-The Langham, London.

Europe's first grand hotel must stand out in a crowded five-star market... ♪♪ -At The Langham, its pink, pink, pink.

-...providing luxury to the rich and famous for 160 years... [ Indistinct shouting ] -We are constantly trying to make sure bits of it don't fall off because it's getting old.

It's no different than a person.

-...where royals and stars have demanded the best.

-We have to surpass their expectations.

-This is where Churchill dined before delivering his greatest speeches.

-We shall fight on the beaches.

We shall fight on the landing grounds.

-But now this heritage hotel must fight to stay at the top.

-People's expectations are much higher than what it used to be.

-Everything needs to be perfect tonight.

-The days where a hotel was a place to sleep are well and truly over.

-I might start singing myself.

[ Chuckles ] -Whoo!

[ Laughter ] -As The Langham celebrates its big birthday, we follow the hotel's hidden army of staff... -Let's rock 'n' roll.

-...as they turn up the heat in the kitchen... [ Pop ] -My neck's on the block today.

-...pull off exclusive events... -There are so many things that can go wrong in a wedding.

-...double down on their service... -Are you having any bigger chucks than those?

-...and take extraordinary steps to outshine the competition.

♪♪ ♪♪ -Welcome home.

-Hey!

-Happy to see you.

-Happy to see you, too.

-How is everything?

-Very good.

-You look fantastic.

Like always.

-We try.

We try.

-Like always.

-Ian Matthews has been working on the door of hotels for 32 years and counting.

-We could write books.

We see, but we're blind.

We hear, but we're deaf.

We don't divulge people's business.

That's what makes a good doorman.

[ Laughs ] It's true.

Be discreet.

♪♪ -One of The Langham's 380 rooms will cost you anything from £500 a night, but if you want to stay in the exclusive Sterling Suite, it's gonna cost a bit more.

-25 grand a night.

-Despite the premium price tag, there are regulars who book it for six weeks at a time.

-We will have people that will come with large entourages, assistants, Hollywood artists, royals, heads of state and will take a multitude of rooms, sometimes an entire wing of the hotel.

♪♪ -The Langham jet set have recently included Lady Gaga, Brooklyn Beckham, and Angelina Jolie.

-Who's arriving today?

-I won't be able to tell you that.

♪♪ So we just need to arrange all of the flowers ahead of the guests' arrival.

-Today, Alice and in-house florist Victoria are preparing one of the top suites to the very specific instructions of a returning guest who's a floral fanatic.

-I love the roses...in pink.

These types of guests spend a really substantial amount of money.

We need to make sure that we really deliver impeccable service.

-Impeccable service, which includes an annual bouquet budget of over half a million pounds.

-Yeah.

That's it.

We do everything that we can to make these travelers that are so attuned to luxury still say, "Wow," when they walk in.

♪♪ -Victorian London was a thriving city.

For the first time, wealthy travelers could come by train and steamship to explore the capital.

[ Horn blares ] Hotels tended to be small and lacked privacy, so the idea was hatched for the first purpose-built luxury hotel.

It would be made with Portland stone, like Buckingham Palace, and would be the largest building in London.

With the latest technology, private bathrooms, and professional service, The Langham set the template for all luxury hotels that followed.

-It's a stunning building.

The architecture when you stand and stare at it is incredible.

-Abie Stewart is a man who knows the old building better than most.

-What do I do?

I look after the entire building.

Everything on it, in it, around it.

We are constantly maintaining it, constantly trying to make sure bits of it don't fall off because it's getting old.

It's no different than a person.

-In the 160 years since The Langham was built, the city has grown around it, and the building now risks being overshadowed.

And Abie is not having that.

-Are we ready?

-Once we get going, once you get over the edge, once you get those first couple of yards, you're fine.

Alright.

I go first.

♪♪ -About five years ago, I walked out the hotel in the middle of winter once.

It was about 5:00 in the afternoon.

And another building's lights had just come on, and I thought, "Wow.

That looks nice."

And I turned around and looked at mine and went, "Oh, God."

There was-- Some of the old lights worked.

Some of them didn't.

There was bits illuminated here, and there was nothing over there.

So I just threw my toys out the pram and turned it all off.

-In 1865, the hotel was one of the first buildings in London to be lit on the outside but entirely by gaslight.

160 years later, Abie is using £300,000 worth of state-of-the-art electric lights to re-create the luster.

-You all good?

-Getting there.

-Safety first!

-To get the lights secured and wired in, Abie needed electricians prepared to learn to abseil and put their lives in each other's hands.

He turned to in-house electricians Alan and Trevor.

-We are identical twins.

I'm the more senior.

-Even though it's only two minutes of difference.

growing up from when we were younger, Alan was always the one in charge.

He was always the older brother.

-Me and the twins are having a quick drink in the pub, and I went, "How about doing an abseiling course?"

-The twins have to carefully position each light while dangling precariously over one of the busiest roads in Central London.

-Don't get me wrong.

It's nerve-racking, especially knowing that this building... it's not just a flat face.

You've got so many overhangs.

-But we're a little bit of adrenaline junkies.

♪♪ ♪♪ -Wrong way!

-[ Laughs ] -Nearly put it on the wrong way.

♪♪ Happy days.

♪♪ -Going over on the ropes, I trust every decision they make.

Well done, there.

Well done.

♪♪ -One thing the Victorians didn't provide for The Langham was a 21st-century car park.

There are always a few cars left by the doors.

It's not unusual to see Bentleys, Aston Martins, and the occasional Bugatti, a car that could set you back well over £1 million.

-I like a Bugatti.

-Have you got one?

-Maybe in the next life.

In this one, no.

-I like big cars.

[ Chuckles ] I like big cars.

I like Audi.

Audi, I think is my best.

-Would you like me to set up a GoFundMe?

-Yes, please!

[ Laughter ] Hello!

-...darling.

-I know.

How are you?

-Yeah.

-Good to see you.

-Have a lovely... -Always.

Thank you, my dear.

♪♪ -Alice is preparing one of the top suites for a particularly demanding new arrival.

With the guest due to arrive shortly, she's arranged a peculiar visit.

-Bed doctors.

[ Chuckles ] ♪♪ -It does look a bit odd when we're doing this.

It does serve a purpose.

Perfect.

-This service is thrown in by the manufacturers, but, then, they do make some of the most expensive mattresses in the world.

-This mattress is absolutely incredible.

It retails for over £400,000.

♪♪ -Yeah, we're not just beating the living daylights out of your bed.

Don't worry.

-It's made completely by hand from the finest horsehair, the finest wool.

It is undoubtedly one of the finest mattresses and mattress brands in the world.

♪♪ Bed doctors massage the mattress.

♪♪ -I typically like to walk up and down the middle.

It just gives it a chance to properly settle.

♪♪ [ Laughter ] -You're more than welcome to jump on the bed.

-No, no, no.

Absolutely not.

♪♪ Bed doctors even out all of the-- the horsehair, the wool to make sure that it's as comfortable as it can possibly be.

♪♪ -With a lot of men, they carry the weight in their shoulders.

And with the women, it's in their hips.

Yeah.

-We carry the weight in our hips.

-What it means is that we do see kind of different dips on the beds.

If you crouch, you can kind of see a little bit where Elliot's now pressing, and that'll just help flatten it.

-They do say laughter is the best medicine, but it's no joke for the doctors.

-We do take it embarrassingly seriously, like, in terms of like, we are walking on beds, but, like, we love it because we know we're actually changing something about the bed.

♪♪ I'm happy.

Are you happy?

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

Perfect.

-The suite, the flowers, and the world's finest mattress are ready for the guests.

♪♪ But in the kitchens, work is just beginning.

The Langham's celebrity chef, Michel Roux, is just starting preparations for the biggest night of his year.

-I still get the butterflies just before service.

And that's what's so exciting about being in the hospitality industry.

♪♪ -The Langham has five kitchens that work 24 hours a day, providing for restaurants, a bar, a pub, and room service.

But tonight, all five kitchens will be working together, and they'll be pushed to the limit.

The hotel is hosting the Great Chefs' Dinner for the charity DEBRA.

With tickets at £400 a head, it features top chef Clare Smyth and is put together by Michel Roux, The Langham's culinary director.

-Whenever you scale up, I think there's a number that's a critical number, and that's 100.

When you get over 100, it gets increasingly difficult to keep the focus on every single plate.

♪♪ Tonight we're doing over 200.

-While the Michelin masters are the star attraction, the event is held together by executive sous-chef Oliver Wadham.

Oliver started out cooking in a shepherd's hut in Dorset and worked his way up through restaurants before landing his job at The Langham.

-On table one.

One, two, three.

I've spent the last three weeks thinking about this event.

It's been at the forefront of my mind, and it's probably the biggest night of my career, so it's really important that I get this right.

-Oliver will be managing all five kitchens and almost 40 chefs.

-So there's a ton of chefs involved in this one.

It's a home match, so to speak, so I'm the person that's linking everyone and get them singing from the same hymn sheet.

And then I propose that we come up with a tray for table one with the three wood logs.

-It's gonna have to be like clockwork.

-The main challenge with this event is probably coordinating the people who complete the canapés, and then we can send -So they can bring these logs from here to you.

-Yeah.

♪♪ -I just hope that we manage to start on time.

It's a very, very tight schedule tonight.

-The Langham never does anything by halves.

If one set of twins isn't enough to ensure everything runs to time, Michel has brought in another: service supremos the Perberschlager sisters.

♪♪ -Have you always worked together?

-Yep.

-Yep.

-You ever imagine that not being the case?

-Not really.

-Not really.

No.

[ Both laugh ] ♪♪ -They share their workload together in a way, meaning that they are stronger together, and the end result is just perfection.

-What do you do?

-What do we do?

-What do we do?

-Serving customers.

-Yeah.

-To put it simply.

-It's a lot about detail, thinking about plates, about cutlery, and how to put it on the table.

-Every service is a challenge.

Sometimes you just don't know it yet.

[ Both laugh ] ♪♪ -The first of the 250 guests are arriving to a champagne reception.

♪♪ -Alright, guys, on your feet.

Let's go.

These ready to go?

...on there.

[ Chatter ] -Can I interest you in a canapé?

♪♪ -Start to bring the trays over, please.

-Yeah.

-And seven regular.

-All it takes is one mistake, one lapse of concentration.

-Yeah.

Okay.

You can... Stop, stop, stop, stop.

So it's a huge responsibility to make sure that the event goes really well.

I wouldn't want to let myself down, and I wouldn't want to let the hotel down.

That's it.

♪♪ -The sisters keep an eye on timings as people are seated and the food is served.

-There's nothing worse than watching the table across from you finish their food before you've even been served your food, so it's really important that we're super organized at this point.

[ Pop ] -Suddenly, the hot plate blows a fuse.

-My dear.

-As sparks fly in the kitchen, five floors up, the electricians Trevor and Alan are ready for phase two.

-Today we're gonna go over the Liberty balcony.

We're gonna go down, drop down to the two big spots that we installed the other week, and we're gonna adjust them.

Abie's gonna be on the street.

♪♪ -Despite abseiling down the hotel over 100 times, for the twins, tonight's job is unusual.

-This is the very first night drop we've ever done.

Well, everything's always nerve-racking.

There's just so much that can go wrong.

But as I say, when I've got my brother with me, me and my brother, we'd get through anything.

Won't we, mate?

Yeah, we will.

♪♪ -This could be a challenge for the twins, but, as ever, they have each other to rely on.

♪♪ -We were a little bullied at school a little bit because we were both born with cleft lip and palate, so we had a lot of operations when we were younger.

-We were in and out of hospital so much as kids.

You don't really have time to make a lot of friends.

I had a quadruple cleft lip, so I didn't really go to school until-- not that much until I was about 7.

-It was hard work, but we got through it, and there was that support, you know?

We were both going through the same thing.

And I think that's what brought us together.

-You feeling alright, Al?

-Lovely, actually.

Really good.

Brilliant view.

Can't beat it.

-From the security of the pavement, Abie is directing the operation.

-Yeah, I'm a little worried about this.

I mean, it's the first time they've come over at night.

Guys!

Guys!

Be careful what you're doing!

-I just want to get over that edge and just start going down.

There's no adrenaline rush like it.

You ready?

You ready to go, mate?

-Guys, come on!

Down!

♪♪ ♪♪ -You good?

-Yeah.

You good?

♪♪ -We're trying to realign the lights.

We put them all in during the day.

So until it goes dark and we turn them all on, we don't know where they're actually pointing, and some of them are pointing in the wrong place, so they're not quite lining up with all the other lights, so we just need to get them right.

-You got yours?

♪♪ -Guys, loosen off both lights!

♪♪ No.

Up.

Just a touch!

Bring it up!

Yeah.

Spot on!

-Spot on, yeah?

-Just there!

-Still good?

-Yeah.

Perfect, man.

Yeah.

♪♪ -In just an hour's time, the lights will be switched on.

-And we're down.

-But will Abie be happy?

♪♪ -How are you?

-I am excellent.

How about you?

-Good.

Thank you.

-You're good?

Yeah.

-I'm done for the day.

I'm cooked.

-Bless you.

Get some rest.

-[ Laughs ] ♪♪ -At the Chefs' Dinner, there's a hold-up with the service because, in the kitchen, there's a problem.

♪♪ The pass is an essential part of any professional kitchen, keeping food at the perfect temperature while it's being served.

-This is really important so that that food stays really hot.

[ Pop ] -Taking 10 plates.

-One of our passes has gone off.

-The light and heat have suddenly blown in half of the pass... -They're out of here.

They're finished.

-Get me another tray of them.

-The top pass lights, they all exploded, as well as the bottom ones.

-...leaving too little space to serve 250 meals.

[ Chatter ] -They burst.

The pass lights exploded.

Jonathan... We're gonna have to do-- Because we don't have any lights here.

-Keep going.

-It popped, Rachel.

-Ollie knows the kitchens of The Langham better than anyone and instantly arranges for food to be moved and an emergency kitchen to be opened... -It's in times like this experience takes over.

Hold the plates straight, please.

-...while back in kitchen number five, he manages a lot of people in a very small space.

-Not this-- Not this one.

♪♪ Regular.

-Serve an empty hand.

Ten.

-Just a couple of minutes behind.

But you know what?

I'm-- I'll take that.

I think we've done really well.

[ Chatter ] ♪♪ -Abie and the abseiling twins have been fixing lights to the outside of The Langham for over a year.

At last, the project's complete, and it's time to turn them on.

[ Chatter ] -Yeah.

I think it's... We get to see everything.

-We can see... -This will work.

-Let's do it.

-Let's do it.

-Yeah, go.

Let's do it.

-Pat?

Yeah.

Alright.

We're ready.

Let's turn them on.

-We're go for it?

-Let's do it.

-Come on.

Turn it on.

-Yeah.

-Oh, guys, guys, guys!

Check it out!

Look at that!

This building just went boom.

♪♪ The first time I switched the lights on and the traffic stopped.

It was just out of this world.

♪♪ That looks spectacular!

♪♪ It's something to be proud of.

It really is.

-I mean, it's like a beacon of London.

♪♪ Lighting up The Langham just gives it a lease of life.

-This is our contribution to The Langham Hotel.

To light such an iconic building... and you see it in the dark, it just looks spectacular.

Probably a lifetime high.

♪♪ -The Langham, London, has always been a location for exclusive events.

For over a century, it's been a chosen venue for special birthdays, dinners, and celebrations.

It's also the location of choice for some of the most spectacular nuptials.

[ All cheering ] -I always wanted a big wedding.

-While out front everything should be perfect... behind the scenes, it's a major operation to keep everything running to time.

-There's so many things that can go wrong in a wedding.

Have you not been to a wedding?

Watch your step.

-Every year, The Langham hosts over 50 weddings.

Mery is in charge of planning them all and holding everything together.

-There is a lot of pressure, not only for the couple, but for ourselves, to get it right.

So, yes, we are pretty tight on time.

So you can see how many steps I do in a day!

But it's exciting.

Who doesn't like adrenaline?

-[ Whistling ] -With just two days to go before the wedding, Mery is waiting to meet the bride and groom.

-Every wedding for me is like as if it was myself getting married.

And I think that's the best way to see it because then you take it so personal.

Hello!

-Account manager Josh proposed to nurse Hannah on holiday two years ago.

-The Langham was actually the first venue we ever viewed, and I completely fell in love with it.

-The Liberty Suite.

Okay.

Let's go see the room!

Right.

We're gonna head off this way.

And it's on the fifth floor.

This room has been refurbished, and it's the first time that a guest stays in it, so... -Oh, really?

-Oh, wow!

-Yeah!

-Oh, wow!

-Oh, wow!

-The makeover of the Liberty Suite cost a cool £200,000 and now retails at 5 grand a night.

-I love it.

It's absolutely beautiful.

-Wow.

-Absolutely gorgeous.

-This isn't the usual life that I came into by any means.

Humble beginnings from, you know, small village in the countryside in Wiltshire.

[ Laughs ] -She's got her little bathrobe.

And you can take that, by the way.

-I think Hannah's very much the lead in charge of this.

You know, she's the ideas person.

-The starting price for a wedding at The Langham is £30,000, but for Josh and Hannah, it's grown to over £70,000.

-I'd say a number, she'd say, "Oh, we'll double that."

And then we'd meet in the middle.

-I feel overwhelmed.

[ Laughter ] ♪♪ -With just two days to go, Josh and Hannah walk through the plans for their big day.

-Go have a little few minutes.

I walk them through the spaces and help them visualize it all the way until you actually see it on the day come to life.

-And where's the cake going?

-So we said the cake was going to go on a three-foot round.

-Oh, my God.

This is... -There is one person looking forward to the wedding more than the bride and groom.

-I got married just in a registry office.

Hannah, I know, will be emotional.

She will be.

Because she is getting married at The Langham.

I just don't know where to look first.

It's the light fittings, the pillars, the tables.

Magnificent.

Absolutely magnificent.

When Hannah and Josh said they were gonna get married, it was never gonna be an ordinary wedding.

Right.

So where's my table now I'm seeing it in real life?

-I think you're outside somewhere.

-I'm the obviously second-most important person.

Mother of the bride.

-Yes.

So you're going to be sitting right round here.

You're here... -Looks so nice.

-...facing us.

-It's so nice.

-Oh, she's been so excited.

She's literally like... This has-- Been waiting for this day all her life.

She just loves it.

-I mean, this is such a stunning room.

I feel really emotional today, so I think it's, uh-- it's definite I'll be crying on Saturday.

-She lives in Spain but has been to every single appointment with me.

What do you mean?

It wasn't your idea.

-No, but-- -It was Mery's.

[ Laughter ] -Are you joking?

-The long table that way was Mery's idea.

Mery came up with that idea.

-Bridezilla!

It's mega exciting.

And here we are.

It's just wonderful being here.

It's making me cry just thinking about it.

♪♪ -And Hannah's gran is feeling the emotion, too.

-What do you reckon?

-The first granddaughter.

I feel very emotional.

I think it's seeing it all.

[ Chuckles ] She's a lovely girl.

♪♪ -Are you being a silly sausage?

-At the end of the day, it's a win-win if your parents are happy, too, if your grandparents are happy.

-Oh, I'm so excited.

But I'm really on edge.

I'm really-- I'm feeling quite stressed today, but very excited.

♪♪ ♪♪ -The Langham Hotel has long been a discreet romantic refuge.

In the 1930s, it became a meeting place for Edward, Prince of Wales, and Wallis Simpson, the American socialite the King would eventually choose over the crown.

♪♪ Today the hotel is still the backdrop to the occasional clandestine guest.

♪♪ While a quarter of a million people check in here every year, some guests are not what they seem.

-So they're coming in several times during the year, secretly, anonymously.

They come in, they interview your staff without knowing that they're being interviewed.

They're checking the facilities.

They're utilizing your food and beverage facilities, the restaurants, the bars.

You do not know when they're staying with you.

You can't spot them.

It's impossible.

-Managing director Stefan has called an urgent staff meeting.

-Good morning, everyone!

-Morning.

-Morning.

-After secret inspectors have cast their votes, The Langham has news.

-So we have been awarded two Michelin Keys for The Langham, London, so congratulations.

[ Applause ] Very few hotels have been awarded one, two, or three keys.

I think in the United Kingdom and Ireland, it's about 100.

Thank you.

[ Applause ] ♪♪ -But no hotel can sit on its laurels, especially not on a wedding day.

Mery, the wedding planner, is making sure that everything is ready for groom Josh and the best men, who are yet to arrive.

-And I've just written a little card to remind him to be ready at 1:30.

I'll also bring the buttonholes here for Josh when he arrives.

He's not answering.

Let's see if I can get ahold of him and just make sure everything's okay.

♪♪ [ Humming ] Hopefully they're on their way.

I've spoken to Hannah, as well.

She's let me know that there's last-minute dresses arriving that require steaming.

It's gonna go really quick this morning.

♪♪ Hello, my lovely.

Sorry.

Were you getting your makeup done?

-No.

-She's brought the bouquets.

How are you doing?

-Yeah.

I'm fine.

-Yeah?

-Doing fine.

Well.

Mery, I've got the rings, as well.

-Perfect.

Okay.

Rings.

-The Liberty Suite has been transformed into number-one dressing room for the biggest show in town.

[ Chatter ] -I had all of the girls in here.

We had six bridesmaids in hair and makeup.

It was like go, go, go.

-For Hannah's mum, Illie, it couldn't come soon enough.

-We've waited two years for this day and it has absolutely flown round.

And here we are.

Yeah, I think I stress her out, probably.

-You're all okay?

You look stunning.

Honestly.

Alright.

So far, so good?

I reassured her.

I said that, you know, "Just take a few moments to yourself if you feel like things are getting too much."

Just because she's going to get a bit emotional and things are gonna get a little bit overwhelming.

♪♪ -And it's not just the bride and groom that Mery has to organize.

In the Grand Ballroom, tables and chairs for over 200 guests have to be arranged.

-Those chairs out.

Push this table in a little bit, yeah?

-And, of course, the table plan.

-This is 9.

I have 11.

-So I'm just trying to get ahold of the florist so they can do the buttonholes for the groom and the groomsmen.

Throughout the course of the day, there's going to be moments that perhaps we're overrunning.

We need to make sure we just catch up with time pretty much.

♪♪ -To Mery's relief, the groom and his party have just arrived.

-Hello!

Happy wedding day!

-You alright?

-Oh, I'm good.

And you?

-Are you okay?

Yeah.

I'm good.

-Nice to meet you all.

It becomes a friendship.

There's this sort of connection.

So let me take you to the room.

I've made sure some extra chairs are there.

-Thank you.

Thank you.

-[ Whistling ] ♪♪ -Nice to see you.

They would like to go to St Paul's Cathedral, please.

Have a wonderful afternoon.

-Thank you.

♪♪ -Welcome to The Langham.

-There's another special event happening today.

-I never take it for granted that this is a special day for so many people.

I always try and make it even more special for them.

-Deep in the hotel is Sauce, the first cookery school built inside a London five-star hotel.

-Welcome.

Welcome to The Langham.

-For £1,000, you get seven hours with Michel Roux.

-The people coming today are not professional chefs.

This is very often a big day for people, a gift day.

So we've got the cod here, and what I'm gonna do is just add some orange zest.

-Two people here on birthday trips are Angela and Diane.

Both are big fans and are hoping to master Michel's daring menu.

-I'm a bit of a thrill seeker.

I used to chase yacht racing in a helicopter, hanging out the side, photographing from the top.

Quite scary because there's no doors on.

-For Angela, this is a 60th-birthday present from her husband, Paul.

-I know Michel Roux has always been her favorite.

-I won't tell-- I won't tell anyone.

-I had already spent all my money before I spotted this, so I went against all my firm beliefs and ordered a credit card.

Because it was an opportunity I couldn't miss, seeing Angela's face all day.

-He's a chef that I've watched for years on TV.

I love him.

I love how he is with people.

-A little squeeze.

That is perfectly cooked.

Beautifully cooked.

It's lovely and moist and flaky.

-No, I just think he's wonderful.

♪♪ -The first dish: perfectly presented pan-fried duck.

-And then you do that...thing.

[ Laughter ] -Oh, I've never cooked duck ever, because I've never had the confidence to do that.

-I take it you all like your duck pink.

We're going quack on the... Not like the French.

[ Laughter ] We're not gonna use a temperature probe.

We're gonna use our finger.

Press down on it.

So when it's raw like this, press it.

And you can feel it's raw.

Yeah?

There's so much give there.

Freshly cooked.

Good ingredients.

Can't be beaten.

It's starting to get a bit of color, yes?

I did experience school dinners.

Mince with gristle in it.

Powdered mashed potato.

[ Groans ] Yeah.

Back to my baked shallot.

When you're designing a menu, designing a plate of food, think sweet, salty, acidity... if you can.

Endive.

And texture.

I was very fortunate.

Growing up as a child, and even as a baby, I was fed on fresh food, freshly cooked food.

Nothing extravagant.

But it was good food.

It was wholesome food.

And it was cooked daily by my mum or my dad.

Good.

So, let's get cooking.

-With the main-course lesson done, one thing remains.

-Presentation is important.

You know, a little bit of artistic flair from you all.

-My presentation at home is, like, get all the cooking done and get it on the plate as fast as possible to get it on the table hot.

♪ -Let's see you being a little bit artistic.

[ Chatter ] -Sorry.

-Yours are really good!

They look like little nipples!

[ Laughs ] ♪♪ [ Laughs ] Obviously you want to try and get it as right as you can.

All I did was copy his with just maybe a few-- one little change.

-While Diane meticulously copies the work laid out by the master... ♪♪ ...Angela's feeling the love.

-Aww!

I really like that heart.

Be generous with the salsa because it is delicious.

Yeah.

-Oh, mine's really thick now.

-Nice and juicy?

Yes.

♪♪ -The wedding of Josh and Hannah is due to take place at The Langham Hotel in half an hour.

For Mery, the hotel's wedding planner, there are still challenges to come.

-When she starts getting that dress on and having those final touches, that can cause a bit of stress.

-Hannah and her mum are not quite ready.

-Welcome to Stress City.

It's, like, late, and it was 7:00 a second ago.

And here we are.

We've got 10 minutes to get dressed, and we're not dressed.

-She's making me stressed.

-Oh!

-Oh.

Sorry.

God.

Now I feel sick.

Now I'm starting to feel sick.

Han, guests are in place.

-Get out of the room.

You're really stressing me out.

God.

She's doing my head in right now.

-It's 1:30, so almost near ceremony time.

Things are gonna get a little bit, um, overwhelming.

♪♪ -In The Langham's Portland Foyer, Mery has managed to get Josh, the groom, best men, and guests in place.

-All these people are here.

They're nervous, and I'm nervous.

You can all feel it in the room.

And you're just waiting for that big moment.

-Five minutes away.

Five minutes away, gang.

Five minutes.

-Hannah's dad has arrived to walk his daughter to the wedding venue.

-Oh, Howard, you look lovely!

-Oh, well.

-You look so smart, Dad.

-Wow.

-Hannah hasn't come out yet in her dress.

-The wedding is scheduled for a 2:00 start.

-The only time I remember looking at my watch was 2:15.

Ceremony's at 2:00, bear in mind.

And I'm stood up at the end with my best men, and I'm kind of like-- The whole room's full.

And everybody's, you know, staring at you and trying to work out what's going on.

-Some registrars have a limit that they need to turn around and be like, "Actually, if we're going to pass this 20-minute delay, then we got to go and we can't marry the couple."

-It's up to Mery to get bride Hannah down the aisle before it's too late.

-Oh, I'm just gonna come just to check, see how everything is, and just make sure everything... ♪♪ So make sure, girls-- She needs you.

Alright?

Hype her up.

Give her some encouragement.

-Okay.

-Alright?

Cool.

-In the room next door, the stress has got to Hannah.

♪♪ -Aww!

-Oh, my God.

-You look so beautiful!

-Hannah, you look stunning!

-Are you okay?

-I think so.

-I can see why many brides and grooms get extremely nervous.

[ Indistinct conversation ] Because you want to make sure that that moment is perfect.

♪♪ -Also chasing perfection, down in the cookery school, Michel Roux thinks that today's students are ready to tackle one of French cuisine's trickiest desserts: soufflé à la banane.

-A banana soufflé.

Ooh!

[ Laughter ] -This is the big one!

[ Laughter ] That was the one thing when Paul told me what we were doing.

The first question I asked was, "I wonder if we'll do a soufflé."

-It can be a bit tricky.

-Well, yeah, because everybody wants to get the best rise.

-Fix it on full blast.

Yeah?

-To get the soufflé to rise, separated eggs, sugar, flour, and milk must be quickly blended... -Think positive.

"My soufflé is going to rise."

-...and then heated for six minutes.

-Wow.

-They are beautiful.

-Really even.

A little bit of cocoa powder on.

Chocolate sauce.

So, there we go.

♪♪ -Now it's time for Michel's superfans to produce the dish that chefs take years to master.

-I've never even tasted one, but it is the one thing that I wanted to learn today.

-But suddenly, Angela abandons her temperamental pudding mid-mix.

♪♪ -Right.

♪♪ Don't stop halfway.

There we go.

-Ohh!

So, when I come back, it was done.

My egg whites were whisked.

So I thought Paul had done it.

Did Chef do it for me?

[ Gasps ] See?

It's gonna be perfect now.

But, no, Michel Roux Jr.

did it for me.

So it couldn't fail, could it?

-Where did you go?

-Call of nature.

Sorry.

-Your meringue's ready.

-Okay.

[ Laughter ] -With the soufflés in the oven, precision matters.

And even with the help of a Michelin Star chef, things can still go wrong.

-It's got to rise yet.

Three minutes.

And it's-- it's looking good, though.

-It's time to see who rises and who falls.

-It's really nerve-racking.

-Yours is pretty damn perfect.

-It does.

I'm really pleased with that.

Size matters.

-Look at the color.

Yours is rising better than mine!

[ Gasps ] -Oh, look at that!

♪♪ -Michel Roux has now raised a grand total of 500 successful soufflé students through The Langham classroom.

-Oh, my days.

That is so nice.

Yeah, it was fun.

It was really fun.

I think this is probably one of the best ones I've ever been on.

-Spending a great day, having a great time with like-minded people.

♪♪ [ Applause ] ♪♪ -Look.

I'm honestly getting goosebumps!

♪♪ -Mery's got Hannah and her entourage downstairs.

Now she just has to get her down the aisle.

-Let me just get her some water.

It's okay.

It's alright.

-Just relax and enjoy it, okay?

-[ Exhales heavily ] Okay.

-You okay?

Great.

Right.

One second.

There's where I kind of put my planning hat aside and support in any way that I can.

Relax.

Come on.

You're almost there.

This is her.

You're gonna be- That's it.

That's it.

You're gonna walk in.

That's how you're gonna stand.

And then you're gonna go up.

Okay?

I'll be here pacing you.

Okay?

It's just being that person to say to her, "Look.

I've got your back.

You are my priority.

Breathe in, breathe out.

Let's just go for it."

♪♪ -I turn around and I see her, and the rest of the room just disappears.

-As soon as I saw Josh, I felt instantly on cloud nine.

-Yeah, it was amazing.

Seeing how happy she was in that moment.

♪♪ And, yeah, it's just so infectious.

The whole room is just feeling that in that moment.

And, yeah, it's very special.

[ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ -Though Josh and Hannah have tied the knot, for Mery, things are starting to unravel.

[ Clicking ] -Yeah.

Just... -The room isn't ready.

-We are tight with time, so this is not... We're literally working on a 5-to-10-minute for guests to be ushered into the room.

And none of the candles-- Well, most of the candles of the tables were done, but not all of them.

-With over 500 candles to light, Mery rallies the troops.

-When it's busy, we got to get things done.

♪♪ The long tables had probably 50 candles on them.

They were tapered candles, so, you know, imagine lighting those up.

There was a lot of real candles involved in this wedding because of the ambiance that they wanted to kind of create in the space.

We need to do the room shots ASAP.

The band's waiting for us, as well.

So, I'm rushing banqueting.

Banqueting are rushing me.

So it's that little hiccup that you can have on the day.

But, yeah, it's completely natural.

Our team Langham, if we could just clear the space, please!

Not everything is rainbows and butterfly.

And you could also feel the heat.

Okay, my lovelies.

I think we're done.

♪♪ You want to make sure that you are providing that five-star luxury service that we're known for.

♪♪ Okay.

Ready?

Ready?

Beautiful!

Okay.

We're just gonna go get the couple.

There's something so special when the couple go into that room and see everything they spoke about, to see it in that moment.

The weight comes off of your shoulders at that moment of like, okay, my work here is complete.

♪♪ -You walk in, and then the band are all stood on the piano singing.

Candles.

The tables all set up.

You've got this, like, incredibly built-up room and party that's effectively started.

And it's just for you two.

All of the planning, and it felt like it really come together.

-You're thinking, gosh, okay, it's coming to life.

You're on the same boat as them.

♪♪ -After food service, that's when I go, "Okay.

That's good.

My work here is done."

Sometimes tears do definitely come out because you're like, "Okay.

This is where I need to let go."

-Mery was amazing.

I just felt just so happy the whole day.

It was really the best day of my life.

[ Cheers and applause ] -They are happy.

And now the night is young, so they can just go enjoy themselves.

Then, yeah.

I'm good to go.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪