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Lee still in line to be The Apprentice
PRINCES Risborough's Lee McQueen is still in line to win a job working for Sir Alan Sugar after last night's episode of The Apprentice.
Sir Alan Sugar set both teams a catering task, and the team which turned out the biggest profit from a themed evening of pub grub would be the winners.
Both teams started the task with a meeting. The boys bonded in a 'love-in' style team talk. Using Michael's original idea, plus Raef and Simon's "fake accents" and "false moustaches" ideas, the guys opted for an Italian extravaganza.
The first task for both teams was menu planning. In the boys' kitchen, Kevin, who eats "in a lot of Italian restaurants round Guildford", saw himself as a "culinary adventurer." He pondered his menu; "carbonara... spaghetti... and bolognaise sauce...."
For the designated kitchen staff, there were two main tasks to complete on planning day. First, design and price the menu, and order in appropriate supplies.
For the boys, team leader Ian has a revolt on his hands. Procrastination aplenty led to huge delays on pricing and selecting ingredients. Bank manager Kevin counted tomatoes on his fingers and got his sums wrong. On the marketing team, tensions rise. Lee bellowed to Ian, "What margins are we making? Lee McQueen is concerned!" On the other end of the phone, and sitting between the head chef and project leader, Simon stressed: "We have to start dealing in fact, fact, fact."
By the next morning, the boys still hadn't ordered their ingredients. Too late to buy from trade suppliers, they went to local supermarket. Then, to the deli. And back to the supermarket. At least twice.
When the teams threw open their pub doors for the evening, everyone had survived many traumas. In the kitchen, the boys' bad day continued, as supplies begin to run short. Ian's solution - to serve diners just half a pizza - left Michael the waiter shame-faced. Out in the main pub however, the atmosphere was impressive. Customers eat and enjoy to the tune of over 800.
On to the boardroom, and when Sir Alan revealed the night's takings, the boys were ahead, making 844.97 compared to the girls' 795. It was a different story, however, once overheads were taken into account. The boys spent 543 on food and marketing, leaving a profit of 301.97. Although the girls' takings were smaller, their outlay was just 190.73. Sir Alan informed them that with profits of 604, they were the week three winners! A celebratory day out at a world-famous country manor cookery school was arranged... but it was the boys in the boardroom who are about to get grilled.
Ian took two of his team, Simon and Kevin, back in the boardroom to face Sir Alan. He placed most of the blame squarely at Kevin's feet, for the menu planning and pricing problems, but also landed Simon in it, for his "difficult communication style".
Sir Alan told them, "I am bitterly disappointed... you haven't got a ***** clue!"
Nevertheless, one head must roll. After promising Sir Alan better results, Simon stayed to fight again. Although unsure whether or not to believe Kevin, the boss decided that for now, he too, can stay. The choice is made.
Said Sir Alan, "Ian, this was a total disaster. I think you lost it. Ian... you're fired".
Do you know Lee McQueen?
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Weather for Aylesbury
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: East
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Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
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