TV show gives chef encouragement to fulfil dream

She was seen putting her Mestiza Filipino Pickle to the test on Top of the Shop with Tom Kerridge on BBC2 last night, competing against three other teams.

The aim of the new programme is to test products made by hand at home and see if the makers have what it takes to grow their business.

Louise was selling her jars of pickle for the first time and demonstrated how she makes it using green, unripe papaya, cut to create a noodle effect.

She said: “People in England don’t really know about Filipino food but I serve it up at my supper club and everyone tells me that the spicy one is the best.”

She was advised to use her story to help sell her jars, as the recipe had been passed down through her family.

Louise said on the programme: “I really want to make something of this business and build a house in the Philippines.”

It was said that her pickle was made at a cost of 86p per jar, and she was selling at £3.75.

Tasters were given to customers at a farm shop, with Louise serving her pickle on slices of Yorkshire sausage.

Many said it was too spicy or too hot but others appreciated the warming effects of the chilli, which she loves.

Contestants also had to produce a lunch dish to showcase their product and Louise created a pork stew served on a Yorkshire pudding and topped with her pickle.

Judges described Louise’s product as a relatively niche pickle, made from a very simple recipe that was full of flavour and full of heat.

Finishing third on sales and losing out in the judging to a popular runner bean chutney, Louise was not too despondent.

She said: “Not getting through to the final is not going to stop me and in fact it has just made me want it even more, which I didn’t think was possible.”

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