The Big Family Cooking Showdown (2017–2018): Season 2, Episode 1 - Episode #2.1 - full transcript

A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES

-Let's go.
-[bell rings]

[presenter]
The Big Family Cooking Showdown is back.

Brilliant. Perfect.

We are bringing to our kitchen
16 foodie families

ready to take each other on
and prove their cooking is best.

I wake up thinking about food.
Go to sleep thinking about food.

We are either going to prepare
something great

or we're going to give the judges
food poisoning.

They come in different combinations.
From in-laws...

If I hear that word "chilled" again,
someone's going to get hurt.



...to grandparents.

[girl]
Nan, these are going horribly wrong.

-Twins...
-Oh, yeah.

...to teenagers.

-A bit of salt and pepper in there?
-Yes, Mother.

All right, only asking.

But what they all bring is their very own
brand of family cooking,

perfected over years,
sometimes generations.

In India, this is like
the nation's favorite snack.

Food is at the very heart
of these families' lives.

That's enough.

The ingredient that binds
each family together.

The family that cuddles together,
stays together.

Watching and judging their every move
will be Tommy Banks.



Dropping bombs.

Britain's youngest ever
Michelin-starred chef

and owner of his own family restaurant.

-Good?
-I could eat that three times a day.

-Okay.
-It's a great piece of cooking.

[man] Go, right, stop.

And me, Angellica Bell.

I've written family cook books

and know just how important
home cooking is for family life.

It's delicious.
My granddad would just love that.

Yes, Angellica!

We are not looking
for fancy restaurant cuisine,

but we are expecting
the very highest standards.

Smashed it!

As we search for the families
that make ordinary food extraordinary.

-I just feel overwhelmed.
-Just take your time, Daddy.

This has gone so wrong.

[glass shatters]

Today we are meeting
our first four families

and by the end of the day,
we'll be saying goodbye to one.

I'm glad we are out by the end.

In the kitchen this morning we have
the Penmans, from Lincolnshire.

Elisha, her boyfriend Chris,
and nan Ann.

They are all about creative cooking.

Everything she cooks is just brand new,
and then--

I like to add a lot of fruit.

I'm quite a fruity person, I guess.

The Penmans always cook on a grand scale.

This Christmas was the biggest Christmas
we'd ever done.

-We couldn't fit anything on the table.
-On the table. [laughs]

I'm Empire, his sister-in-law Diva,
and cousin Zhané,

are the Ambimbola-Younges from London.

They are all about soul food
with big flavors.

[I'm Empire]
Afro-Caribbean tradition is our heritage.

-The food we cook...
-Yeah.

...whatever it is,
be it a pasta bake or jollof rice...

-There's lots of flavor in it.
-It will always have

an awesome amount of flavor in there.

Is my hair alright?

No, it's terrible.
Got all this grey stuff in it.

Country dwellers William,
his daughter Molly, and son Jack

are the Whites from Hampshire.

I love the thought of buying British

and getting everything
as close to home as possible.

There are so many different types
of farms in this country

and they are fantastic food producers.

You name it, they're doing it.

Finally, Natalie and her vegan
twin brothers Nick and Rich

make up the Stones from Bournemouth.

And we love plants.
Eating them, not animals.

If we can create and make
really yummy, good nutritious food...

-It's a win-win, isn't it?
-Yeah.

-Hey, hey, hey!
-Good morning.

-How's it going?
-Hey!

Hello!

-Hello.
-Greetings and salutations.

Welcome to the kitchen.
Are you pleased to be here?

-Yes.
-Right.

Well, we live for food.

And today you've got two rounds
to feed us well.

You'll need to impress us, though,
because at the end of the day

one family will be going home.

Okay.

Let's get straight into the first round.
It's the 10 pound challenge.

Okay.

So family cooking is about getting
the most bang for your buck.

So we are going to give you 10 quid
to feed a family of four.

Now, the theme for this round is
a combination of 2 of my favorite meals,

breakfast and lunch, which makes…

-[all] Brunch!
-[Angellica] Correct.

So you can either go sweet,

you could go savory,
or you could go both,

but we just need you to make it a feast.

The table is brimming
with fantastic ingredients,

so you're going to have to shop smart,
be savvy.

Watch those pennies.

We're going to give you three minutes

to decide which ingredients
you're going to use. Let's go.

[bell ringing echoes]

There's a range of food on offer,
from expensive fish

to cheaper veg,

so the families need to spend their
10 pounds wisely within the 3 minutes.

What shall we do?

[William] Just one banana?

How much are tomatoes?

-[I'm Empire] Brioche.
-[Diva] Oh, God.

It's a constant rotation of ingredients
on and off the table.

Let's do that then, quickly.
We've got a minute.

Oh, it's back.

[Zhané] Quick, put it.

Is it back?

Do you want that? Sweet? Okay.

Oh, it's getting tense there.

[Nick] What about grapefruit?
That was quite...

Look how much stuff they got
on their tray.

-Are you adding up?
-I hope we're adding up alright.

[Tommy & Angellica] Ten seconds!

Okay, we're done.

Five.

Four. Three.

Two. One.

[bell rings]

Sorry!

Sticking to a 10-pound budget in just
three minutes is a little bit tricky,

but we've made our calculations
and have the results.

Only one family has stuck to budget.

Who do you think that is?

Look at him, you are very confident!

It is the Whites. Well done!
You spent £9.42.

Not what I thought it was.

But wait for it.

The Stones.

You overspent by £8.74.

We only hope that your cooking is better
than your maths.

The Penmans reluctantly gave back
a loaf of bread.

The Ambimbola-Younges returned
some walnuts and eggs.

And the Stones put back their Sriracha
sauce, a melon, and asparagus.

There you go.
That's almost half your ingredients.

-We'll improvise.
-Okay.

[Tommy]
Okay, let's get down to the cooking, then.

Got one hour and 15 minutes
to make us brunch.

Let's go.

Right, why don't you crack on
with the blueberries.

Check out the fridge before we even
make any large decisions, yeah.

Oh, my God, are we working as a team?

-We are.
-Oh, my God! Okay, let's do this.

The families also have access to shelves
stocked with basic ingredients.

[Rich] A drizzle of olive oil.

[William] Okay.
So what are we making for a start?

The Whites spent £9.42 on eggs,
sourdough bread,

tomatoes, peppers, and spring onions.

Molly.

I don't actually know how you say it,
but it's called like a "Shaka-zuka."

The Whites are taking a gamble on cooking
shakshuka for the first time.

A spicy middle eastern dish
of poached eggs

cooked in tomatoes with herbs and spices.

They are planning to serve this
with a side dish of banana pancakes.

So if I chop the toms,
and then what am I adding? I'm adding...

-Well, we can all do it.
-So just spices, pepper, spring onions.

[William] Oh, yeah, pepper.
I'm doing those.

Jesus, chill out, will you, please.

-No, Dad.
-It's the only thing I can do.

You are good on the pancakes.

-[Jack] I've never made them.
-Well...

-Can I do the toms, please?
-Yeah, fine.

The Whites like to make
traditional family meals.

[William] I do a reasonable roast,

but I love our bacon pasta dish.
They think it is boring,

but that has been a staple
in the White family for probably 20 years.

-It's fabulous, easy, yeah.
-We literally grew up on that meal.

-We do have other meals.
-Now we're sick of it.

They make a variety of dishes,

but always like to use British ingredients

and many of them are homegrown.

Here we are in Hampshire,
standing in my vegetable patch.

You know, we just grow the stuff
that we really like

and we just grab it at the end of the day

and it's in the pot within half an hour.

Absolutely fabulous.

I tend to try and find seasonal veg,
and put in different things,

I don't know, like parsnips,
and putting them in a curry

instead of your traditional potato
or something else.

The family enjoy cooking together,
but things can get a bit heated.

Dad can get quite stressed, quite quickly.

-No, let's focus on positives.
-Oh, positives.

Yeah, excuse me, I'm organized.

-[Molly] Organized.
-[Jack] Organized.

Oh, yeah, I was going to say efficient.

Dad, put them all in first.

-What? No, you do them like that.
-Put them all in.

Really? You don't do that. That's what--

Otherwise, you stress the engine.

Jack's on mashing duty for their side dish
of banana pancakes.

I don't mash bananas very often,

which is probably quite obvious
from my terrible technique.

Do you think the Whites know
that they've got a plantain?

I think they think they've got
a big banana.

Hmm.

Maybe that will work.

-There you go.
-Oh, there you go.

Found a proper tool for the job now.

This makes it a lot easier.

[Tommy] Good morning.

-Morning.
-Morning.

-So what are you making for us then?
-Shakshuka.

-Poached eggs.
-Yeah.

I've never actually made it before,
but I've seen it being made.

-[Angellica] What's in the bowl?
-The mashed banana.

For the banana pancakes.

Okay, so do you know what you picked up?

Yeah.

-[Molly] A banana?
-[Jack] That's not a banana?

-Is it not a banana?
-That's a plantain.

-Oh.
-[William] Plantain pancakes.

-Sounds cool, doesn't it?
-Yeah, sounds good.

-More exotic.
-[Angellica] It's part of the family.

-It's part of the banana family.
-[Tommy] It is.

-But you generally cook it.
-Smells like banana.

Is it going to work?

-Well, it's not up to me to say.
-We're about to find out, aren't we?

-They're much starchier and not as sweet.
-Yeah.

-That will be fine.
-That's quite sweet to me.

I feel a bit worried now.

-[Jack] It is what it is.
-Yeah.

The Ambimbola-Younges bought brioche,

avocado, sausage meat,
and some fresh fruit.

I was hoping there'd be bacon up there,
but unfortunately there wasn't.

'Cause I like that kind of crunchy,
American-style crispy bacon.

But I thought I'd just do a different take
on it and just do a sausage crumble.

But it has to be really, really crispy,
just to add that texture to it.

We are either going to prepare
something great

or we are going to give the judges
food poisoning.

[all laughing]

Diva is taking the lead
for the Ambimbola-Younges

with her menu of toasted brioche
topped with pureed avocado

and crispy sausage meat accompanied
by a strawberry and blueberry compote.

Is that enough water? Is that enough?

That will be fine 'cause we need to add
the blueberries as well.

We are definitely going to need it.

I'm scared up in here,
so I'm going to have to rely on you guys.

You know I'm trusting y'all.

The Ambimbola-Younges like to cook
soul food that packs a punch.

In Afro-Caribbean tradition
it's frowned upon to salt on the table

so it's so important to us to make sure

that the food is packed with flavor.

-Yeah, it does look a bit...
-It's rude.

"What are you trying to say
about my food?"

I'm Empire's culinary skills developed
at a young age.

Although I grew up and there was always
food being cooked around the home,

I ran away from home when I was 16.

So it was very, very important
to learn how to cook.

The ingredients we had in our cupboards
is all we had and we'd have to make

something really nice from it.

So that's when I think I got
a real passion for how to make

good things when you don't have anything.

Yeah.

Their bold flavors are backed up
by their big personalities

and they are pretty clear
what they each bring to the table.

When it comes to the brains and the theory
and you know, I think it's me.

Okay, it's a good thing
you don't get paid to think.

[all laughing]

[Diva] I'm quite bossy.

-Yes.
-It's probably in my nature.

Very bossy.

[Diva] Right, you plate up the other one.

[I'm Diva] Yeah. I think when it comes
to leadership roles,

both of them are looking at me
because they know it's me.

[all laughing]

[I'm Empire]
Looking good, darlings, looking good.

[trilling] How are you, Angellica? Yeah.

I'm all good.
Thank you for asking, actually.

So what's the dynamic then?
Who is the boss?

For this challenge, we've allowed Diva
to take the reins.

My fabulous twin brother's wife.

So Diva's taking the reins.

You are going to see
a lot of eye rolling today.

Just for this challenge, you know.

But you still do have sort of
a harmony together.

Like quite conspiratorial here.

We love to throw shade at each other.

[Diva]
It's working quite well today, I think.

You know, just a little bit
of shade, honey.

So we really do love each other

and what is actually weird is
that we're actually finding out

that we can work as a team.

-We're looking forward to tasting it.
-Thank you.

-[Diva] Thanks.
-[I'm Empire] Yes.

-[mixer spurts]
-Whoa!

Don't scare me like that.

[Angellica] Ambimbola-Younges,

they're quietly confident,
but still got a bit of sass.

That looks amazing.

[Tommy] A fruit compote is
a really nice thing to have with brunch.

It wants to be nice and thick and glossy.

They've added water to it,
which is really odd.

They need to reduce that right down.

And for their savory element,
they are cooking sausage meat,

which is really fatty. We need that fat
to really crispen up on that pork.

Otherwise, it will make
the brioche really soggy.

What do we need to do now, guys?

-Brioche needs to be toasted and--
-Shall I cut it?

-Yes.
-Square, round...?

-Figure it out, do it.
-Okay.

The Penmans chose salmon steaks,
strawberries, eggs, and spring onions.

Chris, do you want to get your hands in?

Literally mix it, mix it, mix it. Yeah?

They're making a bed of pancakes
topped with salmon.

One curried and one flaked
with a strawberry and balsamic salsa.

[Elisha] Chris, can you try this?

-That's sweet. I like that.
-You like it, yeah?

Keep it as it is.

In the Penman kitchen,
Elisha loves to create new dishes.

I think you like to make up
your own recipes as you go along.

She can then say,
"Well it's my recipe, I've invented it."

[Elisha] The other day, I said, "Prawns
with a strawberry and shallot dressing."

'Cause prawns go with mango. It's sweet.

We know that strawberries are sweet,
so why not change it?

This passion comes from cooking
with her grandparents.

When Elisha was younger,

me and her granddad
used to learn her to cook.

But as time has gone on,

I sit back and let her do it.

[Elisha] Granddad was never really
"by the book," was he?

[Ann] No.

[Elisha] He always used to do steak with--

-Apricot sauce.
-Yeah.

Now, Elisha tries her inventive menus
at every family occasion.

If we're doing a barbecue or something,
if there's people getting together....

We don't really like to do it
by half measures.

We think everyone in the family likes
to eat something different.

-So I think that's why we go big.
-[Elisha] Overboard.

I think we think we are feeding 5,000.

[chuckles] Yeah.

Good. Good.

Hmm! Delicious!

What have we got here then?

Salmon with a strawberry and balsamic
reduction, and then a curried salmon.

-[Tommy] You're very creative, aren't you?
-I like to be.

-Did you try all the food yourself?
-No.

I have a form of gastric dysmobility.

At the moment, when I eat food,

it takes two hours to half digest.

So it starts to ferment
or I become really ill.

So you still love to cook, even though
you can't necessarily enjoy it?

Yes. It's frustrating sometimes,
'cause I do like to eat.

But I like to experiment,
so that's why I've got these two.

Yeah, we're the tasters,

and she don't get into trouble, we do.

-We'll let you get on with your pancakes.
-Okay, thank you.

[Elisha] You might need
some more batter, Nan.

[Ann] I haven't got a bowl, duck.

Strawberries and fish.

-But you love that.
-I do it all the time.

You can't make the strawberries
be too sweet.

Strawberries are naturally
not that sweet a fruit.

People often put sugar on them
as a dessert,

so I hope they haven't sweetened them
too much.

-Right, all tastes alright, yeah?
-Yeah.

Or not alright, it has to be good.

-Julienned?
-Yeah, perfect.

[Natalie] So we need to get that tomatoes
in the oven as well.

Going way over budget meant the Stones had
to return nearly half their ingredients.

They settled on a selection of vegetables
and pulses

and a loaf of sourdough bread.

We're going to do like
a refried bean thing

and we are going to use a bit
of smoked paprika, cumin,

a little bit of salt and some pepper
and just kind of cook them off.

Just kind of create that really nice
Mexican kind of flavor.

The Stones' vegan menu is spicy Mexican
cannellini beans,

crushed avocado on toasted sourdough,

grilled mushrooms and tomatoes,
and a blueberry Soya yogurt.

[Natalie] We can't leave it like that?

Now, do we want to present it like that
or crush it a bit more like refried beans?

-Yeah.
-Cool. Perfect.

[Rich] Need any lemon in that
or do you think it's alright?

[Natalie] No, it doesn't need lemon.

-It doesn't, no?
-No. It's quite sharp.

The Stones are enthusiastic converts
to vegan food.

[Nick] Three, four years ago
we got into yoga, more into mindfulness,

changed our diet, went vegan,

and felt good about
and wanted to explore more.

So it got to a point, we're like,
"Right, let's leave our jobs,

go to India for a few months."

[Rich] I think diet is really like
the elephant in the room.

It infiltrates so much of everyday life,

for your health,

for the planet,
and obviously for the animals.

[Nick] For those lovely cows out there,
I love you.

They're on a mission to prove
vegan dishes taste just as delicious

as ones made with meat or dairy.

I'm very passionate in creating a dish
that people would label as...

"I'm not going to try it 'cause
it's vegan, but it tastes like..."

They're like, "Where's the meat?"
I'm like, yep, that's my game.

The flavors in their dishes are inspired
by the time they spent in India.

[Natalie] We love Asian Oriental food,

really passionate with the colors
and we love chili.

-We eat a lot of spicy food.
-Spicy food.

So that is something
that we know we love to cook.

I think we've got enough tools
in our minds

to keep the situation real and understand
what we're doing is what we're doing

and it is what it is.

And we're in the moment,
so just deal with it.

Really good. Well done, guys. Good effort.

-Nailed it.
-Team Stone. Love it.

[Natalie] So we've got the refried beans
going on there with Rich.

The mushrooms and tomatoes are roasting
in the oven.

Avocado is pretty much ready to go on
once the sourdough is toasted.

And the blueberry yogurt is in the fridge
infusing,

so we're kind of just relaxed now.

-[Tommy] The Stones.
-Hey.

You were frivolous with your money
this morning.

I know. We like our food.

Sriracha sauce, that's what did it.

-It wasn't just the Sriracha sauce.
-No, I know.

It was a few things, yeah.

Were you a little disappointed
that you had to give some things back?

-Yeah.
-Did it sort of change your menu?

The asparagus was a bit of a shame.

It seems like it's quite calm here.
Have you finished?

Yeah, we're slowing down, really.

-Slowing down?
-Yeah.

-Just chilling.
-We're ready.

Are you gonna do enough? You know.

-Well, yeah, what we've got, yeah.
-What we've got.

-Good.
-Impressive.

We better let you get to it.

-That's cool. Thank you.
-Cheers.

Cool, I've taken it off the heat.

Mushrooms, tomatoes,
how are we doing down there?

Okay, you've got 30 minutes left, guys.

With the clock ticking,
three families are feeling the pressure.

Oh, no. I'm stressing now.

-Didn't we need four?
-Yeah, we've got four.

Dad, that one is broken.

-Diva, this one's overheating.
-Let me borrow you.

The Penmans are making pancakes.

And it's taking a few goes
to get them right.

No.

The Whites are focusing on their pancakes.

-Oh, no.
-Nothing to it. That's alright.

[Molly] That's slightly burnt.

-[William] Tommy'll never notice.
-We'll put that one on the bottom.

The Ambimbola-Younges are striving to get
the right texture for their sausage meat

and berry compote.

-Think I should strain it a little bit?
-Strain it a bit.

-Put a tiny bit more sugar in there.
-Add...

[I'm Empire] Lemon juice.

However, with so few ingredients,

the Stones have come to a standstill.

They haven't got much to do
in the kitchen.

Well, they say it's kind of Mexican,

but I don't think they've got
as many ingredients

as they'd really like to make this dish.

And I think now they're
kind of struggling

to know what to do with the ingredients
they have got.

-So is it going to be a bit sparse maybe?
-[Natalie] If there's a griddle,

we can chuck some olive oil in
and griddle the sourdough.

-Yeah.
-Rather than just put it in the grill.

-Yeah, definitely.
-Cool. Yeah, well done.

There's just 10 minutes to go,
and at this stage, timing is critical.

-Wait a couple minutes?
-Wait a couple.

[William] I think we should do it now.
'Cause we've got to do that as well.

[Molly] Yeah, let's do it now.

-One more.
-[Ann] It's all gone.

[Elisha] Make, literally,
do half and half. It will be done.

[I'm Empire]
Yes, now that's what I'm talking about.

-[Diva] Empire, we don't have time for--
-Two minutes for a quick cup of tea.

My cup of tea.

Don't.

[Natalie] Play around with these.

They look dry.
They need to almost look a bit moist.

Yeah, cool. Where's the jug of water?

You've got two minutes left, guys.

[William] Is the egg really gonna cook?

[Molly] Yeah, it's hot.
It's bubbling away.

-It's down to 2.
-I know, but--

Alright. Not interfering.

-You just concentrate on your toast.
-Yeah.

Love it when you get to this point,
and it starts heating up a bit.

Sorry, guys.

-[Nick] Shall I do it like that?
-Yeah.

A little bit of salt and pepper,
just rock salt.

-They go there.
-Ten seconds to go.

Move. Just move.

[Angellica & Tommy]
Four. Three. Two. One.

Step away from the counters.

[Jack] You need to keep your stress
under control.

Don't stress me out, then.

Yes!

-Does it even look good?
-No.

-Nan!
-Yeah, it does.

Yeah, I think I was a bit
of a bossy boots.

You got to have a bossy boots
on the team, though, haven't you?

My pancakes are a bit of a flop.

Literally.

Let's just hope they were cooked.

Elisha has not got long to wait,

as it's time for the judging.

And the Penmans are up first.

For their 10-pound brunch,
they've made coconut pancakes

topped with salmon two ways.

One curried, and the other
with a strawberry and balsamic salsa.

Strawberries and fish in the first round
is a bold move.

But I like the way you've sort of
gone for it. You put yourself out there.

-So I'm really excited to try it.
-Thank you.

I have never had strawberries and fish,

and I love it.

You sort of, like, eased me in
really nicely to this,

because I still have that sweetness

of the pancakes,
but then that fish flavor, savory flavor,

just kicks in and sort of balances
it out.

I would definitely eat this again.

-The curried salmon, I love.
-Thank you.

I think it's very well seasoned,
nice and spicy,

-and it works really well as a whole dish.
-Thank you.

I do fish with strawberries all the time.
I think it's a really good combination,

and I think you did a good job of it.

But maybe if it was whole, and then maybe
sliced the strawberries a little thinner,

and maybe a dash of vinegar on there
as well.

The pancakes, they're kind of stodgy,
but in a good way.

I quite enjoyed the denseness of them,
but they are also very soft.

I think that works really well.

With what you have in front of you,
you've done a really good job.

Great effort.

-Thank you.
-Thank you.

The Ambimbola-Younges'
American-inspired brunch

is toasted brioche, topped with pureed
avocado and sausage meat,

accompanied by
a strawberry and blueberry compote.

I think brioche is an excellent thing
to have for brunch.

And I like the fact that you've done it in
a savory and sweet way as well.

Fabulous.

Oh, they're going back for another bite.
Oh, okay.

-I think the sausage meat is really nice.
-Oh, yeah.

It's kind of--
It's really Moorish.

-I like that.
-Really crispy and delicious.

And that's a nice way to top it.
Good thinking on your feet

when you didn't have the bacon.

The avocado is incredibly smooth,

but I think you could get
more flavor into it.

-Maybe a bit of chili.
-Yeah.

More lime, salt.
Just bring out the flavors a bit more.

I do like that you've got the sweetness

attached to the plate as well,
but that compote...

I would've done all that fruit in a pan,
just a tiny bit of water,

some sugar and just cooked it and reduced
it down until it became quite a thick,

luscious compote.

-It was just a little too much water.
-Okay.

[trills] Okay, Angellica.

[laughs]

[I'm Empire] Well done!, guys!

For their 10-pound brunch,
the Stones have made spicy Mexican beans,

crushed avocado on toasted sourdough,

grilled mushrooms and tomatoes,
and a blueberry Soya yogurt.

A plate of food always looks
more appealing

when there is a high intense color
on the plate.

-This is what we see here.
-Thank you.

[Tommy] I really like the yogurt.

I think it's delicious.
A really nice, clean start to brunch.

The avocado is very tasty.
The chili in it works well,

and it's well seasoned. The refried beans
have a lovely smoky flavor,

but I feel the mushrooms and tomato

maybe belong to brunch's cousin,
the cooked breakfast.

I'm not sure really how they fit into
the Mexican theme

and what they're doing there.

But overall, it's a bit underwhelming.

It would have come out differently
if we had chosen a little wisely

and calculated a little better.

We can see the frustration on your face,
you know.

And that's why, with all these challenges,
just think about what you're doing,

because every round counts.

Cool.

Finally, it's the Whites,
with their spicy Middle Eastern shakshuka

and plantain pancakes.

I love the way you've presented it
in the pan, on the board.

It feels like proper family cooking.

We're going to dig into that.

Pancakes look nice but I've never had
a plantain pancake,

so I think with that the proof
will be in the pudding.

I can't believe you've never made
this dish before.

This is one of the best versions
I've ever had.

It's delicious. Really nice, rich flavor.

It's spicy, but not too spicy.
The eggs are cooked perfectly.

The feta on the top, the best bit.

This is a real nice, hearty family dish,

and to do that
with an unprepared challenge,

you should be so proud of that.
It's brilliant.

Thanks.

The bread as well.
It's so easy to burn it.

But you've cooked it
so it's got a nice brown on it.

Nice bit of oil.

-Well done, Dad.
-Thank you.

The pancakes I think have been well made,

-but plantain...
-Yeah.

-...is no banana.
-No.

Now breathe.

[Tommy] Reckon we had a good brunch.

[Angellica] Really good.

The Whites, they did a good job.

I'd go around their house for brunch
any day of the week.

If they weren't in, then we would bob
around the Penmans.

Yeah. The Ambimbola-Younges,
they put a lot of effort in,

-but it didn't all come together.
-And then we have the Stones.

And they really should've done
much better than they did.

They should.

Do you want to edge forward a bit?

In the kitchen, the tension is building.

Don't hold back, Mol.

Going to slay it up in these streets now.

Presentation, presentation, presentation.

The families now have a second chance
to prove their skills

before Tommy and I say arrivederci
to one of them.

The next round is nation's favorite
with a twist.

We borrowed this dish
from our Italian cousins.

It's the pasta bake.

But, of course, you are going to be making
fresh homemade pasta in yours.

Now you've been practicing at home,
so we're expecting a great bake.

You have one hour, 30 minutes.

And as they say in Italy:
pronti, avanti, via.

Ready, steady, go!

-Alright.
-Let's go, let's go.

-Okay, let's get the recipe.
-I need to get my mayo.

Do you want this cutting or just put in?

Just cut the stems out the middle, yeah?

Most of us are used to getting pasta
out of a bag,

so making it from scratch can be
a daunting challenge.

[I'm Empire] This might be the first time
you've had my pasta

and I may not be Italian,

but this is going to be the best pasta
you've ever eaten.

Mmmkay.

But we're not judging the families
on their pasta-making skills alone.

This is the chance for them to show
what their food is all about.

[I'm Empire]
I mean, Afro-Caribbean, we like spice.

I really just wanted to give you a taste
of what we cook at home.

And it's very normal to have, like,
a side of chicken

and a salad, so I really wanted to just
give you a whole taste of soul foods.

A plate of love, if that makes sense.

But it's going to be hot, so...

hopefully you can handle the heat.
Fingers crossed, anyway.

The Ambimbola-Younges' pasta bake has
traditional Afro-Caribbean flavors.

A beef pasta lasagna in a jerk marinade,

made with allspice
and Scotch bonnet peppers,

accompanied by jerk chicken
and a mango salad.

-It smells really nice.
-Let's see.

And it looks good as well.
I like the colors.

-[Tommy] Hello.
-[I'm Empire] How are you guys doing?

-Great.
-So much going on over here.

-I know.
-Thank you.

After your last critiques, we wanted
to make sure that we brought the flavor.

-Okay.
-And turned up the heat.

So is it-- Obviously, I can see from your
heritage that the jerk

sort of thing would be very--
Come naturally to you.

But is the pasta making something
you've done often?

-No.
-Okay. Let's talk about you, I'm Empire.

You seem like someone
who likes the limelight.

-Do you think?
-No, I would never have guessed.

Yes. I'm an LGBTQ activist,

which is really close to my heart.

Also, I'm a performing artist,
so I do music, I've danced.

So you feel comfortable
in this environment.

-Yes, 'cause I like to create.
-Good.

Impressive.
Well, we better let you get to it.

Yes. So I think this is nearly done,

and then I'm going to leave it
in a bowl for a few minutes.

[Tommy]
I'm Empire is all over this one.

They're making a spicy beef Bolognese,

they're making jerk chicken.

A good jerk marinade is
absolutely delicious,

but all that Scotch bonnet
might be a bit spicy.

We can handle it.

[both laughing]

So, let me get this straight,
with the lasagna, isn't that...

-Are you going to mince that?
-No, we're gonna do a chunky lasagna.

Chunky lasagna?

Also making lasagna, the Whites.

-Do you have a job yet, Dad?
-Yeah, doing the béchamel I think.

Where has the butter gone?

It's in the fridge.

[William] What fridge? There?

Yeah. That's where all the cold stuff is.

For their twist on a pasta bake,

the Whites are making Moroccan lamb
lasagna with apricots.

And to accompany it, a colorful
side salad with fresh herbs.

The main ingredient, the lamb, has come
from their own back garden.

A couple of years ago,
I bought some sheep off a farmer friend.

We reared lambs from them.

Unfortunately, for some people,
they are now in the freezer,

but as much as I enjoyed having them,

they were quite hard work,
so I respect any sheep farmer out there.

-Yeah, thank goodness for sheep farmers.
-Yeah.

We're extremely passionate about
the farmers that produce our food

and the growers
that produce the vegetables.

So even though we might do spices,
and Moroccan this, that and the other,

it's all British produce going into
our cooking, and we're really proud of it.

-[Tommy] So this is your lamb?
-[Jack] Yeah, it's mine.

Me and my girlfriend, well, a couple
of years now, we bought four sheep.

-What breed?
-Suffolks.

-Oh, wow.
-Yeah, then we put them to the ram,

and we had seven lambs out of them.

Let me come around here
and have a butchers.

[Jack and Tommy laughing]

Oh, very good. Boom.

I think we should talk about
when you went to the pub once.

-[Molly] Oh, god.
-And you were wearing not much.

I think I've forgotten this story.

I just drank too many gin and tonics
on a Christmas Day.

And a friend of ours had bought
some specialty presents for Christmas

and one of them was a mankini.

So I decided to baste the Christmas turkey
wearing my mankini.

[Tommy] If you were to go through,

would you wear the mankini
in the next round?

No, because my wife says that that
would be a career-threatening move.

-[Angellica] It might enhance your career.
-Not career enhancing, no.

[Molly] Right, put the lamb in.

With only three families progressing
to the next round,

the Penmans are drawing
on their experience

of cooking for big family occasions.

We're making a "pick a mix" pasta bake.

Our family don't always eat the same.

And I think pasta bake gets quite boring

and quite bland, quite quickly.

So everyone has got something
to choose from.

Everyone is quite fussy in the family.

Everyone likes a particular thing.

It might be that somebody
has a lamb curry,

but somebody else is having
a chicken curry.

And so we all kind of eat a similar thing,
but there's variations of it.

Yeah.

-Is that what you are doing now?
-Yeah, I'm doing the prawn one.

-[Ann] Do you want all this?
-Can you do the mint yogurt?

The Penmans are making four plates,
inspired by their fussy family.

They're using tagliatelle as the base
for their bake with cavolo nero

and pasta dishes with sausage,
harissa chicken, and prawn and crab.

They are even making sides.

Garlic bread, vegetable fries,
and a pomegranate salad.

-Wow, so many things going on over here.
-[Chris] A little bit.

How many pastas are you cooking?

Only one pasta, but it's one pasta
for, like, different things.

So it's like a "pick a mix."

-"Pick a mix" pasta?
-Yeah.

Are these just a snack then, the crisps?

My uncle puts some crisps
in his pasta bake.

-Inside the bake?
-[Chris] To give it a little crunch.

I've tasted it with crisps on top,
but not inside.

Yeah, no.

Well, you've got lots to do,
and I know you're like,

"We've talked enough,
can you please leave?"

Is that what you are thinking, Ann? Yes.

[laughing]

I never said a word.

[Elisha] Can you do the mint yogurt?

Do you think we should put this in?

[Ann] Yes.

The Penmans have got so much going on.

[Angellica] Do you think they've got
too much going on?

Maybe. I mean, they seem to enjoy
working under pressure.

They put themselves under pressure.
It seems to be the Penman way,

but they're making
how many different things?

There seem to be lots
of different pasta bakes,

but there's all the sides as well.
I mean, if they pull it off,

-it will be amazing.
-It will be a triumph.

-I put the wrong thing in the wrong one.
-[Chris] What do you mean?

I put red wine vinegar over it.
I didn't mean to.

[Ann] Stop panicking and we'll get there.

-Hang on.
-Not a problem.

While the Penmans are juggling
a number of dishes,

the Stones are concentrating their efforts
on one vegan pasta bake.

We're going for a North Indian lasagna

because, well, as a family,
we love Indian food.

We cook with the spices all the time.

We spent a few months last year
in India

and it was really inspiring just to watch
these guys cook,

and the flavors that they produced.

So, yeah, I'm a big fan of Indian food.

The Stones' North Indian lasagna
is made with egg-free pasta,

with layers of butternut squash puree,

curried lentils and spinach,

accompanied by a mango and papaya salad.

-[Angellica] You all live together?
-Yeah.

Yeah, at present. We're all together.

-You've got a little girl.
-I got a little girl. She's 4 and a half.

She's with my mom at the moment.

-Are they good uncles?
-They're the funcles.

-Funcles.
-They're amazing.

So what makes you
the best funcles in the world?

-We're super fun, obviously.
-I can see.

Sorry, I'm a bit preoccupied
at the moment.

I need to concentrate.

Rub your tummy, pat your head
at the same time. Come on.

I can stand on one leg.

-So it's like a lasagna.
-Yeah.

But instead of the usual things,
there is no egg in your pasta.

No, there's not.

-So that béchamel sauce you're using--
-We're doing a butternut squash puree.

And then you've got a salad of papaya
and mango salad on the side?

Just sort of accompanies it really well.

-Good.
-Thank you.

-You need to crank this up big time.
-Alright.

Big time.

Right, you can help me with the pasta.

The Stones, extremely focused
on the task in hand,

which is a good thing.

They stood around this morning.

Yeah.

Love their Indian spices,

so I'm really looking forward
to trying their lasagna,

but this egg-free pasta,
will it be strong enough to create layers?

Because if it doesn't have layers,
it's not really a lasagna.

I think they've something to prove
in this round.

They've got it all to prove in this round.

We'll start layering it.
Where is the big spoon?

Okay, we're halfway through.
You've got 45 minutes.

[Elisha] Right, come on, let's go.

Timewise, a little bit pushed right now,

'cause I wanted the lasagna
in the oven by now.

The families are up against the clock
to get their pasta bakes in the oven.

To speed up the process,
they've each been given a pasta roller.

Now wish me luck, girls.

But it's not as easy as it looks.

-[I'm Empire] Ah!
-[clattering]

Oh! Wrong one.

Oh, no!

Hopefully, we won't need this.

There we go. That's it.

Oh, yeah.

The roller should help to make uniform,
even pasta sheets.

-[Natalie] Is that going thinner?
-Yeah.

There you go.

You can lie that flat.

The nifty trick to check
if the pasta is thin enough

is to blow underneath it.

If it ripples, it's ready.

Well, not when it's in the air.

-Oh, no air.
-When it's on the surface.

No.

[Elisha] Okay, it's coming out all right.

[Tommy] All the families are making
sheets of pasta, except for the Penmans.

Elisha is making tagliatelle,

and that's quite a hard thing to make
at the best of times.

[Elisha]
This is very starchy and I don't like it.

With all the families
finally mastering the pasta roller,

they can assemble their pasta bakes.

[Molly] We have three minutes
until it needs to go.

Dad, have you got the cheese ready
for the topping?

-[William] Cheese?
-Parmesan and feta.

-No.
-[Molly] Well, can you quickly do that?

Yeah.

With just 30 minutes left

to have a chance of the dishes
being cooked in time,

the families need to get them in the oven.

Empire, you're doing that thing where
you're just putting things everywhere.

Sorry, my darling.

I'm trying to create space
and then you keep replacing it.

I'm probably gonna mess up your space
as you make it.

Yeah, but then I can't do anything.

Things are just happening too fast and
I don't feel like we've got enough time.

I don't know
if we're going to make it, so...

I don't know. I don't know.

-[Elisha] Oh, my god.
-[Chris] What's up?

The pasta is stressing me out.

[Ann] Don't stress.

[Elisha] I am stressing now.
Look at it. It's gone to mush.

Right.

Rich. One more layer.

Um, not too thick on the puree, okay?

My mix is slightly saltier
than I would have liked,

but with the butternut puree it should
all balance out, hopefully quite nicely.

Right, let's crack on with the last layer.

I think this is a fantastic challenge.

We say pasta bake
and look at all the variety of recipes.

[Tommy]
So much going on, isn't there?

We've got Moroccan. We've got jerk.

We've got Northern Indian.

And then we've got about seven
or eight different things over here.

"Pick a mix" pasta. I love it.
It's brilliant.

[Jack]
Well done. All right. 25 minutes.

While the pasta is baking,

the families all turn their attention
to their side dishes.

[Ann] This isn't sticking.

Use the finer bits.

In the Ambimbola-Younges kitchen,

Diva is putting the finishing touches

to her mango salad.

Okay, I'm going to put this in the fridge.
All right.

[Rich] All right, papaya.

[glass shattering]

-[Angellica] Oh, no!
-Wait! Oh, sorry.

-[Elisha] Are you alright?
-[Diva] I am so stressed.

-[Diva] That was my fourth.
-[Elisha] I thought it was just a cup.

[Diva] No.

It's my salad.

Make sure I haven't got any glass on me.

We have a tradition in the pub.
If anyone does that, we have to say it.

This was me.

As she was like trying to get them all in,
and the door is a pain, it sticks,

so she kind of--

Yeah, I feel for her.

-News flash, guys.
-Talk to me.

I accidentally dropped
one of the mango salads.

[glass shattering]

That's yours.

All of Diva's salads have hit the deck.

-That's yours.
-[Tommy] Are you okay?

Is everything alright?

Whatever it is, we will help you.

They put them in there.

-Oh, they were just balanced in the door.
-Right.

We just need to get this cleaned.
There's a lot of glass here.

Don't worry about it, keep your cool,
keep going. It's alright.

I think something smashed,
but I don't know what.

I'm just glad it's not me.

I am absolutely fuming.

And the reason why I'm fuming is 'cause
I tasted the mango salad for myself

and I thought it was really, really good.

I put some salt on the mangoes
and I just... Oh, my god.

I didn't realize it was at the side.

I said if there is anything we can do,
I'll help them.

I will sacrifice my own dish for theirs.

Bit of drama going on today.

-I'm so sorry.
-Darling, I know it wasn't a mean thing.

-I'm so sorry.
-It's fine, don't be silly.

Don't worry, my darling.
It's all love. It's all love.

You have ten minutes left.

Press garlic, melt the butter.
Quick, Chris, we haven't got all day.

We also don't have pans.

Last bit, work out what we need to do.

Uh, done, done, done.
A little bit more on that one.

No, leave that, forget about it.

-That would've been nice.
-On the sides?

A little bit of mango.

Put it in there.

Guys, I know there's been
a salad disaster.

-Here is some more.
-Yes!

With time running out,
Diva is on a mission to recreate the look

and taste of her original salad.

The salad will be done.
Just plate the lasagna.

This is too much pressure.
I can't deal with that.

Go, get out.

Right, this has got to go,
I'm going to drop this.

-Don't drop it, Molly.
-Whoa!

Whoa!

No.

No, ah, no, that's why I said
pull this bit out. This bit.

Easier said than done.

You are sweating. Your forehead.

I honestly felt like
my soul had left my body.

Couldn't move my face.
Like I had Botox or something.

[laughing]

Diva has got that bit.

-Okay, there's two minutes left.
-[I'm Empire] Oh, my god.

Two minutes left.

-[Ann] We ain't got long now.
-[Elisha] Quick, quick, quick.

Let's see. I think the pasta is so thin,
it's almost like gone to nothing.

Why did they take it out of the tray?

I don't want to burn the chopping board.

-It doesn't matter.
-Oh.

Alright, it's not your chopping board.

Shall we just leave it in there, Nan?

[Angellica] Ten seconds!

[Diva] Come on.

[Tommy & Angellica] Eight. Seven.

Six. Five.

-[Elisha] It's raw. It's raw.
-Four. Three.

Two. One.

-That's it. Time's up.
-Stop.

Group hug. Twerk it out.

-[Diva] No.
-[I'm Empire] Mwah.

It's definitely enjoyable working
with your nan.

It must be good you having someone there,
that's, like, easing you, and like,

you know, because on our kitchen
it was really stressful.

The two girls, oh, my god,
they were stressing me out.

Loosen up the tenseness from today.

Oh, I can feel that.

Just move one shoulder and the other.

You know I love you, darling,
so it's all good, you know.

You know, what I was going to say is that
if my family, you know,

makes me a little bit annoyed
in the next round,

would you mind adopting a family member?

-Of course.
-Yeah?

-Yeah, we could.
-We'll swap.

Nice! Okay, I'm happier.

First up is the Whites.

For their pasta bake with a twist,
it's a Morrocan lamb lasagna

with a spiced salad
made with homegrown ingredients.

Making lasagna is quite a labor intensive
task at the best of times,

but when you got to rear the sheep
that go into it, fair play.

Thanks.

In this challenge,
I'm looking for the pasta,

and yours is both well-made
and well-cooked.

On the top, you've got this lovely,
crispy caramelized cheese,

which just brings the whole dish together.

There's defined layers,
which is really important for a lasagna.

But the lamb, I love the Moroccan spicing.

This is an excellent plate of food.

I'd love to come around your house
and eat your lamb again.

You're more than welcome.

Lamb and apricots are sort of like
a marriage made in heaven

and when one doesn't overpower the other,

it means that you really understand
flavors

and you tested your food
as you went along.

I think this is really, really good,
a really accomplished meal.

Thank you.

We are partners.

The Penmans have made
a cheesy green pasta bake

with cavolo nero.

Three pasta dishes
with sausage, harissa chicken,

and prawn and crab.

Garlic bread, vegetable fries,
a yogurt dip, and a pomegranate salad.

It all looks very vibrant.

-I think we should pick and mix.
-Yeah.

We've got so much to talk about.

The pasta bake.

You were the only family
who chose to use tagliatelle.

I don't think that was the best choice.

'Cause it has clumped together
and become quite stodgy.

The cavolo nero flavor is good.

The sausage with the parsnips and onions
again is really tasty.

And the chicken is well cooked.

The garlic bread needed a bit longer
in the oven. It's a bit stodgy.

There's garlic dough balls
and there's garlic dough.

But overall, you've shown you can cook.

[Angellica]
I loved the flavors of the cavolo nero.

You've got mozzarella in there,

and was it your uncle who said
to put ready salted crisps?

I liked that.
Ready salted is my favorite as well,

I'm definitely getting
that flavor in there.

If you'd maybe just focused
on a couple of things,

you'd have perfected those rather than
have lots of different things.

And some of them work,
some of them don't.

So take a step back,

cherry-pick the bits
you want to showcase, and do those well.

-Thank you.
-Thank you.

The Stones have made
an egg-free pasta bake.

An Indian-inspired lasagna
with layers of butternut squash puree,

curried lentils, and spinach.

Accompanied by a mango and papaya salad.

Your pasta bake came out of the oven
and it looked so impressive,

and you know when you started scooping it,
I was like no,

keep it in the tray
and serve it like that.

-That's what I would have done.
-[Natalie] Really?

Because what you did,
while it was still hot,

started spooning it,
and then it just lost all its structure.

So let's taste it
and see what the flavors are like.

[Tommy] The pasta is quite hard to find.

It's all sort of lost amongst it,
which is a shame,

but I thought the butternut squash puree
was an ingenious idea

as a layer in the lasagna.

I think maybe if you'd roasted
the butternut squashes

they'd have been drier,
could've made a thicker puree.

With boiling them, it was quite wet.

The actual ingredients inside,

the chickpeas and lentils
are cooked very well.

The salad is delicious.

[Angellica]
Because the structure is gone,

all your elements are now
in one mass,

so you can't really enjoy
the butternut squash puree

and enjoy your lentil base
and also the pasta that you've made.

So if that would've worked as a whole,
it would've been absolutely amazing.

-Thank you.
-Thank you very much. Cheers.

Finally, it's the Ambimbola-Younges
with their beef steak pasta bake

in a jerk marinade,

with a side of jerk chicken wings

and a mango salad.

Even though you had a little bit
of drama in the kitchen,

you still managed
to get your food out in time

-and present it really well.
-Thank you.

And your chicken wings are saying,
"Eat me."

So eat them.

Don't hold back.

-That is not how you eat a chicken wing.
-I know, but it will get all over me.

[I'm Empire] That's what I was gonna say.
Don't be afraid.

And you being ladylike about it,
don't worry.

The layers are really good.

It's just the right thickness
and it's cooked well.

Still got a little bite,
which is really important,

because you need that,
'cause lasagnas can be so rich.

So if you haven't got that little bit
of al dente to the pasta,

it becomes quite stodgy.

This is packed full of flavor.

Bordering on a little bit oily and greasy,
but it is damn delicious.

The salad works really well,
'cause it cleans it all up.

And what it is it's the tiny little things

that make something really special.
And it's the microplaned lemon.

It lifts the sweetness of the mango
and the savoriness of the papaya

and actually brings
the whole dish together.

I'm really starting to understand
what your cooking is about.

-Thank you.
-Well done, guys.

You took the nation's favorite
of pasta bake

and put your own twist on it
and executed that amazingly.

And I can taste that inspiration
that you wanted to put in there.

Your own jerk Caribbean flavors
work really well in that lasagna.

It's delicious.

If you're going to eat jerk chicken,
you want it to taste like

you've gone to the Caribbean shop,
and you'd easily sell that in there.

My granddad would just love that.

[trills] Yes, Angellica!

[laughing]

Can you stop saying that?

Thank you.

-Thank you.
-Yes.

Well, we've had every single different
type of bake you can imagine.

It's given us a lot to think about, so we
are going to go and have a little chat.

And then we're going to decide which three
families will be coming back tomorrow.

After two challenges,

it's time to decide which family
will be leaving the contest.

[Tommy] Making fresh pasta

puts the cat amongst the pigeons.

A lot of people struggled this afternoon.

We did have a dramatic time
in the kitchen,

and I really felt
for the Ambimbola-Younges.

They had their salads smashed,

and instead of breaking down
and getting cross,

they regrouped and got some amazing
plates of food together.

So much better
than their food this morning.

-Yeah.
-Do you think we're safe?

I don't know.

-Oh, my god.
-You can't really say that.

Can't say it, let's just see.

The Whites,
they've had two amazing rounds.

The Whites have cooked brilliantly.

Then we have the Stones,

and I really feel for them,
because they had a bad day in the kitchen.

They have decent ideas.

They've got great ambition,
but it didn't pay off today.

The flavor, I was happy with.

But sadly this morning wasn't the best.

Yeah. I don't know.

And the Penmans.

Oh, the Penmans.

They didn't stop for five minutes.

I think you've got to see straight
through all of the smoke and mirrors,

all of them dishes,
and look at the pasta.

And the pasta was stodgy.

Well, we've been well fed today.

It's been carb central, so we're going
to have to get down to the gym.

We're really excited that three families
will be joining us again tomorrow to cook.

The first family going through is...

The Whites.

The second family going through is...

The Ambimbola-Younges.

[I'm Empire] Thank you, guys.

The third family staying is...

The Penmans.

Thank you.

So it's sad to say sorry to the Stones.

Thank you so much for cooking for us.

-Good fun.
-Well done.

No, no worries, it's been fun.

You guys deserved it.

Yeah, you guys smashed it.

[Rich]
A few things didn't go to plan today,

and the competition has been so high.

These guys really do deserve to, you know,
to have won.

-Don't make life so hard for yourself.
-I know.

You do too much.

Yeah, we are making it simpler tomorrow.

-Yeah.
-Really gonna enjoy tomorrow.

And be positive.

Well done, you smashed it.
Good man.

-Well done.
-Thank you.

-And you, well done.
-Thank you.

We're going through to the next round.

-I know.
-I'm excited. Come on, guys.

-Come on, guys.
-Teamwork. We did it!

Tomorrow we are going to be slaying
up in this kitchen.

-Okay. Let's do this.
-Let's kill it.

Yes!

We're going head to head. Only one family
member is cooking in this round.

Who chose this horrible,
horrible challenge?

Come on, move it.

Stop panicking,
'cause you are making me stressed.

The first family going through
to the playoffs is…

[trills, imitates I'm Empire] Angellica!
Don't laugh.

I can't work with this.