The Big Family Cooking Showdown (2017–2018): Season 2, Episode 8 - Episode #2.8 - full transcript

Let's go.

[Angellica]
The Big Family Cooking Showdown is back.

Brilliant. Perfect.

We are bringing to our kitchen

sixteen foodie families

ready to take each other on

and prove their cooking is best.

I wake up thinking about food,
I go to sleep thinking about food.

We're either gonna prepare something great

or we're gonna give the judges
food poisoning.

They come in different combinations



-from in-laws...
-If I hear that word "chilled" again,

someone's gonna get hurt!

-...to grandparents.
-Nan, these are going horribly wrong.

-Twins...
-Oh yeah!

...to teenagers.

-Bit of salt and pepper in there.
-Yes, Mother!

Alright, 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.

-It's a great piece of cooking.
-Go, go, right stop!

And me, Angellica Bell.

I've written family cookbooks

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

It's delicious, my Grandad would
just love that.

Yes, Angellica.

We're 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 shattering]

Last time, two families qualified
for the playoffs.

Today, four new families begin
their quest to join them,

but one will be going home.

Stretch, stretch, stretch.

Just stop it! Your hands are really cold!

First in the kitchen are the Whitakers,

hotel owners from Lytham St Annes
on the Lancashire coast.

There's mum Qidi,

dad Andrew, and teenage daughter Jasmyn.

After many years living in Asia,

their cooking is a mix of Eastern

and Western flavors.

As a Chinese cook in the family

we're probably little bit different.

-So we want...
-We're gonna be a bit different.

...use that little difference
to stand out.

Next are the Varmas:

Mum Raj and her two daughters
Naina and Kavita

from Walsall in the West Midlands.

As a family who like to keep fit,

their healthy cooking is low in calories

but high in flavor.

[Raj] As a family,
we are quite health-conscious.

Even all our curries are less salt,
less fat, but they still taste fantastic.

[Kavita] We're that family

-that cooks with less salt.
-We're like the food police.

A few joke, call us the food police.
They know what they're getting.

The Walker-Kings from Wandsworth,
South London

are dad Tony

and sisters Simone and Sheena.

They're all about injecting
Caribbean flavors into their cooking.

My parents are Caribbean but they're
from different parts of the Caribbean.

So the way my mum would cook
certain things

and some of the spices
that my mum would use,

my dad would use something different.

We've got different influences

so even though we live in Britain,

I will mix a Thai curry
with a bit of a Caribbean fusion in there,

and, like, mix and blend
and things like that.

Also from London are the Mistrys:

wife Prachi, husband Mitesh,
and his nephew Anup.

When it comes to their cooking,

they draw on their spice-laden
Indian heritage.

As a trio, we enjoy lots
of different dishes. So, Indian food,

then we like doing a lot of Western food
as well.

I'm trying to fuse the spices together
to give us, like, Indo-Western food.

[Raj] You've got an apprentice
and sous-chef.

-[Andrew] Yeah.
-Yeah.

-You're so lucky!
-Yeah, what have you got?

What have you got?

-Good morning.
-Morning.

-You good?
-Morning.

Ready to cook?

-Yes.
-Good answer.

Well, the reason why you're all here is
because you're passionate about food,

as are we.

Let's get down to business.

First up, we've got
the ten-pound challenge.

Cooking is often about making
delicious food

but without breaking the bank.

So we're going to give you
ten pounds

to create a meal for a family of four.

Now, the theme for this round is
"one pot wonder."

We want you to create a dish

where all the family can just sit 'round
and dig in.

But remember, it must look
and taste good.

[Tommy] We've laid on quite a spread.

Be careful though,

you've got to remember
to choose wisely and shop well.

You've got three minutes,
let's go.

[bell rings]

What, now?

-Let's go
-Where's the shop?

There's a whole range of food on offer,

from expensive meats to cheaper veg.

Yes, garlic.

But with a ten-pound budget

and only three minutes to shop,

the pressure is on to choose
their ingredients

for a dish
they never had a chance to plan.

Get the rice! Just pack it in here.

They need to pick wisely...

-No prawns.
-We got prawns.

...and stay in budget.

-Add it up, that's duck.
-And asparagus.

-This is turkey.
-I'm going to do a romantic sauce.

A romantic sauce!

-One minute left.
-Oh, dear.

-Ah, mint's there.
-Mint, coriander...

-Where's the white wine?
-There, there!

Fifteen seconds.

-Okay. We're done.
-[Tommy & Angellica] Three...

-two... one.

Well done.

[Angellica]
Right, so shopping's done.

Totals have been added and I can
now reveal that three families

have overspent.

As a result of their overspend

our families will have to return

some ingredients to get back on budget.

Over by fifty pence,
the East-meets-West Whitakers

choose to return treasured chili
and lemon grass.

-We surrendered!
-You sur--

Thank you very much.

For the health-wise Varmas' big overspend

of five pounds thirteen,

a portion of lean lamb
and some wholesome courgettes.

I'm sorry.

And giving back some
un-Caribbean tomato ketchup

puts the Walker-Kings back on budget.

It's two pound, eighty.

Well, that's better, isn't it?

It's time to start cooking.
We've got one hour and fifteen minutes.

Start, let's go, let's go!

As always, the families can use
store cupboard essentials

to add their own twist

to their one-pot wonders.

So many families at home
love cooking in one pot

or doing a traybake.

You get all the good bits as well,
like the crispy bit round the outside.

And when everything reduces down inside
it makes it really delicious.

-And you save on dishes.
-You do!

-Qidi?
-Yeah.

You leaving these on?

-I think you should--
-Yeah...

-You going to throw them in?
-No, they are young broccoli.

-Leave them on, please.
-Okay.

The Whitakers bought cheaper turkey mince

with a range of fresh veg,

including red peppers and cauliflower.

I think we could have done with more meat
if we had our time again.

But then we'd probably go over budget.
We'll see what comes out

at the end, if it's enough
for four.

This is my own knife.
A Chinese knife is a karate chop!

No! It's the knife.

Chop, chop, chop, chop.

Hoping they don't get the chop today,

the fusion flavor Whitakers have
decided to make a Chinese hotpot

with turkey meatballs
and seasonal vegetables.

One problem:
in the rush to grab ingredients,

they didn't pick up a few key items.

This dish is not a typical Chinese dish,
it's with a little twist

because I normally have soy sauce

and I normally have
Chinese cooking wine

but I don't have any.

Cooking without soy sauce would
never happen in

the East-meets-West Whitakers' home.

From my dad's side
it's like a Western culture,

then from my mum's side
it's like an...

South East Asia,
kind of Chinese culture.

Andrew and Qidi lived in Asia
for 25 years,

living in luxury hotels
because of Andrew's work

as a hotel manager.

I met my wife Qidi in Beijing,
and then the kids were born.

We lived all over South East Asia

and have travelled a lot.

[Qidi] That's how

I start to get interest for cooking

because lots of different kinds of food,

different cultures, lots of fusion
or lots of traditional,

so that made me go home and try.

Let me have the final check.

I'm the head chef, of course!

My way is the best way,
you know.

Your hands cannot be like this.

Always first, second, third.

Even if I don't agree with Mum,

-I have to side with Mum.
-Have to agree, yeah.

I'm feeling a bit stressed out

because I think we could have
gotten more ingredients.

Because of the time,
three minutes,

we were rushing
to get all the meat and veg,

but we didn't really think about
the sauces or anything.

Jasmyn, leave there for a second.

It must turn golden.

[Angellica]
Hello, Qidi, Jasmyn and Andrew.

-Hi.
-There's lots of order here.

Well, we've done most of our preparation,
our mise-en-place,

so now we've got the executive chef

who's putting all the final ingredients
together.

The lady with red hair.

So we're doing a meatball stew.

Normally you'd have it with pork

or I suppose you'd do it with beef,
but today we've got turkey.

-Gonna see how it works out.
-[Qidi] I never used turkey before,

so it's my challenge.

You know what? One day I came home
with my hair dyed red

and my mum said
"Oh, you look like a turkey".

So there you go!

So the Whitakers have substituted
turkey for pork

which concerns me a little bit,
'cause we know turkey's a much dryer meat

It's not a like-for-like swap.
You can't just take pork and replace it

with turkey. Pork's got way more
fat content, it's not gonna be the same.

-[Anup] Who's gonna do the onions?
-I'll start the onions.

I'm doing the ginger, garlic paste.

The Mistrys chose prawns, tomatoes,

jasmine rice, and herbs,

and actually under-spent
by two pounds and eight pence.

Sometimes the cheaper dishes are the best.

-It might be good.
-Confidence.

-Yeah.
-I like it!

Being under budget.
Sometimes you go to these

Michelin-starred places
and they're not that good.

Hoping five-star home-cooking
will land them in the playoffs,

the Mistrys are sticking
with an Indian one-pot classic

usually served on special occasions
like weddings.

A layered prawn biryani
topped with crispy onions and mint.

[Anup] I got you butter
if you want to cook in butter.

Yep, that's fine.

-I think that'll add more flavor.
-Generally, we don't because it's biryani.

-I think it would be nice, right?
-I don't know.

The Mistrys are passionate
about showcasing the widest range

of Indian cuisine possible.

In the UK it's all about curry
and vindaloo

but then, you're not doing justice
by just calling Indian food "curry,"

because there's a lot more to it.

Smells like home.

And the secrets
of their best Indian home cooking

are quite literally at their
spice-laden fingertips.

It's all in the hands, right?

I mean a pinch of this
and you know, this much, so...

that's how we pass down the recipes
from grandparents to parents.

It's a very Indian thing.

[Prachi] Each of us brings
something different to the table.

I love cooking for other people,
seeing their reactions.

Sometimes good,
sometimes not so good.

But at the end of the day,

it's like seeing the smile on someone's
face when you've made them something.

Like, it's just...
You can't beat that can you?

I've added some star anise,
chopped ginger, garlic and chili paste

so I'm going to saute it so that
the raw flavor goes out.

I'll add the spices and then I'll add
chopped tomatoes.

That will be the base
of the prawn masala.

-It smells great over here.
-It smells delicious.

So there's a positive.

There's so much technique going on.

We've got onions frying, you've made
a stock which smells amazing.

You're cooking down the base there.

[Anup] I took the heads off the prawns,

fried them in some butter and oil,

-and then mashed it.
-Yes!

And then added a bit of water
and then simmered it for 5, 10 minutes.

-It's all about the heads.
-It's all about the heads, yeah.

Superb.

The Mistrys will need to get every ounce
of flavor

out of the ingredients they picked,

because our larder doesn't stock as many
spices as the Mistrys' cupboards at home.

[Prachi] In our cooking we generally have
a big masala box

which is a powdered mixture
of different spices.

[Mitesh] We're used to our own jars.

None of that is here so you have to do
the best with what's there.

This is the great thing about
this challenge.

The families have to use what they see

so they might have an idea
for a receipe they've used already

but if they haven't got everything
they need, like with the Mistrys,

they're missing some spices,

will it still taste the same and be
as good as they do it at home?

We need more water for that pasta.
-I'll wash everything.

I'm delegating, just making sure
that we all know what we're doing

and we get it right,
'cause it's a one pot.

So I just want to make sure
that all the ingredients are present.

They had to return their ketchup

but the Walker-Kings' other picks
included prawns as their main ingredient

along with pasta, white wine,

and some veg.

Although they forgot to pick up
some onions.

Daddy, I'm not being rude,
can you go a bit faster?

-You're slowing Simone down.
-Alright, okay.

You need to take the skin off.

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

Hoping their one-pot wonder
won't underwhelm,

the Walker-Kings are making
a prawn and pepper pasta

with thyme and white wine.

Pasta might be Italian,

but they're bringing some Caribbean heat
to the dish.

It should be really tasty,

a bit of spice and very wholesome.

Simone, mind yourself
with the knife, please.

Simone, let me do all the cutting.

No, no, Daddy concentrate.

-I do all the cutting.
-You... no, no.

-Don't worry!
-You'll be alright with the knife?

Yes!

The Walker-Kings have
always been in love with food.

I've talked to my food
since I was a little girl.

-Ditto!
-I am very alive in the kitchen.

And the daughters' love affair
with Caribbean flavors

started in dad Tony's kitchen.

When you taste Daddy's food
you definitely taste the love

-in the food.
-The passion.

And the care for it.

When we were young, we used to go to
his house and he used to do a curried goat

with pimento seeds and rice.
That was his special.

[Tony] I was never frightened
to try things out.

Different spices
and different ingredients.

With so much love in the kitchen

Sheena can't help but share.

I'm just a romantic cook.

You know, if you want to be dined
and you want to feel in love

then you're gonna want to experience
my cooking.

It's very rich, punched with flavor,

and I'm not telling no one
my secret ingredients.

'Cause it is just something I want
to take to my grave.

But surely there shouldn't be any secrets
between sisters?

Not in this kitchen anyway.

What I might do is just do a complementary
romantic sauce

to just give it that kind of oomph.

[Simone]
What are you going to use?

-Secret. I'm just gonna....
-No, I mean in terms of the ingredients.

Okay, well I'm going to use a tomato,

this orange.

We need a...

Yeah, yeah, I'll get that, Sims.

-Wasn't that it?
-No, we ain't got--

-Oh, okay, sorry Simone.
-Wake up!

-Don't even go there.
-Sister love!

Sheena, how much ginger
do you want me to cut off?

Just a little bit.

What is a little bit?
This bit or that bit?

Oh, Daddy!

Don't "Daddy," which one?

-[Angellica] How are we here?
-[Tommy] How's it going?

You seem a bit stressed, Tony.

Slightly, yeah.

How about I give you a massage
to relax you?

-Oh!
-Don't get used to this Tony!

I could easily get used to this.

That's special treatment, that is!

What are you cooking today?

Well we're doing a sort of pasta
and tiger prawn fusion.

It's kinda like an experiment.

The thing about it...
the onions we should have just...

Yeah, because if you put the onions
and it doesn't cook down properly

it's when you then...

You really gotta know your onions here,
haven't you?

-You discuss your onions.
-Let's get out of here.

-You discuss your onions.
-Alright, see you.

[Angellica]
The Walker-Kings genuinely love each other

and they genuinely love food

but I'm not sure that chaos
is going to translate on a plate.

[Tommy] When you're cooking dried pasta
you want it to be al dente.

They've boiled it, but now it's gone
into the sauce.

They say it's to soak up all the flavors

which... lovely. But is it going to
overcook and become soft and rubbery?

-We want to peel the potatoes, don't we?
-Do you?

-Do we?
-No, just wash them.

Wash them and then we'll just put them
in the casserole.

For their ten-pound food shop

the Varmas chose lamb leg steaks,
red wine, and a selection of veg.

It was a bit of a quick decision.
That three minutes didn't last very long!

But I think as soon as we saw
all the vegetables

and when they said "one-pot dish"

this kinda seemed like the ideal.

The health-concious Varmas have decided
to make a version of a British classic.

A lamb hotpot, cooked in red wine,

tomatoes, and mint.

But of course, theirs will be
a slimline version.

-Take all the fat off, make it healthier.
-[Kavita] Yeah.

So what do you want to do then?

Just gonna cook the garlic and onions.

With low-fat, low-salt cooking

healthy living has become a way of life
for the health-concious Varmas.

[Raj] I'll mainly cook the Punjabi food

which is the type of food my mum
taught me to make.

My kids like to experiment.

That's where fusion cooking
comes into it as well.

Okay, let's taste this.

Good.

[Raj]
I think we're really good at cooking.

If somebody doesn't agree
with what we've done,

I would definitely stand my ground

and I will make it known.

Timing's gonna be perfect.

-I've cut the meat really small.
-That's confidence!

Oh, it is!

It is, you have to have
confidence when you're cooking.

I love a lamb hotpot.

I mean, it's so tasty.

Lots of little techniques there

but if you do them all right,
it's a delicious dish.

Lamb is my favorite meat ever,

but it has to be flavored well.

If it's in a hotpot
that has to be reduced down

it has to be thick
and delicious and... Mmm!

But can a healthy version of a classic
well-flavored stew

deliver what we want?

Halfway through the task,
and our families are beginning to spot

their one-pot wonders

might not be so wonderful after all.

Problems are bubbling to the surface.

The Mistrys' prawn biryani
doesn't have enough punch.

Should I add more chili?

No, I tried it, it was good.

Me and Mitesh feel
the spices are not right.

Let's just make a tarka.

Tarka is basically flavored oil

and then you add the oil to the dish

so it gives that extra kind of flavor
to any dish.

The Whitakers' Chinese hotpot

might not be hot enough.

I think it needs some chili in it.

-I think it's a bit too spicy.
-No.

It's not spicy right now.

Maybe more ginger?

I don't have my soy sauce.

I don't have cooking wine,
but hopefully it tastes alright.

And the health-wise Varmas'
blood pressure

could get high with a certain seasoning.

I think we're gonna need more salt, Mum.

Yeah, yeah, we will do.

I think I'm gonna add a bit more pepper.

Don't want too much of it do we?

No, that's fine, that's fine.

[Raj] It looks really good!

But at the Walker-Kings',

it's the addition of Sheena's
secret romantic sauce

to a dish that Simone is
already happy with

which is causing some anxiety.

The pasta one-pot, as it is,
tastes nice

and it's good,
but Sheena's making her sauce.

I don't know how that is going
to taste so I'm a bit...

I don't know. Are we going to mix
the whole sauce in?

It's gonna change the whole taste.
So I'm a little bit...

concerned, I don't know.
But hopefully the sauce will be alright.

That's really nice

but it needs my romantic sauce!

[Anup] How can a sauce be romantic?

Fifteen minutes left.

Time is now running out to correct
any serious issues with their dishes.

I don't want to be able to cut it
with a knife

but I want it to be
a nice gravy consistency,

and then obviously so that there's enough
sauce there for everyone

when they have their meal.

I might just add a bit more water.

[Kavita] Yeah, I think so.

Finish putting the orange in.

Yeah, okay.

-Because if you add a bit of lime...
-Squeeze it?

You add a bit of lime
the lime would have just done.

-There's lemon over there.
-Yeah, get lemon.

Good girl, Sims. Quickly, Sims.

-[Andrew] Carrots are okay?
-[Jasmyn] Okay, yeah. Potatoes?

[Anup]
These onions are a little over-cooked.

[Mitesh] No, no, it's fine.

-How is it?
-We're doing good.

Well, I'll just have my tea,
while I watch you cooking.

[Jasmyn] At least a bit more pepper
or star anise or something.

No, I did, I put star anise already.
No!

With ten minutes remaining,

all four families appear confident

they've sorted out the problems
with their one-pot wonders.

-Salt's fine?
-Salt is fine.

[Prachi] Okay, cool, we need
all the prawns to be seen.

-Smells good.
-Hot pot!

The key to cooking in our kitchen?

We do as we're told.

-Hot water, come on hot water!
- See?

It's very nice, it's romantic.

Well that really tastes...
I have to say, Sheena, top drawer!

-[Kavita] Need more pepper?
-[Naina] No more pepper.

Oh, that's nice.

[Sheena] We need to plate up,
got about five minutes.

[Tony] Okay, okay.

Actually, Sheena, it's a little less.

-One minute to go!
-[Mitesh] Steam's coming.

-Keep shifting it this way, this way...
-Okay fine.

- It's fine, there's no need to--
-Ten seconds to go.

I want it to look good.

It's cooked.

Finished.

[Angellica] Well done.

Yay!

With their one-pot wonders done

our families can have a couple
of minutes to relax.

Working with my dad, that was intense.

Because I'm the  youngest
as well, because...

I've got two elders,

my dad and my sister, and I think
they kinda want to do the dictating.

-So I kinda--
-That's a bit like me though,

because I've got my mum and my dad

and they're both like,
"Oh, we know best".

"We have more experience than you".

Were you not talking about his massage
he had?

Whoa!

-[Tony] That was extremely--
-[Raj] Did it work?

That was extremely riveting.

It's time to judge
our families' one-pot wonders.

First up, it's the Mistrys'
layered prawn biryani with tarka butter.

Let's have a look
at what you created for us.

-[Angellica] And this is tarka?
-Yes, that's really hot.

It's a one-pot wonder to feed
a family of four.

-It looks great.
-[Prachi] Thank you.

That's delicious. I think the rice is
cooked really well, and...

I'm so happy I can handle that heat.

-Yeah!
-[Mitesh] Very good, good job guys.

[Tommy]
The prawn stock, the head-bashing...

-Yeah.
-...was great.

'Cause that's what releases
all the flavor, that's where flavor is.

[Tommy] The stock that you made
from the heads infused the whole dish.

It's really fragrant, fishy,
and delicious.

I don't like mega spicy food

but actually,
it's a lovely way to finish a dish.

A nice rich dressing,
and I love butter.

-[Anup] Yeah, who doesn't?
-That made it really delicious.

It's a great piece of cooking.

The only thing I would say
is that there's quite a lot of rice,

-in ratio to the sauce.
-[Tommy] Oh, she's hard!

There are times when I eat rice
for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I've been eating rice,
throughout my life.

I could eat that three times a day.

-Okay.
-It was very good.

Next, the Walker-Kings
with their spicy prawn pasta

and Sheena's romantic sauce.

It looks nice. I think
you've hit the brief in terms of...

it's a good big, plate of food
to feed a family of four.

There's a special little sauce.

-Oh, please let them--
-Please, I wanna know about the sauce.

Wait, let him finish!

-So we need to make sure we get some?
-[Sheena] Yeah.

[Tommy] I'm starting to understand
a little bit about your romance.

Okay.

-It's sweet and sour isn't it?
-Yeah.

-And a bit spicy as well.
-Yeah.

-Is that a bit like your personality?
-Yes.

-I like it.
-Oh, wow, thank you, wow.

A nice kick as well, of heat.

The pasta's cooked really well.

-Wow. That's what you worried about.
-Thank you.

It's got the bite you need.
It's not overcooked, that's important.

I think the prawns
are slightly overcooked,

which is a shame,
but I have enjoyed this.

-Oh, wow, thank you.
-Okay, thank you.

Definite potential there,

you just need to improve a few
little bits.

Can we be dismissed?

-You are dismissed.
-Okay, thank you.

Now the Varmas

and their take on a British favorite

with a lamb, mint, and vegetable hotpot.

How did you find the challenge?

-Really good.
-Yeah.

We actually sailed through it, I think.

Okay.

Alright!

We don't say that yet!

-I think we did.
-Yeah.

[Raj] We're happy with what we made.

[Kavita] Yeah, we are.

Okay. It looks like a dish
that you want to get stuck in

-and eat on a winter's night.
-[Raj] Absolutely.

It looks rich, it looks delicious.

-Thank you.
-It looks good enough to eat!

[Angellica] Your potatoes are cooked well.

The carrots are cooked
really well.

The only thing I'd say is
with those cuts of lamb

I wouldn't necessarily have cut them up
and put them in a stew.

Just because the meat is
a little bit tough.

I'd have added a bit more
seasoning.

-Yeah, okay.
-Yeah, that's what...

Did you taste it?

-Did you think that?
-No, it's 'cause we eat with less salt.

We know that sometimes...
we did add a bit more, but...

-A bit more next time.
-The mint flavor's lovely,

and the sauce is a very nice consistency.

With a hotpot, you're always worried
it's gonna be watery. It isn't.

I have to say it's quite a bland dish.
-Okay.

You need to taste and taste again

and re-look at that.

It's not just salt, but all the flavors,
you know?

Everybody's taste is subjective.

If you know that you guys

err on the side of caution,

just balance that out.

Finally, it's the Whitakers

serving up their version
of a Chinese hotpot

with turkey meatballs and a medley of veg.

The first challenge down.
How was that?

-Challenging.
-Stressful.

We should've picked up
some other sauces.

What sort of thing?

Soy sauce or some cooking wine.

-Okay.
-Things like that.

The proof's in the pudding, isn't it?

Looks very appetizing, I think.

You gonna eat the whole pot?

-Are you hungry?
-I've got a hearty portion.

You were worried about not having enough
cooking sauces to make the broth.

I can alleviate the fears.

I think it's delicious.
I think the broth is very well seasoned,

has a good depth of flavor.

It's really meaty,

and the vegetable have taken on
the flavors from that as well.

I think the vegetables could have been
prepared a little less chunky.

My issue really is with the meatballs.

They're quite bland and quite dry,

and I wonder if you've never used
turkey before.

Maybe it wasn't a good choice of meat.

I think this broth is aromatic.

It's flavorsome.

-There's lemongrass in this?
-A little bit.

Yeah, you can really taste that.

Vegetables maybe could have been
a little bit more dainty.

But I was worried about using turkey

because pork has so much fat in it

-and it's juicy.
-Correct.

You saw what was on the table,
thought about something to make,

and thought you'd make an alternative.
Sometimes...

it isn't worth taking the risk, but...

-you presented a lovely plate of food.
-Thank you.

Thank you for your comment.

All considered, we had
decent grub this morning.

Yes, especially as it's a £10 challenge,
which is really difficult,

asking the families to come in
and straightaway cook with ingredients

they mightn't have used before.

Yeah, the Mistrys are
clear winners for me.

Then I would say the Whitakers
come in second.

They really performed well.

It was simple but still had flavor.

Yeah, and I think the Walker-Kings were
slightly ahead in third place.

So, the Varmas?

-They're bottom of the pack.
-Yeah.

In the kitchen, the pressure is on.

-Your eyes look sore.
-They are.

The families now have a second chance

to prove just how well they can cook
together in the kitchen...

Doesn't matter whose dish it is, okay.

Keep an eye out on everyone.

...before Tommy and I send
one family home.

So this next round is
"Nation's favorite, with a twist."

And you're going to be making fishcakes.

We're looking for big flavors.

and a nice crispy outside.

We're expecting good things
because you should have been practicing.

You have an hour and a half,

let's go!

Let's go!

Let's peel the potatoes.

Simone, do you want to use
all the swordfish?

Yeah, well you might as well.

I'm gonna check there's no bones in it.

Fishcakes. One of the nation's favorites.

Now let's be honest. In the past

they were a bit stodgy and bland

but now they take pride of place
in any home or restaurant.

There are so many flavors
that make them delicious.

You can get spices in there, herbs...

It's gonna be really interesting to see
how each family approaches this challenge.

The families also have to serve sides

to complement the fishcakes.

[Simone] We don't need onions.

[Sheena] I don't like...

fishcakes, you won't see me
down the chip shop

asking for fishcakes.

So, I'm a bit disappointed
that we're cooking this dish.

[Simone] Fishcakes is not something

I've ever cooked before.

This is actually new territory for me.

I'm a bit nervous.

[Tommy] With the fishcakes, I'm looking
for them to be perfectly uniform.

On the outside they'll be fried
so they're golden and crisp,

but inside I want it to be
nice juicy chunks of fish.

And of course it needs
to have great flavor.

The Walker-Kings are trying to secure
their place

in the next round

with a gamble on not one,
but three fishcakes.

A Caribbean cod,

one salt fish, and another salt fish
with sweet potato.

All served with homemade spiced wedges,

coleslaw and a mango chutney.

[Tommy] Hey, hey.

-Hey.
-Hey.

There's a lot of order going on here!

-Everyone seems focused.
-Yep.

What's the reasoning for making
three different ones?

Is it one each or...

[Tony] So if we screw up two,
one of them might survive.

-Fishes have got different tastes.
-You want some onion?

-No, you don't need to do it.
-What do I need to cut? The pepper?

No, not yet. Not yet.

You want I just do it while I'm--
So it's out the way?

'Cause we're doing everything bit by bit,

that's why. You're not...
they said there's order!

-There's order now 'cause we're doing it--
-Okay, okay.

-Just take a minute to just relax.
-That's what I'm gonna do.

Yeah, relax, yeah, talk!

-[Tony] Chill.
-Chill, man!

Chill.

Basically, in the Caribbean
we do something called fish fritters

and we use salt fish.

So I thought we'd use a bit of salt fish

in one of the fish cakes to bring
something kind of different.

My gran used to make them all the time.
I absolutely love them,

they are so flavorsome.
So if you can just

-bring that to the fishcake.
-Yeah, then...

You should be onto a winner.

But salt cod is not the only
Caribbean ingredient

in the Walker-Kings' fishcakes.

And it definitely packs a punch.

What's super Caribbean, I would say,
is this.

It's Scotch bonnet,

which is a very, very hot pepper.

-[Simone] Don't mix them, please.
-[Tony] No.

What I'm doing, I'm gonna cut it.

Just don't mix them together.

-I'm just gonna cut it & put it in there.
-Don't mix them.

The Walker-Kings are making
a trio of fishcakes.

I'd be happy with one really nice one.

You're so right. I mean,
the family are full of character

but they're not
harmonious in the kitchen,

and what we need them to do

is make sure their food works together

as well as they all work together.

How's the salt fish looking?

It's looking fresher than me!

While the Walker-Kings are attempting
a trio of fishcakes

the Whitakers are hoping just one

will win them a place in the next round.

Spicy cod fishcakes.

[Qidi] It's more of a Thai fusion
kind of dish.

So, we used to live in Thailand, actually.

[Qidi] We don't really make
fishcake before.

[Jasmyn] We like making prawn cakes.

The Whitakers' fishcakes are
inspired by their life in Thailand.

They're preparing spicy cod
and prawn fishcakes

that use fatty pork to bind them together

with lots of fragrant Thai herbs
and spices.

Served with a mango pomegranate salad

and sweet chili sauce.

Andrew, 20 years in Asia
around all the hotels,

you must get used to that five-star
lifestyle?

Hotel food isn't always
home cooking-style food.

Sometimes you want to taste

real food, not just hotel food.

When you were travelling around,
you actually lived in hotels?

Hotels, clubs...

She think life is... Wonderland.
She'd call and said,

"Can I have pita bread and smoked salmon
for breakfast?"

-Are you spoilt?
-Yeah.

So we have to have a bit of
a reality check sometimes.

We are very privileged because
lots of chefs working at the hotels,

they really the top chefs,

so sometimes I'd go into
the kitchen

to see how they do things,

so I learned a few tips from the chefs.

That was really, really good.

[Qidi] I don't like boring food.
You know what I mean?

I'm not a boring person.

So you can see
with my red hair I'm not boring.

Well, I'm mixing up

the chopped fish,
the chopped prawns,

the chopped pork fat,
and the chopped coriander

-and the chopped chili.
-Egg...

-Already in, mm-hmm.
-Eggs are in?

Round two, and we're getting to know
our families through their cooking.

Yeah, the Whitakers,
they like sticking to their repertoire.

This is a South East Asian dish.

They're cooking with cod, pork fat,
and prawns,

and then they're putting
Thai red curry paste in there.

It's big flavors.

[Qidi] That's lemongrass water.

Just give a little bit kick
of the freshness.

With only three families progressing
to the next round

the Mistrys are banking on
a bit of heat to get them through.

This is going to be a fiery fishcake.

A fiery fishcake with lots of flavor.

That's what we've gone for now.

So two chilies, obviously,
to get us going.

Three for good measure.

I think our judges like spicy.
That's what I've gathered,

so three will do it.

The Mistrys are serving up
spicy cod fishcakes

packed with garam masala

on a spinach sauce

served with masala peas
and a mango chutney.

And when it comes to a fishcake,

it seems Mother knows best.

[Mitesh] We ended up phoning
everyone's mothers to ask them,

"What is your recipe,
how do you guys make it?"

And from there we understood
how we go about doing it.

It turns out that my mother's
and Anup's mother's

are quite similar, actually.

For the Mistrys, their mothers ignited
their love of cooking.

[Anup] In terms of my cooking experience,
I started quite young

watching my gran and my mum cook

and thinking, "I want to try that."

[Prachi] My mum loves to cook,

and everyone in the family
gets together during festivals,

so food has always been like
a part of me, all around me,

and that's how I learned how to cook.

[Mitesh] It all began for me
at university.

Phoned Mum, I said,
"Right, tell me how to make some rice".

Started off with plain rice

and it's gone from there
to become one of my passions.

[Angellica] Do you go out, and eat out?

in restaurants for inspiration?

Or do you think,
"Actually we can do a better job at home"?

When I first came from India
I was really excited.

I'd heard a lot about
Indian restaurants here and curry

and I went to a really posh restaurant.

It was like a total disaster.

The spices were not cooked properly

and I actually got a doggie bag

to show him that I cook better

than the high-end restaurants do.

So I told him, "You know what?
We're not going out ever

to an Indian restaurant,"
because there's no point.

-We make better food at home.
-Oh!

I hear you've been teaching
other contestants how to dance.

Yes, absolutely.

So, I enjoy bhangra dancing.
Basically like...

I bet you'd be brilliant at it.

-Go, go, go, go.
-Normally when I cook, I have it on.

Alright.

-I'm all arms and legs anyway.
-For starters get this right.

One, two, three, four...

[both] One, two, three, four...

You got it, you got it!

[Angellica] Yeah, stick to cooking!

I'm a natural.

[Mitesh] You're doing well.

Well, the Mistrys set the bar really high
with their one-pot wonder

and they're still really confident.

[Tommy] Yeah, they're looking very good,

but was this more than
just a flash in the pan?

They've got more to do to prove to us
that they're very accomplished cooks.

Just like the Mistrys,

the Varmas also sourced a family
fishcake recipe

to advance them in the competition.

So it was kind of a joint effort

but it's based on some inspiration
from our granny, her mum.

To make up for a flavor failure
in the first challenge

the Varmas have reverted to Indian spices

that pack a punch.

Healthy Tandoori salmon fishcakes

will be served
with baked sweet potato wedges

and a zingy mango salsa.

[Kavita] After speaking to the judges
earlier for our first dish,

we're hoping that this dish
will show them

that we can put lots of flavor into stuff,

and this will prove it.

[Kavita] If the judges do like
a heavier flavor

in terms of butter and salt and things,

then I think we could end up
in disagreement,

-especially Mum.
-Yeah.

'Cause we really believe in what we cook,

and we believe in having
a healthier option.

But it also tastes good.

[Angellica] Hi.

-Oh, look at this.
-Lots of flavor.

Lots of seasoning!

Lots of spice.

What about salt?

-Salt as well.
-Yeah?

[Tommy] See, I'm a big lad,
and I eat lots of fat.

Yeah, we'll make sure we...

Am I gonna... I'm just like,
I get the healthy thing but...

-am I gonna find these really delicious?
-Yes.

All of that spice is going to go

-into the food?
-It's gonna go in.

-Oh!
-Lots of flavor!

[Kavita] Make sure you get every bit.
Don't want to waste any.

I will.

Waste not, want not.

[Angellica] The Varmas,
they're interesting, aren't they?

With their healthy food. But you did
ask for more seasoning.

-Yeah.
-I hope it doesn't go the other way.

I've seen them throwing salt
on everything.

I really don't know what to expect.

The families now turn their attention
to their side dishes

and that all-important taste.

I'm in charge of the coleslaw

and for me the special ingredient
is the onions

and salad cream.

Wow, brilliant, perfect.

[Simone] It's just under an hour.

-It's just...
-It's okay, okay.

Where's the foil paper?

-Have we got foil paper?
-Just wait two seconds.

Just pass it over here
and I'll sort it out.

Calm down, calm down.

Do you need lemon zest?

Oh, yeah, I'll do that, that's fine.

[Prachi] That's fine.
I have the coriander.

[Mitesh] Chopped coriander, lime juice.

It's really working well
with Mitesh being the head chef.

Thank you.

Yeah, we are a good team.

Alright, we're doing alright,
I'm feeling the time pressure now,

but we're doing okay.

[Kavita] We're making
a mango salsa,

so there's tomatoes, onions,
some lime.

It just adds a refreshing taste
to the meal.

It's my obsession.

[Raj] Go on, make that face now!

[Raj laughs]

There you go.

Well, I think it's flavorsome.

And Qidi's preparing her signature
sweet chili sauce.

A bit of honey.

And a little bit fish sauce,

and I need a taste.

Taste this.

A lot of honey.

Halfway through and our families are
turning their attention

back to their fishcake mixture.

What we're doing now is adding
a little bit of extra spice

because the powder we're using,
garam masala,

we use a home-blend mix
which is a bit more...

It's stronger, let's just say...

This, I've noticed, is weak.
I put a lot more in than at home.

We've just tasted it
and we're very happy with it.

I think there's lots of flavor.

-I think we're good to go.
-I think that's the word of the day.

-Flavor.
-Our word of the day, anyway.

You have to handle it so delicately,

otherwise it will just crumble.

I've been reshaping some of the ones
that Mitesh has shaped

so, just doing his left-over bits.

With a trio of fishcakes to make

the Walker-Kings are starting
to fall behind.

I'm nearly ready to start
rolling the fish,

putting this into fishcakes.

However, the potatoes are still very hot.

And that's a problem.

I'm having a two-minute silence.

Can't stop, got work to do.

With the Walker-Kings still to shape
their fishcakes

the other families are moving on
to frying theirs.

[Kavita] We're gonna coat the fishcakes
in egg, flour, and breadcrumbs

and then we're gonna shallow fry them
to make them nice and crispy.

But our families have to be careful
that the oil's not too hot

or there's a chance their fishcakes
could burn,

a mistake that could seriously scorch
a family's chance

of getting into the playoffs.

We want the fishcakes to be

-nice and crisp.
-And salty.

-Yes!
-And flavorsome!

And flavorsome!

[Qidi] Coconut oil is more healthy,

and give you the final flavor.

The Walker-Kings, meanwhile,
are finally shaping their fishcakes.

If you can chop up a little bit
of that into the swordfish.

There's just less of them.

It has to be stuck like this.
We can't do what you're trying to do.

Okay, no problem.

We've switched from a trio
of fishcakes

to a duo, simply because...

time.

Unfortunately, but it's gonna taste
just as good anyway.

[Simone] Make some of your own
if you want.

It's more important for this to stick,

and for it to taste good.

I haven't said nothing.

It's not fair,
because I'm doing most of it,

and I'm just asking you
to do simple things.

[Sheena] Can we get this done with?

You've got ten minutes left, everybody.
Ten minutes.

[Simone] Now that we're running
out of time, I have to do them smaller.

Try and make all the fishcakes
the same size.

You understand how difficult
live with the hotelier?

He tell you they all have to come
right the same size.

Exactly the same size.

-Exactly the same color.
-Exactly the same!

-[Andrew] Every time.
-[Qidi] I'm only a home cook!

I try my best.

-Eight minutes, okay.
-I think we are...

-on time.
-We're just about there.

While one family has enough time

to add extras to their dish...

When I make the fishcake

I nearly throw those lemongrass away,
and I thought,

"Why not make a drink?"

It just idea, come up.

Final two minutes.

Others are living on the fishcake edge.

-Make space.
-Remember to get the coleslaw out.

Daddy, we need to put something
on a plate, we've got nothing.

Whatever their size

the one mistake we don't want to see

is a burnt fishcake

and the Varmas' cakes are looking
decidedly crispy.

[Kavita] Take them off so I can get out.

Are they gonna burn?

-Don't break.
-It won't break.

We're fine, just wipe
those plates.

Quite confident with this dish.

More comfortable, more relaxed.

Relax, relax, relax, relax...

Why are you shouting?

Bit more watery than I thought.

But, I suppose that's the risk you take
with not having an exact recipe.

You don't want the fries to go soggy.

No, I know.

-Cut it in half.
-Leave it!

-Simone, leave it!
-We've got four.

Just do what you've got to do.

You've got 30 seconds left.
30 seconds.

Can I get that bowl instead of this?

-Why?
-Because this is too big for a sauce.

-Who gives so much sauce?
-No, it's an extra for anyone who wants.

-What are you doing with that?
-Putting the chutney sauce in it.

What's the problem?

At least something's on a plate.

And last four.

-Hold on, let me...

Just leave, don't...

Just put it next to it. Not on top of it.

It might get a bit soggy

on the sweet potatoes.

Lovely daughter.

[Mitesh]
Alright, pressure's on, pressure's on.

[Prachi] Yeah.

What do you think?

-[Tommy] Ten seconds left!
-It's good.

[Anup] I think we're there.
Is that it?

-There you go, that's better.
-And me.

Looks okay.

All done.

Three...

-Two...
-One...

-Never again.
-Time's up!

After a fishcake frenzy,

a family five-minute break.

You look very relaxed here.

-Ah, yes.
-Feet up!

-It's been a long hard day.
-Hm, bit smell.

-No!
-Don't say that

I think it went really well.

I mean, I'm quite pleased with
the presentation of everything as well.

-What about you?
-The drink looked amazing too.

-Really happy, nice and crispy.
-Really well.

-Yes.
-Nice, lots of flavor.

We shall see.

Okay, families.

It's time to taste your twist
on a nation's favorite.

First up are the Whitakers' Thai-inspired
spicy prawn and cod fishcakes

served with a mango and pomegranate salad

and lemongrass water.

I think the presentation is...

-...phenomenal.
-Thank you.

I love the colors. It's so vibrant.

I especially like the touch

of your lemongrass shot.

[Tommy] Very appetizing.

It's definitely got your stamp on it.

Ladies first.

I think those fishcakes are beautiful.

Thank you.

They're moist. Is there coconut in there?

-I used coconut oil to fry them.
-Yeah.

You can taste that.

This sweet chili sauce

is amazing, all I need now is
to finish those fishcakes,

get some prawn crackers,
and polish it off.

[all laughing]

You've done an excellent job.

-Thank you.
-Thank you.

I'm not a huge coconut fan

but in this I think
it really works well.

The nutty flavor works.

But you've got a lovely flavor of the fish

and the pork fat keeps it nice and moist.

The salad is lovely, nice little pops
of pomegranate.

The little drink is
a delicious little aperitif, actually.

Before or after you've eaten,
it cleanses your palate.

It's really tasty and I like
that little twist on it.

That's your twist,
it shows your personality.

You could have got the crumbs
crispier on the outside,

that would have made this
a really top dish.

Alright, thanks.

Next, it's the Mistrys

with their cod and chili fishcakes

sitting on a spiced spinach sauce

with masala peas and a mango chutney.

It's nice simple presentation.

I think the fishcakes look really uniform

and nice and crispy.

And the peas and mango look appealing.

I think this is a really hard challenge.

It is a challenge that a lot of families
struggle with.

You're having to put your stamp on it.

But this is the exact reason
why I love judging on this show,

because you've put your stamp
all over this.

It's absolutely delicious.

It's a ten out of ten dish.

The spice in the fishcake is delicious.

They're so moist.

The crumb is crisp and perfect

That is the precision you get
in top cooking.

The peas just pop beautifully.

And the spinach puree in the bottom,
perfect.

-Thank you.
-Guys, well done.

This is a challenge we set you,
and we gave you time to prepare.

You definitely went away
and did your homework.

Everything on this plate tastes
brilliant and looks good.

-Thank you.
-Thank you.

Well done.

That's a fishcake home run
for both the Whitakers and the Mistrys.

Can the Varmas reap the same praise
for their tandoori salmon fishcakes

with sweet potato wedges

and a mango salsa?

[Tommy] Presentation's quite simple.

Straight up, I can see there is too much
color on these fishcakes.

They almost look a bit burnt.

Hopefully they're better inside.

And again on the sweet potatoes,

but the salsa looks nice.

Talked to you about seasoning
after the first round,

and...

I'm glad to say that the salmon's
seasoned really well, which is great.

The spices are quite strong,

but I like the coriander in it.

The burnt breadcrumbs in places on there,

they do give a really bitter, sort of
acrid taste which isn't nice.

I think that's the same
on the sweet potatoes as well.

Some of them, as well as being burnt,
are soggy.

The salsa's really tasty.

That brings things together.

Quite a few technical faults on that.

Even though the outside is over done

I think the inside's tasty

and really seasoned.

You've really taken that on board,
and that's good.

Because when you bite into a fishcake
you want to taste the fish

and you taste it.

Mango's one of my favorite fruits

and it's nice to have acidity
to balance it.

I love the dressing on the salsa
which you've done really well.

A few elements that just aren't on point.

-Thank you.
-Thank you.

Also looking to redeem themselves,

the Walker-Kings' trio has become
a duo of fishcakes.

With homemade spiced
sweet potato wedges,

mango chutney and a coleslaw.

[Angellica] So, you managed to present

two of the three fishcakes,
didn't you?

I don't think the fishcakes are as uniform
as I would like.

they look like they've been squashed.

I think we should try them.

The sweet potato cake, I quite enjoyed.

You've got Scotch bonnet in there,
I think, and that's nice and spicy.

The second fishcake with potato in
is really quite bland.

The wedges are under cooked,
and I think slightly raw in places.

You talked about the salt fish fritters
and you wanted to bring those flavors

into this fishcake,

and eating it reminds me

of just being back
at my grandmother's house

eating that, and those flavors
coming through,

which I think you've executed
into this fishcake.

The other fishcake you've made is bland.

I'm not too sure about the sauce.

The sauce...

it smells to me
like it's caught in the pan.

I really don't think
that's how it's supposed to be.

The coleslaw is perfectly nice.

-Okay, thank you.
-Thank you.

Thank you very much
for all of your dishes.

We're gonna go and decide
who goes home today.

After two rounds of cooking

it's time to decide
which family will be going home.

The Mistrys had a great day.

They've cooked some really good food.

I think they're through to tomorrow.

They walked into this kitchen
with something to prove and they did that.

You know, when she said it was
ten out of ten

I was like, "Wow!"

I didn't expect that at all.

Good job, guys.
We work well as a team.

In round one, the Whitakers played it
really safe

but this afternoon they've come back
showing us their creative flair

and their Asian fusion food,

and they nailed it,
apart from one little thing.

The first round we were
put on the spot

-We were like...
-Panicking for everything.

The Whitakers have settled in
this afternoon, haven't they?

I think we're getting a sense
of what their cooking is really like.

I second that.

I think we have quite a high chance
of staying in the competition.

I think we should stay.

Well, it's not what you think!

-It's what the judges think!
-Yeah, that's true.

The Varmas believe they're really good
cooks but they've yet to show that to us.

Do they have potential?

They were the worst family
this morning.

-Good attempt.
-The flavors were there.

They looked good.

The salad was brilliant.

They were slightly better this afternoon.

But they did follow your instructions
about seasoning.

Yeah, they did season well,
this afternoon.

I think that feedback was really harsh.

-They weren't burnt.
-They were just crispy.

And he said that it wan't uniform,

but when I buy a fishcake
it is that size,

so I don't know
what uniform he's talking about.

The Walker-Kings, they were chaotic
this morning,

and actually I was quite surprised
when the dish was quite pleasant,

but this afternoo
they were just chaotic, full stop.

The sauce was burnt

and your wedges were half cooked.

We have two families
that are through.

We're gonna have to make a decision

on the Varmas and the Walker-Kings.

Today we've had some outstanding food,

so thank you very much for that.

We have now made our decision

on which three families
will be going through to tomorrow.

[Angellica] The first family is...

The Mistrys.

-Well done.
-Well done.

Well done, well done.

Well done, well done.

The second family to go through is...

The Whitakers.

Yay!

-Well done.
-Thank you, thank you.

And the third family staying is...

The Varmas.

-Well done.
-Well done.

I'm shocked.

So, sadly, we have to say goodbye

to the Walker-Kings.

Thank you for having us.

Thank you.

[Tommy] You've been great.

-You've been great sports.
-No problem.

I had a great time,
met some lovely people.

It was a very interesting experience,
is what I would say.

The Walker-Kings, yay!

We came, we saw, we conquered.

Fantastic, you guys did really well.

-Yeah.
-I can't believe we came out best.

I told you those fishcakes weren't burnt.

We're gonna make Tommy eat his words!

Definitely.
Show him what we're made of.

Good morning.

-Morning.
-Are we feeling fresh?

Next time, it's the head to head.

And the pressure is on one family member.

Yesterday you showed
you're strong in a pack,

but can you cut it as a lone wolf?

-Wow.
-What's so funny?

[Kavita] He's so chilled!

-Yay!
-Are you worried?

They look okay.

No five-star, no seven-star,
whatever-star, Qidi-star!

I'm so pleased with that.