Mind you, I reckon desserts would test 'em! I'm not sure "Out, damned spotted dick, out I say!" would work too well, although I suppose they could go with "Shall I compare thee to a Summer pudding?"
"The devil damn thee black, thou cream faced loon" (Macbeth 5:3) - there has to be something desserty in "cream faced"....
While "Where got'st thou that goose-look?" following should help with the main!
... with a good number of Macbeth-insipred "Fowl is fair, and fair is fowl" thrown in for good measure!
Fish courses would invariably be from The Merry Wives Of Windsor ... "Why, then the world's mine oyster".
... and I hate to think how many starters would be from Anthony & Cleopatra ... "My salad days, when I was green in judgement".
Mind you, I reckon desserts would test 'em! I'm not sure "Out, damned spotted dick, out I say!" would work too well, although I suppose they could go with "Shall I compare thee to a Summer pudding?"
I'd laugh (a lot more than I have this series!) if they did have a Shakespearean theme and actually went with any of these!
I think the Shakespeare theme could be far more inspired than the Comic Relief one. Titles, quotes, props - there's endless fun one could have with them:
Starter - "When shall we three eat again?"
Soup, served in cauldron
Fish - "Some are born skate, some achieve skateness and some have skateness thrust upon them"
Two narrow strips of skate (duh) dyed yellow with squid ink pasta arranged to look like crossed garters.
Main - "Is this a **** that I see before me?" (With tribute to Glynn Purnell)
Honest to goodness **** to be eaten with a steak knife smeared with tomato ketchup
Pudding - "Et tu brulee?"
Creme brulee with little action figures dressed in togas gathered round the dish.
I'm glad the regionals are over, I was getting sick of the judges on a Friday brown nosing the "guest comedians", I was surprised they could eat anything with all the false laughter going on:rolleyes:
I'm glad the regionals are over, I was getting sick of the judges on a Friday brown nosing the "guest comedians", I was surprised they could eat anything with all the false laughter going on:rolleyes:
I believe the finals may well have a different guest comedian for every course.
It would be nice if next year's brief would be 'back to basics'.
No gadgets, no chemicals, no water baths. Just proper old school cooking.
I give you......Masterchef
The brief is the whole point. Basic.....actually more than basic...GOOD..... cooking is the entry level for this competition. They're professional chefs for God's sake!
They should be absolutely hammered for not meeting the brief, not indulged because the foods tastes good without the brief. It's supposed to!
richard having a tanty fit now...is this episode a tribute to johnny mountain?
Interestingly I thought of old Johnny when Mary described her dish.
IIRC Johnny was marked down for using bought in cured ham. He said that it was excellent quality and that he couldn't make it better himself so that's why he used it.
Mind you, it could have just been vindictive marking by Wareing.
It was Ray's explanation, and all of the judges acceptance of it, that was so frustrating. Outside of mumbling under his breath that it's "a bit of fun"(?), his explanation was that it was the centenary of the Sinking of the Titanic LAST YEAR, and that he felt he should "celebrate" it.
So not only is he 12 months late "celebrating" the deaths of the passengers and crew of the ill-fated voyage (allowing the diners to eat the meat out of the model of the communal coffin in some bizarre cannibalistic ritual metaphor), but he decided to totally throw the brief out the window and create his own, AND STILL GOT PUT THROUGH TO THE FINALS!!!!
Still, "it's a bit of fun, you know".
I think the judges have been terrible this year. Fort has probably been the best of them which is saying something.
Pru, who thought the Titanic was a great idea until she had an about turn after being pillioried, and rightly so.
Oliver who showed last night that he couldn't care less about the brief whatsoever.
The brief is the whole point. Basic.....actually more than basic...GOOD..... cooking is the entry level for this competition. They're professional chefs for God's sake!
They should be absolutely hammered for not meeting the brief, not indulged because the foods tastes good without the brief. It's supposed to!
Would be very interesting if John and Greg were judges - can't imagine them being so relaxed about the brief, in fact I am amazed at Oliver's apparent personality transplant this series. In previous series, he'd have been very disparaging of the dishes served up this year - the titanic one, in particular
I genuinely feel that this year the menu has been predetermined and that the "heats" are just to prolong it. The obvious preference for certain chefs is not pleasant to watch and the fact that the judges know who cooked what simply makes it all the simpler for them.
I wanted to watch a proper competition and I just don't feel that's what I'm watching. It's all very scripted and there hasn't even been a genuine attempt at disguising that.
I actually would quite like to see a switch up in the judging panel. I'd like to see a chef (preferably a past winner such as Sat or Tom Kerridge), a critic, and a third as either a restauranteur (a chef who has taken a step back) or a Michelin/rosette judge or someone who just properly enjoys food. I just think the current three arrive with predetermined or "expected" views, which has now become tired.
After the Titanic went through ... I lost faith a bit in this as an actual competition....
What you've just posted in the first part of your post reminds me of something I posted about in another thread.
In a charity episode of The Chase the expert deliberately got a question wrong so that the celeb could win more money for charity.
What is the point? A quiz show is there for the person to use their knowledge to win money. They may aswell not have them and just give the money to charity.
In this year's comp it does seem like there is that 'oh it's for charity so no one will mind if we bend the rules'. I not very subtle that the judges have clearly had their favourites and some of the chefs have just been there to make up the numbers.
As for you second point, I made similar points in previous years. e,g, the forces one should have had forces staff who are cooks or organise forces banquets so know what that type of occasion would be expecting.
Not sure how they could do anything with this year's brief though. The comedians haven't really helped as the posters on this thread haven't needed a comedian to tell them when something is not funny or has missed the brief completely.
I genuinely feel that this year the menu has been predetermined and that the "heats" are just to prolong it. The obvious preference for certain chefs is not pleasant to watch and the fact that the judges know who cooked what simply makes it all the simpler for them..
As someone who waited impatiently at the end of the phone as Michael went through the regional heats (mid October) and then the final (early December) I can tell you that's definitely not the case.
This week's show really angered me. Jeremy Lee was clearly showing a more positive attitude towards Mary Anne - who made no real effort towards gastronomy, presentation or meeting the brief. I do not doubt that her food was tasty - but it had no place in the competition.
It was one of the worst weeks in all the years I have been watching. They should not allow it to happen again.
Next year - for a theme I would suggest Shakespeare!! 450th anniversary of his birth. Plenty in the plays to use as inspiration for dishes from all round the world. Have the final on the stage of the RSC!
Totally agree with paragraph 1! :eek:
Would love to see the Shakespeare theme! It could include basic solid cooking as well. not asking for a hog on a spit but no deconstruction and micro stuff.
I couldn't see why Jeremy had such a down on poor Luke in the judging. How he scored less for his main over that abomination of a cottage pie with comedy pastry horns I do not know.....
He tried hard demonstrated great cooking skills and his presentation was excellent, and (IMHO) he should definitely have got through to the judging over Mary Anne whose food was generally the standard of a home chef.... I can't help feeling that him leaving was the only way to ensure that Richard got through to the final..
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this further back but.......
How are the chefs actually chosen for the programme?
Does the BBC ask individual chefs if they want to apply to take part or does a general request go out in "Cheffing Weekly" asking for interested chefs to apply?
Do the chefs know the brief before taking on the challenge?
Just wondered, as so many of the chefs this year have said "It's way out of my comfort zone" and have not shown a single element of "comedy" in their dishes, some being totally aware of the lack of humour and stating that their food is good enough to stand on its own without any gimics, i.e. clearly ignoring the brief rather than just missing it. It seems odd that if you know that the brief is comedy, that you enter a competition with the intention of ignoring the brief totally.
Maybe the lack of a laugh will be used in the final judging??
This week surely must be the worse ever, as shown by the very low marks. I was looking forward to Friday's judging to see the judges' reaction to some of the basic plates of food put in front of them, with no imagination and no comic element. Unfortunately (or fortunately) because of snow on my satellite dish I had no signal all night so couldn't watch (can't get iplayer either), but after checking this thread I'm glad to see the right person went through.
This week surely must be the worse ever, as shown by the very low marks. I was looking forward to Friday's judging to see the judges' reaction to some of the basic plates of food put in front of them, with no imagination and no comic element. Unfortunately (or fortunately) because of snow on my satellite dish I had no signal all night so couldn't watch (can't get iplayer either), but after checking this thread I'm glad to see the right person went through.
The judging was possibly an even bigger let down than Ray's Volcanic pudding
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this further back but.......
How are the chefs actually chosen for the programme?
Does the BBC ask individual chefs if they want to apply to take part or does a general request go out in "Cheffing Weekly" asking for interested chefs to apply?
Do the chefs know the brief before taking on the challenge?
Just wondered, as so many of the chefs this year have said "It's way out of my comfort zone" and have not shown a single element of "comedy" in their dishes, some being totally aware of the lack of humour and stating that their food is good enough to stand on its own without any gimics, i.e. clearly ignoring the brief rather than just missing it. It seems odd that if you know that the brief is comedy, that you enter a competition with the intention of ignoring the brief totally.
Maybe the lack of a laugh will be used in the final judging??
They tried to shake it up a few years back when they had Fort going around regional restaurants to choose the best chefs.
Comments
I sayeth, I sayeth, I sayeth ... why didst the fowl crosseth the road ...
In case they are stuck for ideas
"The devil damn thee black, thou cream faced loon" (Macbeth 5:3) - there has to be something desserty in "cream faced"....
While "Where got'st thou that goose-look?" following should help with the main!
I think the Shakespeare theme could be far more inspired than the Comic Relief one. Titles, quotes, props - there's endless fun one could have with them:
Starter - "When shall we three eat again?"
Soup, served in cauldron
Fish - "Some are born skate, some achieve skateness and some have skateness thrust upon them"
Two narrow strips of skate (duh) dyed yellow with squid ink pasta arranged to look like crossed garters.
Main - "Is this a **** that I see before me?" (With tribute to Glynn Purnell)
Honest to goodness **** to be eaten with a steak knife smeared with tomato ketchup
Pudding - "Et tu brulee?"
Creme brulee with little action figures dressed in togas gathered round the dish.
I have far too much time on my hands...
That's the dessert! :cool:
If they don't use it for 2014, 2016 is the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death - so can pitch it again for then!!
We are in for more "laughter" then:rolleyes::D
For "comedian" read "someone that has the slightest of links to comedy, but needs exposure so is available", like Monday's Patricia Hodge.
I give you......Masterchef
The brief is the whole point. Basic.....actually more than basic...GOOD..... cooking is the entry level for this competition. They're professional chefs for God's sake!
They should be absolutely hammered for not meeting the brief, not indulged because the foods tastes good without the brief. It's supposed to!
IIRC Johnny was marked down for using bought in cured ham. He said that it was excellent quality and that he couldn't make it better himself so that's why he used it.
Mind you, it could have just been vindictive marking by Wareing.
Pru, who thought the Titanic was a great idea until she had an about turn after being pillioried, and rightly so.
Oliver who showed last night that he couldn't care less about the brief whatsoever.
Friday was Oliver's turn, sadly
Would be very interesting if John and Greg were judges - can't imagine them being so relaxed about the brief, in fact I am amazed at Oliver's apparent personality transplant this series. In previous series, he'd have been very disparaging of the dishes served up this year - the titanic one, in particular
I wanted to watch a proper competition and I just don't feel that's what I'm watching. It's all very scripted and there hasn't even been a genuine attempt at disguising that.
I actually would quite like to see a switch up in the judging panel. I'd like to see a chef (preferably a past winner such as Sat or Tom Kerridge), a critic, and a third as either a restauranteur (a chef who has taken a step back) or a Michelin/rosette judge or someone who just properly enjoys food. I just think the current three arrive with predetermined or "expected" views, which has now become tired.
After the Titanic went through ... I lost faith a bit in this as an actual competition....
In a charity episode of The Chase the expert deliberately got a question wrong so that the celeb could win more money for charity.
What is the point? A quiz show is there for the person to use their knowledge to win money. They may aswell not have them and just give the money to charity.
In this year's comp it does seem like there is that 'oh it's for charity so no one will mind if we bend the rules'. I not very subtle that the judges have clearly had their favourites and some of the chefs have just been there to make up the numbers.
As for you second point, I made similar points in previous years. e,g, the forces one should have had forces staff who are cooks or organise forces banquets so know what that type of occasion would be expecting.
Not sure how they could do anything with this year's brief though. The comedians haven't really helped as the posters on this thread haven't needed a comedian to tell them when something is not funny or has missed the brief completely.
As someone who waited impatiently at the end of the phone as Michael went through the regional heats (mid October) and then the final (early December) I can tell you that's definitely not the case.
Totally agree with paragraph 1! :eek:
Would love to see the Shakespeare theme! It could include basic solid cooking as well. not asking for a hog on a spit but no deconstruction and micro stuff.
He tried hard demonstrated great cooking skills and his presentation was excellent, and (IMHO) he should definitely have got through to the judging over Mary Anne whose food was generally the standard of a home chef.... I can't help feeling that him leaving was the only way to ensure that Richard got through to the final..
How are the chefs actually chosen for the programme?
Does the BBC ask individual chefs if they want to apply to take part or does a general request go out in "Cheffing Weekly" asking for interested chefs to apply?
Do the chefs know the brief before taking on the challenge?
Just wondered, as so many of the chefs this year have said "It's way out of my comfort zone" and have not shown a single element of "comedy" in their dishes, some being totally aware of the lack of humour and stating that their food is good enough to stand on its own without any gimics, i.e. clearly ignoring the brief rather than just missing it. It seems odd that if you know that the brief is comedy, that you enter a competition with the intention of ignoring the brief totally.
Maybe the lack of a laugh will be used in the final judging??
The judging was possibly an even bigger let down than Ray's Volcanic pudding
Obviously not.
I don't watch Masterchef...