In a first for the series, chef Johnnie Mountain walked out of the Great British Menu during the fish course round of the North West heats.
The chef, who has recently moved his restaurant The English Pig to Milbank, has scored four out of ten for his fish course in his previous two appearances in the show. This year, his dish “a recreation of the sea” made up of edible sand and a sea ‘jelly’ was given a score of two out of ten of by judge Marcus Wareing. He declared the competition “pointless” before walking out.
It will be revealed tomorrow if the chef quit for good, or if he is to return to cook his main course and dessert.
Updated 09/05 – Johnnie didn’t return to cook his main course so is no longer in the competition. He did return to support Aiden and Simon by arriving to taste their plates of food.
Read our full coverage of Great British Menu 2012 here; catch up on the rest of the news from the North West heat here; or see our blog for interviews with some of the chefs and judges taking part in the series.
Do you think Johnnie Mountain was right to walk out of the show? You can add your comments below.
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| Tags : | great british menu, johnnie mountain |
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| Comments : | 75 comments - add yours |
Comment by Shannon at lifeasthewife.co.uk
Left at 20:10 on 8/05/2012It made for great TV and will definitely mean I watch tomorrow. BUT…it’s a competition and if you enter you need to see it through. I hope he’s back tomorrow. The challenge is subjective – it’s the chefs interpretation of the dish. He made the wrong call, it’s not the end of the world.
Comment by Jeannie
Left at 20:11 on 8/05/2012Well frankly I don’t blame Johnny – Marcus has been picking on him and being sneeringly patronising from the start. I suppose it is because Johnny isn’t part of the ‘Michelin Stars Club’. I thought he was really trying to come up with an imaginative heme for his food.
Comment by David Harold
Left at 20:24 on 8/05/2012Ok we clearly can’t taste the food but if I had to have dinner WITH either Johnnie or Marcus it would be Johnnie all the way. Good for him telling them to shove it. I hope he doesn’t come back.
Comment by David
Left at 20:35 on 8/05/2012I think the mark was unnecessarily harsh – no it wasn’t a conventional fish dish, but wasn’t that the point of the competition this year? A mark of 4-5 might have been fairer, I don’t think the dish sounded like it was a complete right off!
Perhaps Johnnie over reacted a bit – but I think most people would have been angry.
I hope he comes back to finish his menu off.
Comment by Emma
Left at 20:38 on 8/05/2012I am not a fan of Johnnie Mountain by any means, but Marcus Wareing was supercilious and snobbish in his dealings with Johnnie the last time the two met on Great British Menu and nothing has changed. Wareing went overboard in criticising Johnnie’s fish course, it was a demolition job. Wareing clearly thought he was talking to one of his commis chefs and not a bona fide competitor on GBM. I have worked as a chef and my opinion of Wareing is that he belongs in this boys club where only the classically trained are welcome. Look at the way he toadys to Simon and Aidan. Wareing , you are in the wrong. You’ve had it in for Johnnie from the moment you met him. Stop sneering and do your job.
Comment by Catherine
Left at 20:38 on 8/05/2012Shame on Marcus Wareing for showing such a lack of interest and respect. No wonder Johnny M walked out – I hope he doesn’t come back. Totally unprofessional to criticize the cooking like that – it sounded like he was ticking off a naughty school boy rather than giving a colleague some feedback. Totally out of order. Stay away, Johnny, they don’t deserve you.
Comment by Andy McConnell
Left at 20:40 on 8/05/2012Yes, he was right to walk out. A score of two was way too harsh, it ruins any hope of making up position in subsequent courses. It was also technically wrong – and here’s why. Every element on that plate was how it was meant to be. There were no errors in execution, the jelly didn’t fail to set, the sand wasn’t soggy. The only issue Marcus had was that he “didn’t get” the theme idea. He didn’t complain about the flavour or texture combination or skill level or any lack in the execution. For that alone it deserved a 5. Seeing as the dish is basically a recreation of the “Sounds of the Sea” plate at the Fat Duck (which also doesn’t contain a hunk of protein) – and that is a long term signature dish in a famously good restaurant – perhaps the fault is with Marcus.
Comment by lebigfella
Left at 20:48 on 8/05/2012Yes Marcus can appear a tad pious.
(
Yes Marcus can appear a little patronising.
But he is the judge, knows his onions and he had a very valid point…
Even the anchovies were tinned! Fish dishes need fresh fish! Real seafood and plenty of it… sorry Johnny you cocked up. The questions were asked, the hints were made but you sadly missed the point… and I am sure you now know this.
Come back and knock ‘em bandy!
See you in the English Pig soon
PS. I love anchovies, fresh or tinned, but they looked awful
Comment by DJM
Left at 21:33 on 8/05/2012This is not the place for a dressing down or lecture which is what JM received. It is entertainment with proven top chefs offering themselves for a real critique but pompous MW crossed a line. We don’t see such harshness on masterchef pro or amateur. The director should have stepped in and MW reminded this is just entertainment actually. MW was OTT but JM would have been better to voice himself and not quit
Comment by Keith
Left at 21:45 on 8/05/2012I have to agree with many of the previous comments that the mark given was unnecessarily harsh. Presumably to be given a mark of 0 out of 10 a chef would have to serve up a plate with nothing on it. As another poster said, MW judged this dish purely on the fact that he didn’t “get” the whole concept. This is completely unfair, at the very least this dish deserved something for the effort and thought put into it, the technical skill and work on the day to execute it and for having the balls to try something radical. I dare say that if Heston delivered that plate I dare say there would be people falling all over themselves to complement it.
From watching their previous encounters on GBM I always felt that MW was a condescending pr1ck towards Johnnie, and treated him with a lack of respect. This played itself out in full force on tonight’s episode and I have to say that Wareing has not an ounce of class. He was incredibly disrespectful of Johnnie and made of an embarrassment of this fine chef on national TV (some might say JM did this by walking out – fair point – but sometimes in the heat of the moment when one feels so utterly hard done by it is a natural reaction to storm out).
Wareing – a smug pompous self righteous git
Johnnie Mountain – a quirky chef who undoubtedly has struggled with his emotions through life, wears his heart on his sleeve, and deserved a bit more credit than he has received from the GBM
Comment by bob
Left at 23:37 on 8/05/2012Surely the question is would anyone have eaten Johnnie Mountain’s dish? It made Aiden cough and seemed to consist partly of anchovy flavoured, shop bought ice cream cones. Also, this was always going to be supercharged after Johnnie made some very rude and inappropriate comments about Marcus and GBM on twitter last year. I think GBM might have hammed it up a bit following the fall out last year between these two!?
Comment by lizzie.smizzy
Left at 01:06 on 9/05/2012yes it was a ground breaking concept… there were elements of the sea. But it’s the fish course.. not the lets take a trip into greek mythology and go mental with our new toys course.
2 was indeed a harsh score. But Mountain has always been a handful, his food poorly thought out and often badly executed, we didn’t get to taste his dish but i’m sure if we did we would have found it interesting but mores the point there was no actual fish other than some tinned anchovies. Marcus was well within his rights to give such criticism to a dish that required shop bought ice cream cones.. especially as in a previous regional episode we saw a chef make his own ice cream cones!
Mountain is an over bearing, pompous, arrogant, ignorant and obnoxious chef and I’ve always found watching him on GBM, a show i love, to be painful and cringe-worthy. There is no way that man should be allowed to represent the north-west or even be allowed in the competition. Well done Marcus for putting that oaf in his place.
Comment by London
Left at 03:23 on 9/05/2012I have watched every series of Great British Menu and have noticed that on the previous two occasions Johnnie competed, Marcus seemed to be unfairly more critical of Johnnie and it appears it’s to do with more than his culinary skills. Marcus, in my opinion, treated Johnnie very unfairly in tonight’s programme. Johnnie was professional, worked hard and generally was very complimentary to the other chefs and to then be treated in this way by Marcus seems very unfair. There is more going on here than Marcus not appreciating Johnnie’s food. I actually think the producers need to address this with Marcus – it’s not ok and it has actually made me think about whether I want to watch the rest of the series. I would go as far to say it’s bordering on bullying and I wouldn’t say that lightly at all! It isn’t a reality show, it is about talented chefs who are colleagues and should demonstrate respect for one another.
Comment by SallyAnne Brown
Left at 03:54 on 9/05/2012I am AMAZED at how many people seem to be angry at Marcus as far as I am concerned Johnnie is out of his league with the other 2 chefs and is full of gimmicks and seems to be lacking substance in his dishes, come on … tinned anchovies and meat out of a packet is not cutting it! Plus it’s difficult to judge when you can’t taste from your living room! I don’t think it’s personal from Marcus I think it was simply 2 poor dishes, it’s almost like Johnnie wanted to wind up the brief or mock it! Frankly don’t bring a candle to a gunfight! Your at risk of being the target! If he walks he walks, he was very unprofessional.
Comment by Steve
Left at 04:50 on 9/05/2012Its hard to say who is furthest out of their depth – Johnnie in the kitchen or Marcus in his role as judge and presenter.
The score of two seemed so low as too be insulting, and the lecture about Olympians after, condescending in the extreme. On the other side, Johnnie seems to have misjudged the brief, and the foray into molecular gastronomy hasn’t really set my mouth watering as I watch the telly.
Its a crying shame that the ten Aiden Byrne picked up for what looked like an inspired piece of cooking was overshadowed by the whole incident.
I’m just hoping that Simon Rogan sweeps the board and ends up doing the judging bit next year.
Comment by Clare
Left at 08:33 on 9/05/2012I would be horrified and furious if I was served Johnny’s fish course in a restaurant. I would send it back. Full of gimmicks and no substance. A couple of tinned anchovies do not a fish course make. I would say that I think there’s a slight clash of personalities between Marcus and Johnny but regardless, the score was appropriate.
Comment by matt
Left at 08:35 on 9/05/2012interesting that so many people have failed to remember 3 things with this incident.
1. it is a competition, with the scoring bracket ranging from 1-10. What is the point of scoring if “out of decency” you will not mark dishes low if and when they deserve it?
2. both of the other chefs pretty much said that the only thing that was nice was the sand. heston’s chef said it was all about the flavours with a dish like this, and all 3 chefs (aside from Mountain) agreed that they weren’t there. Also, Waring is right. Since when do you get smoke in the sea?
3. And this is the most important factor. The programme has to fit hours and hours worth of footage into 30 minutes of TV. Do you honestly think that what Waring was shown to say was all he actually said? I’ve seen many judges comments, across the all the weeks, seem brief, jarring, and not altogether ‘complete’. Editting people. The program makers are there to make an entertaining show. And in the edit, they did just that. These two have history, and the makers will have known that well in advance.
Comment by Erica
Left at 11:13 on 9/05/2012It certainly made great television, but I was furious with Johnnie for overshadowing Aiden’s moment. Aiden scored a well deserved 10 for an amazing dish and all anybody is going to remember is Johnnie’s tantrum. Whilst I admired Johnnie for pushing himself to the limit, he knew he was taking a huge gamble and his dish ended up looking like a jelly fish on the plate. I thought Marcus handled the situation very well. Again, huge congratulations to Aiden!
Comment by Jim Tull
Left at 11:16 on 9/05/2012Wareing was far too harsh. There was a lot of work involved in JM’s dish (I’m pretty sure that anchovie is fish!!!), and I’m also pretty sure that the dishes are not totally a surprise to the program makers. I’m beginning to wonder whether there was a fall out beforehand with Marcus and, being a protege of Ramsey, he was going to make sure he asserted his lofty position as judge. Johnnie was right to tell him to poke it as it was going to be impossible to get into the last two from that position. Why come back? How about a first for GBM and fire the judge after two courses!!!!!
Comment by Shari
Left at 12:39 on 9/05/2012I think Christ Ferron last week showed proper class in the face of poor scores and criticism.
He got 6 all week and got lucky with the dessert and his competition falling at the last hurdle.
To then win his region and go through to the next stage was totally ‘Olympian’. Imagine if he’d thrown a strop and stormed out after his second or third six claiming it was pointless to continue.
I don’t think JM should be allowed to continue even if he wanted to.
Comment by Shui
Left at 13:01 on 9/05/2012Marcus Wareing WHAT AN IDIOT the BBC should be taking him off the next show as a judge. He isn’t a good ambassador and nor a good role model if you start treating people like second class citizens/chefs.
He clearly has a superiority complex and feels Johnnie shouldn’t even be on the show. If you cant treat people with dignity and respect then I think the BBC should think about whether he should be called back as a judge. He obviously keeps talking Johnnie down and becomes overcritical towards him and his dishes compared to the other chefs.
Comment by Victoria Allan
Left at 13:01 on 9/05/2012I feel that dishes are scored too high sometimes out of kindness on GBM.
For once it is a realistic scoring I have to say that it looked very unappetising like a dirty jellyfish!
As said on here before taking food out of a packet or turning it into crumbs is not on, this is supposed to be about cooking is it not ?!
Johnnie could have been the better man and just stood by his dish instead what we saw which was a sore loser.
Why did he have to be so childish and storm out?
The dish was terrible I bet it did not taste much better than it looked (which was pretty dire!) he should take it on the chin and get on with the competition.
Comment by liz
Left at 13:12 on 9/05/2012I didn;t taste JM’s dish but I have tasted the Sounds of the Sea at the Fat Duck and it was excellent, I have also tasted some of MW’s dishes at the Taste festival and I have to say some have been extremely bland. I think it is a case of the emporers new clothes, in that MW gave Simon Rogan a 9 for a plate of what looked like overcooked leaves which even the chef said he could have done better. If Simon had made the same dish, MW would have given him 8 or 9. Someone else in the competition did a very similar dish a few weeks ago with jelly and the sea shore and scored an 8/9, so even if it didn’t taste great the concept wasn’t that ridiculous and he could have given him a 4 or a 5 minimum.
Comment by Jane Sargeant
Left at 13:36 on 9/05/2012OK, so Johnnie behaved like a spoilt schoolboy – probably understandable when you’ve put your heart and soul into a dish and someone gives such a damming critique. OK, so Marcus was unnecessarily harsh in his marking and things he said.
BUT the people to blame are the producers/director of this programme. they should have nipped it in the bud or edited most of it out. Or, more importantly, knowing about the attitude of Marcus to Johnnie in previous series, they should not have asked both back again . One or the other would have made better television. I do not pay my license fee to watch a grown man be belittled by another with an inflated ego. Come on BBC you can do better than this.
Comment by Simon B
Left at 13:50 on 9/05/2012I think MW was a bit too harsh in his mark. Ok he is the judge , and fair enough, he thought JM’s dish was the worst of the three but he could have given him a 5 . That would have still shown it was the least popular of the three but still left JM a chance of clawing it back in the next two dishes. A score of 2 effectively ended any hope of him going through. I think power went to MW’s head a bit there. Yes, JM should have shown a bit more class but it shows how much he cares. I though the other contestent’s barely concealed smirks were a bit classless too. MW needs to realise he is there to judge on the criteria, not on whether he personally “get’s it” or not.
Comment by Phil Campbell
Left at 13:51 on 9/05/2012I have read all the comments so far, and can only see two that have picked up on a crucial point. It wasn’t just Marcus Wareing who didn’t like the dish, it was both the other two chefs in the competition as well. If it had just been MW, then the case for bullying or the like would be justified, but if they all dislike it apart from JM, then it is understandable for a low score to be awarded. No amount of editing by the makers of the show can change the fact that faced with criticism, JM walked away, swearing at the judge, rather than put his case forward. A tremendous lack of professionalism.
Comment by Stephen Hodgson
Left at 14:59 on 9/05/2012The most noticeable thing in the whole of the series this year has been that the judges on Friday have totally disagreed with what the ‘expert’ chef/judge has said from Monday to Thursday. Maybe the BBC should be looking at themselves as to who they are selecting to do the weekly judging because they are quite clearly getting it wrong. As for Marcus Wareing, it is OK complaining about the lack of fish in the dish but as far as I am aware the last time I looked anchovies were classed as fish albeit small fish but they are still fish.
Comment by tdisco
Left at 16:08 on 9/05/2012This whole thing is what we call in the trade a “beat-up.” (I’m a former news/current affairs TV Producer).
After last year everyone knows MW and JM hate each other. I can just picture the producers planning this: “Let’s put them on together again and light the blue touch paper! Hee Hee!”
All through this series so far there seems to have been an off-screen presence egging on the contestants to “mix it” and encouraging the judges to take the piss: “Is this REALLY an Olympic dish? Where’s the ground-breaking element?” Etc. Etc.
The comment above about the producers being capable of nipping this in the bud is exactly right. They could have done. But actually I bet this is just what they hoped would happen. They’re probably salivating over the ratings. And remember this is the product of an independent production company and not the BBC itself. MW and JM were set up.
In any case, to me an awful lot of the dishes so far in this series have been over-complicated cheffy conceits produced to a brief in which “It should actually be good to eat” seems to have been left out. “Molecular” has replaced “delicious” and “ground-breaking” has replaced “satisfying” as the watchwords. I want a plateful of good food, not a bunch of lukewarm leaves or an overgrown ice-cream cone or a deconstructed beach.
I’ve had it with this series…like most of the dishes, it’s a whole lot of contrived and laboured rubbish. Bring back Michel Roux Junior!
Comment by Keith Prince
Left at 16:09 on 9/05/2012Marcus Wareing is there to judge the food he’s been given and if he feels that Johnnie’s dish was worth a 2 then so be it. I agreed with the comments Marcus made about smoke and ‘jelly fish’ but he was obsessive about the lack of fish when fish and fish flavours were in the recipe. However the issue I have with Marcus was the the look of triumph that seemed to be on his face when Johnnie walked off. Earlier he had made the “molecular gastronomy is a skill but toys and great equipment” speech in a clearly critical and almost hostile manner that to me undermined his credibility and impartiality. His critique was not just of the food, but of the chef. In all of the other rounds the Friday judges have been really looking for innovation and chef’s prepared to take a risk, to push themselves and go for gold. Johnnie Mountain did that, even if in execution it was flawed and there were issues. The fact that Marcus didn’t “get it” is perhaps indicative that he doesn’t get the brief himself and lacks flexibility and imagination. As previously mentioned, the opinions of the chef judges have not been in sync with the Friday judges so perhaps we need a way of judging the chef judges? Also, the Friday judges have had similarly negative opinions of other dishes but they found a way to express those opinions to the chef in a more diplomatic way. Perhaps Marcus needs to be given a rest next year? And one final point, can we have chefs representing regions that they are based in and have a working understanding of local produce? Marcus and Johnnie haven’t been in the North West for many a year, in common with many other chefs representing other regions.
Comment by stiggle
Left at 16:56 on 9/05/2012Yup I’d have walked too. I think the word for marcus began with a w and sounds like anchor. Hmmm I agree Johno, marcus has always been and is full of his own self importance. But I love his fake hair…
Comment by Andy McConnell
Left at 18:32 on 9/05/2012Remember also that Marcus is not there to mark the dishes out of ten – he is there simply to eliminate one chef (i.e. the “score” doesn’t matter, and can’t be compared between different “chef” judges.). Also remember that each chef is really only competing for ONE course at the banquet – no one will have their entire menu chosen. So, in reality, you should choose the chef with ONE outstanding course and three terrible ones over a chef with four “pretty good” courses.
The score of TWO simply says – “I don’t care WHAT you put up for the main course and dessert – they might be the best dishes in the world – but you ain’t goin’ through, fella.”
… and that would make me swear on camera as well.
Marcus was out of line.
Comment by Fozwords
Left at 19:17 on 9/05/2012Marcus Waring should be ashamed of himself, he put Johnnie in an untenable situation, his food may not have been to the great Marcus’s standard but it looked very good to me, the trouble is the programme maker give one agenda but people like waring have their own. He should publically apologise and revise his score how could Johnnie ever come back from that low score and stand a chance, the blame is warings.
Comment by Displayname
Left at 19:20 on 9/05/2012Marcus bullying Johnnie AGAIN! appalling behaviour in its own right but also obliterating this weeks heat as Johnnie has no realistic chance of getting to judgement day. Thanks Marcus.
Comment by Nick
Left at 19:49 on 9/05/2012Its simple it was very unprofessional of Marcus to mark a fellow chef so low and to state before giving him this score that he struggled even to give him a score of two is shocking. Marcus knows about cooking but has no tact or leadership skills whatsoever It was like he had an alterative motive it was like covering Johnny in paper cuts then throwing salt at him.
The professional way to do it is to make it interesting by making it close keeps everyone interested mainly the contestants which in turn makes great tv and thus makes us interested a two horse race where two go through to the final is nonsense and has been caused by Marcus.
Marcus should be sacked for the way he dealt with this and its shocking that he is allowed to carry on.
Johnny was by far my favorite he pushed the boundry and deserves another chance next year his dish was stunning to look at and very skilled to make even if it didnt dance on the tongue and Marcus didnt get it doesnt deserve anyhting like a score of 2 !!
Comment by Sam Allen
Left at 19:50 on 9/05/2012Marcus Wareing is a bully. It’s as simple as that.
Comment by Fi
Left at 19:53 on 9/05/2012Wrong to walk out. Dish looked horrible and nobody liked it! Bad loser – he should have stayed. Maybe he would have got a ten his main or pud. Bad move to have tantrum on TV. Shame.
Comment by Deekyevans
Left at 19:54 on 9/05/2012Marcus was right that the dish was not working but wrong in giving it such a low mark – I have seen GBM since begining and i cannot remember another getting such a low mark at this stage – Marcus gave nothing for attempting to push the boundaries and I think if he added a nice piece of fish to the dish it would be a contender as those other elements could be a good base for a fish course- the competition was effectively over at this point as the other chef’s would need to fail in order for him to get through – do the math – Johnnie would never get 2 tens for the next two rounds.
Great telly but now the rest of the week sems a bit pointless Just a long cookery – just go to the judges and let us see how that works out.
Comment by weedo
Left at 20:30 on 9/05/2012Marcus killed the contest anyway by that idiotic two.
There were some things wrong on that dish but its not an 2/10. Replace anchovies with mackerel fillets and its worth at least an 6/10.
Marcus took personal reasons into his judgement and therefor not fit as jury.
But I’m not surprised, guys like Marcus aren’t even allowed to look after my dog for an hour.
Comment by Karen
Left at 20:37 on 9/05/2012Yesterday’s judging of Johnnie was utterly uncalled for and I will no longer watch the program – in my opinion it is the only way to show viewers’ response to what happened. How can any chef receive such a score at this stage? It was a total uneccesary humiliation for Johnnie and I support his actions completely. The dish had both concept and, yes, there were several types of fish/seafood used. This seems like a concerted effort by Marcus to destroy Johnnie. Johnnie, stick to your guns and do not return to the program at all.
Comment by goonmyson
Left at 20:38 on 9/05/2012Marcus is a first class tool and a bully. I have never liked him and unfortunatley I have eaten his food bland is not the word, tasteless unimaginative dross.
Comment by James Finnieston
Left at 20:43 on 9/05/2012Well, it was really quite unprofessional of Marcus – but he always behaves like that.
It seems it’s time for Marcus to step down, he’s done the North West a disservice and it’s time for him to go.
Comment by Frank Harrington
Left at 20:49 on 9/05/2012Marcus Wareing has had a downer on Johnny not only this year, but in past competitions. I am really sorry that Johnny was humiliated in this way on prime time TV, and any respect I had for Marcus is completely gone.
Johnny, I salute, you, and Marcus, shame on you for letting your prejudice get in the way, and for humiliating your fellow professional in such a demeaning way.
I used to be an avid fan of the programme, but you have lost me now as a supporter and a viewer.
Johnny, I am truly sorry for the way in which you were treated.
Frank
Comment by Rachel
Left at 20:52 on 9/05/20122/10 is a bad score, and Johnnie was obviously gutted. BUT… he served tinned anchovies on breadcrumbs. The whole \taste of the ocean\ concept as a groundbreaking new dish is flawed, seeing as Heston Blumenthal has been doing it for years. I think it showed a REMARKABLE lack of professionalism for Johnnie to stomp off like he did, swearing at Marcus, and I am shocked he felt it was appropriate to turn up to \support\ the other two chefs on tonight’s show. More like someone with a bit of PR savvy pointed out how shite he looked after the toys out of pram throwing episode.
Comment by Ed
Left at 20:56 on 9/05/2012Marcus, you’re a bully. And completely unprofessional and personal.
Johnny I’d love to eat your olympian dishes in your restaurant.
Boycott Marcus Wareing! That’s the only dressing down he’ll pay any attention to.
Comment by Pete
Left at 20:58 on 9/05/2012Marcus has been like this for the past two series – he seems to think that because he won before he is somewhat superior – but then to see him fawning over a two star chef this year also says a lot.
Now he once made a good custard tart – how ground breaking!
Personally I don’t think Marcus is that good – he thinks he is…..but for me the acid test is simply this…..would I now go an eat in Johnnie’s restaurant or Marcus’s…..
Easy…I’d be happy to try Johnnie’s food – but I couldn’t bear to try Marcus’s. My reason? I can’t imagine Marcus having the humility to accept I could send a dish of his back.
I look forward to his demise. Arrogant, nasty man.
Comment by Amanda
Left at 22:32 on 9/05/2012I hope you are reading this Marcus. This was not your own private kitchen where you can dress down staff. JM got the brief wrong, he took a risk and it failed. It would have been enough to say that. Did you really have to humiliate, ridicule and belittle a fellow chef? Did it make you feel superior? And for all those who say Marcus was right… WAKE UP. It’s a TV prog. The food is secondary to the entertainment! I was seriously NOT entertained. I don’t like the format this year. I feel the producers are encouraging this type of behaviour.. What’s with the judges taking the chefs out of the kitchen for little pep talks? How condescending.
Pru … Sort Marcus out!
Comment by Superted
Left at 22:44 on 9/05/2012I have consistently watched GBM and consistently disliked the northwest region. Other regions have a critical but fun relationship between the chef judge and the chef competitors. Corrigan was more cutting than ever last week but the Northern Irish have a better sense of humour and they all took it well. The relationship between judge and competitor in the NW has always lacked this respect (apart from with the lass who was Marcus’ protege, who nevertheless would have won any region despite this)
My point is this: The programme editors have been pushed this year to make the programme more dramatic, and this has been relatively harmless in the other regions, but the lack of mutual respect in the NW has resulted in format breakdown.
The criticism would have been taken differently if it were coming from a different mouth.
Comment by Steve
Left at 22:49 on 9/05/2012All that needed to be said was:
Im sorry johnny, I know you’ve put a lot into it, but for me, the dish missed the brief. A nicely cooked piece of fish atop your sand instead of the jelly, and I may have marked you higher.
As it is, I am sorry, but I cannot improve on previous years scores.
Better luck with your main.
4 out of ten.
Comment by Guus
Left at 23:00 on 9/05/2012Johnny never got a higher mark then a 4 for his fish dish. And now he suddenly thought he was an expert on molecular cooking. Everybody could have seen this disaster coming. Johnny should have too. In my opinion he left Marcus little choice. It was a complete lack of judgement on the part of Johnny and not for the first time. Marcus had enough of it and gave him the grade that, maybe he should have gotten earlier. Which in my opinion explains why Marcus has always been on Johnny’s case. He just delivered a crappy dish one time to many.
Comment by Katie
Left at 23:29 on 9/05/2012I felt, for the effort that JM put into the idea he should have scored more than 2, even if the taste was not good and Marcus didn’t ‘get it’. I thought Marcus was out of order in his comment that he ’struggled’ to give him 2 points – outrageous! MW has never seemed to like JM and the fish dish was just the icing on the cake.
I’d like to point out that the interpretation of the brief by the chef judges has been very different to that of the critic judges this year, with the lowest scoring going through from the chef’s judging being put throguh to the next round by the critics…makes you wonder if JM was put straight through to the critics if their thoughts would have been different. Perhaps the judging chefs and food critics should consider getting together beforehand so they’re singing from the same hymn sheet for a change!
Comment by Paul
Left at 23:41 on 9/05/2012Marcus is a bully and his comments to Johnny over the last few years have been disgusting to watch. This years brief was supposed to be ground breaking food, Johnny tried to be different and was humiliated in front of everyone, yet one of the other chefs grilled a lettuce and got a 9. Also, Marcus was shocked that Johnny had smoked stuff in his fish dish, obviously Marcus has never heard of smoked samon!!! The proof is in the pudding, Johnny has 3 top restaurants whilst Marcus still hides behind Gordon’s apron.
Comment by bridget
Left at 08:55 on 10/05/2012Wareing has ruined the whole competition, watched last night, just what was the point of the other two cooking and Wareing scoring their efforts? Nothing, a total waste of time, the BBC might just as well have scrapped the mains and pudding and just let the two go straight to the judging panel. Wareing is a complete twit, just what makes him think he is above the rest of them, the fact that he made a half decent custard tart 6 years ago (and who in their right mind would serve custard tart as a pudding at a banquet) doesn’t make him the fountain of all culinary knowledge. It is obvious that Wareing wanted to belittle Johniie, probably thought it was clever, Johniie was right to walk out, but wrong to come back and do the tasting, the BBC must have leaned on him good and proper, shame on Wareing and shame on the BBC, ruined a fairly decent half hour of recreation just so that a prize chump like Wareing could get a minute of cheap gratification.
Comment by Andrew Donohoe
Left at 14:34 on 10/05/2012I though MW was bang out of order. In fact, I also though Aiden was out of order also. When Johnnie was talking about doing molecular cooking (which was the brief – he was breaking new ground out of his comfort zone) they were all talking like this is not Johnnie, whats Johnnie doing this for, bring back the real Johnnie etc. etc. – and I felt it was belittling to him. MW has had it in for JM for the last few years, I though he treats him worse than other chefs. While the fish dish may not have been great, it was worth more than a 2 (which MW said he struggled to give) – he served it on time and the elements were in their correct place. Just because MW “didn’t get it” does not a bad dish make.
I was glad that JM came back last night to support the other two chefs, and it was noticeable that JM did not shake hands with MW and MW stared him down the whole time. Wareing, you are pathetic, get down of your high horse. This is a competition for professional chefs, not for singling out one contestant year on year and belittling him like he was part of your own staff.
Comment by mikeambler
Left at 15:45 on 10/05/2012I completely agree with Johnny that Marcus was out of order and insulting. 2/10 is actually a reflection of the judges lack of engagement with and lack of understanding of a groundbreaking dish. Johnny should have been awarded a 6 or 7 at least and the mark he received somehow suggests an atmosphere if not animosity between the two professionals. I think that Marcus has damaged his own career by his ill considered actions and bigoted frame of mind. Johnny, you have my vote for your thought processes and leg work. Johnny did, after all, consult the ‘Fat Duck’ experts. I wonder what Heston would think about this charade.
Comment by Threepwood
Left at 16:44 on 10/05/2012I think the point of a fish dish, is that it should at least have some fish in it.
But maybe I’m old fashioned.
Would you put up a dish in the meat section that was comprised only of vegetables with a dusting of ground crackling? and then expect great marks for it?
Thought not.
After the all trouble over his appearance on the Frank Skinner show, and his descriptions of what he does in and to the dishes of diners he doesn’t like, it is unlikely he’ll ever be employable again, so he’ll have to employ himself at his own restaurant, and for that reason you’d have thought he’d have kept his head down and not flounced out when things didn’t go his way. He returned by the way because he was told he’d not get a fee unless he appeared in at least three of the programs.
Comment by Kate
Left at 19:23 on 10/05/2012Well, I think it was awful. MW had already given him the lowest score the day before, and knew that giving him a 2 meant he’d have no chance to get through to the judging on Friday. The parallel with Chris Fearon doesn’t really hold as he had every chance to make up a difference of a few points. When you have 9, and the next person up has 15, with only 2 courses to cook, you have a problem.
I have issues with the way this series is running as the chefs don’t seem to be in line with the judges AT ALL. They seem to want totally different things. Chris Bell scored really highly all week last week and yet, the judges only liked one of his courses and he lost to Chris Fearon. Again.
I don’t like the way they try to create conflict on this series in the general atmosphere and the voice over. The NI heat was a relief as everyone seemed to get on and be relaxed in everyone’s presence, despite Corrigan’s reputation as a hard man to please. The atmosphere in the NW heat was awful from day 1. But MW was so far up his own arse, it’s unreal. Like others, I have never liked him but some told me I was wrong because his food was amazing. This just shows him to be a bully. Why should JM have stayed when there was no chance at all, and also felt his dish was scored unfairly?
Comment by Andy McConnell
Left at 19:56 on 10/05/2012It was a SEAFOOD course, rather than a “fish dish”.
Johnnie Mountain has worked at the Fat Duck as a professional chef.
Comment by weedo
Left at 20:08 on 10/05/2012It was a well thought out execution from MW. Buying support by giving a 9/10 for a salad and an 10/10 for a salmon. Those two are abused by Mw so they dont stand up when executing the kill. Look at their faces, they cant believe what they hear.
I’m gonna watch next week when MW face is gone.
Comment by Alan spedding ( cumbriafoodie )
Left at 20:24 on 10/05/2012Well no one can say it wasn`t entertaining and i have to admit i sat watching with a stupid smirk all over my face throughout the duration of the programme….Johnny is definitely an entartaining guy.
As for his fish dish….It simply looked stunning , i`d love to take some pics , they`d look great in a gallery…..and nice to see he came back on the prog.
Comment by katrina
Left at 21:49 on 10/05/2012I have never responded to a tv programme before. I feel SO strongly about what happened on Tuesday that I cant let it go without complaining to someone about it. I love cooking programmes and like gbm. Since the start of ‘peer judging’, I have wondered about favouritism and personal feelings preventing peer judges from being objective, but what happened on Tuesday took this to the limit. I am not a fan of either chef nor did I have any views either way on that kind of people they were/are. What Marcus did was not only totally wrong and unprofessional but the fact that the producers allowed him to get away with it is quite unforgivable. I always thought that the BBC were fair and impartial but to allow such outragous and nasty behaviour to continue is quite frankly shameful. Having read all the comments, it is clear that Marcus is well known to be a bully and also clear that there is a history between the 2 chefs. Bullies dont care when they are exposed as long as they can continue to get away with it so there is no point in slating Marcus because it will probably just feed his arrogance. The BBC should have NOT allowed Marcus to judge a fellow chef with whom he already had issues. Please do the right thing and publically let Marcus know that his behaviour was unacceptable. If he is allowed to judge again next year then the BBC is only ruining it’s own reputation and showing the public that it condones emotional cruelity and public humilliation of good people. This was suposed to be a friendly competition, not a sanctioned episode of bullying. The programme is there for people to enjoy. People like Marcus should NOT be allowed to judge. Only chefs with the capacity for impartiality should be given the honor of excercising their good judgement on this type of TV programme. If I wanted to witness this kind of behaviour I would have been watching Jerry Springer. BBC you are suposed to be better than that.
Comment by BigLau
Left at 22:08 on 10/05/2012MW seems to have it in for JM, he treated him differently, and was particularly sneering about Jonie’s attempts to meet the brief. Previous rounds have seen people spectacularly fail (noseclip or goggles anyone?) without being punished like this, a score of 2 is simply disrespectful to a fellow professional. Given that JM said several times he was worried about again getting a 4, and that this was never going to be his best round it just ruined the programme by creating a reality TV scenario. At least he had the decency to come back to comment on the next set of dishes, but it seems the production staff had to work hard on this, and his comments were pointed. A score of 4 or 5 would still have made it hard for him to make it through to Friday, but at least he would have had a chance and we’d have seen him cook the second two courses.
I hope Marcus isn’t used on the next series, he seems to lack objectivity and respect, and the production staff need to think about what they are doing with GBM. The move towards scripting conflict in is not what I think most people want to see…
Comment by Haggis
Left at 23:15 on 10/05/2012It was quite ironic that, just before last year’s fish courses went up for judging, Lisa Allen jibed Johnnie that she hoped he’d score a two!
Comment by mac
Left at 00:06 on 11/05/2012JM was (rightly of course) critical of the other chefs on Monday because they were not “pushing boundaries” enough in their concepts while he on the other hand (in his opinion) was pushing the boundaries so far that he was “over the edge”..and why? Because he used liquid nitrogen. How awed the other chefs must have been when he got his can of the stuff out to show them. How they must have marvelled when he showed them how it worked ” come here boys and girls if you want to see liquid nitrogen”! He now uses it all the time he said (before dotting his plate with bits of iberico ham from a packet).Yes that same nitrogen that was used on “come dine with me” in a kenwood chef circa 2010. Then how damning was he was of Rogan’s leaves. He simply didn’t like the food…. it wasn’t…” pushing boundaries”. Yes JM, all this new-fangled foraging/herbalist nonsense, coming over here from Denmark and messing about withour home grown molecular wizzardry (OK, elbulli may have got there first a couple of decades ago). You show ‘em what the boundaries are.
All that being said there was no need for MW to labour the point and I am sure that many a true olympian has had a hissy fit. Probably most of them. Utterly ridiculous brief.
Comment by Basil Fawlty
Left at 00:09 on 11/05/2012Sorry to break up the sycophantic Jonnie club. But the Fish dish was barely a fish dish , if trying to express a Poseidan connection, I don’t think smoked anchovy is cutting it. The jelly looked disgusting. Jonnie wants to be simple ingredients one minute then next minute playing with toys. Then throwing them out of his pram. Is it that the British like a loser and underdog? Marcus is a heavy weight that can see through the chancer that he is. One minute his restaurant is fine dining British with a touch of molecular, then it’s simple non fancy fare. I’m really surprised that folk are so taken in by such a loser.
Comment by bridget
Left at 13:29 on 11/05/2012Well, what a loadof ocodswallop the last two night have been, the chefs cooking to ‘get a high score’, what for? They were guaranteed to get through to the Friday judging so who were they trying to impress? Not Wareing, he’s already in love with the 2* chef who could just as well serve up a burger and a flurry and get a 10. The sheer two-faced gall of him saying that he didn’t expect Johniie to walk off just proves that he was out to humiliate and belittle him, the BBC should have sacked Wareing on the spot and got in someone else and redone the whole thing. Personally, I’m not much in favour of the current format where fellow chefs are the judges, it really is bound to show up animosity like that displayed by Wareing.
Comment by Matt Cullinane
Left at 08:37 on 12/05/2012With his opening of packets of Parma ham, tins of anchovies, crumbling packet ice cream cone etc. Johnnie Mountain is having a laff at the competition. He courts attention like a desperatly spoint child. He is way out of his depth and should not have been in the competition. He is too concerned with attention seeking and less concerned about cookery. It’s a real shame. He stole Aiden Byrnes moment of Glory of getting a 10, with his attention seeking behaviour again. He then turns up and winds Marcus up before he tasted Aiden’s next dish. It was like an ex fiance turning up at the wedding day and trying to be all nicey nicey, shameless and embarassing. He is a disater and needs to grow up and realise no one really cares. He obviously has self estemm issues that he needs to address as a responsible adult. Johnnie go away and do you job properly
Comment by Matt Cullinane
Left at 08:48 on 12/05/2012You know what, Marcus was the judge, he is entitled to his opinion, end of. He is a big hitter and knows his stuff. JM on the other hand is an adult and has entered a competition where he is being judged. He is also entitled to his opinion, and he exercised that by walking. So what. nobody’s been hurt. Johnnie tata get over yourself
Comment by mac
Left at 22:25 on 12/05/2012Basil we may have crossed postings, time is short, but please look at mine again…
Comment by vincenzo
Left at 16:44 on 13/05/2012MW you sir are a A~~~~~~L there was fish on that plate you have a problem with JM get over your arrogant self and i hope you are removed from the judging panel
Comment by vincenzo
Left at 17:03 on 13/05/2012Further more what should have happened is that the three final judges should have judged that dish and if they came to a diffrent conclusion be remarked that would have been fairer to JM
Comment by TJ
Left at 20:09 on 16/05/2012Marcus behaved appallingly unprofessionally. Johnnies interpretation was to push boundaries! There was absolutely no reason for giving such an insultingly low score of two! I felt that Marcus was not impartial, he appeared to fail Johnnie before he began. There was absolutely no need to be so pious Marcus.
I take my hat off to Johnnie walking out. Firstly, it was an unfounded low score and, secondly there was no chance of Johnnie getting through at any level after Marcus scoring unreasonably low . Marcus played a dirty game!!!!
Well done Johnnie for returning to support your fellow competitors. You are fifty times the man that Marcus could ever dream of being!
I hope that you are very proud of yourself, you have every right to be
Comment by Basil Fawlty
Left at 16:04 on 4/06/2012Yes Mac, I did miss your post. Well put indeed.
Comment by steve zodiac
Left at 12:49 on 7/06/2012good on you for walking out
Comment by Mark
Left at 21:39 on 30/10/2012Hi, I think that Marcus scored Johnnie just right, and I am pleased Johhnie left.
This whole molecular gastronomy makes me sick.
I just want honest-to-goodness cooking that brings out the natural flavours, aromoas, and colours of the produce used.
I want food to cooked in a kitchen by real people, not manufactured in a laboratory by chemists who measure chemicals from jars and processes them so that they taste and look like something else.
Give me a fish course that comprises fish or seafood any day, not Johnnie Mountains unappetizing gaudy diarama manufactured from breakfast cereal.
A pox on all molecular gastronomists and especially their chief chemist – Hester.
Comment by Tanya
Left at 21:27 on 1/11/2012I have only just seen THE EPISODE here in Australia and i do love watchin GBM but….Regardless of whether MW is a bully, Or JM is a sook, I think GBM has lost it’s way. Last year they nearly had it, with local food and local heros, but following ” Olympic ideals” and ” pushing boundaries” and “innovative elements”. OMG since when did ingredients become elements? What has happened to real food? Food that the average person doesn’t need a chemistry set for? There are already far too many chemicals in our foods without top chefs advocating the use of more.
What I want to see is a back to basics GBM. chefs get a mentor from the CWA and cook real home recipes. Traditional recipes. The guest list for this banquet is a ballot of real people. Not celebrities, not people who “deserve” to be there but the people who Deserve to be there.
Another concept, a vegetarian menu. I’m not vegetarian myself, but having to cook for one every day definately brings out my creative side. Chefs unable to rely on a piece of protein (cooked 50 ways usually) will have to find other ways to make tasty and exciting food.
How many of the guests of GBM in the years it has been running, have been vegetarian and weren’t able to eat because of the menu?
Lastly, lose the fossilised judges.
MW you were tough, but I think, fair. JM criticism needs to be taken on the chin. Acting like a spoilt brat isn’t going to win you votes. GBM, GET REAL!!!