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00:02It's the last of this year's Masterchef quarterfinals, and this week, six best cooks are back.
00:10I can't believe I'm a quarterfinalist. I just want to go as far as I can now. I really, really,
00:15I've got the bug.
00:17It's nerve-wracking. New people, new challenges. I just want to go out there and just kill it.
00:25I wasn't convinced I'd get through the first challenge, but now I've had a taste of it in there, and
00:31it's a buzz, and you want more.
00:32Tonight, they will face two daunting challenges.
00:36My head is just willing.
00:38First, they will have to invent a dish from scratch centered around one key component,
00:44before cooking a dish to a brief from one of the country's top restaurant critics, Layla Kazim.
00:51I am determined to impress the doctors today. I have little, like, daydreams of what Anna and Grace might say
00:56when they eat my food.
00:58I'm feeling ready. I've got this.
01:00I sing under pressure. I dance under pressure, and I know I can cope.
01:07If there was ever a chance for me to really blow everyone else out of the water, now is the
01:13time to do it.
01:15This is when we raise the bar.
01:17We've seen the spark in them, but now we want to see the fire.
01:44Welcome to the MasterChef quarterfinal.
01:48We're really excited to see you cook again.
01:52We're now looking for our best cooks to take through to knockout week.
01:56We'll be deciding this over two incredibly tough tasks, the first of which is the invention test.
02:06We would like you to create a dish based on one of Mother Nature's most versatile and dynamic ingredients.
02:15Fruit.
02:17And to help you create that dish, we're going to open the MasterChef market.
02:26Inside, you will find fruit from all around the world.
02:31We have tropical fruit, we have mangoes, pineapples, we've bananas.
02:38We also have delectable apples, strawberries, blackberries, you name it, it's in the market.
02:46You can cook sweet or savoury.
02:49The one most important message you need to take from us is that whatever fruit you use, it is the
02:55star of the show.
02:56Ninety minutes to serve us up your fruit extravaganza.
03:02Let's cook.
03:11An invention test all about fruit.
03:14I think their brains are going to be scrambling.
03:17My head is just willing.
03:19In Singapore cooking, we rarely use fruit, so it is terrifying.
03:26There's a big difference between cooking fruit and eating fruit, but we've got to see how it goes.
03:30Well, there's so much that can be done with fruit.
03:35They can be turned into sauces, they can be caramelised, they can be poached.
03:39They need to do something to that fruit to make it so exceptional that it elevates everything it's connected with.
03:49I'm going for a sweet dish today, which is not normally my forte, so this might come back and bite
03:54me in the bum.
03:55It's hard, but, I mean, let's just have a go.
03:59Jack is the kind of cook I find intriguing.
04:03He is creative.
04:04He delivers things that are truly different.
04:07He has really delivered on that sauce.
04:11One of the best things I've tasted in the entire competition.
04:14I hope I haven't peaked thus far.
04:17I like an invention.
04:18I throw things together all the time.
04:21So, my plan for today is keep calm, not overthink it, and just take it my side.
04:28Jack, I saw you as you were walking into the market.
04:32You had a real cheery disposition.
04:34You were like, I got this.
04:36I've never really cooked that much for fruit, but I just was like, do you know what?
04:39It could be so much worse.
04:41It could be a lot harder.
04:42So, that's where I'm coming from.
04:44So, what fruit is inspiring you?
04:46I'm going with mango.
04:47I was recently in Thailand, and I had this mango char-grilled with pesto and, like, burrata, and it was
04:54amazing.
04:54Then I'm trying to throw in some, like, spicy chili prawns.
04:57That is just such a beautiful flavor combination.
05:01Spicy, light.
05:02That's what I'm going for.
05:03Did you tell your friends that you got through to the quarterfinal?
05:05I told my flatmate, and then I made him sit yesterday and eat all the things that I'm going to
05:10do.
05:14Jack is really taking a risk with this invention round because he has some very big, bold, pungent flavors going
05:24on.
05:25It's definitely winging it a bit.
05:27Pesto, chili prawns, burrata.
05:30He's got scotch bonnet in there, too.
05:33He really needs to keep focused on that mango.
05:36It's meant to be about the fruit, isn't it?
05:40I'm trying to add more mango just to make sure.
05:44Hopefully, it can pull it off.
05:46Famous last words.
05:48Jade is a complete joy in this kitchen, bringing us these huge, multi-layered flavors of Singapore.
05:58It never stops delighting me.
06:02This is everything I want from a laxa.
06:07I'm loving this competition, but this is a new ballgame for me.
06:11This surprise round makes me feel a bit nervous, but hey, just got to go for it.
06:19You chose apples.
06:21Why?
06:22In Singapore, green apples are very common.
06:25And my husband and daughter loves pork chop and apple.
06:29So I have marinated my pork with ginger and apple.
06:33I'm going to make a brandy-infused apple sauce.
06:37And if I have time, I'm going to make some apple crisps.
06:40Apple and pork, it's a classic combination.
06:42So I'm really interested to see how you're going to elevate that.
06:45I think I can make you happy with this.
06:51Jade, she's doing a pork chop marinated in ginger and apple.
06:56She's using a granny smith apple, which is naturally sweet, but has a bit of tartness.
07:00And I really think the spice of the ginger could go very well.
07:04In Singapore, I just pan-fry it.
07:07But having this thickness of pork, I don't want to serve you raw pork.
07:12You could put it in the oven if you wanted.
07:13Yeah, yeah.
07:17She's going to make apple puree with clementine.
07:21I've never had apple and clementine puree before.
07:26I've got apple crisp.
07:28It didn't crisp nicely in the oven, so I'm cooking it.
07:31But it looks like Doc's dinner.
07:33I really hope that Jade gets the balance right with her apple brandy sauce.
07:38Brandy has a punch to it.
07:41She wants to get apple right through the dish.
07:44So I hope this will be sensational.
07:49That's 35 minutes that have flown by.
07:56I hate it.
07:57Do I look like I eat a lot of fruit?
07:59Sean, the plumber, really has shown us he likes gastropub-style food.
08:06His rac-a-lam on his signature dish really was fantastic.
08:11Sean, you've got to be pleased with this crust around the lamb.
08:14The crust, the potatoes, I'm very pleased.
08:17My plan for today, how can I plan?
08:21It's a surprise.
08:22And I don't like surprises.
08:26Sean, are you enjoying the task we've set you?
08:28Absolutely not.
08:30Absolutely.
08:30This is, for me, this could be like the worst possible thing.
08:34Being thrown one of these sort of surprise cooks.
08:37There's enough pressure in here as it is without throwing that one.
08:39You do watch the show though, right?
08:40Yeah, I do watch the show.
08:41I just thought I'd be able to, you know, bypass all them little challenges.
08:46But pineapple is going to be my main fruit.
08:48I'm going to do it with like a sweet and sour chicken.
08:51So what's going to make the pineapple the star of the show?
08:54I'm going to caramelise it down first and then put it in the sauce.
08:57So hopefully it will pop and stand out.
08:59But this is something that I've cooked at home on the weekends,
09:02so it's the first thing that comes to mind.
09:07Sean is not loving this challenge.
09:10I absolutely hate it.
09:11He's doing sweet and sour chicken.
09:13I'm really hoping that Sean gives himself enough time
09:16to almost double deep fry his chicken
09:18because it is the really, really crispy exterior
09:21you can maintain when you pour the sauce on top.
09:25But if he just fries it quickly before putting it in the sauce,
09:27it's just going to go soggy.
09:28Fried chicken's a staple part of my diet.
09:30I'd have it breakfast, lunch and dinner if I could.
09:32So I like to think I'm going to have to get a crisp on a bit of chicken.
09:36His sweet and sour sauce with caramelised pineapple.
09:39I'm expecting a really good balance of sweet acidity.
09:44Maybe a little bit of heat in there.
09:46But I'm not really sure that Sean's showing us
09:49that pineapple is the star of the show.
09:53I'm just going with it, really.
09:57I don't know if it's the right plan, but I'm going to stick to it.
10:01So far, Frankie has cooked his dishes
10:03reminiscent of her travels all over the world.
10:07They are packed with flavour.
10:09And she has a creative flair.
10:11The problem with Frankie is that she always gives herself
10:14so much work to do, and then she doesn't do justice to her ideas.
10:19Is that me?
10:20Sorry!
10:21Got a fire alarm.
10:22I think that might have been your asparagus.
10:25We want to see the creative side of Frankie,
10:28but she needs to be able to rein it back
10:30so she can actually shine through.
10:33Before this competition,
10:34I thought I was pretty good under pressure.
10:37And then the two-course menu happened.
10:40And I just don't know where that hour and 15 minutes went.
10:43But today, whatever it is that I need to do,
10:45I'm going to make a plan
10:46because I tend to jump in both feet first,
10:48and that sometimes hinders me slightly.
10:51So I'm going to try and take a deep breath.
10:54I saw an utter look of panic on your face,
10:58and then suddenly you were holding a full pineapple.
11:01Why did you choose pineapple?
11:02One of my sisters got married a couple of years ago,
11:04and I made pina colada blondies.
11:05So I worked with a lot of pineapple over that time.
11:08And I love the flavours.
11:09So I'm making pina colada choux buns.
11:11Keep going.
11:12And they'll be filled with spicy pineapple compote
11:14with then a coconut cream
11:15with a spicy caramel pineapple sauce
11:18and some caramelised pineapple.
11:20Ooh, that's a lot of work, Frankie.
11:22Have you taken on board your feedback
11:24we've given you before?
11:25I have. I think I'm good.
11:26Okay, you need to be good.
11:27You're fighting to get into knockout.
11:29Oh, I know, and I will fight hard.
11:32Frankie is making pina colada choux bun.
11:37Be still my beating heart.
11:40This is the kind of dessert
11:42that would leap out of a menu at me.
11:47She's stuffing this choux bun
11:49with a roasted pineapple compote
11:52and a coconut cream.
11:54Wow.
11:55It's quite difficult to get a choux bun right.
12:00It is all about how she beats in the air
12:04to her choux bun.
12:05That's the key, the air.
12:06That's what makes a choux pastry rise.
12:09Couldn't quite get the dough right.
12:10Gonna give it another go.
12:12Because that's not pipeable.
12:16And it should be.
12:19Apparently she's going to give us a pineapple fritter.
12:22That fritter better have a light batter
12:25and the pineapple inside needs to be sweetened and soft.
12:32OK, guys, you've got 25 minutes left.
12:38Andy, while his father was running the farm,
12:41he was in the kitchen learning how to cook
12:44Northern Irish classics.
12:47He loves nostalgic, heart-warming dishes.
12:53This wonderful bread.
12:54I can taste the treacle.
12:56I can taste the stout.
12:58I could eat the entire loaf.
13:00Creating dishes on the spot,
13:02sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't work.
13:04I'm just going to have to keep my head down,
13:06give it my best shot,
13:07and that's literally all I can do.
13:12Andy, what are you making us?
13:13I don't really cook with fruit that often,
13:15so I really just wanted to go with something
13:16that I really know how to do.
13:17So I'm making an apple crumble,
13:20but the crumble is flavoring with walnuts and cinnamon.
13:23This is not a time to play it safe.
13:25Essentially, we want to highlight the flavor of the apple.
13:27Yeah, I think the sweetness of the apple
13:29is really going to come through.
13:29You're really going to get a good thick layer of the apple,
13:32so the apple will be the star of the show.
13:33OK.
13:37I mean, an apple crumble is a dish
13:39that probably every home cook across the country could make.
13:43I'm just a little bit nervous
13:45that a lot of people have much more impressive ideas,
13:47but if I get all my flavors right, then I should be OK.
13:50I love the idea of walnut and cinnamon in the crumble.
13:56Cinnamon really needs to be used with a lot of care,
13:59though if you put too much in it,
14:01it will overpower the entire crumble.
14:04It's given us two different types of apple.
14:06There is going to be one that's stewed
14:08from one which is much more chunky.
14:11He's going to put miso caramel inside the crumble.
14:15I'm not going to turn up the heat any,
14:17because I've done that before and ruined it.
14:20But miso is a strong flavor.
14:23I want to taste the apple.
14:24He's also making a custard.
14:27I like the thought in him trying to elevate this apple crumble,
14:30but at the end of the day, that's what it is.
14:34I personally learned to cook with her grandmother.
14:39She won our hearts with hearty classics.
14:44She's got a great command of flavor and buckets of skill.
14:48You mix it all together,
14:50and the balance of flavor is absolutely outstanding.
14:55I've definitely got to keep pushing myself
14:57to impress them and see in a competition.
14:59But I've got to stay true to who I am.
15:01There's no point in me going out there
15:02and cooking something that I've never cooked before.
15:04I'm Kirsty from Bolton,
15:07and the food that I like is the food that I like.
15:11Kirsty, do you like fruit?
15:12I love fruit, yeah.
15:15I'm a fruit bat, as my partner calls me.
15:17So I'm making an apple and pear sponge
15:20with a spiced ginger and cinnamon custard.
15:23Why did you choose apple and pear?
15:24So I normally make Eve's pudding.
15:26What's Eve's pudding?
15:27Eve's pudding is an old-school British dish,
15:30which is basically apples and a sponge.
15:34You dig into it, and the apples are at the bottom,
15:35but this I'm kind of flipping it open.
15:37Hopefully the apples will be on the top
15:39and not disintegrated into the sponge, I'm hoping.
15:45I want a beautiful, soft, fluffy, moist sponge.
15:51I've made the sponge recipe before,
15:52but, yeah, we'll see when I turn them over.
15:54That layer of apple and pear needs to make its mark.
15:57It cannot be anonymous.
15:58It needs to show us a masterful use of fruit cooked, hopefully.
16:03She's serving it with a spiced ginger and cinnamon custard.
16:07I don't want to punch in a face from these spices.
16:10They are supposed to enhance the fruit.
16:13The sponge tastes quite sweet,
16:14so I've not made the custard very sweet,
16:16so hopefully they realise that I've done that on purpose.
16:19I wonder, has Kirsty pushed herself enough here?
16:25We have ten minutes left.
16:28I think some of our cooks are really pushing the boat out,
16:31but a few of them, they're definitely playing it safe.
16:34I don't want to see safe.
16:36Porns coming together, just figuring out plating.
16:40I think I'm quite happy that I've got apples through the dish.
16:44I think so, yes.
16:46How's it going?
16:47Very stressful.
16:48It's just when you guys go five minutes,
16:50and then it's like, oh!
16:55OK, guys, you've got three minutes.
16:57Final touches, really.
16:59You need to be finishing it off.
17:01Not what I would like.
17:03This should be kind of sphere-shaped
17:05rather than pancake-shaped.
17:08Don't look at them.
17:09Just eat them.
17:10I won't look at them.
17:11I'll shut my eyes if I mean to, Frankie.
17:13Yeah, thanks.
17:23OK, that's it, guys.
17:24Time's up.
17:25Step away from your benches.
17:31Yeah.
17:32Could be better.
17:35Jack, come on up.
17:39First up is pub manager Jack,
17:41who chose mango
17:42and made the spicy prawn and charred mango salad
17:46flavoured with cherry tomatoes,
17:48burrata, scotch bonnet,
17:50and a basil pesto.
17:52This is very much one of Jack's creations,
17:55again, visually.
17:56I wish the presentation was a little bit different,
17:58but I think otherwise it might be OK.
18:06I think the prawns are cooked really beautifully.
18:09I think you've prepared them well.
18:10For me, the mango is sweet,
18:13but then you've blow-torched the mango,
18:16so it has that element where it's just charred.
18:19And then you have the pesto as well,
18:21so you've got the kind of the garlicky basil.
18:23Tastes wonderful.
18:26I really like the mango, burrata, pesto
18:29and spicy tomato salad.
18:31But I would have liked to have seen
18:33your mango pieces more loved.
18:35There's a magic reaction that happens with fruit,
18:38and we call it, like, macerating.
18:39We take a sweet fruit and we put sugar on it,
18:41and then we add an acid to it.
18:43And I think you could have done that to your mango.
18:45I think you have great potential, Jack,
18:47so you have to really push yourself.
18:52There's obviously, like, criticism here and there,
18:54but it just all kind of came together quite well.
18:58So, yeah, I'm quite pleased.
19:01Healthcare professional Jade's chosen fruit was apple.
19:05She's cooked pan-fried pork chops
19:08marinated in apple and ginger,
19:10served with an apple and clementine puree,
19:13red currants, apple crisps, green beans,
19:16and an apple and brandy sauce.
19:20The pork, it tastes wonderful.
19:23The fat is just melting.
19:24I do think, however, that the apple flavours
19:27on the pork chop have maybe been lost
19:29somewhere along the way.
19:31But the apple and clementine puree
19:34is a taste that I have never had before.
19:36It's got that citrus burst
19:38that's elevated the apple.
19:40The apple crisps,
19:41I've just eaten both of them
19:42like a hungry wolf,
19:43so you clearly did something right there.
19:46I'm not getting any of the apple in your sauce.
19:49The brandy is very raw.
19:51But the apple puree
19:52and the clementine is a wonderful idea,
19:55and it really does complement the pork chop.
19:59Some elements really worked,
20:00and other ones, they didn't.
20:02But all in all,
20:03you've really tried to incorporate apple
20:05in nearly every single element,
20:07and that absolutely must be commended.
20:11I think I hit the breeze,
20:13but I was hoping that the apple flavour
20:16would come through into the pork,
20:18and that sauce,
20:19I was too heavy-handed with my brandy.
20:23Plumber Sean used pineapple
20:25in the sauce for his sweet and sour chicken,
20:28served with pineapple egg-fried rice.
20:35I think a chicken is very nice,
20:38still moist and really rather yummy.
20:40But the star of the show
20:41is meant to be pineapple.
20:43Your sweet and sour
20:44doesn't have that sweet element.
20:47Don't think you had enough time
20:48caramelising the pineapple.
20:50The chicken is quite soft.
20:52It's lost any crispiness.
20:53You have to fry them twice.
20:55There's pineapple in your rice,
20:56but it's just pineapple.
20:57If you had taken that pineapple
21:00and really, really charred it,
21:02or marinated it in something,
21:04soy sauce,
21:05you just should have given
21:06that pineapple more attention.
21:08I know you've got it, Sean,
21:10and I think you doubted yourself too much here.
21:12Yeah, I did.
21:16Not great.
21:18I don't think I delivered at all on that.
21:20I was really disappointed in myself.
21:23Pineapple was supposed to be
21:24the star of the show,
21:25and it didn't hit the brief.
21:27Civil servant Frankie
21:28also chose pineapple
21:30and has made pina colada profiteroles
21:32filled with a coconut cream
21:34and pineapple compote,
21:36served with pineapple fritters
21:38spiced with chilli
21:39and caramelised pineapple
21:41with desiccated coconut.
21:42Your choux buns
21:44feel lower
21:45than I would normally have hoped for.
21:51Your choux pastry
21:53has too much egg in it,
21:54and as a result,
21:55it has a cake texture.
21:56It's more similar to a sponge
21:58than a choux pastry.
21:59Your coconut cream is delicious.
22:00It's coconutty,
22:01and I love the texture
22:02of desiccated coconut,
22:03but there's so little pineapple
22:05inside the choux pastry,
22:06and I was expecting
22:07this real jammy,
22:09unctuous,
22:09pineapple,
22:10pina colada-inspired choux bun.
22:13Your fritter
22:14really is crying out
22:16for sweetness.
22:17It's very savoury,
22:18and there's quite a lot of salt on it.
22:20The choux bun,
22:22I need five times
22:23the amount of that compote.
22:25I'm not getting
22:25that pina colada taste,
22:27and believe me,
22:28I know what a pina colada
22:30tastes like.
22:31I've sat on enough beaches
22:32drinking them.
22:33It's just not
22:34pineapply enough.
22:38Really deflated,
22:40really disappointed.
22:41There was little things like
22:43not enough pineapple compote
22:45in the bottom.
22:45There's a whole tube of it
22:46left on my bench
22:47that I didn't use.
22:49But it's all done now.
22:51Nothing else I can do.
22:55Medical physicist Andy
22:56chose apple
22:57and made an apple,
22:59miso caramel,
23:00and walnut crumble
23:01spiced with cinnamon
23:03served with a creme anglaise.
23:08The crumble is wonderful.
23:10It has walnut and cinnamon.
23:11It's just buttery.
23:12It's crumbly.
23:13What I do like about the apple
23:14is that you've got
23:15two different textures
23:16of it going on.
23:17One slightly stewed
23:19and one chunkier.
23:20Crème anglaise,
23:21adelaide.
23:23It's an okay crumble.
23:25I like the apple compote
23:26inside.
23:27I think the addition of miso
23:28is an interesting flavour.
23:30But for an hour and a half,
23:32I believe that, Andy,
23:33you must have more fuel
23:34in the tank
23:35than a crumble.
23:36And as far as celebrating
23:37an apple,
23:38there's no other apple element.
23:40You need to show us
23:41that you can do more
23:42than this.
23:43Yeah.
23:46Probably played it
23:47a little bit safe.
23:48It should have been
23:49maybe a little bit more
23:51adventurous
23:51for the invention test.
23:55Last up is
23:56waste collection manager,
23:57Kirsty.
23:58She's served a sponge
23:59topped with apples
24:00and pears
24:01with fresh raspberries
24:03and strawberries
24:03and a ginger
24:05and cinnamon custard.
24:10Your sponge is cooked
24:11quite nicely
24:12and there's a lovely
24:13kind of sugary,
24:13crusty bit on the bottom
24:15which is very yummy.
24:16In your custard,
24:17there's a real elegant touch
24:19of the spice.
24:20But for a fruit invention test,
24:23we need more fruit.
24:24Yeah.
24:24Kirsty.
24:25Okay, sorry.
24:26Where's the pear
24:27and where's the apple?
24:28You should really be
24:29kind of trying to punch
24:30and show the world
24:31what we can do
24:32with those fruits
24:33because they are so special
24:35and so wonderful.
24:36I mean,
24:36I feel like I'm saying this
24:37to nearly all he is today, guys,
24:39but I expect more from you.
24:41Yeah.
24:42The reason you're here
24:43in this group of six
24:44is because you are clearly good.
24:47You do have potential.
24:49Stop playing it safe.
24:50Give us everything.
24:55I do wish that I'd shown them
24:58more today.
24:59Didn't challenge myself
25:00enough in there.
25:01Putting a little fruit salad
25:02at the side
25:03just to give it
25:03a little bit more visual appeal
25:05was nowhere near enough
25:06and I knew that, really.
25:08I think all six of you
25:10had troubles today.
25:11But guys,
25:12this is the quarterfinal.
25:13Invention
25:14is a crucial part
25:15to a great cook.
25:17You're going to have
25:18to do more challenges
25:19like that.
25:21Go have a break.
25:32We just need to buckle up
25:34and get on with it.
25:36Grace, we know that these six cooks
25:38are very talented.
25:40Plus, there's no shining star
25:42from that challenge.
25:43They have one more opportunity
25:45to show us who deserves
25:47to go through to knockout week.
25:49And the thing is, Anna,
25:50in the next round,
25:51it's not just us
25:53they need to impress.
26:19That last challenge,
26:20we were pretty tough on you.
26:22But remember,
26:23every time you walk
26:24into this kitchen,
26:25you need to give us
26:26more than we've seen before.
26:28It's all to play for
26:30in this next round.
26:31We can only take
26:33three of you
26:34to knockout week.
26:35To help us
26:36with this decision,
26:38we've invited
26:40a very special guest.
26:42The legendary food writer
26:44and broadcaster,
26:46Leila Kazim.
26:56Hello, Leila.
26:57Hello.
26:57Welcome.
26:58Hi.
26:58Leila, can you tell
27:00our cooks your brief?
27:02I would like you
27:03to create an outstanding dish
27:05for us today
27:06that showcases
27:08an ingredient
27:09that you really
27:11used to dislike
27:13when you were a kid.
27:14I'm very excited
27:16to see what you guys
27:17do with this
27:18because I'm asking you
27:20to tap into some
27:20old memories.
27:22You've got to convince us
27:23that this ingredient
27:24you used to hate
27:25actually deserves
27:25to be loved.
27:27You've 90 minutes.
27:28At the end of this,
27:29three of you
27:30will be going home.
27:32Start cooking.
27:41I think this brief
27:42is actually quite tough
27:43because we have
27:44such emotional memories
27:46with food
27:46and I've asked them
27:50to work with something
27:51that they used
27:52to not like.
27:53Slightly nervous
27:54at this moment in time.
27:56I don't want this ingredient
27:57to be left by the wayside.
27:59I want it to come
28:00to the forefront,
28:01be the star of the show,
28:03and absolutely sing
28:05off of that plate.
28:07I feel like my first
28:09challenge wasn't great.
28:10It didn't showcase
28:11what I can do
28:12so I feel like I really
28:13need to step it up today.
28:17As soon as I got the brief,
28:20I instantly went,
28:21mushrooms.
28:24I remember we went out
28:26for lunch one day
28:27and my grandparents
28:28and my granddad's mum,
28:29granny,
28:30and my nan ordered
28:31breaded mushrooms
28:32and granny went,
28:33why would you put rubber
28:34in your mouth?
28:35Why would you eat rubber?
28:36It kind of stuck with me.
28:38Why would I want to eat that?
28:39Oh my gosh.
28:40But that shows
28:41that the things
28:42we hear as kids
28:43can really influence
28:44our perception
28:46of certain foods
28:47and then at what stage
28:48did you realise
28:49that actually
28:49you quite liked them?
28:50It wasn't until my mid-teens
28:52I went, we'll give it a go
28:53and well, granny was wrong.
28:55Mushrooms are nice.
28:56What are you cooking for us?
28:57Today we've got
28:58a mushroom black truffle ravioli
29:00with chanterelle mushrooms,
29:02a parmesan swill,
29:04sage butter
29:04and crispy sage on top.
29:06Oh my goodness.
29:09I really like
29:10the sound of Sean's dish.
29:12Ravioli stuffed with mushrooms
29:14is a wonderful idea
29:17but technically
29:17very difficult.
29:19First time
29:20we've seen you make
29:21pasta in this kitchen.
29:22Yes, this will be
29:24my eighth time ever.
29:25Were the other seven times
29:26practising for this competition?
29:28Yes, they were, yeah.
29:30If the pasta is too thick
29:31that's horrible.
29:32If it's too thin
29:33it can split.
29:33There's a couple
29:35that look a bit thin.
29:36Fingers crossed with those.
29:38Sean's filling up
29:39his ravioli.
29:40He's going to have
29:40cooked down chestnut mushrooms,
29:42cream cheese,
29:43some thyme
29:44and some parsley.
29:45We'll get there, mate.
29:46He's got to stuff
29:47enough of the filling in
29:48so we get the flavour
29:49but not overstuff it
29:51so that they burst
29:52in the pan.
29:53I mean,
29:54rather him than me.
29:55The thought of them
29:56bursting is always a worry
29:58but we'll see
29:59how we get on.
30:00And then chanterelles,
30:01what a beautiful mushroom
30:02to use.
30:03They're visually pleasing
30:04and they have a nice
30:05natural kind of
30:06nuttiness to them.
30:08Come on, crisp up.
30:09Crisp up.
30:11Sage butter sauce
30:12goes very well
30:13with mushrooms.
30:14He just needs to be
30:15careful about how much sage
30:16because it can be quite
30:17an overpowering flavour.
30:20And I think
30:20the finishing element
30:21of the parmesan
30:22kind of tuile
30:23will give a bit of texture
30:25but perhaps maybe
30:26a bit of finesse.
30:30At this stage of competition,
30:32the margin for mistakes
30:33to me is zero.
30:36This dish needs to be perfect
30:38so I will cook my socks off.
30:43Jade, you grew up in Singapore.
30:45What was the ingredients
30:46you hated when you were there?
30:48I used to hate duck
30:49duck and plum
30:50because the duck
30:52that was given to me
30:53was chewy
30:54and then the plums
30:55were either too sour
30:57and hard
30:58or too mushy
30:59and overripe.
31:00As I was growing up,
31:01I started eating duck
31:03from one of the better
31:05duck stalls.
31:06UK has got one
31:07of the most sweetest plums
31:09and I just grew to love them.
31:10So, do we have
31:11duck and plums today?
31:12Yes, you have
31:12duck and plums today.
31:13Oh, wow.
31:17I'm excited by this dish
31:18because it's a classic pairing
31:19that I already know
31:20I like, duck and plum.
31:22Jade is spicing her duck
31:24with five spice.
31:25I want to taste it.
31:27I don't want it to be
31:27kind of a muted note
31:28in the background.
31:30Jade also has parsnip puree
31:32but the problem with parsnip
31:34is it can be very sweet.
31:36She's got to have
31:37the right balance there.
31:38She's doing a brandy plum sauce
31:42but Jade with her last sauce
31:44was a bit heavy-handed
31:45with her brandy.
31:46Hopefully, she can
31:46reign it back this time.
31:49I know how much brandy
31:50to put today
31:51and so you will not
31:52be put off by it.
31:53It'll be a lovely sauce.
31:55Also, we have crispy tofu
31:57and cucumber salad.
32:00If I just keep the steps
32:02in my head,
32:03I could nail it.
32:04I've no doubt
32:05it will all taste delicious.
32:06I'm just wondering
32:06does she need to do
32:07all of these elements?
32:10I'm hoping that my ingredient
32:12that's meant to stand out
32:13really does.
32:14So, we'll see.
32:18Hello, Jack.
32:19What is the ingredient
32:20you used to hate?
32:21Blackberries.
32:21When I was little,
32:22my nanny used to have them
32:23in the bottom of the garden
32:24and I used to go
32:25and eat them
32:26and pick them
32:27and I ate so many
32:27I just like,
32:28she found me
32:28and I had like
32:29thrown up down my front.
32:31So then I didn't
32:32eat them for ages.
32:33I used to tell people
32:33I was allergic to them
32:34until I was like,
32:35honestly,
32:36until like five years ago.
32:37And then I ate one
32:38and I was like,
32:39oh, this is quite nice.
32:40Okay, so tell me
32:40what you're doing
32:41with the blackberries.
32:42So I'm doing
32:42pan-fried pigeon breast
32:44with a braised leek
32:46and Stilton crumb
32:47and game chips
32:48and then a blackberry sauce.
32:52Jack is going
32:53to do wood pigeon.
32:54It goes very well
32:56with fruits
32:56like blackberry
32:58but because wood pigeon
32:59is so lean
33:00they get very dry
33:01when they're overcooked.
33:03Jack is going
33:04to make his
33:04blackberry sauce
33:05with beef stock,
33:07red wine,
33:08blackberries,
33:09bay leaves.
33:11I hope that sauce
33:12really packs
33:13a blackberry punch
33:14enough to be celebrating it.
33:15Should be okay.
33:16It tastes nice right now.
33:18Game chips.
33:18I really hope he gets
33:19that lovely waffle effect
33:20on the chip,
33:21the signature look.
33:23Just like a salty,
33:24textural,
33:25crispy element.
33:26He's also going
33:27to braise his leeks
33:29and then he's going
33:30to top them
33:31with Stilton
33:31and panko crumb
33:32and bake them
33:33in the oven.
33:34Braise leeks
33:34for the Stilton crumb
33:35I've done a million times
33:37and it's like a safe bet
33:38and I think it's
33:39going to be really delicious.
33:40I think I'm going
33:42to like this dish
33:44but pigeon
33:45and Stilton,
33:46these are two
33:47very strong flavours.
33:48You could potentially
33:50lose the blackberries
33:52which is the whole
33:52point of this brief.
33:54This might be my
33:55demise
33:57so we'll see.
33:57Fingers crossed.
33:59Okay guys,
34:00you're halfway through.
34:04The food that I
34:05didn't like as a child
34:06was a burger.
34:08Me and my family
34:09would go to France
34:10on holiday
34:11and the French
34:13don't cook the burgers
34:13like we cook them
34:14at home.
34:16It put me
34:17and my sisters
34:17off for a very long time.
34:21We ordered burgers
34:23as you would
34:23thinking that was
34:24quite a safe food
34:25but it was really bloody
34:26and my dad basically
34:27made us eat it
34:28because he said
34:29I bought it
34:29so you'll eat it
34:30so yeah.
34:31I can feel the pain
34:32coming.
34:32Yeah, it's still there.
34:33What are you doing
34:34to these people?
34:35We talk about it
34:37all the time.
34:38You like burgers now?
34:39I love burgers now, yeah.
34:40I host barbecues
34:41all the time
34:41at home
34:42during the summer
34:42so it's a
34:43stuffed cheeseburger
34:45topped with beef short rib
34:46being cooked
34:47in basically
34:48all the ingredients
34:49you put in
34:49Bloody Mary.
34:50Including the alcohol?
34:51Absolutely, yeah.
34:52It wouldn't be the same
34:53without it, would it?
34:57Wow, that's going to be
34:58a beast of a burger.
35:00She's going to flavour
35:01her beef patties
35:02with egg, mustard,
35:04worcestershire sauce
35:05and paprika.
35:06This should give it
35:06a real punch of flavour.
35:08I love it.
35:09I hope they love it too.
35:11I think Kirstie's
35:11being very brave
35:12stuffing that patty
35:13with cheese
35:14because if it's not
35:15properly sealed
35:16the cheese will kind of
35:17burst and ooze out.
35:19I mean, was this
35:19the best thing
35:20for me to do?
35:22But I really want
35:23that burger
35:24to be lovely
35:25and juicy.
35:26I don't want it dry.
35:28Kirstie is getting
35:29a lovely golden brown
35:31colour on those
35:32beef ribs
35:32and then she's going
35:33to put it into
35:34a pressure cooker
35:34with all of the
35:35typical ingredients
35:36from a Bloody Mary.
35:37Tomatoes, celery,
35:39worcestershire sauce
35:40and of course, vodka.
35:43We need to make sure
35:44that that short rib meat
35:46is all beautiful
35:47and falling off the bone.
35:49How often do you
35:50use a pressure cooker
35:51at home?
35:51Well, I bought one
35:52two weeks ago.
35:53Oh, had a couple
35:54of disasters.
35:55I love this kind
35:56of jeopardy.
35:59I'm excited
35:59about this challenge.
36:00Yeah, this is a bit me.
36:02When I first received
36:03the brief,
36:04I had a few ideas
36:04going through mine.
36:05When I chose this one,
36:06I was pretty confident
36:07on it.
36:08I'm hoping that it's
36:09something they maybe
36:10haven't had before
36:11and it's a real,
36:11you know,
36:13a real flavour bomb
36:13for them.
36:16So my hated ingredient
36:17as a child was mince,
36:18beef mince.
36:19I know it's very
36:20unpopular with Grace
36:21as a northerner.
36:22Frankly, I'm trying
36:23to imagine a child
36:24without mince.
36:25I think I would have
36:25starved.
36:27But my mother
36:28cooked mince a lot
36:30and she's a fantastic
36:31cook, but it was
36:32just so frequent
36:32that I kind of grew
36:34to dislike it over time.
36:35So my dish today
36:36is South African
36:37baboti.
36:37So baboti is
36:38spiced mince,
36:40but it's meant to be
36:40like sweet and spicy.
36:42So there's chutney
36:42in there, there's sultanas
36:43and then it's topped
36:44with a savoury egg custard.
36:46My husband and I
36:47lived in South Africa
36:47in Johannesburg
36:48for a few years
36:49and it was cooked
36:50for us one day
36:50and it turned me
36:52around completely.
36:54One of my favourite
36:55things about being
36:56in the MasterChef
36:57kitchen is when
36:58somebody serves me
36:59something I haven't
37:00tried before.
37:01Frankie's baboti
37:02is that.
37:04We've got mince
37:05with bread
37:06and spices
37:08and it's got
37:09this apricot
37:09chutney running
37:10through.
37:11Then a savoury
37:13set custard on top.
37:14Frankie, I did not
37:15think I was going
37:16to get a whole new
37:17way to eat mince
37:18at this stage
37:19in my life.
37:19I'm so excited.
37:22I expect it to be
37:23bursting with flavour
37:24but if it's too wet
37:26it's just going to
37:26spill out on the plate
37:27and not look nice.
37:29If it's too dry
37:30it's going to be
37:31lacking that kind
37:32of unctuousness
37:33that I'm hoping for.
37:34I know it tastes
37:35nice when I do it
37:36right so
37:37I'm ready.
37:40Frankie's also
37:40making a yellow
37:41rice which has been
37:42stained yellow
37:43through turmeric.
37:45She lived in
37:45South Africa for
37:46quite a while
37:47I feel like she's
37:47got a handle on
37:48how to cook rice
37:49let's hope so
37:50because that can
37:50really ruin the
37:52entire thing.
37:54And then we've got
37:54little pumpkin
37:55fritters on the
37:55side which should
37:57be crisp but
37:59pillowy.
38:00I want to get
38:00the right level
38:01of spice in there
38:02so I've added a
38:03tiny little bit
38:03of cinnamon.
38:04I'm actually
38:05slightly salivating
38:06thinking about it
38:06I'm excited about
38:07this one.
38:08In order to get to
38:09knockout week I
38:10really need to
38:11push the boundaries
38:12here.
38:14I need my redemption
38:15arc to start and
38:16this challenge needs
38:17to be the start of it
38:18or else I'm starting
38:19to run out of time.
38:21The ingredient I used
38:22to hate is beetroot.
38:23The way people used to
38:24sell beetroot to you
38:25was that it was quite
38:25earthy but it had
38:26like quite of a sweet
38:27tang to it and I
38:28always thought I've
38:29never really looked at
38:29the soil and thought
38:30if that was a wee bit
38:31sweeter I might take a
38:32bite out of that so
38:33I never really tried it.
38:34And then my mum used
38:36to host dinner parties
38:36and I used to be like
38:37her little ex-sous chef.
38:39One night my mum
38:40decided to serve a
38:41beetroot dish and I
38:42was like there's no
38:42way.
38:43But the compliments
38:43that she got in this
38:44one dish I was like
38:46well hold on obviously
38:47something has to be
38:48right here so I have
38:49to try it.
38:50From that point on I've
38:51really really loved
38:52beetroot.
38:54And he's doing beetroot
38:56carpaccio with basil
38:57infused goat's cheese
38:58and a caramelised
39:00pear gel.
39:01Sounds quite delicious.
39:02So is this dish based
39:04on your mum's dish which
39:06completely transformed
39:07your thinking about
39:08beetroot?
39:09Yeah she'll not like me
39:10saying this but I think
39:10this dish is a whole lot
39:11better.
39:13The beetroot I'm going
39:14to be slicing up really
39:15nice and thin.
39:17And then I'm going to
39:17poach that in red wine,
39:19port, creme de cassis,
39:21star anise and cinnamon
39:21in there as well.
39:22The texture of the
39:23beetroot is very important
39:25for carpaccio.
39:26We want it to have just
39:27a slight bite, I don't
39:28want it mushy.
39:30I'm making my own
39:31basil oil and then I'm
39:32going to infuse that
39:33into the goat's cheese
39:34with some chives, hopefully
39:35that'll really make that
39:35flavour sort of pop.
39:37Goat's cheese is a
39:38robust, beautiful flavour
39:41and that basil needs to
39:42complement it and not
39:44dominate it.
39:45The pear gel, it needs
39:47to be silky smooth.
39:49But there's not much
39:50on that plate.
39:51Am I essentially getting
39:52some sliced beetroot with a
39:53bit of goat's cheese?
39:56Ten minutes left!
40:02Jade still doesn't have her
40:03dog breasts on, I'm really
40:05worried.
40:06I must have crispy skin
40:09and the meat, I want it pink
40:11inside.
40:11But it could all fall apart.
40:14I am very close for time, but I
40:18will do it.
40:22Four minutes left!
40:24Yeah!
40:25I'm really happy with those.
40:26You need to be getting the food
40:28on your plate.
40:29Comes down to the final wire,
40:31doesn't it?
40:32So, we will see.
40:34I really need some more space.
40:37The goat cheese hasn't set just as
40:39much as I wanted it to.
40:40Oh, that's not great.
40:42Oh, the beef's falling, but it's
40:44very, very hot.
40:46How's your meat cooked?
40:47Not done.
40:47Okay, look through all of it.
40:49Yeah.
40:50Just make sure that you're being
40:51really clever in the pieces that
40:52you're using.
40:53Okay.
40:55You have one minute left!
41:03That's it!
41:04Time's up, guys!
41:12Sean.
41:16Based on his gran putting him
41:18off mushrooms in his youth,
41:20Sean has made ravioli with a
41:22creamy mushroom and truffle oil
41:24filling, served with
41:26chanterelle mushrooms,
41:27crispy sage, parmesan tuile,
41:30and a sage butter sauce.
41:32Sean, I think that looks
41:34so beautiful.
41:36It's like something you'd
41:37order in a restaurant.
41:45Sean, this is such good ravioli.
41:48Your filling is so well seasoned,
41:50and I also love that I can
41:51actually taste the separate herbs.
41:54And I'm slightly amazed at
41:57how you manage to hold all of that
42:00filling in this impossibly thin
42:02pasta.
42:03That is such a skill.
42:05Your chanterelles are just glorious.
42:10You've created this dish that
42:11showcases your once-hated ingredient
42:14the best possible way you could have.
42:17I love the ravioli.
42:19The filling of chestnut mushrooms and herbs
42:21is delicious.
42:23Your crispy sage is crispy.
42:25Your tuile, it doesn't taste it much,
42:27but the fact I've got Sean making me a tuile
42:29has delighted me.
42:31I think I would have liked with your butter
42:33that maybe it was more like an emulsion,
42:35but for me, this is an excellent example
42:39of great pasta work and flavours.
42:46Buzzy.
42:47I couldn't have asked for better comments.
42:50I'm glad they picked up on the presentation.
42:52I've worked on it.
42:53Everything looks better with a little
42:54parmesan twill on top, doesn't it?
42:58Jade's dish, based on her childhood
43:00hatred of duck and plums,
43:02is pan-fried duck breast
43:04flavoured with five spice
43:05on a parsnip and nutmeg puree
43:07served with a char-grilled plum,
43:10tofu cooked in soy,
43:12cucumber salad,
43:14goji berries infused with port,
43:16a chilli, garlic and ginger sauce,
43:18and a plum and brandy sauce.
43:26My duck is cooked well,
43:27but I did notice on your bench
43:29you had parts of it that were undercooked.
43:31I need a crispier skin, personally,
43:33and I need more spice.
43:34And then we had this half plum,
43:35which was kind of not really that roasted.
43:38The other issue I do have on this plate
43:40is your parsnip mash.
43:41It is seriously lumpy.
43:44Brandy and plum sauce is quite brutal.
43:47It hasn't got a soft, silky elegance
43:50about it.
43:50But there are parts on this I love.
43:52I love your goji berries.
43:54I think they give a real kick to this plate.
43:56Your tofu has got great texture, great.
43:59But we asked you to really elevate plum and duck.
44:04And to me, this is where it went awry.
44:07I think by trying to fry your tofu,
44:10dress your tofu, make the sauce for that,
44:12season your cucumber,
44:13you took a lot of time away from
44:15you being able to manage to get your duck on in time,
44:18roast the plum.
44:19I really think there are some great flavours,
44:21but definitely some elements
44:22that just shouldn't be there.
44:28Honestly, I'm not happy with what I plated up.
44:30Could I have done it better?
44:32Yes, I could have.
44:35Inspired by his dislike of blackberries,
44:38Jack has cooked wood pigeon breast,
44:40served with braised leeks
44:41topped with a Stilton cheese crumb,
44:44game chips,
44:45and the blackberry and port sauce.
44:52The wood pigeon is slightly more rare than medium rare,
44:55but I quite like my game like that.
44:58There's a huge burst of blackberry flavour from your sauce.
45:02It's got port and red wine and it's robust.
45:05It goes very well with the gamey wood pigeon.
45:07But for me, I don't think the leeks and the blue cheese works on the dish.
45:14Something about it just clashes with the sauce.
45:16I very much like your blackberry sauce.
45:18Your leeks are beautifully caramelised and sweet and soft,
45:22but for me, the Stilton on the top is warring with the sauce.
45:26The sauce alone is pure blackberry,
45:29but I agree with these guys in that the leeks and the Stilton
45:33is kind of buttressing against the fruity flavour,
45:36and your chips are way over-seasoned.
45:39I tried about four and searching for the water.
45:47Fine.
45:48It didn't go to plan what I was trying to do.
45:51It wasn't fantastic.
45:55Frankie's hated ingredient was beef mince,
45:58and she served South African bobotty,
46:00spiced beef mince flavoured with cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg,
46:04apricots and sultanas,
46:06topped with an egg custard,
46:08served with a pumpkin fritter,
46:10rice spiced with turmeric,
46:12topped with pumpkin seeds,
46:13and a creamed spinach puree.
46:20The bobotty is a first for me.
46:23And I love it.
46:25Because you've taken mince, added a load of spice,
46:28I'm getting nutmeg and I think a bit of cinnamon,
46:31and you've got this fruitiness going through from sultanas,
46:34and then you've got this beautiful velvety set custard on top.
46:39It's just great.
46:40I actually love it.
46:43Your bobotty is really juicy and the balance of flavour that is in that mince is really beautiful.
46:49I feel like I'd love a little bit of gravy as well, soaking that up in the rice,
46:53but your pumpkin fritters, they are moist and juicy.
46:57I'm really enjoying your rice and the turmeric.
47:00Everything is seasoned very nicely.
47:02Yeah, I think it's a really great plate of food.
47:06I've really enjoyed this.
47:07It feels like when a shepherd's pie gets married to a Christmas pudding.
47:12It's full of spices.
47:14It's quite sweet.
47:15And there's lovely plump raisins through it.
47:18You go from that to this really nicely seasoned spinach puree.
47:23We asked you to bring something that you hated, you chose mince, you've elevated it.
47:27So, look, well done.
47:34Floating on air, honestly.
47:36I just couldn't have wished for better feedback.
47:39I feel like I've done myself proud.
47:41I'm so happy.
47:44Andy based his dish on his childhood hatred of beetroot,
47:48and has cooked beetroot carpaccio, poached in red wine, port, star anise and cinnamon,
47:54served with pickled beetroot stems, a basil and chive infused goat's cheese,
47:59caramelised pear, lemon zest gel, a balsamic reduction and pine nuts.
48:05This is the prettiest dish you've given us.
48:07The presentation's really lovely.
48:14Andy, I thought that the beetroot was going to be full of flavours
48:16of star anise and the things that you were stewing into it,
48:20but I'm not getting that, because the beetroot is quite undercooked.
48:25I like the sweetness of your pear puree,
48:27but my worry here is that there's not an awful lot after that going on.
48:32For me, the beetroot is undercooked, and it's a little bit bitter.
48:35The chive is very overpowering in the goat's cheese,
48:39so as a result, I can't taste any basil oil inside.
48:42For me, you had an hour and a half.
48:45You haven't done enough work here, I feel.
48:49I really like your pear puree, and I like your toasted pine nuts.
48:52However, when I hear carpaccio, I'm thinking of soft slices of beetroot
48:56that have really taken on all those great flavours that you had in mind,
49:00but because I think it's too thick, it didn't cook in the time you had hoped,
49:05and therefore it didn't take on those flavours.
49:07I think you just didn't quite do what you wanted to do.
49:13I definitely feel a little deflated.
49:17I tried to, like, bend and mould myself into maybe something
49:21that I thought the judges were looking for,
49:23and it hasn't worked out today.
49:26Last up is Kirstie.
49:27Inspired by an unpleasant beef burger on a family holiday,
49:31she's made a beef burger spiced with paprika,
49:34stuffed with gouda cheese,
49:36and topped with Bloody Mary short ribs,
49:38a chilli tomato chutney,
49:40and pickled cucumber,
49:41served with shoestring fries,
49:43garlic mayonnaise,
49:45and a Bloody Mary cocktail.
49:47Kirstie, I love the styling of this.
49:49There's something so macabre about this.
49:52I love the knife right through the middle of it.
50:00The burger is so well-seasoned and succulent,
50:03and the beef short rib,
50:05I mean, you put a Bloody Mary, basically,
50:07into the pressure cooker and cooked the meat in that.
50:09Yeah.
50:09It's, like, got this great acidity to it,
50:11full of flavour.
50:12The meat is soft, like, give me a whole bowl of it.
50:16It's such a delicious interpretation of the thing
50:19that you used to hate.
50:20It's really lovely.
50:21Well done.
50:23The burger, I really was a bit worried
50:25about the quantities of cheese in the centre,
50:28and I think you've got it just right.
50:30It's not too much cheese,
50:31because, essentially, you do want to taste the burger.
50:33Your bacon and chilli and tomato chutney
50:36is really, really nice.
50:37It marries up very well with the rest of the dish.
50:40You have absolutely shown us
50:42that you really want to stay in the competition,
50:45so, well done.
50:47Your shoestring fries, they look the part.
50:49I think they're a bit salty.
50:50There's mayonnaise.
50:51There is so much garlic that it would stun a vampire
50:54that was still in Transylvania right now.
50:58But I am ecstatic about this beef short rib.
51:02This is a great dish.
51:07I feel like I could burst into tears any second.
51:09I'm super, super happy.
51:12I can't put it into words,
51:14but I knew it was a really good burger.
51:15It was a Bloody Mary burger.
51:20Thank you so much.
51:21You did yourself proud
51:24in convincing your younger selves
51:26that actually the ingredients you used to hate
51:28are worth loving.
51:32Go on and take a break.
51:33And we're going to have to have a good chat.
51:40I am absolutely shattered after that.
51:43You think 90 minutes is a long time?
51:45And it is.
51:45It's just...
51:46And suddenly someone's shouting 10 minutes to go.
51:50It was a really good brief, Leila.
51:52It helped us get to know our cooks a little bit more.
51:56We had such broad dishes.
51:58I tried some things here
51:59that I have never tried before.
52:01They delivered.
52:02So I had a lovely day.
52:03We've got an incredibly difficult decision to make.
52:06But thank you for that brief.
52:08It's been a pleasure.
52:09Bye, guys.
52:10Bye.
52:11Bye.
52:16That was a brilliant round.
52:18I feel as if I've re-met all those cooks again
52:21and seen them in a different light.
52:25I think there was a cook of the day.
52:28Kirsty, she listened to what we said
52:31and she came into this kitchen fighting.
52:33That beef short rib with Bloody Mary in it.
52:37Absolutely wonderful.
52:39I'm delighted to give her a place in Knockout Week.
52:43Someone who didn't hit the mark today was Andy.
52:46Andy, I didn't like the beetroot.
52:47The cheese wasn't really setting the world alight either.
52:51And for an hour and a half,
52:53he hadn't done an awful lot of work.
52:55So Andy goes.
52:57Okay, so two places left in Knockout Week.
53:01Who do they go to?
53:03Sean.
53:04That ravioli.
53:05I mean, it was bursting with flavour.
53:08If I was picky, I'd say it really could have done
53:10with a nice emulsified sauce.
53:12But there is no denying there was great scales on show.
53:15I found Frankie's cooking today really exciting.
53:21Babotti, a whole new way to eat savoury mince.
53:25But I really, really enjoyed it.
53:27I think she did a fantastic job there.
53:29Jade, there were some really good flavour profiles on her plate.
53:33I thought her tofu was pretty good.
53:35There were some goji berries there.
53:37But the duck, I found it under-seasoned.
53:39And that plum needed so much more love.
53:42I like Jack's blackberry sauce.
53:45It went with the pigeon.
53:46But did it go with those leeks with the stilton on top?
53:49I really don't think it did.
53:52There was definitely clashes of flavour on his plate.
53:57I like my dish, but it doesn't really matter if I think that I did enough.
54:00It matters what the judges think.
54:04I'd be devastated if I went home.
54:06I've done the best I can do.
54:07There was nothing more I could have done.
54:09Just want to keep going, keep going.
54:11It's so addictive in there.
54:13I've got the buzz now, but who knows?
54:15It's down to them.
54:17I would like to have a place in Knockout Week.
54:20I've got more up my sleeve to show to the judges.
54:32Guys, thank you for an exhilarating round.
54:36We asked you to face your fears, bring them to the kitchen.
54:40You did that.
54:43But only three of you can go through to Knockout Week, and we have made a decision.
54:50There was one cook in particular that we thought really pushed themselves, and that is Kirsty.
54:59That bloody Mary short rib was outstanding.
55:05Another cook who really wowed us today was Sean.
55:11That mushroom ravioli, it was fantastic.
55:16The third and final cook going through to Knockout Week is...
55:31Frankie.
55:35Jade, Andy, Jack.
55:38We have loved so much getting to know you, and your dishes have been so fantastic.
55:43Thank you very much.
55:50I'm really proud of what I've achieved.
55:52I didn't come here to coast through.
55:54I came here to show weird food combinations, and I think I did it, so I'm quite happy.
56:00I feel very sad, but I look back on my experience very fondly.
56:07It just affirms that I am a very good cook.
56:10It's probably the first time in a long time where I've, like, really, like, believed in myself to go and
56:14do something.
56:15And I love doing it.
56:17But very happy for the others.
56:20Congratulations, you're through to Knockout Week.
56:26What just happened?
56:29I'm absolutely on cloud nine.
56:31Just can't even put it into words.
56:33It's a thing I'm just a plumber that thought I could do some fancy stuff with food, and here I
56:37am in Knockout Week.
56:38It's, yeah, what a feeling.
56:40It's amazing.
56:41Can't believe it.
56:42I hope I can find some more things up my sleeve to keep impressing the judges with.
56:46I think I've got more.
56:47We'll see.
56:53Next time it's Knockout Week, the best 14 from the heats battle it out to stay in the competition.
57:01Business time.
57:03The flavours are superb.
57:05That is heavenly.
57:08Fighting for the chance to experience the intense pressure of a professional kitchen for the first time.
57:15We need to speed up on these doughnuts now.
57:17I've got three tables waiting, chef.
57:20You've got a ticket.
57:21You've got a ticket.
57:22Gunna pool.indeering.
57:49Transcription by CastingWords
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