander
04:52and then the white of the onions.
04:54Garlic and oil are added.
04:55It's on to their next side.
04:58Frijoles?
04:59Please don't ask me what a frijoles is,
05:01because in my years I've never come across that.
05:06Come on, Sam, what is it?
05:07Frijoles is just basically refried beans.
05:09It's for quite a traditional Mexican side, isn't it?
05:12Yeah.
05:13He adds chilli to the pre-soaked and cooked black beans,
05:16which are then blitzed.
05:20Finally, dessert.
05:21A banoffee pie birria.
05:24That sounds absolutely divine.
05:27I'm getting Spanish vibes from this menu.
05:30Well, Mexican, Spanish.
05:31Obviously, in Mexico they speak Spanish.
05:33Obviously.
05:34I thought they spoke Mexican in Mexico.
05:36Spanish.
05:37For the caramel sauce, butter is added to sugar
05:40and then hot cream.
05:42Whoa-ho-ho.
05:44A little volcano going on.
05:46Before a final pinch of salt.
05:47We'll leave that to call, shall we?
05:48Job done, let's go.
05:49The rest will be made later, so that's the prep complete.
05:52Really sharp.
05:52I thought, like, I would be wowed.
05:54Instead of, like, the only wow I've got is, wow, is that it?
05:58I'd say it's possibly a runner's up menu.
06:02After...?
06:02After hours.
06:03Thought so.
06:05First to arrive at La Pantera,
06:07are Sian and Joel from the Horse and Jockey.
06:10Hello, are you OK?
06:11Joel.
06:12Joel.
06:12Gary, nice to meet you.
06:13Sian.
06:14Nice to meet you.
06:16If you'd like to take a lagerita.
06:17A lagerita.
06:18So, what's in it, Sam?
06:19Lime juice, sugar, tequila, beer,
06:22and then it's all just frozen in our slushy machine.
06:24Sounds delightful.
06:25Finally, it's husband and wife team from the gate,
06:28Gareth and Heather.
06:29Welcome to La Pantera.
06:31I'm Gary.
06:31Nice to meet you.
06:32How are you?
06:33How are you, mate?
06:34You OK, Gary?
06:35Nice to meet you.
06:36How are you?
06:37Welcome to our night, guys.
06:38Let's have a good week.
06:39Cheers.
06:39Cheers!
06:41Coming up, interior insults.
06:44No disrespect, but they haven't spent a lot of money on the decor.
06:48Do you think they looked down on us a little bit?
06:49Maybe, maybe.
06:50I've got that impression.
06:51And slippery stories.
06:53Python steak.
06:54It cost me horrendous amount for this four-ounce python steak.
06:57That steak story went on a bit, didn't it?
06:59He doesn't shut up, does he, really?
07:00No.
07:08It's the first night of our pro competition from in and around Cardiff.
07:12Cheers!
07:12Cheers!
07:13With Sam and Gary treating their guests to a fiesta of inauthentic Mexican dishes
07:18at their restaurant, La Pantera.
07:20Whoop!
07:21Got it.
07:22If everyone wants to go downstairs and relax, we'll just get the stars ready.
07:25As the hosts begin cooking...
07:27This mackerel is going to be the centrepiece of the show, isn't it?
07:30It's going to look very nice.
07:31Their guests are admiring the surroundings.
07:33Oh, it's a lovely little place.
07:35Yeah, it's very quaint.
07:38No disrespect to the two guys, but they haven't spent a lot of money on the decor.
07:42It's not a professional type of place.
07:44It's more of a street food, chilled vibe.
07:47I'd pop in on my way past if I was hungry and there was nowhere else open.
07:51Ouch!
07:53Downstairs, Chef Gary is sticking tostadas to plates.
07:56We're just putting the guacamole on the bottom of the tostadas to stop them sliding around the plates.
08:00It's a little chef trick, isn't it?
08:02Top tip there.
08:03And they're crowned with slaw.
08:05So this is the pickled element of the mackerel dish.
08:07We've basically cured it in a pickle brine.
08:10Any more mackerel?
08:11Do you know what?
08:11They're going to love this mackerel pattern.
08:13Let's hope so.
08:14Before some lightly seared mackerel.
08:17Service.
08:19And there it is, a trio of mackerel tostadas.
08:23I hope you all like mackerel.
08:31This is really delicious.
08:33It's really lovely.
08:34I can appreciate the effort that went into this.
08:37I really can, but...
08:38You don't have to be polite, Charles.
08:39Mackerel is not for me.
08:41I mean, the only one I can really get along with is the pate one.
08:44Yeah.
08:45That's okay, yeah.
08:46I can see that's fair enough.
08:47Yeah, yeah.
08:47I ate it, to not be disrespectful.
08:50Mackerel's okay.
08:51But I couldn't eat the raw fish bit.
08:53I despised mackerel.
08:54But that was phenomenal.
08:56I still don't like it as a fish.
08:59On a personal man-to-fish basis, I don't like that fish.
09:02Is this a place you'd normally kind of come?
09:04Personally, no.
09:05But you have taken me surprised.
09:07That's good.
09:07Yeah.
09:07This is where I'd want to go for a couple of drinks before I go to a nice meal later
09:14on the night.
09:15And, er...
09:16Gareth!
09:16They can hear you!
09:17Yeah.
09:18No.
09:19We wouldn't want you to leave.
09:21Do you think they've come to the slums?
09:22Do you think they look down on us a little bit?
09:23Maybe, maybe.
09:24I've got that impression.
09:25Maybe.
09:25I've got that, too.
09:26So, yeah, Gareth and Heather, why did you set up your place?
09:29Well, we used to go date nights in our restaurant 20 years ago, when it was owned by someone else.
09:33And, er, we've had numerous restaurants before.
09:36But this one came...
09:37This one's special.
09:37This one came up about five years ago.
09:38So, it holds good memories.
09:40It's got, like, a sentimental value.
09:42Our restaurant's really iconic.
09:44Everyone met their husbands, their aunties, brothers, cousins, sisters, wives, dogs, goldfish handbags.
09:49You know, it was the place to be.
09:52We've completely transformed it, mind you, half a million pounds later.
09:55If you look around, we haven't spent half a million pounds, but...
09:59Imagine spending half a million pounds on refus.
10:01I mean, I can't even imagine, like...
10:02I don't think this building costs half a million.
10:04If you don't mind, we'll crack on with your main courses.
10:08Yeah, they absolutely smashed them, Michael, didn't they?
10:10I think so, mate, yeah.
10:10I thought it was going to go down the pan.
10:12Yeah.
10:12Yeah, well, alright.
10:14Not entirely sure they all enjoyed it, but hopefully the main course will go down better.
10:18Sweet corn fritters are given a deep fry, and out comes a selection of salsas.
10:23It's a chipotle mole.
10:24So, mole traditionally has just a touch of chocolate for the sweetness, doesn't it?
10:27Yes.
10:27So, yeah, that's just going to give it a nice little spicy kick.
10:30Yeah.
10:31So, we're literally going to put everything on the table, and people are just going to help themselves and get
10:34stuck in.
10:35And they'll be getting stuck into Welsh lamb tacos.
10:39Enjoy.
10:41Thank you very much, boys.
10:47That salsa's lovely.
10:48I love coriander, anyway.
10:50That is really good.
10:52Guacamole has never been one for me.
10:54No good.
10:54But this is very pleasant, actually, yeah.
10:58You can tell from me I'm not a big vegetable fan.
11:00The only vegetable I do eat is sweet corn.
11:03Sweet corn is my favourite.
11:04Lamb, originally I thought on a taco, a bit weird.
11:07However, lamb's lovely.
11:09Do you know the main course was not bad?
11:11Yeah, I really liked the main course, to be fair.
11:13It was really lovely.
11:15The hot sauce was too hot for me, but it doesn't take much.
11:18I bet it's not as hot as my extra hot sauce.
11:20Oh, well, I'm looking forward.
11:22We can have a hot sauce off.
11:23Now, that is something to look forward to.
11:26If I had to be really picky, the lamb was a little bit
11:28done too much for me, but then the sauces were delicious.
11:32The mole, the hot sauce, really, really good.
11:36Back at the table, Sam's sharing the secret
11:38of La Pantera's success.
11:40When you have such a small menu like we do,
11:42I think we have to keep it sort of changing every week.
11:46What have we put in there?
11:46Rice, pasta, noodles.
11:49Fish and chips.
11:50Fish and chips.
11:50We've done meatballs.
11:51Steak pie tacos.
11:53Yeah.
11:54But if you had to choose a taco, which taco is for you?
11:57One of my favourites was the roast dinner taco.
11:58It was a roast dinner taco.
12:00Interesting, actually, yeah.
12:01With your places, guys, what's the weirdest thing
12:03that anyone's put on a menu ever?
12:05The strangest was python steak.
12:10No way.
12:10And that was, yeah, it cost me horrendous amount
12:13for this four-ounce python steak.
12:15Right?
12:16Wow.
12:16And it was shocking.
12:18It was chewy, bland.
12:20And I only had a...
12:22I think I bought, say, about half dozen or ten steaks.
12:25Where are we going with this?
12:26I sold one.
12:28Yeah, that steak story went on a bit, didn't it?
12:29Yeah.
12:30He doesn't shut up, does he, really?
12:31No.
12:32I wouldn't be surprised if in the next couple of weeks
12:36they had an exotic meat in a tortilla.
12:38I wouldn't bet on it, Gareth, but how's the main gone?
12:41Second course, everyone's a bit more open, weren't they?
12:43I think when everyone gets stuck in, I think it just kind of breaks the ice, so...
12:46Yeah, completely.
12:47Hopefully dessert will carry on the thaw.
12:49Yet another taco is smothered in caramel and chopped bananas, and onto the hot plate.
12:54Is this a winner?
12:55It's a bit of everything, isn't it?
12:56Yeah.
12:57Bit of everything, yeah.
12:57And your fruits, five a day.
12:59Final dish of the night, a banoffee pie birria, with tequila whipped cream.
13:04So it's our twist on a classic Mexican dish, so we put a dessert inside a birria, basically.
13:14It's tacos, it's cream, it's bananas, it's tequila, what more could you want?
13:18It is, it's slightly too falling out.
13:21Yeah.
13:21Excuse the pen, that's when it all fell apart for me.
13:24I like to be in control of my food.
13:26Banoffee pie is caramel and banana, not chocolate.
13:30I ate the banana out the middle.
13:31I don't like chocolate.
13:32Don't worry, Sian, here's something that'll take away the chocolatey taste.
13:35What we've got here is our very own worm salt.
13:38Worm salt is pride worms ground up with salt.
13:42Are any of you brave enough to try this?
13:43I am.
13:44Straight in.
13:45Are you mad?
13:46Why do you think it's not going to go?
13:50The salt is not for me.
13:51I'm not shy of trying things, but I could have done without that.
13:57How's that?
13:58Yeah, it tastes like salt, really, doesn't it?
13:59Yeah, it's nothing like, yeah, a bit of salt.
14:03You don't taste any worms, obviously.
14:04You can't say, oh, that's a lovely earthworm from outer Hebrides.
14:09The saltiness takes that to a level where it should be anyway.
14:13The worm cut through the sweetness of the dessert a bit.
14:16And the only way to follow a plate of worm salt is...
14:19So, it wouldn't be a night at La Pantera without something a little bit special.
14:25CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
14:26That's best our fans.
14:28CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
14:33I was expecting a mariachi band.
14:36You can't always get what you want, Gareth.
14:38Right, time for some scores.
14:40Out of 20, please.
14:41We've had a great evening.
14:44Gary and Sam are lovely hosts.
14:46Really enjoyed tonight.
14:47It's different. Makes a change.
14:48Because it's different from anything we'd normally do.
14:51We actually enjoyed our food.
14:52Really didn't think we were going to.
14:54Mackerel surprised us.
14:56Dessert let it down a little bit.
14:58So, tonight, we're going to score them 8.
15:0113.
15:02Good food.
15:03Good welcome.
15:04Yeah.
15:05So...
15:06We're going to score them 15.
15:09Which gives La Pantera a very respectable 28 out of 40.
15:18It's the second day in the turn of the gate,
15:21with Gareth and Heather to host.
15:24Most definitely last night, they could be our main contenders.
15:28They could be in with a shout.
15:28Chalk and cheese to what we do here.
15:30Tonight will be fine down on a steakhouse level,
15:33with quality food and knives and forks.
15:35Cutlery's always nice.
15:37Maybe they run, like, a pub.
15:39Yeah, we're thinking country pubby.
15:40Yeah, yeah.
15:41I'm hoping tonight that it's going to be my cup of tea.
15:45I'm going to have a really good night,
15:46and we are going to love it.
15:48The first dish to fall in love with is the starter.
15:51A mini fruit de mer with a famous squid dip.
15:55Cannot wait for the starter.
15:56What, you like seafood?
15:57I love octopus.
15:58I love scallops.
16:00Since when?
16:00Absolutely.
16:01I've always loved it.
16:02For starters, I'm going to do a hot fruit de mer,
16:04which is a mixture of the fresh seafood.
16:07Come on then, let's see what you've got.
16:10Beautiful langoustines from Scottish waters.
16:12Lovely fresh Scottish scallops as well.
16:14And then we've got the New Zealand mussels.
16:16I think you've forgotten something.
16:17Hey there, I've got a job for you.
16:18Go on.
16:19Come and clean my octopus.
16:20No, you're all right.
16:21Clean it yourself.
16:23The octopus is popped in a pot with salt and lemon,
16:26and then boiled.
16:27Sounds delicious.
16:29We love seafood, don't we?
16:31Yeah.
16:32After a brief spell in the blast chiller,
16:34it's off with the tentacles.
16:35Crikey.
16:36And into a vacuum bag with garlic butter
16:38to be cooked sous vide for four hours.
16:42Famous squid dip.
16:43Squid dip.
16:44How can a squid dip be famous?
16:46I don't know.
16:48Tell us, Gareth.
16:49The squid sauce is the most important thing on our ass.
16:53Way too thick.
16:54You can't give that.
16:55So, yeah, we'd be hounded out of town
16:57if we ever took this off the menu.
16:59And for tonight only, Heather's being shown how to make it.
17:03Do you have to what?
17:04Thinner.
17:04Thinner.
17:05Thinner.
17:06Thinner.
17:08Keep it together with your hand.
17:09Together.
17:10Downward motion.
17:11Downward.
17:13It's like a professional.
17:15But she's flying solo on the chilli.
17:17I'm not really enjoying this.
17:19It's really out of my comfort zone.
17:21This is why I married a chef, so I didn't have to do this.
17:25Everything's then tipped into the secret sauce base.
17:28So, what do you put in there, then?
17:29I can't tell you.
17:30Not even you.
17:31Not even me?
17:31Not even you.
17:32It's then poured into pots.
17:34On to the main.
17:3640-day dry-aged fillet steak Rossini style
17:39with potato dauphinoise and a Madeira reduction.
17:42Do you reckon he's dry-aged this himself?
17:46I don't know.
17:47Where's he going to dry-age?
17:49Only in one of his two dry-aging cabinets.
17:52This is our 40-day dry-aged fillet mignon.
17:56Centre cut.
17:58The most tenderest bit of meat you can get.
18:00The meat will be cooked prior to serving tonight.
18:03Done right is the best thing in the world as well.
18:06Done wrong?
18:07The worst thing in the world.
18:09Tonno dos Rossini, the old Italian traditional dish.
18:13Basically a crouton pate, fillet steak, and some shaved truffle on top.
18:20For the Rossini pate, Gareth empties a huge bowl of chicken livers
18:24that have been soaking in brandy into a pan of frying shallots.
18:28Smelling amazing.
18:29Yeah, it's going to be good.
18:31Everything's blitzed with a generous helping of butter.
18:35The liquidised livers are then popped into the blast chiller to set.
18:39Lovely.
18:40Love that.
18:40Perfect.
18:41Can't wait.
18:42Let's go.
18:43The final part of the main is the classic potato dauphinoise,
18:46and yet another cookery lesson for lucky old Heather.
18:50Once you've done one layer, fresh garlic, and then keep going.
18:54Every other layer, put the garlic on.
18:56Every other layer?
18:59Unsupervised, eh?
19:02Or maybe not.
19:04I'm just making sure.
19:05You're on the best for our guest tonight.
19:07Can I have even gone a second?
19:08In with the cream, be quite liberal, all the way over.
19:12You might as well finish it now.
19:14Is that it?
19:15Yep, that's it.
19:16Now it can go in the oven.
19:18On to dessert.
19:20And the classic from yesteryear, crêpes au zetan.
19:23This is very 70s, this menu.
19:26I like, yeah, you're kind of right.
19:28Last night we had the fire dancer.
19:30Tonight we're going to bring a bit of theatre inside
19:32and have some flambéing at the table instead.
19:35Ooh la la.
19:36But before the theatrics, you need to make the crêpes.
19:39Never made these before, ever.
19:41I bet Gareth has.
19:43Same as Yorkspotene, but with a little bit of sugar.
19:46Never made those either.
19:46To flour and eggs, Gareth helpfully adds sugar and milk.
19:52And?
19:53Fantastic.
19:54Well done.
19:56It's not allowed a little bit of salt.
19:58Oh, you couldn't help yourself, could you?
20:00Not sure what a crêpe is.
20:01Of course you know what a crêpe is.
20:03A choux.
20:04No.
20:05A pancake.
20:06A crêpe.
20:08Why are they not called pancakes?
20:09Don't ask.
20:10Heather ladles the batter.
20:12That's it.
20:12All the way round.
20:14Awesome.
20:15This is easy.
20:17Straight under and flip.
20:18Yeah, no.
20:21No.
20:22Spoke too soon.
20:25Aw.
20:27I think I'll take over this.
20:28There's a surprise.
20:31Six perfect crêpes.
20:32Ready to be flambéed at the table tonight.
20:34Show off.
20:36All the crêpes done now.
20:37Feeling uber confident.
20:39If they like steak, they like seafood, it's ours.
20:41If this is done well, I think he should be.
20:44Good, good.
20:44It's gone better than us.
20:45I'm a little bit nervous.
20:47Yeah.
20:47Is this the winner menu?
20:48Of course not.
20:49We've got it in the bag.
20:51I love this menu.
20:52Maybe it is.
20:52We'll see.
20:54First to rock up to the gate, it's La Pantera party boys, Sam and Gary.
20:59Good to see you again.
21:00Hi.
21:00How are you?
21:01It's OK?
21:02How are you?
21:03Good, thank you.
21:04Hey!
21:05This sounds a bit of a heathen, but champagne's not for me.
21:08It's not my cup of tea.
21:10I'm not sure.
21:13You're ashamed to waste it.
21:16Last in, it's Sian and Joel.
21:18Hiya, guys.
21:19You OK?
21:19Hey!
21:20How are you?
21:21Nice to see you again.
21:22Lovely to see you.
21:23Hi, Joel.
21:24You OK?
21:24Welcome, Joel.
21:25Cheers, guys.
21:27Coming up, fiery flambés.
21:30Good old 70s dish.
21:32Crepe Suzette.
21:33Oh!
21:34I felt like for a brief second I wasn't in Wales, I was on holiday.
21:38And fabulous foliage.
21:40The mint is actually grown in our own garden.
21:43Right in this pot.
21:44Well, maybe don't point it out.
21:45It looks a bit scruffy.
21:47It wasn't very minty, was it, the whole mint?
21:48Less mint, more moss.
21:56It's night two from in and around Cardiff.
21:59Cheers, guys.
22:01And the turn of Gareth and Heather to impress with their classic steakhouse menu in an attempt
22:06to win the £1,000 prize.
22:08So, relax.
22:09Make yourselves at home and we're going to go and get your starters ready.
22:13Whilst Gareth tackles his fishy feast starter.
22:15This is looking and smelling fantastic.
22:19Gary and Sam are admiring his rather impressive meat.
22:23What?
22:23In his dry-aging cabinet.
22:25He actually does his own dry-aging.
22:26That's impressive.
22:27You don't see that every day, do you?
22:28You don't.
22:29That's incredible.
22:30That's wonderful.
22:31We'll get one in about four years.
22:32We're going to afford it, maybe.
22:34Which room do we convert in?
22:36Put it on the roof.
22:37Dream big, boys.
22:38Dream big.
22:40Samphire is covered with a huge tentacle, a giant langoustine and a large scallop.
22:46Bit of a wow factor when you first see it.
22:48Hopefully it tastes just as good as it looks.
22:50This is why I married him.
22:52And there we have it.
22:53An ocean's worth of goodies.
22:55And that's just for starters.
22:58Take it away, Gareth.
22:59I'll start with the octopus.
23:01That was boiled for an hour and a half.
23:03Boiled for an hour and a half.
23:05Straight boiled.
23:06Bay leaves.
23:07Salt water.
23:09And then...
23:09Salt water.
23:10Chilled in a blast chiller.
23:12Chiller.
23:13Tentacles taken off.
23:14Fat packed with garlic butter.
23:16Sous vide-ed for another four hours.
23:18Sous vide.
23:19And then chilled.
23:20And then finally, just before service, grilled on our chargrill.
23:25The intro to the starter was long, but it only showed that the man knew exactly what
23:31he was doing.
23:32The lobster boiled, butter poached.
23:35Gareth forgets that we're also professionals.
23:37We don't need to hear about every single element of every single dish.
23:42Oh, right.
23:42Well, I'll cross that out then.
23:44You can suck the head if you want.
23:47That's with a nice, er, goodness.
23:49Yeah, just pull off.
23:50Squeeze and pull.
23:52Yeah.
23:52I'm uneducated when it comes to seafood.
23:55Gareth made it a lot easier for me.
23:58Taught us how to eat nice, fleshy, perfect.
24:02Loved it.
24:02As a starter, I don't think it could get any better.
24:08Speechless.
24:08Yeah.
24:09It was delicious, but it was a lot of food.
24:11Do you know what?
24:12I actually loved the octopus.
24:13And I'm not a fan of octopus, but it was really good.
24:16Right, I'm glad you've all enjoyed your starters.
24:18We're off now to sort out your main courses.
24:21Done, dusted.
24:22If you stop now, that's ours.
24:26How's that steak looking, Gareth?
24:27The steak is looking phenomenal.
24:29I thought you might say that.
24:30On goes a quenelle of homemade pate, a sliver of truffle,
24:35and a crown of basnip crisps.
24:37Ding-dang service, please.
24:39The main course, fillet steak,
24:41with its life story and cooking instructions on the side.
24:45Deep breath, everyone.
24:46So, we got a 40-day dry-aged whole fillet out of dry-age this morning.
24:52Left it out, then this afternoon we put it in the oven,
24:55took it to 44 degrees.
24:58It's rare.
24:58So tuck in.
25:00Oh, like butter.
25:05This is my cup of tea.
25:07Absolutely.
25:08Love it.
25:09Love it, love it, love it.
25:11The steak is like butter.
25:12The pate's perfectly seasoned.
25:15The sauce is just deliciously rich.
25:17Delicious.
25:18The steak was so tender,
25:20I could have cut through it with my spoon.
25:23Never mind that, what do you think of the dauphin was?
25:26Never mind what he did.
25:28The dauphin was amazing.
25:29Yeah.
25:29Was it a triumph?
25:30It's incredible.
25:31Probably one of the best dauphin while potatoes I've ever had.
25:33There you go.
25:35Arguably the best element on that main course was the dauphin while potatoes,
25:38which came from Heather.
25:39They were a taste sensation.
25:42And you know, you better smack me up before somebody else does.
25:48After what the conversation about your sauce, I've got something just for you.
25:54So, this is our kick in the nagas, I call this, that I've got.
26:01Just in case you need a bit of mouth relief.
26:04Oh.
26:06I'm going to follow suit and I'm going to get stuck right in.
26:10Oh, careful Joel, that looks rather hot.
26:14Oh my God.
26:15It's not that horrible type of hot.
26:17It's not, is it?
26:18No.
26:18Yeah, it is.
26:20You're a baby though.
26:22Really nice spicy sauce.
26:24Speak for yourself when you talk about the sauce.
26:26Nah, nah, nah.
26:27I was choking.
26:28Can I have some milk please?
26:29Flavour is amazing.
26:30Yeah.
26:31It is.
26:32I think Joel overreacted slightly.
26:34I thought he was going to pass out at one point.
26:35Joel does like an overreaction, doesn't he?
26:37Fair play to you for trying it.
26:43Right, Gareth, how did the mango?
26:45It went well, didn't it?
26:46Told you.
26:47That level.
26:48Stay on the level.
26:49Or take it to another level by bringing dessert out on a trolley.
26:57Guys, we're going to have a good old 70s dish.
27:01Crepe Suzette.
27:02Just don't spoil it with a history lesson.
27:051895.
27:06The Café de Paris in Monte Carlo.
27:08There was a trainee waiter who was working.
27:13Just make them.
27:15In goes orange liqueur.
27:17Steady, Gareth.
27:18I felt like for a brief second that I wasn't in Wales.
27:22I was on holiday.
27:23It's certainly been a long haul so far.
27:26The butter in there gives it a velvety texture.
27:29The crepe is given a swirl in the boozy sauce
27:31and finally we have a dessert.
27:33A classic crepe Suzette.
27:40Unreal.
27:41Love it.
27:41Gareth's amazing.
27:43Lush, lush, lush.
27:44Whoa!
27:45She's gone triple lush.
27:46Flawless.
27:47No complaints.
27:48No complaints.
27:49Absolutely in my element.
27:50Sozzled.
27:51Three out of three, Gareth.
27:52Thank you very much, sir.
27:53How about some scores?
27:55The starters were amazing.
27:56The main course was incredible.
27:57The dessert was good.
27:58It was a bit dated.
28:00Tonight has been amazing.
28:01It's absolutely lived up to what I expected it to be.
28:04Tonight we're scoring Gareth and Heather a 16.
28:07Absolutely flawless.
28:09Thank you very much to Gareth and Heather.
28:12And for this reason we are giving you a...
28:1420.
28:14Oh!
28:16That maximum score means the gate notch a whopping 36 out of 40 and rocket into top spot.
28:26It's the final day in and around Cardiff and the turn of youngsters Sian and Joel to host in Sian's
28:33restaurant The Horse and Jockey.
28:35Last night was absolutely faultless.
28:37So tonight we are focusing on not coming last.
28:41We save the best pub food for miles around.
28:44And we may be young but we absolutely know what we're doing and we are going to end this week
28:48with a bang.
28:50That's the spirit!
28:51I'm expecting something quite country pub-y.
28:54I would like a rustic gastropub.
28:55I would like a good gastropub, yeah.
28:58No ears and graces.
29:00Try this for size.
29:01A perfect melody of black pudding and Welsh goat's cheese served on a generous slice of ciabatta bread topped off
29:10with a mouth-watering homemade caramelised chutney and a local poached egg.
29:16That's a bit of a long-winded...
29:19A perfect melody of black pudding.
29:23Black pudding, goat's cheese on toast with poster.
29:27Basically, yes.
29:28And the first thing to start is the mouth-watering chutney.
29:32This chutney we're making absolutely compliments this starter.
29:36Why does mine look like that and yours looks like that?
29:38So if you turn it round then, like that, and then slice, dice that way down.
29:44Top tip, chef.
29:46Joel, I'm done now.
29:47It's making me cry, so I'm going to go.
29:50Thank you for your help.
29:51The onions soften in butter before sugar and red wine are added.
29:55The smell of the red wine, if my boss wasn't in the next room, I think I would have a
30:00glass right now.
30:01Everything's spooned into tiny jars.
30:05It's...
30:05It's the gastropub-y thing we thought.
30:08Trying to be a gastropub-y pub grub.
30:11Yeah.
30:11Trying to be a gastropub.
30:12Joel shapes Italian bread.
30:14This is locally sourced ciabatta, all Welsh ingredients.
30:19Then black pudding and a large wheel of goat's cheese.
30:23Do you need me to do anything?
30:24No.
30:25That's told you, Sean.
30:27The melody will be arranged before serving.
30:29On to the main.
30:31Wait for it.
30:33Locally sourced slow-roasted Welsh rack of lamb.
30:36Served on a bed of Pembrokeshire creamy hand mashed potato.
30:39Infused with fresh gour pig samphire.
30:44Hmm.
30:46So it's just lamb mash and some samphire basically.
30:49Tried a bit too hard, I think, to make a dish look good.
30:56I'm gonna score and season the meat while you make your way out of the kitchen.
31:02I'm gonna go get my hair done now.
31:04So, er...
31:05See you in a bit.
31:05All the best.
31:07With Sean off, it's all on Joel.
31:10I'm gonna rub it with seasoning to sort of in-lock the flavours.
31:14A sprinkling of seasoning, a touch of rosemary and the lamb will be cooked later tonight.
31:20Next, the samphire-infused mash.
31:23That's not gonna...
31:23I'm not sure why that's in there.
31:25Yeah, you can't infuse mashed potato with samphire.
31:29So our sapphire isn't just any regular sapphire, it's gour pigst sapphire.
31:35Samphire.
31:36And it is a vegetable of the sea, which will add extra flavour.
31:40The samphire is chopped and the Welsh spuds boiled.
31:45These would be the best hand mashed potatoes they have today.
31:48Before everything is combined with melted butter.
31:52The key to nice fluffy mash is a lot of mashing.
31:57Thanks for that.
31:58Joel will reheat tonight.
32:00On to dessert.
32:03Deconstructed Welsh cake with St David's ice cream topped with a raspberry coulis and salted fudge cubes.
32:10It's...
32:11Hmm.
32:12This is the exact reason why I left fine dining.
32:14It's all nonsense.
32:15Yeah.
32:15It's just jargon on a page.
32:17Here looks lovely.
32:20Oh, right.
32:20I'm just gonna show you how we're gonna have the dessert tonight.
32:23Perfect, yeah, nice.
32:24So we've got some pre-homemade raspberry coulis.
32:29There's too much raspberry on the plate.
32:31There's concentrated raspberry, isn't there?
32:32That's gonna be way too much flavour.
32:34I got it all under control.
32:35I know you don't like being in the kitchen, so I'll allow you to go out and get ready for
32:40the guests.
32:41Deconstructed Welsh cake.
32:42Put it together, you lazy kids.
32:44What is wrong with these people?
32:46He's just gonna crumble a Welsh...
32:48He's gonna grab a Welsh cake, crumble it all over.
32:51Deconstructed Welsh cake.
32:52Not far wrong, Gareth, but Joel chops rather than crumbles his shop-bought Welsh cake.
32:57I have made Welsh cakes before, by scratch, and that is a reason why we've brought them in locally.
33:03Right, I see.
33:04Because I'm no good at making Welsh cakes.
33:07Yes.
33:07They'll reconstruct their deconstructed dessert later tonight.
33:11Confident in our cooking, confident in ourselves.
33:13Killer curls.
33:14Let's go.
33:15Is anyone feeling worried?
33:17Not threatened at all, to be honest.
33:19No.
33:19I personally don't think it's gonna be better than ours.
33:22No.
33:22No, no.
33:22This has filled me with confidence.
33:26Nicely done.
33:27Yeah.
33:28There's a gap by there, though.
33:29Too late now, your first guests are here.
33:31Hello.
33:32Husband and wife team from the gate, Gareth and Heather.
33:35Nice to see you again.
33:36How are you, Joel?
33:36How are we?
33:37Here are our homemade mojitos, and the mint is actually grown in our own garden.
33:44Right, right, right in this pot.
33:47All right, Joel, maybe don't point it out.
33:48It looks a bit scruffy.
33:51Last up, it's Sam and Gary from La Pantena.
33:54How are we?
33:55Nice to see you again.
33:56Yeah, really good, thanks.
33:57Can I offer you, gentlemen, a mojito?
33:59Absolutely.
34:00Yes, please.
34:00Thank you very much.
34:01Here we are.
34:02Our theme tonight is locally sourced ingredients.
34:04Yeah?
34:05The mint leaves are freshly picked from our very own garden here at the Jockey.
34:09It's pretty fresh, isn't it?
34:11Oh, yeah, you can definitely taste the difference, yeah.
34:12It wasn't very minty, was it?
34:14Less mint, more moss, I would say.
34:16More mossy.
34:17Damp mint.
34:18Cheers, let's have a good night.
34:19Woo.
34:19Cheers.
34:20Hey.
34:21Coming up, musical meals.
34:24Poached egg with goat's cheese is a no in my book.
34:27Can I ask why you call it a melody?
34:29Well, because it's singing to me.
34:31Combination totally weird.
34:32I think Garth was a little bit out of water tonight.
34:35Woo-hoo!
34:36And the Wonga is won.
34:38In second place.
34:46It's the final night of our pro competition in and around Cardiff.
34:50Woo!
34:52Where Sian and Joel are hoping their restaurant, the Horse and Jockey, will romp home in first place and bag
34:58them the 1,000 guineas, sorry pounds, as their guests relax in the mint fields, back in the kitchen.
35:06Do you think the black pudding's cut a little bit too thick?
35:09Nope.
35:09The black pudding is cut to perfection.
35:12The perfectly cut pieces are doused in olive oil and popped into the oven.
35:17Joel squeezes out a balsamic reduction, plates the toasted cheese and tops with the black pudding, a dollop of sweet
35:25red onion chutney, a poached egg and a final flourish of pea shoots.
35:30I am over the moon with these.
35:31I can't wait to rush to the table and to get it down myself.
35:35Sounds messy, but there we go.
35:37Joel, take it away.
35:39It's a perfect melody of goat's cheese, black pudding with a poached egg on top, the drizzle down over, the
35:46complement, each different flavour in its entirely.
35:50And after that poetic description, how does it taste?
35:53I can't stand goat's cheese.
35:56I don't like the smell, I don't like the taste.
35:59When I originally got told this recipe, goat's cheese, black pudding and a poached, I was like, are you mad?
36:04I had all our ingredients into one, but until I initially tried it, as soon as I put it in
36:09my mouth, I was like, oh, my God.
36:11For me, the flavours just don't seem to work together, so you've got acidic, you've got salty.
36:17Yeah.
36:17And then you've got the richness of the black pudding.
36:19Poached egg to go with goat's cheese is a no in my book.
36:23That's why I separated the two.
36:24Goat's cheese on the cross-team there, loving it.
36:26Black pudding, poached egg, loving it.
36:29Combination totally weird.
36:30It was not a melody.
36:31It was like a Picasso painting.
36:33It was just, it just didn't work for me.
36:35Can I ask why you call it a melody?
36:37It's not singing to me.
36:39Well, because it's singing to me.
36:41When we saw the menu, it screamed out a chef that's trying too hard.
36:45No offence.
36:46Some taken.
36:47You know, I've seen restaurants bring out these menus calling, like, poached hen's egg.
36:51It's a chicken.
36:52It's an egg from a chicken.
36:53You know, you don't have to bring these words out that there's no need for it.
36:56I completely agree.
36:58But I thought, special occasion, why not go all out and for once actually try my damn
37:04hardest.
37:05With the menu wording, a little bit over the top with the criticism.
37:08But I mean, at the end of the day, it is a competition and somebody has to win.
37:12And talking of flowery descriptions.
37:14If I had to describe Sian, I would describe Sian as a vintage bottle of Dom Perignon.
37:20Rich, bubbably, and nothing more than enjoyable.
37:24If I was to describe Joel as a menu item, I would describe him as an extravagant, pink, fluffy piece
37:34of pork.
37:35LAUGHTER
37:37Joel is the best possible person in his whole entire world.
37:41Pink, fluffy pig.
37:43Not sure that's a compliment.
37:46Moving on, it's pink, but it's the lamb for the main course that Joel flambes.
37:52Some quick, fancy tong work.
37:54Then it's into the oven.
37:56I am piping this mash straight from the bag.
37:59I'm trying to pull out as many stops as possible.
38:03I mean, do you want these decent scissors here, Sean?
38:07And again, mine are at the back.
38:11These will be lovely inside, and I'm hoping they're lovely and pink.
38:15But not like a fluffy pink pig.
38:17I'm really not hungry.
38:18It's fine, just only dead.
38:19And finally, the gravy.
38:22Service!
38:22The last main of the week, Welsh rack of lamb on Samphire mash with gravy and veg.
38:29If you'd all like the tucking, be my guest.
38:38One rack was cooked really well.
38:40The other one is pretty much raw inside.
38:43You've taken a rack of lamb, an expensive piece of meat.
38:47Shouldn't have been slow roasted.
38:49Whether that was slow roasted...
38:51Yeah, that was sealed, then put into the oven to cook.
38:54Sealed or seared?
38:55Seared.
38:56Seared?
38:56It's been sealed.
38:58Seared?
38:59Yeah.
38:59And then popped into the oven to cook to the according temperature.
39:03And to be honest, that's impossible to cut, even with a steak knife.
39:09Apart from that, though.
39:11And it's rare, pink.
39:14It's unedible.
39:15Not a word.
39:16Wow.
39:17Well, the man knows what he wants, when he wants it.
39:20And clearly tonight, he did not want that.
39:22The main course was awful.
39:24Thank you for your very thorough feedback.
39:26I really am gutted that you've described it as inedible.
39:29Well, I wouldn't if I could eat it.
39:32I think Gareth was a little bit out of order tonight.
39:35It wasn't as bad as what he made out.
39:37I'm quite glad it's pinker.
39:38I think the mash is really tasty.
39:40The veg is seasoned really well.
39:42Overall, I quite like it for a gastropug dish.
39:45I think it's good.
39:45That means absolutely loads to me.
39:48I know when lamb is good, and I thought that lamb course was really good.
39:51Yeah, it was tasty.
39:52I think Gareth was being dramatic.
39:54You overreacted.
39:55So, I have to say, since you're 23, I think you are doing an amazing job.
40:02Here.
40:02It's full of people.
40:04It's buzzing.
40:04And I think you're doing really, really well.
40:07I love it.
40:08I live and breathe this place, you know.
40:10Hearing nice things from Heather was really lovely.
40:13She understands how much stress it is.
40:16I was not doing anything like this when I was 23.
40:18You've done really well.
40:20She's smashing it.
40:2123 years of age with the responsibility.
40:24She's got beautiful premises here.
40:27It's great.
40:28Right, guys.
40:28If you would like to follow me and Sean, we'll take you to your surprise.
40:32Anyone fancy a pop classic?
40:45It's like being in an outdoor gig.
40:46I like that.
40:48Oh, my God.
40:49We'll be going to Glastonbury next.
40:50Maybe not.
40:51No.
40:54The band were great, weren't they?
40:56They were great.
40:57They were, yeah.
40:58They have really enjoyed tonight.
41:00Yeah.
41:00So, a thumbs up for the band.
41:03On to dessert.
41:04This is the deconstruction part of the Welsh cake.
41:07Looking good, Shani.
41:09The deconstructed or trimmed Welsh cakes are popped into the microwave.
41:13The edges are crumbled and on goes a boule of shop-bought ice cream.
41:17Service!
41:18Dessert.
41:19A deconstructed Welsh cake with ice cream and a smudge of coulee.
41:26What's St David's ice cream?
41:28It is a rum and raisin, traditionally made into a Welsh dessert,
41:34which makes it none other than the St David's dessert that it is today.
41:40The very same.
41:41When I read deconstructed, I didn't know what to expect.
41:44Where did it come from?
41:45Cut the sides off, crumble a bit up, deconstructed the Welsh cake.
41:50That Welsh cake wasn't deconstructed, was it?
41:53It was awful.
41:54Did you make the Welsh cakes?
41:56We didn't, no.
41:58I'm not being pedantic.
41:59That was a brought-in Welsh cake.
42:00Yeah.
42:01With the sides cut off, which doesn't make it deconstructed.
42:03But that's a brought-in Welsh cake, a brought-in ice cream,
42:06brought-in fudge pieces.
42:08As a restaurant, we could not keep up with the quantity,
42:12and that's why we buy it in,
42:13so every dessert is the same for each individual customer.
42:17I cannot believe you've not made your own Welsh cakes tonight.
42:20Well, I had starter and main juggling my left and right.
42:25The dessert was up to Sian tonight.
42:27No, it wasn't, because I don't even like this.
42:30I don't like nothing on there.
42:31Come on, team, you're nearly there.
42:34It's been a night of ups and downs, yes.
42:36I know that we have cracking food,
42:38so maybe we should have simplified it a little bit.
42:41Forget tonight.
42:43Forget everything you've done tonight.
42:45Stick to pub grub.
42:46People love pub grub.
42:47I love pub grub.
42:48And I love pub grub.
42:50And this is a bloody pub!
42:52Give me pub grub!
42:53Oh!
42:54Calm down, Gareth.
42:56And let's have some scores.
42:58Now, the horse and jockey need 36 or more to be this week's winners.
43:01Good luck!
43:02The food was disappointing.
43:04He tried too hard.
43:05He needs to keep things simple.
43:07I don't think we saw the true reflection of what they do as a restaurant tonight.
43:11But they've got a great place here.
43:13Great atmosphere.
43:15And Sian and Joel are really great people.
43:17And for that reason, we're going to score them a ten.
43:20The starters win for me.
43:21Yeah.
43:21The main course was good.
43:22Yeah.
43:23The dessert.
43:24The dessert was an embarrassment.
43:26The entertainment was okay.
43:27Which has recouped them a bit.
43:28So, tonight, we're going to score Sian and Joel.
43:31Eleven.
43:33CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
43:41So, in third place, guys, is the horse and jockey with Sian and Joel.
43:51In second place, La Pantera with Sam and Gary.
43:55CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
43:58Which means the winner is the gate.
44:01Whoa!
44:02Well done, guys.
44:03Well done, guys.
44:04It's been amazing.
44:05It's been such a good few days.
44:07CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
44:08I am disappointed.
44:10Of course I am.
44:11The best professional restaurant won tonight.
44:14And I'm really happy about that.
44:16Congratulations.
44:17Cheers.
44:17Cheers, guys.
44:18The best team won, absolutely.
44:21A little encounter.
44:22Last?
44:22Yeah.
44:23Yeah.
44:25CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
44:26He was never in doubt, was he?
44:28If he goes on food, he was never in doubt.
44:30Who do you think you are?
44:32It's the big stuff
44:35You're never gonna get my love
44:38Now because you wear
44:40All those fancy clothes
44:42Oh, yeah!
44:43And have a big fine car
44:45Oh, yes, you do now
44:47Do you think I can afford
44:50To give you my love
44:52Oh, yeah!
44:53You think you're higher
44:55Than every star above
44:57You make the big stuff
44:59And you know who you are
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