TV review: Hairy Bikers; Everyday Gourmets

They've been Hairy Bikers, Hairy Bakers, Hairy Dieters – and now they're the slimline Hairy Gourmet Gurus.

Surely it's only a matter of time before their metamorphosis from curry-munching roly-poly chaps next door into well-groomed, calorie-conscious metrosexuals is complete and they bring out a fitness DVD. The Hairy Lycras is, perhaps, but a whisper away.

In Weekend Treats, the first episode of the Everyday Gourmet series (BBC2), the tone of the show was light throughout, beginning with Si King and Dave Myers swanning around playing croquet and sipping champagne. Their mission statement was clear from the onset: "The Hairy Bikers are goin' posh!"

"You can be proper skint and still eat like a king," promised Si, but it still seemed like a tall order in these belt-tightening times. The beauty of the Bikers is they make cooking look easy as well as fun. Although for the less seasoned cook, it is doubtless easier to rustle up a quick unhealthy snack than create a gourmet sensation from scratch.

Desperate to prove that good food doesn't have to break the bank, the pair rustled up a meal costing just £1.30 a head, which was effectively posh pasta. They served up butternut squash ravioli, with onion, sage leaves and sun-dried tomatoes.

Next, they met up with former soldier Andy, who lost both legs and his right arm after stepping on an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. He had served in the Army for 14 years before being injured. Now expecting a baby with his wife Claire, he wanted to throw a celebratory barbecue to thank friends and family for their support during his recovery – and the Bikers were more than happy to share their culinary expertise. After discovering that the couple had a penchant for Thai food, Si and Dave demonstrated how to make the perfect Thai red curry paste.

They mixed in onions, garlic, lemongrass, red chillies, coriander, chilli powder, lime zest, shrimp paste, paprika, cumin and galangal. Quite a lot to remember, then, but they made it look simple enough.

Following a quick history lesson on the rise of the gastropub in the 1990s, the Bikers visited double Michelin-starred venue the Hand and Flowers, in Marlow, where chef Tom Kerridge showed them some gourmet tricks. Then it was off to the kitchen to make lemon and herb stuffed lamb, with more genial banter between the Bikers.

"It's not that lovely, it's a lump of dead flesh!" cried Dave as Si marvelled over the raw meat.

"This is beautiful," Si exclaimed.

"One day you'll be on the news!" chided Dave.

The meal was served with Boulangere potatoes and homemade mint sauce and came to just £4.50 per serving.

After visiting an oriental supermarket with Andy and Claire to pick up the bits and pieces for the big day, Si and Dave popped to the Holyrood 9a pub in Edinburgh with connoisseur Jeff Pickthall to discover which beers would go with their barbecue feast. That's right – beer. Who needs wine? Jeff rose to the challenge and came up with the perfect beer to complement each dish.

The scene ended with the Bikers collapsing into pink-faced giggles.

Despite being pretty health conscious these days, they couldn't have looked more comfortable than they did with a beer in their hand.

The celebration barbecue – featuring gourmet lamb, prawns, pork belly and sweet ravioli with a chocolate orange filling – went down a storm, with one guest declaring it the best food he had ever tasted.

It was also quite touching to see Si and Dave stride out to surprise everyone following a heart-warming speech from Andy. It would be difficult to think of a more deserving person to be treated to the Bikers' culinary talents.

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