MasterChef: The Professionals

In this opening heat, six professional chefs from all over the country arrive at the MasterChef kitchen and put their reputations on the line, to stake their claim to the coveted title. The chefs face two daunting challenges - at the end of which, three chefs are sent home and the strongest three go through to this week's quarter-final.

In this heat, six professional chefs from all over the country arrive at the MasterChef kitchen and put their reputations on the line, to stake their claim to the coveted title. The chefs face two daunting challenges - at the end of which, three chefs are sent home and the strongest three go through to this week's quarter-final.

In this first quarter final, the six strongest chefs from the first two heats attempt to impress Monica and Marcus in two high-stakes challenges. First up the chefs face a brand-new challenge - the Judges' Favourite Ingredient Test. The six chefs are challenged to invent a dish centred around one key ingredient. This week Monica has selected coconut - an all-time favourite of hers, so the chefs will be under pressure to use it to best effect in their cooking. With a whole range of ingredients to choose from the six chefs must deliver a plate of food that displays their own unique take on how to highlight this versatile flavour, whilst also maintaining perfect balance. With 10 minutes to select the ingredients and 70 minutes to cook, there's a lot riding on this plate. Only the four strongest chefs will go on to the next challenge, to cook for the restaurant critics, for two chefs it's the end of the competition.

In this heat, six professional chefs from across the UK put their reputations on the line, competing to become MasterChef: The Professionals Champion 2018. Under the watchful eye of the three judges, the chefs must face two of their toughest challenges - firstly a test of their basic skills, followed by a chance to cook their own unique signature dish for the judges. At the end of this heat, three chefs are sent home and the strongest three go through to this week's quarter final.

In the second heat of the week, six of the UK's most determined chefs make the journey to the MasterChef kitchen ready to fight for the coveted title. Ahead of them are two challenges designed to challenge their ability in the kitchen - from taste and technical flair to creativity and ability to work under pressure. These chefs' every move will be watched over by Monica, Marcus and Gregg. At the end of the heat, only the three best chefs will go through to the quarter-final.

This quarter-final sees the six strongest chefs from this week's heats attempt to impress Monica and Marcus in two high-stakes challenges. First up the chefs face a brand new challenge - the judge's favourite ingredient test. The six chefs are challenged to invent a dish centred on one key ingredient. This week, Marcus has chosen for the chefs to elevate a great staple of any kitchen - the potato. With a whole host of varieties and a never-ending list of ways to cook the potato Marcus is hoping for ingenuity, elegance and above all great tasting plates of food from these chefs. The chefs have ten minutes to choose from a range of ingredients and 70 minutes to cook a plate of food that delivers the humble spud as the star of the show. Only the four stand out chefs go on to the next challenge, to cook for the restaurant critics - for two chefs it is the end of the competition.

The remaining four professionals go on to cook their food for three of the UK's most discerning restaurant critics. They need to impress Tracey MacLeod, Tom Parker Bowles and Jay Rayner. The critics dish up their insight and unrestrained opinion on the food. With only one hour and 15 minutes to cook a two-course menu designed to dazzle the critics and the judges, the chefs battle to remain calm in the kitchen. Only the three most talented chefs will go through to Knockout Week and continue their pursuit of the MasterChef: The Professionals 2018 title.

In this heat, six more professional chefs from across the UK set out to prove they can become the culinary star of this year's competition. Starting their fight for the coveted title, the chefs face the infamous skills test. This is a chance for Monica, Marcus and Gregg to size up their skills and ability under pressure.

Six more chefs head to the MasterChef kitchen for another heat. Monica kicks off the skills test by asking the chefs to cook an elegant and tasty dish of broccoli - cooked three different ways. Can the chefs use their creativity to conjure up a plate from one head of broccoli that will catapult them into the judges' good books?

The six strongest chefs from the week's heats attempt to impress Monica and Marcus in two high-stakes challenges in this quarter final. Only the three most talented chefs will go through to knockout week and continue their pursuit of the MasterChef: The Professionals title.

First the chefs face this series' new challenge - the judges' favourite ingredient test - where the six chefs are asked to invent a dish centred around one key ingredient. This week Marcus has chosen vanilla. With a whole range of ingredients to choose from, the chefs have the flexibility to wow the judges with their ingenuity and creativity. They must try to keep the distinct flavour of vanilla key to the dish without it overpowering everything else. With 10 minutes to select the ingredients and 70 minutes to cook, the chefs' dishes need to really stand out as only four chefs will get the
chance to cook for the critics. For the other two, it is the end of the competition.

The four remaining chefs now face a test that has seen even the best crumble under the pressure - the critics test. They must cook their own two-course menu that will be scrutinized by the judges and three of the UK's most experienced food critics - Jay Rayner, Grace Dent and Tom Parker Bowles. They have just one hour and 15 minutes to turn out eye-catching dishes with faultless flavours.

It's the final week of the heats and six more professional chefs from across the UK head into the MasterChef kitchen determined to show the judges they have star cooking quality.

The first challenge to test their mettle is the infamous skills test. Under close scrutiny from Monica, Marcus and Gregg, the chefs have their skills, knowledge and confidence put to the test. The first skills test has been set by Marcus. The chefs have to roll, form and fill pasta to make a dish of pork-filled ravioli with a chasseur sauce. The judges look out for classic culinary knowledge and the ability to create depth of flavour in the accompanying sauce. There is a wide range of talents the chefs can either show off or stumble at in this 20-minute introduction to the MasterChef kitchen.

For the next three chefs, Monica has chosen the famous oyster rockefeller as her test. This buttery, herb-crusted, baked shellfish dish has been around in many forms for over a century, but the chefs won't get very far if they don't have the knack for shucking the oyster at the off.

All six chefs are invited back in to the MasterChef kitchen for the next nerve-racking round. This is their chance to really show off with their signature dish. Cooking a tried-and-tested dish for Monica, Marcus and Gregg, any chefs that lost face in the last round can turn their fate around. In an hour and 15 minutes, their future is decided as the judges send three chefs home and settle on which three go through to this week's quarter-final.

In the last heat of the competition, the final six chefs enter the MasterChef kitchen to face the skills test, the first vital step to becoming the MasterChef: The Professionals Champion 2018. Under the judges' steely gaze, the chefs have to show they have the true grit and pure talent to mark them out as a future star. The contestants will be hoping to sweeten the judges with their take on Marcus's dish of caramelised pineapple with a caramel nut garnish. Monica, Gregg and Marcus scrutinise the chefs' skills as they pare down the pineapple and aim for the perfect flavour in their fruit caramel dessert. Temperatures, timings and impeccable prep are all on show in this test.

When the last three chefs step in for Monica's test, they are faced with chicken carcasses, which form the basis of the dish they have 15 minutes to cook, glazed chicken oysters with pomme puree. The chefs need to butcher the carcasses down further to locate the 'oysters', before they can cook and glaze the meat, whilst also whipping up a perfect smooth buttery pomme puree to the judges delight or distaste.

Next, all six chefs must complete the signature dish round, in which they showcase their cooking style and creativity using their very own recipes. Everything rides on how they perform under the intense pressure of this round. The surviving three chefs move on to battle it out for another day in the last of the quarter-finals.

Tonight's last quarter-final sees the six strongest chefs from this week's heats attempt to impress Monica and Marcus in two crucial challenges. Only the three most talented chefs will go through to knockout week and continue their pursuit of the MasterChef: The Professionals title.

First up, the chefs face the new challenge, the judges' favourite ingredient test. Monica wants the six chefs to invent a dish that celebrates a key ingredient, eggs. Every chef will have used eggs in a myriad of ways, but how can they creatively elevate this ingredient to become the star element of the dish. They have a wide range of other ingredients to choose from and 70 minutes to cook a dish worthy of seeing them through to the next vital round. Only four chefs go through and have the chance to cook for the restaurant critics, the others are sent home.

The four chefs that showed star quality now face a test that has seen many a seasoned chef quake, the critics test. They cook their own two-course menu to be scrutinised by the judges and three of the UK's most discerning palates. Food critics Jay Rayner, William Sitwell and Amol Rajan sit in judgement and to find the flaws in the chefs' food. After this round, one chef will be shown the door while the other three survive to battle it out in knockout week.

It is knockout week on MasterChef: The Professionals. MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace teams up with two of Britain's leading chefs - Michelin-starred Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti. The kitchen is heating up as the judges' hunt for the country's next culinary superstar. After four weeks of intense competition, the 12 most talented chefs remain from the initial 48. Tonight, for the first time they all come together in the MasterChef kitchen, where their fate rests in an almighty cook-off.

The first challenge for the 12 chefs is to cook against each other in the most intense invention test of the competition. They need to impress the three judges with one spectacular plate of food created from a heaving table of fresh sweet and savoury ingredients. But Monica and Marcus have raised the bar a little higher and challenge the chefs to the max by removing all the modern kitchen gadgets from the MasterChef kitchen. In the absence of a sous-vide or water bath, the emphasis is on classic cooking skills - plain and simple. With two hours and 15 minutes to create an innovative plate of exquisite food, they must seize this opportunity to make an impact on the judges. Only eight chefs will be guaranteed to move onto the next round.

The weakest four need to dust themselves off and cook-off again against each other. In the cook-off round, the four remaining chefs have their final chance to showcase their talents to Marcus, Monica and Gregg and save themselves from being sent home. With one hour to create one perfect dish, it is time for the chefs to dig deep and muster their culinary magic and convince the judges they deserve to continue in the competition. For two chefs, it is the end of the road and they are sent home. The best two chefs from this round join the other eight and continue their quest to raise the MasterChef: The Professionals 2018 trophy.

Knockout week continues on MasterChef: The Professionals. Chef Monica Galetti and Michelin-starred chef Marcus Wareing scrutinise the chefs' every move in their bid to uncover the professional chef to crown culinary superstar of 2018.

Knockout week continues on MasterChef: The Professionals. Chef Monica Galetti and Michelin-starred chef Marcus Wareing scrutinise the chefs every move in their bid to uncover the professional chef to crown culinary superstar of 2018.

Tonight, the second group of five chefs face two intense challenges set by Monica and Marcus. The chefs must cook together for the first time as a team to create an exceptional three-course, fine-dining menu at one of London's most prestigious addresses, The Royal College of Physicians. Celebrating their 500th anniversary, the meal must excel. The chefs have two and a half hours to collaborate as a team to design and cook their special menu, which will be served to the president Professor Dame Jane Dacre and her five VIP guests. The chefs' every move will be watched over by judges Monica and Marcus. Will their creative vision and talent shine through? Or will team playing prove to be their weakness?

With the team challenge behind them, the five chefs return to the MasterChef kitchen where they face the judges as individuals once again. Face to face again the chefs will battle it out for a place in the semi-finals by proving to judges Monica, Marcus and Gregg that they really are a cut above the others. With 90 minutes they must create their own unique dish to prove their talent and dedication to deliver at the highest level, and to take them through to the semi-finals. After tasting the dishes, Marcus, Monica and Gregg decide whose time in the MasterChef kitchen is up and which four chefs will move forward in the competition - one giant step close to being crowned MasterChef: The Professionals Champion 2018.

It is semi-finals week and the competition is sizzling with fresh new talent. MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace teams up with chef Monica Galetti and Michelin-starred Marcus Wareing to continue their search for this year's MasterChef: The Professionals Champion.

In this programme, the remaining eight chefs face a double-headed beast of a challenge in the MasterChef kitchen. It is do or die as they stake their claim to the competition and the opportunity to cook in some of the most influential and unique kitchens in the UK. The first challenge the eight chefs face is cooking against each other to create a dish inspired by a poignant food memory. For the judges, this dish must evoke the flavour and sense of occasion that ignited the chefs' passion for food. From fruit picking to a first taste of fine dining, the chefs need to dig deep for inspiration, cook up a storm in an hour and 45 minutes, and in turn inspire the judges to send them straight through to the next round.

The remaining chefs must return to fight again in the MasterChef kitchen to secure one of the remaining four places in the next round. They face an invention test where they are tasked with creating one unique and flawless dish. The twist for the chefs is that for those that cooked savoury in the first round they now cook sweet and vice versa. With this plate of food, the judges' expectations are high, so it is imperative that the chefs' ingenuity and skill shine through or they will forfeit their place in the next semi-final challenge. After this hard-fought battle, two chefs will be asked to leave the competition. The six who remain will continue on their path in pursuit of the MasterChef: The Professionals title 2018.

It is semi-finals week and the competition is is on a knife edge. MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace teams up with chef Monica Galetti and Michelin-starred Marcus Wareing to continue their search for this year's MasterChef: The Professionals champion.

Tonight the first three remaining semi-finalists battle it out for a place in finals week. They are sent to work alongside one of the countries' leading chefs, Michael Caines. Caines is creating a new food legacy in his own country house hotel and restaurant in Exmouth - Lympstone Manor. Having held two Michelin stars at Gidleigh Park for 18 years, Caines embarked on his own venture in 2017 - a culmination of his lifelong dream to create and shape his own vision for generations to come. Lympstone Manor draws on inspiration from the beautiful Exe estuary that it overlooks and the surrounding countryside. The exceptional food that Caines is creating at Lympstone Manor won a Michelin star within the first six months of opening. The chance for the semi-finalists to cook alongside Caines as he makes history is a huge privilege and one that will place them in an extraordinary position to supercharge their culinary skills.

The first eye-opener for the chefs is to see Michael cook one of his signature dishes, lobster fricassee with a lobster bisque and summer vegetables. Understanding the intricacy and inspiration for the dish is key as Michael turns the tables and throws down the gauntlet for the chefs: he wants them to create their version of his dish for him to taste. Michael is looking for evidence of their ability to balance flavor, create textural variation and cook impeccably. Once the chefs have shown that they have the culinary mastery to take a place in his kitchen, they are each shown a further dish that Michael has on his menu. The chefs will join Michael's elite brigade and each take responsibility for a dish to be served during a packed service in his prestigious restaurant. The chefs face the toughest challenge of their careers, cooking at this level under the watchful gaze of Michael Caines. Only perfection will pass the test.

Next, the inspired chefs return to the MasterChef kitchen where they face the challenge of cooking their own dishes for a two-course menu which Marcus, Monica and Gregg will taste. The judges expect their food to have reached new heights. The chefs must aim for the skies, as at this stage in the competition, one tiny slip can mean the difference between gaining a place in finals week or going home. Only perfection will do to edge closer to the MasterChef: The Professionals title 2018.

It is semi-finals week and the competition is heating up. MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace teams up with chef Monica Galetti and Michelin-starred Marcus Wareing to continue their search for this year's MasterChef: The Professionals champion.

It is the last semi-final and the three remaining chefs are in close competition for a place in finals week. For their first challenge, they are sent to cook at an exclusive address in Padstow, Cornwall - Paul Ainsworth at No 6. Chef Paul Ainsworth honed his skills with culinary legends Gary Rhodes, Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing before striking out on his own in Cornwall. With his unique inimitable style of combining playful creativity with bold, beautiful and perfectly balanced flavours Paul won a Michelin star and he is now considered one of the greatest chefs in Britain in his own right. The chefs will have the enviable opportunity to learn from Ainsworth himself and cook alongside his elite brigade.

The first step for the chefs is to understand the inspiration and elegance of Paul's food when he gives them a masterclass and demonstrates his barbecued Cornish duck with Peking tea and a pick-your-own salad. Buoyed on by the insight and energy that Paul imparts, the chefs are challenged to create their version of his duck dish for him to taste. Paul needs reassurance that the chefs before him have understood his philosophy and can emulate his impeccable cookery. He is looking for outstanding skill, personality and a perfect palate from the three chefs.

Once the chefs have shown that they have the culinary mastery to take a place in his kitchen, they are each shown a dish from Paul's menu. The chefs will join Paul's dedicated brigade and take responsibility for one dish each to be served during a packed service in his prestigious Michelin-starred restaurant. The chefs face the toughest challenge of their careers, the orders come thick and fast and the dishes will only be served once Paul is satisfied they are perfect. Finally, the chefs return to the MasterChef kitchen to cook against each other in a race for the finals - creating a two-course menu to be judged by Monica, Marcus and Gregg. They must create their best main and dessert of the competition so far, as nothing short of perfection will help them now. The dishes they deliver to the judges will either secure them a place in finals week or see them sent home. Only the two strongest chefs will make it into finals week, taking them one step closer to the title of MasterChef: The Professionals Champion 2018.

It's the finals and the competition is at fever pitch. After six weeks of intense culinary battles, the four most talented chefs remain from the original 48. As the tension rises, the chefs need to pull out all the stops. The first challenge the four chefs face in the finals is the once-in-a-lifetime chance to cook at one of the most prestigious events in the UK culinary calendar - the Chef's Table.

In this penultimate challenge, the four remaining chefs fight to secure their place amongst the final three, and the chance to take the opportunity of a lifetime to travel to one of the world's most legendary Michelin-starred restaurants. The judges begin by setting the four finalists a simple brief in the MasterChef kitchen - creating a single exceptional and evocative dish which draws inspiration from a place that is special to them. The remaining three finalists then travel to Valence, in France to learn from Anne Sophie Pic and her elite team.

The final three chefs face one last challenge: to cook the best three courses of their lives for the MasterChef judges. In this moment, everything is laid bare for the judges, as their plates will expose how far they have come and the magic of their unique cookery. The reward is immeasurable as their career could change forever when one of them is crowned MasterChef: The Professionals Champion 2018.