Salt baked celeriac formed into roses, the inner halves torched for bitterness and brushed with a reduction of their own juices, alongside compressed apple slices spritzed with smoked thyme vinegar. Served with a clear apple and celeriac juice, roasted hazelnuts, marigold flowers and micro herbs. Accompanied by a buckwheat pillow dough puff filled with aerated celeriac puree, marked with a clock face in edible ink. The centerpiece is a horseradish ice cream garnished with thyme leaves, served from a presentation box at the table. Mark described his technique: 'I am going to create a rose with the celeriac itself. Salt bake it first of all, and then I am going to torch the second half to get that bitterness to go through the dish.' On the horseradish ice cream: 'The idea is that the dish will change the flavour if you have a bite with the horseradish ice cream, or if you are going to have a bite just off the actual rose itself to symbolize the love. So I want to put you in different mindsets as you have this dish.' After Simon's feedback to go bigger: 'I am just increasing the celeriac, and I am going to add an extra slice of the apple for the freshness. Generosity means smiles. Brings success.' Veteran Simon Rogan scored this dish 8.
VETERAN ROUND: Simon Rogan scored this dish 8. Feedback: 'Mark, for your dish. The presentation looked amazing and I really enjoyed the link to the brief. The pillow was crispy, was very tasty. The salt baked celeriac rose was really lovely tasting. Cooked really well, had a great texture, and the horseradish ice cream was lovely. You know, it was spicy and had a good twang to it. I mean, I loved your ideas, but I do not think it was big enough. You know, this is a four course menu, so you need to be more generous.'
JUDGING ROUND: Mark increased the portion size, adding extra apple slices and more pickle. Tom Kerridge: 'The flavour I like of the apple and the celeriac juice. Texturally, it is a bit gloopy. Just feels just a little one dimensional until you get that ice cream. And the ice cream for me is magic. That punchy, sharp, peppery, kind of spicy kick. And then all of a sudden, the dish comes alive. I am not convinced it would work for a banquet. You have got ice cream and a crispy pillow, but you can see that if this is the beginning of a journey that this chef might be on throughout the day, we could be in for a very good day.' Lorna McNee: 'When I first tasted the horseradish ice cream, I was just blown away. You expect it to be like overpoweringly spicy, but it was just perfectly balanced, and it was so refreshing, like nothing I have ever had before.' Phil Wang: 'My favourite bit is actually when you get a little bit of hazelnut in there. That really toasty, nutty flavour, I think is really good. Works lovely with it.' Ben Whitehead: 'I have had garlic ice cream before, which felt like a prank more than something. That was absolutely amazing. And with the toasty nuts, oh man, that was so good.'
