To love and CHERISH

CHERISH FINDEN on judging TV's toughest culinary contest

- REBECCA FLETCHER

BAKE OFF: THE PROFESSIONALS
TUESDAY, 8PM, C4 COOKERY

Ask Cherish Finden what fans love about Bake Off: The Professionals and the straight-talking pastry aficionado doesn't hesitate.

'Most of all, viewers want to see my ruler!' laughs Cherish, who's become well-known for measuring the size of the bakes while judging the popular C4 competition alongside Benoit Blin, chef pâtissier at Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons.

'I get people messaging me, "When are you going to bring your ruler out?", "When are you going to say 'Cha la la' or 'Love it, love it, love it?" The show brings a lot of joy."

It certainly does - not just from the jaw-dropping Showpieces the chefs create in the hope of being crowned Britain's best, but also from the judges' frank critiques of them.

In this week's second episode, five teams are tasked with reinventing 24 peach Melbas and creating a Mad Science-inspired pièce montée, featuring 160 individual choux buns.

Here, Cherish, who moved to London from Singapore in 2001 and is former executive pastry chef of both The Langham and Pan Pacific London, tells us more...