anyone talking about masterchef-the professionals?

[fishandlilacs]

If not then consider this the start of the thread.

I think the wrong person went out last night. Poor girl, the guy they chose over her really got in by the skin of his teeth!

What!!!!!!!!

Yay! I'm so pleased for them.

I would have picked Keri.

I love both of them!

Yeah!
Why did Olli not get a class of champagne?

Wonderful decision. Such amazing food

Poor olli :( after all he came second.

So where do Anton and Keri work? Anyone have the names of their restaurants? It would be fabulous to go to eat there before they become famous and expensive

Dunno about Keri, but Anton and his missus have their own pub in Devon

Shame for Oli but I think he knew himself during the final week that he wasn't quite the same standard as the other two. There's no reason to suppose that he won't surpass them in future. Even being a runner up won't have done him any harm.

YAY! Very pleased.

No - terrible decision, what a total cop-out!!!

keri works as an execitive chef for a company.

Excellent result. I wanted Oli to win, but he's so young and the other two have years of experience behind them. Oli has a brilliant future ahead of him.

Well done Anton and Keri.

Biscuitandtinsel, I was thinking of that very restaurant last night. Soooo much nicer than the FD. The brothers' food was much more delectable and delicious sounding. I'd definitely go there.

I don't believe it!! Anton robbed of the Masterchef title just 'cos Gregg is a pig!

Both very good, but I reckon Anton had the edge due to his creativity.

My heart bled for poor Oli, too - his sad little face when he realised what he'd done - poor Oli

Yes jux that's what I was thinking - although it was very experimental and 'different' at the Spanish place I remember thinking 'ooooh yum - I'd love to eat that!' Whereas the FD stuff looked clever but didn't inspire my tastebuds as much iyswim. I'm sure both restaurants would be horrified to be described as 'similar' because I'm sure they do their own thing entirely, but to a mere mortal like me they are very similar, and totally different to what is normally eat iyswim.

I wonder what people like MRJ really think of it all? I wonder if they think it's all a but pretentious?

I did quite like the two young girls that were eating there and kept giggling at how bizarre the eating 'experience' was - I think I'd have been like them if I were there except not quite as young, nor pretty. A lot of the other diners looked like they were trying to take it all in their stride.

tanith I thought when it came to it anton should probably have edged it for his creativity but I suppose they were both incredibly good.

I wonder if Greg and michel are kind of comparing them to precious winners - maybe they are just both so much better?

Oh and I know what I wanted to ask, DH got home from work just as they were eating the food last night and insisted on making conversation - hmph so I missed what Oli actually did wrong? I know Michel referred to 'one mistake too many'?

Ooops didn't mean to bold Anton's name - although he could be a MNer you never know

Oil undercooked his lobster a bit and put his dessert in the fridge instead of the freezer. Sadly enough to put him out of contention - they were all really good this year! DH thinks the joint winner thing is a cop out, but I think it was the right thing. Anton was there from the start and Keri got there; Oli's almost there I reckon.

DH and I ate at the FD a few years ago and wouldn't bother to go back. We felt a bit patronised by the service, rather treated as if we were peasants who had never been to a restaurant before and certainly couldn't afford to be in this one so didn't deserve to be there, and the food was more about the chef than the food. I've been lucky enough to eat in a couple of other 3 and 2 star restaurants and never once felt as patronised by the service as I did there. Won't go back. HB's pub in Bray, The Hind's Head, is a completely different kettle of fish, cheaper, excellent pub food and gets 1 star in 2013. Would definitely go back there.

Anton's pub is The Treby Arms in Sparkwell, near Plymouth, btw. I want to go there too. MN Foodies outing anyone ?

Ah bless little Oli . Now you mention I do recall MRJ saying the pud had only just frozen. Bless him. But I've got the sense all week that he couldn't actually believe he'd got to the final and had far exceeded his own expectations iyswim. I think he thought it was all just amazing experience.

I'd hate that if they are patronising at the FD. I haven't eaten in many super Posho restaurants but what I've liked is that they make you feel like you belong iyswim. For us it is a mega rare saved-up-for-treat whereas probably 90% of the other diners are regulars at that type of restaurant, so they must know we don't normally eat like that. But to me that is the mark of good service that they make you feel welcome and comfortable and complete the 'experience' alongside the food.

That is another programme I would have loved to see back - that Service by MRJ - loved that!

That's exactly my point, Biscuits - good service makes all folk welcome until they make themselves unwelcome! GW apparently eats at Le Caprice 3 times a week; I think I'd stop appreciating it quite so much if it wasn't a vvvv rare treat.

I missed Service - when was that on?

Oh it must have been nearly 2 years ago. They took some 'yoofs' and trained them up to do front of house jobs but they did it 'properly'. Not like these shows where it's all for telly and really about watching them fail. They gradually built up what they did and learned about all the aspects of restaurants until they finished off doing a service at le gavroche. And the prize was a waiter job and a sommelier job (maybe with MRJ? Can't remember the details). But it was fab though. I suppose a little bit like Jamie Oliver's Fifteen in that they actually wanted to teach them to do it properly iyswim. (Although in ever actually watched that)

^I never* not 'in ever'

Oh my goodness, that pudding was to die for! So clever and fabulous. I wanted to eat it.

After the bit at the beginning where we could see where the chefs background, I kind of wanted Keri to win, although I liked them all. I think it was the right decision in the end. Keri and Anton are cut from the same cloth. I loved Oli though. If I was old enough to be his Mum I would be so proud. He took it very well and had an admirable and positive outlook. He is still so young, so to cook like that already, I am sure he will go on to great things. I did want to give him a hug though.