Now we’ve whittled down the original 25, each celeb chef has four protégées to simmer until soft. Under the studio lights and gaze of mean Anthony Bourdain the mixture of home-cooks and professionals were definitely sweating. Especially with a new celeb chef added to the mix . . .
For one, it will be the wooden spoon and the end of the competition.
The Taste Test
Spicing up the show was the addition of Michelin Star chef Richard Corrigan, for who the 12 must create a classic prawn cocktail (mayonnaise and ketchup, you’re welcome) to fit on the most important spoon on TV.
‘Take some risks’ Ludo told his bunch, ‘use flavours you like’ Nigella told hers. But aren’t they all making the same thing?
The judges will each choose a spoon from their contestants to present to Richard, ensuring the lucky chef will go through to the immunity challenge.
Three spoons were chosen; Guan’s Malaysian inspiration for Anthony, Kalpna’s coconut sauced prawns for Nigella and seafood intolerant Kirsty dished up some seafood jelly and samphire for Ludo.
Richard found Kirsty’s too fussy and Kalpna’s not fussy enough, winning Guan immunity.
The Immunity Challenge
Each contestant had one hour to cook their own favourite classic dish. Like the initial taste test, all spoons were tasted blind, with the worst being booted out of the kitchen box.
Four of the 12 opted for fish and chips in various ways and there were lots of ‘concepts’ and combinations such as Sticky Toffee Pudding Pie.
Barry, the Irish contingent, didn’t make it onto the table with his prawn spoon but was hoping for more with his strawberry tiramisu. Sous chef Justin – who was sous-prised he’d got this far ‘wow, I’m in a competition’ – brought his own smoking gun to perfect a smoked salmon spoon.
At this point the word spoon is starting to lose all meaning.
Claire, on Nigella’s team, took a risk with a twist on steak tartare and Ludo didn’t like it. Non, non, non. Then round after round of fish and chips came out until you could see all three chefs thinking about booking a flight back to the States.
Fish pie-Scotch egg was one of the ‘concepts’ that failed in front of the judges. A bit of lemon cake went down well though, even though it looked dull. Sadly for Barry his tiramisu didn’t have any takers for a second taste, Debbie’s Sticky Toffee Pudding Pie did though. And was awarded best spoon! Hurrah for carbocide!
The finalists
Three of the cooks were short-listed as tasting most terrible, although to normal folk, probably still pretty bloody delicious. Kalpna, Claire and Barry had to hang around like baked beans in the bottom of a saucepan while the judges told them where they’d gone wrong. It quickly came out that Barry had brought everything to his dessert spoon. One had to say goodbye and hang up their apron and by rights it had to be Barry. A blow for team Anthony.
Judges’ comments
‘Ah la la, LA LA!’ – Guess who? Ludo had a bitter taste in his mouth after the first round though, ‘You don’t like my spoon, you don’t like French people!’
‘You’ve won immunity, you can f**k off for the night’ – Anthony, ever the didact.
Next time . . .
The humble spoon cements its place in history as the most important piece of cutlery since man first spiked a fish with a stick.
