Welsh week in the Great British Menu kitchen is in full swing and the contestants have continued to wow judge Angela Hartnett with their cooking.
In fact, the standard of their food was so high that Angela declared: “These are probably the best main courses I’ve judged in my time of judging.”
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Presenter Andi Oliver was also full of praise, saying: “I’ve one word really for all three of you and that’s astonishing. Just beautiful cooking from all three of you.”
On Wednesday, February 16’s episode, the three remaining contestants - Nathan Davies, co-owner of Aberystwyth’s newly Michelin-starred SY23, Tom Phillips, head chef at London’s Restaurant Story and Larkin Cen, chef patron at Bristol’s Woky Ko - cooked their main courses and desserts for a chance to make it through to the judge’s chamber.
This year, the chefs are competing to cook a course at a banquet celebrating a century of British broadcasting with dishes taking inspiration from a variety of TV shows, including Saturday evening family favourites and once in a lifetime events.
After Tuesday, February 15’s episode, where the contestants cooked their starters and fish courses, chef Mark Threadgill from Hotel Portmeirion was sent home in a tiebreak with Larkin. Meanwhile, Nathan was in the lead with a score of 19 and Tom was second with a score of 16.
For the main course, Larkin cooked a dish inspired by David Attenborough’s Blue Planet. Combining a spicy hot pot with hand made noodles and cumin rubbed lamb skewers, the dish impressed both fellow contestants, judge Angela and presenter Andi.
Nathan described it as “utterly delicious” whilst Tom said they’re “arguably the best noodles I’ve ever had”.
Scoring Larkin a 10 out of 10, Angela praised the dish saying: “Every single element of this was perfectly handled and executed.” Andi exclaimed: “That was truly astonishing, you are an incredibly talented chef.”
Angela was equally impressed by Tom's dish, That Delicious Plump Breasted Pigeon, a tribute to '80s sitcom Blackadder, also scoring it a 10 out of 10.
Combining a stuffed pigeon breast served with fermented barley and a Penderyn whisky sauce, the dish was presented with a bang as a cannon shooting feathers was set off.
Angela declared: “The presentation was excellent, I thought that feather cannon was genius.”
She added, “For me Tom, all elements of that dish worked perfectly together. Well done.”
Nathan didn’t score as highly with his creatively presented I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! inspired dish, Stars for Camp, but Angela still praised it, saying: “I loved the theatre for the presentation, it was very, very amusing.”
The dish consisted of retired Welsh dairy cow beef rib and ox cheek served with mushroom ketchup, mushrooms and potato straws. It was wittlily served in a locked wooden crate, with the key to open it hidden in a box containing a cuddly rat.
Desserts didn’t impress to the same level as the mains, with Nathan's dish, The Black Chair, inspired by the National Eisteddfod of Wales scoring an 8, Larkin’s Doctor Who themed Fish Fingers and Custard scoring 7, and Tom's Only Fools and Horses inspired dessert, Time on our Hands, scoring a 9.
As a result of the final two courses, Larkin was sent home with the lowest total score of 32 whilst Tom and Nathan both finished on 35, meaning they go through to cook for the judges.
Presenter Andi had a parting message for Larkin: “I just want to say to you that you have been a revelation. Your main course was one of the best things I have eaten in a long time.”
Responding on social media to the standard of the Welsh chefs’ cooking, one commenter said: “Fantastic looking plates of food from all the chefs. Excellent representation of Welsh talent.”
Whilst another said: “Nathan, Tom, and Larkin all deserve to cook for the judges....their skills and ideas are amazing, tough call for the lovely Angela.”
With high hopes for the prospects of the Welsh chefs in the rest of the competition, another commenter said: “The food this week has been incredible, one or more of them must end up at the banquet.”
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Great British Menu continues tonight on BBC Two at 8pm.
