RDB

Not surprised and indeed they will achieve those stars, they know what to do. Now if he does does move out of the North West, and with such poor 'results' for this are in Michelin, both star (entry and demotion) and bib, it is surely looking grim up North. Did someone mention something about the culinary wheels of Manchester moving..........

It is one of his favourite sayings " ......the most amazing....". Everything he touchs or deals with is " the most amazing", whether it be potatoes, restaurants, alarm clocks, portaloos, avocados, gout, michelin star etc etc. This is usually accomapnied with the back of his right hand slapping the palm of his left, just to accentuate the whole amazingness of it all.

God it is busy here today, is something important happening

Much as the Modern looks good and I hear decent reports about Grado, I am not sure the wheels are actually turning that much, or at least in the direction they should be . I mean on reading the moderns menu, it has a lot of similarities to the Chophouses and tapas, well, that is not really such a major turn in direction in Manchester e.g. El Rincon. I know I always ressurect this one, but for the wheels really to move in a major city like Manchester, it needs to be looking to raise the bar, and fill the niche that doesn't exist i.e. proper Michelin level restaurants.

See how we up North get all excited about a restaurant serving 'simple dishes' whilst you lot in London are all upset because the 'best' chef in the world failed to deliver.

Not a show I tend to watch, but having caught it tonight I was highly amused by Greg's analysis of a dish. Some chap had cooked sea bass and sucotash, which appeared ok, but Greg was not interested in combination of flavours or how the dish was cooked, oh no, his critiscisms had much more meaning that. Greg: Did you know that sucotash was a dish that came out of the Great Depression? Bewildered Contestant: Erm no. Greg: Well it did, and it is a peasant dish. Even more bewildered contestant: Oh. Greg: Here you have used a luxurious and expensive piece of sea bass on top of peasant food, the two just can't go together. So chefs be very wary of the combintions you put together, as you could be breaking some social or moral codes. Mark my words the next new thing will be politically correct food combinations!!!

Great review Thom, hope to pop in myself before it becomes too popular. I do hope it is as good as you say

Next he will be campaigning for the plight of the Ecuadorian farmed prawn and the mental health issues this incarceration causes said crustacea. Or maybe against poor farmed salmon, oops I forgot, he actually promoted and advertised them

I have quite strong views on Saint Jamie the moral crusader, which I won't bore you with again. However, on the subject of taste, has anyone ever eaten the organic chicken breasts Sainsbury's sell for £5.00 odd. If not try them and I guarantee you will not taste a more rubbery* tasteless piece of meat in your life. Infact I cannot work out why they are so inedible. Maybe organic free range does not always produce quality tasting meat? And that my friends is from a Jamie endorsed 'happy chicken'. * This is not because I over cooked it or did not let it rest

I think you're a bit strange! There are one or two places I got back to reasonably regularly and I always think I've failed if I order the same thing twice. That said, I really like the idea of the speciality of the house and that being the reason you go to a place, I just haven't followed through in practice. I don't think I could go to Cafe Anglais without ordering the pike though. ← God I could never order the same thing twice! In fact when I dine with other people everyone has to have different dishes, and nobody, but nobody must order the same thing. I guess I am not alone on this

In my dreams and hopes Michelin will have decided to reward the more established innovative and creative style of cooking that exists in the UK; Anthonys * Fraiche * Juniper ** Sat Bains ** L'enclume ** LCS *** Hibiscus *** (albeit too soon) Oh, as well as hacking some of Ramsey's, controversial, I know but, RHR **

Yeah Paul think it is repeated on Saturday afternoon at 2.45?? Check your Christmas radio times

Just to add to what AJ said, some of the best and most creative restaurants (correct me if I am wrong) have the actual chef at the helm, Juniper, Champignon, L'enclume, Anthony's, Sat's, Hibiscus etc etc. Saying that the Fat Duck doesn't but I think with a limited menu it is easy to recreate the same dish over and over with out too much need for the main man. I think having the actual chef there is beneficial when it comes to creation, development and inspiration of menu's and dishes.

I loved the sorbet, but then I love sardines on toast!!! Watching the Christmas dinner show last night reminded me of how exciting it can be eating Heston's food for the first time, especially seeing the diners reaction of awe and wonderment. It was definitely the best Christmas dinner I have ever seen. Will it be on offer in the Fat Duck every Christmas now? Magnus???

Well done that girl. She gets it. ← Really pleased to see Marina's review - now it is time for me to re-visit me thinks! I have to say looking back it was a mistake to go down in the first week - school boy error number one, and on top of that asking for the tasting mentu at lunch time when it was not actually on offer. Still, you live and you learn! ← Hang on - Marina's review is hardly glowing, you had a horrible experience the last time (less than a month ago) and it was horribly expensive. Why on earth do you want to go back so soon? ← I thought that . I am interested what has changed your mind Ravelda? A) It may not be the restaurant but you because you went on the first week and ordered the tasting at lunch? B) Your converted after Marina's review? C) You want it to be really good? D) You are a food masochist?

1-You eat at Gregg's ? 2-It's been a while since I have eaten out at a high end establishment admittedly, but I am fairly certain one isn't supposed to bloody drink the toiletries. ← Camdan maybe if you asked the sommelier he may have picked you a wine that would compliment the smells of Molton Brown

My other half swears by a Greggs cheese and onion pastie in a barm. But she is from a town near Wigan. I'm far too scared to try it though. ← Funny AJ I live a town near Wigan and the dish your other half enjoys is called a 'slapper', must say I am also a little scared of trying it!!

I think it will only ever be 3* standard when Michelin actually award it 3*, until then it is a restaurant with no stars which appears to have the most expensive tasing menu in London

Heston is spot on and something I have been saying for years. I think you can also add another few to the list Midsummer House, Le Champignon Sauvage, Purnell's, Fraiche, and Vineyard at Stockcross. On a personal note I have eaten in the majority of the 'regionals' mentioned, and when I started eating my way around London, I must say a lot of them did not provide the same excitement. I mean is there much 'cutting edge' in London? Judging by the pure excitement and joy that was expressed over The Bacchus and The opening of Hibiscus, I would say not.

So if I expect to be fed grapes and fanned by a beautiful waitress throughout my meal, it is therefore my right for them to 'please me' this way?? I would say it is not 'their problem', but maybe a cognitive distortion which certain diners have and a belief system that is somewhat grandiose and over expectant.

A bizarre tagline... does the article say anything about it? ← An excellent tagline, very witty I also hear that Barry McGuigan will be working in the 'spud' section

I watched last night's (have missed loads of them) and thought MPW came across really well. But then again, it seemed like some of it was straight footage rather than edited let's-tell-a-story-and-up-the-ratings segment. I really hate the reality format. Hopefullly MPW will get a decent series on the back of this. ← Offcentre I think your error lies in the fact that you only watched 5 mins of a two week programme, so I do not know how you come to that conclusion??? Without a doubt MPW has abundant 'tv personality', infact a unique personality, which has had both viewers and contestants alike hooked. Again Corrina you miss the point of MPW's appearance. This was the perfect vehicle for a chef who was about before and during the whole TV chef boom. He legendary status was based on what he did in his restaurant, not just food related, but how he motivated, inspired and his levels of dedication. Unfortunately if you did not work in his kitchen ( I haven't) then you would not get to witness this, in hells kitchens however you get a glimpse. I mean what show would you reccomend? Something like Saturday Kitchen? Ready Steady Cook? Programmes like that give no insight into the restaurant business, but I see their appeal to people who like to cook recipes at home. If you want to experience MPW recipes, buy White Heat, Land and Sea, Mirabelle etc, saying that he did do master classes on the show. I think this programme gave a very positive representation of the restaurant business and in particular being a chef. It showed how physically and emotionally draining it can be, but equally how rewarding and character building it can be also. It showed good team relations, how things are never personal during service and the frustrations and wind ups that occur. Not many shows or indeed chefs project a positive image of being a chef I will miss my daily fix of MPW, and think it has been the best food related programme I have seen in years.

I think a stock cube is sometimes fine to use, not every home kitchen I suppose has fresh stock daily. MPW's positive approach to such staples as HP, worcestershire sauce etc is refreshing. The use of such home grown products shows a Marco's true belonging to the UK.

No.

A source close to Paul Kitching contacted me with the following information: "Paul is not going to appear. It’s true he was approached and we had discussions with Optomen at a pretty high level, but both parties agreed it wasn’t quite the right vehicle for him." ← Thought it was to good to be true. How close was this source Andy