Masterscouse

Wow, what a series, I feel stuffed, full of nerves and am still sweating more than 12 hours after hearing Michel Roux Jr pronounce Claire Lara Masterchef Professional champion of 2010.

Losing finalists David Coulson and John Calton were incredible, hardly losers as I am sure there will be restaurants dangling unpeeled carrots with the little leaves still attached in front of them. I really felt for David, I thought he had done enough to win to be honest, David if you read this I want you to know I want to 'Shake' you by the hand and thank you for providing excellent entertainment through every course of the series, you made me salivate and cry.

But it was Claire the college tutor from Liverpool that proved too good for the boys and with one eye on twitter at the same time it seemed almost everyone thought Claire was favourite to lift the title also, but David was the one the majority were all rooting for.

I'm sure there are a lot of people that were miffed John even made it through to the final, he was constantly running over the time allowed top prepare his dishes while those who could manage their time better were sent home early. Highlights for me were the absence of John Terode, his replacement the very suave and real nice guy Michel Roux Jr and his number 2 Monica Galletti. If Greg is going to stay on as a judge can the BBC send him to cutlery handling school before the next series, it's like watching someone feed a baby, I'm sure I heard little choof choof train noises as the food was sent into his tunnel.


Some of the tasks they are set would have me questioning the validity of the requests sometime. If I was asked to descale 30 mullet then put scales back on them I would be looking over my shoulder waiting for Jeremy Beadle, the things these chefs put themselves through is astounding, they have dedication by the bucket full. I would love to ask them why? Why would they want to slave away in a kitchen under extreme pressure for hours and days on end to have your efforts pulled to pieces by customers in a restaurant that all of a sudden become experts on seasoning and over cooked fish the minute they walk through your door.


At the end of the day does it really matter, I don't care what my food looks like to be honest within reason, I don't want chefs sweating like a race horse dripping it all over my plate, touching my food replacing it to the millimetre or gluing my shortbread down with a bit of jam, just get the food in front of me while it's still hot.


And finally, I hardly think Michelin are a very good name to be associated with such small portions on a plate, I think Victoria Beckham stars would be a more accurate description