- 6 hours ago
Come Dine With Me Season 2026 Episode 22
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00:00Let's have a grande serata!
00:02On today's show...
00:04Amazing.
00:05Hamster horror!
00:07I believe he's planning to kill me.
00:10I've actually done an animal communication course.
00:12He's got absolute love for you.
00:14That animal has no malicious content in his mind.
00:17Oh, no.
00:18Avian aftershocks!
00:20One of the weirdest things I ever did was a pickled bird.
00:25And it was so nice.
00:27She eats a pickled bird.
00:31And then she does not like Italian food.
00:33And a doggy dust-up.
00:35I call it dog food.
00:36What are you going to do about it, girl?
00:38I don't think she likes me.
00:40I might be pouring a bit of water over somebody's head.
00:43As five dashing desperadas duels for a deluge of doubloons.
00:47Never had aubergine before.
00:48I've used the emoji quite a few times.
00:56This week we're in the West Country, birthplace of the pirate Blackbeard.
01:01Not entirely sure that's his bet.
01:06And hoping to plunder the points today is fellow Blackbearded social care manager Pepe.
01:12I'm very confident about my food and I'm sure they're going to love her.
01:17Yamas!
01:18Yamas!
01:19Well, the group loved the Greek dancing last night at holiday addict Kirsteen's party.
01:24But when it came to the food it was a different story.
01:28Last night the food was very, very spicy.
01:31Maybe some of the conversation were spicy too.
01:35And Pepe wasn't the only one.
01:37Barbara Natalia also found herself hot under the collar.
01:40Ah!
01:41That is actually really spicy!
01:43Sorry!
01:43What?
01:44Spice was not good for me at all.
01:46Burnt my taste buds.
01:47So hot!
01:48A few comments on the food, but yeah.
01:52No, it went really well.
01:53I was really pleased.
01:54And the spice comment wasn't the only issue that Kirsteen had to face.
01:59Theatre practitioner Joe...
02:00...but take that home and use it as a door stop.
02:03...didn't hold back on her thoughts.
02:05I thought it looked like dog food.
02:07I'm really sorry.
02:08Oh!
02:09Wow!
02:10I had a sense that maybe saying it looked like dog food wouldn't go down too well.
02:14Joe's brutal.
02:15Never seen dog food look like that, but she certainly ate all of it.
02:20It wasn't funny.
02:21Still a bit miffed I think.
02:23Despite the canine comparison, Kirsteen backed herself 25 points.
02:29However, account manager Richard...
02:31I didn't have a clue what this was, but I really like it.
02:34..is focusing on the night ahead.
02:37I'm confident the theme tonight will be Italian,
02:39because Pepe is quintessentially Italian, so I'm expecting that for sure.
02:43Can I be honest?
02:44Sure.
02:45Italian is my least favourite food ever.
02:49Over to you, Pepe.
02:51My food will be authentic Italian food, something that they never taste.
02:56Bad luck, Kirsteen.
02:58He's kicking off with aubergine parmigiana stuffed with cheddar and mortadella.
03:03Never had aubergine before.
03:05I've used the emoji quite a few times.
03:07Keen gardener.
03:09Some stuffed rigatoni type pasta, which is the stuff that you stuff with some nice stuffing.
03:16Yes.
03:17Pepe starts by peeling and frying aubergines.
03:20I haven't heard of someone not liking aubergine, so I think I choose the right vegetable.
03:27Personally, I'm not a big fan of aubergine.
03:29I think it's quite a tough vegetable.
03:31There's always one.
03:33Perhaps you'll like the filling, which is cheddar and mortadella, a cured pork.
03:37Nice.
03:39That's how a mortadella should smell, the nice pistachio in.
03:45Next, Pepe knocks up a tomato sauce, adding paprika, pepper and freshly sniffed basil.
03:52Oh, that's nice.
03:53Fresh basil.
03:54I love her.
03:54He rolls the aubergine slices with the cheesy, meaty filling and gloops on the tomatoey concoction.
04:00So I just pour a little bit of parmesan now and tonight, before serve, I will sprinkle
04:05a little bit of more parmesan on top.
04:07You can never have too much parmesan.
04:10Parmesan is amazing.
04:12If you say so, with the parmigiana left to cook, it's on to the main.
04:18Classic lasagna cooked in a red wine reduction with homemade garlic bread.
04:23Beautiful.
04:24Bellissima.
04:25It's very easy to make, so he needs to be pulling out the stops for that bad boy.
04:29I love garlic bread.
04:30I absolutely love garlic bread.
04:32Good to know as Pepe knocks up a dough for it.
04:35It's important to feel the food, to put the passion in, and how you feel is the way how
04:41the food is coming out.
04:43While it's left to prove, it's on to the lasagna.
04:46It would be my grandmother's recipe.
04:48She would be very proud of me.
04:50Slightly depends on what your guests think, I suspect.
04:53He blitzes a shed load of vegetables.
04:57Perfecto.
04:57Before frying and adding his meat.
05:00In goes red wine, which will be reduced in the mixture.
05:03I think Pepe's lasagna is going to be special because I think the red wine reduction is going
05:08to be an additional rich flavour in there.
05:10He's also adding passata.
05:12If that goes wrong, that could look like sheep dip.
05:17Yeah, we could be like down on the farm.
05:19Who are indeed.
05:21Speaking of animals.
05:22Oh my God, Dex.
05:23You've done a lot of poo poo.
05:25Pepe's checking on his roommate.
05:27It's going to be a good night tonight.
05:29Do you have any advice, mate?
05:30Yeah, I'm not sure he has, Pepe.
05:33How's that lasagna sauce getting on?
05:35It smells very, very, very nice.
05:37Amazing.
05:38Molto buono.
05:39Jolly good.
05:40Pepe makes up a cheesy white sauce.
05:43Mmm, that's perfect.
05:45He's made with love and passion.
05:48Then we love her.
05:49I think he probably will know how to make his own pasta,
05:52because his mama probably told him.
05:54Pepe?
05:55We don't have homemade pasta.
05:57The reason why?
05:57Because we would be here three days preparing this food, this dish.
06:01And we can't wait around for that.
06:03On goes the meat.
06:04Careful.
06:06More mess, more passion, better is the food.
06:10And the more cleaning up, I'd say.
06:11After layering with the white sauce and more pasta sheets,
06:15it's ready for the oven.
06:17How's that dough getting on?
06:19Right.
06:19The moment of the chew.
06:21I'm very, very worried.
06:23And it's like, oh, no.
06:25That doesn't look very promising.
06:27It is what it is.
06:29It certainly is.
06:30Pepe will smother with garlic butter tonight, once baked.
06:33On to the dessert.
06:35Pistachio tiramisu.
06:37Tiramisu.
06:44I don't even know what outfit.
06:50Oh, is that pistachio?
06:52Can I not read all of a sudden?
06:55Um...
06:55Tiramisu actually means lift me up.
06:58So, uh, I hope with my dessert, I will lift up all my guests.
07:04We can but hope.
07:05Pepe mixes sugar with egg yolks and cools coffee with ice cubes.
07:09I love pistachios.
07:10Um, in ice cream it's great.
07:12I love pistachios.
07:13Absolutely.
07:14I can eat a whole bag of them in one evening, believe me.
07:17I do.
07:18Next into the mix goes a healthy dollop of pistachio paste.
07:23There's a lot of pistachio here, but that's the way how we want it.
07:27That's nice.
07:28So we're going to get that gorgeous nutty flavour, which works so well in culinary recipes.
07:33I love culinary recipes.
07:35Pepe whisks egg whites before moving on to the ladies' fingers, which are dipped in the coffee,
07:39and then layered with cream into individual jars.
07:41I put some white chocolate in, just to give it a little bit of difference.
07:45That would be a Pepe touch.
07:47Nice.
07:48He's on to his favourite ingredient.
07:50One last thing, which is crush all this pistachio for the topping.
07:56Pepe gives his nuts a good old flashing.
07:59This is actually a really nice stress release.
08:01That's your business, Pepe.
08:03On they go.
08:04Great.
08:05Amazing.
08:06I love them.
08:07And that's the prep done.
08:09I think there is no way that nothing could be coloured like dog food.
08:14While Pepe changes, the guests ponder the night ahead.
08:18Jo does not pull any punches.
08:19She was very honest about the food last night and her criticism of it.
08:22So I'm sure that will be interesting to see how that unfolds throughout the rest of the week.
08:27You know, I'm just going to join in and say it like it is.
08:29I'm not going to hold back.
08:30I'm going to be myself.
08:32Let's have a grande cerrada.
08:34I don't know what that is, but it sounds fun.
08:38First to the door, it's Richard.
08:40Nice blooms.
08:43Ciao, Pepe.
08:44Ciao, benvenuto.
08:46Welcome.
08:47Come in.
08:48Nice to see you.
08:48Nice to see you.
08:49Nice to see you.
08:49Churkis.
08:49Italy, Churkis.
08:50Sorry, of course.
08:51Oof.
08:52I'm hoping tonight you're going to have a nice night, calm night, especially after the dog food
08:56last night.
08:57The dog food comment, yes.
08:58That went down well, didn't it?
08:59I hope my food will not look as a dog food.
09:02I'm sure it won't come.
09:03I'm living on dog food.
09:06And here comes the queen of canine cuisine, Kirsteen.
09:11Hello, benvenuta.
09:13Benvenuta.
09:13Come here.
09:15How are you doing?
09:16Do you like Italian food?
09:18Uh-oh.
09:18Yeah, yeah.
09:19I'm not sure.
09:20Oh, I think that was a no.
09:21Well, it's not so fun.
09:24I'm not a fan, but prove me wrong.
09:27Yeah, but it's fine.
09:27I'm not a fan of chili.
09:29Yeah, we know.
09:30How's your poo-poo?
09:33My poo-poo this morning three times.
09:35Oh, too much information.
09:37Wow.
09:38If she doesn't like Italian food, I don't have any beans and toast.
09:45Oh, well, someone who is a fan is spiritualist Joe.
09:50Hello.
09:51Hello.
09:53Wow.
09:53You look good.
09:54You look lovely, darling.
09:56Two, one, and...
09:57Are you a fan of Italian food?
09:59I love Italian food.
10:00Oh, yes.
10:01I love it, silly.
10:01I love Italian people.
10:03I love Italian men.
10:07Complete with kidneys, here's Natalia.
10:09Hello.
10:10Ciao.
10:11Benvenuta.
10:12So, I have got you another little gift.
10:15Exciting.
10:15This is for your spicy poo-poo.
10:17Oh, my God.
10:19Thank you very much.
10:19Useful.
10:20Let's have a great night.
10:22Cheers!
10:24Coming up.
10:25Oh, my God.
10:26To be harsh.
10:27A peculiar palate.
10:29I've had a fermented duck egg.
10:30Pretty disgusting, actually.
10:32It was horrible.
10:33It tasted like rotting, mouldy flesh.
10:36Bellissimo.
10:37And fantastical food.
10:38This is a winning dessert.
10:41Oh, my God.
10:41I've got to have more.
10:42More.
10:43More.
10:43More.
10:50It's night two in the West Country.
10:53Cheers!
10:53Cheers!
10:54And the turn of Pepe, who's hoping his authentic Italian menu will impress the gang and bag him the grand.
11:01It's gonna be a good night.
11:03Everyone is just amazing.
11:05So, yeah, I hope it's going okay.
11:07While he gets the starter going, Natalia and Richard are having a nose hip.
11:12He must have a gerbil type hamster.
11:16Hamster.
11:16Oh, I can see him.
11:18Hello.
11:20Bonjour.
11:21Hola.
11:22Ciao.
11:23I just wanted him to come out and see me and be all cute with his little nose and his
11:27little whiskers.
11:28He was lush.
11:29Grown man with a hamster?
11:30What do you reckon?
11:31Yeah, but he's not really a grown man, though, is he?
11:35He's little.
11:36Do you reckon he talks to the hamster a lot?
11:37Yeah, I reckon he does.
11:38Full-on conversations.
11:40Yeah.
11:40Yeah.
11:41And I think he gets a lot back, to be honest.
11:44I think so.
11:45Back with Pepe as he checks on his parmigiana.
11:48That look amazing.
11:50That look like proper Italian parmigiana, so I hope they're going to join.
11:54You better plate up, then.
11:56Here it is, aubergine parmigiana stuffed with cheddar and mortadella.
12:01Molto buono.
12:03Si, senor.
12:04Here we go, here for the starters.
12:07It's a bit different because it is actually called involtino,
12:11which means that aubergine is rolled into...
12:16Oh, aubergine. Sorry.
12:17Yeah.
12:17It's filled with mortadella and cheddar.
12:21I choose cheddar to give a touch of British.
12:25Oh.
12:26So, you know, like...
12:27Fancy!
12:28I hope you like it.
12:32Are you getting on with the Italian food?
12:35Yes, I'm getting on.
12:37Yeah?
12:37It's absolutely really nice.
12:39You look on being said.
12:41If that's Italian, then no, no, no.
12:44No.
12:45The cheddar cheese was nice.
12:48To be honest, I thought it might have been some stuffed pasta.
12:51So, actually, when it came out, I was pleasantly surprised
12:54because it was really tasty.
12:55I think this is absolutely superb.
12:57Yeah, it's beautiful.
12:58Yeah.
12:58I normally have an issue with, like, slimy things.
13:01Like, mushrooms I'm not a massive fan of.
13:03But this is...
13:05The texture's all right.
13:07I do actually think aubergines are like slugs,
13:10so I wasn't looking forward to eating slugs, so...
13:14But there are no slugs.
13:16Come on.
13:17They're totally different.
13:18Slug is something else.
13:19If you have been in France, maybe you don't like escargot?
13:23I've never been to France.
13:24Oh.
13:24One of the weirdest things I ever...
13:27Oh, my God.
13:28I can't believe I did it.
13:29It was a pickled bird.
13:33Pick?
13:34A pickled bird.
13:35And it was so nice.
13:37Why did you...
13:37It was really nice.
13:39I couldn't have thought of it.
13:41She eats pickled birds,
13:44and then she does not like Italian food.
13:47How can be that?
13:48I've had a fermented duck egg before,
13:50which was green and black,
13:52and it was pretty disgusting, actually.
13:55Oh, no!
13:56It was horrible.
13:57It tasted like rotting, mouldy flesh.
14:00It was disgusting.
14:01Never again.
14:02I've never eaten hamster.
14:04Have you?
14:05Uh-oh.
14:09If you talk about Dexter,
14:11this reminds that maybe you don't back home tonight?
14:17No, we met him earlier.
14:18I didn't know his name.
14:19Yeah, we met Dexter.
14:20He's safe.
14:21Yeah, he's safe.
14:21He's very cute.
14:22He's not on my plate.
14:23Who's Dexter?
14:25Dexter is my little hamster,
14:28and he's named after a serial killer,
14:31because he's keeping me awake on the night,
14:33so when I go to say,
14:34Dexter stop,
14:36he's watching me like that.
14:37LAUGHTER
14:38So I believe...
14:39I got my guys like this!
14:40I believe he's planning to kill me.
14:43What have you done in front of Dexter to scare him?
14:44Because he would only kill you
14:46if you've done some naughty things, Peppa.
14:48Huh?
14:49Yes, I think we'd better move on.
14:51Hello.
14:52I'm so happy about the starter.
14:54All the plates were empty.
14:55Can I complain about that?
14:57No.
14:57Time for the main.
14:59First job, slicing the bread.
15:01Oh, my God, it's a bit hard.
15:03Oh, well, get that garlic butter on.
15:06I'm going to get the lasagna out.
15:08The lasagna look amazing.
15:10I hope with this I'm going to get another winning plate.
15:15Fingers crossed.
15:16Here it is.
15:17Lasagna and a piece of rock-hard garlic bread.
15:21Mind your teeth on that.
15:22My lasagna looking great.
15:24Let's have another great course.
15:25One mangiare.
15:27Do some less lasagna, some homemade garlic bread,
15:31and enjoy your main.
15:34Good.
15:36Prego.
15:37You made all the sauce?
15:39Yes.
15:39Well, of course.
15:40Yes, even the...
15:41Did you make the pasta?
15:42I made layers?
15:43No, I didn't.
15:44I didn't have the time.
15:45I would say that's probably top-notch.
15:47He's nailed the Italian flavour.
15:50The red wines you in there made it really rich and saucy.
15:54It was fantastic.
15:54The lasagna itself was lovely, but I just felt he could have gone that extra mile with it.
16:00After cooking for a long time, I decided that I was getting bored with my menus daily, so I went
16:06over to France to get inspired and went to a certain cookery school just for the week.
16:11It was really lovely just to kind of feel inspired and do some different cooking.
16:15You probably could have heard my eye roll at that point when she said that, but, you know, I think
16:21she's going to say something about everything, to be honest.
16:23Joe, any opinions on the bread?
16:25It's sourdough.
16:27You can't get a...
16:28Yeah, but sourdough is firmer anyway.
16:29You don't have to eat it if you don't like it.
16:33Well, you stop bloody having a go at me.
16:35I'm liking it, but I'm just saying I didn't expect that texture and I can't taste the garlic.
16:41I'm really saying it like it is.
16:42That's constructive feedback from Joe, right?
16:45Yeah, I am.
16:46Like the dog food, like.
16:48Yeah, yeah.
16:48Here we go.
16:49We've let that go, all right?
16:51OK.
16:51No.
16:52Never.
16:53Never.
16:54Never.
16:55I'm not sure that's finished.
16:57No.
16:57So, Joe say what she think.
16:59I'm glad she didn't say my food was a dog food.
17:03Pepe, the reason I don't like Italian food is that I don't like pasta, but the filling is amazing.
17:09Oh, thank you very much.
17:10Yes.
17:10I appreciate that.
17:11This is a constructive comment, opinion.
17:15And I'm in trouble for the dog food.
17:17Yes, it's still the most offensive comment we've had.
17:19I told you at the beginning, it's up to you what you take offence from, and this pal here took
17:24it very well.
17:25Did she?
17:26Yes.
17:27We're not going to talk about this, but I've got something to say.
17:30All right, I can handle it.
17:31Bloody dog food?
17:32You ate the look.
17:34I loved it.
17:35I said it looked like dog food.
17:38How can you say dog?
17:40It looked...
17:40It looked...
17:40When it went down...
17:41You didn't think that when it was going in your mouth?
17:44Well, maybe...
17:46Maybe I should have put on the floor in a bowl for you.
17:50Wow.
17:52And you are so sister.
17:56I think that's probably got some legs left still for the rest of the week.
17:59I think Kirsteen's going to have some revenge for Joe later in the week.
18:07The silence.
18:09Much better.
18:11Yeah, much better.
18:12Yeah, a bit of silence.
18:14It was too much argument at the table at some point.
18:17But yeah, that's nice.
18:19Best get dessert served then.
18:21So the tiramisu look banging.
18:24It look like subtle.
18:25I'm very happy with that, and I hope they enjoy it.
18:29And here it is.
18:30Pistachio tiramisu.
18:33Bellissimo.
18:34They're going to love that.
18:39I don't do puddings or desserts.
18:42You don't like pudding.
18:43You don't like pasta.
18:44Why are you coming to my dinner?
18:46He's got a point.
18:47And I was like, oh, my God, I've got to have more, more, more.
18:51Yeah.
18:52It was beautiful.
18:54It was nourishing food, I've got to be honest.
18:56I can't fault that.
18:58This is a winning dessert.
19:01It beats my apple crumble.
19:03Oh, I think you're really right to me.
19:05It's beautiful.
19:06That's a compliment.
19:07Or maybe I'm just hungry.
19:10Yeah, maybe not.
19:11No offence.
19:13No offence.
19:14Like, I mean, I don't understand you.
19:15Are you upset because I told you about the chilli yesterday?
19:18No, I'm upset because I was devastated
19:21because I put too much chilli in the food.
19:25But that's OK.
19:25Your meat was amazing.
19:27It wasn't like a dog food for me.
19:29Not again.
19:32It's already the bloody worst thing that's been said.
19:35Thank you very much.
19:35I don't know.
19:36If my food got called dog food, I'd...
19:39What are you going to do about it, girl?
19:41Can't throw it back.
19:42I'll probably wear it.
19:43I apologise.
19:44I don't.
19:44I got a little bit tired of the dog food tonight.
19:48Natalia has picked up on it.
19:49And I feel she's injecting a little bit of,
19:52there's something I don't like about you, Jo.
19:54I don't think she likes me at all.
19:56I think she's a bit wary of me, to be honest,
19:58cos I don't show all my cards straight away.
20:00And I never said her food was dog food.
20:02I said it looks like.
20:04That is calling her food dog food.
20:05It's not, sorry.
20:06Only I can know what I meant.
20:08OK.
20:09Anyway, I don't care.
20:10I've never, ever finished a pudding, not even my own, what I made.
20:15I felt there were a couple of digs coming my way.
20:17I think that's something that will need to be addressed in the week.
20:21I might be pouring a bit of water over somebody's head if it goes any further.
20:25Jo annoyed me last night a little bit.
20:28And again, she's annoying me.
20:30Which I knew she wouldn't.
20:31And I'm quite looking forward to tomorrow, my night, unless she says a comment,
20:37because it's possibly not going to go the way she thinks it will go.
20:41Oh, crikey!
20:42Do something, Pepe!
20:44I want you guys to meet Dexter.
20:45Dexter!
20:46Oh!
20:48Nothing like a furry hamster to cool things down.
20:50You were saying earlier you felt he hated you.
20:53Now, I've actually done an animal communication course
20:56and I've worked with animals, animal healing, etc.
20:58So, do you want me to do a little bit of a...pracy on what he's feeling?
21:03Not sure Dexter's got a choice.
21:05Hello, sweetheart. How are you, my darling?
21:08What are you saying? What are you saying?
21:09Dexter.
21:10He's got absolute love for you.
21:12He's got absolute trust.
21:13And honestly, the strongest feeling I get is that you're his protector.
21:24Pepe can definitely rest assured that he can sleep at night.
21:28That animal has no malicious content in his mind.
21:31Thank goodness for that.
21:32She is full of ****.
21:34Kirstein!
21:35Yes, three winning course.
21:38And I'm going to go for the money.
21:40Yeah, definitely.
21:42Scores, please.
21:43The food was delicious, but for me it was just missing a little bit
21:46of what I was hoping would be some Pepe passion.
21:49So, tonight Pepe's getting a seven.
21:51Love Pepe, but unfortunately tonight it's a five.
21:57So, tonight was fun, vivacious, and I love him to bits.
22:01So, for that reason, I'm going to give him an eight.
22:05Tonight I'm going to give Giuseppe a seven.
22:08And with that, Pepe's Italian feast bags him a decent 27 points.
22:15Next time.
22:17Feuding foodies.
22:19Are you holding a grudge because I said that?
22:22No, I just stated that was rude.
22:24Too much drama on the table and I don't like drama.
22:26And fingering frolics.
22:28Come on, cow.
22:29I just didn't feel right to me to go claw.
22:31I'd rather sit on the cake.
22:34If I could walk with the animals, talk with the animals,
22:38grunt, squeak, squawk with the animals,
22:42and they could squeak and squawk and speak and talk to me.
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