33 year old Liz lives on toast because her cooking skills are non existent. She’s a perfect example of the ‘cooking generation gap’ – the women who rebelled against kitchen life in their teens and early twenties. Her husband Blair has given up hoping his wife will ever cook and has resigned himself to preparing all the family’s meals. Liz is totally useless in the kitchen – even slicing bread proves to be a challenge.
Jun starts by showing Liz how to cook a delicious and filling Spanish Omelette. It takes minutes to prepare and its versatility means it can be eaten hot or cold! Liz takes her first tentative steps as a cook and starts to get her head round some basic skills. To her amazement she discovers cooking is no way near as scary as she previously thought.
Jun realises that Liz’s confidence is the key to her finding success in the kitchen, so he shows Liz how to cook a simple but delicious fish stew. When Liz finds out she has to cook it for her husband and his work colleagues she’s mortified but with Jun’s help she manages to handle the pressure and produces a pretty decent meal. Her confidence gets a deserved boost.
Liz is then sent to meet top chef John Campbell at the Michelin starred Vineyard restaurant. She needs the professional tips that John can offer her if she’s going to have any chance in the Cook Off competition. He helps Liz practice cooking another simple fish dish, Turbot with clams and autumn vegetables, as well as a straightforward cheesecake dessert.
The day of the competition arrives and Liz’s steels herself for battle. Competing with two experienced chefs, she’ll need to stay cool and remember everything Jun and John have taught her. All they can do now is watch from a secret room and hope that their student shows the chefs she’s just as good as them.