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Masterchef - better without John?

150 replies

Applesgalore · 02/10/2009 20:08

I'm loving Monica and Michel, so much more refined, knowledgeable and watchable. Trouble is they just make Greg look even more crass. Monica's facial expressions are just brilliant. Make her the new regular judge I say!

OP posts:
MaryAmericanSmooth · 19/10/2009 21:47

Steve's trio of desserts was just fab and fun !

elliott · 19/10/2009 21:50

thaliablogs, I was watching the head to heads of each pair (so Matt, Ryan and Marianne won theirs) - I thought I missed one so there should have been one more from the last quarter finalists, and then how did four become three? Still confused...

pollywobbledoodle · 20/10/2009 22:28

is gregg the founder of the well known (hearty) sausage roll emporium?

rasputin · 20/10/2009 22:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsDinky · 20/10/2009 22:42

Did anyone see Marianne take a bite of her asparagus and then put it back in the bowl with the rest of them tonight? Or was that my imagination?

It is starting to drag on a bit now. Does the final really have to take a whole week?

spenthen · 21/10/2009 09:08

All this fine dining has opened my eyes to the fact that there is a whole bunch of people out there who expect to be fed "perfect" food all the time, and so perfectly good, edible food gets thrown away so as not to offend them. All those lovely choux buns of Steve's the other night, going in the bin just cos they were a bit too big. Imagine the scale of the waste in that industry; it's depressing.

And I agree Mrs Dinky, on and on and on it goes. I've had enough now. Might not even tune in to see who wins. That'll show em.

MaryAmericanSmooth · 21/10/2009 09:11

I'd've kept those choux buns and taken them home - the waste is dreadful. I think Marianne ate that bit of asparagus.And yes,it's dragged on forever !

Stayingscarygirl · 21/10/2009 09:51

I saw that too, MrsDinky - she bit the end off an asparagus spear then put what was left back in the iced water!!

I agree about the perfection thing too - all the stuff that gets thrown away, and dishes that taste great but are slated for not being beautifully presented - what must it be like to live in a world where everything is sooo lovely.

Mind you - I would love to go to Sketch and have afternoon tea (though I suspect I'd need to have something on the way home to fill me up - it looked beautiful and delicious but very very tiny).

oxocube · 22/10/2009 08:02

Loved last night's tribute to Keith Floyd with the red wine reduction bow tie! Very nice touch and the turbot looked divine. Am rooting more for the boys now - was a bit put off Marianne when she used Lady Antonia Fraser's birthday party as her creative muse whilst the guys went for their mum or granny/grandad. Its just rubbing in the fact that she is quite posh a bit too far for my liking.

Is anyone else a bit by the fact that the judges make so much of the fact that the chefs are cooking for 'senior professionals in their field' - my 12 yr old d asked last night why it should make any difference if they are cooking for shop workers or street cleaners or professors and doctors.

TheFoosa · 22/10/2009 08:07

they are being judged by the best in their field, that would scare me shitless

I want Steve to win

MaryAmericanSmooth · 22/10/2009 09:37

oxocube - agree totally with your 12 year old. I really think Steve must win this now.

Bettymum · 22/10/2009 11:16

Yep, I think Steve will win. I loved that bow tie, very clever and fun.
His poor face when his pastry tops fell into his soups though!

spenthen · 22/10/2009 12:09

Last day at last! Hurrah. Sometimes doubted we would all live long enough to see it.

It seems from the trailer that Marianne weeps tonight. That and the shameless name-dropping have put me off her (and does Lady Antonia Fraser really need to be defined by the person she's married to, BTW - as if she wasn't quite famous enough herself to deserve being a signature dishee....)

Yeah, I agree, Steve to win, even without the sympathy points he picked up for the tragedy of the soup-tops - quite the saddest moment of the series.

PS have much enjoyed the shameless Apprentice rip-off bits where Michel appears ominously in impressive settings and tries to scare them with impossible fine-dining scenarios!

MaryAmericanSmooth · 22/10/2009 12:19

I missed the bit where Marianne said her dish was inspired by Lady Antonia Fraser - tell me !

Butkin · 22/10/2009 13:42

I really like all 3 and don't find Marianne too posh - she'd fit right in with my friends for being a nice, polite, eager girl.

I think Steve deserves to win over the course of the series - smoking his starter under a glass bowl was my favourite moment so far.

The drama of the series would have been improved by kicking one off earlier this week just leaving 2 today (Big Brother stylee).

To be honest I'll be happy with whichever of these wins.

CatIsSleepy · 22/10/2009 13:50

ooh i think i'd like steve to win

daniel is bleedin annoying with his passion blah blah and wanting to put his heart on the plate blah blah yeuch

i quite like marianne but not sure she's inventive enough (I'd let her cook me dinner though , her food does often look really lovely
mind you i think i missed asparagus-gate...)

Sunshinemummified · 22/10/2009 13:55

Can someone tell me what happened last night? I was at a [hblush} Spandau Ballet concert and DH didn't tape it.

I like them all, think all t heir food is beautiful but I think Steve is the real creative talent who I could see acheiving a Michelin Star in the future.

oxocube · 22/10/2009 14:38

Sunshine, when recalled to the Masterchef kitchen, the 3 chefs were asked to come up with a 2 course menu which reflected their personal style and people who had been a real inspiration to them and affected their cooking. I think Steve went for his mum or nan drinking guiness hence the icecream, the Geordie guy talked about his grandad having cancer and came up with a super healthy menu and Marianne had cooking for Lady Antonia Fraser's 80 birthday party.

I think I'm being a little mean actually as she seems nice and all but it just seemed a little off to mention it/name drop like that.

oxocube · 22/10/2009 14:39

guinness

MaryAmericanSmooth · 22/10/2009 15:00

oh I see, she had cooked for Lady Antonia Fraser ... but they have told her that she cooks for A listers anyway...I like her,she's jolly and nice but not as inventive as Steve.

Sunshinemummified · 22/10/2009 15:03

So what did they all cook? And where did the red wine reduction bow tie come it? DH has been rubbish about telling me what happened but thought they were all pretty evenly matched right now. Friend at work thinks they are trying to make Marianne win by giving her easier tasks

cremolafoam · 22/10/2009 15:21

the bow tie was un homage to Keith Floyd

Steve to win.He need Heston to give him a job.

oxocube · 22/10/2009 15:34

But Marianne with the meat - every time its undercooked. I like pink meat but hers is often very underdone IMO. Surely all the people she cooks for can't like it still jumping on the plate like that? Its barely warm in the middle. And I think that fish she prepared last night had far too much sauce although I don't know the original dish so maybe its authentic? Agree it looked beautiful though.

Butkin · 22/10/2009 15:34

Steve's banana cake with Guiness icecream seemed to taste yummy but I'm sure in earlier rounds he'd have been criticized for producing something that was just shades of beige.

BrigitGraveKnicker · 22/10/2009 17:12

I think Steve should win- he's so creative. I felt like crying yesterday when his pastry flopped!

I could really see him having his own super popular restaurant in a few years time where you have to book months ahead.

The other two are undoubtedly talented (although I am constantly a bit about Marrianne's raw meat) but Steve just stands out somehow.