Great British Menu 3

[fisherman]

As if the prawns, peas and carrots wotsit wasn't enough, those flecks of brightly coloured veg in the bread around the lamb last night were straight out of the '70's I'm sure it tasted good, but his presentation is old school country house hotel through and through

[lapin d'or]

I think a lot of the chefs have just cooked dishes they do everyday - never mind the competition criteria.

How many would have agreed to do this competition if say just the final was televised.

[ernustus]

I think a lot of the chefs have just cooked dishes they do everyday - never mind the competition criteria.

How many would have agreed to do this competition if say just the final was televised.

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i agree and i guess it also help fill the reservations dairy too. im really looking forward to seeing jason atherton

[nikkib]

i agree - jasons food is modern - will be interesting to see the "british" aspect...

[Scott]

I was interested to see tom roll out pierre koffman last night, as pierre is also a very big fan of another GBM competitor, has been to the restaurant and even wants to spend some time in the kitchen with him.

Honestly quite why pierre would be interested in an 'arrogant' chef with 'no michelin stars' who cooks 'inedible' food i've no idea, maybe after all those years teaching those no hopers such as Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay has left him with a 'cardboard palette'?

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Friends of Pierre's knew he wasn't coming back any time soon, when only a couple of years ago he sold all his old kitchen equipment from Tante Claire that had been in storage since it's closure.

Sold, well he pretty much gave it away - to Tom Kitchen to open his restaurant in Edinburgh.

[PhilD]

This week, I wonder if the culinary thunder is ever going to begin (with apologies to Morrissey).

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im finding this week very boring, anthony last week i thought was cutting edge modern, but this week i havent seen anything modern at all, what was that prawns with pea puree and carrot foam all about????

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Anthony is but one representation of modern food. I think both Tom and Mathew show different interpretations of the theme - to me it isn't old fashioned.

I am quite confident I would have enjoyed all the dishes I have seen this week - I have been presented wit far worse in the UK. Not certain I can call it this week - suspect Matthew will get it.

[BRIGHTON CHEF]

[/quote/

Sold, well he pretty much gave it away - to Tom Kitchen to open his restaurant in Edinburgh.

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[RedRum]

either that or you have a cardboard palate

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Firstly I find it strange that one person can judge the quality of another persons palate based on one person having tried a dish, whilst the other hasn't. Secondly RedRum you must have a superhuman palate that is able to taste food, assess it and judge it through watching a TV programme. Tell me how does one taste through sight alone.

Or am I making an assumption and your argument is based on sound empirical evidence, in that you have tasted the dishes in question?

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Firstly, regarding Antony and his food. The person who was arguing with me seems to be an a great Antony fan and from what I see in these forums an Antony apologist. I sincerely apologise insulting his palate, or anyone else's palate....

Second. I have not eaten at Antony's myself, but I know people who have, and they were not very happy. They all agree that the food is visually stunning, but in some dishes there are over 25 ingredients, some of them not really pleasant. There is also the fact the he still has to be awarded a star (if this means anything of course.. ) and that from what I hear the restaurant is not exactly full most of the times...

Furthermore, the last 14 years that I have been interested in food, I have tried similar types of nouvelle cuisine influenced combinations. Some things simply cannot work, and it does not matter how good the chef is. Antony is an immensely talented chef, and I think he got carried away being so young. I think he will tone it down a little, and see what his teacher has been doing at el bulli. Looking at his menu lately, I think he has toned it down a bit.

[Scott]

[/quote/

Sold, well he pretty much gave it away - to Tom Kitchen to open his restaurant in Edinburgh.

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Nice plates in Tom`s Restaurant???

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[Andy Lynes]

Nice plates in Tom`s Restaurant???

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nope the hardware... the lot.

stoves etc...

Tom used to be one of Pierre's "students"

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They use the plates from La Tante Claire at the Berkeley Hotel but not the logo'd ones from Royal Hospital Road although i understand they have those as well.

[Gary Marshall]

from what I hear the restaurant is not exactly full most of the times...

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I continued to be astounded by your uber perceptive restaurant ratings, firstly actually eating there yourself doesn't seem important and now how full it it is is the criteria?

I walk past McDonalds in Leeds everyday, just near anthony's and it's always busy must be brilliant! silly me all that time i've been in anthony's and i should have been eating up the road.

[ernustus]

i foung it amazing that all 3 judges went for toms menu, i reckon his starter mustve tipped it into his favour as everything else just seemed a pile up

[Matthew Grant]

And this week we have a Irelands latest camp comedy duo masquerading as chefs with a a schoolboy sense of humour "Ooooh, those are a lovely pair of breasts" (cue canned laughter).

Dire, I don't think I can bare to watch this week. Are they for real?

[BertieWooster]

And this week we have a Irelands latest camp comedy duo masquerading as chefs with a a schoolboy sense of humour "Ooooh, those are a lovely pair of breasts" (cue canned laughter).

Dire, I don't think I can bare to watch this week. Are they for real?

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I assume they're a couple from the constant flirtation?

[Scott]

Nice plates in Tom`s Restaurant???

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nope the hardware... the lot.

stoves etc...

Tom used to be one of Pierre's "students"

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They use the plates from La Tante Claire at the Berkeley Hotel but not the logo'd ones from Royal Hospital Road although i understand they have those as well.

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just out of curiosity, isn't it a stretch to call plates "kitchen equipment" or "kitchen hardware"

[Andy Lynes]

just out of curiosity, isn't it a stretch to call plates "kitchen equipment" or "kitchen hardware"     

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Well, the way I understood the exhange developing was that Brighton Chef made reference to the fact that Tom Kitchin had Pierre Koffmann's old plates, then you said no, he had Koffman's old hardware including kitchen stoves which seemed to infer that he wasn't using Koffmann's plates, so I said that he did in fact use Koffmann's plates, but only those from the Berkeley. I said that because Tom Kitchin told me that was the case when I interviewed him. What I didn't mean to infer, and don't think I ever said, was that plates were kitchen equipment. Hope that clears that very important point up.

[Scott]

just out of curiosity, isn't it a stretch to call plates "kitchen equipment" or "kitchen hardware"     

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Well, the way I understood the exhange developing was that Brighton Chef made reference to the fact that Tom Kitchin had Pierre Koffmann's old plates, then you said no, he had Koffman's old hardware including kitchen stoves which seemed to infer that he wasn't using Koffmann's plates, so I said that he did in fact use Koffmann's plates, but only those from the Berkeley. I said that because Tom Kitchin told me that was the case when I interviewed him. What I didn't mean to infer, and don't think I ever said, was that plates were kitchen equipment. Hope that clears that very important point up.

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Andy that's about 150 words more than my post deserved

[RDB]

I think Chris Horridge's food looks quite exciting, but I am a little unsure about his ' three dimsensioanl cooking' philosophy, with the third element being the food will be good for you. Can one meal alone be good for you or have any real long term effect? As much as can one meal be bad for you ? It appears through some science or other he works out a perfect nutritional balance when designing a dish, with optimal health benefits. Well I suppose if you ate in his restaurant every day you may notice some benefit health wise ( of course it would need to be part of a ramdomised control trial), but that is probably quite an expensive way to achieve a healthy body. Obviously you would have to avoid the wine list and desserts

I think it is a pointless slant for this competition as the criteria does not mention cooking food that is healthy as well as modern.

Has anyone eaten at his restaurant and have you come away feeling healthier??

[BertieWooster]

Just to note that Nigel Haworth's menu is now available at Northcote. Which is odd as the chef at Northcote isn't Nigel.

Mrs W. had the thing with Cod, trotters and tripe, which worked a treat. I had something off the main menu which was billed as halibut with 'cheese souffle' and turned out to be cheesy fish. The dish de nos jours.

[Duncan]

I think Chris Horridge's food looks quite exciting, but I am a little unsure about his ' three dimsensioanl cooking' philosophy, with the third element being the food will be good for you. Can one meal alone be good for you or have any real long term effect? As much as can one meal be bad for you ? It appears through some science or other he works out a perfect nutritional balance when designing a dish, with optimal health benefits. Well I suppose if you ate in his restaurant every day you may notice some benefit health wise ( of course it would need to be part of a ramdomised control trial), but that is probably quite an expensive way to achieve a healthy body. Obviously you would have to avoid the wine list and desserts

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I find the idea that a single meal makes a difference absurd, no matter how nutritionally well balanced it is. I was intrigued though about the choice of ingredients last night: birch sap wine sweetened with xylitol.

Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar substitute and was first purified from birch sap in Finland during the 19th century, so using it to sweeten the birch sap wine seems entirely appropriate. I really wonder whether he knew that when he chose the ingredients or if it was just serendipity.

If it was deliberate then it was totally lost on the BBC: the online version of the recipe has been dumbed down to use red wine (perhaps because they thought people wouldn't be able to buy birch sap wine), but still uses xylitol with a note that it is only available commercially.

[lapin d'or]

Chris's evangelical manner to his healthy food reminds me of those people who come knocking at your door offering to save you with their magazines.

Why does a fresh piece of fish need an 'amino' foam?

I like to see some lighter options on a menu but the whole menu?

[Andy Lynes]

Has anyone eaten at his restaurant and have you come away feeling healthier??

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Yes and no.

[erica graham]

Chris's evangelical manner to his healthy food reminds me of those people who come knocking at your door offering to save you with their magazines.

Why does a fresh piece of fish need an 'amino' foam?

I like to see some lighter options on a menu but the whole menu?

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It seems to me that he is desparately trying to find a USP for his food.

Whilst he seems sure that his food is the way forward, I can't help but think of all the foods over all the years people have tried to persuade me to eat because they are good for me....can't say that I have ever enjoyed any of them. As for the phrase "dairy free" cream, make me want to run for the hills!

Whilst I know the programme is cut for soundbites, I found his attitude towards Elisha fairly unpleasant.

Edited May 7, 2008 by erica graham (log)

[Digijam]

Why does a fresh piece of fish need an 'amino' foam?

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Because amino acids are grreeaaat. E, except those nasty glutamine amino acids in Alisha's venison. Which are obviously completely different to the glutamines in Chris's beetroot. And fish.

To be fair it can't be easy inventing the future of british cuisine, especially when it's one that will eridicate disease, save the cheerleader and save the world. (Just so long as we all eat the £60 dinner at the Bath Priory every night.)

Look closely at those wrists and you'll probably see where he's been biting his nails.

[erica graham]

[the future of british cuisine, especially when it's one that will eridicate disease, save the cheerleader and save the world. (Just so long as we all eat the £60 dinner at the Bath Priory every night.)

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I especially liked the way he felt so strongly that Elisha's food couldn't possibly be.........

edited to add

(please note no smilies)

Edited May 7, 2008 by erica graham (log)