Hairy Bikers' Best of British

Si King and Dave Myers investigate how French cuisine has shaped British cooking. In the episode they make a roast chicken infused with forty cloves of garlic and a light, delicate mille‑feuille, as part of their culinary tour for the programme.

Francophile is a television programme delivered as a single episode, dedicated to the interaction between French and British culinary practices. The show forms part of a broader series that highlights how different food cultures intersect and influence one another across the Channel. In this particular instalment, Si King and Dave Myers turn their attention to the ways French cuisine has shaped British eating habits. They discuss the historical exchange of recipes and techniques, then decide to demonstrate that impact by cooking two dishes that embody both traditions, offering viewers a practical illustration of the crossover. The first recipe they tackle is a roast chicken, which they season with an unusually large quantity of garlic – exactly forty cloves. By inserting the cloves into the cavity and surrounding the bird during the roasting process, they aim to infuse the meat with a deep, mellow garlic flavour, reflecting the French love of aromatic, garlicky preparations while staying true to a classic British roast. The second creation is a delicate mille‑feuille, a layered pastry that showcases the finesse of French pâtisserie. They assemble thin, crisp sheets of pastry with light cream between each layer, producing a dessert that is both airy and subtly sweet. This dish provides a refined counterpoint to the hearty chicken, further illustrating the breadth of French influence on British cooking.