Post: Episode 5: Locks Restaurant and the Souffle Challenge

Episode 5: Locks Restaurant and the Souffle Challenge

This was one of the tasks I enjoyed the most, and also the one that generated the most feedback via text, email, twitter and Facebook for me. Working with Rory and Keelin in Locks was fantastic. They do great food, the early bird is fantastic value, and they definitely deserved their Michelin star. I’m just wondering if the Michelin judges were there the night I was there!! The lads gave me loads of advice, pushed me hard, and so I did learn loads. When I went back recently for a meal with my wife, we were really looked after.

After getting the feedback from Nick and Dylan, I was raging. There were some comments used that were not shown last night and some of us took real exception to it, and I definitely let them know what I thought. Needless to say, that was probably not broadcastable. So it was great to see what the chefs really said last night, and I’m very happy with that feedback that we all got. Although how Rory could think I was shy is a bit strange. I did hear that when Nicha was killing the lobsters, that one went flying across the room… the camera-men must have been asleep for that one.

I’m not a big fan of soufflés, and I had only made my first soufflé a week before that task. It’s one of those things that you sort of need to know how to make on Masterchef. Gordon Ramsay has a great Youtube clip on how to make a Passion Fruit soufflé.

We were shown a perfect soufflé and we had to re-create it. Now there is a bit of debate about that soufflé. Apparently Dylan made it, but I’m not so sure. We were kept waiting outside the studio for about 30 minutes. I think Dylan made a mess of his and had to get someone else to step in. I must ask him.

I thought I was doing really well during the soufflé challenge and I couldn’t believe that everyone was finished after 20 minutes and mine wasn’t even in the oven. I might have come across as smug last night, but you would want to have seen the look of relief on my face when the soufflé rose in the oven.

As for the feedback, I’ve had a look at Twitter, Facebook, etc, and it has definitely generated some debate. I’ve been called smug and cocky, but also confident, cool, composed. Someone even said I was like The Viper from The Hardy Bucks because of the way I speak. Well we are both from Mayo.

It was a shame to lose Simon as he was such a character. When everyone was in bad form, Simon would crack one of his jokes or pull a face. He is opening a new Mexican take-away today in Stillorgan called El Porko-Loco, so if you are in the area, drop in and say hello to him.

Next week is a strange one, you’ll even get to see the evil side of one of the contestants!

About Terry

Terry Lyons
Terry Lyons

Terry was a competitor on Masterchef
Ireland 2012, where he reached the final.
In what was an amazing experience, he
documented his journey on his blog, as
well as regular recipes.