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[Pepper Pig Profile]

It's scripted Sakks. Like all these things. She reads what she's told. Inane? She's actually a qualified lawyer. I don't mind Susan Calman. There are plenty worse. Who knows, we might have had blooming Gino.

I'm just going to watch on Catch-Up. I've been saving it.

[miss mouse Profile]

Is it over? Have we had the banquet yet? Is that tonight? Previous ones have looked like zero fun for the diners to me. These 'sharing plates' as great bonders, really? usually the bully boys scoff the lot don't they?

I agree re Susan Calman (I think it is) a right royal pain.

Also agree re the criticism, funniest is when judge chef says 'this needs more salt' and the critics say 'this dish has too much salt.

The salt quantities stun me.

[miss mouse Profile]

There are plenty worse. Who knows, we might have had blooming Gino.

That would be terminally dire.

Susan Calman was pretty awful though. Did we have a compère or MC in previous series?

[Earthmaiden Profile]

I don't remember a visible compere like that before. Wasn't keen on the choice. Was it in place of the 'celebrity' chef who used to be in attendance?

The variation in comments between contestants and judges seems to be poles apart sometimes, one wonders if they're eating the same thing.

Last one tonight. The food is interesting but can this really keep going every year? I only watch the judging days for the entertainment value now.

[jeral Profile]

I feel short changed on the judging days - did they used to be hour-long programmes? Plus we get don't get to see the overall scorecard of the judges.

Undercooked food is always described as a rooky error but seemingly common amongst these starred chefs. Timings would crazy too but for the team effort despite being in competition with one another.

Salt is a mystery. I have seen write-ups saying that ingredients in a pan need more seasoning every time another ingredient is added. Maybe that makes it subtler? Although, maybe some old school chefs with dulled tastebuds refuse to accept the low-salt era we've moved into.

I'd love to know how many kids at the banquet wish it'd be chicken nuggets.

[Pepper Pig Profile]

I feel short changed on the judging days - did they used to be hour-long programmes? Plus we get don't get to see the overall scorecard of the judges.

I've just watched Monday's of Finals week It was an hour long. I think the format was different in the early days.

[Sakkarin Profile]

They did show some of the scorecards in the finals week...

Undercooked food is always described as a rooky error

It's not surprising they have problems, they're using an alien kitchen! It must be soul destroying when the kit they're obliged to use breaks down, as it often seems to. There often seem to be "ice cream moments" when stuff hasn't frozen properly too, or ice cream makers break down.

[mistakened Profile]

I'd love to know how many kids at the banquet wish it'd be chicken nuggets.

I would love to know how many children will actually be at the banquet, very few I guess

[WWordsworth Profile]

The early series were ok, apart from Jennie Bond perching on worktops and chattering.

Nowadays it's all style over substance.

[miss mouse Profile]

I would love to know how many children will actually be at the banquet, very few I guess

Probably a child's idea of hell, the poor things.

[Pepper Pig Profile]

Or a lot of little precocious Rees-Mogg type children . . .

[miss mouse Profile]

Or a lot of little precocious Rees-Mogg type children . . .

Ah. Well i won't be there thank goodness. How do the Rees-Moggies whip them into shape? One word from me and mine carried on as usual. As I did in my time...oops. What drips.

Anyway, when is the banquet? Is that tonight? Will we go through the usual malarky of there being no kitchen or it is a mile away or a field kitchen is brought in and the judges (one or two) sweep in to set up the tables. I love it, it is so utterly daft.

[Sakkarin Profile]

I'm afraid I gave up on the "banquet" episode 10 minutes in, couldn't stand any more of her.

[Grasshopper Profile]

IMVHO GBM is getting a bit silly, with foams, purees, getting huge piles of ingtedients, yet putting little scratty bits on the dishes, all the theatricality, serving food on anything BUT plates, etc etc etc.

The final banquet episode, which featured quite a few kids, was the ONLY episode I watched this year.

In truth, 'twas a good thing the kids were well-behaved, cos they had Argus Filch himself there - tho he looked a bit cleaner than normal


Grasshopper

[miss mouse Profile]

I'm afraid I gave up on the "banquet" episode 10 minutes in, couldn't stand any more of her.

Oh, is it over? Bother, I will have to watch now and I was planning to go to sleep.

[miss mouse Profile]

The champion of champions deserved it I think, he was running the pass at one stage and kept the whole thing going, name withheld to maintain the excitement even though I remember it.

[Earthmaiden Profile]

The diners all seemed impressed anyway. It hadn't dawned on me until then that it was a lunch and not a dinner. That gave the chefs less time to prepare than usual (but less time to muck about with chairs etc as they have sometimes).

You can never tell who's going to win, can you! I do agree with Sakkarin that the woman didn't seem right for the part.

[miss mouse Profile]

The diners all seemed impressed anyway. It hadn't dawned on me until then that it was a lunch and not a dinner. That gave the chefs less time to prepare than usual (but less time to muck about with chairs etc as they have sometimes).

You can never tell who's going to win, can you! I do agree with Sakkarin that the woman didn't seem right for the part.

A lot of prep work was done the day before I think we saw, plus a tour of The Boddlean for them. They seemed to be keen to get back to the work in hand I thought, and who wouldn't be, the library isn't going to run away is it?

No kitchen porters, wow did the chefs wash the dishes and empty the bins themselves.

[Pampy Profile]

The champion of champions deserved it I think, he was running the pass at one stage and kept the whole thing going, name withheld to maintain the excitement even though I remember it.

My thoughts exactly - he definitely deserved it.

[northleedsbhoy Profile]

Gotta admit I’ve given up on this and some other of these competitions, including Masterchef until the last couple of episodes.

GBM started off well but with each series I think it’s declined with some of the theme interpretations being so far out of the ballpark they weren’t even on the wall. The concept was to cook for a banquet for folks from the whole spectrum but rather than that some chefs came up with some dishes that probably wouldn’t be served in their restaurants never mind a banquet.

Cheers
NLB