Chopping Block TX: ITV, Monday 11th April 2016, 3pm Press Pack

Chopping Block TX: ITV, Monday 11th April 2016, 3pm Press Pack

SERIES OVERVIEW In the 20 x 60 series, ebullient top chef Rosemary Shrager and chef, food writer and TV personality John Whaite are running a one week residential cookery school. Each week, four competitive couples will face a smorgasbord of daily challenges. They all have a passion for food and want to be champion in the kitchen. But they won t just cook together. They ll also live together turning up the heat to boiling point. Each day the best couple will win a prize, but only the most improved will walk away with 1000 at the end of the week. The rest will end up on the Chopping Block.

EPISODE SYNOPSIS Episode 1 Monday, 11 th April, 3pm It s day one for our four culinary couples and today is all about judging the cooks basic kitchen abilities. Whilst Donna and Nicole s round one challenge doesn t go eggs xactly to plan, the main dish of fried mackerel with cannellini beans leaves Mathew and Marcus green around the gills. Will the dessert round of flambé bananas push our cook s basic skills to the max? Our couples hope to impress both Rosemary and John throughout the week, but who will succeed in winning today s treat back at the hotel? Episode 2 Tuesday, 12 th April, 3pm Its day two and today its Italian day at Rosemary Shrager and John Whaite s competitive cookery school. Our cooks will compete in three foodie rounds, one of which is making a delicious rustic Tuscan sausage casserole. But things get heated when Donna and daughter Nicole get themselves in a twist with their string of sausages and one couple makes a zabaglione that competes with John s classic Italian dessert. Who will take the glory and be in the running for the 1000 cash prize? Episode 3 Wednesday, 13 th April, 3pm It s baking day with a twist at Rosemary Shrager and John Whaite s cookery school. At the end of the day one couple will be evicted. Once again our cooks will compete in three foodie rounds, one of which is making Rosemary s very own Cornish inspired pie. Tensions run high with Stuart and George as neither can decipher whether they are making pasty or pie and one couple s scones are described as perfection. But whose pastry is best and whose is eviction worthy? Episode 4 Thursday, 14 th April, 3pm Day four sees our three remaining couples put to the test as the competition steps up at Rosemary Shrager and John Whaite s cookery school. Our cooks will be using their knife skills to learn how to joint chicken in a quest to serve up a French favourite. Today proves challenging for all, leaving Rosemary and John somewhat frustrated. Who is going to be one step closer to winning the 1000 cash prize? Episode 5 Friday, 15 th April, 3pm It s the final day at Rosemary Shrager and John Whaite s competitive cookery school and one couple will be walking away with the 1000 cash prize. Today is all about Asian inspired dishes but with a twist. With no recipes or demos to help them, it s down to our couple to create their own dishes. Who will leave with the 1000 cash prize?

ROSEMARY SHRAGER Q&A Q: What can we expect from the series? A: Well, first of all, a lot of fun, but it s mostly informative and there is also a lot of confidence building. They re learning to cook they really want to do well. It starts off taking the mickey, by the middle of the week they take it terribly seriously and then by the end of the week it s all about winning! I think these things are really important because when you are put under pressure, you learn and you really take it in. It s wonderful! That s what it s all about; it s a competition, but a competition with information and learning as you go along. Q: Favourite moment A: The poached egg. I never thought a poached egg would cause so much grief! I have to tell you, I will never forget that, but the thing is, one mustn t patronise people just because they don t know how to cook. That s why they re with us, but I must say that the discussions that went along with it were mind blowing. It was great fun. Q: Any up and coming chefs? A: No. We re not looking for that, but what we are looking for is people who want to continue to learn to cook. We had quite a few of those. It was lovely to see them leaving saying, I m going to continue doing this. I m going to do more cooking at home; I love this, and really enjoying it. Q: What s the most important skill for a budding chef? A: Knife work is incredibly important; you ve got to understand your knife work. You ve got to understand also your weights and measures. It s all about feel, too. The thing about wanting to cook is never be afraid; if you can t use something, try something else. It s learning to be intuitive really, but sometimes it doesn t come naturally because it isn t your thing. It s just a learning process what we say is never the end, I hope they would want to go away and create themselves. Q: Where in the world inspires your food the most? A: Everywhere! The thing about food is that there are only certain ways of cooking baking, grilling, frying and so on, but actually it s where you are in the world. If you re in India you use Indian herbs; if you re in Italy you use the local herbs there oregano, garlic and so on. If you re in France, or China or Japan, you use theirs. It s what you add to it. I think for me Italy is probably the crossover, but I bring in a little orient, I bring in a little Indian. I bring in a little bit of everything actually. No one country has influenced me, but each country has its own flavours. The flavours come into my cooking depending on my taste buds. Q: What s your favourite recipe? A: I love my bouillabaisse! Q: Sweet or savoury?

A: Savoury. JOHN WHAITE Q&A Q: What can we expect from the series? A: The series is funny, light hearted, very informative, and entertaining. Q: Favourite moment from the series? A: #ShragerAndWhaite All will be revealed. Q: Any up and coming Chefs? A: Raymond Blanc can sleep soundly at night. But the contestants certainly improved over the course of a week. It goes to show that anyone can learn to cook if they put their mind to it. Q: What s the most important skill for a budding chef? A: Patience and palate. At first things will go wrong. That s just life. There s no point crying over a burned steak or an undercooked sponge. And a trust in your own palate is key. Q: Where in the world inspires your food the most? A: All over. I m too greedy to be limited to one culture. Obviously the patisseries of Paris are something I find incredible, but I also get very excited by ramshackled street food vans. Q: What s your favourite recipe? Rosemary s bouillabaisse is pretty awesome. I ve made it twice since filming the show and I could eat vats of the stuff. I also love my cardamom and pistachio pear tortes. They appear in the show they went down a treat. Q: Sweet or Savoury? Savoury. Salty, savoury and full of carbs.

CONTACTS Please credit the show in full alongside use of material within this press pack. For further information or interview requests, please contact: Anna Collins, Publicist, anna.collins@twofour.co.uk For images, please contact: Peter Gray, Picture Publicity Manager, peter.gray@itv.com