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The Finals: Starter

In the first challenge of finals week, the eight chefs battle to get their starter course to the banquet and cook up dishes dedicated to everything from Tom Jones to grime.

It is national finals week, where the winning chefs from the regional heats compete for the honour of cooking at a banquet celebrating the brilliance of British popular music, held at Abbey Road Studios. Each episode sees the eight rivals cook a different course – and with this being the last chance they have to impress the expert judges and a raft of guest judges from the British music industry, the pressure is on.

In the first episode, the eight chefs battle to get their starter course to the Abbey Road banquet and don’t disappoint with stunning dishes dedicated to everything from Tom Jones to grime. The rivals are cooking to impress food writer Matthew Fort, restaurateur Oliver Peyton, broadcaster and cook Andi Oliver, and guest judge and British music legend Martin Kemp. Since the chefs last cooked their starters in the regional finals, they have had an opportunity to tweak the dishes with the judge’s feedback in mind, and with one chef choosing to cook a brand new, previously untested dish, there are some big surprises in store. With the stakes so high, and the finest chefs in the competition all vying for victory, which of the fierce rivals can secure the first place on the banquet menu?

59 minutes

Music Played

  • Spandau Ballet

    True

  • The Kinks

    Sunny Afternoon

  • Tom Jones

    Green, Green Grass of ±«Óãtv

  • Skepta

    Bad Boy

  • Spandau Ballet

    To Cut A Long Story Short

  • Spandau Ballet

    Gold

  • Joe Brown

    I'll See You In My Dreams

  • Elton John

    I'm Still Standing

  • Elton John

    Rocket Man (Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park)

Credits

Role Contributor
Series Producer Avril Beaven
Series Producer Perjit Aujla
Executive Producer Sarah Eglin
Director Francois Gandolfi
Judge Martin Kemp
Judge Oliver Peyton
Judge Andi Oliver
Judge Matthew Fort

Broadcasts

Series 19: Meet the Chefs

Series 19: Meet the Chefs

Find out more about the chefs competing to make it through to the 2024 banquet.