It's been a tense week! It's not that I wasn't delighted to see Michael Caines beat John Burton-Race in last year's Great British Menu but this year he's been a little too full of his own self-importance and contrasting with Mark Hix's horizontal laid-back style it has been most amusing to watch. Michael could not possibly accept that his competition (who frankly he didn't really believe was a worthy contender) could consider entering such an esteemed competition with a mere pie and a rather crazy rabbit & crayfish stargazy pie at that. What is the world coming to? He took every opportunity to rubbish it but as brave as the choice was the judges were impressed with the majesty of the occasion and had to admit that you couldn't get a offering more British or less likely that any of the French diners had enjoyed the very same dish only the previous day. Michael was amazed, his perfectly executed but rather French duck with curiously very wintry vegetables of celeriac and cabbage couldn't stand up to it at all. But fair play to Mark, he did admit that it could have gone either way with the judges either laughing all the way to the Eiffel Tower or applauding him - full marks to Mark for daring to be different! And I was also pleased that the judges did pick up on Michael's totally out of season apples again and the fact that his dumplings were extraordinarily ravioli like, or was it dim sum?
I'm a huge fan of Mark's work so I was very pleased he got through! And next week? Go, Marcus, go!
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