GREAT BRITISH MENU

[Plocket]

Does anyone watch this?

I'm so torn this week. Chris is making really inovative food considering all sorts of health issues and making food that looks divine. However he's so agressive about it! And Elisha is a likeable Londoner with lovely looking food but something about him bugs me - perhaps it's the way he holds his fork!! I just can't decide who I want to win this week!

Join in with your opinions!

[Tig]

Someone who doesn't know how the oven works, and doesn't test his hogget chops before he serves them raw I don't think I would want to eat in Elishas kitchen, but I agree that the other cook is a bit ott, going on about what his ingredients will do for your health too much, its his face that irks me P ;D

[Plocket]

Oh the lamb thing was awful! I was cringing just watching!

I like the idea behind Chris's cooking, and I certainly thing it's the way forward in cooking, but I can't help wondering how much he's tested all this stuff he's invented and wish he'd stop being so full of himself. As OH says though, he's a chef - he's supposed to be full of himself!

I've got to record it tonight because MIL is here and I won't see who wins!

What do you think of the judges then? And how come Heston isn't judging since he's the host of this pompous do? ;D

[Weeterrier]

This is my favourite programme at the moment. Though there seems to be far too much talking from Jenny Bond this year, and I wish she would stop making out that everything the chefs say to each other is "fighting talk"
That apart, I am enjoying it, though have been hopeless at choosing the winners . My favourite has lost every time so far.
I don't care about Elisha's lamb being raw, I like him best, because I want to slap Chris with a wet fish. I'm all for healthy eating, but such evangelism would make me want to have a lard sandwich and a big jug of full fat jersey milk sweetened with a can of condensed milk. Also, I don't think I'd enjoy eating from a slate, the fork would make too much noise.
Sorry, lots of moans, till this week I have been watching without any (apart from Jenny) because none of the chefs have got up my nose.
This is my favourite night, I love to hear the judges. But if Chris wins, he will be insufferable, and Elisha seems too sweet to punch him on the nose. ;D
My all time favourite so far has been the Irish one who lost. He has a sense of humour and makes me smile. Pity he's married

[Plocket]

The Irish bloke that did the amazing strawberry pudding? He was seriously sexy!!!

I'm never usually too fussed about who wins, and this week I'm torn because I like Chris' ideas but don't like him - I love the idea of him being hit with a wet fish though - that's excellent!!! ;D

Elisha is like a little kid! He's putting up with so much isn't he?

[Weeterrier]

I think the Irish was I liked was called Noel. Couldn't remember this morning. He WAS quite sexy, yet not that good looking. A sense of humour and a twinkle in the eye goes a long way. And I could have tucked into his strawberry dessert no bother.

[Plocket]

It was his twinkle that I liked too! And as for his pudding......

Is it me or have loads of the puddings been made of rubarb? YUCK!!!!! ;D

[Weeterrier]

Innards and rhubarb do seem to be popular
Well, my favourite lost again.

[Tig]

But in terms of a 'modern' British menu Chris definitely had the edge WT, even if we don't much care for him personally

[Weeterrier]

I know

[Plocket]

Oh no! Was he all full of himself that he won? I haven't seen it yet but I can understand why the judges chose him - he certainly had a very modern outlook to food and cooking.

[Plocket]

I've caught up with Friday's show, and am pleased that Elisha got one dish better than Chris - the fish. It was a shame that they all voted for the same chef though - it makes me feel so sorry for the other one.

I've just watched Jason and Atol do their starters and boy did they look good. I'd struggle to choose between the two of them. I thought the comment about lots of the pea soup being left was a bit mean - he should have taken smaller mouthfuls of the poppadums!!! ;D

[Tig]

I didn't fancy either of them P

Cold soup is not my thing!, and the concoction that Jason served up looked pretty, but not to my taste

Let's see what they do for the fish course.

[Plocket]

I can't help wondering if the judges sit there and occasionally just yearn for something simple like a bacon buttie!!! ;D

[Weeterrier]

I laugh every time one of them makes foam. because we know the judges hate it.
Reminds me of the green froth the dogs used to bring up after they'd been eating grass.
I'm like you Plocket, I prefer the judges to be divided in their choice of winner, I always feel sorry for the loser..............unless it is someone I cannot take to, then I'm cheering. Doesn't happen often enough though.
Mmmmmmm, perhaps I should be choosing the winner on the basis of their food, and not their personality.
When we were talking about Chris, I remembered a phrase, don't know if it is just Scottish? "A face only a mother would love"

[Tig]

I wasn't inspired by either of the mains tonight! The duck fat looked awful on Atuls, and the smoked potato with hicory? I don't think artichoke is a worthy veg on any plate, too fiddly !

x Tig

[Plocket]

No I didn't particularly like the mains either. I can't help worrying that everything Atul makes is incredibly spicy, and all those different beef things didn't wow me either. Funnily enough though I think both the chefs are likeable but I couldn't say which one I want to win.

[Weeterrier]

The duck looked disgusting with all that fat, and it was poached, so wouldn't even be crispy. But this week, I don't mind who wins.

[Tig]

Puddings - I would have tried both of those ;D Strawberries or Arctic Roll - yummm

I have no idea who will win this week, neither of them had particularly inspired me to want to cook what they are serving - but if I did have to bet I would go for Atul, he has done it twice before

x Tig

[Plocket]

Yes I'd put my money on Atul too but I can't choose between the two of them. I do worry that Atul's food might be a bit too spicy and overpower the original flavours, but he is an expert so I guess I should trust him! I really don't like cold jelly things so wouldn't have gone for Atul's panacotta and jelly, but the rest looked nice. I wouldn't have eaten Jason's jelly either but the arctic roll looked gorgeous!

I wish them both luck tonight, and know the best man will win. I just hope that the judges struggle to decide though!!!

[Tig]

Well we got that wrong P Well done Jason though, it obviously wasn't Atuls night

Viewers get to vote on the dishes of their choice next week I believe - I won't be wasting any of my gardening pocket money though!

[Plocket]

Both of them had almost disasterous fish dishes but well done to Jason.

How on earth can viewers vote if they can't taste the food?

[Weeterrier]

I think the public vote is a bit silly too. The judges should decide.
Anyway, bet when Chris won the starters round, he would be thinking he was all set to wipe the board with the rest of the chefs.
Was so glad Jason did so well last night with his beef, he seems like a very decent chap, not in the least smug. In fact there seems to be a strong comradeship amongst them all which is good to watch.
What a shame there are only four courses, I'd like all of them to win one.

[Plocket]

I can't help chuckling that Chris isn't winning the other rounds because he does seem overly confident in his cooking. Nothing wrong with that but I think he's a food Hitler where health-food is concerned. He's too arrogant for me, and I just hope the public vote doesn't pull him up in the other rounds. I would have been knocked for six if I'd come first in the first round, and then came last in the next, and it would have made me think carefully. I doubt Chris will accept critical comments though.

Hurrah for Jason - he comes across as a really nice bloke and his beef dish did look amazing. I also like that Steve has done well bearing in mind he came 7th on the first day. Shame Glyn isn't doing so well because he seems nice too, and I like the Irish chap, if only he's stop with the repetitive phrases

Pudding tonight!!!

[Spruance]

I don't normally watch this programme, but did happen to catch most of last night's episode.

Raw meat, starvation rations, and 'hot food' served cold are not the sort of thing I expect to find in a restaurant so I guess I won't be dining at any of their eateries any time soon. ;D

[Plocket]

Spruance I don't think you've got the spirit of the programme!!! ;D ;D ;D

[Weeterrier]

I wouldn't eat much of what they cook either ;D Having had a period of vegetarianism, I have gone back to eating meat if it is outdoor reared. But I doubt if I could relish all the offal they are using. Then there are the sweetbreads, ears, cheeks.......................
And Plocket, I agree with everything in your post. ;D At least Steve did really well last night, missed it by a whisker, didn't he? All the chefs are really pleasant, and, as you say, Chris comes over as a bit of a Hitler. Cannot remember what his pud was. Yes, I can. It was the sorbet and drink made with the essence he got by using the weird contraption that collected the smell of the fruit. Hell, the judges loved that so he could do well. But we are fair, if Chris doesn't endear himself to us, he may not be popular with the general public. maybe he won't even win the starter after the votes are in.
Despite the fact I wouldn't order most of the menus, it is a well produced quality programme which I thoroughly enjoy.

I like puddings best, no funny bits

[Plocket]

Thank you WeeT

I couldn't eat the more unusual stuff like kidneys, hearts, cheeks - yuck! Mind you I probably wouldn't know what they were anyway! I'm impressed with the judges though - their taste buds must be amazing to recognise some of the food put in front of them.

I remember the smell pudding now - he is ingenious but his personality and attitude put me off Chris. I think it would be nice if one of the other chaps won the pudding round though - Chris, Steve and Jason have all done very well and I'd like to see one of the other chefs get his pudding through.

And I'm not sure about the puddings - so many of them seem to have rhubarb in from memory and I LOATHE rhubarb!!! Give me something chocolatey and I'm won over! ;D

I agree - it's a well produced programme and I'm loving it. I can't help thinking it's a shame that a woman (Angela!) didn't get through though

[Plocket]

Well what an end to the cook-off. I was delighted that Glyn came first, and that Chris was pipped to the post!!! Glyn's pudding did look lovely though and to get 100% was magnificent. I just hope the viewers don't change the menu too much because I trust the judges to know what's required, what tastes good, and what looks good. I guess we'll find all that out tomorrow though! ;D

[Weeterrier]

I liked Angela too, and, of course, Noel from Ireland. But Glyn winning was wonderful.
Why involve the public, when they have poor choices most of the time ? It's not as if they are making money out of it, because calls are only 15p.