Finals Week on Masterchef!

This post is very belated, a new puppy has hit the household and caused mayhem, hence my long absence!

For more information on this show visit http://www.masterchef.tv/

Here are our three finalists!

Dhruv, 33, Sales Director and family man (middle of shot), Tim, 36, Children’s doctor (front of picture) and Alex, 26, Freelance writer (at the back in the photo).

For the first of the big three final shows, the gang head off to Jodhpur in India. John and Gregg appear, shouting at the camera in front of some bemused locals. The contestants face 72 hours of tasks, but before all that starts, they get to look around and acclimatise. They are suitably awed by the bustling surroundings and the colourful region they find themselves in.

At 6am the next day, they are off to the Mahranga fort, which is over 500 years old and has a proud tradition of lavish entertaining. They are here to do breakfast. John emphasises the art of good Indian food and the significance of breakfast for local culture. There are 40 VIP guests from town to cater for; local business leaders and dignitaries, and the contestants have two hours to prepare the food. It is very hot where they are cooking, out in blazing sun, and they are watched over by local chef Dhura.

Alex makes Mata Bhali, pea curry, with Poori- traditional breads, all of which is very subtly spiced. Dhruv is making Indian dumplings and Tim is doing the Gobi Paratha, flatbreads with cauliflower. All the contestants are under pressure and sweating profusely in the 80O heat. Dhruv has started the fillings for his dumplings but not the dough. With 45 minutes to go all are behind and the temperature has hit 100O. Breakfast is due to be served at 9am, but Dhruv is running late and chef has to get him some help. Alex is over doing his breads, the oil is too hot, and Tim is finishing off his paratha breads. Finally it’s ready.

First up Tim’s Gobi Paratha flatbreads and Raita dip. The guests think the parathas are very good and the balance is fine. Then Alex’s spiced pea curry follows. The guests feel it’s a little bland but that the Pooris are good. The spicing is too subtle. Alex admits he thought he would not get it done and is relieved to have made it. Dhruv is still cooking and is going to be late, so is very disappointed. He gets out his dish to rave reviews- the guests say that the dish is well done, a good colour and optimally spiced. Dhruv is relieved. Gregg and John are pleased with their performance.

Their long, hot, cooking day continues as they head into the centre of Jodhpur. Their next challenge is in a school making dinner for 120 pupils and staff. They are doing some school favourites so they will soon hear if they get it wrong. The chefs at this school are renowned for their culinary skill, so the contestants must match their high standards. They are faced with serving big numbers, cooking unfamiliar cuisine in volume, a very hard challenge. They are being watched over by Shchita Singh, the catering manager at the school.

The dishes are butter chicken masala and matar Pilaw, to be cooked by Tim, Chilli Paneer (an Indian cheese) and cauliflower korma, which Dhruv will make, along with chapattis, and Suji Ka Halwa, semolina baked dessert as well as Dahl Makhani, which Alex is responsible for. They must serve at eight sharp, and have made Alex leader to get them there- a situation he admits to not being overly comfortable with. Gregg hopes he rises to the challenge. As they begin John ticks them off for standing around chatting rather than working. Tim is frantically cooking chicken. Dhruv fries cheese and Alex cooks lentils. John, still on his high horse, reminds Alex to keep tasting his dish. He believes it’s lacking something. Alex calls out the one hour time check and John shouts that something is burning. It turns out to be Dhruv’s Paneer. John now switches tack and wants them all to calm down- not that he’s been particularly soothing up to now! Dhruv goes to help Alex perfect his spicing on the Dahl. Dhruv suggests adding salt. Alex makes the chapattis. John, still prowling the kitchen, spots another problem- the cauliflower is on the hob, but it’s not on! Tim takes over on chapattis. John continues to deliver a strange hybrid of harassment/pep talk, as the cauliflower starts cooking against the clock. It makes it just in time and the team begin to put out their food.

The pupils arrive for dinner. They give their verdicts; the butter chicken is nice, spicy, and yummy, the chilli Paneer is very good, they loved it, very tasty, and the chapattis are nice and soft. The Dahl is very nice but lacks spice, despite Alex and Dhruv’s combined efforts. Some pupils want second servings! The catering manager is very pleased and says they passed the test. John is happy (finally), they have delivered good food of an unfamiliar cuisine in volume and on time. Alex is also happy with the service and the feedback. Tim says it’s been hard but he loved it. Dhruv summarises his experience as hot, stressful, tiring and hard, but with fantastic rewards.

The next day it is very hot- 105O- and they are heading for another daunting challenge. They go to Umaid Bhawan Palace, home of HH Maharaja Gaj Singh, who is hosting some of his family for a special dinner. The contestants are to be his personal chefs. They must perform to a high standard; the Maharaja is a real foodie and knows his stuff. They are also highly privileged to have the opportunity to cook for royalty, so they must deliver.

The palace is one of the world’s largest private residences. The guests will dine in the marble pavilion. The finalists have four hours to cook a course each and must also create a vegetarian alternative to each, as some of the guests are observing an important religious festival when meat is off the menu.

Alex is making the starter of tea smoked duck breast and lobster, with a vegetarian option of cauliflower pakoras and aubergine caviar. Dhruv is doing spiced masalam lamb two ways with saffron pommes anna and beetroot chutney. His vegetarian dish is spiced squash filled dumplings with fried aubergine and carrot puree. Tim is making the dessert, a lemon and cardamom delice with white chocolate mousse. The delice is replaced with green tea sorbet and roasted pineapple for those observing a vegetarian diet.

As cooking progresses we find Alex desperately and unsuccessfully attempting to set some maple jelly, with John urging him on. Dhruv is up against it. Tim is struggling with his dessert. Everyone is worried, including the judges. John sounds like a football coach as he calls out ‘come on boys!’ Alex’s Jelly has still not set. He bungs in more gelatine. John is now voicing his concerns to anyone who will listen. Luckily for his highness there are back up chefs preparing a back up meal should everything fail to come together.

Alex leaves on time for the finishing kitchen, which has been set up close to the marble pavilion. Dhruv is due over next, but he’s still making his dumplings. Gregg wonders aloud about whether he has given himself too much to do. Dhruv agrees with him, as he is still behind. Tim is now also moving over to the finishing kitchen. His sorbets defrost almost instantly and must go back to refuge in the freezer.

The guests settle down for dinner and are soon presented with Alex’s starter of duck and lobster served with maple sauce. They like the duck and lobster, it is fresh and nice, although some think the sauce is a little bland. Overall they feel it is a great combination. Alex is called up to be praised and thanked, and he thanks them for their responses. Dhruv is minutes away from serving and still finishing his lamb. The waiter is yelling for the main course. Finally the lamb arrives. The guests say that the flavours are nice and the vegetarian option (squash dumplings) is excellent. The dish is spicy, rich and excellently presented. Everyone wants more of the lamb. Dhruv is praised and says he feels blown away by the occasion and will never forget it. Tim is last and grabs his sorbet from the freezer. The cardamom delice is ok but the sorbet is not set. He gets on with plating up and the dish is served. The guests praise the subtle flavours and think it’s all very nice. When Tim approaches to meet the guests one of them tells him he doesn’t know how good a doctor he is but judging by his dessert he should get into food. Tim is amazed that he has cooked for a king and feels beyond happiness.

John and Gregg are satisfied and happy with them all, they gave a fantastic performance. Gregg says they excelled.

Second show of the final three. For tonight’s first task the contestants are put in charge of a top London restaurant- a brand new Masterchef challenge. They will then cook for the world’s most revered chef, Alain Ducasse. None of the finalists have been put off by their experiences so far, they still want to change their lives!

The three meet John and Gregg at Prism in the city. They are told that they are going to get control of the restaurant’s kitchen and cook for the customers; they actually get to think of this place as if it is their own restaurant. They need to create and cook recipes that will bring in guests and money. The finalists are all nervous but very excited. They have less than a day to plan their menus.

Menus prepared, they come to Prism. As the owner of two restaurants John will be overseeing service (so we can expect lots of hyping everyone up followed by telling them all to calm down). He tells them before they start that it won’t be easy but that this is an important first step for them if they want to make it in this industry.

Alex’s starter is lamb sweetbreads with bacon. His mains are sea trout with Kale and Osso buco. He admits his success will depend on whether there is public interest in offal. Dhruv is doing a spiced duck leg puri starter, and mains of coriander roasted rump of lamb with celeriac puree, and spiced ballotine of guinea fowl with mushroom pilau. He is nervous about his timings. Tim is making a peeled tomato salad starter. His main courses are pan fried pork loin and slow roast pork belly, and a roast leg of partridge on grilled polenta. He has a lot to do. Each finalist has a commis chef to help them. Each commis chef says it will be hard for them to do it all.

John starts calling out the countdown and worrying loudly about Tim’s mains being ready on time. He is checking up on him. Six jobs are done but there are still eight to go. Dhruv has the most complex menu with the most time consuming processes. John is concerned and thinks he might need to send him more help. Gregg observes that all the contestants are tense and worried, all working hard. John again expresses his concerns over being ready for service. The regular staff at Prism comment that their diners know what they do and don’t like, so this should be interesting.

John advises everyone to brief the maitre’d so the waiting staff know about the dishes, but they are all in a flap, with Alex’s mash over seasoned and Dhruv struggling. The staff anticipate about 70 diners. John warns everyone that the first diners are in and then they are off, he calls out the first orders. The finalists must have the food perfect and ready to go on time.

Dhruv’s duck puri is an instant hit. Tim’s tomato salad is popular too. Alex’s sweetbreads are pretty quiet. John is sending orders- they’ve completed their first round. The diners’ comments are given; they liked the tomato starter, though one was not blown away by it. The duck was nice but someone says it was not warm. They felt it was tasty with unusual spices- the dish works.

More orders are coming in and John is calling them out. Dhruv and Tim still have loads of orders. Tim slips as he rushes about and bangs his ribs on the bin. John is very concerned and warns him he may pull him off the line if he can’t cope after fifteen minutes. Tim really wants to carry on. Crisis two emerges- Dhruv has dropped his wedding ring. John freaks out as it could be in the food. Dhruv’s starters can’t go until they find the ring, and with the popularity, things are really backing up. Alex finally gets and order and John, for want of anything better to do, is hassling for his dish. The sweetbreads go out and the guests seem to enjoy them- though some had no idea what they were.

Dhruv’s wedding ring is found on the floor. John is almost ecstatic that it isn’t in anyone’s food. Dhruv, finally free to continue, is playing catch up on his lamb and guinea fowl mains. John is not happy that he’s running late and tells him he is a donkey. Luckily for Dhruv the diners love the mains, the guinea fowl is much loved and the lamb is enjoyed so much that there is not enough of it!

Tim is clinging onto service despite his injury. He is working his partridge and pork mains and John is shouting for the plates. The diners get the pork and think it is amazing and lovely. The partridge is received and also great, though the polenta is a little cold for one guest. Alex is suddenly inundated with orders for his mains of osso buco and sea trout. The diners receiving these think they are nice, the osso buco slightly dry for some, the trout cooked to perfection for others. Service winds down and all are said to be coping well with running their own kitchen, although let’s be honest, John has been running this kitchen tonight! John is (finally) happy. Overall Alex had a slow start but his dishes went well, all Tim’s dishes were a hit, and Dhruv’s menu was the one which really caught the diner’s imagination; his dishes were the night’s best sellers. Dhruv is very satisfied.

In 24 hours our contestants will cook for arguably the planet’s greatest chef. First though, they get a chance to practice their skills back in the MC kitchen. They are going to make 60 canapés, so the judges want consistency, beauty and volume, all in 60 mins. The three get down to it, John calls out the 30 minute warning, then it’s time to look at the fruits of their labours.

Tim has made gazpacho shots, courgette and dappled cheese wraps with tomato and caper sauce, and exploding lemon macaroons. John likes the taste of the shot, thinks the flavour is good but the consistency is wrong, being too thick. The courgette canapé is not easy to eat and would be messy. Gregg doesn’t like the courgette one at all. The macaroons go down better; John thinks they are well made and fantastic. Alex has made salmon ceviche and crème fraiche with sorrel on black pepper oatcakes, duck heart, balsamic and elderberry crostini with cucumber julienne, and popcorn shots with black olive toffee. John likes the salmon canapés. Gregg thinks the duck hearts and crostini are brave and daring, and John would rather not eat them but will because it’s his job. He comments that they need more elderberry and more moisture. Gregg does not like the liquid popcorn and says it has the texture of meat dripping. John worries that Alex is trying to scare people. Dhruv has made salmon with lime, chilli and coriander, gazpacho shots with tiger prawns and mango and cardamom rum syllabub spoons. John likes the look of what he’s done, loves the salmon, so does Gregg and John also loves the gazpacho soup with prawns. Gregg absolutely adores the dessert. Overall he’s had an impressive round. All the contestants found this round tough.

Now onto cooking for Alain Ducasse, a man with 19 Michelin stars. His cuisine is without equal. Cooking for him will test the skills of the contestants as he has possibly the world’s best palate. The contestants enter the kitchen and meet executive chef Jocelyn Herland who introduces Mr Ducasse. He asks them to prepare three high level recipes for him from his own restaurant menu, so he can assess their level. All are suitably awed by meeting him. Ducasse’s recipes are innovative and contain many contrasting flavours. Each dish can have over 50 processes and take more than seven hours.

Dhruv is doing a starter of roast chicken, lobster medallions and mushrooms with pasta, sweetbreads and chicken quenelles, cream sauce, and chicken jus. Tim will make the main; fillet of braised halibut, orange jelly, kumquat chips and aubergine baba ganoush with Swiss chard and a citrus ponzu sauce. Alex takes on a multi-layered dessert of vanilla crème brulee, fresh pineapple brunoise, pineapple jam, vanilla emulsion, pineapple sorbet and pineapple crisp, with a pineapple financier served alongside. Angelo Ercolano, Ducasse’s top pastry chef, will work with Alex on this.

Dhruv starts with his quenelles, which are minced chicken sieved and worked into a mousse. Tim sets out by filleting his halibut, a top quality fish worth hundreds of pounds, so he needs to be careful! Alex is doing his pineapple crisps, but Angelo is not happy with his initial attempts, they need to be crisper. He has to redo them. Then they are too thin and he must make them thicker! Chef Jocelyn is fretting that Tim may be focusing too much on following the recipe rather than using his own palate. The two hours to go warning is called out. Alex is pressing on with his pineapple financiers. Dhruv is busy with his pasta, and the consistency of the dough is crucial. Tim’s orange jelly has not set. He has to remake it.

Ducasse, meanwhile, is not dining alone. He has mentored some of the most famous names in modern cuisine over the years and is being joined by five of his Michelin star winning protégés; Helene Darroze, restaurant Darroze Paris (2 stars) and the Connaught, London (1 star); Clare Smyth, restaurant Gordon Ramsay (3 stars); Alexis Gaultier, Roussillon, London (1 star); Tom Kitchin, The Kitchin (1 star), Claude Bosi, Hibiscus (2 star).

Dhruv is warned that he only has 25 minutes to go. All his elements are to cook last minute. He is being urged to hurry up but any mistake could ruin his dish. He plates up and out it goes.

Clare thinks the starter is very good, well cooked and seasoned. Alexis says that a lot of skills have been shown and he is impressed. Tom calls it beautiful, says he is in awe. Claude remarks that you could pay more money in other restaurants and not have a dish as good. Ducasse comments ‘a potential competitor for us, eh?’

Dhruv slinks warily in looking like a rabbit in the headlights. Ducasse tells him ‘This is a serious dish. You have respected the origins and flavours’. Clare remarks that this is up there. Tom tells him he should be proud as it was cooked to perfection and for all these wonderful chefs tasting it -it was top drawer. Ducasse congratulates him.

Dhruv leaves the room and says he feels very emotional. He’s cooked for his food heroes and feels it is the perfect end to a perfect day.

Tim is still slaving over his halibut. The fish must be perfectly poached. Now he starts plating up and out comes his meal!

Clare feels it is missing some salt. Helene says the Halibut is well cooked. Tom agrees that the fish is cooked beautifully, the chard is done correctly but the kumquats are not quite right and the aubergine is very smoky. Some parts are perfection, others not quite there. Ducasse remarks that this is a difficult dish because of the flavour combinations and he has done a good job.

Tim comes in for comments. Clare tells him he did well and she understands he was under pressure. Alexis says he is a good technician. The fish was perfectly cooked and the chard well braised, but the jus was not reduced enough. Tim welcomes the criticism. Later he says he found it a shock seeing all the chefs but that he feels lucky to have cooked for them.

Alex is last up with dessert. He’s finding it tough but out it goes.

Ducasse starts out saying ‘tres bien! You can smell it.’
Claude asks if he is sure that it is not one of his chefs that did this dessert, as it is fantastic. Helene says the crème brulee is perfect. Alexis thinks it is like eating a pineapple cloud. Helene concludes ‘that wasn’t perfection?’ and Claude asks, ‘can I have another one please?’

Alex enters for judgement. Alexis tells him right away that he is super gifted and that he does not believe that he has not done pastry before. Ducasse says he tasted the original and remembered perfectly the harmony between the elements. He thinks it was a perfect dessert and congratulates him. Once out of the room a delighted Alex says that that was a special moment, incredible, and he feels any self doubt has been removed.

All the contestants get a warm round of applause from the diners. Gregg and John are bursting with pride, saying they were outstanding and amazing; the best three amateur cooks in the country.

Now it’s all down to this Masterchef final!

The three finalists were whittled down from 136 contestants. Previous winners include Thomasina Myers, who now has her own restaurant, as does another winner Matt Follas, and James Nathan, who found work with Rick Stein.

John and Gregg feel it is very close. They face three final challenges; the Invention test, a trip to Europe to work in three Michelin-starred restaurants, and then cooking three faultless plates of food for our salivating judges.

We catch up with our finalists. Tim, from Norwich, wants to leave the medical world behind him. He finds his job satisfying and rewarding but he has such a passion for food he would like to explore. Tim has impressed throughout with elegant and technical dishes. Sometimes though, he has just missed the mark. His wife is very proud of him and believes this could be his new career. He wants his own restaurant in Norfolk. Dhruv is a Londoner who wants to make his passion his career for his family. He has had a range of food influences with his dad being English and his mum Indian. His mum is really proud of what he’s achieved. Dhruv’s fusion style has delivered stunning flavours and beautiful dishes, but he can give himself too much to do. Dhruv says he has a wife and son and a great job, he is very happy, but his cooking is a nagging itch. It’s something he never thought he could do and now he really wants it. Finally we visit Alex in Cambridge. He lives in the Cambridgeshire countryside and loves the rural lifestyle. He cooks and writes about food as a freelance writer. Charlotte, his girlfriend, knows he would be happy in the kitchen; he does so well pleasing people with food. Alex’s modern, sometimes experimental, style has produced truly memorable food, although not every dish is successful and can divide the crowd. Alex says he has surprised himself throughout the competition and has had an amazing experience.

First up, the Invention Test. They have 60 minutes to make one dish. Their ingredients include rack of lamb, langoustine, celeriac, lemon sole, spinach, Jerusalem artichoke, carrots, peas and chillies. Tim feels confident. Dhruv is very aware he must now meet every challenge. Alex says this is what it is all about and that the results must be faultless. They get down to plating up.

Tim has made fish soup, langoustine tails and a pan-fried fillet of sole, served with a rouille. Gregg loves the flavours and the stock is beautiful. It looks lovely but is not thick enough. Too watery. John adores the taste but there is nothing for it to hold onto. It should be more solid. Dhruv has cooked roasted rack of lamb, spinach spiced with fenugreek, celeriac puree with cardamom and chilli and spiced poached pears, with a red wine and lamb jus. Gregg loves the fenugreek and jus with the lamb, but the pear is unnecessary. John thinks everything on the plate is well cooked and the pear was a risk, but he feels it works well. Alex has made a mustard crusted lamb with dauphinoise potatoes, spinach glazed carrots, Jerusalem artichoke puree, and a sauce made from lamb juices. John finds the vegetables lovely, but he’s not cooked the lamb correctly and the sauce has split. Gregg agrees, there’s a greasy finish and the lamb is chewy. Alex admits he is gutted. Gregg tells him he still believes in him, but he can’t afford another slip up.

Now the contestants are sent off to some of the best restaurants in Europe for some tutoring from some of the world’s best chefs. Each venue has three Michelin stars. Tim is going to work with Chef Marc Haeberlin at L’auberge de L’ill in France. He knows they will expect perfection. Alex is off to Le Calandre in Italy to work with Chef Massimiliano Alajmo. He is desperate to impress. Dhruv is travelling to Holland, to De Librije and Chef Johnnie Boer. Dhruv says this is cooking at the highest standard and is quite a frightening prospect.

At L’auberge de L’ill Chef Marc greets Tim. The restuarant has held its three michelin stars for 42 years and many of the venue’s original dishes are still on the menu. Tim will be recreating the classic pigeon dish with truffle and cabbage. It requires precision. With work, he does ok. Over at Le Calandre, Chef Massimiliano is renowned for his recreations of traditional Italian cuisine. Alex is having a go at the grilled rabbit sandwich with mozzarella sphaghetti, aubergine sorbet and oregano, caper and tomato sauce. The aubergine sorbet is made with liquid nitrogen. Alex makes a good job of it. Dhruv is working with Johnnie Boer who is showing him the importance of attention to detail. Dhruv is making Johnnie’s interpretation of a crab and shrimp cocktail. Dhruv feels terrified. The crab meat must be checked under a UV light to ensure there is no shell in it. He is managing.

It’s lunchtime across Europe and the finalist’s food must be up to standard. A Michelin inspector could visit at any time. Tim is working the pigeon and impressing chef. His plating up is fine too. Diners say it looks and smells good. It’s excellent. Alex in Italy is on his rabbit. The chef is pleased with his handling of the ingredients and presentation skills. The diner says it is perfect and the rabbit is very very good. Over in Holland Dhruv gets an order for his complicated shrimp cocktail. Worse still it is going to a very discerning diner, two Michelin starred chef Moshik Roth from restaurant Brouwerskolkje. Chef Johnnie explains this to Dhruv and says he must make it beautiful. Dhruv is carefully putting the tiny elements together. Chef thinks he is working well and very clean. The dish goes out. Chef Roth thinks the dish is sexy and gives him goose pimples as is so fine- definitely three Michelin starred cookery. Dhruv has pleased two chefs, one in the restaurant and one in the kitchen!

Now each contestant must cook the signature dish that helped make the restaurants famous and serve it to the chef who created it. Tim presents Chef Marc Haeberlin with warm chocolate mousse in a filo pastry shell, with caramelised mango and vanilla ice cream, sprinkled with pistachio pieces. The chef thinks it is well seasoned and not too sugary; the caramel is good and not too sweet, overall perfect. He wishes him luck in the final and says he is talented, clever and quick. Alex is cooking for Chef Massimiliano Alajmo and his brother Raphael, the restaurant manager. He is doing saffron risotto with liquourice powder. Chef likes the rice and the balance is perfect- it could be served in the restaurant. Raphael thinks it’s perfect and close to what is being served. Chef tells Alex that he has appreciated how much the dish means to them and that he could come to work with them if he would like. Dhruv is working on ‘two dimensions, two spaces’ a dish of white fish cooked four ways with pickled mushrooms and baby veg, for Chef Johnnie Boer and his wife Thérèse Boer-Tausch. Johnnie thinks the fillet had to be precise but is very good. It is exactly what he would serve in the restaurant. His wife says Dhruv is born to be a cook- it’s in his blood. Dhruv is emotional at such praise, it’s unbelievable.

And lastly- the final three dishes! Gregg and John are turned out smartly for the special occasion. The finalists have two hours to make three courses. They begin.

Alex admits he has given himself a lot to do. He is making Pheasant Salin bocca, with beetroot jus, spheres of butternut squash. His main is venison and red cabbage. The dessert will be Tarte tatin with pear and a blue cheese ice cream. Dhruv is hoping to show what he has learned. He has lots of work to do. He is cooking a starter of poached lobster with saffron and ginger. His main is venison with fenugreek and potatoes. His dessert is poached pear, masala ice cream and chocolate truffle. Tim has high expectations of himself and wants to show that he can go for it. He’s doing some complicated food. He’s starting with an open lasagna of butternut squash, mushrooms and sage butter. His main is pheasant with pomme anna, bread sauce and cabbage and two jellies. His dessert will be Mont Blanc chestnut puree with lots of cream and a pear poached in toffee.

10 minutes to go is called and they all plate up. First up is Alex with his pheasant salin bocca. John says it has extraordinary flavour from the bacon, rich flavours throughout, brought alive by sage. Gregg thinks the dish is interesting and pleasant. Then it’s the main; Gregg thinks it is really good, John says it has softness from the venison, sweetness from the red cabbage and that the sauce maybe a little too sweet. For his dessert, John feels the tartin is lovely but he doesn’t like the addition of the blue cheese ice cream. Gregg agrees completely. Dhruv is next. Tasting his starter John highlights the lobster sweetness, fennel sharpness and the chilli warmth. He loves it. Gregg says it’s gorgeous, very accomplished cooking. They go to his main. John says everything is cooked beautifully, there are great flavours and textures from the potatoes. He thinks it’s lovely but lacks oomph. Gregg likes the look, says it is subtle, but he loves it. He feels he is falling in love with it. Finally his trio of desserts. Gregg finds it delicious and very exciting, brilliant. John says though it is stone cold it warms the pallet, looks stunning and he loves it. Last to be judged is Tim. Gregg loves the look, flavours and textures of his starter. John adores the big sweet flavour followed by the mushrooms. It’s elegant. When they taste his main Gregg says it is fantastic, beautiful, and that the flavours from the jelly make it brilliant. John says it is beautiful and delicious. Finally the dessert. Gregg thinks it is stunning and looks lovely. He’d tweak bits but it’s fundamentally fantastic. John loves the texture but the coffee is extremely strong, though his skill and thought should be applauded.

Overall the judges are proud and all excelled. The three go out to wait as John and Gregg have their final deliberations.

It’s time. They file back in. The winner is....

Dhruv!

He actually cries with joy and is overwhelmed. The two losers come out to talk to camera. Tim says it’s a bit of a pain he hasn’t won but he is still further on in his dream to change his life, and perhaps that is slightly more important than the trophy. Alex says he is disappointed that he did not cook to his best and made a couple of little mistakes, but that any disappointment he is feeling is offset by admiration and genuine happiness for Dhruv, because he deserves it.

Back in with John and Gregg Dhruv is mopping himself up. He says he is pinching himself. He can’t believe it, after years of dreams and ambitions, it’s mind blowing. Words can’t begin to describe how he feels. He says he is on the path to where he wants to go and he is so excited he can’t wait to get back in the kitchen. Gregg says Dhruv is one of the most amazing talents he has ever seen and he has the palate of an angel. John agrees, saying Dhruv has a talent that very few people will ever have- that is- to cook the most amazing food he has ever tasted.

They present Dhruv with his trophy. Dhruv says it will be the first piece of furniture in his restaurant. Congratulations to Dhruv Baker, Masterchef Champion 2010!