Great British Menu 2025 Thread 2 - From beige sludge to poncey nonsense, but is any of it banquetworthy?

[Sunbird24]

The drama continues…

I think one of the problems with GBM is the 'theme your food to this random person/ thing. so you either get good food or a good concept. For example, Ahmed's Wilberforce 'Sugar ban' dessert was excellent in concept and really matched the theme to the food, literally being a refined sugar ban (although he could have just used Silver Spoon, from Suffolk sugar beets instead of Tate and Lyle Cane sugar!) but as Lorna said ( which I didn't know) that without refined sugar, the food doesn't have the correct texture. His cake was still tiny. Surely he could have done what I do when my cakes don't rise properly and sandwich two circles together?

That’s not fair - it’s the oldest film in existence and an important part of the history of cinema.

Roundhay Gardens is the earliest known film and marked a huge success in the then very experimental field of moving pictures. He patented the camera shortly after.

In terms of razzmatazz, I thought the Jodrell Bank one looked the business, and I liked the writing desk opening with the pen. But we definitely don’t have as much drama and showmanship.

I mean, trains, for God’s sake. He could have done SO much with that, but it was just served in an unmoving model train. It was already a dodgy choice because “trains” isn’t exactly a great hero of the past. Dull, dull, dull.

I thought Callum was a slam dunk this week because he was so much better than the others - a different class entirely. I’ve eaten in both of Tommy Bank’s restaurants and I swear they were the best meals of my life, so I shouldn’t be surprised.
(This will never happen again because what was once very expensive is now into ‘I could feed the house for a month on that’ territory and rather beyond my reach.)

I’ve been to Minal’s restaurant too. It’s a great place. But it isn’t the very best curry I’ve had. Really good food, excellent service and I would be chuffed to go again, but not a ‘destination’ restaurant.

On the other hand, at least it wasn’t Cilla Black’s favourite snacks for a banquet course 😂

And was French when the brief is great Brits

Fair enough.
To be frank, the brief is so vague and shonky I think they need a good talking to. Trains aren't exactly a great Brit, and a couple of the other choices have been a bit on the spurious side.

I think there are some you decide what they want to cook and then crowbar the brief into it, and those who start with the brief and make something to suit it. The dosa as certificate for the lawyer was blatantly a "how can I justify serving a dosa?"

Yes agreed, and some of the veterans seem to place more weight on the brief too. Michael wants the inspiration to be blindingly obvious whereas some of the others were happy with a more subtle link.

And then you get Callum's main, which was both (apparently) delicious and met the brief - it did exactly what it said on the tin, without being boring.

Evening all from me and mammy. Who are now BOTH dying with the flu and hacking up a lung!!

I want an Owain Glyndwr dish that bursts into flames when an English person sticks their fork in it.

Oh no, feels like the flu is just going round and round at the mo, hope you’re both better soon! Lots of hot toddies…

Oh god, this woman was on MasterChef: the Professionals and she was a bit trying.

I swear it's an awful dose. No toddies for mammy tho (no alcohol allowed)

Evening. She is loud.

I've had lovely salmon and runner beans for dinner. Hope the fish courses are as good as my efforts

I didnt like her alright

I do vaguely remember Lewis. Partly because of the arm tattoos and partly because he looks like someone who would be cast for a story arc on Friends where Rachel has a doe-eyed British boyfriend.

TBH I mostly just have honey & lemon juice with hot water, maybe that’s a hot teddy instead

I had massaman curry

Evening all - wishing the Potters well (and anyone else watching from sick beds)

Is Andi having an affair with Gyles Brandreth and she's decided it would be cute to borrow one of his jumpers?

Early blast chiller drama… bodes well.

For our entertainment, anyway!

Come on Spencer, you know they don’t name the canapés!

Do the kanappz not need to be on theme (when the pre desserts do)

Spencer was peak GBM.

I think the intro to this show where they remind you of Tom Kerridge and Angela Hartnett and Marcus Wareing and Gary Rhodes is perhaps a bad idea, considering the standard they often have now.

The chefs I remember from Wales are the guy who made his own blast furnace and the guy who got to the banquet in the NHS year with an absolutely beautiful tea-service-based dessert. That's the level of effort I want.

I make a lovely leek and potato soup. I could be on this.