Like-minded again, Mark and Georgia both bring out the yellow hard hats for Fireman Sam-themed starters. Mark’s is a flame-bright creation of koji-braised carrot, puy lentils, cobnuts and spring onion oil, partly ‘extinguished’ by a blast of smoked soya foam. Gethin is amazed that a carrot can be so tasty and says it’s ‘brilliant’. ‘So good,’ insists Nisha Katona, but Tom wants ‘just a bit more punch’. For ‘Sam’s Lunch’, Georgia layers sheets of turnip lasagne with celeriac puree, roasted tomato and root vegetable ragù, basil oil and a nutritional yeast, cashew and garlic crumb. Ed thinks it’s ‘comforting’ and Gethin calls it ‘clever’, but Nisha says it’s not blowing heraway.

‘Help SuperTed! They’re Stealing Our Pearls!’ is Mark’s fish dish of plaice in beurre noisette, poached oyster, white radish kimchi, nori strands, cucumber puree and buttermilk dashi. Gethin is wowed by the artistry of Mark’s cucumber pearls, but Ed is ‘less keen’ on the dish’s strong cucumber flavour and Tom admits his mackerel alternative ‘feels like I’m at a really nice restaurant – not at a banquet’. Mike Young isn’t so fussy about the venue. Back in the kitchen he happily dives in and says it’s ‘gorgeous’. Based on an episode of Portland Bill, Georgia presents her ‘posh version of fish, chips and curry sauce’. She shapes crushed potatoes into thick fingers and fries them to serve with chunky halibut fillets, batter scraps and a curry and mussel velouté. Nisha and Gethin find both the sauce and potatoes far too salty. Ed says he can cope with ‘a fish and chip hit’ that has ‘a big whack of salt’. All agree with Nisha that the dishes so far have shown more imagination with props than they have with the food on the plate.

Hoping to get back on track with a tribute to Ivor the Engine, Georgia serves smoky herb-stuffed roasted pigeon with black pudding puree, roasted beetroot in raspberry vinaigrette, pickled beetroot and pigeon jus. Nisha likes the pigeon, but Tom grimaces and says it’s too fatty. Sadly, it looks like this little train is not destined to be stopping at the banquet venue. Inspired by the Welsh Mabinogion tales, Mark’s main is a royal feast of spiced barbecued duck, elderberry jus, seed-crusted duck heart, red cabbage puree and pickled, roasted and puréed butternut squash. The judges swoon at the rich, velvety purees and the flavoursome duck heart but all cry out for more meat. Ed thinks a link to illustration wouldn’t go amiss
either.

Georgia’s pre-dessert is a little strawberry-shaped parfait which Ed decides is his favourite. The others prefer Mark’s cardamom espuma with fennel namelaka and orange ice cream, although Gethin says he needs a manual explaining how to eat it. SuperTed returns for Georgia’s ‘Nuts in Space’ dessert of macerated cherries, aerated chocolate, vanilla cosmic dust, cherry space rocks, almond butter ice cream and an almond tuile. Nisha and Ed agree the presentation doesn’t really link to the brief, but Tom absolutely loves it and says it’s his dish of the day. Finally, it’s Mark’s sweet sandwich of honey and sourdough parfait in delicate honeycomb tuiles. It comes with a raspberry sorbet, raspberry cremeux and little pate de fruits bees. All agree it’s a beautiful looking dish with great elements and although Tom says he’d eat it again, he insists it’s not banquet-worthy. So, although Mark succeeds in getting through to finals week, he’ll probably need another dish to get him to the banquet. As for Mike Young – you can bet he’ll be there regardless.