‘How’s your week been?’ asks Tom Kerridge of Andi Oliver, as they settle down for their little weekly chat ahead of the judging. ‘Quite eventful,’ she replies, with a knowing look that borders on exhaustion. ‘Paul Ainsworth… he really earned his money this week,’ she says of the heat’s veteran chef.
Indeed, after canapés, Paul predicted, ‘I think we’re in for some phenomenal cooking’, then, following starters, Andi felt the need to give the chefs an uncharacteristic telling off. ‘This was not your finest hour,’ she said. Returning chef Nat Tallents from the Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall bravely battled to beat her ‘first out’ status from last year but sadly failed. Newcomer Charlotte Vincent, head chef at the Five Bells Inn in Devon clung on to cook her full menu but lost out eventually to two returners – Elly Wentworth, head chef of The Angel in Dartmouth, and Olivia (Liv) Barry, chef owner of Adelina Yard in Bristol.
In the judging chamber, Tom’s mates Ed Gamble and Nisha Katona are joined by guest judge, actor, writer and director Priyanga Burford, who very honestly admits she’s hungry but doesn’t really know what she’s looking for.
Elly’s canapé is based on fish and chips – a crispy ball of cod brandade in split pea batter with malt vinegar jam. Liv’s is a beef fat waffle with beef tartare, crispy onions and apple jam. Elly’s presentation causes consternation as she’s balanced her canapé on a bed of uncooked split peas. You can literally see them stuck to the spoon as Priyanga puts it in her mouth. ‘I’ve by mistake eaten one of these green and yellow gravelly things’ she says. Deciding their favourite, the judges are, appropriately… split.
‘A very fair reflection of the hospitality industry,’ is Tom’s verdict on ‘Fawlty Towers’ – the starting point for Elly’s duck-stuffed starter. Duck mousse dumplings are served with bitter orange gel and spiced cranberry chutney, strands of crispy duck leg and deep-fried kale, with duck consommé on the side. Ed and Tom aren’t fans of the ‘dense’ dumplings. Priyanga carefully considers how she’d describe them and eventually settles on… ‘dense’.