pan there please?

Yes, of course.

Have you got no customers to serve

Peter?

No, nobody.

It's probably the calm before the storm.

If by that you mean it's going to get

busy later, I very much doubt it.

Well, thanks for your vote of confidence, Gordon.

I'll get that, shall I?

The White Elephant. How can I help you?

OK, yes, at eight o'clock. OK,

we'll see you then.

People! Customers! Now!

That's great news. How many are coming?

25 in a bus - in one hour.

That's impossible. How can I cook for 25 people?

I do quality not quantity.

Keep your cool, Gordon. This is our big

moment.

Our big moment? It'll be our  big failure.

Why did you say 'yes' Peter?

Stay calm.

We can do this. You're going to need to let me

help you. I'll chop some vegetables and

prepare some starters.

But how am I supposed to write down 25 orders?

I've only got a small pad.

Oh thanks.

Well done, Mary. See she's got it all  under

control.

Under control?! Chopping some carrots will

not feed 25 people.

My advice Gordon, is to act cool and collected

and everything will be OK.

Somebody answer that phone!

Erm, I'm gonna get some onions.

I'm on it.

Hello. The White Elephant. Oh, yes, yes,

I see. I hope you get it fixed. Thanks for

letting us know. Bye.

That was the people from the bus.

They've broken down and won't be able to

make it tonight.

Oh no, that's a shame.

Better tell Gordon before he blows a gasket.

Let's not tell him straight away.

Something smells nice.

That will be my coq au vin.

I've created a superior dish to attract a

better type of customer.

It's about time you did. I'm glad that we

actually have got a customer,

so make it snappy, otherwise they'll escape!

Celia, it can take all the time in the world

to make something as special  as

this. Now, one for the pot and one for me.

A customer on table four says they  haven't

got all day so hurry up.

Give them this to keep them sweet.

OK. I'll take that thank you - for the food of course.

Come on, Gordon. Every second counts.

Thank goodness you're here, Mary.

Just in the nick of time. I think I'm gonna

need your help.

Ah, lovely Mary. Did I ever tell you I love

those rubbery gloves?

There's a customer out there who's waiting

for his food and Gordon is in no fit

state to cook.

Mary, have you tried my coq au vin?

Right.

Leave this to me.

The customer's not happy, he says he's  only going

to wait for five more minutes.

It's a race against time. Mary, can you do it?

Oh, you smell lovely.

Made it!

With seconds to spare.

Oh, that was a close one.

It smells delicious.

It's better... it's better.

Do you know who we've got in the restaurant tonight?

A customer?

Yes, well it's a VIP.

A VIP?

What's that?

It's a very important person. It's the  town mayor!

I can't believe that he's decided to eat in

our restaurant tonight!

Yes, that is the type of top-notch customer

I like to cook for - royalty.

Well, he's not royalty Gordon but he is  an

important person, so I'm going to give this

plate an extra polish.

There's the order, Gordon. He wants

champagne too. I'll go and get some.

I hope you've sobered up after last week,

and I hope you're going to pull out all the

stops to make an excellent dish.

Excellence is what I excel at, Celia.

You know that.

Right, now let's get to work. Oh, wow he wants

the steak surprise. I can tell this is a man

with first class taste.

Just get on with it, Gordon.

There - finished. Perfect! Peter!

Oh, well done Gordon. You really have gone

above and beyond your usual standards!

Peter, I want you to take this to the mayor.

Any bad view he has of our restaurant

will be blown right out of the water

when he tastes that food!

Well, what did he say?

He said we had exceeded his

expectations.

Good, good.

Yes, we are even worse than he had expected

and also he is a vegetarian and has

never eaten meat.

But this order said steak surprise.

Oh, that one does.

But this says mushroom risotto.

Excellent!

Oh, who left this box of chocolates here?

Who are they for?

Well, you must have a secret admirer -

it's got your name on it.

Oh, I love chocolate to bits.

Do you know who they're from?

Oh, they'll be from Peter. He's always

buying me little gifts.

That's very sweet. Has he got the hots for you?

No! No, he's just pleased to have a friend.

Here he comes.

Ah, there it is.

Oh!

Everything OK, Gordon?

Yes, of course. Why do you keep asking that?

There's no love lost between you two.

Yes, well it's a love-hate relationship.

More hate than love.

Actually, it's this chocolate souffle I'm making.

I can't seem to get the right type of milk chocolate

for love nor money.

Oh, would you like to use one of these?

Yes!

Gordon! I said just use one.

These were a present.

I know... I mean, erm...

...cooking is a labour of love.

Sometimes I get carried away.

Oh, Peter, I'm so sorry. The chocolates you

bought for me.. Gordon's just used them

all in the souffle.

Chocolates? I didn't buy you any chocolates Mary -

Why would I do that?

Then, who were they from?

Oh, I love a good mystery.

Have I ever told you I used to work

in a top restaurant in New York?

No, you haven't.

He was flipping burgers in a fast  food joint.

We have some customers from America.

Amazing, America. Americans always appreciate

good food like mine.

Well, what do they want?

The lady just wants a tuna salad but the

gentleman doesn't like anything on the menu

and says can you knock up some jambalaya

and maybe some key lime pie for pudding?

Yes, err, of course - anything for our American cousins.

I'll tell them you're happy to do it then.

It's a good job you've worked in America, Gordon.

We'd hate for our customers to get the

better of you.

It's all right, Mary. I know what I'm doing.