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00:00Oh
00:04Taste of art is something the world has never seen before
00:13We have hand-picked some of the best chefs from all over Aotearoa
00:19Putting their skills to the test and their reputations on the line
00:24Taking ingredients from in front of them
00:26and transforming them into mind-blowing works of art.
00:31Judged by me, Melissa Leong.
00:34I can safely say I have never eaten anything like this in my life
00:38and I'm deeply impressed.
00:40And superstar chef, Vaughan Mabee.
00:43He catapulted Amersfield Restaurant into the world's best list.
00:47He is ranked 44th best chef in the world
00:49and one of the most innovative culinary minds of our generation.
00:53It's so creative.
00:55I'm almost a little bit jealous of it.
01:00The most creative challenges ever seen.
01:04Redefining the lines between food and art.
01:07Wow, that was so cool.
01:08But only one can claim the trophy.
01:10You're the first ever winners of Taste of Art. Congratulations!
01:23Be quiet, they're coming.
01:26Whatever.
01:27Quiet.
01:29No, you be quiet.
01:31I am being quiet.
01:33I can't be quiet.
01:34Yeah, when we're walking in the studio,
01:36we're actually surprised, especially the sounds.
01:40What are they doing at our place?
01:41I think they're humans.
01:43I don't like them.
01:45Weird.
01:46It was super dim.
01:47Didn't know really what to expect,
01:49but I came around the corner
01:50and creepy, creepy voices.
01:54But also, like, the lights look pretty awesome.
01:58I don't think they've washed for a while.
02:01It was kind of a fun scenario
02:03with the little voices and lights and everything.
02:06Yeah, compared to the first challenge.
02:07Yeah, definitely.
02:08It was different.
02:10I wonder if we're going to find our way home.
02:21Welcome, everybody.
02:22How cool is this?
02:24I hope you've all been to Luma Enchanted.
02:28It's a multi-sensory, light and sound sculpture wall.
02:33It's the heartbeat of New Zealand.
02:35It's only opened recently
02:36and is quickly becoming an unmissable attraction.
02:40I was fortunate enough to visit as I arrived
02:43and I found it truly remarkable
02:45and very, very inspiring.
02:47So inspiring, in fact,
02:49that we've come up with a challenge based around it.
02:52This is a cool challenge.
02:55We want you to create a unique character or a realm
02:58drawn from Aotearoa's myths and landscapes,
03:03creatures or legends,
03:05and reimagine them through the glowing lens
03:08of Luma Enchanted.
03:10We want you to show how food and story
03:13can merge together
03:14to become a living, edible fantasy.
03:17I want to see visual plating
03:20inspired by light and art.
03:23Give us a taste of New Zealand
03:24that glows from the inside.
03:27The winning team receives a huge advantage.
03:32They will be safe from elimination
03:34in the next challenge.
03:36So there's a lot riding
03:38on your Luma Enchanted inspired dishes.
03:41That got your attention, didn't it?
03:45All right.
03:46Your time starts now.
03:48You have six hours.
03:50Let's go!
03:53We really want to win that advantage.
03:55Yeah.
03:56Because that would mean that we are safe
03:58and have a fun challenge
04:00while everyone else sweats in the kitchen.
04:01Yeah.
04:02What's fun?
04:04We really need to incorporate forests
04:06into it as much as possible.
04:08Moss around and stones and light.
04:11You know Diwali, the festival of lights?
04:14Yeah.
04:15That's so much like Luma.
04:16When you are shopping in India for Diwali
04:19on the streets with the lights,
04:21the installations,
04:22so what if we combine it together?
04:24I know it sounds crazy,
04:26but it makes sense.
04:28It just, it makes sense to me.
04:30I like a good idea.
04:32Okay.
04:37Okay.
04:40Quail is the bird of choice.
04:42Lovely.
04:43What we're choosing to go with
04:44using the quail,
04:45being that it's found in the bush
04:46or found in the forest.
04:48And wanting to get that real forest feel
04:50as if you are at Luma Enchanted.
04:52Hopefully blow the judges away.
04:54So, I do libel?
04:56Yeah, cook the libel.
04:57Nice.
04:59This one as well.
05:01We'll put it in the out.
05:03One, two, three.
05:05I think that should be good enough.
05:06Sweet.
05:07So, a couple of quick jobs
05:08just making the chili jam for later
05:10because it needs to set.
05:11We're just going to juice some apples
05:13with the skin on
05:13so you get the colour.
05:15It would actually be cool
05:16to win this challenge
05:17and be safe for tomorrow.
05:18Today, everyone's bringing their A game.
05:20It feels like the calibre has increased.
05:22Everyone's sort of settling into their flow.
05:24We have to give our A game as well.
05:29I'm just going to cold smoke this.
05:30Fresh green apple juice.
05:33Tell us, what are you working on today?
05:35So, our dish is based around bioluminescence,
05:38particularly in the ocean,
05:39which is caused by a phytoplankton.
05:41When you wave your hands through the water
05:43and everything glows at night time.
05:45So, that's magical.
05:46Yeah, so we wanted to create
05:47like a mythical world by the sea.
05:49Yeah, so we are trying to do a dish with mussels
05:52and trying to make a bowl with ice.
05:54Let's see how it goes.
05:55Can I smell fermented chili?
05:57It's a chili jam that we are trying to do.
06:00Very savoury, right?
06:01It's going to be a chilled dish.
06:02We're just smoking some green apple juice here.
06:04That'll be the base of our dressing.
06:07That'll be set on a world
06:08that will create rocks.
06:09Blue lights and moss and, you know?
06:11Ah.
06:12Damn, sounds like you got your work
06:14cut out for you today.
06:15We love seeing you wanting to dream big.
06:18I mean, this is the kitchen to do it in.
06:20We love that.
06:20We push, you know, always pushing.
06:22Good luck, guys.
06:22Thanks, Bob.
06:31So, Josh, how are you feeling about this challenge?
06:36It's something different.
06:37Yeah.
06:37I've never used sound or light
06:39in any of the food that we do in the restaurant.
06:41No, it will be very interesting, I think.
06:44And I think there's more motivation as well
06:47as we can be saved from the next challenge.
06:50I think that's amazing.
06:51Absolutely.
07:00Those are some lovely-looking livers there.
07:02Yeah.
07:03Do you want to tell us about the dish?
07:05So we all make a duck liver
07:06and we'll make a sugar nest,
07:09which is the really traditional Chinese way
07:12to make a bird nest.
07:14And then we're going to put the liver,
07:16which is the bird, in the nest.
07:18How will the livers be treated?
07:21We're going to make a parfait.
07:22Yep.
07:22And then we're going to put the cracker under
07:25and we'll have the different flavors
07:27on top of the liver as well.
07:29Okay, so you'll have a cracker,
07:30a liver parfait,
07:32and then there'll be different garnishes
07:33of different flavors going on top.
07:35And those will be the birds inside a sugar nest.
07:38Yeah.
07:38And the sugar nest can eat as well,
07:40so it brings sweetness to the dish.
07:42Perfect.
07:42Wonderful.
07:43Well, that reminds me of the mower installation
07:46at Luma,
07:47where there's the giant nest
07:49and then the huge glowing orb
07:51of the egg on the insides.
07:53Yeah.
07:54So where did the nest come from?
07:55Oh, awesome.
07:56That's cool, eh?
07:57Yeah.
07:57Well, good luck, guys.
07:58Yeah, sounds great.
08:05This is coconut manuka tea vinegar
08:08for our dressing.
08:09So I'm just going to, like,
08:10simmer that slow, slow,
08:12so it doesn't burn off
08:14any of the acidity of the vinegar.
08:16I have goat cheese filling
08:22for our kawakawa roll.
08:28Mushroom is name.
08:29We are very curious
08:30as to what you're going to be creating
08:32for this challenge.
08:34Yeah.
08:34Yeah, super excited.
08:35Something different, yeah.
08:36Using local herbs
08:38and different proteins.
08:39At the same point,
08:41we want to, as well,
08:41change your perception
08:43of how to eat
08:45this small snack,
08:46and then we're going to do it.
08:47So it's going to be like
08:49a lot of UV lights
08:50and the food
08:51will change color.
08:52Yeah.
08:53Wow.
08:53I love having
08:54my perception changed.
08:56Yeah, I think when you went
08:57to Luma
08:57for the first time
08:58you go in,
08:59you don't expect,
09:00and then boom.
09:01I see some escargot,
09:02or as we would say,
09:03snails here, eh?
09:04Yes, sir.
09:05Yeah, yeah, yeah.
09:05You guys been outside
09:07looking around for those?
09:08Yeah, yeah.
09:08Yeah, yeah, yeah.
09:10I mean,
09:10we're going to work
09:11with so much local ingredients
09:12between mushrooms
09:13and herbs.
09:14Just like the kawakawa, eh?
09:16Yeah, we want to really
09:18have, like,
09:19different type of flavor
09:20for you.
09:21Well, we look forward to it.
09:22Good luck today, guys.
09:23Thank you so much.
09:24Great.
09:25Okay, next.
09:27I'm going to do the mushroom.
09:28We definitely want
09:29to win the immunity.
09:31We're just focusing
09:31on what we are doing
09:33and try to do the best
09:34and try to think
09:36out of the box
09:37and do something different.
09:38Yeah.
09:39It gives us more drive,
09:41I guess,
09:41to push out of the spas, too.
09:43Ah.
09:45Wow.
09:46It's quite trippy, actually.
09:48It could be epic,
09:50or it could go incredibly wrong.
09:53Very impressive dish.
09:55This was flawless.
09:57Congratulations.
09:57You are safe
09:58from our first elimination.
10:14We're going to do
10:15zesting lemons.
10:16After the lemon,
10:17I'm going to try
10:17to blanch the kawakawa,
10:18see how it rolls.
10:20Today's challenge
10:21was using Luma Enchanted
10:23as the inspiration
10:24to our dish.
10:26We got six hours to cook
10:27and ten minutes
10:28for plating.
10:30And the winner
10:31of today's challenge
10:32is safe
10:33for the next elimination challenge.
10:36We definitely want
10:37to win today's challenge.
10:49We definitely, yeah.
10:49It is ice cream,
10:51but, like, Indian style,
10:53so it's not egg-based,
10:54it's, like, rice flour-based.
10:55Yeah.
10:58Hello.
11:00Hello, Melissa.
11:01Tell us,
11:02Luma,
11:03inspiring a dish.
11:05What is the dish?
11:06So, Luma reminds
11:09both of us
11:09about Diwali,
11:10which is a big
11:11Indian festival
11:12of lights.
11:13So awesome.
11:14And you celebrate lights
11:15and it's just like Luma,
11:17but on the streets
11:18and there are installations
11:19everywhere.
11:20Yeah.
11:21What if we recreate
11:22that on a plate
11:23wherein each little snack
11:25is an installation
11:26for you,
11:27but flavors from
11:29Diwali
11:30and Indian street food.
11:32So tell us
11:32about these snacks.
11:34There are three
11:34different snacks.
11:35The first one is
11:37Rasam,
11:37which is a tomato-based
11:38broth.
11:39It's from down south
11:40and that's what
11:41all the aromas
11:42that you're getting.
11:43I like spice.
11:44Yeah, yeah.
11:44Give me the spice.
11:45All right.
11:46So what is
11:47the second snack?
11:48We are doing
11:49the North Indian
11:49version of shat.
11:50Yeah.
11:51Awesome.
11:52And it's gonna look
11:52like a nest
11:53with an egg in it,
11:54so a little bit of sour,
11:56a little sweet
11:56and crunch.
11:58Yeah.
11:58And the third one
11:59would be an ice cream.
12:01It's called Kulfi.
12:02I love Kulfi.
12:03It's a mango-based Kulfi.
12:05I love that.
12:05It sounds like
12:06a celebration
12:07of flavors
12:08all through India,
12:09but also through
12:10the lens of Luma,
12:12so bringing
12:13these two parts
12:14of your life together,
12:15which is beautiful.
12:17Thank you, sir.
12:18Yeah.
12:20What are we making, Josh?
12:21Like, right in this moment,
12:22every part of the quail.
12:23Every part of the quail
12:24as much as possible
12:25and the truffle, of course,
12:26because it's
12:26a beautiful ingredient.
12:28This is looking
12:29pretty lax.
12:30End of the season, eh?
12:31Yeah, probably the last one.
12:33So, shave, truffle,
12:35under the skin.
12:36Of a quail breast.
12:37Essentially doing, like,
12:38the quail in the bush.
12:39We thought Luma,
12:40forest, birds.
12:42Do you want to tell us
12:43about the...
12:44Yeah, as a nod to
12:46Tanimahuta,
12:46the god of the forest.
12:47We really want to
12:48create a story around him.
12:49And I think we're
12:51really excited,
12:51really looking forward
12:52to this challenge.
12:53Awesome.
12:53You got the hearts here?
12:54Yeah.
12:55So we're using
12:55as much of the bird
12:56as I possibly can.
12:57Just got the fat
12:58and the bits and bobs
12:59rendering there
13:00that are going to go
13:00through a nut mash
13:02with some of the
13:03sautéed hearts
13:03going through it.
13:04And then what are you
13:05doing to the legs?
13:06Legs, we're going to
13:06confit and then reduce
13:08it in a sauce
13:09so you have, like,
13:09a sticky, soft leg.
13:11And then we're going to
13:12do some pickled quail legs
13:13as well.
13:13So we're really using
13:14the whole thing
13:14of the bird here.
13:15Well, hopefully your dish
13:16answers the age-old question
13:18which came first,
13:19the quail or the egg?
13:31Just butterfly it
13:32a little bit or...?
13:32This one?
13:33Yeah.
13:33Yeah, I'm about to try that.
13:34Yeah.
13:38I'm trying to do, like,
13:39a squid made up
13:40of fresh coconut.
13:41Coming from Indian heritage,
13:42we had abundance
13:44of coconut
13:44and we thought
13:45let's turn it into a squid.
13:48We'll go like this.
13:49Yeah.
13:51Walking around
13:51and chatting
13:52with all the teams,
13:53they've all got a great story
13:55around what they're doing.
13:56Absolutely.
13:57I think from small birds
13:58to sea creatures,
13:59what we want
13:59is light, colour,
14:01movement
14:01and that immersive experience
14:04that only Luma can bring.
14:06100%.
14:06They're talking about
14:07sugar birds' nests,
14:09snails over there
14:10with kawa-kawa.
14:12It could be epic
14:13or it could go incredibly rough.
14:16They're all professional chefs.
14:18The calibre and experience,
14:20the creativity
14:21and the passion.
14:22I'm just excited
14:23to see what they do.
14:24This is what you get
14:26when you ask professionals
14:28to really push the boat out.
14:34We're going to try now
14:35the cotton candy machine.
14:38So we are going to make
14:39the sky of our forest.
14:42That's going to be clouds.
14:45What colour are we going to do this?
14:46Blue.
14:47I mean,
14:48we don't want to do blue.
14:49We want to do white.
14:50No, we need to do whitish.
14:51We can try with sugar
14:52and see how they react.
14:54Good work, huh?
15:01Sizzle.
15:05Some great smells
15:06are going on over here.
15:07Yeah, it's the start
15:08of the sauce here.
15:09How badly do you want to win this?
15:11I was really disappointed
15:12with myself
15:12on the first challenge.
15:13Yeah?
15:14Yeah, I really want to win this.
15:15Yeah, I can see your face now.
15:17There's that competitive
15:18fighting spirit
15:19that is just...
15:20Yeah, absolutely.
15:22I mean, we're all chefs.
15:23We're all going to take
15:23criticism personally
15:24even though you're told not to.
15:25But that's what we do.
15:27We put our absolute life
15:28and soul into this career.
15:29You're obviously
15:30one of the best chefs
15:31in the world.
15:31You know how hard
15:32you've worked to get there.
15:33Hopefully one day,
15:34you know,
15:35I'll come close.
15:36Yeah, man, you're young
15:37and hungry
15:37and what you've been
15:38showing us so far, man,
15:40you're on your way
15:40so keep pushing, man.
15:42Thanks, chef.
15:50And look at that texture.
15:55Glossy, velvety, rich.
15:58You got a little bit
15:59for us to try?
15:59Yeah.
16:05Yeah.
16:09Is it finished?
16:11So we're going to
16:12pick some beetroot
16:13with red wine vinegar
16:14and give some mercy.
16:17Nasty.
16:17How are you feeling so far?
16:19Nervous.
16:20Nervous?
16:20Tell us.
16:21Everyone is really good, chefs.
16:23Yeah, because you're
16:24walking into challenge
16:25number two
16:25as the victors.
16:27Everybody's looking
16:27at you to beat.
16:29Yeah, it's not
16:30an easy competition.
16:32Everyone have
16:32good experience.
16:36What are you guys
16:37going to do
16:37to make sure
16:38that you stay on top?
16:42Drink.
16:43Oh, shoot.
16:45That's not always
16:45the best way to finish.
16:52I'm just behind, guys.
16:54Yeah.
16:55Hi, Tommy.
16:56This is our new
16:57team member, Tommy.
16:59So now, Tommy,
16:59if you just crack on
17:00with this, this, this.
17:01Yeah, chef.
17:02Yeah.
17:03Chef, switching teams.
17:04Musical cheers.
17:05Yeah.
17:06I'm just joining
17:07the Aosta team
17:08for a second
17:08to help puff
17:10my prawn cracker.
17:10So we have raw prawn cracker,
17:12blend it to a powder,
17:13pop that in the fryer,
17:14and then it'll just puff up.
17:18Is it yummy?
17:19Yeah.
17:19Are you sure?
17:20Hopefully.
17:20Yes, chef.
17:21Make it nice.
17:22Yes, chef.
17:22Make it nice
17:23and make it twice.
17:24Yes, chef.
17:24That's right.
17:29What do you got over here?
17:31Rassam.
17:32Do you want to taste the rassam?
17:33Yes, I would love
17:33to taste the rassam.
17:35It's from the south of India.
17:36This is for dish number one.
17:38Yeah.
17:39It's the water installation.
17:41What's a tiny little texture
17:42in there?
17:43It's really good.
17:43It's from the lentils.
17:45There are two kinds of lentils
17:46that we roasted and ground,
17:47made our own spice mix,
17:49and then introduced it
17:50into the broth.
17:52Because you said
17:53you love spices,
17:54then I don't have to hold back,
17:56and I can do the authentic way,
17:57and I made it authentic.
17:59Do what you want to do.
18:00Yeah, I'm keeping it
18:01as traditional
18:01as we do it back at home.
18:03Awesome.
18:04There's a lot riding on today.
18:06We need to push ourselves,
18:07not just our creativity,
18:09but our technical skills,
18:10and elevate the flavors.
18:12We really want to win
18:14that advantage,
18:14so it has to go perfectly.
18:26What's that?
18:26I could be more of that.
18:30Do you think it's good?
18:31Oh, it's perfect.
18:35Do you want to do the muscles?
18:38Today's challenge,
18:39we have to create a dish
18:40that's inspired by
18:41Luma Enchanted,
18:42but when it will be safe
18:42from elimination.
18:44This challenge will matter a lot
18:46on showing our competitors
18:47we main business,
18:49and we are here to win.
18:50Just pick and throw
18:51some ash and salt,
18:52prawn crackers.
18:53Kind of looks like
18:54edible little pebbles.
19:01Well, we had a little bit
19:02of a zoom around
19:03the different workbenches,
19:04and there are some
19:05cool things going on.
19:06From a chef perspective
19:08in particular,
19:09is there anything
19:09that's worrying you?
19:11To be honest,
19:12when I tasted the lentils,
19:14it was like,
19:14it needs more seasoning,
19:15but the whole dish
19:16isn't put together yet,
19:18so we don't really know now.
19:19You did mention
19:20the parfait
19:22didn't feel finished
19:23to you just yet.
19:24Not really,
19:25but they're talking
19:26about other elements
19:26around it,
19:27like pickled beetroot
19:28and other things,
19:29so it might all come
19:30together as magic.
19:31Too early to tell yet,
19:33there's still there
19:33some time.
19:36Sorry, guys.
19:37Is it okay
19:38if we turn the lights
19:38off one second?
19:39Yeah, of course.
19:42Oh.
19:45Beetroot from Fanuja.
19:48That one we can keep.
19:51Yeah, I think
19:52home black is good.
19:53Perfect.
19:53Thank you so much.
19:55Some cool colours
19:56going on there.
19:56Yeah?
19:57That's really cool.
19:58What is reacting
19:59to the black light?
20:00This is Manuja.
20:02It will react
20:03to the UV light.
20:04Just Manuja.
20:05And it turns bright green
20:06like that?
20:07Under a black light.
20:08Who knew you?
20:09I never knew this.
20:10Food, it's always
20:12been in my blood
20:12since the young age.
20:14I want to experiment
20:15and do something
20:17different.
20:17That's why I study
20:19chemistry and I connect
20:20that into the food.
20:21I start to travel
20:22around, learning
20:24new technique,
20:25learning new culture,
20:26playing with ingredients
20:27and I try to do
20:29something the other
20:30chefs, they don't
20:31think about and
20:33create something unique
20:34and as well,
20:36like, a kind of
20:37like, blowing
20:38your mind.
20:46What are you doing?
20:47Just tossing my legs,
20:48you know?
20:49Do you want some
20:49worms to toss?
20:50Want to try?
20:51I'd love to try.
20:52Yeah.
20:54Sabotage,
20:54sabotage.
20:56They're really good.
20:57Can I try?
20:57It sounds like
20:58crispy chicken skin.
21:00Hey, I'm going
21:00to try it too.
21:02I'm just toasting
21:03with a tiny bit
21:03of curcuma salt.
21:05Oh, nice.
21:06It's yum.
21:07Yeah.
21:07Yeah, that's
21:08literally...
21:08Mealworms, right?
21:09Mm-hmm.
21:13Some sculpting
21:14going on here
21:15and I'm seeing
21:15serving boxes.
21:17We're creating
21:18like this world
21:18that you might
21:19find by the ocean,
21:20little rocks,
21:20little pockets
21:21of moss.
21:21Yep.
21:22What we see
21:23when we have
21:24a little ice bowl
21:25underneath.
21:26Yep.
21:26Wow.
21:27I can't see much
21:28of this edible
21:29on the bench right now.
21:30Are you preps done?
21:31Almost.
21:32We are waiting
21:32for a couple of things
21:33to freeze,
21:34a couple of things
21:34to get marinated
21:36and stuff.
21:36A bit confident
21:37at this point,
21:38feeling good.
21:39Love to hear it.
21:4713, 14 pieces.
21:49We want to make
21:49some vinegar mixture.
21:51Vinegar, olive oil.
21:54And there's just
21:55some thyme there.
21:58With the butcher,
21:59we are cooking it
22:00in the red wine vinegar
22:01to give more sourness
22:03to the parfait
22:03because the parfait
22:04is quite rich.
22:05We are cooking it
22:06separately
22:07in the sous-ray machine.
22:16Nice.
22:17I see mealy worm.
22:18Yes, ma'am.
22:19And you are not
22:20just throwing them
22:22on as a garnish.
22:23You're actually
22:24intentionally placing them.
22:26I can see them
22:26weaving their way through.
22:28It's going to be
22:29one of the little bites.
22:30Yeah.
22:30I get the sense
22:31from you
22:32and also from everybody else
22:33that you've seen
22:35what you all can do now.
22:37Everybody's stepping it up.
22:38Yep.
22:38Do you feel the same
22:39about what you're doing too?
22:40Oh, definitely try to push.
22:42Excellent.
22:42As hard as you can now.
22:43Here we go for the win, huh?
22:44Yes, ma'am.
22:51How is everything going?
22:53Testing time.
22:54Right.
22:54Yes.
22:55The stakes are so high, right?
22:56Yeah.
22:57Nobody wants to be
22:57the first team to go,
22:58obviously.
22:59No, of course not.
22:59So there's no room
23:00for error at all.
23:02We just tried our
23:03nut and quail heart mash.
23:05So macadamia,
23:06quail hearts,
23:07good amount of pepper,
23:08salt,
23:09really rich,
23:10good texture.
23:11Yeah.
23:11This is our nettle puree.
23:13So really fresh
23:14but still earthy,
23:15herbal.
23:16You look really organised
23:17and you seem really confident
23:19so here's hoping
23:20you have it in the bag.
23:21Nice.
23:21Thanks.
23:22I think everyone's
23:24found their feet
23:24and it doesn't take us long
23:26to get used to our environment
23:27so that we can perform
23:28at the best of our abilities.
23:30It is clear that we're surrounded
23:31by some really talented chefs
23:33which, yeah,
23:34I suppose makes us
23:34more hungry for victory.
23:50Today's challenge
23:51is to use
23:52Luma Encharted
23:52as inspiration
23:54for our dishes.
23:58This challenge
23:59is really important to us.
24:00We want to be safe
24:02from elimination
24:02going into
24:03the next round.
24:06So it's just not
24:07holding its flame?
24:08No.
24:09Maybe we'll have to use
24:09smoking chips as well as that?
24:11Yeah.
24:12Just so we get enough smoke?
24:13Yeah,
24:14that's not a bad idea.
24:15Just like that?
24:16Yeah.
24:17Alright guys,
24:18you have 10 minutes to go.
24:19I hope
24:20you've been tasting
24:21and tasting
24:22because it's on.
24:23No mistakes today.
24:25This is
24:26Taste of Art.
24:35Do you think
24:36this size is better?
24:38I think so.
24:38Tell you a second.
24:40Are we the only one
24:41that asks for
24:42carpenter tools?
24:43You've got to be Italian
24:44to be crazy like this,
24:45I think.
24:49Two or two?
24:50Yeah.
24:50Best thing is to try
24:51everything, you know?
24:52Yeah.
24:52You need to be on point
24:53with your own palate
24:54before you give it up
24:55because competition's tight.
24:56You're holding?
24:59I think it's beautiful.
25:00That's pretty cool actually.
25:02Alright,
25:02we're going to go
25:03a bit like this.
25:04One, one, one, one.
25:05One colour each.
25:06So one is in the middle.
25:07Yeah.
25:08I just fry
25:10some bopadabu.
25:13Some pico pico hua.
25:15These little edible things
25:16that I see?
25:17This is lights.
25:18Oh, it's lights?
25:19Yes, sir.
25:19Wow.
25:20Luma, get ready.
25:21I can't open this.
25:23Do you need a real man to do it?
25:24No.
25:25Oh.
25:26Ice bowls.
25:27Yes.
25:30Beautiful, brother.
25:31Awesome.
25:32Look at her.
25:35Alright, chefs.
25:36Your time is up.
25:38Your mise en place looks epic.
25:41You're going to have
25:4110 minutes to plate up
25:42these wonderful creations
25:43with the inspiration of Luma.
25:50Alright, Julio, Pierre,
25:52you have 10 minutes
25:53to plate up.
25:54Let's go.
25:55I'm ready.
26:07So, Julio,
26:08I already put the cloud on
26:09and the stars,
26:11so just waiting
26:11for skewers of snails.
26:13Are you looking?
26:14Yeah, pretty good.
26:15Pico pico is done.
26:17Coming up with the middle ones.
26:20If you want to do the kawa kawa,
26:22I almost finish here.
26:23Perfect.
26:23And we're ready to go.
26:25Nice.
26:26Lights.
26:28Ooh.
26:40By the mystical light of the night,
26:43we reveal a magical world
26:44that will change your food perception.
26:48Roots sink into the soil.
26:50Snails and insects
26:51move through the underground.
26:53Wild clouds and stars
26:55watch from above.
26:57We tell a Luma journey
26:58between earth and sky
27:00for you to discover.
27:03Nicely done.
27:05Enjoy.
27:06Okay.
27:07We start with the worms, alright?
27:08Let's start with worms.
27:31What do you think?
27:33I mean, to be honest,
27:35you meant the brief.
27:36It's definitely like a little journey
27:38through the garden
27:39and I felt like a little kid
27:41because it feels kind of enchanted
27:44that you could be in Luma.
27:46Yep.
27:46I think it's an impressive creation
27:48and you've got all these
27:49kind of little mesmerising flavours.
27:51A lot of them are endemic flavours
27:53of New Zealand.
27:54Yeah.
27:54I think Team Italy
27:56has come to Aotearoa for sure,
27:59so good job.
28:00Thank you so much.
28:01This is not just a plate of food,
28:03this is a whole experience
28:05and that is exactly what we asked for.
28:07I love how the flavours
28:09and the textures
28:09really echoed the forest beautifully.
28:11You have that beautiful yam cracker
28:13with the mealy worms
28:15and it's sort of salty and crunchy
28:17and a really great way
28:18to whet the appetite.
28:19And I think the goat's cheese
28:20really balanced nicely
28:21with the kawakawa.
28:22The crunchy elements
28:23from the pika pika
28:25and the flour,
28:26one's salty,
28:27one's sweet
28:28and then you go into the star
28:30and the cloud.
28:30You're really taking us
28:32on this beautiful journey upwards
28:33as you mentioned.
28:35It's exactly delivered as promise
28:37which makes me very happy,
28:39very thoughtful,
28:40very considerate
28:41and deeply immersive.
28:43Well done.
28:44Thank you so much.
28:45All right, up next,
28:47Ankita and Tan.
28:51You make the dosas.
28:53I'm just working
28:53on the nest part now, Tan.
28:56Oh, same locative colour.
28:57Yeah, that looks nice.
28:59So this is a crumble
29:00of flattened rice
29:01along with turmeric
29:02and curry leaves.
29:04It denotes the path
29:06and next is a crumble
29:08made out of papadums
29:09and carom seeds.
29:12So now,
29:14this is the egg
29:15inside the nest.
29:18This is a coriander
29:19and mint chutney.
29:22That's a tomato rasam
29:25and now the mango kulfi.
29:32Wow.
29:51This is bloomer
29:53inspired by
29:54the lights of Diwali
29:55and we want you to have
29:57a walk through
29:58Indian street food.
29:59Awesome.
30:00How do you feel
30:01now that it's up here?
30:02It feels so surreal
30:03to be presenting
30:04to you guys
30:05food from my country.
30:07So we hope
30:08that you like it.
30:37having a good time?
30:39I love it when people
30:40would bring their own
30:41style into it
30:42and you've definitely
30:43done that.
30:44Yeah.
30:44Cool presentation.
30:45It's different
30:46and I've definitely
30:46gone on a journey
30:47from where you're from.
30:49Yes.
30:49I've enjoyed
30:50every little mouthful
30:51of it.
30:52Amazing job.
30:53Thank you, Chef.
30:54There is so much
30:56sophistication and
30:57complexity and
30:58difficulty in balancing
31:00spice and you've done
31:02it beautifully.
31:04I thought the rasam
31:05was rich and round
31:07and the chat is so
31:09crispy and beautiful,
31:10really nicely balanced
31:11with the other elements
31:12and the textures were
31:13so beautiful because
31:14you have soft and
31:14crunchy.
31:15Yeah.
31:15The coffee,
31:17such a classic thing,
31:18such beautiful flavours
31:19as well.
31:20I did find the,
31:21just the centre of it
31:22ever so slightly more
31:23icy than it should be
31:25but such a heart-driven
31:28dish for challenge
31:30number two and I really
31:31thought it was such a
31:32welcoming, well-rounded
31:33plate of food.
31:34Great job, guys.
31:36Up next, Josh and
31:39Bailey.
31:40Let's go!
31:41Whale's in.
31:43Kissed by a flame.
31:45I am finishing up
31:46a living terrarium.
31:48Oh, the coal's hot
31:49for the campfire?
31:50Yeah, coals are hot.
31:51So the legs are in the
31:52pan, a little bit of
31:52butter, a little bit
31:53of the jus.
31:54Super sticky.
31:56Pickled quail's egg
31:57going in the nest.
31:59Chicken skin, truffle,
32:01chives for the breast
32:02and the leg.
32:04I'll start torching?
32:05Yeah, fire, fire.
32:09But we're going to get
32:10smoked when we put
32:10the plate on.
32:11Okay.
32:22Long ago, the world
32:24lay in darkness.
32:26Ranganui, the sky father
32:27and Papatuanuku, the earth
32:28mother, clung together
32:30tightly.
32:31Tane Mahuta, their son,
32:32longed for light.
32:34He braced his feet
32:35against his father and he
32:37pushed with all his
32:38strength, forcing earth
32:40and sky apart.
32:41Light poured in, forest rose
32:43and life began.
32:45Tane became guardian of the
32:46trees.
32:47For New Zealanders, this story
32:49is a reminder of our
32:50whakapapa and the connection
32:52between the people, the
32:53earth and the forest.
32:55I'm not going to hear that
32:56****.
32:58This looks absolutely
32:59stunning.
33:00Yeah.
33:01I mean, I'm just staring at
33:02the quail skull with the light
33:04as an eyeball.
33:05It's faking to you.
33:34It's faking to you.
33:38I mean, I'm going to be honest.
33:40I mean, it tastes really good.
33:42Everything was cooked really nicely.
33:44I love the offal that kind of grounded the dish for me.
33:47The nettle, the earthiness, and I love that with any type of bird.
33:52The sauce was silky, smooth.
33:55Seasoning was great.
33:56Everything was pink.
33:57Everything was juicy.
33:59It's a really, really good, good dish, and I really enjoyed it.
34:05In terms of presentation, you know, you've chosen quail,
34:08and so small birds foraging through the undergrowth.
34:11We're in the undergrowth here.
34:12Yeah.
34:12And I love that this is a living, breathing presentation in and of itself,
34:16but then when you look at the composed plate,
34:18every part of the bird is used,
34:20and you've executed everything to perfection.
34:22I mean, presenting a breast of a quail,
34:25and to see that beautiful blush when you cut through it makes me smile.
34:29It's really difficult to do beautifully.
34:31The confid leg had a lovely contrasting texture.
34:34Everything's bound together in that thick, rich, beautiful jus.
34:38And I really liked the nut mash with the heart.
34:40And then the nettle puree brought everything together in a really silky way.
34:44It gave that nice contrast, and it was beautiful and velvety and smooth.
34:48This was, if not flawless, a near-flawless dish in every aspect,
34:56and I'm deeply impressed.
34:58Thank you so much.
34:59Thank you guys so much.
35:03We nailed it.
35:04Yeah, we did.
35:05We couldn't have done it any better.
35:06Hopefully we secure ourselves immunity.
35:08Oh, f***ing hell.
35:11Good job, buddy.
35:17All right, next up, Yashan, Roy,
35:21you have 10 minutes to show us your interpretation of Luma.
35:25Let's go!
35:29So I put the parfait on the crackers now.
35:37I will put the beetroot on top of the parfait.
35:42So I add the sugar.
36:13Yeah, ready.
36:34So we have the moistness,
36:37and inside have duck-liver parfait
36:39with the seeds crocker under.
36:41We have sourness from pickled vichu,
36:43and when you eat it,
36:45please grab a little bit of sugar next
36:47so it can bring the sweetness to the dish.
37:10Really cool technique.
37:12I love the simplicity of it,
37:14so it's not confusing,
37:16it's direct,
37:17it's absolutely delicious.
37:19It just has a few flaws.
37:22I think the cracker,
37:25it's not crispy enough.
37:26It's been sitting there too long,
37:29and the parfait's too thick.
37:32It needs more salt.
37:33The sweetness adds to it
37:35by adding some of the dragon's beard or bird's nest.
37:39Pickles are great.
37:40It's just lacking a few simple details
37:43to make it exceptional.
37:46I think in terms of it being inspired by Luma,
37:50you did a beautiful job.
37:52So I really loved the look of it.
37:54But I think when you're doing one snack,
37:57it better be the most perfect snack that ever existed
38:01in order for it to be a winner
38:02amongst this sea of incredibly talented chefs,
38:05yourselves included.
38:07I think that it was a tasty bite of food.
38:09The parfait itself is silky,
38:12it's rich,
38:13it's soft,
38:13it's what you want the texture of a parfait to be.
38:16I love the glaze and the pickles
38:18for really giving a nice contrast of brightness
38:21and acidity
38:22because it definitely needs it.
38:24I think the proportions are also
38:26just a little bit off as well.
38:27So the potential was there for a spectacular dish.
38:31I think you fell just a little bit short.
38:34Thanks.
38:36All right, up next,
38:37we have Tommy and Danny.
38:39Let's go!
38:46So just picking some fresh herbs.
38:48This will just go under the base of our dish.
38:51Danny's just preparing young coconut squid.
38:55These mussels have just been lightly steamed
38:57and then we chilled them.
38:59We've got raw tour tour.
39:03Pop a little sweet red chilli jam
39:04just on the mussel.
39:05Give it a little bit of heat.
39:12Yeah, it should be good.
39:17Nice and flat.
39:19We're just putting a little coconut mousse.
39:23Cool.
39:24All right.
39:25Let's mix that.
39:42In Maori culture, bioluminescence is often linked to the supernatural realm,
39:46beings of the water,
39:47or the god of the sea, Tangaroa.
39:49It's known as the aurora of the ocean
39:51and is used as a guiding light
39:52for the spirits travelling to the afterlife.
40:09Wow.
40:10Really cool.
40:14Very, very cool.
40:16Now, before we crack into things,
40:18tell us,
40:19is this a winning dish?
40:21Absolutely.
40:22Absolutely.
40:22Absolutely.
40:22Good.
40:25Let's get started.
40:26Let's go.
40:38Good to meet you.
40:42Good to meet you.
40:47Let's get started.
40:47Good to meet you.
40:50Good to meet you.
40:53All right, you want to go first on this one?
40:55I can safely say I have never eaten anything like this in my life, and I'm deeply impressed.
41:01This was a celebration of seafood.
41:04The green-lit mussel and the tuatuwa itself, these are ingredients that need very little,
41:10if anything, done to them to be perfect.
41:12And so I think the challenge is in restraint to be able to really hero the ingredients
41:18without taking anything away.
41:19But what I love about this is what you've paired with it.
41:23The prawn floss is like the snap, crackle and pop of this charcoal-dusted Rice Krispie.
41:28Then you have the softness of the coconut sort of arrowhead squid, which has a beautiful
41:33tenderness to it.
41:34And then this really punchy, acidic, bright dressing to bind everything together.
41:40That with the coconut espuma, which was really cloud-like and soft, was really gorgeous.
41:45In terms of the brief itself, bringing this glowing, phosphorescent-inspired dish to the
41:50table was deeply impressive.
41:52I felt the romance of the story.
41:54This is a truly unique dish and I'm blown away.
42:00The best thing for me about this dish is the sauce.
42:04It's like gangster juice, you know?
42:06It's like...
42:07It's so good.
42:08It's so acidic.
42:09It's so fresh.
42:10It's got that little kind of smokiness.
42:11It has all these levels of flavour and it combined everything together.
42:17Honestly, that's a very impressive dish.
42:20Thank you so much.
42:21Congratulations.
42:23You're done.
42:24I think we are proud of what we serve.
42:26Yeah, really proud.
42:27If we don't mark this challenge as our top, there is always the elimination hanging on top
42:34of us.
42:38That was simply spectacular.
42:44Every single team embodied the magic of Luma in your own unique way.
42:50From a walk through the forest to a festival of light, you all showed unique character in
42:56your dishes.
42:58Josh and Bailey, Tommy and Danny, please step forward.
43:05Both dishes were executed perfectly.
43:09Your sauces both lifted and grounded the dish.
43:12But one dish gave us something we had never experienced before.
43:17And that dish belongs to Tommy and Danny.
43:27I thought we had it in the bag.
43:30It turns out we didn't.
43:31It turns out.
43:33Congratulations, Tommy and Danny.
43:34You are safe from the next challenge, which is our first elimination.
43:40I'm glad.
43:41Yeah.
43:41All those decisions that we take during the six hours, they came all together.
43:46Everything held up.
43:48Yeah.
43:48It's the only days in the competition that we felt good.
44:16It's the only days in the past.
44:19It's the only days in the past.
44:20And after that, your time with us has come to an end.
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