Reviewing Secret Cheats Used in Professional Kitchens

Welcome to Another Episode

Today, two of our normal home cooks are going to be comparing two dishes side by side. One is made traditionally from scratch, while the other has a cheat or a hack that may appear in professional kitchens. Can they identify what those cheats are?

The Boys Present Two Ramen Bowls

Boys, number one is under the cloche, you can lift both. Three, two, one, up. They ramen- Exactly the same. Two bowls of ramen. Oh, this is gonna be a day. This is gonna be a day. So try A and then try B, see if you can spot any difference. Looks wise, the broth is a different color. It is the stock we're looking at.

Well that is a very different stock. It is a different stock, so they're both delicious, right? Yeah. They are both very different. Feel like A probably tastes more meaty. It has more depth and it's delicious, possibly more salty. B is clearer, cleaner, but you can actually taste it, almost tastes more vegetal, you can taste more things in it. I couldn't tell you which one I prefer even, maybe this one.

I think I prefer the one that has more flavor because that's what I want from a ramen. But I'm not sure if that's what a ramen should be. Mm. If what everyone else is looking for. That still tastes complex. Delicious. All I want you to do is scribble on the card which one you think has been cheated and what was cheated.

Oh. One more go. One more go. What we've been very careful to avoid changing anything else between the two bowls, except for the cheat and the hack. About a year ago, we did a version of this using lots of cheats and hacks, including things like Smash powder. See if the boys could identify the difference then by watching the video up here.

And I'm changing the rules to a point for each. Oh mate. It's a point if you can work out which one has been cheated and there's a point if you can work out what it is. And when I say cheated, I mean like the point of difference. Three, two, one. I thought B was the cheat and I thought the cheat was like an instant soup powder.

Ooh. I thought A was the cheat. I thought the cheat was making your own stock cube or frozen stock to put in at the beginning. So you mean kind of batch cooking, make it and use it across multiple options? Yeah. In both bowls we have used a seasoning sachet from instant noodles to keep it the same.

The Only Difference is the Stock

The only difference is the stock. A took 30 hours to make with pigs trotters and pork bones. It was boiled down for ages, then strained off and reduced. And what you end up with is a wonderful gelatinous stock. One point. That looks like that when it's cold. Now that gives you mouth feel and a wonderful even as it's heated up, a gelatinous mouth feel.

B was quicker to make because Barry just used an instant soup powder. No wonder they tasted different. Barry actually chose the wrong one and then described the wrong thing. Yeah. No points. No points. Yeah! Justice!

No Points for Barry

Justice! You can't dangle that in front of me and take that away. Justice.

The Next Round: Cheating on a Cooking Competition

On to round two. Game freaking on then. This is a call out to every single one of you watching. Over the past few years, tens of thousands of you have joined us to watch our full weekend-long live stream shows. This time we're going for something bigger.

Yep. On the weekend of the 29th and 30th of June, we want to create the largest community produced live show, which means we're gonna need your help. Here's our concept so far. After a fishing trip hits stormy weather,

The Live Show Concept

After a fishing trip hits stormy weather, the group heads to their backyard for a cooking battle. But this time, it's not just about cooking; it's about creating something that showcases your personality and creativity.

The stakes are high, with the winner taking home the grand prize of $10,000. But it's not just about winning; it's also about having fun and making new friends along the way. We'll have a panel of judges to help us pick the winners, but we want you to decide too!

We need your help to make this event happen. We're counting on you to join us for an unforgettable weekend of cooking, laughter, and adventure. So, mark your calendars for June 29th and 30th, and get ready to join the biggest community-produced live show in history!

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en(upbeat music)- Welcome to another episode.Today two of our normal home cooksare gonna be comparingtwo dishes side by side.One made traditionally from scratch,the other with a cheat or a hackthat may appear in professional kitchens.Can they identify what those cheats are?(upbeat music)Boys, number one is under thecloche, you can lift both.- Three, two, one, up.- They ramen- Exactly the same.- Two bowls of ramen.- Oh, this is gonna be a day.- This is gonna be a day.- So try A and then try Band see if you can spot any difference.- Looks wise, the brothis a different colour.- It is the stock we're looking at.(upbeat music)(slurping)- Well that is a very different stock.- It is a different stock, so.They're both delicious,right?- Yeah.- They are both very different.Feel like A probably tastes more meaty.It has more depth and it's delicious,possibly more salty.B is clearer, cleaner, butyou can actually taste,it almost tastes more vegetal,you can taste more things in it.I couldn't tell youwhich one I prefer even,maybe this one.- I think I preferthe one that has more flavourbecause that's what I want from a ramen.But I'm not sure if that's whata ramen should be.- Mm.- If what everyone else is looking for.- That still tastes complex.- Delicious.- All I want you to dois scribble on the cardwhich one you think has been cheatedand what was cheated.- Oh.- One more go. One more go.- What we've been very careful to dois avoid changing anythingelse between the two bowls,except for the cheat and the hack.About a year ago we did a version of thisusing lots of cheats and hacks,including things like Smash powder.See if the boys couldidentify the difference thenby watching the video up here.And I'm changing therules to a point for each.- Oh mate.- It's a point if you canwork out which one has been cheatedand there's a point if youcan work out what it is.And when I say cheated,I mean like the point of difference.Three, two, one.- I thought B was the cheatand I thought the cheat waslike an instant soup powder.- Ooh.- I thought A was the cheat.I thought the cheat wasmaking your own stock cubeor frozen stock to putin at the beginning.- So you mean kind of batch cooking,make it and use itacross multiple options?- Yeah.- In both bowlswe have used a seasoning sachetfrom instant noodles to keep it the same.The only difference is the stock.A took 30 hours to makewith pigs trotters and pork bones.It was boiled down for ages,then strained off and reduced.And what you end up with isa wonderful gelatinous stock.One point. That lookslike that when it's cold.Now that gives you mouth feeland a wonderful, even as it's heated up,a gelatinous mouth feel.B was just waterwith the sachet seasoningpowder like the first oneand eight leaves of gelatin.- I wrote down jelly,I wrote down jelly.- Shut up.- So it is the boiling ofthe trotters and the bonesthat gives you that wonderfulgelatinous mouth feel,which is what makes somany broths so rich.And if you let both of those set up,they would turn prettysolid. Not completely.- I mean like with myguess of instant soup,it was because I couldtaste a variety of thingsand I guess seasoningsand it was a little bit more delicate,but no idea that it was just a packetof seasoning and gelatin.- It's absolutely delicious but A is stilllike the stand out.- A hundred percent.And you absolutely can tellthat it's had hours of love,but the other one took five,ten minutes with gelatinand gives you that mouth feelthat you expect of a long stock.And you won't see it being done in like,you know, ramen shops.But if you want to do it at home,you could get some of thatmouth feel just from gelatin.- But I was looking at the fat bubbleson the top of each andthey're both similar.- We deliberately skimmedthe fat off of the bone onebecause otherwise it's avery different experience.- So far more fat bubbles-- Which is why we're notcalling it like a tonkotsuor something where thefats is emulsified into itbecause of the rapid boiling.It is as similar as possible,except one has all the gelatinfrom bones and pig trotters.Bear in mind you can't buythose in the supermarket,you have to get thosefrom a specialist shop,they're dirt cheap, butyou have to buy themand it does take hours.So you get one point each.Because Mike...- Sorry, sorry. What?- Listen, Mike, you guessedwhich one was correctly cheatedbut you got the wrong cheat,'cause they both use instant soup.And Barry got the wrong soup,but he did mention the use of jelly as a-- No, he's talking about...He's talking about making a stockand then-- I wasn't.I wasn't.- And then-- I wasn't.- It down to that.That not the cheat.- I didn't sayhow much effortto go into making the stock.- Comment below.You have to back me on this.That's not what he was saying.- It is written.- Gelatin is specific.- Michael.Michael, you're embarrassing yourself now.- This is ridiculous. This is a robbery.- Actually it's a good point.Barry actually chose the wrong oneand then described the wrong thing.- Yeah. No points.- No points.- Yeah!- (censored)- Justice!- You can't dangle thatin front of meand take that away.- Justice.- It was appealed.Mike takes one point. Barry zero.On to round two.- Game freaking on then.This is a call outto every single one of you watching.- Over the past few years,tens of thousands of you have joined usto watch our full weekendlong live stream shows.This time we're goingfor something bigger.- Yep. On the weekend ofthe 29th and 30th of June,we want to create the largestcommunity produced live show,which means we're gonna need your help.- Here's our concept so far.After a fishing trip hits stormy weather,the, \"Sorted Food\", guysare washed up on a beachin an undisclosed locationwith nothing but theclothes they are wearing,some leftover food rationsand a building sense of trepidation.That's because the, \"Sorted Food\",community and production teamhave planned an entireweekend of cooking trials,food challenges and activitiesfor the guys to take oncompletely live.- Loads of you have given us some ideasand we can narrow revealthe title of this showis gonna be called,- \"Washed Up\".- It works on so many levels.- Yeah, brilliant.- \"Sorted Food\" are...- \"Washed Up\".- We have a beach and a cooking locationbut now we need more of your input.What food, dishes and ingredientswould you love to see us cook with?What videos, challenges andformats should we be doing?And we will be doing pass it ons,so we need some theme ideas for those too.- So click the link below tosubmit your votes and ideas.And every single week betweennow and the live broadcast,there'll be a new way foryou to help steer thisinto making the mostexciting, entertainingand fun, crazy thing we've ever done.- Once again, the dates, 29thand 30th of June, save them.Get stuck into the ideassurvey below and ticketsare available now.- Ding ding.- Before any ideashave been made.- Yes.(laughing)- This is terrifying, isn't it?- It's the right way to sell a show,now isn't it?- Kind of exciting.- Yeah.(upbeat music)(upbeat music ends)(water rippling)(whooshing)(upbeat music)- Boys, number two, lift the cloche.- Cloches.- Cloches.Oh risotto.- What have we cheated?- It looks exactly the same.Maybe this one's slightly glossier.(upbeat music)Oh wonderful. Oh, it unravels itselfas you eat it.- Yeah, it's likecreamy red pepper risotto.And that-- A little tingleat the end as well.- So this is risottowith some mascaponi,some nduja and some olive tapenade.- I think B tastes likeit's got less going on.- I wasn't taking on the journey.- I think this isa standout difference.- Yeah, standout, standout.- Mouth feel, really glossy,really tastes and feels fattier.- It feels glossy.- But alsoit's got more flavour,it's got more oomph to it for sure.- Yeah.- This one tastes,in my opinion, a little bit thinner,in not just flavour,but even texture as welland mouth feel.- Yeah.- Having said that though,if I cooked this oneup at home...- Yeah.That's delicious.- I'd be really happy with itbecause it's really delicious.- See if you can work outwhich one has been cheated, A or B?Write that on your board.And I need a quick descriptionor a word to explain what.Turn your board around in three, two, one.- I think that B was the cheatand I think it was made in a microwave.- I think B was the cheatand I think it was madein a pressure cooker.- There are two videos thatwe have previously done,one was a microwave risotto.It is absolutely possible.And one is where we've cookedrice in a pressure cookerin about half the time.- See we do listen.We listen.- It's not those is it?- You are both correctwith B, that is the cheat.- Yes.- Okay. Yeah.- Neither of you are correcton the method. A hasbeen made from scratch.And what you have is a beautiful,wonderful, glossy, starchy risotto.B was made three days ago.We're talking mise en place.The risotto base wasmade 80% of the way thereand then stopped, quicklychilled and put in the fridge.So in restaurants you can make a big batchof plain risotto withall your mirepoixand all the wonderful things.- And stock going instir, stir. Okay.- Stock.Stir, stir, stir, stir, stirin the morning when it'schill and quiet and then stop.And then you can use that basefor one, two, possibly even three dayswith different flavours anddifferent daily risottos.Because guests aren'tprepared to wait 20 minutesto make it from scratch.- Gotcha.- So in just three, four, five minutes,you can finish it to nearly damn perfectwith whatever flavour you want.One day it could be wildgarlic puree stirred through.One day it could be andouille,mascaponi and tapenade.And one day it could besomething completely different again.Yesterday's leftoversoup is a common additionto base risotto to getyou to a daily dish.- Wow.- I think that makesperfect sense, because thatone, 80% of the way thereand I would say that thatone tastes 20% better.- It does, yeah.So why is it, how is the starchinessso much stronger in this?- Yeah.- We're not entirely surebecause the ingredients, the methodhave been exactly thesame. It would appear;And we didn't know this was gonna happen,'cause we've never done sideby side comparisons like this;But three days in the fridgewaiting for that finish,something happens to the starchthat means it's not as silky.And that's been a surprise to us.- Yeah, 'cause you've tasted these,do you agree with our-- Yeah, yeah. Absolutely.And what's amazing isI've worked in restaurantswhere we've done that,we've made the base mixand then you add wonderful ingredients,a nice garnish and honestly it goes outand it is stonking.But I've never had theside by side comparison.- Yeah.- To make that difference.- If you'd have just given us that,we'd have gone, wellthis is a really, reallydelicious proper risotto.- So we're talking mise en place.And if you've got friendscoming over for dinner,get your risotto done 80% of the way thereand then last minute, starters are done,you've cleared the plates away,quickly reheat it, add in fat,mascaponi or Parmesan or whatever,a good flavour, nduja, tapenade,yesterday's leftover soup,garnish it up, no one would know.That's how restaurants canserve 40 different tablesrisotto perfectly every time.Other examples, imagine you've gota dozen tables in the restaurantthat all want poached eggsat some point in the next 20 minutes,you can poach a whole ton of eggs,get them pretty much perfect,take them out, ice them,and then they just need aminute back in boiling water.And then you can literally put likeeight in at the same time,you don't have to worry about swirlingor not moving it or havingit perfect temperatureand cracking them in,you just get them all done ahead of time.Those kind of mise en placeare critical in professional kitchens.But I think if you're hosting at homefor four or more people,they're excellent cheatsthat I regularly doto make hosting easier.- I think like something I've learnedfrom hosting and from doingthis is doing the stuffahead of time.- Yeah.- Because as soon as people arrive,if you're trying to do-- So stressful.- More than 50% of the of the dish-- More than 20%.- Yeah. You're in thekitchen all the time.You're stressing. It's really hardjust to balance the right timings,let alone actuallygetting stuff tasting goodand all coming out warm.- You both took a point,but only for the cheat, not what it was.Let's move on to round three.(upbeat music)Number three, Mike is takinga slightly two to one,lift the cloche.- I'm really enjoying myself.- Of course you are. Oh.- Oh.There's an uncooked cookie.- Ready?- One, two, three.(loud cracking)- So get a little bit of everything.- Are the chocolatey balls on topthe same as thechocolatey hockey puck?- Yes.- Okay.(upbeat music)- Wow.- Mm.- It's like a soured yogurty cream.- It's like a chocolate mix.- Yeah.- Ganache.- It's absolutely delicious.- Yeah. Like a ganache.That's what it is, ganache.- Chocolate ganache.Oh, I'm gonna try individual elements.- I mean they look pretty identical.Is there one you prefer?- This is really hard.- I think it's the cream.- Okay. I'm-- Or the yoghourt.- Oh this is more moussey.Already you can seeit's got more air in it.It's much more pleasant,it's much more subtle,it tastes nicer.- You can taste the vanilla a little more.- Yeah. Hey, we are notsupposed to be conferring.- Boys, you bothscribbled an answer.Reveal it in three, two, one.- I think the cheat was in A.And I think it used yoghourt in the cream.- B I think is a homemade mousse.This is a cheat with yoghourt,then I've said icing sugar as well.- You are both correctwith the fact that Ais a yoghourt, but they are both yoghourt.A is also what we considerthe classic version.It is classic like chocolate ganache,almost brigadier style,we've used chocolate and condensed milk.- Delicious.- Yeah.- We've used Greek yoghourtwith a little bit of vanillato give you that slight sourness.And then the brittle.B is wholly vegan, usingplant-based alternatives.It uses coconut yoghourt,which still has all ofthose lactic bacteriaadd in afterwards togive you that sourness,but it is coconut yoghourt.And the little chocolate ballsis chocolate and coconut condensed milk.The brittle is actually the same on both.And the hack and thecheat came as a result of,do you remember when Jamieand I played hide and seekat Twickenham Stadium?I had the opportunity while I was there,because I was in the kitchen,to chat to the F and B manager.And they said that a hundred percentof the desserts at Twickenham Stadium,for all the hospitality suites, are vegan.'Cause the argument is,why make two differentversions of somethingwhen you can just makeexcellent, excellent qualityplant-based desserts?- I can't taste anydifference in the ganache.- No, I can't either.- That isn't any-- There is a little bitof a coconut essencein the yoghourt and the ganache,but it's still delicious.And the point is, if wehadn't sat them side by side,you'd be equally happy.- Yeah.But that's purely down tothe texture of the mousse.- Yeah. I thought the moussetasted-- Or yoghourt.- Cheffy, in terms of,it felt like somethingelse had been done to it.- Now there are lots ofplant-based yoghourtsthat aren't quite as good as this one.The reason it's so good is you've got thecoconut fats in there to giveyou, again that mouth feel.And then they add in the same bacteriathat gives you the same lactic tangthat you get from Greek yoghourtinto the coconut yoghourt.So it still has so many similarities.But there is nothing more frustratingthan when people whochoose to be plant-basedor they are perhaps lactose free,get to a dessert menu-- And they get so with sorbet.Yeah.- Or a fruit salad.A really good pro hack or cheatand we've done it with Silkand tofu as well before.It's just to make aselection of your dessertslactose free or vegan.You don't have to put it on the menu,but then when someone asksyou can say, oh that absolutely is.- As long as it tastes as goodor better than the original.- And in this instance?- I'm all for it.I think it tastes better.- Panna cottas, custards,you can use with rice milkand soy milks and oat milks.There are so many different applications.Silk and tofu we've used.In this case, coconut condensed milkand coconut yoghourt.- Right.- So neither of you get a point,'cause you've got the wrong bowland the wrong conversation. Last round.(upbeat music)Last round, we're sticking sweet.Lift the cloche.- Up!- Oh okay.- Oh, a floating meringue.- These are baked meringueson top of delicious crème anglaise.- That looks like a crème anglaise.That looks more like a chowder.(laughing)- It's true, that one is yellower.It's yes, it's more saturated.- Yeah.(upbeat music)Very clean, this one.And it's slightly aerated,as well, isn't it?- Yeah.It is aerated, right. Let me try B.(upbeat music)It's more aerated. Wellthat's throwing me.- Any difference in the meringues?(crunching)(upbeat music)- Oh sorry, fair test.- No!(laughing)- A, the meringue,it's more malleable andit had a chew to it.Whereas B is crispy.- But they're both delicious.- Yeah.- There's definitely adifference in the chowder.- It's super, super clean.It's almost a refreshing custard,it's so clean.- That's really nice.Really light.- Scribble down which youthink has had the changeand what the change is.(upbeat music)Reveal the boards in three, two, one.(upbeat music)- I've gone A is the cheatand I think the meringue wasmade using marshmallow fluff.And then the chowder is also different,but I dunno how.- It's not chowder,but I know what you mean.- The crème anglaise.- I think A and it's eggless.- Wow. You're both wrong.(loud slamming)- What completely-- Completely out?- A is the traditional one.It's made the same way you'd expect,separate out your eggs.- This is so hard.- And why it's a wonderful dishis the yolks are usedin the crème anglaiseand the whites are usedin the meringue.- In the meringue.- But it's barely, no.The reason I thought it was egglessis 'cause it's so pale.- Buses liquid egg yolk or liquid egg white.So separated out, bought in vast volumes.Now this does three things,it reduces food waste,it extends shelf life,so you've always got aconvenient product there.And in some cases, for somepeople, it is also safer,because they've been pasteurised.Lesser seen at home. And we always say,you know, if you areseparating out egg yolksand egg whites, perhapsyou're using the egg yolksfor mayonnaise or for hollandaiseor to enrich a gratinationor a Welsh rabbitor something like that,we say keep the egg whitesand save them for something else.You can put them in sandwich bagsand freeze them, whenyou've got enough of them,you can defrost them, you canturn them into something else.- So I've always seenthese in supermarketsbut I've never quite understood why.Unless Haley buys them foregg white omelettes. Bleh.But I don't get it myself,because again, I never needthat much egg white or yolkunless I am baking something.- Is it convenience thing,'cause you're not having to...Or is it food waste thing,or is it-- It's a little bit of each.So when an egg is laid,it is a fresh product,you should use it within28 days of it being laid.Whereas the egg yolk carton there,that often have a shelf life of monthsand they're stored ambientuntil you open them.If you are preparing anything at homeand you just want egg yolks.- Yeah.- Then perhaps just buy the egg yolks,'cause it'll save youwasting the egg whites.Or vice versa, if you'remaking lots of meringues,lots of souffles, lotsof egg white omelettes,which many people do,then the egg whites might be more useful.Now in professional kitchens,egg whites are also used toclarify stocks for consommé.And you need that, lots of it, in it goes,whisk it up, bring itup, it clears the stock.You're making meringues for, you know,pavlovas for afternoon teas.You're making crème anglaiseto go across three different desserts.You're making litres of ice creamthat only need the egg yolks.That's where in professional kitchenshaving them separate meansyou can buy what you needrather than having leftover,or having to plan a menuto use the leftover.- And you save the time in crackingtonnes of eggs.- You save the timein the cracking. They are safe'cause they've been pasteurised,so they're also suitable for,for example, pregnant women or elderlywho sometimes arguablyshouldn't be having raw egg.At home, depending on what you're cooking,the same might apply.You don't have to buy it by the litre,you can get much smaller containers.Egg whites commonly availablein the supermarkets,egg yolks a bit harder to find.But because they're ambient,you can just buy them onlineand have them delivered,if it's just the egg yolk you want.So it reduces food waste,it makes it more convenient and more safe.These are things that chefs do in kitchensand bars actually, whojust want the egg whitesfor sours, whiskey soursand stuff like that.- So in one of those,a litre has 40 eggwhites and 65 egg yolks.How much do one of those cost?- So we got this from our veg supplierwho also do other things as well.Six pounds for a kilo of egg whites.So 48 egg whites.- Much better value.- And then nine poundsfor the yolks, they are-- More expensive- And yeah,and less processed in the kitchen.If the hack here is just using,replacing the egg whitesand the yolks with these,why is your one so much better?- Again, we're not entirely sure.We think partly theprocess of pasteurisationwill change the product a little bit.- Mm.- But also the one madewith the cartoned eggyolk is richer in colour.- Mm.- So they area darker, richer egg thanperhaps we're buying.Four changes to traditionalmethods of dishesthat are used sometimesin professional kitchens,many of those you wouldthink of adopting at home?- The proper head mise en place mentalityis something that I tryto do more of anyway.I think that was just demonstratedfurther in the risotto.But I'd definitely liketo play around with theramen gelatin thing. Thesimplicity of that was mad.- Yeah. I think it's the oneI could do at home the easiest,I have jelly at home alreadyand my ramens do need improving.- And it's not just ramen,you could add those tochicken stocks and jusand red onion gravies.Things that you would normally wantlots of reduction and meaty goodness,you can add a mouth feelwith a bit of a cheat.Comment down below,were any of those useful to you?Which was your favourite?And if there's more hackswe should be exploring,add those too.(upbeat music ends)\n"