So what do you think, Gordon?

What a humbling experience it is to come face-to-face with a Grand Master and find yourself wanting. So it was, when I presented my chosen dish to Gordon Ramsay on Saturday afternoon.It had been a horrendously busy preparation in order to be ready for the audition at Hammersmith and West London College.

I had been working all day at the restaurant in Birmingham on Friday and went shopping quickly for ingredients in my afternoon break. Finally, I was able to get away from the kitchen at about midnight and got home to begin cooking my dessert until about 5AM.This enabled me two hours sleep until I needed to get up again, tidy the kitchen (a little), pack the car and get on the road to Central London.

I arrived at Hammersmith, just after 12:30, in plenty of time for the audition.Gordon had already spent the morning with the other half of the contestants and now had to judge our own group of about 50 entrants. Many of those taking part were Chefs or catering students, but there were also a large number of amateurs. In fact, I don't like to use that word 'amateur'. Rather, they were not emplyed in the industry, they were simply driven by a love or sincere interest in good food. They were no less qualified for entering than anyone else!Gordon made a brief introduction to us before the competition began. He literally ran into the room, briskly striding into the hall, followed by two large television cameras and a man carrying a huge microphone. Wearing an immaculate white chef's jacket, with blue jeans and black trainers and his blonde hair swept accross his forehead, he said, 'Welcome' and then dispensed with any more pleasantries and got straight down to business...

"What I'm looking for..is (like) a needle in a haystack..And I've got to be brutally honest about this becuse we haven't got much time. Who's gonna cut the mustard? I'm not gonna mess around with any of you..It's very hard to say what makes a talented Chef?
Enthusiasm, energy, passion!
We're not going to spend much time together today- minutes, seconds...
I hope that we find that special person- whose got that little bit of 'wow'!
A little magic!
Remember one thing- you're here because you're good! Enjoy it!"

When it came to being judged, each of us lined up to present our dishes to the camera before making a long walk through the college to the audition room. The film crew followed us through the dimly lit corridors as we filed through the building.

In the room, were two rows of small square tables. We were asked to stand behind a designated table, with our dish infront of us and waited for Mr Ramsay and the judges to arrive. One by one, he and a few of his brigade, stopped at each table and inspected the food, whislt Gordon interrogated the contestant. We watched on as he made his feelings very clear...

"I don't believe you made this?" he remarked to one 21 year old Chef, "Swear to me on your mother's life that you made this pate!".
"Gordon, on my mother's life, I swear that I made this pate!".
"No, look into my eyes when you tell me" remarked Gordon.
"Chef, I swear on my mother's life that I made this pate!".
"No you didn't look into my eyes", replies Gordon, as the chef is distracted and glances away.
He moves closer, so that by now their faces are only inches away and the young man raises his voice and with a little desperation, exclaims, 'Chef, on my mother's life, I swear that I really made this pate!!"
"Say it once more, louder!".
And for a final time he shouts, "Chef, on my mother's life, I made this!". Finally, Gordon walks away, adding with a little saracasism in his voice, "Yes, but I still don't believe you!".
By this time, any small amount of confidence I had left, was very quickly dissapearing and I would be last, wouldn't I?

'it was my turn in the furnace..'

Well Gordon approached my table and we briefly shook hands and then it was my turn in the furnace. He suddenly picked up my dish from the table and raised it to his eye level. And then he began, first he took a spoonful, ate a rose petal (or at least took a bite). I plucked up the courage to ask, 'So what do you think, Gordon?'. Well, that was a mistake. For I don't remember him saying one positive remark. His final comment was, 'Basically, you just didn't light my fire!' and with that he just looked at me in silence and I looked back at him. And for what felt like a very long time, the cameras simply rolled on...

My 'Autumn Berry Pavlova' with fresh vanilla double cream, served with strawberry coulis and crystalised rose petals, created for the Cook Off competition of Channel 4's forthcoming series, 'The F Word', co-presented by Gordon Ramsay and Times Food Editor Giles Coren. To be screened from October 27th.