ITV cooking program - Chef Versus Britain

[origamicrane]

ere I go! ere I go! here i go again!!!

"Round 2! FIGHT!!!"

Yes I have applied for yet another tv cooking program!!

hooray!!

(let it never be said that i'm not persistent)

This time its ITV and its for a series called CHEF V BRITAIN.

The format is a member of the UK public that think they are hard enough to

challenge a celebrity chef !!

hmmm.. guess that would be me!

But they haven't told me who the chef will be or if i am allowed to pick the dish to cook.

Anyhoo! I applied last year after my unceremonious eviction from the second round of masterchef and they called me a few weeks back.

They coming round tomorrow to my humble abode to film me make a salad?! This is just for the initial audition type thingy.

well initially I was going to make Asia de Cuba's crispy calamari salad with heart of palms, cashews, chayote and an orange and sesame dressing but my attempt over the weekend just didn't hit the spot think the ingredient i got just weren't up to scratch.

So i decide to make what i know best

either a thai green papaya salad with pork and prawns

and a lime and fish sauce dressing

or a japanese new style sashimi seaweed salad with a soya sauce, orange and ginger dressing

so anyone else applied for this gig?

[Andy Lynes]

Thai salad sounds like a winner to me. Have fun and keep us posted of your progress.

[origamicrane]

Thanks Andy

well I couldn't decide on the green papaya salad or the sashimi salad

so i made a compromise and made both hehe

Well they said that it would take an hour for filming and so it was plenty of time to make both salads.

Well they came round spent about 5 minutes explaining about the show.

Seem that it is a cook off with a celebrity chef and i can choose the dish!!

Hooray!!

Sushi it is then

Whoever it is he/she is toast!!!! (unless he's Nobu or Tetsuya Wakuda. unlikely )

Seems that they want to get as many differnt cuisines in to the series as possible oh and it a 15 episode series.

We have to cook a dinner party for up to 10 people and the people eating the food have to decide which dish is mine and which dish in the celebrity chefs and which is better. They need 2 days to film for the show , one day filming me shopping for ingredients and one day actually cooking the dish. They asked me if i go to any farmer markets or speciality shops etc.

Well i guess my japanese fish monger is

They also mentioned something about getting my family and friends to comment on my cooking.

Time limit, budget, celebrity chef and judges still to be confirmed.

Then they filmed me making the salad and asked questions about the dish while i was making it ala naked chef.

After making the salad they tried it and i think they really liked it as they polished of all of the sashimi and half of the green papaya salad and remember these guys had already been to see 2 other people that day and still had another 3 contestants to see.

Quite funny actually as they said they don't always try the contestants dish

After filming the salad they just took some shots of my house and filmed me "biggin' myself up" and issuing a challenge to the celebrity chef

which was a little naff!! as i just said "bring it on as i'm the best chef this side of London!"

(Yes I know its not true but its makes good TV )

They begin filming in March and I should know if i get on in a weeks time.

hope so as i'm really beginning to like this tv stuff.

oh! and really enjoyed doing this it was really quite fun

Green Papaya salad with lime and fish sauce dressing

hmmm.... my favourite actually

Dressing:

4 T fish sauce

4 T lime juice

4 T water

1 T sugar

1 inch piece lemon grass

1 birdseye chilli

1 clove minced garlic

chop and mix ingredients or stick into a blender.

1/2 cup green papaya

1 T mint

1 T coriander

1 T sweet basil

4 T toasted peanuts

1/2 red sweet chilli

4 quartered cherry tomatos

6 prawns

shred papaya using a madolin, roughly chop the herbs, peanuts and chilli

pile into a bowl and top with the tomatos and prawns and serve with the dressing.

Sashimi Seaweed Salad with orange and soya dressing.

Dressing:

1/2 cup orange juice

1 t orange zest

1 t minced ginger

3 T rice wine vinegar

1 T sesame oil

1 T soys sauce

1 t sugar

2 t sake

1 t toasted sesame

Tower:

green leaves - rocket,mizuna, red mustard, spinach

strip of cucumber in a ring use a mandolin to cut thin strips

sea weed - wakame

shallots - finely sliced

daikon - shredded

roast seaweed - nori thin strips

topiko - seasoned flying fish roe

quartered cherry tomato

lemon wedge

wasabi

gari

Fish:

3 slices scallop (smear with minced ginger and garlic and sear with hot olive and sesame oil)

3 piece salmon (smear with minced ginger and garlic and sear with hot olive and sesame oil)

2 cooked prawns

2 surf clams

minced garlic

minced ginger

Searing oil:

1T sesame oil

3T olive oil

Garnish:

roasted sesame

chives

Edited January 25, 2005 by origamicrane (log)

[Andy Lynes]

After making the salad they tried it and i think they really liked it ...

Quite funny actually as they said they don't always try the contestants dish

←

I wouldn't want to get your hopes up unnecessarily, but that sounds like a very good sign to me, especially having seen your pictures of the food.

Thanks for the recipes, perhaps we can get these in the recipe database when its relaunched?

[Suzi Edwards]

I notice you use tobiko (topiko?) in your recipe. Do you know where you can get wasabi tobiko in London?

[origamicrane]

I notice you use tobiko (topiko?) in your recipe. Do you know where you can get wasabi tobiko in London?

←

Hi tarka

my japanese fishmonger Atari-ya sometimes has it

but even then its quite rare i only seen them stock it about 4 or 5 times

but i got a feeling that you could probably order it.

They also do some other goodies like fresh wasabi root!! a real rarity in London

i've only seen that 3 times in London

they got three branches

595A HIGH ROAD

NORTH FINCHLEY

LONDON N12 0DY

TEL: 020-8446-6669

7 STATION PARADE

NOEL ROAD

WEST ACTON

LONDON W3 0DS

TEL: 020-8896-1552

ORIENTAL CITY

COLINDALE

[origamicrane]

interesting interesting

well at least to me anyways.

Did a bit of diggin around and found the company website thats producing this program.

http://www.imgworld.com/news/fullstory.sps?inewsid=141157

but heres teh passage about the program

TWI Producing a New Cooking Series for ITV1

TWI is to make a new cooking series for ITV1, its first daytime commission for a UK terrestrial channel.

Chef v Britain will be hosted by Claire Sweeney and will feature members of the public cooking their own ‘signature’ dishes in a head-to-head contest with This Morning chef Gino D’Acampo.

The 15 half-hour shows go into production this month(Jan), and filming will start in March all around Britain. Each week the winner will be voted for by members of the local community.

Chef v Britain was commissioned by ITV’s Editor, Daytime - Nick Thorogood and will be shown on ITV1 later this year.

TWI Senior Vice President Production and Business Development Alastair Waddington said: “A short while ago TWI was mainly known for its sports programming portfolio, but within the last two years we have made considerable strides into other genres like factual and entertainment, and this daytime commission is an example of our intention to expand our business further.”

Chef v Britain will be produced by Michael Connock (Saturday Kitchen),and the Executive Producer is TWI’s Chris O’Dell.

Strictly Come Dancing star Claire Sweeney also starred in the hit musical Chicago and hosted ITV1’s 60-minute Makeover. Gino, who includes Pavarotti and George Michael among his former famous clients, enjoyed regular slots on the BBC’s Saturday Kitchen and Ready, Steady, Cook before moving to ITV1’s flagship show This Morning.

Anyone interested in taking part in Chef v Britain can contact chef@imgworld.com or phone: 020 8233 6777 or write to “Chef”, PO BOX 32559, McCormack House, Burlington Lane, London W4 2XU.

daytime tv?

well time to do some digging on Gino D’Acampo and see what he is like.

Oh and egulleteers if you interested apply today!!!!

[Andy Lynes]

a head-to-head contest with This Morning chef Gino D’Acampo.

←

Oh good lord. Do me a favour would you, kick this man's butt please (metaphorically speaking of course.) Thanks.

If you have cable, he's on Great Food Live on UK Food TV.

[origamicrane]

a head-to-head contest with This Morning chef Gino D’Acampo.

←

Oh good lord. Do me a favour would you, kick this man's butt please (metaphorically speaking of course.) Thanks.

If you have cable, he's on Great Food Live on UK Food TV.

←

oh!! I intend too

The guy is as good as toast!!!

(assuming i get on the program that is )

But even I register the fact that this a pretty unfair contest

eastern cuisine versus western cuisine and I get to choose the battlefield

I seriously doubt there is any UK TV chef that could kick my sushi butt!!

but as they say life isn't fair

So whats this blokes cooking like then?

I never seen this guy on tv before but just had a look at his website http://www.ginodacampo.com

he seems like a reasonable italian chef.

[origamicrane]

yes! yes! I am a media slut!!

yet another tv program!!

Granada TV for ITV this time. The program is called FOOD LOVERS.

They are looking for cooks and non-cooks that are passionate about food.

No idea what the format is yet but the application form states that you need to be available for 2 whole weeks in Spring.

Other questions on the application form are

1. Why you want to be on the show?

2. Describe your personality?

3. What type of people don't you get along with?

4. How would you react to critism from a top chef?

5. What are your strength and weaknesses?

6. What is your signature dish?

7. What has been your biggest cooking challenge?

8. What famous person are you like?

9. Have you appears on tv before?

10. If you owned a restaurant what would it be like?

11. Do you have a criminal record?

The last page also states that you are willing to submit to a medical examination and a full psyche evaluation?? err... is this normal??

So from the requirements and this list of questions I think we can deduce it will be some kind of competition where you will be thrown into a mixed bunch of fruits and nuts in a restaurant kitchen, where there is a celebrity chef presenting or judging you and a panel of non cooking foodies also involved somewhere.

I'm thinking something on the line of Gordon Ramsey's Hell's Kitchen

I've been invited to attend an audition next saturday in The Holborn Hotel in London. There actually no info on the show or what is required for the audition.

Naturally I will again keep you updated on my progression on this and

if there is anyone else going for this or has any info on this gig please post a message.

stay tuned

[Andy Lynes]

The last page also states that you are willing to submit to a medical examination and a full psyche evaluation?? err... is this normal??

←

Sounds like a reasonable precaution to me. You never know who might be attracted to these sort of programmes.

What happened with the last show, I can't keep up. Are you going to be on it or not?

[origamicrane]

The last page also states that you are willing to submit to a medical examination and a full psyche evaluation?? err... is this normal??

←

Sounds like a reasonable precaution to me. You never know who might be attracted to these sort of programmes.

What happened with the last show, I can't keep up. Are you going to be on it or not?

←

Well the guy from CHEF V BRITAIN said I had been short listed

but he said he couldn't confirm anything until closer to the filming date in march

so still fingers crossed for that.

This new one FOOD LOVERS is holding nationwide auditions over the next few weekends should be interesting to see what this one is about

hopefully the law of numbers mean i will definately get on one of them

[Suzi Edwards]

May I ask why you're so determined to get onto a TV cooking show?

[origamicrane]

May I ask why you're so determined to get onto a TV cooking show?

←

Hi Suzi

well actually should be appearing on masterchef later in the month

although it probably be less then 3 minutes.

well the official answer is I want to open my own restaurant one day and i think the exposure might help me.

The unofficial answers and probably the more true answer is because

I'm a leo and therefore a bit of a show off.

There is an inkling in my head that hopes that i might one day become a celebrity chef as there aren't many chinese celebrity chefs out there.

And the most important reason is it seems like a good laugh and if i get some extra help / experience in opening my restaurant or gaining financially out of this stuff all the better.

sorry if i come across as a wannabe but i think there some truth in it

but if Ainsley and AWT can make a mint out of their cooking "skills"

heck i like a piece of that pie.

yeah i know it take hard work and more then a little luck

but its just for a laugh

Edited February 7, 2005 by origamicrane (log)

[Suzi Edwards]

Cheers for that. I was going to suggest you try Ready Steady Cook but given you're about to be on Masterchef I might withdraw that suggestion. Not sure Ainsley can stand the competition.

Hope my post didn't come across as too harsh. I am genuinly interested in why people apply for reality TV shows.

[origamicrane]

Cheers for that. I was going to suggest you try Ready Steady Cook but given you're about to be on Masterchef I might withdraw that suggestion. Not sure Ainsley can stand the competition.

Hope my post didn't come across as too harsh. I am genuinly interested in why people apply for reality TV shows.

←

Yeah i thought about ready steady cook

but i'm an oriental cookie

don't think my skills would work on that program

think that one of the main reason i got kicked out of masterchef in the second round.

But personally I think appearing on ready steady cook might actually be negative for my future restaurant

haha! Suzi your post hardly came across as harsh!!! thought it was just standard curiosity into the curious people on egullet.

[Basildog]

Agreed Ready Steady Cook is not the best place for an aspiring chef, but these new shows, how do you know what there going to be like??

[origamicrane]

hmm... very true basildog they might be far worse then ready steady cook

but we live in hope.

If i do get on the show and it does turn out to be a complete farce I will treat it as such

But remember i'm really only doing it for a laugh

hopefully it won't be as sad as Big Brother

[origamicrane]

Hurrah!! looks like i'm on this program

just got the call and they want me for a weekend in March.

Day 1 will be filming me shopping for stuff, meeting Gino and telling him what we are cooking, friends and family commenting on my food.

Day 2 will be the actual cook off.

Venue still to be confirmed, but they like the look of Oriental City Shopping Centre in Colindale and so do I as that is home territory

If they do confirm that venue I will let you all know the date and you can come down and throw organic tomatoes and cabbages at me or Gino

depending who you are supporting remember to wear egullet t-shirts!!!

oh and the people judging the food will be the general public

and if you all come down you can stake the pack in my favour too!!!

so its an open invite to all egulleteers !!!!!

come down hopefully it be fun and failing that you can try my cooking hope you like it!!!

ere we go! ere we go!

[Andy Lynes]

oh and the people judging the food will be the general public 

and if you all come down you can stake the pack in my favour too!!!

←

That is a very tempting proposition. I've never visited Oriental City Shopping Centre and have been meaning to for some time. Keep us posted.

[Pweaver1984]

Ori,

Have you had any proffessional training? Worked in kitchens before? Not sure if you've answered these Q's before so sorry if you have.

Cheers

Paul

[origamicrane]

Ori,

Have you had any proffessional training? Worked in kitchens before? Not sure if you've answered these Q's before so sorry if you have.

Cheers

Paul

←

Nope

I've been cooking mainly japanese food for about 10 years now,

learnt it from books and a few japanese friends but nothing professional.

Started to branch out to other cusines and did a one week course at leiths last summer.

I've done lots of dinner parties for friends did one party for 40 people solo

and had my first paying private chef gig in Decemeber and that was really tiring.

But the family business is a chinese restaurant and takeaway so i literally grew up in the kitchen so cooking is in my blood.

I will probably go knocking on some restaurant doors to see if they want a skivvy to help out at the weekends, just so i can see how things are done in larger operations.

Edited February 8, 2005 by origamicrane (log)

[Pweaver1984]

I see, so how old are you if you don't mind me asking?!

Where would you think of opening a resturant?

[origamicrane]

I see, so how old are you if you don't mind me asking?!

Where would you think of opening a resturant?

←

well i'm 28 I plan to open my restaurant when I hit 30

so it still quite a long way down the line but initial plans are to open somewhere in West London as i know the area well.

I would like to open in central london but rent is too high and its a lot more complicated, costs and competition.

Also for my first attempt planning to do it relatively small and simple

max I think would be a 30-40 seater restaurant and very simple decor.

The food will be authentic pacific rim stuff and it will be what I would call casual dining.

[origamicrane]

just had a chat with the producer and sushi is a no go

he said that to make a full sushi platter (nigiri and rolls) would be too complicated to follow on tv.

(he's got a point i guess, but i am Sushi Sam! godammit!!!!)

Anyhoo he said I should focus on one or two dishes and asked me for suggestions.

Looks like I have to fall back on some good old chinese wok power.

I suggest a singaporean curry crab which seems to have been well recieved by him.

So any one got any other suggestions? Oriental or asian dishes, starter or dessert? But no teriyaki, green curry, black bean sauce or stir fries as they been done to death on tv.

hmm.... where are my cook books..... ?