Auctioneers star in TV cook show (From Ledbury Reporter)

Auctioneers star in TV cook show

11:35am Tuesday 6th February 2007

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WORCESTERSHIRE auctioneer Adrian Mackwell left the stresses of running a busy auction house to face the heat in the kitchen when he took part in BBC's popular daytime television series Ready Steady Cook, returning triumphant as he beat his colleague Jeremy Thornton.

Mr Mackwell was partnered with professional chef Alex Mackay - a newcomer on the programme who trained at Raymond Blanc's Aux Quat Saisons and now has his own cookery school near St Tropez, France.

Between them they created sumptuous duck in chilli and honey, gnocchi and pea puree and savoury tart with brie.

Scottish award-winning Mich-elin star chef Nick Nairn, who has his own restaurants, partnered Mr Thornton, who cooked an assortment of exotic seafood.

The charismatic Ainsley Har-riott hosts the show, which has amassed unprecedented ratings as a fast-moving cook-out where two top chefs are given a limited selection of ingredients from which they have to create a gourmet meal. The programme producers select interesting contestants with a flair for cooking to participate in the show which is filmed in front of an audience.

"The show's not for the faint- hearted or those of a nervous disposition," said Mr Mackwell.

"You're literally put on the spot in having to assist the celebrity chef and Alex was extremely demanding. He asked me to pass him a range of different herbs and I'm sure I gave him all the wrong ones. Still, I got a good result and I was pleased to think I'd stuffed the green pepper, or more politely beaten Jeremy."

The show will be screened on BBC2 in the spring.

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