The F Word (2017) s05e11 Episode Script
Season 5, Episode 11
Welcome to the final week of my competition to find The F Word's best local restaurant.
We started with nearly 10,000 nominations and from these, 18 outstanding restaurants made it through to compete in The F Word kitchen.
Make this count.
Only four points in this.
'Indian restaurant Lasanfrom Birmingham has won a place in tomorrow's grand final.
' I won't disappoint, chef.
In tonight's semi-final three greatrestaurants go head to head and I'll pick just one to go through to the grand final on Thursday.
Competing in tonight's second semi-final, The Pheasant, who won the Best of British heat.
My best local Thai restaurant Simply Thai or Greek restaurant Retsina, who won the Rest of the World trophy.
Three restaurants and three extreme challenges to test them to the limit.
I'm excited now, looking at the clock all the time, just when the phone's going to ring.
We're in the last six, sothat's a big thing.
Had a good week? It all depends on what you say.
All worthy opponents, but onlyone can stay in the competition.
To see who deserved to go through to the final, I devised three daunting tests.
I'm ever so sorry but my potatoes are just slightly undercooked.
It's very spicy First up, my team of secret diners film undercover for me, after whichl eliminate one of the restaurants.
I had The F Word secret diners eating recently in your establishment.
Then the competition heats up in the second test, as I hit the restaurants with30 demanding F Word diners.
I hope he hasn't bitten off too much, right now he's in the shit.
And the third and final challenge, to cook at my flagship three-star restaurant in London.
Who goes home and who makes it through to the final? Tonight, I decide.
They're cooking on dish, the most important dish of their entire lives.
Tonight I'm taking The F Wordon the road because it's the last week of my competition to findThe F Word's best local restaurant.
On tonight's second semi-final The Pheasant, Retsina and Simply Thai.
'At The Pheasant in Cambridgeshire I loved 'their passion for local produce.
' Mmm.
'I was massively impressed by thesheer hard work and dedication 'of husband and wife team Jay and Taffeta.
' Check on.
Check on two covers, two rabbit.
And at Retsina in London I was charmed by another family.
This time mother and son working together to create wonderfully authentic Greek food.
Retsina's our family business.
It's been going on for around 25 years.
I want Retsina to be known as the best Greek restaurant in the UK.
'And at Simply Thai in Middlesex, 'I tasted some of the best Thai dishes I've ever eaten.
' Wow.
'Culinary dynamo Patria Weerapan puts her heart and soul 'into runningthis place almost single-handedly.
'She's remarkably talented.
' I've got to pick thevery best restaurant.
How? By setting them all threevery tough challenges.
For the first test I'vehired a team food experts to work undercover for me as secret diners.
I'm quite excited about this place.
It's a trick of the restaurant trade I use all the time.
I spend a fortune on secretdiners coming to all my restaurants.
It's a good way to see how consistent a restaurant is on a daily basis.
Hello.
I've got a table booked.
Yes.
Just two of you.
Yes.
I'm sending my secret diners to all three restaurants, who have no idea they're being filmed.
Hi, I've got a reservation in the name of Beth.
I have to find out how therestaurants perform when they're not in the spotlight and their guard is down.
This should be interesting.
Whichever restaurant fails to impress me on this test will be eliminated.
First up, The Pheasant.
It's a great British restaurant where huntsmen leave their wellies at the front door and their kill round the back.
Customers turn up and throw a brace of pigeon down or some mallard.
We trade off.
We might cook them a duck supper, and that's payment for it really.
I hope my secret diner is in for a treat because I thought the service here was first rate.
Could I possible have the home-made black pudding, please? I've asked Trish Davies to goundercover as she's an experienced food specialist.
Don't like waiters whenthey lean on the table.
What wine would you recommend for me to have with my first course, please? First course? Yes.
That's the black pudding.
One second.
Erm In comes the owner to the rescue, rapidly.
A glass or bottle? There's a Hellfire Bay, Shiraz Grenache.
Yes, please, I'd love some.
They're good.
Here we go.
I asked Trish to complain about the food, even if it's perfectly cooked.
I'm ever so sorry but my potatoes are just slightly undercooked.
Ooh Would you prefer mash? Or we could just do them No, that's really kind of you.
No, I'll just go with what Go with them a bit more? Would you prefer mash? Again, coming up with solutions all the time.
No negativity.
The secret is a great solution.
No hassle.
No hassle at all.
Slow start and then it was brought back to life with Taffeta, good.
OK, Retsina.
Next up Retsina in North London.
Smells good anyway.
Someone's been busy cooking.
That's what we're all about.
Fantastic.
It's run by mother and son Minos and Zeta.
I'll go with the mixed kebab.
That sounds great.
They don't have a clue my secret diner Sam Head has booked a table.
I've asked Sam to chat to the staff to see how they engagewith everyday customers.
Oh, perfect.
Thank you very much.
So, sorry Oh.
He's not very attentive.
I keep trying to catch his eye.
I can't get him.
He's doing his best to ignore me.
Oh, dear.
Ooh I'm here because I went round the Greek islands in the summer, so it's bit of a treat to try and reminisce.
Ah, that's the reason, huh? Yep.
They're talking about the authenticity of the Greek isles, just come back from their holiday and, wow, he didn't give a shit.
He was off, looking out the window.
Wasn't engaging with the customers.
Totally uninterested.
What a shame.
Are you cooking? Ah, lovely to see you.
Out comes the chef, bless her.
I'm having a lovely time, thank you.
I smell onions because I'm chopping onions.
I'm sorry, I do apologise.
No, that's how chefs should smell, onions, garlic.
Garlic, onions, everything.
Aah! Aah! How are you? Good, thank you.
Having a lovely time.
Thank you.
Nice to see you.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
You're welcome.
Enjoy your cooking.
The saving grace there wasZeta's welcome.
Kiss on the cheek, welcome, good to see you.
Come out of the kitchen, lookslike she's been busy, which is fine.
Simply Thai.
So will my final target SimplyThai in Teddington do any better? With just nine tables, it's atiny restaurant run by a tiny chef.
But Patria has a hugely passionate temperament.
Table three, please! Table three, oi! I feel like I've met the female Gordon Ramsay from Bangkok.
Where is the prawn? Where? This'll be fascinating.
What will the reception be here? This lady scares me.
It does say, "If you have a limited amount of time, "please let our staff know.
" My last secret diner Beth Heald is about to risk the wrath of the Thai culinary fire brand.
Because I've asked Beth to actas if she's in a hurry.
So we've only got about an hour.
Is that going to be OK? Thank you very much.
What time do you have to leave? Patria coming out of the kitchen, almost sort of telling the customers off.
"What doyou mean you've only got an hour?" We are in a bit of a rush but we Yeah.
What time do you want us to see By 9 o'clock? She looks like she's just come out of a kick-boxing competition.
She's ready for action.
What shocked me more than anything was the, I suppose, the aggressive stance from Patriacoming up to the customer.
"We don't do fast food.
" Granted, but they're only asking.
They've got an hour.
"We want to spend our money in your restaurant.
" Dear, oh, dear.
That's a great shame.
'So, it's time to eliminate one of the restaurants.
'My decision is based on everything I've seen and learned so far, 'including hours of invaluable undercover evidence.
' We're up, and then we're back down again.
'No-one has any idea I've been spying on them, but I have told them one restaurant is about to be knocked out of the competition.
Today's a big day.
I haven't felt this nervous since probably when Taff and I got married.
I'm excited now, looking at the clock all the time, just when the phone going to ring.
We hope thatwe will win again.
PHONE RINGS Good afternoon, The Pheasant? Hi.
It's Gordon Ramsay.
How are you? Hello.
Very well, thank you.
Good, good, good.
Had a good week? Depends on what you say.
Yeah, the secret of any good restaurantis in the consistency.
Yes.
Now, unknown to you and Taffeta, we've had The F Word secret diners eating at The Pheasant.
OK.
Well, as you know, being shortlisted is a great achievement and I think you guys did phenomenally well.
Right.
Only two are going through to the semi-final.
Yeah.
And The Pheasant Yes.
Is one of them, congratulations, Jay.
CHEERING I'm totally ecstatic.
It's the best, best news, apart from my daughters being born.
It really is.
I'm just I could almost cry.
My big tough man! The Pheasant didn't put a foot wrong, and quite deservedly, they now have a chance to win a place in the final.
We are through to the next round.
Who will stay in the competition and join The Pheasant for thenext stage of the semi-final? PHONE RINGS Simply Thai? 'Simply Thai from Teddington?' May I speak to Zeta, please? 'Or Retsina from North London?' Congratulations, well done.
Welcome back to the semi-final of my best local restaurant competition.
Three teams are fighting for a place in the final.
Only one will go through.
So far tonight's second semi-final, my best local British, Greek and Thai restaurants have been put to the test.
We've only got an hour, is that OK? I sent in a team of secret diners to investigate the contenders and The Pheasant passed with flying colours.
CHEERING They're still in the running.
But now I have to eliminate one of the two remaining restaurants.
Who'll be going out of the competition, Simply Thai or Retsina? I feel quite confident.
I think I'm going to win this one as well.
I'm exciting now, looking at the clock all the time.
You know, when the phone going to ring? PHONE RINGS Good evening, Simply Thai.
Hello? I've had the F Word's secret diners eating inside Retsina.
I had the F Word secret diners eating in your establishment.
Zeta, that food is amazing.
The important part in order to get 100% record is to make sure that you've got the service to match it.
The name of the game is consistency.
So, Retsina .
.
isn't going through.
Unfortunately the secret diners felt they were ignored by the waiter.
They weren't made to feel welcome when they come in for the first time.
We have to learn from our mistake.
Take care, Zeta.
Thank you.
Have a nice week.
Thank you.
If I say that I'm not disappointed, I will lie.
I am disappointment.
But I am not going to let myself feel bad becausethese things happens.
I'm upset that people came here and they didn't feel comfortable.
That's not good enough.
And Simply Thai Congratulations.
The feedback from the secret diners has been extraordinary.
Congratulations.
Well done.
I can't wait to see you in the semi-final.
Oh, thank you! CHEERING So, I've chosen Simply Thai from Teddington to fight it out with The Pheasant from Cambridgeshire.
To fight it out with The Pheasant from Cambridgeshire.
CHEERING To be worthy of a place in the grand final, they have to survive two more challenges.
First, I've asked 30 F Word diners to test The Pheasant and Simply Thai to breaking point.
I'm going to judge both restaurants' performance more critically than ever before.
We're going to have lunch at The Pheasant and then dinner at Simply Thai.
Your feedback is absolutely pivotal to helping me make my decision on which two restaurants go through to the final.
Basically, today, you are my eyes and ears across that dining room.
So, be up front, honest, vocal, and really give me your opinions in terms of what you think, not just on the food, from the minute you enter that dining room.
With The Pheasant under intense pressure I'm going to watch like a hawk, front of house and behind-the-scenes in the kitchen.
I know this is every restaurant's worst nightmare, 30 dinersall arriving at once.
In terms of the menu, we've stuck to what we do at The Pheasant.
I'm feeling excited, confident.
Yeah, good to go.
I'm going test the team to the limit and if the staff support each other today, it should run like clockwork.
On a personal note, really well done for making it this far.
Two hours to cook for 30 guests.
They're not here just for the food.
It's for the warmth, the welcome.
Make sure every plate you send, Jay, you're happy with.
If you're not happy, don't send it.
Make this now, the service of your life.
Come on, guys! So, the partridgeand the hare.
Straight away, I can see the front of house staff create a good first impression.
Their service is attentive.
Everybody is like little busybodies, making sure bread, butter, water, and constantly observing which is always nice.
The vibe in the restaurant is nice, cosy, a warm feel to it.
Two covers, one halibut, one pork, chocolate sponge and a brulee.
The first table up now.
It is all going OK.
It is all good.
All the orders are in? All the order are in.
Everyone is done.
We've been here 20 minutes and my diners are enjoying their starters.
That smells amazing.
Big hit? Big hit.
It smells delicious.
It's really good.
How was the beef? Excellent beef.
Beautiful flavours.
The flavours work really well together.
Very happy with my dish.
Jay is a controlling chef, very hands on.
He's at the central point on the hot plate and everything comes up to him.
He misses nothing.
Everything is scrutinised, overseen, tasted as well, a good sign.
So far so good.
But I'm worried about Jay's main course.
He's cooking hare three ways, with Hare Wellington, lasagne and braised leg all on the same plate.
You eat it, it's fucking hard! Yes, Chef.
Yes, Chef.
It's fucking bullshit! It's a dish which requires very precise timing, and I think Jay's misguided to try to offerthis to 30 diners at once.
These Wellingtons are shit.
They've sat like that and the juices have made the pastry go soggy.
They're just rubbish.
Hare is difficult to cook.
Cooking it three ways that's ambitious.
Jay is backed up in the kitchen, cooking it three ways is like putting a noose round your neck.
I hope he hasn't bitten off too much that he can do and the brigade can execute.
Right now, he's in the shit.
Fucking one day that fucking matters and we can't do it fucking properly! Fucking rubbish.
Jay has to start the hare from scratch, which leaves some of my diners waiting for their lunch.
This one is 100% better.
The pastry is still soft, sorry, still crunchy.
.
.
Hare sauce? Is that ready to go? Yeah.
When it reaches the table, the hare three ways is a resounding success.
It's really succulent, really soft.
Didn't have to cut it with a knife.
Very autumnal flavours.
Nice, hearty, tasty food, very nice.
But just as I think Jay is back on track, there's a problem with the pudding.
Do you want me to take it away? No.
I'm going to find out what on earth they're up to.
I asked if the pudding, which is written as hot chocolate sponge, I think it's hot chocolate with orange.
I don't think the maitre d' knew that either.
Jay didn't mention on the menu that the pudding is orange flavoured.
It is left Taffeta to deal with his mistake.
Do you know there's orange in the pudding? Yeah.
So, were you going to tell me at any point? We did say it in the briefing.
We did say it in the briefing.
They're complaining.
It doesn't say chocolate orange, OK? Feeling pissed off.
Service, we didn't work together.
It was shit.
The Wellingtons were crap.
The broccoli wasn't cooked properly.
It just didn't It's not good enough.
Despite a couple of issues, most of my 30 diners really enjoyed their lunch.
Have you got coffee? Every table sorted? Yes.
The food was very good indeed.
Jay's timing today was in danger of compromising the entire service.
Tough challenge, you had 30 guests arriving at once.
I thought you coped well.
Walking in and seeing food like that The salmon, looked amazing, tasted fantastic.
Job well done.
If I've got one concern, cooking hare, Jay is a very difficult thing.
Trying to cook it three different ways, is, you know, on the verge of overambitious.
This, Jay, Taffeta, was a tough challenge today.
But well done.
Really well done.
And I mean that.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I look forward to seeing you in the next challenge.
Bye, guys.
Overall, my diners leave feeling satisfied with their meal.
Jay knows the performance in the kitchen was far from flawless.
Disappointed.
Pissed off.
Angry.
I think Jay is being incredibly hard on himself.
I don't think that it was as bad as he thinks it is.
He is just being absolutely meticulous on every single Which of course you should be.
But the food came out looking fantastic.
I was very pleased to serve it.
Next stop, dinner at a restaurant that couldn't be more different, Simply Thai in Teddington.
57-year-old head chef Patria runs this place almost single handedly.
I'm everything - chef, accounting, book keeping, managing director, cleaner, everything! When I first ate here, the food was stunning.
So I hope Patria will serve exquisite cuisine tonight.
Hello.
How are you? Good evening, sir.
Nice to see you.
Are you well? Good to see you.
Ladies, welcome.
First of all, congratulations.
Thank you.
Really well done.
You know there's only two restaurants going through to the final.
So tonight, yes, has to be your best ever service.
Two hoursstarting from now.
Off you go.
Right.
Off you go out to the front.
Now the menu, you have all your best dishes on there, yes? Yes.
You got the sea bass? Yes, the sea bass.
Then the chicken penang.
All the chicken and the sauce, the prawns and asparagus.
Patria will be under pressure.
I'm worried this could be a test too far for her tiny restaurant which is now full to capacity.
You're on your own? You're on your own? I was on my own.
But I've got Where's my girl? Who's in the kitchen with you? Bonnie, has she explained any of the dishes to you? Yes.
Yes.
What are the starters? Yes.
What are the starters? The starters are Not you! Bonnie, what are the starters? Er, haddock, cod Oh, dear.
Patria, you're doing this on purpose to give me an ulcer! I'm nervous for Patria.
She has no help.
She's on her own.
Two courses each, 30 diners.
60 dishes in two hours cooking on your own.
How she's going to cope? I don't know.
The waitresses don't know how to handle my 30 diners.
Immediately, everything is chaotic.
You take the order food.
No, two person take the drink.
It's been ten minutes and not one order.
I'm getting very nervous.
Exactly.
What going on outside? We've been here for quarter of an hour and the kitchen has only just kicked into action.
One quail, one spring rolls now, please.
Laura, wash your hands, come here.
As the orders come in at once, Laura, the kitchen porter, is commandeered as sous-chef.
One spring rolls, one smoked trout.
Spring rolls Patria's spring rolls are by far the most popular choice of starter.
Enjoy your starter.
One more spring roll now, please.
Another three spring rolls left.
After this one, only three spring rolls left.
Table three! Oi! Table three.
Half an hour gone and you've served four tables.
Hold on a minute.
Look, come here, somebody didn't listen to me! I haven't got any more I don't have enough spring rolls.
I told you I don't have spring rolls for table two and four! Go and apologise to them, ask them to choose something else now.
They're selling food they haven't got - spring rolls.
She told them 15 minutes ago.
No-one's listening.
The food's coming out and it looks immaculate.
Customers are happy with the food, but it's about to go tits up.
We waited quite a long time for our starters to come out.
When it came it was amazing, really, really good food.
We can't fault the food at all.
It's just I think it's the volume of people arriving at once putting too much pressure on the kitchen.
Table seven! I apologise, madam.
Sorry.
We are late.
Don't ask.
No! Put it here, leave it there.
In the chaos dishes are being sent out before they are even finished.
Where is the prawn?! Where? Fucking! The prawn is not finished yet.
Excuse me.
It's not ready yet.
Laura, don't do it again, OK? I feel safer on the fucking bus than I do in there! So sad.
We're halfway through, an hour to go.
She only has two main courses out.
She has to keep it together.
She can't talk.
She's getting frustrated.
It's a shame because when the food arrives, the diners love it.
So far, the service is nothing short of disastrous.
But at least Patria's food is amazing.
It looks fantastic.
Simply Thai - this has gone fancy Thai! No, it's simple.
Table one.
That's more complex than my food! My God, that's delicious.
You seem to have a rhythm now.
Main courses are flying out.
Table two, concentrate.
Don't make mistake, please.
Please.
Table two.
Patria seems to be settling down and there's some semblance of order.
I had the chicken penang for the main course.
I thought it was absolutely fantastic.
Shame about the wait, but the food and flavours for me was delicious.
If she can sort out the service and get somebody else in the kitchen, this restaurant will definitely go places.
Right, well done.
You have finished.
And you finished with just over five minutes to go.
Five minutes to go.
Oh, that's brilliant.
Well done.
I thought I was going to collapse in the middle, you know? We're not going to make it.
I said at one point in my mind, in my head, you know, "No, we're not going to make it.
We're not going to make it.
" You did a really good job.
I'm very proud.
Thank you very much.
I'm really proud.
Well done.
Thank you.
I've done at the top of my ability today.
You know, I've got through it.
The big difference across the semi-finals is that all the other restaurants have cooked for 30 customers.
This is fully booked for her.
They all have 60, 70, 80, 90 seats.
She never does 30 covers.
Not only has she managed 30 covers within two hours, she's done it single-handedly.
Well done.
You are an amazing lady! Thank you.
Thank you for supporting me.
Next, my two contenders will face the ultimate challenge cooking at my three-star flagship restaurant.
The biggest test is still in front of them.
Who's going through? I haven't got a clue.
Welcome back to the F Word.
Simply Thai and The Pheasant are fighting it out for a place in the final.
Tonight, two semi-finalists have already faced two daunting tests.
Under pressure in their own restaurants I'm seeing their true colours.
At The Pheasant, Jay's a perfectionist.
Check on.
Two covers, two rabbit.
He's passionate about game and offal and obsessed with fresh, local produce, creating dishes from the same day's kill.
I love offal.
It doesn't have to cost a fortune to be good food.
We find customers do love it.
I've also seen Jay dejected.
Fucking one day that fucking matters and we can't do it fucking properly.
A simple set back can knock his confidence and affect his performance.
Service we didn't work together, it was shit.
The Wellingtons were crap.
The broccoli wasn't cooked properly.
It didn'tit's not good enough.
I want to see Jay bounce back with a bit more vigour when things go wrong.
At Simply Thai, Patria Weerapan is one of the most dedicated chefs I've ever met.
Simply Thai? No, that's accomplished Thai cooking.
Yeah, a real thoroughbred.
My God, that woman's passionate.
Her absolute commitment to her tiny restaurant is remarkable.
Table three, table three, oi! But Patria's fierce independence worries me.
Even the greatest cooks need support from their staff.
Bonnie, has she explained the dishes to you? Yes.
What are the starters? Oh, dear.
Patria, you're doing this on purpose to give me an ulcer.
'If Patria's going make it the grand final she needs to work with a team, 'not operate singlehandedly.
' Now, both restaurants face the ultimate challenge, here at my flagship restaurant Royal Hospital Road in London.
Jay and Patria must create and serve exquisite cuisine worthy of a place on the menu at my three-Michelin starred restaurant.
They're cooking one dish, the most important dish of their entire lives.
With that one dish they've got one final chance to prove themselves.
I'm sure I'm never going to have three stars.
Given the opportunity here to cook, it's going to be brilliant.
Really looking forward to it, just want to get started.
To know that Gordon would allow me to cook in his kitchen, I feel very honoured and very nervous at the moment, getting very excited as well.
I've worked for over ten years to build Royal Hospital Road's reputation.
Tonight I'm putting it on the line.
I've invited distinguished guests including Jason Atherton who was awarded a Michelin star within a year of opening Maze.
I know how tough he is.
I worked for him for ten years.
You don't get into Gordon Ramsay's semi-final unless you're a damn good cook.
Credit to them both.
First of all, welcome, really good to see you.
Now, this is where it seriously matters, OK? Ten years I've had this place.
I had to rent for five years in order to save my pennies to buy each and every brick.
It's been a dream come true, this.
It's the first time in ten years I've handed my restaurant to any other chef.
This is it, the final hurdle.
Make this the best dish of your cooking career.
One of you is going through to the final.
Really good luck.
Off you go.
The teams are working in one of the most well equipped kitchens in Britain with the finest ingredients money can buy.
I've challenged both chefs to make one dish using the best Cornish beef which I have provided.
It's been matured on the bone for a month and the meat is succulent with a beautiful even marbling.
OK, Jay, first ticket in, four covers away, table one, four fillet of beef with pheasant.
Yeah Excellent, thank you.
Nice loud call, thank you.
Second table in, Patria, four covers away table four, four beef panang.
Yes, chef.
'For his dish tonight Jay has pushed the boundaries yet again.
'He's serving beef fillet with veal sweetbreads and bone marrow bonbons.
' Leave a hole like that.
A little bit less spinach.
'It's an incredibly daring choice because it's a rich combination 'of flavours and offal isn't to everyone's taste.
'Jay rolls his fillets of beef into cylinders 'and bastes them with butter until they're pink in the middle.
'Jay coats the bone marrow bonbons in flour, egg and breadcrumbs 'and deep fries them.
'He sautes the veal sweetbreads in butter for five minutes.
'Then Jay serves the dish with parsnip puree, fondant potatoes and a rich red wine bordelaise sauce.
'Three complex elements on a plate can get you into three times the trouble.
'If Jay loses his concentration or confidence for even a minute, he'll ruin the meal.
' Only one of us are going through to the final today.
We want that to be The Pheasant.
I want it.
Liam wants it to be.
We're going to do the best we can.
We want to win.
You're using the fillet Little bit of the fillet, yeah.
Yeah.
Brilliant.
Sweetbreads.
You just lightly blanched the sweetbreads.
Yeah.
Take off the membrane.
Taking off the membrane now because it's horrible when you pan fry it.
Then they'll be nice and crispy.
What are the breadcrumbs for? We're making, like, a bone marrow bonbon.
We're getting the bone marrow and shaping it into a ball.
Nice.
OK, good.
Excellent.
The Pheasant dish is quite complex.
Very, very rich, beef fillet, veal sweetbreads, bonbons made out of bone marrow.
Yeah, this could go completely tits up if he's not careful.
Service please.
Table one, please.
Let's go.
I'm so chuffed that we've got to the semi-finals.
I feel like it's anyone's game from here.
We could win.
I love the presentation.
Love the pom fondant.
The cleverness in doing the bone marrow bonbon.
I thought that was inspired.
I thought it wasn't a dish you ever got bored of.
Sometimes you eat and you get a third of the way through and you think, "Where am I going now?" This was a whole map of excitement.
In stark contrast with Jay's earthy flavours, Patria has chosen a dish with a complex combination of sweet, spicy, salty and sour taste.
I would love to win because we're quite close now.
I would love to be in the final.
It would mean a lot to me.
This is a traditional Thai panang beef curry with authentic Thai son-in-law eggs, cucumber and pomelo fruit salad with lime and coriander dressing.
Patria sears the thinly sliced sirloin steak in oil, drains it and adds it to warm coconut milk.
She makes a traditional panang curry paste in advance to allow the herbs and spices to infuse.
She fries it in sunflower oil until fragrant, then adds coconut milk and the beef.
Patria serves the curry with the quail egg salad and coconut rice.
There are so many flavours here, the spicy curry paste and the sweet coconut, the sour lime and the salty fish sauce.
Patria needs to balance them out with immaculate precision or the dish just won't work.
Tell me about the dish, very quickly.
I'm doing the beef panang.
You're using sirloin of beef, so some fat in there as well.
Yeah, a little bit of texture.
That's the curry paste that I made.
Do you think this dish is good enough to beat The Pheasant's? Yes, of course.
It's curry dish, it's much more stronger flavours and much more interesting dish.
Right.
Have you heard of The Pheasant? Yes, I love pheasant.
No pheasant not the bird, Pheasant the restaurant.
Pardon? Pheasant the restaurant.
I'm bending down and you're bending down lower.
It's hard! Bend down We'll be under the bench.
I bend down to you to talk to you not so you bend down.
Stand up.
Jesus.
You're confident with the recipe? Yes, I am, sir.
I've worked over the last 22 years to get where I am today and all of a sudden I allow a mad Thai lady to run round in my kitchen.
I thought she would be intimidated coming here.
But no.
This is not a lady who's been cooking like this for eight to ten years.
She's been like this for 35 to 40 years.
For her it's all about the food, the love and passion she puts into the dish.
Patria? Yes, chef.
You have to clean round the side of the bowl.
Fucking hell.
For fuck's sake.
A little bit more finesse, yeah.
I'm not going to send those two until the other two are ready.
Why is nobody take that? Because I want to wait till all the four dishes are completed, yes? Yes, chef.
Thank you.
Service, please! I just heard the rice is coming.
This is very, very hot.
It's delicious, but very hot.
The combination of the beef panang and the rice is quite nice.
But just slightly strong.
It's slightly sweet for my taste.
Overall I think it's very good.
Quite sweet, but you know absolutely full of flavour.
Exactly what I was expecting.
Rice cooked to perfection.
I think Patria has what it takes to win this competition.
She's very, very determined.
She's absolutely crazy about her restaurant.
If somebody can win that, then it is going to be her.
'If Patria is going to be my winner tonight 'I want her to start communicating with me and her sous-chef, Nong.
' Nong? Four salad, not ten, 12, 14, just four, yes.
No, no, no! 'Patria's dish comes with a salad which needs to be served alongside the curry.
' It's only four salad, not eight.
Yes.
So, don't SheI've told her to do just the eight, chef.
Because we got four already because it take time.
Nong, I only need four salad not eight.
Yes, OK.
Only four portions away yeah, not eight.
Only four, yeah.
Two, four, six, eight, ten, 12.
There's only four.
Only four.
It's only four.
Yes, chef.
It's only four.
Fucking hell.
Honestly.
I mean, if she relaxes a little bit and talks to Nong, blank me, I'm fine, but at least talk to your sous-chef.
It's like we're back in Teddington in the nut house again.
Unbelievable.
(TALKS THAI) Jay, was that beef overcooked? It's not overcooked but it's smaller than the others.
There consistency.
Jay, I'mwatching everything, you know that.
Start to finish.
Yes, chef.
When I first met Jay, you know laid back, rustic, cooking from the garden and all of a sudden, bang, he started to smell success and he's raised his game now.
Which is good to see.
They work like a team.
They talk to each other and they've got each ether's back.
I don't think that needs to come down any more.
Away, please.
Yeah, stop.
I've got the table, but look.
We have suchimportant customers there and we're sending shit all caked down the side of the fucking bowl.
Sorry, but if you take a bit more time putting it into the bowl and not so messy we don't have to spendso long cleaning it.
Because I haven't got the right spoon, chef.
The right spoon, everything is a problem.
What kind of spoon do you need? Smaller.
Trystan, get me a smaller spoon, please, for Mrs Thatcher.
The ladle is bigger than the bowl so that was a mess.
The dish tastes delicious.
It's authentic and it's done with love and care.
Don't throw it out like it's on a conveyor belt.
Don't complain about my ladle, your spoon, too big, fuck off.
Just put it in there with a bit more time and slow down a little bit.
How long for the beef, please? Starting to plate in one minute, chef.
Don't slice it too early, Jay, or it will go dry out there.
Where is the last one? Where's the last one? Coming, chef.
So, nice and gently.
Last table, table six, well done.
Excellent.
All done now? All done now.
Service please, last table, table four.
Go, please.
Table four.
Well done, Jay.
Well done, Liam.
Thank you, chef.
Well done, well done.
So service is over and it's time to discover the truth from my distinguished guests.
In terms of the dish cooked from The Pheasant how was that? I loved it.
I absolutely loved it.
It's not something I would normally choose, but it was so nice.
The sweetbreads, in particular, were fantastic.
So many different flavours in there, all very distinct but together they are superb.
The boys have done me very proud.
I'm pleased with it.
It tastes gorgeous.
The presentation was fantastic.
And I don't think it's out of place in a three-starred Michelin restaurant.
Was that authentic beef panang? I've eaten in a lot of fantastic Thai restaurants and that, for me, was as good as it gets curry wise.
Just a touch of sweetness just lost that bit of authenticity.
In general, a great dish.
I preferred the Thai dish today, absolutely.
The flavours were amazing.
It was just the right heat for me.
The salad, the lime and coriander coming through, it was very, very fresh.
It just brought out the ingredients.
It went well.
Yeah, I'm happy with the food that I cook.
I'm happy with the side dishes.
I'm happy with the rice.
I'm happy with the presentation.
I think it went really well.
Yeah, really good.
Happy with everything.
I didn't get in a mood.
All smiles now.
I'm not nearly crying.
So yeah, no, it was really good, yeah.
Good service.
'Only one restaurant can go through to my grand final and tonight, who stays and who goes is my decision.
' It would be disappointing to get out of this stage, not to go into the final.
It would be very disappointed because I did cook my heart.
I put everything into this competition.
I think we have done enough.
I can go away going, "That dish was good.
" Authentic Thai curry done brilliantly against a British flair with an amazing level of control and a very talented chef.
Right now, honestly .
.
it's too close to call.
Welcome back to Royal Hospital Road.
I'm about to choose one restaurant to go through to tomorrow's grand final of my competition to crown our best local restaurant.
Will it be The Pheasant from Cambridgeshire, or Simply Thai from Teddington? In very different ways, they are both exceptional restaurants.
Before I make my choice, I'm going to taste the dishes cooked here tonight by Jay and Patria.
Beef panang, Simply Thai.
Authentic Got slightly nervouswhen she was putting all that sugar into the pan.
Is it too sweet? Mmm My God.
It's absolutely phenomenal.
A proper authentic Thai curry.
I mean, it's sweet instantly, then the heat with the chillies.
But instantly cooled down with that wonderful, vibrant cucumber salad.
Incredible.
I mean, really incredible.
She's .
.
she's a freak of nature.
That's the most bizarre thing.
I've come across amazing Thai chefs in my time, but this woman not only drives me round the bend, but she is an amazing talented chef.
The Pheasant's fillet of beef, sweetbread, bon bons of bone marrow and a fondant potato.
That is accomplished, unique cooking at its very best.
All together, does it work? Mmm My God.
That is amazing.
Parsnip puree, wonderful.
Beef, delicious.
Spinach, bone marrow a little bit gimmicky.
I didn't think Jay would be intogimmicks, however it does work.
So, it's the moment of truth.
Two outstanding restaurants, but only one can win a place in the final.
Right OK.
First of all, well done.
Both restaurants, absolutely brilliant.
The feedback has been extraordinary.
This has been the toughest semifinal so far.
Simply Thai Brilliant, again.
Patria, in the corner, slicing the sirloin, ignoring all I'm saying, and just in the food.
What strikes me about the way you cook is that you cook from the heart.
I thought the dish was stunning.
It was authentic.
I closed my eyes and I ate thatdish, and I felt that I was back in Thailand.
If I had one criticism, it was a little bit too sweet.
The Pheasant.
Tonight's performance was much different than I expected.
I thought you were going to play safe.
But Jay, you came out your comfort zone.
Absolutely brilliant.
Edgy, daring For me, that was you showing off tonight.
The fillet of beef A Rolls-Royce cut, didn't need much work - but it needed accurate cooking.
The fondant, not easy to get crispy and delicious, and then the bon bons.
Absolutely delicious.
It was a foodie heaven, done with charm, but flair.
One piece of criticism is the fact that the sweetbread was slightly undercooked in the centre.
I'm looking for one restaurant to go into the final, and it's been a real tough decision.
Based on everything I've seen .
.
the restaurant goingthrough to the final .
.
is The Pheasant.
Congratulations.
Absolutely brilliant.
I am so proud of both of you.
I feel absolutely Ohhh! You, madam Across this search, you're one of the best chefs I've found.
Thank you.
Really well done.
Come here.
Really well done.
To come this far and I couldn't get to the final A little bit disappointed, but I prepare a little bit, you know.
We may not get it.
'Very happy.
' I don't give much away, but I am really, really happy.
Both restaurants producedfood worthy of Royal Hospital Road tonight, but ultimately, I was in awe of Jay's ambition.
He was prepared to take a huge risk, and it paid off.
Thank you very much.
Absolutely brilliant.
Done with great flair.
'Today The Pheasant reached new culinary heights.
' If anyone tells me again that this is a littlepub in the middle of nowhere that's cooking plain, simple food No.
Tonight you've proved everybody wrong.
Really well done.
And you deserve to be in the final.
Now make it yours.
Well done.
Tomorrow, The Pheasant fromCambridgeshire is up against Lasan from Birmingham in the grand final.
Both will cook meat provided by Janet's farm in Yorkshire, and I decide who should be crowned The F Word's best local restaurant.
Jay's gone for beef three ways.
Like they say, less is more.
That smells delicious.
I hope it works for you tonight.
I could lift that now, and run down to Royal Hospital Road.
Thank you for watching.
If you'd like to cook tonight's recipes or find out about the restaurants, visit The F Word website.
Good night.
We started with nearly 10,000 nominations and from these, 18 outstanding restaurants made it through to compete in The F Word kitchen.
Make this count.
Only four points in this.
'Indian restaurant Lasanfrom Birmingham has won a place in tomorrow's grand final.
' I won't disappoint, chef.
In tonight's semi-final three greatrestaurants go head to head and I'll pick just one to go through to the grand final on Thursday.
Competing in tonight's second semi-final, The Pheasant, who won the Best of British heat.
My best local Thai restaurant Simply Thai or Greek restaurant Retsina, who won the Rest of the World trophy.
Three restaurants and three extreme challenges to test them to the limit.
I'm excited now, looking at the clock all the time, just when the phone's going to ring.
We're in the last six, sothat's a big thing.
Had a good week? It all depends on what you say.
All worthy opponents, but onlyone can stay in the competition.
To see who deserved to go through to the final, I devised three daunting tests.
I'm ever so sorry but my potatoes are just slightly undercooked.
It's very spicy First up, my team of secret diners film undercover for me, after whichl eliminate one of the restaurants.
I had The F Word secret diners eating recently in your establishment.
Then the competition heats up in the second test, as I hit the restaurants with30 demanding F Word diners.
I hope he hasn't bitten off too much, right now he's in the shit.
And the third and final challenge, to cook at my flagship three-star restaurant in London.
Who goes home and who makes it through to the final? Tonight, I decide.
They're cooking on dish, the most important dish of their entire lives.
Tonight I'm taking The F Wordon the road because it's the last week of my competition to findThe F Word's best local restaurant.
On tonight's second semi-final The Pheasant, Retsina and Simply Thai.
'At The Pheasant in Cambridgeshire I loved 'their passion for local produce.
' Mmm.
'I was massively impressed by thesheer hard work and dedication 'of husband and wife team Jay and Taffeta.
' Check on.
Check on two covers, two rabbit.
And at Retsina in London I was charmed by another family.
This time mother and son working together to create wonderfully authentic Greek food.
Retsina's our family business.
It's been going on for around 25 years.
I want Retsina to be known as the best Greek restaurant in the UK.
'And at Simply Thai in Middlesex, 'I tasted some of the best Thai dishes I've ever eaten.
' Wow.
'Culinary dynamo Patria Weerapan puts her heart and soul 'into runningthis place almost single-handedly.
'She's remarkably talented.
' I've got to pick thevery best restaurant.
How? By setting them all threevery tough challenges.
For the first test I'vehired a team food experts to work undercover for me as secret diners.
I'm quite excited about this place.
It's a trick of the restaurant trade I use all the time.
I spend a fortune on secretdiners coming to all my restaurants.
It's a good way to see how consistent a restaurant is on a daily basis.
Hello.
I've got a table booked.
Yes.
Just two of you.
Yes.
I'm sending my secret diners to all three restaurants, who have no idea they're being filmed.
Hi, I've got a reservation in the name of Beth.
I have to find out how therestaurants perform when they're not in the spotlight and their guard is down.
This should be interesting.
Whichever restaurant fails to impress me on this test will be eliminated.
First up, The Pheasant.
It's a great British restaurant where huntsmen leave their wellies at the front door and their kill round the back.
Customers turn up and throw a brace of pigeon down or some mallard.
We trade off.
We might cook them a duck supper, and that's payment for it really.
I hope my secret diner is in for a treat because I thought the service here was first rate.
Could I possible have the home-made black pudding, please? I've asked Trish Davies to goundercover as she's an experienced food specialist.
Don't like waiters whenthey lean on the table.
What wine would you recommend for me to have with my first course, please? First course? Yes.
That's the black pudding.
One second.
Erm In comes the owner to the rescue, rapidly.
A glass or bottle? There's a Hellfire Bay, Shiraz Grenache.
Yes, please, I'd love some.
They're good.
Here we go.
I asked Trish to complain about the food, even if it's perfectly cooked.
I'm ever so sorry but my potatoes are just slightly undercooked.
Ooh Would you prefer mash? Or we could just do them No, that's really kind of you.
No, I'll just go with what Go with them a bit more? Would you prefer mash? Again, coming up with solutions all the time.
No negativity.
The secret is a great solution.
No hassle.
No hassle at all.
Slow start and then it was brought back to life with Taffeta, good.
OK, Retsina.
Next up Retsina in North London.
Smells good anyway.
Someone's been busy cooking.
That's what we're all about.
Fantastic.
It's run by mother and son Minos and Zeta.
I'll go with the mixed kebab.
That sounds great.
They don't have a clue my secret diner Sam Head has booked a table.
I've asked Sam to chat to the staff to see how they engagewith everyday customers.
Oh, perfect.
Thank you very much.
So, sorry Oh.
He's not very attentive.
I keep trying to catch his eye.
I can't get him.
He's doing his best to ignore me.
Oh, dear.
Ooh I'm here because I went round the Greek islands in the summer, so it's bit of a treat to try and reminisce.
Ah, that's the reason, huh? Yep.
They're talking about the authenticity of the Greek isles, just come back from their holiday and, wow, he didn't give a shit.
He was off, looking out the window.
Wasn't engaging with the customers.
Totally uninterested.
What a shame.
Are you cooking? Ah, lovely to see you.
Out comes the chef, bless her.
I'm having a lovely time, thank you.
I smell onions because I'm chopping onions.
I'm sorry, I do apologise.
No, that's how chefs should smell, onions, garlic.
Garlic, onions, everything.
Aah! Aah! How are you? Good, thank you.
Having a lovely time.
Thank you.
Nice to see you.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
You're welcome.
Enjoy your cooking.
The saving grace there wasZeta's welcome.
Kiss on the cheek, welcome, good to see you.
Come out of the kitchen, lookslike she's been busy, which is fine.
Simply Thai.
So will my final target SimplyThai in Teddington do any better? With just nine tables, it's atiny restaurant run by a tiny chef.
But Patria has a hugely passionate temperament.
Table three, please! Table three, oi! I feel like I've met the female Gordon Ramsay from Bangkok.
Where is the prawn? Where? This'll be fascinating.
What will the reception be here? This lady scares me.
It does say, "If you have a limited amount of time, "please let our staff know.
" My last secret diner Beth Heald is about to risk the wrath of the Thai culinary fire brand.
Because I've asked Beth to actas if she's in a hurry.
So we've only got about an hour.
Is that going to be OK? Thank you very much.
What time do you have to leave? Patria coming out of the kitchen, almost sort of telling the customers off.
"What doyou mean you've only got an hour?" We are in a bit of a rush but we Yeah.
What time do you want us to see By 9 o'clock? She looks like she's just come out of a kick-boxing competition.
She's ready for action.
What shocked me more than anything was the, I suppose, the aggressive stance from Patriacoming up to the customer.
"We don't do fast food.
" Granted, but they're only asking.
They've got an hour.
"We want to spend our money in your restaurant.
" Dear, oh, dear.
That's a great shame.
'So, it's time to eliminate one of the restaurants.
'My decision is based on everything I've seen and learned so far, 'including hours of invaluable undercover evidence.
' We're up, and then we're back down again.
'No-one has any idea I've been spying on them, but I have told them one restaurant is about to be knocked out of the competition.
Today's a big day.
I haven't felt this nervous since probably when Taff and I got married.
I'm excited now, looking at the clock all the time, just when the phone going to ring.
We hope thatwe will win again.
PHONE RINGS Good afternoon, The Pheasant? Hi.
It's Gordon Ramsay.
How are you? Hello.
Very well, thank you.
Good, good, good.
Had a good week? Depends on what you say.
Yeah, the secret of any good restaurantis in the consistency.
Yes.
Now, unknown to you and Taffeta, we've had The F Word secret diners eating at The Pheasant.
OK.
Well, as you know, being shortlisted is a great achievement and I think you guys did phenomenally well.
Right.
Only two are going through to the semi-final.
Yeah.
And The Pheasant Yes.
Is one of them, congratulations, Jay.
CHEERING I'm totally ecstatic.
It's the best, best news, apart from my daughters being born.
It really is.
I'm just I could almost cry.
My big tough man! The Pheasant didn't put a foot wrong, and quite deservedly, they now have a chance to win a place in the final.
We are through to the next round.
Who will stay in the competition and join The Pheasant for thenext stage of the semi-final? PHONE RINGS Simply Thai? 'Simply Thai from Teddington?' May I speak to Zeta, please? 'Or Retsina from North London?' Congratulations, well done.
Welcome back to the semi-final of my best local restaurant competition.
Three teams are fighting for a place in the final.
Only one will go through.
So far tonight's second semi-final, my best local British, Greek and Thai restaurants have been put to the test.
We've only got an hour, is that OK? I sent in a team of secret diners to investigate the contenders and The Pheasant passed with flying colours.
CHEERING They're still in the running.
But now I have to eliminate one of the two remaining restaurants.
Who'll be going out of the competition, Simply Thai or Retsina? I feel quite confident.
I think I'm going to win this one as well.
I'm exciting now, looking at the clock all the time.
You know, when the phone going to ring? PHONE RINGS Good evening, Simply Thai.
Hello? I've had the F Word's secret diners eating inside Retsina.
I had the F Word secret diners eating in your establishment.
Zeta, that food is amazing.
The important part in order to get 100% record is to make sure that you've got the service to match it.
The name of the game is consistency.
So, Retsina .
.
isn't going through.
Unfortunately the secret diners felt they were ignored by the waiter.
They weren't made to feel welcome when they come in for the first time.
We have to learn from our mistake.
Take care, Zeta.
Thank you.
Have a nice week.
Thank you.
If I say that I'm not disappointed, I will lie.
I am disappointment.
But I am not going to let myself feel bad becausethese things happens.
I'm upset that people came here and they didn't feel comfortable.
That's not good enough.
And Simply Thai Congratulations.
The feedback from the secret diners has been extraordinary.
Congratulations.
Well done.
I can't wait to see you in the semi-final.
Oh, thank you! CHEERING So, I've chosen Simply Thai from Teddington to fight it out with The Pheasant from Cambridgeshire.
To fight it out with The Pheasant from Cambridgeshire.
CHEERING To be worthy of a place in the grand final, they have to survive two more challenges.
First, I've asked 30 F Word diners to test The Pheasant and Simply Thai to breaking point.
I'm going to judge both restaurants' performance more critically than ever before.
We're going to have lunch at The Pheasant and then dinner at Simply Thai.
Your feedback is absolutely pivotal to helping me make my decision on which two restaurants go through to the final.
Basically, today, you are my eyes and ears across that dining room.
So, be up front, honest, vocal, and really give me your opinions in terms of what you think, not just on the food, from the minute you enter that dining room.
With The Pheasant under intense pressure I'm going to watch like a hawk, front of house and behind-the-scenes in the kitchen.
I know this is every restaurant's worst nightmare, 30 dinersall arriving at once.
In terms of the menu, we've stuck to what we do at The Pheasant.
I'm feeling excited, confident.
Yeah, good to go.
I'm going test the team to the limit and if the staff support each other today, it should run like clockwork.
On a personal note, really well done for making it this far.
Two hours to cook for 30 guests.
They're not here just for the food.
It's for the warmth, the welcome.
Make sure every plate you send, Jay, you're happy with.
If you're not happy, don't send it.
Make this now, the service of your life.
Come on, guys! So, the partridgeand the hare.
Straight away, I can see the front of house staff create a good first impression.
Their service is attentive.
Everybody is like little busybodies, making sure bread, butter, water, and constantly observing which is always nice.
The vibe in the restaurant is nice, cosy, a warm feel to it.
Two covers, one halibut, one pork, chocolate sponge and a brulee.
The first table up now.
It is all going OK.
It is all good.
All the orders are in? All the order are in.
Everyone is done.
We've been here 20 minutes and my diners are enjoying their starters.
That smells amazing.
Big hit? Big hit.
It smells delicious.
It's really good.
How was the beef? Excellent beef.
Beautiful flavours.
The flavours work really well together.
Very happy with my dish.
Jay is a controlling chef, very hands on.
He's at the central point on the hot plate and everything comes up to him.
He misses nothing.
Everything is scrutinised, overseen, tasted as well, a good sign.
So far so good.
But I'm worried about Jay's main course.
He's cooking hare three ways, with Hare Wellington, lasagne and braised leg all on the same plate.
You eat it, it's fucking hard! Yes, Chef.
Yes, Chef.
It's fucking bullshit! It's a dish which requires very precise timing, and I think Jay's misguided to try to offerthis to 30 diners at once.
These Wellingtons are shit.
They've sat like that and the juices have made the pastry go soggy.
They're just rubbish.
Hare is difficult to cook.
Cooking it three ways that's ambitious.
Jay is backed up in the kitchen, cooking it three ways is like putting a noose round your neck.
I hope he hasn't bitten off too much that he can do and the brigade can execute.
Right now, he's in the shit.
Fucking one day that fucking matters and we can't do it fucking properly! Fucking rubbish.
Jay has to start the hare from scratch, which leaves some of my diners waiting for their lunch.
This one is 100% better.
The pastry is still soft, sorry, still crunchy.
.
.
Hare sauce? Is that ready to go? Yeah.
When it reaches the table, the hare three ways is a resounding success.
It's really succulent, really soft.
Didn't have to cut it with a knife.
Very autumnal flavours.
Nice, hearty, tasty food, very nice.
But just as I think Jay is back on track, there's a problem with the pudding.
Do you want me to take it away? No.
I'm going to find out what on earth they're up to.
I asked if the pudding, which is written as hot chocolate sponge, I think it's hot chocolate with orange.
I don't think the maitre d' knew that either.
Jay didn't mention on the menu that the pudding is orange flavoured.
It is left Taffeta to deal with his mistake.
Do you know there's orange in the pudding? Yeah.
So, were you going to tell me at any point? We did say it in the briefing.
We did say it in the briefing.
They're complaining.
It doesn't say chocolate orange, OK? Feeling pissed off.
Service, we didn't work together.
It was shit.
The Wellingtons were crap.
The broccoli wasn't cooked properly.
It just didn't It's not good enough.
Despite a couple of issues, most of my 30 diners really enjoyed their lunch.
Have you got coffee? Every table sorted? Yes.
The food was very good indeed.
Jay's timing today was in danger of compromising the entire service.
Tough challenge, you had 30 guests arriving at once.
I thought you coped well.
Walking in and seeing food like that The salmon, looked amazing, tasted fantastic.
Job well done.
If I've got one concern, cooking hare, Jay is a very difficult thing.
Trying to cook it three different ways, is, you know, on the verge of overambitious.
This, Jay, Taffeta, was a tough challenge today.
But well done.
Really well done.
And I mean that.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I look forward to seeing you in the next challenge.
Bye, guys.
Overall, my diners leave feeling satisfied with their meal.
Jay knows the performance in the kitchen was far from flawless.
Disappointed.
Pissed off.
Angry.
I think Jay is being incredibly hard on himself.
I don't think that it was as bad as he thinks it is.
He is just being absolutely meticulous on every single Which of course you should be.
But the food came out looking fantastic.
I was very pleased to serve it.
Next stop, dinner at a restaurant that couldn't be more different, Simply Thai in Teddington.
57-year-old head chef Patria runs this place almost single handedly.
I'm everything - chef, accounting, book keeping, managing director, cleaner, everything! When I first ate here, the food was stunning.
So I hope Patria will serve exquisite cuisine tonight.
Hello.
How are you? Good evening, sir.
Nice to see you.
Are you well? Good to see you.
Ladies, welcome.
First of all, congratulations.
Thank you.
Really well done.
You know there's only two restaurants going through to the final.
So tonight, yes, has to be your best ever service.
Two hoursstarting from now.
Off you go.
Right.
Off you go out to the front.
Now the menu, you have all your best dishes on there, yes? Yes.
You got the sea bass? Yes, the sea bass.
Then the chicken penang.
All the chicken and the sauce, the prawns and asparagus.
Patria will be under pressure.
I'm worried this could be a test too far for her tiny restaurant which is now full to capacity.
You're on your own? You're on your own? I was on my own.
But I've got Where's my girl? Who's in the kitchen with you? Bonnie, has she explained any of the dishes to you? Yes.
Yes.
What are the starters? Yes.
What are the starters? The starters are Not you! Bonnie, what are the starters? Er, haddock, cod Oh, dear.
Patria, you're doing this on purpose to give me an ulcer! I'm nervous for Patria.
She has no help.
She's on her own.
Two courses each, 30 diners.
60 dishes in two hours cooking on your own.
How she's going to cope? I don't know.
The waitresses don't know how to handle my 30 diners.
Immediately, everything is chaotic.
You take the order food.
No, two person take the drink.
It's been ten minutes and not one order.
I'm getting very nervous.
Exactly.
What going on outside? We've been here for quarter of an hour and the kitchen has only just kicked into action.
One quail, one spring rolls now, please.
Laura, wash your hands, come here.
As the orders come in at once, Laura, the kitchen porter, is commandeered as sous-chef.
One spring rolls, one smoked trout.
Spring rolls Patria's spring rolls are by far the most popular choice of starter.
Enjoy your starter.
One more spring roll now, please.
Another three spring rolls left.
After this one, only three spring rolls left.
Table three! Oi! Table three.
Half an hour gone and you've served four tables.
Hold on a minute.
Look, come here, somebody didn't listen to me! I haven't got any more I don't have enough spring rolls.
I told you I don't have spring rolls for table two and four! Go and apologise to them, ask them to choose something else now.
They're selling food they haven't got - spring rolls.
She told them 15 minutes ago.
No-one's listening.
The food's coming out and it looks immaculate.
Customers are happy with the food, but it's about to go tits up.
We waited quite a long time for our starters to come out.
When it came it was amazing, really, really good food.
We can't fault the food at all.
It's just I think it's the volume of people arriving at once putting too much pressure on the kitchen.
Table seven! I apologise, madam.
Sorry.
We are late.
Don't ask.
No! Put it here, leave it there.
In the chaos dishes are being sent out before they are even finished.
Where is the prawn?! Where? Fucking! The prawn is not finished yet.
Excuse me.
It's not ready yet.
Laura, don't do it again, OK? I feel safer on the fucking bus than I do in there! So sad.
We're halfway through, an hour to go.
She only has two main courses out.
She has to keep it together.
She can't talk.
She's getting frustrated.
It's a shame because when the food arrives, the diners love it.
So far, the service is nothing short of disastrous.
But at least Patria's food is amazing.
It looks fantastic.
Simply Thai - this has gone fancy Thai! No, it's simple.
Table one.
That's more complex than my food! My God, that's delicious.
You seem to have a rhythm now.
Main courses are flying out.
Table two, concentrate.
Don't make mistake, please.
Please.
Table two.
Patria seems to be settling down and there's some semblance of order.
I had the chicken penang for the main course.
I thought it was absolutely fantastic.
Shame about the wait, but the food and flavours for me was delicious.
If she can sort out the service and get somebody else in the kitchen, this restaurant will definitely go places.
Right, well done.
You have finished.
And you finished with just over five minutes to go.
Five minutes to go.
Oh, that's brilliant.
Well done.
I thought I was going to collapse in the middle, you know? We're not going to make it.
I said at one point in my mind, in my head, you know, "No, we're not going to make it.
We're not going to make it.
" You did a really good job.
I'm very proud.
Thank you very much.
I'm really proud.
Well done.
Thank you.
I've done at the top of my ability today.
You know, I've got through it.
The big difference across the semi-finals is that all the other restaurants have cooked for 30 customers.
This is fully booked for her.
They all have 60, 70, 80, 90 seats.
She never does 30 covers.
Not only has she managed 30 covers within two hours, she's done it single-handedly.
Well done.
You are an amazing lady! Thank you.
Thank you for supporting me.
Next, my two contenders will face the ultimate challenge cooking at my three-star flagship restaurant.
The biggest test is still in front of them.
Who's going through? I haven't got a clue.
Welcome back to the F Word.
Simply Thai and The Pheasant are fighting it out for a place in the final.
Tonight, two semi-finalists have already faced two daunting tests.
Under pressure in their own restaurants I'm seeing their true colours.
At The Pheasant, Jay's a perfectionist.
Check on.
Two covers, two rabbit.
He's passionate about game and offal and obsessed with fresh, local produce, creating dishes from the same day's kill.
I love offal.
It doesn't have to cost a fortune to be good food.
We find customers do love it.
I've also seen Jay dejected.
Fucking one day that fucking matters and we can't do it fucking properly.
A simple set back can knock his confidence and affect his performance.
Service we didn't work together, it was shit.
The Wellingtons were crap.
The broccoli wasn't cooked properly.
It didn'tit's not good enough.
I want to see Jay bounce back with a bit more vigour when things go wrong.
At Simply Thai, Patria Weerapan is one of the most dedicated chefs I've ever met.
Simply Thai? No, that's accomplished Thai cooking.
Yeah, a real thoroughbred.
My God, that woman's passionate.
Her absolute commitment to her tiny restaurant is remarkable.
Table three, table three, oi! But Patria's fierce independence worries me.
Even the greatest cooks need support from their staff.
Bonnie, has she explained the dishes to you? Yes.
What are the starters? Oh, dear.
Patria, you're doing this on purpose to give me an ulcer.
'If Patria's going make it the grand final she needs to work with a team, 'not operate singlehandedly.
' Now, both restaurants face the ultimate challenge, here at my flagship restaurant Royal Hospital Road in London.
Jay and Patria must create and serve exquisite cuisine worthy of a place on the menu at my three-Michelin starred restaurant.
They're cooking one dish, the most important dish of their entire lives.
With that one dish they've got one final chance to prove themselves.
I'm sure I'm never going to have three stars.
Given the opportunity here to cook, it's going to be brilliant.
Really looking forward to it, just want to get started.
To know that Gordon would allow me to cook in his kitchen, I feel very honoured and very nervous at the moment, getting very excited as well.
I've worked for over ten years to build Royal Hospital Road's reputation.
Tonight I'm putting it on the line.
I've invited distinguished guests including Jason Atherton who was awarded a Michelin star within a year of opening Maze.
I know how tough he is.
I worked for him for ten years.
You don't get into Gordon Ramsay's semi-final unless you're a damn good cook.
Credit to them both.
First of all, welcome, really good to see you.
Now, this is where it seriously matters, OK? Ten years I've had this place.
I had to rent for five years in order to save my pennies to buy each and every brick.
It's been a dream come true, this.
It's the first time in ten years I've handed my restaurant to any other chef.
This is it, the final hurdle.
Make this the best dish of your cooking career.
One of you is going through to the final.
Really good luck.
Off you go.
The teams are working in one of the most well equipped kitchens in Britain with the finest ingredients money can buy.
I've challenged both chefs to make one dish using the best Cornish beef which I have provided.
It's been matured on the bone for a month and the meat is succulent with a beautiful even marbling.
OK, Jay, first ticket in, four covers away, table one, four fillet of beef with pheasant.
Yeah Excellent, thank you.
Nice loud call, thank you.
Second table in, Patria, four covers away table four, four beef panang.
Yes, chef.
'For his dish tonight Jay has pushed the boundaries yet again.
'He's serving beef fillet with veal sweetbreads and bone marrow bonbons.
' Leave a hole like that.
A little bit less spinach.
'It's an incredibly daring choice because it's a rich combination 'of flavours and offal isn't to everyone's taste.
'Jay rolls his fillets of beef into cylinders 'and bastes them with butter until they're pink in the middle.
'Jay coats the bone marrow bonbons in flour, egg and breadcrumbs 'and deep fries them.
'He sautes the veal sweetbreads in butter for five minutes.
'Then Jay serves the dish with parsnip puree, fondant potatoes and a rich red wine bordelaise sauce.
'Three complex elements on a plate can get you into three times the trouble.
'If Jay loses his concentration or confidence for even a minute, he'll ruin the meal.
' Only one of us are going through to the final today.
We want that to be The Pheasant.
I want it.
Liam wants it to be.
We're going to do the best we can.
We want to win.
You're using the fillet Little bit of the fillet, yeah.
Yeah.
Brilliant.
Sweetbreads.
You just lightly blanched the sweetbreads.
Yeah.
Take off the membrane.
Taking off the membrane now because it's horrible when you pan fry it.
Then they'll be nice and crispy.
What are the breadcrumbs for? We're making, like, a bone marrow bonbon.
We're getting the bone marrow and shaping it into a ball.
Nice.
OK, good.
Excellent.
The Pheasant dish is quite complex.
Very, very rich, beef fillet, veal sweetbreads, bonbons made out of bone marrow.
Yeah, this could go completely tits up if he's not careful.
Service please.
Table one, please.
Let's go.
I'm so chuffed that we've got to the semi-finals.
I feel like it's anyone's game from here.
We could win.
I love the presentation.
Love the pom fondant.
The cleverness in doing the bone marrow bonbon.
I thought that was inspired.
I thought it wasn't a dish you ever got bored of.
Sometimes you eat and you get a third of the way through and you think, "Where am I going now?" This was a whole map of excitement.
In stark contrast with Jay's earthy flavours, Patria has chosen a dish with a complex combination of sweet, spicy, salty and sour taste.
I would love to win because we're quite close now.
I would love to be in the final.
It would mean a lot to me.
This is a traditional Thai panang beef curry with authentic Thai son-in-law eggs, cucumber and pomelo fruit salad with lime and coriander dressing.
Patria sears the thinly sliced sirloin steak in oil, drains it and adds it to warm coconut milk.
She makes a traditional panang curry paste in advance to allow the herbs and spices to infuse.
She fries it in sunflower oil until fragrant, then adds coconut milk and the beef.
Patria serves the curry with the quail egg salad and coconut rice.
There are so many flavours here, the spicy curry paste and the sweet coconut, the sour lime and the salty fish sauce.
Patria needs to balance them out with immaculate precision or the dish just won't work.
Tell me about the dish, very quickly.
I'm doing the beef panang.
You're using sirloin of beef, so some fat in there as well.
Yeah, a little bit of texture.
That's the curry paste that I made.
Do you think this dish is good enough to beat The Pheasant's? Yes, of course.
It's curry dish, it's much more stronger flavours and much more interesting dish.
Right.
Have you heard of The Pheasant? Yes, I love pheasant.
No pheasant not the bird, Pheasant the restaurant.
Pardon? Pheasant the restaurant.
I'm bending down and you're bending down lower.
It's hard! Bend down We'll be under the bench.
I bend down to you to talk to you not so you bend down.
Stand up.
Jesus.
You're confident with the recipe? Yes, I am, sir.
I've worked over the last 22 years to get where I am today and all of a sudden I allow a mad Thai lady to run round in my kitchen.
I thought she would be intimidated coming here.
But no.
This is not a lady who's been cooking like this for eight to ten years.
She's been like this for 35 to 40 years.
For her it's all about the food, the love and passion she puts into the dish.
Patria? Yes, chef.
You have to clean round the side of the bowl.
Fucking hell.
For fuck's sake.
A little bit more finesse, yeah.
I'm not going to send those two until the other two are ready.
Why is nobody take that? Because I want to wait till all the four dishes are completed, yes? Yes, chef.
Thank you.
Service, please! I just heard the rice is coming.
This is very, very hot.
It's delicious, but very hot.
The combination of the beef panang and the rice is quite nice.
But just slightly strong.
It's slightly sweet for my taste.
Overall I think it's very good.
Quite sweet, but you know absolutely full of flavour.
Exactly what I was expecting.
Rice cooked to perfection.
I think Patria has what it takes to win this competition.
She's very, very determined.
She's absolutely crazy about her restaurant.
If somebody can win that, then it is going to be her.
'If Patria is going to be my winner tonight 'I want her to start communicating with me and her sous-chef, Nong.
' Nong? Four salad, not ten, 12, 14, just four, yes.
No, no, no! 'Patria's dish comes with a salad which needs to be served alongside the curry.
' It's only four salad, not eight.
Yes.
So, don't SheI've told her to do just the eight, chef.
Because we got four already because it take time.
Nong, I only need four salad not eight.
Yes, OK.
Only four portions away yeah, not eight.
Only four, yeah.
Two, four, six, eight, ten, 12.
There's only four.
Only four.
It's only four.
Yes, chef.
It's only four.
Fucking hell.
Honestly.
I mean, if she relaxes a little bit and talks to Nong, blank me, I'm fine, but at least talk to your sous-chef.
It's like we're back in Teddington in the nut house again.
Unbelievable.
(TALKS THAI) Jay, was that beef overcooked? It's not overcooked but it's smaller than the others.
There consistency.
Jay, I'mwatching everything, you know that.
Start to finish.
Yes, chef.
When I first met Jay, you know laid back, rustic, cooking from the garden and all of a sudden, bang, he started to smell success and he's raised his game now.
Which is good to see.
They work like a team.
They talk to each other and they've got each ether's back.
I don't think that needs to come down any more.
Away, please.
Yeah, stop.
I've got the table, but look.
We have suchimportant customers there and we're sending shit all caked down the side of the fucking bowl.
Sorry, but if you take a bit more time putting it into the bowl and not so messy we don't have to spendso long cleaning it.
Because I haven't got the right spoon, chef.
The right spoon, everything is a problem.
What kind of spoon do you need? Smaller.
Trystan, get me a smaller spoon, please, for Mrs Thatcher.
The ladle is bigger than the bowl so that was a mess.
The dish tastes delicious.
It's authentic and it's done with love and care.
Don't throw it out like it's on a conveyor belt.
Don't complain about my ladle, your spoon, too big, fuck off.
Just put it in there with a bit more time and slow down a little bit.
How long for the beef, please? Starting to plate in one minute, chef.
Don't slice it too early, Jay, or it will go dry out there.
Where is the last one? Where's the last one? Coming, chef.
So, nice and gently.
Last table, table six, well done.
Excellent.
All done now? All done now.
Service please, last table, table four.
Go, please.
Table four.
Well done, Jay.
Well done, Liam.
Thank you, chef.
Well done, well done.
So service is over and it's time to discover the truth from my distinguished guests.
In terms of the dish cooked from The Pheasant how was that? I loved it.
I absolutely loved it.
It's not something I would normally choose, but it was so nice.
The sweetbreads, in particular, were fantastic.
So many different flavours in there, all very distinct but together they are superb.
The boys have done me very proud.
I'm pleased with it.
It tastes gorgeous.
The presentation was fantastic.
And I don't think it's out of place in a three-starred Michelin restaurant.
Was that authentic beef panang? I've eaten in a lot of fantastic Thai restaurants and that, for me, was as good as it gets curry wise.
Just a touch of sweetness just lost that bit of authenticity.
In general, a great dish.
I preferred the Thai dish today, absolutely.
The flavours were amazing.
It was just the right heat for me.
The salad, the lime and coriander coming through, it was very, very fresh.
It just brought out the ingredients.
It went well.
Yeah, I'm happy with the food that I cook.
I'm happy with the side dishes.
I'm happy with the rice.
I'm happy with the presentation.
I think it went really well.
Yeah, really good.
Happy with everything.
I didn't get in a mood.
All smiles now.
I'm not nearly crying.
So yeah, no, it was really good, yeah.
Good service.
'Only one restaurant can go through to my grand final and tonight, who stays and who goes is my decision.
' It would be disappointing to get out of this stage, not to go into the final.
It would be very disappointed because I did cook my heart.
I put everything into this competition.
I think we have done enough.
I can go away going, "That dish was good.
" Authentic Thai curry done brilliantly against a British flair with an amazing level of control and a very talented chef.
Right now, honestly .
.
it's too close to call.
Welcome back to Royal Hospital Road.
I'm about to choose one restaurant to go through to tomorrow's grand final of my competition to crown our best local restaurant.
Will it be The Pheasant from Cambridgeshire, or Simply Thai from Teddington? In very different ways, they are both exceptional restaurants.
Before I make my choice, I'm going to taste the dishes cooked here tonight by Jay and Patria.
Beef panang, Simply Thai.
Authentic Got slightly nervouswhen she was putting all that sugar into the pan.
Is it too sweet? Mmm My God.
It's absolutely phenomenal.
A proper authentic Thai curry.
I mean, it's sweet instantly, then the heat with the chillies.
But instantly cooled down with that wonderful, vibrant cucumber salad.
Incredible.
I mean, really incredible.
She's .
.
she's a freak of nature.
That's the most bizarre thing.
I've come across amazing Thai chefs in my time, but this woman not only drives me round the bend, but she is an amazing talented chef.
The Pheasant's fillet of beef, sweetbread, bon bons of bone marrow and a fondant potato.
That is accomplished, unique cooking at its very best.
All together, does it work? Mmm My God.
That is amazing.
Parsnip puree, wonderful.
Beef, delicious.
Spinach, bone marrow a little bit gimmicky.
I didn't think Jay would be intogimmicks, however it does work.
So, it's the moment of truth.
Two outstanding restaurants, but only one can win a place in the final.
Right OK.
First of all, well done.
Both restaurants, absolutely brilliant.
The feedback has been extraordinary.
This has been the toughest semifinal so far.
Simply Thai Brilliant, again.
Patria, in the corner, slicing the sirloin, ignoring all I'm saying, and just in the food.
What strikes me about the way you cook is that you cook from the heart.
I thought the dish was stunning.
It was authentic.
I closed my eyes and I ate thatdish, and I felt that I was back in Thailand.
If I had one criticism, it was a little bit too sweet.
The Pheasant.
Tonight's performance was much different than I expected.
I thought you were going to play safe.
But Jay, you came out your comfort zone.
Absolutely brilliant.
Edgy, daring For me, that was you showing off tonight.
The fillet of beef A Rolls-Royce cut, didn't need much work - but it needed accurate cooking.
The fondant, not easy to get crispy and delicious, and then the bon bons.
Absolutely delicious.
It was a foodie heaven, done with charm, but flair.
One piece of criticism is the fact that the sweetbread was slightly undercooked in the centre.
I'm looking for one restaurant to go into the final, and it's been a real tough decision.
Based on everything I've seen .
.
the restaurant goingthrough to the final .
.
is The Pheasant.
Congratulations.
Absolutely brilliant.
I am so proud of both of you.
I feel absolutely Ohhh! You, madam Across this search, you're one of the best chefs I've found.
Thank you.
Really well done.
Come here.
Really well done.
To come this far and I couldn't get to the final A little bit disappointed, but I prepare a little bit, you know.
We may not get it.
'Very happy.
' I don't give much away, but I am really, really happy.
Both restaurants producedfood worthy of Royal Hospital Road tonight, but ultimately, I was in awe of Jay's ambition.
He was prepared to take a huge risk, and it paid off.
Thank you very much.
Absolutely brilliant.
Done with great flair.
'Today The Pheasant reached new culinary heights.
' If anyone tells me again that this is a littlepub in the middle of nowhere that's cooking plain, simple food No.
Tonight you've proved everybody wrong.
Really well done.
And you deserve to be in the final.
Now make it yours.
Well done.
Tomorrow, The Pheasant fromCambridgeshire is up against Lasan from Birmingham in the grand final.
Both will cook meat provided by Janet's farm in Yorkshire, and I decide who should be crowned The F Word's best local restaurant.
Jay's gone for beef three ways.
Like they say, less is more.
That smells delicious.
I hope it works for you tonight.
I could lift that now, and run down to Royal Hospital Road.
Thank you for watching.
If you'd like to cook tonight's recipes or find out about the restaurants, visit The F Word website.
Good night.