Chef Heston Blumenthal applies his unique approach to revolutionise the nation's favourite dishes, analysing their ingredients to create the ultimate taste sensation. He begins by transforming British classic bangers and mash, followed by a dessert of treacle tart with ice-cream.

Heston Blumenthal travels to the Black Forest in an attempt to revitalise the region's famous gateau, beginning with a visit to the 250-year-old Cafe Konig in Baden Baden, which claims to have invented the dessert. Back in the UK, he experiments with the cake's layering before returning to Germany to obtain a sample of the key ingredient, kirsch.

The chef attempts to find the perfect steak. Celebrated barbecue chef Adam Perry Lang helps him to discover the optimum age for a piece of meat and Herefordshire farm owner Richard Vaughn reveals how feeding grain to cattle can enhance the flavour. For the finishing touch, he makes a delicious mushroom ketchup accompaniment.

The chef searches for ingredients needed to create perfect fish and chips, visiting Cornwall, where he is presented with a selection of fresh cod, pollack, lemon sole, turbot and plaice. He also attends the University of Leeds to investigate why bubbly beer is such a vital component in a batter mix.

The chef attempts to make the perfect pizza. After visiting the Pizzeria Del Presidente in Naples for tips on cooking the base, he decides on the best tomatoes to use and how to make the ultimate sauce. When the ingredients are finally gathered, he attempts to cook the dish as he was shown in Italy - in just two minutes.

The chef tries to make the perfect roast chicken dinner, a quest that leads to a disastrous encounter with a deep-fat turkey fryer as he attempts to make the skin of the bird golden and crisp. He also conducts an experiment to see whether roast potatoes parboiled in salted or unsalted water create the best results.

Chef Heston Blumenthal sets out to make the perfect spaghetti Bolognese by heading to Italy, where he is surprised to discover the famous meat sauce is served with tagliatelle rather than spaghetti. In Modena he meets chef Massimo, who reveals a recipe for the sauce that includes 10 hours of steaming.