Masterchef: Semi Finals Week

[Pebbledashery]

In preparation for tonight!

I think Thomas had to go before the professional kitchen round, he was a terrible team player and so slow. It was a bit unfair that he kept saying he’d be ready in two mins when he clearly knew he wouldn’t be so the other two’s ice cream melted and they had to keep faffing about putting their plated dishes back in the fridge. I actually found him quite infuriating and selfish in that round, and I’ve never seen John looked more annoyed with a contestant!

I think I'm the same age as Thomas. No way Jose could I even contemplate working in a professional kitchen, even if I had the skills, which I most definitely don't! I don't think I was quick enough even as a youngster, but at 60 my reaction times and stamina have definitely fallen off a bit. I suppose they can't put an upper age limit on for contestants but I always do wonder when I see an older person entering how they will cope. Irina is the only older finalist I can remember doing very well. Sorry to see him go, but I think it was the right decision. I'd be happy with any of the remaining six winning, I think.

I think I'm the same age as Thomas. No way Jose could I even contemplate working in a professional kitchen, even if I had the skills, which I most definitely don't! I don't think I was quick enough even as a youngster, but at 60 my reaction times and stamina have definitely fallen off a bit.

I remember reading one of Anthony Bourdain's books in which he said very much the same about ageing.
He also mentioned weight problems causing difficulties in busy kitchens without a great deal of space.

It seems MC has now become a competition mainly for people who want to become professionals, whereas way back in the day it was intended for good home cooks who weren't intending to go on to grapple with restaurant service.

Very much a different competition in the times of Lloyd Grossman, the prize was usually something like a cooking holiday or new kitchenware.

I used to enjoy MC in the Lloyd Grossman days, but it was an entirely different programme. It's odd they kept the name. As I recall, you had a small group of decent amateur cooks, used to putting on dinner parties at home, making something like coq au vin, judged by LG, a chef and a random celebrity who liked food but had no other claim to be there. There was one heat for each part of the UK. No restaurant cooking or mass catering challenges at all. All very genteel.

Yes, it's changed a lot.

Actually, just been Googling the days of Lloyd Grossman; hadn't realised how long ago it was!
I don't remember Garry Rhodes doing it at all.
It would be a shame to introduce an age limit but it definitely seems more designed to find potential professionals now and I'm not sure that was what Thomas was looking for.
I certainly went off him a bit when he was holding the other two up with his constant repetition of "Two minutes, chef".

I've caught up now. I agree that Thomas really had to go before the professional kitchen. I wasn't impressed with the way his attitude sabotaged others the other night either.

Looking forward to tonight.

I've just seen what the challenge is for tonight and it's actually made me laugh.

I wonder if the show is actually biased against cooks like Thomas and is now set up for ambitious young lawyers who dream of opening a chain of restaurants and selling a shed load of recipe books? I'm not sure if I like the sweaty drama of it all.

Same Esma! 😂

A friend of my mum's came runner up on the LG masterchef in the 1980s. She cooked Monkfish, which was considered very unusual at the time.

I bet there are some weird savoury attempts at tonight's challenge. And some deconstruction.

I have been very strong and not found out what the challenge today is so now I can be surprised.

<waves hello>

Here... Just about.

Evening! I just remembered in time!

Haha, this is very silly.

Evening! Jumped across from MC Aus where they had just mentioned celery-ack.

THE HELL IS THAT SINGLE HE'S TALKING ABOUT?! I might die from cringing. They had better not play it.

He we go...

Did they run out of ideas for a challenge...

Hello all. What is this song ????

No.

Buttery biscuit base? I may need alcohol, especially if twatface don’t stfu. The smack around the face though.

Gregg and John have gone in opposite directions over the last 10 years.

OMG what is this?

This is silly. I'm almost missing Shitwell.