Masterchef the Professionals 2018

twill

https://twitter.com/MasterChefUK/status/1055107035442876416


Just a week to go!

antodeco

Thank you!

HeidiHeidi

Anyone else watching? I'm a bit behind.....

stargazer 68

Yeah watched it last night. I prefer the amateur one TBH. I don't mind the later rounds but I don't like the preliminary ones - can't explain but I always feel bad for them when they mess up and they are supposed to know what they are doing!

Mr E

I just tune in for Monica's facial expressions.

I have it recorded so I'll get to it soon I hope.

I do miss Michel Roux though.

HeidiHeidi

The pulling faces thing is getting completely out of hand at this stage!

I agree that it's slightly mortifying to see pro chefs, immediately after bigging themselves up in their profile blurb, make a holy show of themselves by fudging the most basic of tasks in the skills test.

But making a slice of toast would be difficult, with lights and cameras and those three staring like hawks at you while pulling appalled faces (sometimes seemingly only for effect as they praise the chef after).

reap-a-rat

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

The pulling faces thing is getting completely out of hand at this stage!

I agree that it's slightly mortifying to see pro chefs, immediately after bigging themselves up in their profile blurb, make a holy show of themselves by fudging the most basic of tasks in the skills test.

But making a slice of toast would be difficult, with lights and cameras and those three staring like hawks at you while pulling appalled faces (sometimes seemingly only for effect as they praise the chef after).

The only comparison I have is when someone comes over to my desk and I have to type things in front of them - I type like I've never laid eyes on a keyboard before, so slow, loads of typos. But if nobody is watching I can touch type at above-average speed. I think the pressure must be absolutely huge!

The guy who undercooked the lamb seems to be very ambitious. I liked Andre though - he just did a "simple" dish - seemed to be tasty and everything worked well. In that first round, there's bound to be people biting off way more than they can chew to try and impress with all their techniques etc so it is the one round I think you can afford to play it relatively safe in. I suspect doing that would help you find your feet in the kitchen for QF stage and just up your confidence a notch that you achieved your aim within the time last time so you can do it again. I think he's one to watch. Looking forward to this evening!

twill

I genuinely wonder if they spend time filming a variety of appalled faces that the editor just cuts into the footage to heighten tension.

twill

Double post!

I must say Monica's gurnard dish looks delicious.

HeidiHeidi

I'm about 10 minutes behind.....


they're all going to do the fish first, and fail completely on the sauce, aren't they??

twill

They find unique and novel ways to fail!

HeidiHeidi

Oh Marika..... :eek:

stargazer 68

I'd murder a hangar steak right now! Have a feeling these are going to as well:)

HeidiHeidi

I'm impressed that he can produce a steak dinner in 15 mins!


But jaysus the amount of oil and fat used in preparing it :eek: (and I'm a total fat/butter fiend)

reap-a-rat

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

I'm impressed that he can produce a steak dinner in 15 mins!


But jaysus the amount of oil and fat used in preparing it :eek: (and I'm a total fat/butter fiend)

"Bit of butter" - 4 huge knobs

HeidiHeidi

All this chimichurri sauce talk is bringing back happy memories of Argentinian barbeque restaurants in Patagonia, fabulous steaks and tangy sauce and a good Malbec...... yummmmmmm!!!

HeidiHeidi

G'wan that 12-year-old-looking chef who cooked the quail, I loved the sound of his dish, more so than any of the others!


None of them covered themselves in glory this time, I think, bar the last fella (with his cigars stewed in more pints of butter!). He seems like a nice level-headed fella who can seriously cook.

HeidiHeidi

Marika!


I was not expecting that.....


And not at all sure I agree with that for a decision.

twill

Luke is very impressive. He hasn't put a foot wrong yet and is very composed and good-humoured under pressure.

And Michelle, too, was surprisingly good given that she was a little shaky before.

HeidiHeidi

Any Strictly fans on here?


The Maltese fella reminds me sooooo much of Giovanni (whom I can't stand)..... can't warm to him at all because of that!


Just catching up on the quarter final now, hope it's a good one!

HeidiHeidi

Luke's coconut dish looks amazing!

HeidiHeidi

Monica - "Smile, Luke, smile"


Luke - "I'm always smiling, chef" (subtext - FO Monica, trying to wind me up, you won't succeed)


I like Luke a lot!!

HeidiHeidi

Anyone else tuning in tonight?


That first fella fairly looked like he knew his onions!

HeidiHeidi

The second fella...... do you not always dry-fry spices? Frying them in oil looks unusual (but I literally know nothing, so genuine question here!)

HeidiHeidi

Ah here..... that Scotch egg challenge is above and beyond :eek:

HeidiHeidi

I'm fascinated by them all (well, esp Marcus) going on and on about the scallop and pineapple dish, and there being too much pineapple on it - nobody forces you to eat ALL of the pineapple, surely? You'd take a forkful of whatever proportions you fancy of each food, no?


Apart from that, it sounded like a fairly horrible combination, so it's all a bit academic - but just one of those things that grates occasionally.

twill

All the most appalled faces today for Tristan.

Franz Von Peppercorn

Very tough competition this. Not sure why a chef would apply.

twill

Chocolate ice-cream for the Baked Alaska? That's just not right.

HeidiHeidi

twill wrote: »

All the most appalled faces today for Tristan.

Walli gave him a run for his money!


And this private catering girl as well :eek:

HeidiHeidi

twill wrote: »

Chocolate ice-cream for the Baked Alaska? That's just not right.

I've never eaten one in my life, wouldn't have known that chocolate ice-cream is wrong

HeidiHeidi

Completely O/T, all the tattoos and those bloody spacer ring earrings would put me right off me grub

twill

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

I've never eaten one in my life, wouldn't have known that chocolate ice-cream is wrong

Just seems wrong to me, the cake and meringue are sweet enough, I think you need a plain ice cream with them. I've only had it once, though.


Mixed bunch today.

Definitely agree on the tatoos and ear... things.

Franz Von Peppercorn

Sean a good candidate to win.

twill

Yes, he's looking really good. Elizabeth seems very good but prone to making mistakes.

twill

I really wanted to taste a lot of those dishes, which isn't always the case with an invention test.

Franz Von Peppercorn

I’m selling the sous vide machine.

ILikeBoats

The head nodding and frowning is a bit over the top

twill

Oy, Marcus, aren't you going to wash your hands after handling the chicken?

HeidiHeidi

I'd like to see any of them try to get their gobs around that "sandwich" that Marcus made :eek:


FFS!


Other than that, I've been meaning to post for weeks how amazed I am at what you can make and plate up in 15/20 mins (if you're a superspeedy pro chef, obviously )

HeidiHeidi

Marcus getting sniffy about how the first guy prepped the chicken is a bit much - he didn't tell them he wanted it laid out all pretty on separate trays (that we saw anyway).

Plus, he's had time to plan what he wants to do and how he's going to do it, the contestants are blindsided by the challenge and have to make it up on the hoof (wing?).

Agree with the poster above that all the face-pulling and appalled grimaces are getting tiresome now.

HeidiHeidi

Those poxy earrings again.


They make me queasy :mad:

HeidiHeidi

That girl's lamb looks raw :eek:


I'd be sending that back if I got it in a restaurant. Maybe that makes me peasant class, but it ain't for me.

HeidiHeidi

So, one of tomorrow's skills tests looks like fried egg on toast...... a staple of mine.... maybe I should consider applying!

twill

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Those poxy earrings again.


They make me queasy :mad:

I was so glad he didn't go through. I couldn't bear to look at him.

My name is URL

Jesus, the skills tests are some bollix. Chicken sandwiches yesterday and broccoli 3 ways tonight

Fair enough that judges want to see rudimentary techniques but their imagination is lacking

stargazer 68

Always get the feeling Marcus takes an instant dislike to someone and it doesn't matter what they do in the skills test

HeidiHeidi

I'm repeating myself here but....


Mother of God, how much butter does Marcus fry that egg in??? :eek:


And again, with the broccoli skills test, springing it on them cold is very unfair, they have to think up things to do in the (short) time they're given for cooking. At least the haddock dish there's only one way of doing it (well, two I suppose - right and arseways, I'm just about to see which they manage Polonaise sauce ffs? :rolleyes:)

HeidiHeidi

If he's never heard of a Polonaise sauce, and you don't tell him it involves butter, pulling him up on using oil instead of butter is just grossly unfair.


God, I'm getting sick of these skills tests, they're flipping ridiculous :mad:

ETA - and that's not a bloody sauce, sauces should pour (in my book anyway)

HeidiHeidi

Jeepers, Gavin looks like he came straight from the All Black's lineout :eek:

TomOnBoard

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Jeepers, Gavin looks like he came straight from the All Black's lineout :eek:

Himself and Monica could probably murder an oul Haka alright...