Great British Menu 2012 – Central, the chefs, dishes & results

The second week of this year’s Great British Menu sees three chefs from the central region competing under the watchful eye of previous winner, Glynn Purnell.

Aktar Islam

Chef Director – Lasan, Birmingham

Atkar Islam didn’t train formally as a chef, instead learning in the family restaurant and from his mother at home. In 2002 he opened his first restaurant, Lasan serving contemporary Indian cuisine (the restaurant celebrated its 10th birthday the week before appearing on the show) . The restaurant has gone on to earn both a great reputation and a number of awards. In 2008 he opened his second restaurant, Lasan Eatery offering a more casual dining experience.

Last year, the chef’s fish course “Influences from the Konkan coast” was chosen to be served at the end of series banquet.

Follow Atkar Islam on Twitter – @atkarislam

Paul Foster

Head Chef – Tuddenham Mill, Newmarket

Paul Foster has worked and trained at top restaurants across the UK including Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and Restaurant Sat Bains as well as spending time at  restaurants in France and the USA.

In 2010 he took over as Head Chef at Tuddenham Mill which received three AA rosettes at the start of this year. At the restaurant he cooks modern British food making extensive use of seasonal and foraged ingredients. In 2011 was awarded ‘Young Chef of the Year’ by Observer Food Monthly. This is the chef’s first appearance on Great British Menu.

Follow Paul Foster on Twitter – @paulfoster

Daniel Clifford

Head Chef – Midsummer House, Cambridge

Daniel Clifford took over as head chef at Midsummer House in 1998. The restaurant gained a Michelin Star in 2002 and a second in 2005 which the restaurant maintains to this day, leaving it as the only two Star restaurant in the county.

At Midsummer House the chef cooks modern British food, making use of the techniques he learnt whilst working in France. This is the chef’s third appearance on Great British Menu, having appeared in the 2009 and 2010 series.

Follow Daniel Clifford on twitter - @midsummerchef

Mentor & Guest Judge – Glynn Purnell

Chef Patron – Purnell’s Restaurant, Birmingham

This week’s veteran judge and mentor Glynn Purnell is making his fifth appearance on Great British Menu. His first appearances in 2008 and 2009 both saw his dishes featuring on the banquet menus – the following two years he returned as a judge for the Central region. His own restaurant, Purnell’s Restaurant in Birmingham opened in 2007 and went on to earn a Michelin Star in 2009.

Follow Glynn Purnell on twitter – @yummy_brummie

Starter

Aktar cooked squab pigeon two ways (pan fried breast and leg stuffed with a rillette of the confit leg meat) served with specially grown sweetcorn shoots and ice lettuce. A last minute problem with the skin bursting on a pigeon leg put Aktar on the back foot, but he presented both portions just in time. Judge Glynn Purnell admired the cooking, but felt the dish needed more of the rillette. [ Score: 5 ]

Paul Foster’s starter was a collar of pork carpaccio with croquettes made from the heat of the pig and scratchings made from neck fat and dusted with ground pork scratchings. The dish was garnished with a puree of ribwart plantain. Glynn loved the textures of the dish, and the pork scratchings but was underwhelmed by the ribwart plantain. [ Score: 7 ]

Daniel’s starter was a veal tartare with caramelised sweetbreads and asparagus coated in onion ash. Gylnn and the other chefs were impressed by the dishes clean look. Glynn complemented the chef on flavours in the dish and the balance – however he felt that there should have been less of the burnt onion on the asparagus. [ Score: 9 ]

Fish course

Atkar’s fish course was pickled mackerel served with a deep dried smoke langoustine, red chilli puree and an infused coconut milk sauce. Judge Glynn was impressed with the mackerel and the spicing but felt the smoke overpowered the delicate flavour of the langoustine. He felt that the execution of the complicated dish let Atkar down. [ Score: 6 ]

Paul’s fish dish was warm poach ray wing “noodles” with foraged sea vegetables, wood sorrel, pea mousse and crispy chicken skin. Glynn and the other chefs felt the chicken skin over powered the dish, rendering it “meaty”. Glynn was, however impressed by ray wing noodles. [ Score: 6 ]

Daniel Clifford presented a Mediterranean influenced fish course of stuff mullet with artichoke, Iberico ham, Parmesan. The fish was coated in “airbag” – a product made from crisp pork skin. Despite initial reservations about the strong flavours working well, Glynn was impressed by the dish and felt Daniel had managed to balance the flavours perfectly. [ Score: 9 ]

Main course

Atkar Islam’s main was an Anglo-Indian take on lamb, taking the familiar lamb, peas and mint and giving them his own Indian inspired twist. The dish consisted of a coriander crumbed loin of lamb, confit belly of lamb, sweetbread and onion bhajis served with accompaniments of a pea pilau, spicy lentils and a minted korma gravy. Paul and Daniel felt the dish lacked seasoning and that some parts of the dish were lost to the stronger flavors on the plate.  Glynn also felt there were too many strong flavors in the dish – but loved the concept an dish. [ Score: 6 ]

Paul Foster’s main course was Goosnargh duck breast and hearts serve with pink fir potatoes infused with pine needles, broccoli, roasted peanuts and a coriander dressing. The dish was well received by the other chefs who admired the presentation, and loved the duck – but were less impressed by the douglas fir-infused potatoes. Glynn loved the ‘natural feel’ to the dish, the potatoes and the contrasts between the various broccoli elements on the plate. [ Score: 8 ]

Daniel Clifford’s dish was slow poached chicken, sweetcorn egg served with spinach, bacon and peas. The dish consisted of crisp chicken skin filled with truffled popcorn and chicken liver parfait, a ballentine of chicken breast stuffed with sweetcorn and truffle, truffle stuffed chicken wings and chicken gravy. Just before serving, the chef produced an spray which contained the scent of roast chicken. The chefs were all impressed with the presentation of the dish, and execution with competitor Paul Foster declaring he “didn’t have a bad word to say about it”. Glyn Purnell also loved the dish, declaring it had bought him close to tears. [ Score: 10 ]

Dessert

Atkar’s presented a dessert comprising of tempered dark chocolate medals, coloured bronze, silver and gold with edible colorings served with a flamed raspberry sorbet “Olympic torch” and whipped jelly.  Unfortunately the chef ran into problems with his chocolate mousse not setting consistently, but with a little help from the other chefs he was able to present a desert for judging. The chef’s bad luck continued, when the alcohol used to flame his sorbet – made with ’silk gel’ to allow it to remain stable even when set alight – failed to ignite. Despite the chefs problems, judge Glynn thought the desert was well presented and congratulated Atkar persevering despite the setbacks.  [ Score: 6 ]

Paul Foster’s dessert saw sea-buckthorn making another appearance on the the show, this time whipped and accopanied by Yorkshire rhubarb, pistachios, puffed rice and meringue. The dish was well received by the chefs, however felt there wasn’t enough of it. Glynn felt the dish was lacking in substance, but liked the way Paul had used the sea-buckthorn. [ Score: 8 ]

Daniel Clifford prepared a roulade of raspberry, consisting of a raspberry jelly layered with cream cheese which had been flavoured with vanilla and tarragon. Also on the plate was a raspberry jelly made with a thickening agent called ‘elastic’ which creates a jelly which can be frozen without becoming brittle. The dish was enjoyed by the other chefs, however they raised doubts as to how the dish could be cooked for 100 people without “an army of chefs”. Glynn also enjoyed the dish but felt there was too much tarragon. [ Score: 8 ]

The last chance to impress the judges – this week the desserts are a raspberry and tarragon roulade served with cookie dough and tarragon oil; dark chocolate with raspberry jelly and sorbet and sea buckhorn makes a second appearance in the series served whipped with meringues and crispy rice.

Last year’s heat winner Atkar Islam had the lowest combined score, so leaves the competition with Paul Foster and Danniel Clifford cooking for the judges on Friday’s show.

The judges reaction to both Paul and Daniel’s dishes was mixed; with Paul’s fish dish and Daniel’s main course receiving the most praise – however the judges were not at all keen on either dessert. Matthew Fort and Prue Leith selected Daniel’s menu, and Oliver Peyton chose Paul’s – so Daniel Clifford will return at the end of series final.

Comments

• 

  Comment by Giu

  Left at 09:08 on 18/04/2012
  

  Hi,

  Can you please tell me where I can buy “airbag” – crisp pork skin, here in the UK.

  Many thanks.

• 

  Comment by dave

  Left at 10:50 on 18/04/2012
  

  Hi Gui,

  You can buy it from a company in the UK called Infusions 4 Chefs; it is about £19 for a 750g tub.

  Dave

• 

  Comment by stephen from dromara

  Left at 19:48 on 22/04/2012
  

  Hi Dave, I would love to find where i can buy the spray which contained the scent of roast chicken used by dabiel Clifford, for a young friend who is an up and coming chef.

  Stephen

• 

  Comment by dave

  Left at 15:14 on 23/04/2012
  

  Hi Stephen,

  I’ve had no luck finding out so far, but I’ll let you know if I do – it could be it was custom made. It said in the show it was from Geneva if that is of any use.

  Dave

• 

  Comment by stephen from dromara

  Left at 21:01 on 23/04/2012
  

  Hi Dave. Thanks for your research, I am searching the web with Geneva connection and on reviewing the show Daniel Clifford,seemed to be using a professional refilable spray. So I will keep looking but if you find anything give me a yell.
  Stephen.