baffled the judges with her signature dish of scallops with wild garlic and cheese croquettes, quails eggs and a beurre blanc sauce. Monica and Marcus, who said “there are a lot of ingredients going into this,” didn’t think the quails egg belonged on the plate.
Sous chef David impressed with his signature dish: brine torched mackerel with a Caribbean run down sauce of tomato, chilli and coconut. The judges wanted a little more heat but said they would like to see him cook again and David was sent through to the quarter final.
Sean also made the cut, impressing Marcus with his breadth of culinary skills. And Tristan, who beamed from ear to ear, also headed through to the next round.
Sadly Jacqueline, who admitted she’d tried too hard, was sent home along with Mark and senior sous chef Wali, who also included too many elements in his dish.
Thursday night saw the remaining six competitors challenged by a humble key in ingredient: the potato.
Chef de partie Mark served a leek and potato tart consisting of leek fondue and potato espuma. Marcus said he "nailed the brief". Senior sous chef Sean also impressed. He served his own take own leek and potato soup which Marcus hailed ‘exquisite.’
Unfortunately, some of the chefs failed to meet the challenge. Ian was left disappointed when the judges found fault with his purple potato risotto, while Tristan’s dish, which involved potato three ways, was ‘crying out’ for flavour. Both chefs were sent home.
The remaining three contestants were then sent to cook for the critics: Jay Rayner, Tracey McLeod and Tom Parker Bowles.
Elisabeth ensured the judges were hungry for her two courses by serving both late. Thankfully her dessert, apricot soufflé with cardamom ice cream, sweetened them up. Tom said he would be happy to eat it again.
Sean plated up last and while they didn’t appreciate his poem, the critics cooed over his main course of squab pigeon. Tracey said it was one of the best pigeon dishes she had ever eaten.
The perfect plate put Sean straight through to the next round along with Elisabeth and Mark who was praised for his pan fried brill and potato risotto. Unfortunately David, whose Caribbean inspired menu failed to wow the critics, was sent home.
What tricky tests will the new set of chefs face next week?
By Monica Turnbull
