MasterChef: The Professionals 2018 – Rematch

In this one-off MasterChef special, the judges catch up with five former finalists whose careers have been transformed by the competition, before inviting them back to the kitchen for one last battle.

Monica Galetti, Marcus Wareing and Gregg Wallace travel across the UK and beyond to find out where these finalists are now and what they are cooking, the judges find the past alumni making waves in the culinary world.

But it wouldn’t be MasterChef: The Professionals without an element of competition, so all five finalists return to the MasterChef kitchen to show the judges how much their food has evolved. There is extraordinary food and a determined air of competitiveness between them as they battle once to prove to the judges that they are best chef in the kitchen.

Lets see how far the chefs have come since their appearance on MasterChef: The Professionals…

Claire Hutchings, 2011 finalist. Sous chef at Michelin Restaurant Zaranda.

@clairehutchings

Main: Curry breast of lamb and crispy crumb with a garnish of cucumber rolls filled with mango emulsion and a yoghurt and mint dressing, fresh mango, chilli, coconut and cured cashew nuts served with basmati rice and shallot rings finished with a curry and mango sauce.

Monica loved the presentation, flavours and cookery of the dish and said the dish was ‘absolutely brilliant’.

Gregg thought it was ‘overrating on 2 different levels‘ having all the ‘flavour of a high street curry but its sights and textures have a really modern, smart and elegant fine dining’ which Wallace loved.

Marcus said it was ‘beautifully accomplished, very very well cooked and incredibly thought out plate of food’.

Dessert: Sheep’s yoghurt parfait, crystallised black olives, compressed apple, meringue and a wild herb gel served with a sorrel sorbet.

Gregg said ‘mind bending brilliant, nothing seems what it’s supposed to be‘, Wallace praised chef and her ‘absolutely genius dessert’.

Marcus was very happy with the cookery and flavours of the dessert, and finished by saying ‘your whole menu is not what I expected, its absolutely brilliant’.

Monica said chefs cooking is a ‘fantastic accomplishment’.

Scott Barnard, 2015 finalist. Head Chef at Crocker’s Head Table in Tring.

@scottabmfc

Main: Rack of Lake District lamb with a Caesar dressing, charred baby gem, sourdough crouton and a Berkshire cheese finished with lamb jus.

Marcus didn’t think chef could improve the dish from his previous appearance on MasterChef, but he had proved Wareing wrong, saying it was ‘absolutely beautiful with great cookery and execution’.

Gregg loved it as much as the first time round and praised chef up on the flavour combinations.

Monica liked that chef had simplified the dish but really delivered in flavour saying the dish was ‘divine’.

Dessert: Glazed lemon meringue tart with a fennel pollen base, with confit fennel and lemon curd served with a basil granita.

Gregg thought the dessert was very clever and said ‘it looks stunning and I think its a really exciting flavour sensation’.

Monica said it was ‘just delicious and beautiful’.

Marcus said chefs food is ‘absolute brilliance‘ and finished with saying ‘thats one of the last dishes I eat from you and that’s a fabulous memory to have’.

Matt Healey, 2016 finalist. Chef Owner of The Foundry in Leeds.

@matty2stone

Main: Pork shoulder served with a torched langoustine, lemon mayonnaise, nasturtium leaves finished with a langoustine bisque.

Monica thought the pork was spot on, simply ‘melted in the mouth‘. She was very happy with the langoustine flavour coming through the dish and finished by saying ‘boy, you sure deliver on strong flavours‘.

Gregg loved the big and punchy sauce and said it was ‘subtle as a head butt’.

Marcus reflected on chef’s great cookery and flavours, knowing he had delivered the same to them. Wareing liked the fact chef had kept the dish ‘very true to what he does now’.

Dessert: Blackberry macaroon filled with mascarpone cream and fresh blackberries, served with blackberry gel, compressed apple and an apple and calvados sorbet.

Monica loved the cookery of the crunchy and chewy macaroon, but if there was a complaint she would like to ‘taste more calvados in the sorbet‘.

Gregg loved the dessert, describing all the flavours that work well together and said it was ‘lovely’.

Marcus started by saying that ‘dessert has never been your strong point’ but chef had proved them wrong and Wareing said it was ‘fantastic’.

Scott Davies, 2013 finalist. Head Chef at The Three Chimneys Restaurant in Ashford.

@thethreechimneysskye

Main: Aisle of Skye lamb rack with lamb’s heart and sweetbreads, a green tomato relish, nasturtium leaves and a gooseberry jelly. Accompanied with dashi jelly with lamb, oysters, sea urchin and coastal greens. Braised lamb neck and kidneys on salt baked risotto with chanterelles and cheese.

Marcus thought the the use of the lamb and presentation was ‘exceptional’, but didn’t think the dashi jelly worked and the lamb was slightly overdone for Wareing’s palette.

Gregg’s favourite dish was the dashi jelly saying it was ‘absolutely delicious’.

Monica said the flavours and using all the cuts of the lamb was an ‘achievement‘, but thought the lamb was undercooked yet reassuring chef that she ‘would still eat this’.

Dessert: Fresh strawberries with elderflower creme patisserie, strawberry puree, elderflower foam and a meadow sweet sponge served with a strawberry sorbet.roast

Gregg loved the flavours, balance and textures of the dish and said he was one ‘happy soul’.

Marcus was very happy with the sorbet bringing texture to the dish and finished by saying ‘I’ve never tasted your food before Scott, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, its delicious’.

Monica thought it was a ‘ Refreshing‘ and ‘beautiful dessert‘ with ‘great balance‘.

Elly Wentworth, 2016 finalist. Head Chef at The Angel in Devon.

@ellywentworth

Main: Roast pigeon with hazelnuts on a bed of kale, with a confit pigeon leg croquette on an artichoke fondant, artichoke puree, braised baby leek and a pigeon and hazelnut sauce.

Monica loved the cookery of the dish but especially the pigeon, but wished ‘more croquettes on the plate’.

Marcus said the dish was ‘absolutely delicious‘ and wanted more on the plate.

Gregg simply said ‘no tricks, just great cookery and a perfect understanding of flavour’. 

Dessert: Blackberry and verbena puff pastry tart filled with blackberry and lime gel, blackberry mousse, blackberry jelly, topped with cobnuts and crumble all served with a greek yoghurt and lemon verbena ice-cream.

Gregg said it was one of the ‘lightest and loveliest‘ tarts he had ever eaten which was a ‘perfect delight’.

Marcus was ‘very surprised‘ with the dessert, giving him ‘much more flavour‘ than he expected, ‘delicious’.

Monica said chefs dessert was ‘solid cookery‘ which she loved.

The judges all agreed that the Winner of Masterchef: The Professionals – Rematch 2018 is: Claire Hutchings