Great British Menu

[PotterHead1985]

So I had a look and I couldn't find a thread for this series (apologies if there is one already and if someone could link me!) so I thought I'd start one.

Who is looking forward to the new series starting tonight at 8bells on BBC2??

Have the judges been loving everything thus far? Apart from Joe's 10 dish.

Can't believe he liked something

The wellington looks beautiful tonight.

I still think the chefs need an education about what a feast actually looks like.

I wish they'd have proper children's writers on the judging panel.
Apart from Julia Donaldson it's been celebs who seem to get contracts nowadays at the expense of more talented writers.

loads have done a dish then picked the book this year
I agree with this. You should be able to see the meal and see how it links to a book without a card with some tenuous explanation. Sticking some marmalade in a pudding and putting a hat on doesnt make It a "paddington bear inspired dessert". See also, people choosing a really obscure book such as "Cesane and the Apple Boy" so that they can justify an apple based dish.

There are only a few which stood out as very clearly meeting the brief, such as the "Each Peach Pear Plum" pudding, Jeremy Fisher fish course and the Hogwarts Feast main from last week with the candles and tabletop. I hope the judges do consider the brief more when choosing courses for the final banquet!

Apologies if it's already been covered - I did have a quick skim!

Why doesn't SC eat any of the food? She has a tiny taste occasionally but normally doesn't touch any of it.

Why doesn't SC eat any of the food? She has a tiny taste occasionally but normally doesn't touch any of it.

I don't think it has been mentioned here, tjg, and you're right. DH and I have talked about this. I wondered if she didn't like sharing a plate with others (looks odd in these Corona-ridden days!) but she does sometimes try a tiny amount.
Usually pudding, it seems to me.

But, afaics, she never gives an opinion on it.
Complete waste of space and actively irritating.

richard is awful as judge.

and why is he keeping taking on and off his glasses?

Yes the link to children's books has been very tenuous on some occasions. I actually suspect some of the chefs have never read the book in question and it's been chosen by people working on the programme to match whatever dish the chef wants to cook.

Glad it's not just me @LaMarschallin

Fair enough if she has allergies or is veggie/vegan, but if that's the case then it seems odd to choose her as a presenter.

If SC was veggie or vegan I'd imagine her saying ooo I can try this one when there was a veggie dish.
It could be she's self conscious about eating in front of people but again would make her a weird choice of presenter.

I remember Fern not being allowed to taste the food on ready steady cook, I think because she could break a tie at the end

I actually suspect some of the chefs have never read the book in question and it's been chosen by people working on the programme to match whatever dish the chef wants to cook.

It would explain the massive over-representation of "Jeremy Fisher" and the "Faraway Tree" books.

The silly thing is that, in the Enchanted Wood/Faraway Tree series, Silkie the fairy makes gorgeous food which they could be inspired by.
The fact they do dishes all about "trees" or "woods" makes me think they never bothered to crack the cover and find out it's about the people in the tree and the magical lands they can visit that's the point, not any random tree or wood.

I think last year, when the inspiration was music from the Beatles onwards, they all actually understood and knew something about it.

This year, imo, the pseudo-Paddington one and the "Well, Oliver didn't get much to eat so I'm making him a dish with all the most luxurious things in world (if you can find them under £1000 worth of shaved truffle)" have been the most obvious piss-takers.

Gosh. Didn't realise I felt so strongly about it

Yes the Oliver dish was ridiculous. He could have called it "Food Glorious Food" and it would've made more sense, as the food that the kids dream of (although I dont think think actually from the book, just the musical).

At least the second person who did Oliver attempted to make it look like gruel.

Also the guy who did steak and kidney wellington because it's Harry Potters favourite food... is that in the books or has he just made that up? I dont remember it.

Evening, anyone who's about.

Just me, I'm happy to witter on to myself.

Oh lovely, offal.

sorry, will watch later...

No, me too, but MN is playing up: horribly slow and I've ended up on various threads trying to get here.

Anyway, yay Wales!

Oh, that's quite pretty.

Hi!

Cute of him to create a little book.

They all seem pretty grumpy.

I really like Lisa Allen.

Those scores seem fair.