The great ship Mary Berry is back — judging a right bunch of blunderers...
Far have we travelled and much have we seen, but where-oh-where is our favourite baking queen? Last night, the great ship Mary Berry sailed back on to the small screen, at the judging helm of a new show to find Britain’s Best Home Cook (BBC1).
The 83-year-old was looking sprightly in a pair of jeans and a polka dot blouse, her Lady Penelope hair a familiar whip of blonde precision. And as always, her sweet but stern admonishments broke the bad news gently to blundering culinary hopefuls.
‘You’ve been so keen to put so much in we’ve got a little bit too much variety,’ she said to a lunatic called Trevor, who had made a lamb, beef and bacon cheeseburger, then garnished it with tempura prawns. To an Irish farmer’s wife named Fiona, whose hamburger looked like a deep-fried camel hoof slapped in a bap, she was equally kindly. ‘I would say it is slightly overcooked,’ she murmured pleasantly as she nearly broke a tooth on the gigantic meat puck. Welcome back, Mary. How we have missed you!
A lot rests on this new show, which the BBC is hoping will replace Bake Off in viewers’ affections over the next eight weeks. As the contestants stay in the same house between episodes, it’s rather like Bake Off meets The Apprentice, with the emphasis on cooking rather than baking, and the added spice of host Claudia Winkleman gliding between the kitchen worktops, squealing like an adolescent under her fringe.
The chemistry between Claudia and Mary – who has never been more relaxed – sparkles. Paul who? I don’t want to talk about him.
The format finds ten home cooks cooking an ultimate dish, then making another preparation showcasing a prize ingredient. Those deemed to have failed must compete in a cook-off to avoid elimination, which is – bizarrely – tasted in silence by the judges.
Alongside Mary is Gregg Wallacealike produce expert Chris Bavin, and top chef Dan Doherty.
They are both sincere and straightforward with interesting things to say about the dishes, and they are not trying to be superstars.
If there is one flaw, it is that the entire premise is about home cooks – whatever they might be – but contestants strain to make menufriendly dishes and plate up their food restaurant style. Why? They don’t eat like that at home, surely?
Home cook Fiona, who might have been my favourite cooking show contestant of all time, was gone before we got to know her, as she was the first to be booted off last night.
She trembled with nerves throughout, she never got the hang of having to wear a health’n’safety plastic glove when handling raw meat in the studio kitchen, or of sizing down her efforts.
‘I’ve got five hungry men and I just think big,’ she said.
Her Swiss roll resembled a hunk of rusty drainpipe filled with cream, while her poached eggs were an affront to chickendom.
In spirit, in execution, in the flesh and on the plate, she was more like a home cook than any of the others. However, in this show, the last thing they actually want is a real home cook. Still, what fun… it’s a hit!
Irish farmer’s wife first to be axed