‘Something smells good’ says Andi Oliver, breezing into the kitchen at the start of the week. Which begs the question – what does the Great British Menu kitchen smell like?
This week, lurking under the aroma of fine food, there was undoubtedly the manly scent of brooding testosterone, a faint whiff of beard oil and the choking stench of smoke. Yes, the pyromaniac predilections of dragons were out in force as Wales’ chefs entered the competition. Newcomer, Nathan Davies from SY23 in Aberystwyth brought along his own multi-level barbecue, which he skilfully employed in several dishes. Returning chef, Hywel Griffith from the Beach House Restaurant on the Gower aimed to blast away the competition with a mini-blast furnace. Sadly, two chefs left before he’d even fired it up.
Now, if you must be eliminated after the fish course, how would you like to go? Told that it was very close? Encouraged to try again next year? This week’s veteran chef, Tommy Banks thanked newcomer Chris Cleghorn for his contribution. Ouch! It was a painful put down for the Cardiff-born chef who runs the Michelin-starred Olive Tree in Bath. Head chef at the Nutbourne Restaurant in London, Anglesey’s Ali Borer looked like he had his tattooed sleeves rolled up for action but neither Ali nor Chris really recovered from Tommy’s tepid tally of their starters.
Joining regulars Oliver, Rachel and Matthew in the judging chamber is Cambridge engineering professor Dr Hugh Hunt, who’s soon entertaining and educating by shaking jars of muesli and dropping slices of buttered toast from a height.
As the food proper is finally served, Hywel offers lobster and laverbread for his canapé, whilst Nathan favours leeks. Matthew says Nathan’s ‘elevates the humble leek to a place above humility’. Rachel judges Hywel’s to be ‘subdued, Hugh calls it ‘bland’.
Hywel’s modestly described ‘blue cheese salad’ is literally out of this world, taking inspiration from Isaac Roberts’ pioneering photograph of the great nebula of Andromeda. Sponge-like fragments of blue cheese mousse are orbited by hazelnuts and muscat grapes and bright flashes of colour come from pickled candy beetroot, radicchio and red endive leaves. He adds texture with puffed rice, beetroot crisps and ruby mustard frills and serves with a maple dressing. Oliver loves the contrast in flavours and textures, but Matthew feels it suffers from a ‘dominant’ dressing.