Great British Menu Series 8

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  • ilovenicnacsilovenicnacs Posts: 43,363
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    I've enjoyed the series for it's pure entertainment values, but I must admit I did feel a bit uncomfortable watching so many celebrity freeloaders tucking into a sumptuous banquet in order to celebrate 25 years of a charity which started in response to a famine. I really do think it should have been the three resident judges, the chef's guests, and only those directly involved with the Comic Relief charity work.

    THIS!
    While I always enjoy watching the banquets, mostly they have been for something like the Olympics or The Queens 80th Birthday, the returning Soldiers etc., but this one was a backslapper for Comic Relief, not even raising money, just them saying how wonderful they are, surrounded by the usual rent a comics, who probably have nothing to do with Comic Relief they are just "the cream of British Comedy:rolleyes:".

    I just found the whole thing a bit distasteful tbh, well fed "celebrities" stuffing down fancy food to honour a famine charity! Richard Curtis' s irony meter certainly let him down on this one!

    Adding insult was the fact that we paid for all that as the BBC is a "sponsor" of Comic Relief.

    Rant over, (but the food did look nice:)).
  • Molly HuntMolly Hunt Posts: 840
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    I was hoping there'd be a big comedy bucket for the free-loading celebs to toss massive cheques into - but no.
  • mrsgrumpy49mrsgrumpy49 Posts: 10,061
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    DigiPal wrote: »
    Loving this thread!

    Can I just say that Ade's scoring for gastronomy and the brief separately, and then averaging the two scores, was a stroke of genius

    It's a shame the same can't be said for his cringemaking attempt at schoolboy humour.
  • notlurkingnownotlurkingnow Posts: 741
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    So, just finished watching the banquet on Sky+ and really not impressed.
    Is all the food free? Who pays for the food and fancy plates and silly hats etc. I expected there to be some sort of fundraising element to the event but it's really just a big ego-massaging function for people who think they are more important than they are, with the exception of the few workers and benificiaries of Comic Relief funding.
    I'd love to know just how much it cost to put the event on as I'm sure it could have done far more good for the starving and dying babies in Africa than the self-important zelebs in Britain.
    BBC, hang your heads in shame !
  • mrsgrumpy49mrsgrumpy49 Posts: 10,061
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    oulandy wrote: »

    All that tedious faked last-minute panic and drama was exposed for what it is when we learned that it was happening the day before. Yes, a whole day before, the chefs were there beavering away preparing their dishes and polishing their plates. Blimey. What a close-run thing that was, eh...

    I was wondering about this. I mean don't they have a 'last minute panic' every year?
    I'm pretty sure, in the real world - every last detail would have been honed to the nth degree well before the event.
  • OcadoOcado Posts: 1,583
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    No matter how well you plan, things can go wrong at last minute. All it takes is one piece of food not quite cooked right to throw the whole dish off. I remember one year, one chef had to wait until pretty much the last minute because the fish weren't being caught in big enough quantities for his meal.
  • degsyhufcdegsyhufc Posts: 59,251
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    Ocado wrote: »
    No matter how well you plan, things can go wrong at last minute. All it takes is one piece of food not quite cooked right to throw the whole dish off. I remember one year, one chef had to wait until pretty much the last minute because the fish weren't being caught in big enough quantities for his meal.
    Shame there isn't a big fish market in London that gets nearly every type of fish from all over the world.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,535
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    THIS!
    While I always enjoy watching the banquets, mostly they have been for something like the Olympics or The Queens 80th Birthday, the returning Soldiers etc., but this one was a backslapper for Comic Relief, not even raising money, just them saying how wonderful they are, surrounded by the usual rent a comics, who probably have nothing to do with Comic Relief they are just "the cream of British Comedy:rolleyes:".

    I just found the whole thing a bit distasteful tbh, well fed "celebrities" stuffing down fancy food to honour a famine charity! Richard Curtis' s irony meter certainly let him down on this one!

    Adding insult was the fact that we paid for all that as the BBC is a "sponsor" of Comic Relief.

    Rant over, (but the food did look nice:)).

    Was it confirmed that it was a freebie for the "guests"? I kind of just assumed that they would have paid big money personally to attend the banquet, due to the kind of response you & others have raised on here, and the hypocrisy of attending "for free". Bearing in mind the costs incurred i took it as a given they would have paid to attend.
  • ValentineValentine Posts: 3,841
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    I can only hope the chefs who worked so hard to get to the banquet - and especially those who succeeded and were clearly honoured and very proud - don't read the nasty comments some people post on this thread.

    Personally, I say well done to them all - they've further highlighted Comic Relief, those who attended looked like they had a great night and it was good tv, and all for a great cause.

    I did laugh at the chicken and egg dance, it was just light hearted fun and part of the tone of the event. I don't care if the 'drama' was real or not - it seemed real to me, the chef's reactions looked genuine - and why wouldn't Aiden be stroppy and quick tempered when he'd finally, after 4 years, got to the banquet only to think the main element to his dish might fail due to the logistics of the venue? I know I'd feel the same, so give the fella a break.

    I'd rather my licence fee money went to something like this than stuff on BBC TV and radio that I don't watch or listen to, which is most of the output!

    The only bit I didn't enjoy about the banquet was learning Michael had a wife - a gorgeous man who can cook and has a sense of humour, what a catch! And I'm single!!
  • domedome Posts: 55,878
    Forum Member
    So, just finished watching the banquet on Sky+ and really not impressed.
    Is all the food free? Who pays for the food and fancy plates and silly hats etc. I expected there to be some sort of fundraising element to the event but it's really just a big ego-massaging function for people who think they are more important than they are, with the exception of the few workers and benificiaries of Comic Relief funding.
    I'd love to know just how much it cost to put the event on as I'm sure it could have done far more good for the starving and dying babies in Africa than the self-important zelebs in Britain.
    BBC, hang your heads in shame !

    I would have thought the celebs other than Richard Curtis would have paid to attend, he hosted and the key workers would have been invited as non paying guests.

    The key workers would have been disappointed without a few big names to mingle with it was all part of their thank you.

    It was billed as a celebration and thank you rather than a huge fundraiser.
  • ilovenicnacsilovenicnacs Posts: 43,363
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    milmol wrote: »
    Was it confirmed that it was a freebie for the "guests"? I kind of just assumed that they would have paid big money personally to attend the banquet, due to the kind of response you & others have raised on here, and the hypocrisy of attending "for free". Bearing in mind the costs incurred i took it as a given they would have paid to attend.

    Well at no point did I hear anyone say the guests had paid to be there, so far as I know they were invited because they were comedians and it was comic relief, never saw any donations being made, it was celebrating 25 years of comic relief so not a "charity do" as such. The BBC pays for everything on GBM and would no doubt have paid for the comic relief one as they are one of their sponsors.
  • ilovenicnacsilovenicnacs Posts: 43,363
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    dome wrote: »
    I would have thought the celebs other than Richard Curtis would have paid to attend, he hosted and the key workers would have been invited as non paying guests.

    The key workers would have been disappointed without a few big names to mingle with it was all part of their thank you.

    It was billed as a celebration and thank you rather than a huge fundraiser.

    No one said it was a fundraiser, but the irony of a charity which raises money to help people who have nothing and no food, celebrating its anniversary with a blow out meal in a swanky location was a bit rich imo.

    That's just me, you may think otherwise and that is your prerogative.:)
  • domedome Posts: 55,878
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    No one said it was a fundraiser, but the irony of a charity which raises money to help people who have nothing and no food, celebrating its anniversary with a blow out meal in a swanky location was a bit rich imo.

    That's just me, you may think otherwise and that is your prerogative.:)

    Look after your key workers and they will work hard at making it a success and increase the benefits of funds raised.
  • catinabasketcatinabasket Posts: 707
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    Valentine wrote: »
    I can only hope the chefs who worked so hard to get to the banquet - and especially those who succeeded and were clearly honoured and very proud - don't read the nasty comments some people post on this thread.

    Personally, I say well done to them all - they've further highlighted Comic Relief, those who attended looked like they had a great night and it was good tv, and all for a great cause.

    and why wouldn't Aiden be stroppy and quick tempered when he'd finally, after 4 years, got to the banquet only to think the main element to his dish might fail due to the logistics of the venue? I know I'd feel the same, so give the fella a break.

    I quite agree all the chefs worked really hard as a team. And I cannot understand the antipathy towards Aiden on this forum. So what he wears his heart on his sleeve, nothing wrong with that. And his gorgeous partner wouldn't have stuck by him all these years if he wasnt a good person.
  • smokeycatsmokeycat Posts: 898
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    Ocado wrote: »
    I remember one year, one chef had to wait until pretty much the last minute because the fish weren't being caught in big enough quantities for his meal.
    degsyhufc wrote: »
    Shame there isn't a big fish market in London that gets nearly every type of fish from all over the world.

    Wasn't that the year, if my memory serves me right, that they had to use local ingredients and local suppliers.
    They couldn't (whilst cooking for the banquet) really nip around the corner to buy some fish. It had to be from their region.

    ;)

    Or maybe i'm wrong....
  • mathsbunnymathsbunny Posts: 92
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    Thank you to all posters on here who have made it so enjoyable with their extremely witty responses for us lurkers.
  • tabithakittentabithakitten Posts: 13,860
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    I quite agree all the chefs worked really hard as a team. And I cannot understand the antipathy towards Aiden on this forum. So what he wears his heart on his sleeve, nothing wrong with that. And his gorgeous partner wouldn't have stuck by him all these years if he wasnt a good person.

    That's true.

    I have taken the rip out of Mr Byrne's seeming petulance this series but it does appear that it has arisen from a genuine desire to impress and get to the banquet. Having made the (maybe idiotic) pledge to only get married once he had a dish at said banquet, one can understand why things became so desperate. I don't think for a second that the banquet totally dictated their marriage plans, I just think Aiden (being a teensy bit ambitious and confident ;)) made the promise early on and then it became a mad project year in year out that they couldn't back out of because Aiden was utterly determined to get a dish to the banquet.

    I've rewatched all episodes this week and Aiden has made me chuckle several times. He has a decent sense of humour, it's just sometimes obscured by his ambition. Daniel was the same until he got to the banquet last year.

    The best chef according to brief this year has been Michael by a distance (two finals week appearances, six top 3 dishes is impressive in anyone's book.) Daniel was also pretty good. But Aiden has done a good job. I know it sounded like he was being a bit petulant when he said he wasn't really wanting his fish to be the dish that got there but when he thought about it he really appreciated what it meant.

    All the chefs really want to get a dish to the banquet. Aiden's just less subtle about letting us know ;).
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,402
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    fender101 wrote: »
    is the Royal Albert Hall a rather strange choice of venue for a banquet? Not exactly designed for it is it.

    Its round and red...work it out
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,402
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    No one said it was a fundraiser, but the irony of a charity which raises money to help people who have nothing and no food, celebrating its anniversary with a blow out meal in a swanky location was a bit rich imo.

    That's just me, you may think otherwise and that is your prerogative.:)

    Or you could clue yourself in about some facts.

    Was I the only one awake when they mentioned the bit about
    Menu Relief in every single episode, by not just the chefs taking part, but hundreds of other restaurants around the country?

    That was the fundraising bit, which wouldn't have been anything like as successful without the GBM TV series.

    Menu relief raised a lot more than the GBM banquet cost to stage. Ergo, its a win for Comic Relief.

    Seriously, get a grip people.
  • JamieHTJamieHT Posts: 12,193
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    That's true.

    I have taken the rip out of Mr Byrne's seeming petulance this series but it does appear that it has arisen from a genuine desire to impress and get to the banquet. Having made the (maybe idiotic) pledge to only get married once he had a dish at said banquet, one can understand why things became so desperate. I don't think for a second that the banquet totally dictated their marriage plans, I just think Aiden (being a teensy bit ambitious and confident ;)) made the promise early on and then it became a mad project year in year out that they couldn't back out of because Aiden was utterly determined to get a dish to the banquet.

    I've rewatched all episodes this week and Aiden has made me chuckle several times. He has a decent sense of humour, it's just sometimes obscured by his ambition. Daniel was the same until he got to the banquet last year.

    The best chef according to brief this year has been Michael by a distance (two finals week appearances, six top 3 dishes is impressive in anyone's book.) Daniel was also pretty good. But Aiden has done a good job. I know it sounded like he was being a bit petulant when he said he wasn't really wanting his fish to be the dish that got there but when he thought about it he really appreciated what it meant.

    All the chefs really want to get a dish to the banquet. Aiden's just less subtle about letting us know ;).

    Thus we are less likely to like him!
  • smokeycatsmokeycat Posts: 898
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    DFI wrote: »
    Or you could clue yourself in about some facts.

    Seriously, get a grip people.

    A bit harsh.
    Seriously...

    :D
  • breppobreppo Posts: 2,433
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    degsyhufc wrote: »
    Shame there isn't a big fish market in London that gets nearly every type of fish from all over the world.

    Wasn't that the year the ingredients had to be sourced locally?
  • breppobreppo Posts: 2,433
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    I just found the whole thing a bit distasteful tbh, well fed "celebrities" stuffing down fancy food to honour a famine charity! Richard Curtis' s irony meter certainly let him down on this one!

    Didn't mr. Curtis himself make a joke about the irony of it all?
  • DebDynamiteDebDynamite Posts: 74
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    Anyone else think when Aiden went out to his partner after this course had been served, that he was going to propose in front on the whole room. I really was cringing :D Thank God he didn't!
  • DigiPalDigiPal Posts: 1,112
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    Valentine wrote: »
    I can only hope the chefs who worked so hard to get to the banquet - and especially those who succeeded and were clearly honoured and very proud - don't read the nasty comments some people post on this thread.

    Personally, I say well done to them all - they've further highlighted Comic Relief, those who attended looked like they had a great night and it was good tv, and all for a great cause.

    I did laugh at the chicken and egg dance, it was just light hearted fun and part of the tone of the event. I don't care if the 'drama' was real or not - it seemed real to me, the chef's reactions looked genuine - and why wouldn't Aiden be stroppy and quick tempered when he'd finally, after 4 years, got to the banquet only to think the main element to his dish might fail due to the logistics of the venue? I know I'd feel the same, so give the fella a break.

    I'd rather my licence fee money went to something like this than stuff on BBC TV and radio that I don't watch or listen to, which is most of the output!

    The only bit I didn't enjoy about the banquet was learning Michael had a wife - a gorgeous man who can cook and has a sense of humour, what a catch! And I'm single!!

    Well said!
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