MarkKim + Chef (2023-…): Season 1, Episode 10 - Episode #1.10 - full transcript
We have reached
the last episode of MarkKim + Chef.
Throughout the season
we've brushed up our cooking skills
and had a myriad of cooking experiences.
We've learnt so many cooking techniques
from the chefs
and we got to see the smiling faces
of those who tried our cooking.
Stay tuned to find out
what we'll be cooking in our season finale.
What's this, babe?
Who left it here?
-May I open it? -Go ahead.
Oh my god!
Oh my god!
-Oh my god. -Lobsters!
Let's turn on the cameras! Turn them on.
-Veggies. -Vegetables, grapes...
Scallops. We have scallops.
-What cuisine is this? -Yeah.
-Let's ask the chef. -We'll ask the chef now.
Everyone, say hi.
Hi.
-Our chef is missing. -Chef?
-Chef? -Chef...
Where is he?
I'm here!
-Oh my god! -I'm right here.
Hello!
-Hello. -Hi, Chef.
We're really delighted
to have Chef Willment with us today.
He's the continental director for Asia
at WorldChefs.
He's also the founder and chairman
of Thailand Culinary Academy
which offers opportunities
for young people to learn to cook
and hone their skills in preparation for
international cooking competitions.
Is it really you, Chef?
No, I'm his doppelganger, his brother.
You'll be teaching us yourself?
That's right. I heard that you've learnt a lot
from several famous chefs.
That's right!
So I'm here to test the both of you.
You're going to test us?
This is what we'll be cooking today, right?
-Yes. -But we'll get to it later.
-OK. -We'll test your skills first.
OK, about our skill test today...
a professional chef
must have good knife skills.
I have three ingredients here
for the both of you to cut.
They won't be going to waste.
We'll be using them for today's menu.
-Zero waste. -Zero waste.
OK.
We'll see how Chef does it.
First, cut the root off.
It's too hard. We can't eat it.
We cut the soft tip away
and keep middle part.
And this is how we cut this.
If the outer layer is too tough
you can remove it.
I'm going to start off by cutting slowly.
See?
We need to have momentum.
All right.
This is the first ingredient.
For our second...
take a look at this shallot.
This part is no good.
-Yes, Chef. -We'll remove it.
-Both ends. -Slice it off.
-Cut in half. -Yes, cut it in half.
Cut it in half then slice it.
Again, momentum.
Building momentum
is what makes for good technique.
Are our knives the same as Chef's?
Are they?
You can use mine.
Yours looks really sharp.
The next ingredient is a bit trickier.
We're going to dice an onion.
Slowly, do it in slow motion.
See what I'm doing?
The next step is tricky, so be careful.
Cut it this way.
After you're done with this step...
OK, look.
Try to dice it uniformly
so when you sauté this, it'll cooked evenly.
It's very important.
The rules are simple.
-Just cut the ingredients as I did. -OK.
Whoever finishes first rings the bell
and your competitor has to stop.
-OK. -And I'll check your work.
-OK. I'm ready! -OK.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One. Go!
Let's go!
No one's gonna cheer me on?
Mark, you're doing great!
Just a little slow.
Am I doing it right, Chef?
-Not bad. -Not too bad, right?
Not the same size as mine
but I think it's OK.
Keep going.
Slice it thinly.
Let the knife do the work.
Babe, you got it?
Babe, you got it?
I can't see what I'm cutting.
My eyes are bad.
Stop making excuses.
Or maybe my hands are too big.
I'm afraid I'll end up cutting myself.
Shallots are tiny.
I don't think your knife is sharp enough.
Dice it...
Use my knife instead.
He's struggling.
Why does he get the good knife?
I'm not the one cutting onions
but I'm tearing up.
Really? I'm used to it.
If you want your onion in such small bits
why not use a blender instead?
Sure. If you have a blender that can
cut onions into tiny cubes.
Are there any blenders that can do that?
-No, Chef. -That's why we don't use a blender.
-OK. -Keep dicing.
OK. Stop.
-Let me see. -Why is this so exhausting?
OK.
I'm glad it's over.
It's almost the same.
Very close.
This is, like, 90% perfect.
You passed the test.
Kim won the challenge.
You're not even going to check mine?
There's no need to.
I can already tell. Look!
The skill test isn't over yet.
It's not?
OK, your second skill test is...
-Yes, Chef. -separating eggs.
-That's easy. -This will be quick.
Yes, it's easy
but you cannot break the yolk.
-Otherwise, you lose. -You lose.
-No excuses. -And we'll have to leave.
Yes, you have to leave. Go far away.
OK?
All right. I'm ready, Chef.
Five.
Four.
Three. Two.
One, go!
I think I've already won this round.
Oh, come on!
-Oh my god, Kimberly! -It's OK.
I'll give you another chance.
Another chance? You're a kind man, Chef.
I think Mark's going to win this challenge.
Mark can do this.
I'm betting on Mark.
I can't. I totally can't do it!
You can. Don't you say you can't.
-Got it. -Very good.
-How many eggs? -Three.
-Yeah, there you go. -Kimberly, you can do it.
Now, you gotta hurry up a little bit.
Almost.
I broke it.
OK, one-to-one.
The playing field is level now.
Chef, do you run your own restaurant?
Yes. I have two restaurants in Thailand.
How long have they been in operation, Chef?
Around five to six years.
I should go and check them out.
Nice!
-You see? -Kimberly, is this your third?
-Yeah. -Do it.
OK, hurry... hurry!
Ring the bell.
OK, time's up!
One, two, three. Egg yolks and egg whites.
One, two... three
but you haven't separated your third egg.
So you've lost. Kim wins.
So, Kim is the winner
and Mark lost the competition.
Here's your penalty.
You have to do all the dishes today.
You didn't mention anything
about a penalty earlier.
The camera wasn't rolling
so I can say anything I want.
OK, I've tested your skills.
From what I've seen
I think you're both ready to cook.
Let's start making dinner.
-Yes, sir! -For our dinner
we'll be serving two courses.
Our first dish is a salad.
Brittany lobster salad.
The lobsters are from France.
Our main dish
is also a lobster dish.
My focus isn't on French food itself
but how to select the best ingredients
and cook them properly.
If you can accomplish these two points
I believe you can cook anything.
So these are our two dishes. Let's start!
OK. For our first dish, we'll be using
Brittany lobsters imported from France.
So these lobsters came from Europe.
They're still alive.
The first step to cooking them
is to put them in an ice bath.
-To knock them out. -That's right.
We're going to add some water to the ice
and that will put them to sleep.
When they wake up
they'll already be in our stomachs.
Now, bring this here.
-OK. -OK.
Bye.
Bye, lobsters.
When you eat lobsters
you have to eat fresh ones.
Eating a dead lobster
is like eating a dead crab.
Lobsters that have gone bad
can give you diarrhoea.
If you really want to eat lobster
but you can't get fresh ones
go for frozen lobsters.
Go for frozen ones rather than chilled ones.
OK. Now that we're done with this
I'm going to split you into two teams.
Mark, you're in charge of boiling.
Kim, please grab the green grapes
and the two-coloured tomatoes.
-OK. Do I turn the stove on? -Yes.
-How high? -All the way, to boil the water.
Once the water is boiling, put three lobsters in
and set the timer
for about seven to eight minutes.
Once the time's up, take them out
and put them back into the ice bath.
OK.
-Runaway. -We've got a runner.
Let's split tasks.
While we're waiting for the water to boil
Mark, take out the mozzarella cheese.
-OK, Chef. -Mozzarella.
This is the top
and this is the bottom, right?
Hold your knife this way.
I need six that are properly cut.
Cut this off as well.
This is the stalk. Remove it.
Got it.
Slice here. Make a cross. OK?
Same for the tomatoes. I want six of each.
OK.
Got the mozzarella?
-Yes. -Whichever way you cut it
make sure you have
eight pieces of the same size.
Very good.
OK, we have eight. Set it aside.
Get a bowl, add olive oil, salt and pepper
to marinate the cheese and pop it in the fridge.
-OK. -Done, Chef.
Once you've finished, set it aside.
-OK. -Tidy up the countertop.
Tidy up the countertop. OK.
Olive oil, salt and pepper
-You put them in the same bag? -Shut up.
-Bring the water to a boil. -OK, Chef.
I need a bowl of ice water.
I want it on standby, ready for use.
We call this mise en place (putting in place).
It's the preparation you do before cooking.
Mise en place.
We're going to blanch the tomatoes
for about seven to ten seconds.
The water should be boiling.
We'll blanch the grapes first.
-OK. -About seven seconds.
One, two, three...
four, five, six, seven.
Scoop them up and put them in the ice bath.
Next, blanch all the tomatoes.
Babe, how did you time it?
I counted to seven.
-You just counted? -Yes.
That's not accurate, babe.
How should I do it then?
Use a timer.
Chef, do you use a timer
or do you just count?
I don't usually use a timer.
I use my instincts and experience.
It's only seven seconds.
You don't need a timer for that.
If you're baking something for 15 or 50 minutes
-then you use a timer. -OK.
Scoop them up and peel them.
OK?
Is it boiling?
-Hot. -Here.
Go ahead.
Boil lobsters for seven to eight minutes
It's still moving, Chef.
-It's dead. -It's dead, right?
It's dead, put it in.
Hurry, hurry. It's dead.
Oh my god, babe.
Oh my god!
-OK. -Put the lid on.
-Set the timer. -Yes, Chef.
You said it's already dead?
-It's dead! -It was still moving.
-It's not dead yet. -It's dead.
You think it's alive
because it was moving.
Believe me, when you taste it later
it's out of this world!
-Right! -You have to eat it.
I need you to boil some Riesling wine.
OK, Chef.
We're going to marinate the grapes.
The whole bottle?
Just about a fifth of it.
Good.
I'll bring the rest of the wine home.
Chef is calling dibs.
Riesling.
We'll cook it to evaporate the alcohol
leaving behind the aroma of the Riesling wine.
It's a German wine.
All right.
May I ask how you became a chef?
Growing up in Singapore
my family wasn't well-off.
My dad thought since we were poor
-we ought to be chefs. -Right.
So that we wouldn't starve.
What age did you start cooking?
-16. -16.
I only did the nine years of basic education.
Since I'm not smart
I needed to be diligent.
I worked twice as hard as everyone else.
Sorry to interrupt, Chef. I think it's boiling.
-What do we do now? -Turn off the heat.
I think it's good now... the Riesling wine.
Season it with salt and pepper to your taste.
Seven minutes are up!
I'll take the lobsters out now.
Sure. Take them out.
Soak the lobsters in here.
Oh, so we need to put the lobsters
into the ice bath again.
Are they dead now?
Perhaps not.
They're still moving, babe.
The final spasms.
I'm done, Chef.
Very good.
Now you need to cut everything in half.
Separate the grapes and the tomatoes.
I think we need a dash of sugar, Chef.
Mark and Kim, have you ever been to Singapore?
-I have. -I have.
It was a work trip
but I had some time for leisure.
There's so much to eat there.
Yes, so much variety.
First thing I ate when I got there
was Hainanese chicken rice.
We're using this bowl of Riesling wine
to marinate the grapes while it's still hot.
The grapes will absorb the flavour of the wine.
We'll put this in the fridge
for half an hour.
Add olive oil, salt and sugar.
Before I moved to Thailand
I lived in Singapore. Do you know that?
-Do you? -Yeah...
-I do. -I told you before.
-Yes. -Do you remember?
When was that?
Babe, I'm cooking. Don't distract me.
He doesn't remember.
He doesn't remember anything
about my background.
OK, this is our star ingredient
the Brittany lobsters.
We've boiled the lobsters
for about seven minutes.
I'll shell one lobster.
And you will each shell one as well.
First, twist the claw off.
Remove both claws.
OK? Next, the head.
We'll use a pair of scissors to reach in.
We'll keep this part to make our sauce.
And then next...
-OK? -OK.
Using your hand, press down on both sides
to crack the shell open.
-Squeeze it? -Yes, by squeezing it.
If you're not strong enough
you can use scissors to cut it open
but be careful not to cut the meat.
And then you can pull the shell off.
The shell looks really hard.
Oh, you got it all out intact.
Keep it aside.
Clean the tail up a bit.
-OK. -We'll use this for plating.
-OK. -Half a lobster.
I need you to pay special attention
to the next part.
-This part is difficult. -The hardest part.
Crack it.
-OK? Keep this. -OK.
We'll use scissors to cut it open.
It's very tough.
Take out the meat.
Maine lobsters are easier to shell
than Brittany lobsters.
Brittany lobsters have a harder shell.
This is really zero-waste cooking.
First, lobsters are pricey this time of year.
Second, they are rare and hard to find.
So, we have to use every part of the lobster
as best we can. OK.
-OK. -Watch me.
-Hold it tight. -Yes.
Using your thumb, press down on it.
And the meat should come out nicely.
Next, grab your knife.
OK.
Perfect!
-Beautiful! -Beautiful!
Try to cut it in half nicely.
Did someone make a comment earlier
that this salad was easy to make?
Yes...
Look at that.
We have four servings right there.
Now, for the tail.
Grip it firmly.
Looks good.
OK. See?
This part is inedible.
Chef, what are the main components
of your salad?
We have salad leaves, grapes
tomato and mozzarella cheese.
We're still missing two components.
-We haven't made them yet. -What are they?
The aioli sauce and the yuzu dressing.
Yuzu!
Let's go.
Surgeon. You're a surgeon.
Perfect!
Good job.
May I ask if you're seeing anyone, Chef?
-I'm married. -Oh, when did you get married?
Less than a year ago.
Is your wife Thai?
Yes.
She's a food science professor.
So it's like we speak
completely different languages.
She only talks about scientific stuff
which I am absolutely clueless about.
Is your wife fierce?
No, she's not.
-Not at all. -Really?
So, you're fiercer.
Not really. I'm not that scary.
-Are you sure? -When I'm outside
I'm like a lion
but at home, I'm a cat.
You're scared of your wife?
I'm not scared of her. I respect her greatly.
So you are scared of her.
Is there anything that your wife makes you do
that you don't want to?
My wife doesn't make me do anything.
I do it because it's my duty.
Duty!
It's OK. We work as a team.
Yes, as a team.
I'm getting married soon. Any advice, Chef?
Don't talk back.
Just keep quiet.
All hell will break loose if you talk back.
Good job. Very good!
Looks good.
OK.
Done.
Three hours later...
OK. We have shelled the lobsters.
Now there are only two components left.
-Help each other out for this. -OK.
The first component is our aioli sauce.
We'll be using olive oil, egg yolks
minced garlic and Dijon mustard.
Garlic.
Olive oil, egg yolks, minced garlic, mustard
Mustard. Egg yolks.
Kim, this is yuzu.
We'll let it simmer until it thickens.
We'll also add some cornstarch slurry
to give it a thicker consistency
Stir it with a spoon.
Cornstarch slurry
Taste it.
If it's too sour
we can add a bit of sugar.
We want it to be tangy
with a hint of sweetness.
White sugar
-OK, whisk it. -Whisk it.
Kim, can you lend Mark a hand?
Go over there. Pour it in slowly.
Pour it slowly, whisk it slowly.
-Pour slowly. -Slowly...
Add just a bit at a time and whisk gently.
Why do we have to do it this way, Chef?
So that the sauce won't break.
When you pour the oil in
we want it to combine with the egg yolks.
Whisking it gently
will help them to combine.
Help!
Tag team. Very good.
OK.
Babe, add some pepper and salt.
The last thing for the first course
is making the dressing.
So now we need honey and olive oil.
One tablespoon of honey
and two tablespoons of yuzu.
A little bit of mustard.
About one teaspoon.
OK. Done.
One teaspoon of mustard
Add some salt and pepper and give it a taste.
Now, the dressing is done.
Add some olive oil.
Pour olive oil in slowly
I think I'll add a little more.
OK. Pour it into a small jug.
-OK. -OK.
OK, done.
-Done. -We have to taste it.
-Oh my god! It's good. -Right?
I think it's good. OK. Done.
Yeah, perfect.
Pour this into a small cup.
Is it salty?
Too salty?
I think it should be fine
once it's mixed into the salad.
Can I try?
Did I add too much salt?
Oh my god!
Oh my god!
Start over.
OK.
OK. It's done.
Put this in the fridge.
Dijon mustard.
(German)
Enough...
Babe.
Slowly.
Chef, what are you looking for?
Hand blender.
(German)
OK, done. Put this in a small bowl
and keep it in the fridge.
Babe, my parents are here.
-Welcome. -Hello.
Hello...
-Hello. -These are my parents, Chef.
-This is our chef. -Hello.
Well, you'll get to try our cooking today.
It's going to be delicious.
Next, we'll do the main course.
We'll sauté the lobster meat
that we extracted and cut earlier
until they turn golden brown.
No salt. Don't add salt, OK?
White veggie.
So, Kim, bring out all the vegetables.
Cut them into uniform bite-sized pieces.
Mum, Dad
we're having lobster today.
We're doing two lobster dishes.
-It smells appetising. -Very good...
We also have lobster tomalley.
Let's add that in.
Am I doing OK, Chef?
You are. It smells good. Really good.
I'm delighted.
Wow. Smelling good.
We'll have some prawns too.
I'll cut them for you.
Sauté it like you did the lobster.
This is for the next step.
-OK. -This goes in first.
-Then this. -Yes, sure.
-And then the tomato paste. -OK, Chef.
OK?
-OK. Next. -Next.
We're going to make a parsnip purée.
What is this?
Well, this is in the same family
as carrot and parsley.
It's called parsnip.
-Parsnip. -Parsnip.
-Cut it. -OK.
-Parsnip. -OK.
-Peel it. -OK, done.
-It's not burnt, is it? -No, it's not.
Are you happy with it? Is it OK?
It smells great, right? Add them in.
Mum and Dad
how do you find Mark's cooking?
His cooking's good.
Today's dishes will be even better.
Add them in?
-OK. -It smells so good.
Purée the parsnip.
Smash the garlic, add them in
and then boil them together.
It's probably hot enough now.
Add some milk. Boil it.
Milk
Smells so good!
Chef.
Could you turn on the stove for me, please?
Come on, we have an agreement.
I'm the head chef.
Try it once?
I haven't yelled at anyone today.
Turn on the stove or I might yell at you.
-Baby. -Just press the knob.
Just press it...
-That's right. -Just press it. That's it.
Press down and turn it. Keep turning...
-Press down and hold. -Not yet.
I've never done this before.
-Here you go. -Did I do it?
Nice! Very good.
Thank you so much, Chef.
The finale.
It's a piece of cake!
What do we need to sauté next?
Add some chardonnay to deglaze the pan.
Pour it in, then add some water.
Bring it to a boil on high heat
and reduce the liquid.
OK.
This is white asparagus.
We need six spears.
White asparagus
Bring the pot over here
and add some water.
This will be the sauce for the main course.
Now grab some edamame.
Edamame
Next, bacon oil.
A clove of garlic. Mince it and sauté it.
Kim, do you have any more milk?
You have to keep an eye on the pan
when you're cooking.
Don't just leave it unattended.
-I forgot. -OK, add more milk.
So that it's not too dry, right?
Exactly, not too dry. It hasn't soften yet.
Keep doing this until the parsnip softens.
-Then we'll blend it. -OK.
After that, we can add some butter.
-OK. Sure. -With a bit of cream.
Then, salt and pepper and it's done.
-OK... -Then, it's ready to be served.
-Are you done? -Yes.
Sauté until it's fragrant. Don't let it burn.
Bacon oil
Edamame
It should be all right now.
Then we have to blend everything.
Just one hour.
Butter
I love butter.
-Salt and pepper. -OK.
Salt and pepper
Turn on the heat
and then add some butter.
Put this in, add some water.
-Sauté until it's cooked. -Yes, Chef.
Very good.
OK, we're almost done
with our main course.
Kim is cooking the vegetables right now.
When cooking vegetables, use some water.
-Yes. -With a bit of butter.
A pinch of salt and pepper. That's all.
Season the water first
and then add the vegetables.
Back to you, Mark.
We trimmed the lobsters earlier, right?
Put them in the blender.
We'll make lobster sausages.
Sausages.
I have some scallops left. I'll put them in.
Then blend them together.
No need for seasoning? I just blend it?
Yes, just blend it first.
OK, we're going to add some cream.
-OK. -About two tablespoons.
Cream
-How does it look? -Very good.
OK. The texture looks good.
Very good.
Do you like the taste?
-Is it tasty? -Delicious!
OK. Done.
Pour this into this bowl.
Chef, I think the vegetables are cooked.
OK. Very good. Turn off the heat.
Done... done.
-Oh my god. -OK. Like this.
Let me try.
Put this in the fridge once it's done.
Babe.
Pass it over. You can finish up.
Let's continue with the sauce.
The sauce is almost done. We'll strain it
and then cook it down to reduce it.
Use high heat to bring the sauce to a boil
until it's almost dry and the sauce will be done.
Just add salt and pepper. OK?
We're done with the salad.
We're almost done with
the preparation of the main course
-except the butter poached lobster. -Yes.
We'll do it last so that it'll be good.
We're ready to start serving.
I'd like to welcome you guys
to dinner this evening.
We'll get to eat soon!
These are lobster sausages.
We'll poach them at 70°C
for seven minutes.
Now we're going to plate our dishes.
We'll keep it nice and simple.
Small pieces.
Bite-sized pieces are easier to eat.
And we'll put these tomatoes.
It will look like a lobster
taking a walk in a garden.
Prawn.
Add a prawn to the plate.
On the side.
Add a dash of paprika powder.
-Yuzu dressing. -Drizzle the dressing on top.
Top it with some extra virgin olive oil.
It's done.
-Let's move on to the main course. -OK.
Kim, cut off both ends with your scissors.
For our butter poached lobster
we start by adding butter and garlic to the pan
This is tarragon.
It's an herb to add fragrance to our dish.
Tarragon
Add a bit of water.
A little more. Enough...
Very good.
Season it with salt and pepper.
Salt and pepper
It's done, Chef.
Didn't you say there's only
a little bit more to do for the main course?
Just a little bit more...
-Do I put it in? -Yes, put it in.
Like this.
It smells so good. I'm hungry again.
Almost there...
OK, the main course and salad are ready.
Allow me to introduce the dishes.
We seasoned the Brittany lobster salad
with a bit of yuzu dressing.
Three months after this meal
you will still reminisce about its taste
and want to revisit it.
-Yeah. -It sounds sophisticated.
For the main course
we're using Brittany lobsters as well.
The whole lobster is poached in butter.
We seasoned and paired it with a parsnip purée.
What you see on the left
is mashed edamame.
We also have cream
and white asparagus which are very tasty.
I didn't do it. They did it.
I invite everyone to this special meal.
Bon appétit.
-Please enjoy the food. -Let's tuck in.
It's so good.
-It's so good. -We're happy now.
How does it taste?
I didn't answer because there was no word
to describe it.
Oh my god!
As usual, our show will make
a 30,000 Thai baht donation
to a charity organisation of your choice, Chef.
I'd like to donate the money
to the River of Peace Foundation.
The foundation has been doing great work
helping out the elderly.
Please support this foundation
if you're able to.
I rejoice in your merit.
-Thank you very much. -Thank you.
Let's toast to our beautiful ending.
-Finale! -Cheers!
Happy...
-Thank you. -Thank you very much.
the last episode of MarkKim + Chef.
Throughout the season
we've brushed up our cooking skills
and had a myriad of cooking experiences.
We've learnt so many cooking techniques
from the chefs
and we got to see the smiling faces
of those who tried our cooking.
Stay tuned to find out
what we'll be cooking in our season finale.
What's this, babe?
Who left it here?
-May I open it? -Go ahead.
Oh my god!
Oh my god!
-Oh my god. -Lobsters!
Let's turn on the cameras! Turn them on.
-Veggies. -Vegetables, grapes...
Scallops. We have scallops.
-What cuisine is this? -Yeah.
-Let's ask the chef. -We'll ask the chef now.
Everyone, say hi.
Hi.
-Our chef is missing. -Chef?
-Chef? -Chef...
Where is he?
I'm here!
-Oh my god! -I'm right here.
Hello!
-Hello. -Hi, Chef.
We're really delighted
to have Chef Willment with us today.
He's the continental director for Asia
at WorldChefs.
He's also the founder and chairman
of Thailand Culinary Academy
which offers opportunities
for young people to learn to cook
and hone their skills in preparation for
international cooking competitions.
Is it really you, Chef?
No, I'm his doppelganger, his brother.
You'll be teaching us yourself?
That's right. I heard that you've learnt a lot
from several famous chefs.
That's right!
So I'm here to test the both of you.
You're going to test us?
This is what we'll be cooking today, right?
-Yes. -But we'll get to it later.
-OK. -We'll test your skills first.
OK, about our skill test today...
a professional chef
must have good knife skills.
I have three ingredients here
for the both of you to cut.
They won't be going to waste.
We'll be using them for today's menu.
-Zero waste. -Zero waste.
OK.
We'll see how Chef does it.
First, cut the root off.
It's too hard. We can't eat it.
We cut the soft tip away
and keep middle part.
And this is how we cut this.
If the outer layer is too tough
you can remove it.
I'm going to start off by cutting slowly.
See?
We need to have momentum.
All right.
This is the first ingredient.
For our second...
take a look at this shallot.
This part is no good.
-Yes, Chef. -We'll remove it.
-Both ends. -Slice it off.
-Cut in half. -Yes, cut it in half.
Cut it in half then slice it.
Again, momentum.
Building momentum
is what makes for good technique.
Are our knives the same as Chef's?
Are they?
You can use mine.
Yours looks really sharp.
The next ingredient is a bit trickier.
We're going to dice an onion.
Slowly, do it in slow motion.
See what I'm doing?
The next step is tricky, so be careful.
Cut it this way.
After you're done with this step...
OK, look.
Try to dice it uniformly
so when you sauté this, it'll cooked evenly.
It's very important.
The rules are simple.
-Just cut the ingredients as I did. -OK.
Whoever finishes first rings the bell
and your competitor has to stop.
-OK. -And I'll check your work.
-OK. I'm ready! -OK.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One. Go!
Let's go!
No one's gonna cheer me on?
Mark, you're doing great!
Just a little slow.
Am I doing it right, Chef?
-Not bad. -Not too bad, right?
Not the same size as mine
but I think it's OK.
Keep going.
Slice it thinly.
Let the knife do the work.
Babe, you got it?
Babe, you got it?
I can't see what I'm cutting.
My eyes are bad.
Stop making excuses.
Or maybe my hands are too big.
I'm afraid I'll end up cutting myself.
Shallots are tiny.
I don't think your knife is sharp enough.
Dice it...
Use my knife instead.
He's struggling.
Why does he get the good knife?
I'm not the one cutting onions
but I'm tearing up.
Really? I'm used to it.
If you want your onion in such small bits
why not use a blender instead?
Sure. If you have a blender that can
cut onions into tiny cubes.
Are there any blenders that can do that?
-No, Chef. -That's why we don't use a blender.
-OK. -Keep dicing.
OK. Stop.
-Let me see. -Why is this so exhausting?
OK.
I'm glad it's over.
It's almost the same.
Very close.
This is, like, 90% perfect.
You passed the test.
Kim won the challenge.
You're not even going to check mine?
There's no need to.
I can already tell. Look!
The skill test isn't over yet.
It's not?
OK, your second skill test is...
-Yes, Chef. -separating eggs.
-That's easy. -This will be quick.
Yes, it's easy
but you cannot break the yolk.
-Otherwise, you lose. -You lose.
-No excuses. -And we'll have to leave.
Yes, you have to leave. Go far away.
OK?
All right. I'm ready, Chef.
Five.
Four.
Three. Two.
One, go!
I think I've already won this round.
Oh, come on!
-Oh my god, Kimberly! -It's OK.
I'll give you another chance.
Another chance? You're a kind man, Chef.
I think Mark's going to win this challenge.
Mark can do this.
I'm betting on Mark.
I can't. I totally can't do it!
You can. Don't you say you can't.
-Got it. -Very good.
-How many eggs? -Three.
-Yeah, there you go. -Kimberly, you can do it.
Now, you gotta hurry up a little bit.
Almost.
I broke it.
OK, one-to-one.
The playing field is level now.
Chef, do you run your own restaurant?
Yes. I have two restaurants in Thailand.
How long have they been in operation, Chef?
Around five to six years.
I should go and check them out.
Nice!
-You see? -Kimberly, is this your third?
-Yeah. -Do it.
OK, hurry... hurry!
Ring the bell.
OK, time's up!
One, two, three. Egg yolks and egg whites.
One, two... three
but you haven't separated your third egg.
So you've lost. Kim wins.
So, Kim is the winner
and Mark lost the competition.
Here's your penalty.
You have to do all the dishes today.
You didn't mention anything
about a penalty earlier.
The camera wasn't rolling
so I can say anything I want.
OK, I've tested your skills.
From what I've seen
I think you're both ready to cook.
Let's start making dinner.
-Yes, sir! -For our dinner
we'll be serving two courses.
Our first dish is a salad.
Brittany lobster salad.
The lobsters are from France.
Our main dish
is also a lobster dish.
My focus isn't on French food itself
but how to select the best ingredients
and cook them properly.
If you can accomplish these two points
I believe you can cook anything.
So these are our two dishes. Let's start!
OK. For our first dish, we'll be using
Brittany lobsters imported from France.
So these lobsters came from Europe.
They're still alive.
The first step to cooking them
is to put them in an ice bath.
-To knock them out. -That's right.
We're going to add some water to the ice
and that will put them to sleep.
When they wake up
they'll already be in our stomachs.
Now, bring this here.
-OK. -OK.
Bye.
Bye, lobsters.
When you eat lobsters
you have to eat fresh ones.
Eating a dead lobster
is like eating a dead crab.
Lobsters that have gone bad
can give you diarrhoea.
If you really want to eat lobster
but you can't get fresh ones
go for frozen lobsters.
Go for frozen ones rather than chilled ones.
OK. Now that we're done with this
I'm going to split you into two teams.
Mark, you're in charge of boiling.
Kim, please grab the green grapes
and the two-coloured tomatoes.
-OK. Do I turn the stove on? -Yes.
-How high? -All the way, to boil the water.
Once the water is boiling, put three lobsters in
and set the timer
for about seven to eight minutes.
Once the time's up, take them out
and put them back into the ice bath.
OK.
-Runaway. -We've got a runner.
Let's split tasks.
While we're waiting for the water to boil
Mark, take out the mozzarella cheese.
-OK, Chef. -Mozzarella.
This is the top
and this is the bottom, right?
Hold your knife this way.
I need six that are properly cut.
Cut this off as well.
This is the stalk. Remove it.
Got it.
Slice here. Make a cross. OK?
Same for the tomatoes. I want six of each.
OK.
Got the mozzarella?
-Yes. -Whichever way you cut it
make sure you have
eight pieces of the same size.
Very good.
OK, we have eight. Set it aside.
Get a bowl, add olive oil, salt and pepper
to marinate the cheese and pop it in the fridge.
-OK. -Done, Chef.
Once you've finished, set it aside.
-OK. -Tidy up the countertop.
Tidy up the countertop. OK.
Olive oil, salt and pepper
-You put them in the same bag? -Shut up.
-Bring the water to a boil. -OK, Chef.
I need a bowl of ice water.
I want it on standby, ready for use.
We call this mise en place (putting in place).
It's the preparation you do before cooking.
Mise en place.
We're going to blanch the tomatoes
for about seven to ten seconds.
The water should be boiling.
We'll blanch the grapes first.
-OK. -About seven seconds.
One, two, three...
four, five, six, seven.
Scoop them up and put them in the ice bath.
Next, blanch all the tomatoes.
Babe, how did you time it?
I counted to seven.
-You just counted? -Yes.
That's not accurate, babe.
How should I do it then?
Use a timer.
Chef, do you use a timer
or do you just count?
I don't usually use a timer.
I use my instincts and experience.
It's only seven seconds.
You don't need a timer for that.
If you're baking something for 15 or 50 minutes
-then you use a timer. -OK.
Scoop them up and peel them.
OK?
Is it boiling?
-Hot. -Here.
Go ahead.
Boil lobsters for seven to eight minutes
It's still moving, Chef.
-It's dead. -It's dead, right?
It's dead, put it in.
Hurry, hurry. It's dead.
Oh my god, babe.
Oh my god!
-OK. -Put the lid on.
-Set the timer. -Yes, Chef.
You said it's already dead?
-It's dead! -It was still moving.
-It's not dead yet. -It's dead.
You think it's alive
because it was moving.
Believe me, when you taste it later
it's out of this world!
-Right! -You have to eat it.
I need you to boil some Riesling wine.
OK, Chef.
We're going to marinate the grapes.
The whole bottle?
Just about a fifth of it.
Good.
I'll bring the rest of the wine home.
Chef is calling dibs.
Riesling.
We'll cook it to evaporate the alcohol
leaving behind the aroma of the Riesling wine.
It's a German wine.
All right.
May I ask how you became a chef?
Growing up in Singapore
my family wasn't well-off.
My dad thought since we were poor
-we ought to be chefs. -Right.
So that we wouldn't starve.
What age did you start cooking?
-16. -16.
I only did the nine years of basic education.
Since I'm not smart
I needed to be diligent.
I worked twice as hard as everyone else.
Sorry to interrupt, Chef. I think it's boiling.
-What do we do now? -Turn off the heat.
I think it's good now... the Riesling wine.
Season it with salt and pepper to your taste.
Seven minutes are up!
I'll take the lobsters out now.
Sure. Take them out.
Soak the lobsters in here.
Oh, so we need to put the lobsters
into the ice bath again.
Are they dead now?
Perhaps not.
They're still moving, babe.
The final spasms.
I'm done, Chef.
Very good.
Now you need to cut everything in half.
Separate the grapes and the tomatoes.
I think we need a dash of sugar, Chef.
Mark and Kim, have you ever been to Singapore?
-I have. -I have.
It was a work trip
but I had some time for leisure.
There's so much to eat there.
Yes, so much variety.
First thing I ate when I got there
was Hainanese chicken rice.
We're using this bowl of Riesling wine
to marinate the grapes while it's still hot.
The grapes will absorb the flavour of the wine.
We'll put this in the fridge
for half an hour.
Add olive oil, salt and sugar.
Before I moved to Thailand
I lived in Singapore. Do you know that?
-Do you? -Yeah...
-I do. -I told you before.
-Yes. -Do you remember?
When was that?
Babe, I'm cooking. Don't distract me.
He doesn't remember.
He doesn't remember anything
about my background.
OK, this is our star ingredient
the Brittany lobsters.
We've boiled the lobsters
for about seven minutes.
I'll shell one lobster.
And you will each shell one as well.
First, twist the claw off.
Remove both claws.
OK? Next, the head.
We'll use a pair of scissors to reach in.
We'll keep this part to make our sauce.
And then next...
-OK? -OK.
Using your hand, press down on both sides
to crack the shell open.
-Squeeze it? -Yes, by squeezing it.
If you're not strong enough
you can use scissors to cut it open
but be careful not to cut the meat.
And then you can pull the shell off.
The shell looks really hard.
Oh, you got it all out intact.
Keep it aside.
Clean the tail up a bit.
-OK. -We'll use this for plating.
-OK. -Half a lobster.
I need you to pay special attention
to the next part.
-This part is difficult. -The hardest part.
Crack it.
-OK? Keep this. -OK.
We'll use scissors to cut it open.
It's very tough.
Take out the meat.
Maine lobsters are easier to shell
than Brittany lobsters.
Brittany lobsters have a harder shell.
This is really zero-waste cooking.
First, lobsters are pricey this time of year.
Second, they are rare and hard to find.
So, we have to use every part of the lobster
as best we can. OK.
-OK. -Watch me.
-Hold it tight. -Yes.
Using your thumb, press down on it.
And the meat should come out nicely.
Next, grab your knife.
OK.
Perfect!
-Beautiful! -Beautiful!
Try to cut it in half nicely.
Did someone make a comment earlier
that this salad was easy to make?
Yes...
Look at that.
We have four servings right there.
Now, for the tail.
Grip it firmly.
Looks good.
OK. See?
This part is inedible.
Chef, what are the main components
of your salad?
We have salad leaves, grapes
tomato and mozzarella cheese.
We're still missing two components.
-We haven't made them yet. -What are they?
The aioli sauce and the yuzu dressing.
Yuzu!
Let's go.
Surgeon. You're a surgeon.
Perfect!
Good job.
May I ask if you're seeing anyone, Chef?
-I'm married. -Oh, when did you get married?
Less than a year ago.
Is your wife Thai?
Yes.
She's a food science professor.
So it's like we speak
completely different languages.
She only talks about scientific stuff
which I am absolutely clueless about.
Is your wife fierce?
No, she's not.
-Not at all. -Really?
So, you're fiercer.
Not really. I'm not that scary.
-Are you sure? -When I'm outside
I'm like a lion
but at home, I'm a cat.
You're scared of your wife?
I'm not scared of her. I respect her greatly.
So you are scared of her.
Is there anything that your wife makes you do
that you don't want to?
My wife doesn't make me do anything.
I do it because it's my duty.
Duty!
It's OK. We work as a team.
Yes, as a team.
I'm getting married soon. Any advice, Chef?
Don't talk back.
Just keep quiet.
All hell will break loose if you talk back.
Good job. Very good!
Looks good.
OK.
Done.
Three hours later...
OK. We have shelled the lobsters.
Now there are only two components left.
-Help each other out for this. -OK.
The first component is our aioli sauce.
We'll be using olive oil, egg yolks
minced garlic and Dijon mustard.
Garlic.
Olive oil, egg yolks, minced garlic, mustard
Mustard. Egg yolks.
Kim, this is yuzu.
We'll let it simmer until it thickens.
We'll also add some cornstarch slurry
to give it a thicker consistency
Stir it with a spoon.
Cornstarch slurry
Taste it.
If it's too sour
we can add a bit of sugar.
We want it to be tangy
with a hint of sweetness.
White sugar
-OK, whisk it. -Whisk it.
Kim, can you lend Mark a hand?
Go over there. Pour it in slowly.
Pour it slowly, whisk it slowly.
-Pour slowly. -Slowly...
Add just a bit at a time and whisk gently.
Why do we have to do it this way, Chef?
So that the sauce won't break.
When you pour the oil in
we want it to combine with the egg yolks.
Whisking it gently
will help them to combine.
Help!
Tag team. Very good.
OK.
Babe, add some pepper and salt.
The last thing for the first course
is making the dressing.
So now we need honey and olive oil.
One tablespoon of honey
and two tablespoons of yuzu.
A little bit of mustard.
About one teaspoon.
OK. Done.
One teaspoon of mustard
Add some salt and pepper and give it a taste.
Now, the dressing is done.
Add some olive oil.
Pour olive oil in slowly
I think I'll add a little more.
OK. Pour it into a small jug.
-OK. -OK.
OK, done.
-Done. -We have to taste it.
-Oh my god! It's good. -Right?
I think it's good. OK. Done.
Yeah, perfect.
Pour this into a small cup.
Is it salty?
Too salty?
I think it should be fine
once it's mixed into the salad.
Can I try?
Did I add too much salt?
Oh my god!
Oh my god!
Start over.
OK.
OK. It's done.
Put this in the fridge.
Dijon mustard.
(German)
Enough...
Babe.
Slowly.
Chef, what are you looking for?
Hand blender.
(German)
OK, done. Put this in a small bowl
and keep it in the fridge.
Babe, my parents are here.
-Welcome. -Hello.
Hello...
-Hello. -These are my parents, Chef.
-This is our chef. -Hello.
Well, you'll get to try our cooking today.
It's going to be delicious.
Next, we'll do the main course.
We'll sauté the lobster meat
that we extracted and cut earlier
until they turn golden brown.
No salt. Don't add salt, OK?
White veggie.
So, Kim, bring out all the vegetables.
Cut them into uniform bite-sized pieces.
Mum, Dad
we're having lobster today.
We're doing two lobster dishes.
-It smells appetising. -Very good...
We also have lobster tomalley.
Let's add that in.
Am I doing OK, Chef?
You are. It smells good. Really good.
I'm delighted.
Wow. Smelling good.
We'll have some prawns too.
I'll cut them for you.
Sauté it like you did the lobster.
This is for the next step.
-OK. -This goes in first.
-Then this. -Yes, sure.
-And then the tomato paste. -OK, Chef.
OK?
-OK. Next. -Next.
We're going to make a parsnip purée.
What is this?
Well, this is in the same family
as carrot and parsley.
It's called parsnip.
-Parsnip. -Parsnip.
-Cut it. -OK.
-Parsnip. -OK.
-Peel it. -OK, done.
-It's not burnt, is it? -No, it's not.
Are you happy with it? Is it OK?
It smells great, right? Add them in.
Mum and Dad
how do you find Mark's cooking?
His cooking's good.
Today's dishes will be even better.
Add them in?
-OK. -It smells so good.
Purée the parsnip.
Smash the garlic, add them in
and then boil them together.
It's probably hot enough now.
Add some milk. Boil it.
Milk
Smells so good!
Chef.
Could you turn on the stove for me, please?
Come on, we have an agreement.
I'm the head chef.
Try it once?
I haven't yelled at anyone today.
Turn on the stove or I might yell at you.
-Baby. -Just press the knob.
Just press it...
-That's right. -Just press it. That's it.
Press down and turn it. Keep turning...
-Press down and hold. -Not yet.
I've never done this before.
-Here you go. -Did I do it?
Nice! Very good.
Thank you so much, Chef.
The finale.
It's a piece of cake!
What do we need to sauté next?
Add some chardonnay to deglaze the pan.
Pour it in, then add some water.
Bring it to a boil on high heat
and reduce the liquid.
OK.
This is white asparagus.
We need six spears.
White asparagus
Bring the pot over here
and add some water.
This will be the sauce for the main course.
Now grab some edamame.
Edamame
Next, bacon oil.
A clove of garlic. Mince it and sauté it.
Kim, do you have any more milk?
You have to keep an eye on the pan
when you're cooking.
Don't just leave it unattended.
-I forgot. -OK, add more milk.
So that it's not too dry, right?
Exactly, not too dry. It hasn't soften yet.
Keep doing this until the parsnip softens.
-Then we'll blend it. -OK.
After that, we can add some butter.
-OK. Sure. -With a bit of cream.
Then, salt and pepper and it's done.
-OK... -Then, it's ready to be served.
-Are you done? -Yes.
Sauté until it's fragrant. Don't let it burn.
Bacon oil
Edamame
It should be all right now.
Then we have to blend everything.
Just one hour.
Butter
I love butter.
-Salt and pepper. -OK.
Salt and pepper
Turn on the heat
and then add some butter.
Put this in, add some water.
-Sauté until it's cooked. -Yes, Chef.
Very good.
OK, we're almost done
with our main course.
Kim is cooking the vegetables right now.
When cooking vegetables, use some water.
-Yes. -With a bit of butter.
A pinch of salt and pepper. That's all.
Season the water first
and then add the vegetables.
Back to you, Mark.
We trimmed the lobsters earlier, right?
Put them in the blender.
We'll make lobster sausages.
Sausages.
I have some scallops left. I'll put them in.
Then blend them together.
No need for seasoning? I just blend it?
Yes, just blend it first.
OK, we're going to add some cream.
-OK. -About two tablespoons.
Cream
-How does it look? -Very good.
OK. The texture looks good.
Very good.
Do you like the taste?
-Is it tasty? -Delicious!
OK. Done.
Pour this into this bowl.
Chef, I think the vegetables are cooked.
OK. Very good. Turn off the heat.
Done... done.
-Oh my god. -OK. Like this.
Let me try.
Put this in the fridge once it's done.
Babe.
Pass it over. You can finish up.
Let's continue with the sauce.
The sauce is almost done. We'll strain it
and then cook it down to reduce it.
Use high heat to bring the sauce to a boil
until it's almost dry and the sauce will be done.
Just add salt and pepper. OK?
We're done with the salad.
We're almost done with
the preparation of the main course
-except the butter poached lobster. -Yes.
We'll do it last so that it'll be good.
We're ready to start serving.
I'd like to welcome you guys
to dinner this evening.
We'll get to eat soon!
These are lobster sausages.
We'll poach them at 70°C
for seven minutes.
Now we're going to plate our dishes.
We'll keep it nice and simple.
Small pieces.
Bite-sized pieces are easier to eat.
And we'll put these tomatoes.
It will look like a lobster
taking a walk in a garden.
Prawn.
Add a prawn to the plate.
On the side.
Add a dash of paprika powder.
-Yuzu dressing. -Drizzle the dressing on top.
Top it with some extra virgin olive oil.
It's done.
-Let's move on to the main course. -OK.
Kim, cut off both ends with your scissors.
For our butter poached lobster
we start by adding butter and garlic to the pan
This is tarragon.
It's an herb to add fragrance to our dish.
Tarragon
Add a bit of water.
A little more. Enough...
Very good.
Season it with salt and pepper.
Salt and pepper
It's done, Chef.
Didn't you say there's only
a little bit more to do for the main course?
Just a little bit more...
-Do I put it in? -Yes, put it in.
Like this.
It smells so good. I'm hungry again.
Almost there...
OK, the main course and salad are ready.
Allow me to introduce the dishes.
We seasoned the Brittany lobster salad
with a bit of yuzu dressing.
Three months after this meal
you will still reminisce about its taste
and want to revisit it.
-Yeah. -It sounds sophisticated.
For the main course
we're using Brittany lobsters as well.
The whole lobster is poached in butter.
We seasoned and paired it with a parsnip purée.
What you see on the left
is mashed edamame.
We also have cream
and white asparagus which are very tasty.
I didn't do it. They did it.
I invite everyone to this special meal.
Bon appétit.
-Please enjoy the food. -Let's tuck in.
It's so good.
-It's so good. -We're happy now.
How does it taste?
I didn't answer because there was no word
to describe it.
Oh my god!
As usual, our show will make
a 30,000 Thai baht donation
to a charity organisation of your choice, Chef.
I'd like to donate the money
to the River of Peace Foundation.
The foundation has been doing great work
helping out the elderly.
Please support this foundation
if you're able to.
I rejoice in your merit.
-Thank you very much. -Thank you.
Let's toast to our beautiful ending.
-Finale! -Cheers!
Happy...
-Thank you. -Thank you very much.