MasterChef (UK) The Professionals S17E04-E06 (1080p, soft English subtitles)

The hunt for the next superstar chef. Professional cooks are put through their paces. Who will cope and who will crack?

E04
The heats continue, with four more fearless chefs facing the pressure of the MasterChef kitchen. If they manage to impress the judges, they might just find themselves with a place in this week’s quarter-final. Technique will be needed in spades, as first up is the infamous skills test. The first two competitors will need to take on Monica’s challenge – twenty minutes to rustle up a mushroom and ricotta ravioli with hazelnut cream and a wild garlic oil. Will the chefs manage to deliver perfectly formed parcels and a filling of exquisitely balanced flavour? The pressure is truly on. The last two chefs face a skills test set by Marcus. Their job is to prepare a courgette flower stuffed with prawn mousse and served with a red pepper compote and prawn oil. This is another incredibly delicate task that requires precision cooking, with some classical techniques thrown in for good measure. Those that don’t meet expectations need not despair just yet, as they will have another chance to redeem themselves cooking their two-course signature menu – a main and a dessert that reflect their style and skill. It’s their own food, so Gregg, Marcus and Monica will be hoping for perfectly executed dishes they can’t help but polish off. It’s decision time for the judges who will decide which chefs have earned the right to a place in this week’s quarter-final. Only the best can make the cut and still be in the running to become MasterChef: The Professionals champion 2024.

E05
The second batch of this week’s professionals are waiting in the wings, ready to prove themselves in the MasterChef kitchen. Two challenges await, so any jitters must be calmed, as they’ll need every ounce of culinary skill to be on show. First stop on their journey is the daunting skills test. Marcus will be asking two chefs to prepare an aubergine steak glazed with miso and soy, served with a peanut sauce. Balancing strong flavours is an art in itself, but the chefs will also need to watch their timings and ensure their aubergine cookery is up to scratch. The next two chefs will need to be a dab hand at pastry work, as Monica is hankering for a lemon meringue tart with a zesty lemon garnish. They’ll have the tart cases provided, but there are several other elements needed to make the perfect tart, including getting a lemon curd made, set and cooled before any assembling can take place. Plenty of technique, and some classic cookery, will no doubt keep the chefs busy. Having dusted themselves off, the chefs will then get another chance to shine as they are given 90 minutes to deliver their signature menu – a main course and dessert that show the judges what makes them tick and proves them to be a real contender for the title. Marcus, Monica, and Gregg will then assess how well the chefs have performed overall and present their verdict. Only the strongest on the night will move forward in the competition, with a place in this week’s quarter-final.

E06
It’s quarter-final time, and the week’s best chefs are back to fight it out for a place in knockout week. They will need to overcome two daunting tasks to get there, including feeding their toughest audience yet. The first hurdle is an invention test with a difference. The chefs must create a dish that includes tonight’s mystery ingredient – garlic. They’ll have ten minutes to pick other elements that complement the garlic and just 70 minutes to cook the dish. As well as the more familiar bulbs of garlic, the chefs have a range of garlic to choose from, including tangy black garlic and delicate wild garlic. Whatever they pick, they will need to balance things out – the garlic must enhance the dish, not overpower it. The quarter-final continues with a visit from the formidable critics. Grace Dent, Jimi Famurewa and William Sitwell are on hand to give their view on the chefs’ creations as they each dish up two of their best plates of food. It will take something extraordinary to pique the interest of these discerning diners. Once the critics depart, it will be left to the judges to pick the lucky chefs who will move forward into knockout week as the hunt for this year’s champion continues.

First broadcast:   November 2024
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