Come Dine with Me

- Season 4

(2009)

The five contestants for this week, all from Preston, are: manicurist Dawn Barry, who aspires to a glamorous lifestyle; carpet store manager Bernard Dorsett, a confident man who doesn't do things to impress people; former nightclub owner Nigel Evans, who likes things to be done correctly; café and catering manager Valerie Holliday, who wants to win and expects to win; and bread sales manager Paul Morris, who has a cunning plan to win the competition that has nothing to do with the food. Nigel Evans is the first to host the dinner party. His menu consists of Mediterranean cod and tomato chowder as the starter, ricotta and herb stuffed ...

All five diners at last night's party discuss their chances of winning in light of the quality of the first party. All but Nigel and Dawn expect to win. But Bernard's outburst from the previous night concerning Dawn still hangs over the group as a whole. Valerie Holliday is the next to host the dinner party, she who expects people to love her and love her meal. Her menu consists of jumbo king prawn mornay as the starter, streaky bacon wrapped Lancashire pheasant as the main course, and creamy puff pastry fruit slice as the dessert. She is confident about her food, confident about her...

After last night's temper tantrum thrown by Bernard Dorsett, the second major tantrum from him in two consecutive nights, the fact of the four invited guests showing up for this night's party is still up in the air as he is third on the list to host the dinner party. If his guests do decide to show up, he will be serving them a Caribbean inspired menu of chicken and coconut Caribbean soup as a starter, Caribbean jerk chicken with cheesy macaroni as the main course, and rum poached pear in pineapple for dessert. He requests a Caribbean dress code to match the menu. He vows to behave ...

Dawn Barry is the hostess for the evening. She is feeling somewhat unapologetic about her early departure last night, but the other four believe she should have at least said goodbye. Most of her guests expect that she will emphasize "party" in dinner party. They aren't wrong. Her menu consists of prawn and avocado surprise as a starter, chicken fajitas with the fixings as the main course, and summer fruit Pavlova for dessert. Like other hosts before her, she requests a specific dress code, namely pool party attire. Much like the evening before, one of the diners has a meltdown...

The five reflect on the train wreck of the evening before, which set a new show record. Paul Morris is the last of this five to host. He believes he has a good shot at winning due to the disasters that have occurred before him. His menu consists of gambas fritas stir del Rey as a starter, fiery volcano meatballs in a special sauce as the main course, and mint white chocolate mousse as the dessert. He installs a party toy in the living room for his guests to play with, and a table condiment that blows the heads off the guests who dare to try. He finds out if his game winning ...

The five contestants for this week, all from Ipswich, are: former pub landlady Zoë Condon, who is straightforward about her opinions toward meals; insurance claims technician Barry Davis, who is overly opinionated about what he likes and doesn't like about people; butcher Gerard King, who likes the fun in theatrical people; waitress Lisa Quinton, who detests dirt, either in her surroundings (especially her home and that of others she visits) or people; and school matron Angie Robertson, who's a musical theater fanatic who will sing at any opportunity she can. Zoë Condon is the first to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of ...

Leading into the second dinner, four of the five participants discuss the one remaining person as the most immature of the group (despite they all being about the same age), the immaturity not all a bad thing. And another group of four discuss the excessive alcohol consumption of the fifth, especially in light of that person being "little". Barry Davis is the next to host the dinner party, he who is quietly confident despite nursing a hangover and admitting that his menu contains little effort in terms of cooking skill needed. His menu consists of white Russians for cocktails, ...

The talk amongst the other four is Angie's way of saying something unintentionally hurtful, somewhat not realizing it, yet hoping that the person on the receiving end takes no offense. Zoë, who feels she has been the receiving end of most of those comments, does take offense and will not tolerate the comments for much longer. Musical theater lover Angie Robertson is third on the list to host the dinner party, musical theater which plays a large part of her plans. Her menu consists of Oliver! (1968): bacon & corn chowder as a starter, Carousel (1956): stuffed pork tenderloin as the main course, and Le roi et moi (1956): Bailey's ...

The falling out between Angie and Zoë is the main topic of conversation following last night's dinner, especially by Angie and Zoë, the former who finally has come to realization that Zoë probably doesn't like her. As the next host, Lisa Quinton is hoping to be able to keep the peace at her party, but others don't believe Lisa will be able to pull at least that part of the evening off successfully. Her guests have no idea what to expect from the food, but they are certain Lisa will pay every attention to the cleanliness of the house, which she does... sort of. Lisa's menu ...

The on-going rift between Angie and Zoë is still playing on the minds of all the diners. The fact of Gerard King being the next and last to host may ease everyone's minds about the rift as Gerard seems to have a special place in everyone's heart. Most of his guests expect a meat-laden menu seeing as to his occupation. His menu consists of chicken liver, black pudding and streaky bacon on toast as a starter, pork chops roasted in cider as the main course, and strawberry and cream filo tart as the dessert. He confesses to the camera in private that he is nervous since he has never...

The five contestants for this week, all from London, are: product manager Matthew Baker, who enjoys the finer things in life; office manager Moni Bharij, who doesn't want to be presupposed as boring because she's a vegetarian, and who will bring a bottle of wine to each meal just in case she doesn't like the wine being served to her; defense lawyer Lisa Connell, who is excited but apprehensive about this week; journalist Judi Lembke, who wants her guests to feel relaxed in her home; and prep school headmaster Peter Rixham, who's surprised (but not sad) to still be single at age thirty-seven. Judi Lembke is the first to host the dinner ...

The guests from last night's dinner discuss their chances of winning in light of the quality of the first party. Lisa Connell is the next to host the dinner party, she who is concerned about two of the guests who have stated that they are highly critical. She is also fastidious about the cleanliness of her work area and her house in general. Her menu consists of king prawn, crab & butternut squash risotto as the starter, roasted lamb shanks and pan-fried sea bass as the two main courses, and a milk chocolate fountain and a cheese plate as the desserts. She has a kitchen equipment...

The guests are still discussing the wine spilling incident from last night, Judi, the supposed culprit, still not quite admitting to it being her fault. Peter Rixham is third on the list to host the dinner party. He is confident about his menu and hopes he can execute it well. He also hopes the evening will be light and fun for his guests. His menu consists of asparagus wrapped in Parma ham with hollandaise (served ham-less for vegetarian Moni) as a starter, boeuf bourguignon and ratatouille as the main courses, and chocolate mousse with raspberry coulis for dessert. As the ...

Moni Bharij is the hostess for the evening. Most of her guests expect that she will go to her Indian roots both for the menu and any additional table décor. They aren't wrong, but are surprised by the ingredients in the main. Her menu consists of king prawn curry as a starter, mixed thali of lamb, chicken, aubergine and lentil curry as the main course, and strawberry and champagne surprise for dessert. Lisa decides to bring Moni a gift reflecting Moni's gifts to everyone else thus far. Conversely, Lisa seems purely by chance to receive the short end of the stick on several ...

The five reflect on the four new friends they have out of this experience, many no longer caring if they win the top prize. Matthew Baker is the last of this fivesome to host. He believes he has a good shot at winning having grown up in what he has coined the Jamie Oliver generation. Because of Matthew's boasting during the previous parties, his guests have high expectations of him. His menu consists of basil wrapped tortelloni, mozzarella and tomato as a starter, grilled red mullet as the main course, and duo of tiramisu and experimental fruit soup as the desserts. He hopes his choice of ...

The five contestants from Manchester for this week are: sales manager Jane Bates, who strives to be the best; recruitment manager Chris Brady, who tells it like it is; drama teacher Matthew Nichols, who doesn't like to be described as average; optometrist Shaida Shipping, who is equally as blunt in her comments, and whose biggest fear is to get fat; and quantity surveyor Dave Wheeler, a prankster and music aficionado. Dave Wheeler is the first to host the dinner party. His menu consists of two starters: Dave's mushroom soup with dry sherry; and fish pie à la Dave. His main course is tenderloin of pork in cognac with vegetables and mash. And ...

The guests are still discussing Dave's approach to dinner party hosting. They also speak of the other guests' personalities, and their own chances of winning. Matthew Nichols is the next to host the dinner party. He wants his food to speak for itself, without him having to resort to gimmicks. He takes a strict approach to the preparation. His menu consists of Cheshire cheese and leek tart with vine tomatoes as the starter, lemon and pepper lamb fillet with boulangere potatoes and seasonal vegetables for the main, and passion fruit bhapa doi and dark chocolate mousse for dessert. At ...

Jane Bates is third on the list to host the dinner party. Being a celebrity idolizer, she is making it a Hollywood Oscar glam night, with a recommended dress code. The menu also has a Hollywood theme. It consists of Vinnie Jones Lock Stock and Smokin' Salmon as a starter, Johnny Depp Pirates' 'Planked' Steak as a main course, and Dean Martin Little Old Wine Jelly for dessert. The Oscar theme extends to the guests' arrival at Jane's house. Beyond the food, will Jane's guests be impressed by being treated like movie stars?

The five competitors discuss how well they have all gotten along so far, with the exception of one person who they feel is the outsider, who isn't aware of this perception. Shaida Shipping is the hostess for the evening. She has listed a surprise as an opening to the evening, that surprise which taps into one of her hobbies. The guests are nervous about what that surprise is. Shaida's menu consists of roly-poly meatloaf as a starter, lamb kichro as the main course, and pineapple cheesecake for dessert. Beyond the quality of the food itself, the guests are surprised that the menu ...

The four previous hosts reflect on their respective evenings. Shaida has come to the realization of her outsider status among the group. Chris Brady is the last of this fivesome to host. Much like Shaida, Chris has a surprise for his guests, but doesn't tell them that there even is a surprise until their arrival, which he keeps until the end as a cap to the evening. His menu starts with grilled haloumi with salsa. He has an Italian trio as the main course: lasagna, chicken and tomato tagliatelle, and tomato, basil and mozzarella towers. Summer fruit pudding ends the meal. ...

The five contestants from Sunderland for this week are: nightclub owner Tony Griffiths, a flashy person who doesn't like to be considered big-headed; Ashley Hughes, a lover of kuchen, beer and Sunderland football; warehouse manager Roy Ledger, who describes himself as an energetic kid at heart; barrister Anthony Merton-Smith, who believes his friends think he's arrogant but hopefully interesting; and PR executive and kosher eater Bernice Saltzer, a moody but not brooding person. Tony Griffiths is the first to host the dinner party. His unintentionally 1970's inspired menu consists of avocado and prawns (avocado and salmon for kosher Bernice) in a Rose ...

The four guests from the previous evening assess their chances of winning based on first host Tony's performance. Bernice Saltzer is second on the list to host the dinner party. She is hoping to dazzle not only with her food but also her foot wear. Being a PR executive, she kiddingly threatens to mount smear campaigns against her guests if they mark her low. Her menu consists of pear and warm blue cheesecake as the starter, teriyaki salmon as the main course, and a duo of chocolate treats for dessert. During the meal, one diner is the target of the others, not for what is said but ...

Ashley Hughes is third on the list to host the dinner party. As she has been the most openly critical thus far, the others aren't sure how she herself will take criticism. Regardless, she hopes that she gets the excitement in preparing the night's meal as she does when the Sunderland football team scores a goal. The one thing she is not confident about is her choice of wines, as she is purely a beer drinker. Her menu consists of salmon and tarragon mousse as the starter, beef medallions with a Stilton crust (and sea bass for kosher Bernice) as the main course, and blackberry and ...

Anthony Merton-Smith is the host for the evening. His guests are expecting great things from him as the "posh" one of the group, but as he has not divulged much information about himself during the week either, they also believe he could totally surprise them. He is confident about his chances of winning, especially after the first three meals. His menu consists of game terrine with chutney (fish terrine for kosher Bernice) as a starter, roast venison with black cherry sauce (seared tuna for Bernice) as the main course, and crêpes Suzette for dessert. His meal preparation does not start ...

All five of the diners, even the person whose night it was to host, comment on the totally unusual aspect of one of the dinner parties. But that night promises not to hold a candle to Roy Ledger's, he who is the last of this fivesome to host. Despite it being the middle of summer, Roy has decided on a Christmas theme, which he had not told his guests before they see the menu. His menu consists of garlic mushrooms and seared scallops with prawns as the starters, roast turkey with *some* trimmings (and orange crusted salmon for kosher Bernice) as the main course, and sherry ...

The five contestants from Dundee, Scotland for this week are: office manager Laura Cunningham, an outgoing person who doesn't like dead silences in conversation; social worker Jimmy Fox, who has a thing against the English; artist Francis Glancy, who describes himself as sneaky in a cowardly way; interior décor shop manager and Englishman Adam Smith, who is meticulous about dining etiquette; and café owner Tara Tasker, who sees herself as the underdog out to win. Tara Tasker is the first to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of cream of Arbroath smokie soup as a starter, drunken duck with bramble wine and plum bree as the main ...

Francis Glancy is second on the list to host the dinner party. He's worried about having a panic attack if something goes not according to plan. He is fussy about his food and its presentation, which reflects the artist in him. He uses his artistic talents both as décor and as an offering to his guests, the latter which he hopes doesn't offend. His menu consists of summer bruschetta as a starter, iskenderoni as the main course, and vanilla and ginger cheesecake with balsamic strawberries for dessert. Something during the evening does not go according to Francis' plan, but will that...

By this third dinner party, two of the contestants have formed an unusual bond, but another two have differing ideas of each other than the other believes. Laura Cunningham is third on the list to host the dinner party. Laura decides to bring to her meal aspects of her girly girl personality: sparkle, shine and pink. But her guests don't know what to expect for food as she hasn't talked much about food or cooking over the previous two nights. Her menu consists of hot smoked Scottish salmon salad as a starter, Caribbean chicken as the main course, and crêpes Suzette for dessert. ...

Jimmy Fox is the host for the evening. He is confident about his chances of winning, especially after the first three dinner parties, but his guests cannot even picture Jimmy in the kitchen let alone cook a meal. His menu, true to his Scottish nature, consists of Arbroath smokies and homemade red lentil soup as a starter, minute steak wrapped haggis with white pudding as the main course, and Scotch delight for dessert. Bagpipes figure prominently in the meal, if not in true presence, then at least in inspiration, but the guests may not even notice. After dinner, Jimmy ...

Adam Smith is the last of this fivesome to host. Those who believe they still have a chance of winning see Adam as their main competitor, who they predict will prepare upscale cuisine in a posh mansion. Conversely, Adam is confident about his chances despite feeling tired after a week of partying and despite living in a small flat with much of his old student possessions. His menu consists of hand dived seared scallops with pancetta and salad as a starter, pan-fried duck with fruit and brandy sauce as the main course, and Eton mess with champagne for dessert. He takes a risk by...

The five contestants from Portsmouth for this week are: holistic therapist Lynne Derry, who comes across as being blunt; supermarket sales manager Kate Hibbert, who does not suffer fools gladly; detective constable Sheena Ives, who describes herself as a bit loopy and deranged; flight attendant Lee Stafford, who is attracted to outgoing, bubbly people; and restaurateur Maria Wilkinson, whose stern demeanor masks a generally happy person. Kate Hibbert is the first to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of goat's cheese and Parma ham on a pear walnut salad as a starter, Posh Pompey fish pie as the main course, and cinnamon spiced ...

Lee Stafford is second on the list to host the dinner party. Being a flight attendant, Lee believes being used to being attentive will serve him well for the dinner party. His guests presuppose that his house and menu will be immaculate and exotic. They are expected to be immaculate to Lee's red and black dress code to match the décor. His menu consists of cheesy stuffed mushrooms as a starter, Spatchcock-style chicken breast with pancetta and sausage stuffing as the main course, and raspberry soufflé with dark chocolate sauce for dessert. He takes a chance at preparing the ...

Maria Wilkinson is third on the list to host the dinner party. Being a restaurateur, Maria believes she has an upper hand, despite not being a professional chef. On the flip side, some of her guests hope she will be fair and not have her restaurant chefs prepare the meal. But Maria does use the services of her business partner who will act as server. Maria's menu consists of double baked smoked applewood soufflé as a starter, crab and mint mousse stuffed chicken breast as the main course, and white chocolate pannacotta for dessert. Instead of a palette cleanser between courses, ...

Sheena Ives is the hostess for the evening. Her mixed Scottish/Mexican menu consists of a trio of Scottish salmon as a starter, chicken fajitas, guacamole and jalapeño cheese sauce as the main course, and Scottish cranachan for dessert. Although Sheena's menu is now a known to her guests, something that isn't is her occupation, which she has not yet mentioned to the others but to which she leaves clues around her house for them to guess. Will the guessing game leave her guests inspired or bored?

Lynne Derry is the last of this fivesome to host. Because she's had a cold all week, her guests haven't really warmed up to her at the previous parties, and so she's hoping her hosting will add that spark that's been missed all week. Besides her invited guests, some uninvited guests she hopes won't show up are of the rodent variety. Lynne's menu consists of goat's cheese and glazed plums on walnut bread as a starter, rolled leg of lamb with orange, garlic and rosemary as the main course, and boozy ginger and rhubarb trifle with lemon syllabub for dessert. They continue to party ...

The five contestants from Bradford for this week are: community worker and part-time radio DJ Khaliva Ashrafi, who believes passion is required to make good food; engineer Nigel Beaumont, a loud larger than life man; insurance underwriter Stuart Hudson, whose biggest passion in life is cooking and food; Christian charity worker Jane Longhurst, who considers herself a bubbly person; and barmaid Theresa Walsh, a party girl. Jane Longhurst is the first to host the dinner party. Her menu consists of chocolate dipped strawberries and cheese sablé as the appetizers, roasted asparagus as the starter, coq au Riesling as the main course, and warm chocolate ...

The five contestants assess their chances of winning based on meeting the other four and experiencing the first party hosted by Jane. They also are still discussing and feeling the effects of the asparagus that Jane served last night. Muslim Khaliva Ashrafi is second on the list to host the dinner party, which will be alcohol-free due to her religious roots, and which may affect her guests' appreciation, or lack thereof, of the evening. Her Pakistani menu of family recipes consists of chicken tikka and lamb chops as the starter, chicken karahi and channa masala as the main course, ...

All five contestants are still openly confident about their chances of winning the week. Nigel Beaumont is third on the list to host the dinner party. His menu consists of catch of the day seafood platter with raita as the starter, braised pork loin (halal salmon for Khaliva) as the main course, and mille-feuille for dessert. He doesn't have problems cooking the meal, but does have problems describing it to the camera. The table decorations bring about the most discussed issue of the night. Time management becomes an issue for the evening. Nigel ends up being his harshest critic - ...

The five reassess their chances of winning as the week progresses. Nigel in particular reflects on his party and the comforting words of encouragement from Theresa. Theresa Walsh is the host for the evening. She is planning on making the night fun, especially after the somber end to the previous evening with Nigel. Her Italian inspired menu consists of an assortment of grilled figs as a starter, Tuscan baked swordfish as the main course, and mascarpone peanut cheesecake for dessert. She makes a last minute alteration to the main course and dessert, just because. She dictates a red...

Stuart Hudson is the last of this fivesome to host. He admits that cooking is his passion, but he needs the reassurance from others to provide him with some confidence in his abilities as he really wants to be a professional chef. Although Nigel and Jane seem to have made up by the end of last evening, Stuart will not allow any bad behavior in his house for his party. Stuart's menu consists of rabbit terrine (a chicken alternative for Muslim Khaliva) as a starter, baked monkfish as the main course, and pistachio and olive oil cake for dessert. He will soon find out if he gets the ...

The five contestants from Leicester for this week are: national health service training consultant Russell Dunmore, who doesn't like overly spicy food; psychology lecturer Stephanie Heimer, a self-professed foodie who believes she cooks better food than what she can get at most restaurants; cycling safety enthusiast Sue Massey, a happy-go-lucky person who likes happy-go-lucky people; food market trader Liam Reid, an outgoing person who attributes that fact to dealing with the public, and who also insists on market fresh produce for his cooking; and investment advisor Ria Thomas, a party girl who doesn't like picky people. Sue Massey is ...

The five contestants admit that they are all different personalities, but will that stop them from getting along? Sue admits however that being tied up in the kitchen for the better part of last evening, she feels like the outsider in the group. Liam Reid is second on the list to host the dinner party, which he admits to the camera but perhaps not to his guests that this evening will be the first dinner party he's ever hosted. His menu, which he intends to highlight market fresh ingredients, consists of ricotta and spinach stuffed mushrooms as the starter, monkfish and king ...

Based on Sue's comments the previous evening, the other contestants, who were unaware of their exclusion of her, vow to make an effort to include her, especially tonight's host who wants to include the wow and fun factors into the party. That host is Ria Thomas. Her menu consists of Uncle Nelson's chicken and chorizo medley as the starter, spicy salmon as the main course, and summer fruit Pavlova and white wine syllabub for dessert. She also includes on her menu a pre-dinner Parisian surprise. That surprise is not food related but entertainment related as Ria is a former ...

After last night's party, four seem to be getting along well, with one being perceived as the party-pooper. Russell Dunmore is the host for the evening. His five course and primarily untested menu consists of prawn Americaine soup and smoked haddock soufflé as the starters, fillet alla mozzarella as the main course, and chocolate fondant and pannacotta with raspberries for dessert. He makes a last minute alteration to the main course and dessert, just because. Taking a cue from both Liam and Ria's nights, Russell uses the assistance of family, and has an entertainment surprise. This...

Stephanie Heimer is the last of this fivesome to host. She has been the most critical all week, not only of the food, but the menus and the overall approach of party hosting of her competitors. She believes her menu and food will be too highbrow for her diners. Her menu consists of prawns pil pil with fennel seed bread as a starter, Stilton and asparagus roulade as the main course, and sweet baked ricotta with raspberry sorbet for dessert. She also plans on serving both an appropriate red and appropriate white wine with every course. Stephanie discloses a fact of her personal life at...