Masterchef - the professionals

HeidiHeidi

Anyone else watching this? Started yesterday on BBC.

I'm only catching up now, a very mixed bag of contestants so far.

I want to like the girl, but she keeps fouling up everything she does. As does the blonde curly haired fella (sorry, not very good at remembering names!)

The London guy who's so fond of spices I reckon has good potential.

Oh my goodness, Monica's skills test was car crash stuff.

I've just got to the bit where they have to cook their own "classic" dish for Michel - and without exception they're all doing "a twist" on classics. What's wrong with just doing.... a classic??? Will be interesting to see if any - or all - of these "twists" actually work......

grey_so_what

I'm watching it to HH,

The coconut tuile's were a complete disaster on the first show...My heart went out to the lad who ended up rolling it in a ball in his hand....:(

You're right about the lady (ditto on names), she has had a nightmare start..

I love Monica's faces.....They just get better with time!...:)

Eyepatch

The second group of four seem to be much better than the first. They all made a good attempt at serving up the abalone.

grey_so_what

Never knew Abalone was organically farmed in Ireland......Monica mentioned it was sourced here.

Few links I found interesting;

http://abalone.ie/index.html

http://www.abaloneireland.com/

I've never tasted it, Greg was a bit cautious......:)

Next on my list!

I think the lads did really well......

HeidiHeidi

grey_so_what wrote: »

Never knew Abalone was organically farmed in Ireland......Monica mentioned it was sourced here.

Few links I found interesting;

http://abalone.ie/index.html

http://www.abaloneireland.com/

I've never tasted it, Greg was a bit cautious......:)

Next on my list!

I think the lads did really well......

I thought they looked revolting! I won't be competing with you for them, that's for sure.....

Just watching the end of last night's show - they're all making me fierce nervous for some reason! No real standouts among them. Although I do like the Scottish fella - if he could stop piling food mountains onto his plates! Will be interesting to see who goes.

Then straight onto tonight's

Eyepatch

Thanks for that, grey_so_what. Who'd have thought we would be producing Japanese abalone. The recipes sound very interesting.

ebbsy

Bad luck for the three who went after Scott last night, he really nailed it.

Also bad luck that they had the three toughest critics as well - although I like Charles !

Seems to be more Monica and less Greg this time around, and the classical tests are much tougher.

HeidiHeidi

I felt so sorry for poor Petrus - he was sooooo into it! But I agreed that the other fella with the glasses will be a much more interesting long-term prospect.

Couldn't believe Marcus made such a balls of the dinner for the critics... I mean I can see that you need to do something a bit different to stand out, but I've rarely seen something backfire that badly :eek:

Looking forward to next week, and the next week, and the next week.... the only trouble with this format is that by the time the "finals" come around, you've forgotten who the first qualifiers were

ebbsy

Not sure why Petrus cooked his own food, I would have thought the critics would have been expecting something more European ?

Eyepatch

I presume he was attempting to cook food that represented himself.

grey_so_what

Just catching up on last Wednesday's now - I could see why the two lads left went through, they were the better of the four.

I was rooting for Petrus, he had a great personality but the Critics meal was the nail in the coffin for him.

Another new eight contestants tonight, I love the invention test. It looks a tough one judging by the trailer!.......

grey_so_what

Anyone around tonight?......:)

HeidiHeidi

Yep!

I think Monica will be doing well if she expects something of that standard from the contestants

grey_so_what

I'm still looking at the fish HH!!........LOL!

HeidiHeidi

I wonder have they seen (or do they ever see) what Monica invented?

grey_so_what

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

I wonder have they seen (or do they ever see) what Monica invented?

Maybe they'd see it at the end and cry...........:(

As I would!

HeidiHeidi

The tattoos! and those HORRIBLE earrings!

Would put me right off me food. Just as well you normally can't see chefs!!!

(with due apologies to those with tattoos/those earrings - just not my thing!)

grey_so_what

I don't mind the tat's, etc, it's the wearing of the jewelry that gets to me....

I noticed in the GIBO they were wearing their engagement rings making pastry!...ugh!

ElleEm

Yeah, the wearing of jewelry/ having loose hair is so unhygienic when cooking. Drove me mad on both the Bake Offs.

HeidiHeidi

That' first fella looks about 12 :eek:

Ooof..... "that's it, I'm afraid".... diplomatic corps for you, melad (not!)

HeidiHeidi

Ooh, that dessert looks rather lush! and I'm not even mad about desserts!

HeidiHeidi

Monica taking no prisoners tonight

grey_so_what

I think 12 year old looking Tom did well there!

grey_so_what

Looks a bit dry for me the second offering.....

ElleEm

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Monica taking no prisoners tonight

I really don't love her.
I hate her manner. I get that she is trying to be all "cheffy" but there is no need.

HeidiHeidi

ElleEm wrote: »

I really don't love her.
I hate her manner. I get that she is trying to be all "cheffy" but there is no need.

I wouldn't be her biggest fan either, I get that she's good (VERY good), but can be a bit up herself sometimes.

grey_so_what

ElleEm wrote: »

I really don't love her.
I hate her manner. I get that she is trying to be all "cheffy" but there is no need.

Oh, I'd say that is her trademark at this stage ElleE........:eek:

She has put herself in the shoes of MR - she's on a roll at this stage.....

ElleEm

grey_so_what wrote: »

Oh, I'd say that is her trademark at this stage ElleE........:eek:

She has put herself in the shoes of MR - she's on a roll at this stage.....

And Michel Roux Jr is actually lovely. I find him really encouraging and constructive in his criticism, but the way she plays it, you would think he is Gordon "fuc* you" Ramsey!

grey_so_what

ElleEm wrote: »

And Michel Roux Jr is actually lovely. I find him really encouraging and constructive in his criticism, but the way she plays it, you would think he is Gordon "fuc* you" Ramsey!

I think he plays "Good Cop"and she plays "Bad Cop" if you know what I mean.

I'm sure it suits his image to the ground tbh in my opinion.

It's a win win for the both of them.

HeidiHeidi

Well I think the head chef fella won that hands down!

More fish tomorrow by the looks of it :mad: Bring back the red meat!!!

HeidiHeidi

Nobody tuning in this week???

I'm catching up on last night's episode now, will tune into tonight's after that, feckin' UPC box failed to record the night before :mad:

Their own dishes for Michel are looking TASTY!!!

pooch90

The 2 I liked left last night, really like Liam the welsh guy but he balls up the critics.
Thought Vinny was very good too.
The smarmy Tom guy creeps me out!

Why do people keep making Panna Cotta???It never works, do they not watch the show????

grey_so_what

Just caught up on this weeks shows.....:)

Thought the standard was down compared to last weeks Contestants....

Roll on next week!

Degag

Thought Vinny was unlucky to go. He probably got the best reaction from the critics...

HeidiHeidi

Hopefully I actually get to see all of this week's shows

Anyone else tuning in? I'm slightly behind... I don't envy them that choice of ingredients one little bit!

Formidable looking female contestant......

Eyepatch

I'm watching. Enjoying it very much! Tonight's group were rather mixed. Some excellent and some not so good. The "formidable looking female" did not do well. We'll see how they do at the skills tests. That should separate the sheep from the goats.

grey_so_what

Caught up on last night. There were some disasters for sure. That crab stew was revolting looking.

The lady had a bad start, and as for the Polish lad, I thought he had tripped on his way to show his plate!

The skills test will be worth watching!

stargazer 68

Im kind of half watching! I don't like it as much as the amateurs. That Monica is one tough woman!

grey_so_what

Anyone watching?.....I'm late!....:(

Ollie is like a train crash on the Skill tests...His eggs had wings there!

HeidiHeidi

The whole thing is a bit of a train crash so far :eek:

Monica looks like she's going to have a seizure any minute!

grey_so_what

That's a lot of smoked bacon for "not to much"......

I'll have two pies please Mr. R!!........:)

HeidiHeidi

I may have been put off pork pies for life after watching that......

grey_so_what

Not your average bit of Chef's Salad Cream......

This is about neatness and presentation.

Did the lady just chuck the pastry in the bin?......

HeidiHeidi

Ollie needs to stop banging on about awards and rosettes, and get something right for once.....

grey_so_what

The Army guy seems to have got his Mojo back......

HeidiHeidi

grey_so_what wrote: »

The Army guy seems to have got his Mojo back......

I hope so! He's the least cocky of the lot of them, I'd love to see him do well.

HeidiHeidi

Oh Ollie... bless your optimism.... still talking of getting it right "in the next round"......

grey_so_what

Ah, she's gone, he got the sausage roll!

HeidiHeidi

How many go tonight? 1 or 2? Ollie and the formidable woman battling for elimination bigtime here!

grey_so_what

One will go HH.......

The lady will go I think.....

HeidiHeidi

grey_so_what wrote: »

One will go HH.......

The lady will go I think.....

Dunno... think it'll be tight.... this plate will decide it methinks!