Fires, burnt offerings, heated tempers, celebs reaching boiling point and a few savoury words for good measure… just some of the choice ingredients on Marco Pierre White’s latest hit reality cooking show, Marco’s Kitchen Burnout

‘Setting the kitchen on fire…not a good start, is it?’ said ex-EastEnders star, Alex Ferns, of his disastrous practice attempt prior to taking part in Marco’s Kitchen Burnout, the ITV1 show that aired in April and May this year. But for Alex, one of the 12 contestants who took part, it seems a bit of extra heat in the kitchen was in fact the perfect ingredient towards becoming the ultimate winner!

The Scottish actor, who played evil, wife-beating Trevor Morgan, in the London-based soap, reached the final alongside former WAG Elen Rives, both of whom kept their cool and showed their culinary talent during four fiery heats and two semi-finals. So, Alex found he could stand the heat in the kitchen and didn’t have to get out, but who found it all too hot to handle? Let’s rewind and play…

The process
During the heats, the three celebrity competitors first faced a tough cooking challenge with Marco each week. Whoever impressed him the most won the challenge and was allowed to raid the Burnout food truck for ingredients first – leaving rivals at a disadvantage. Next, they had to create their own menu to serve to 25 diners in the Burnout restaurant. The cooks were allowed one practice-run, but when it came to the semi-finals, it was down to the public vote.

For the third stage of the contest, which involved cooking for diners in Marco’s Burnout restaurant, the celebs were allowed to buy Marco’s time – but every minute they bought docked one point off the total score they received from the diners. Scores were out of 100. ‘In previous series, I’ve been the head chef, with a team of assistants who work together,’ said Marco. ‘In this show, I’m really a bingo caller. I call the orders, I just crack the whip. I may help them a little bit but they have to pay for my time.’

Whoever scored the most points from diners, minus any Marco deductions, won an automatic pass through to one of the two semi-finals; and of the remaining two, it was Marco who had the final casting vote. When the line-up of contestants for Marco’s most recent reality cookery show was revealed, the feisty TV chef openly admitted he didn’t have a clue who at least half of them were!

Interviewed on ITV1’s This Morning by presenter and Burnout contestant, Ruth Langsford, Marco justified saying he was ‘baffled’ by who they were. He said: ‘I don’t have a TV, I don’t do parties or read newspapers.’ We’re sure the bandana-wearing restaurateur knows all about his would-be chefs. now, but here’s a rundown of who was brave enough to take on the challenge.

Heat One
First up were:

• Former editor of The Sun, journalist and broadcaster, Kelvin MacKenzie.
• Geordie actress and TV presenter, Donna Air.
• Ex-Coronation Street actress, Tupele Dorgu.

The culinary challenge
In the first week of this brand new show the celebrities have just 72 hours to prepare themselves before they must each cook a full service for 25 diners each. To begin, in order to judge their culinary skills, Marco set them the challenge of cooking a fish dish for 12 Olympic athletes. It was actress Tupele who completed the challenge with top marks – not bad going for someone who has a phobia of crabs and shellfish, despite her on-screen character’s name being Kelly Crabtree!

Who cut the mustard?
When it came to the restaurant task, Kelvin did his best to give the diners salmonella, serving up plates of raw chicken. In desperation, he pleaded to Marco, ‘The food’s coming back quicker than I can serve it!’ as diners rejected his undercooked chicken breasts. Donna kept her cool and scored the highest with the diners, ending up the ultimate winner with 76 points. Tupele secured the second place, scoring 57 points with just a two-point deduction for the two minutes of Marco’s time she borrowed.

Who was in the firing line?
It was Kelvin who had to hang up his chef’s whites – he borrowed Marco for 11 minutes leaving him with a total score of just 22!

Heat Two
In hot water this week were:

• This Morning and Loose Women TV presenter, Ruth Langsford.
• Mock the Week and Never Mind the Buzzcocks regular, comedian Mark Watson.
• Elen Rives, ex-WAG, model and former wife of Chelsea and England footballer, Frank Lampard.

The culinary challenge
The three novices were asked to cook a meal for Marco’s friend, jockey Frankie Dettori. Elen excelled. ‘The star person today was Elen,’ said Marco, while comic Mark failed to impress. ‘The person that performed the worst was Mark,’ chastised Marco.

Who cut the mustard?
Spanish model and mum to two daughters, Elen didn’t borrow any of Marco’s time, coming out top with 74 points. When Marco said of her main course, the sauce of which had gone a tad yellow: ‘Tell them it’s steak with pepper custard,’ she didn’t hesitate to retaliate with a firm, ‘Shut up!’ in her distinctive Spanish accent. Coming a close second to Elen was Ruth, who scored more points from the diners – 79 – but lost 12 points having borrowed 12 minutes.

Who was in the firing line?
Comedian Mark made Marco laugh – but for all the wrong reasons. While attempting to spice up his veal steak, Mark poured a full pot of black peppercorns over the meat. Marco struggled to hide a wry smirk. Like Ruth, Mark borrowed 12 minutes, but his diners’ score was just 50, leaving him with 38 points. ‘I feel a bit gutted,’ said Mark, ‘but the other two were better than me so it’s the right result.’

Heat Three
Out of the frying pan and into the fire this week were:

• Socialite Nancy Dell’Ollio.
• Ex-Coronation Street actress Debra Stephenson.
• Irish stand-up comedian Jason Byrne.

The culinary challenge
This week’s lambs to the slaughter had to cook lunch for boxing legend and former Hell’s Kitchen winner Barry McGuigan and 15 of his boxing friends, including the current British heavyweight world boxing champion, David Haye. Marco selected Nancy as the winner – his choice based on the fact that she ‘had a go’.

Who cut the mustard?
The heat built to inferno level in this round as Nancy managed to start not one, but four, fires. But she managed to feed all her diners with just seconds to go. Debra kept her cool and no one returned any of her dishes. As a result, she scored the winning 65 points. Jason and Nancy both bought time, leaving Jason’s total score at 43 and Nancy’s at 35. Before announcing his verdict, Marco stressed to Nancy: ‘In all my years of cooking, I have never worked with anyone so dangerous.’

Who was in the firing line?
Comedian Jason struggled during service and some of his food was undercooked. He suffered culinary heckling when a whopping seven of his meals were returned by diners, so it was this that led Marco to fire him from cooking duties! And the reason he kept pyromaniac Nancy in the race? ‘I need a little bit more fear in my life,’ he admitted!

Heat Four
The final three to face a grilling were:

• Astrologer Russell Grant.
• TV presenter Carol Smillie.
• Ex-Eastenders actor Alex Ferns.

The culinary challenge
The contestants had to cook a meal at Longleat House, the 16th century home of Lord Bath, an old friend of Marco’s. As they were driven to the Somerset stately home, Alex announced: ‘It feels like we’re on the way to an execution!’ So, who would face the master cook’s knife? Actor Alex won the challenge, despite cutting himself twice in the first five minutes! But there were no stars awarded to astrologer Russell who Marco described as ‘the weakest’.

Who cut the mustard?
When it came to creating their menu and feeding the 25 diners, Carol refused to buy time from Marco, even though time got the better of her and she didn’t get all her meals out. Alex also didn’t buy time but managed well on his own. Russell on the other hand couldn’t buy enough time – and even took time out from the kitchen to argue with a diner over the colour of his cooked liver!

Who was in the firing line?
Diners awarded the top score of 62 to Alex, followed by 54 to Russell, but his bought minutes lowered his score to 40, a score he shared with Carol. Marco had to choose who got the chop – and it was Carol who lost out, with Marco claiming that if she had asked for his help she would still have been in! Poor old Carol wasn’t smiley any more!

Semi Final 1
Up against each other in the first semi-final were:

• Alex Ferns.
• Tupele Dorgu.
• Nancy Dell’Olio.
• Ruth Langsford.

The challenge
The four competitors were taken to the famous rotating BT Tower, in central London, and instructed to cook a bowl of pasta for Marco. He wasn’t overly impressed, describing dishes as ‘overcooked’ and complaining of a pet hate when mushrooms stain the colour of the pasta. The weakest dishes were served by Ruth and Alex – ‘they’re both as bad as each other,’ said Marco. Ruth was eliminated from the competition. Tupele’s dish won her the challenge.

The menu and diners
Marco revealed to the celeb chefs that they wouldn’t have an opportunity to practise their menu – it was in at the deep end from now on and straight to the diners in the Burnout restaurant! Tupele had no returns from diners and didn’t buy any minutes. Nancy struggled and borrowed 13 minutes, while Alex tried to accommodate the vegetarian diner on his table, who was impressed.

The verdict
Scores: Alex – 57; Nancy – 53; Tupele – 52.
Tupele was eliminated first. ‘You should have paced yourself,’ said Marco as she departed. Next, Marco had to choose between Alex and Nancy. ‘This is the toughest decision,’ he said. But Alex’s score and lack of borrowed time swung it and he became the first finalist.

Semi Final 2
The following week, the four contestants were:

• Donna Air.
• Elen Rives.
• Russell Grant.
• Debra Stephenson.

The challenge
These fearless four were taken to dizzying heights – inside a pod in the London Eye. They were greeted by Marco and fellow cook, Clarissa Dickson-Wright, one half of the Two Fat Ladies. Marco had prepared a cold lobster salad and the competitors had to replicate it. During the taste test, Marco and Clarissa agreed Debra and Elen’s dishes were the best. Russell’s flavour was praised as ‘quite good’ while Donna got the thumbs down. Marco didn’t mince his words: ‘Yours is clearly the worst. You’re out of the competition.’

The menu and diners
Within minutes, Russell was buying time, when he was swamped with three orders at once. He wracked up a whopping 32 minutes of borrowed time. Elen, on the other hand, managed her whole menu with just one minute of time. Debra bought 21 minutes.

The verdict
Scores: Russell – 35; Debra – 46; Elen – 71.
Star-gazer Russell was eliminated. Marco claimed Russell was ‘special’ but that he was ‘better at taking orders than cooking’. And Elen’s big score made it easy for Marco to choose the winner. She was picked to join Alex in the Kitchen Burnout final! Would sparks fly between the feisty Spaniard and the fiery Scot?

The Final
Alex and Elen made a flying visit – quite literally – in a helicopter to Marco’s gastro pub, The Yew Tree Inn in Highclere, Berkshire. Marco set them a culinary challenge with a personal flavour. ‘What I would like is for you to cook something that gives me great insight into you as individuals,’ he said.

Great balls of fire!
Alex attempted to ‘stick to what I know’ but it was a much-loved family dish of Elen’s that won the day. She cooked her grandmother’s Spanish meatballs. ‘The reason why I went for this dish is because I just love it,’ she explained. ‘I don’t try to impress him.’ But impress him she did. ‘You have obviously been making these a very long time,’ said Marco, adding: ‘and, as usual, your flavour is better than your presentation.’

The final 50
When it came to the menu and restaurant challenge, Marco upped the stakes – the finalists were required to cook for not 25 diners each but 50! To help them avoid a cooking catastrophe, Marco enlisted some help for each finalist. ‘I very rarely show my softer side in the kitchen,’ he said, ‘but we’ve brought two assistants for you.’ Tupele joined Alex, while Russell teamed up with Elen.

Sizzling scores
Diners scored out of 200 in the final. Elen received 94 points, while Alex was awarded 125, making him the overall winner. ‘I’m so emotional,’ he said. ‘I said right from the beginning I wanted to win. Thank you Marco for a great opportunity. It’s been a blast!’

Alex’s Turkey Escalope with Baked Potato
This wonderful dish is delicious to eat and fairly easy to make. It’s nutritious and will appeal to adults and children alike. Depending on how it is served, you can keep it simple or make it elaborate

Serves 4

• 4 turkey breasts
• 1 pack breadcrumbs
• Tub of grated Parmesan
• Dried Italian spices
• 3 large eggs
• 115g plain flour
• 4 good quality baked potatoes
• Clarified butter, for frying

1. First lay the turkey breasts in cling film and gently flatten with a rolling pin. Put the breadcrumbs in a plastic bag and beat till fine with a rolling pin. Pour into a large flat dish and add Parmesan cheese and Italian spices as well as salt and pepper to taste. Mix the eggs in a bowl till they are fluffy. Dip and cover each breast in flour, then dip in the eggs then the breadcrumbs. Make sure each breast is evenly covered. Leave to rest on a rack where they are not in contact with any surface.
2. Set the oven to 1800C/3500F/Gas Mark 4. Pierce the potatoes and roll in olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for about 90 minutes (depending on their size).
3. When the potatoes are ready, gently fry the turkey breasts in clarified butter. If you can’t find clarified butter use a combination of olive oil and salted butter.
4. Serve with a large slice of lemon and the baked potato topped with sour cream and fresh chives. Add a side salad if you want.

Pictures: getty images, itv plc