‘It’s more like Squid Games!’ Viewers slam ‘miserable’ Great British Menu contestants for failing to help each other through final challenge
- Three of four contestants on last night’s show had appeared in the series before
- Viewers said it was ‘tense’ and ‘competitive’ from the very start on Twitter
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Great British Menu viewers slammed the ‘miserable’ contestants on last night’s episode for failing to help each other through the final challenge.
In the latest episode of the hit series, chefs Simmie Vedi, Mark Threadfill, Georgia Sommerin and Tom ‘Westy’ Westerland battled it out to make it through the first round of Welsh heats.
To begin with, the four chefs from across Wales were tasked with making a canape of their choice followed by a series of dishes inspired by their favourite cartoons – in a nod to Paddington Bear’s 65th birthday.
In keeping with the usual format, the episode ends with one of the contestants being sent home by a guest ‘veteran’ judge – with 2019 winner Lorna McNee stepping into the role this week.
Lorna – who is head chef at Glasgow restaurant Clil Bruich – is currently the only woman in Scotland with a Michelin star.
Simmie Vedi (right), Mark Threadfill (centre right), Georgia Sommerin (centre left) and Tom ‘Westy’ Westerland (left) appeared in the first round of the Welsh heats
As Georgia, Mark and Westy had already appeared in previous seasons, viewers said it was obvious from the start that they were ‘tense’ about not making the same mistakes this time round.
Although contestants usually step in to help if someone is running out of time in their final challenge, Twitter users noted that the atmosphere in the kitchen was more ‘competitive’ this week.
For her last dish, Georgia, 24, who is head chef at Michelin-starred restaurant Home in Penarth, made a ‘posh version’ of fish and chips – consisting of thyme-marinated halibut, mussels, mashed potato with capers topped with a scattering of crispy potatoes.
In her private judging, Georgia told Lorna that she wanted her potato topping to remind diners of ‘biting into a chip from the chippy’.
However, Simmie told host Andrea Oliver that she would prefer them ‘crispier’ – resulting in her fellow chefs all giving her a lukewarm seven out of 10.
Speaking to Lorna, Georgia said: ‘I’d really like an 8 for this one. Last time I was knocked out at this round and I don’t want to be that person going home.’
Despite struggling with her time-keeping, viewers noted how Georgia’s fellow contestants didn’t step in to lend a helping hand – resulting in her being two minutes late to serve her dish to Lorna.
Following her judging, Georgia then helped Westy finish off his fish with chowder sauce and chorizo dish – as Simmie and Mark watched on.
Unimpressed viewers said they missed the ‘camaraderie’ of the show and said the chefs were ‘tense’ from the start
Meanwhile, the unimpressed contestants all gave Simmie a five out of 10 for her monkish main – resulting in her being eliminated from the competition.
As she returned to the room following her private judging, a sheepish-looking Westy praised her for a ‘delicious’ sauce – having only just told host Andrea moments earlier that you ‘have to nail the fish course’.
Although Georgia, Westy and Simmie had all completed their dishes by the time it was Mark’s turn to serve, none of them stepped in to help – after he failed to provide any assistance himself.
The four ‘tense’ contestants failed to impress viewers on Twitter – with one outraged user even likening the episode to Netflix’s Squid Games.
Simmie, Westy and Georgia stand by and watch Mark at work after he failed to help them in their challenges too
One fumed: ‘Absolutely unbearable bunch on The Great British Menu this week – normally feel the joy of the camaraderie and teamwork but these lot all seem like d***s!’
Another added: ‘This kitchen needs an emergency injection of humour and camaraderie.’
‘Dear God, this is the most joyless round of Great British Menu I have ever seen,’ a third fumed. ‘No energy, no camaraderie, not great cooking. I love food but this is so depressing, we won’t be watching the rest of this week.’
Meanwhile, a fourth said: ‘My favourite part of Great British Menu is when the chefs all help eachother and are really supportive of their colleagues. No risk of that this week…’
Ultimately, Simmie – who was the only chef not to have already appear on the show – was eliminated, with the remaining three appearing in later episodes airing this week.
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