First Dates legend Merlin Griffiths has shared a sweet ritual he does with his co-star Fred Sirieix.
The TV barman spoke exclusively to Daily Star as he promoted SodaStream’s summer campaign. When speaking about his time on the show he opened up about his bond with the maître d’.
When asked what it’s like working with Fred, Merlin said: “I get to see a lot of professional Fred, because the best way to make First Dates work for us is to make it real. So you get professional Fred, the maître d’, who is running tables and running his waiters.
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“He’s very strict actually. He’s worked in Michelin-star restaurants, he’s got high service standards and they have to be met. He gets very techy if they’re not.
(Image: Channel 4 / Paul Groom)
“The best way to describe him is funny and a real live wire and I like that. We have a professional and respectful time and a good friendship.”
Merlin added: “We have a lovely lunchtime ritual as well. On a day shift, we take our lunch break together. We sit down, take the table away from the action, make sure we’re laid up properly, and have a nice lunch to decompress. It’s only half an hour, but it’s very civilized, and it’s a special little moment together.”
(Image: Channel 4)
This comes as Merlin partnered with SodaStream to create a tantalising summer drinks menu. The sparkling water brand has created three new fruit flavours to add to its Classic range – orange mango, cloudy lemonade, and passionfruit.
Using his mixology skills, Merlin has created three summer drinks including these new flavours, consisting of two mocktails and one cocktail, reflecting that 32% of Brits are now limiting their alcohol intake, similar to Merlin himself.
(Image: Sodastream)
Speaking about SodaStream, Merlin added: “I remember soda streams from when I was a kid growing up, it’s an excellent thing, fresh soda on demand. For me personally, it’s persisted and I’ve even got one on my own bar. They’re absolutely ideal and they do some lovely syrups as well. They’ve got a passion fruit, a real lemonade, cloudy lemonade, and orange and mango.
“But I’ve done some videos to go with it, so you guys can make these drinks at home. That’s the whole point. They should be easy enough to make at home. Leave it to me while I’m working professionally to spend 25 years preparing ingredients, and then three or four minutes serving a drink. When you’re doing it home, you need to be making it quickly, then back in the garden in the sunshine.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
