MasterChef: The Professionals – Week Four Heats

MasterChef: The Professionals

Episode 10.

MasterChef: The Professionals fourth and final week of heats is now underway. This week 6 new professional chefs battle it out for a place in the quarter finals.

First off, the 6 chefs must complete the famous Skills Test. With the Skills Test, the judges want to see the chefs knowledge of more classic skills. Monica Galetti set the first 3 chefs a 20 minute challenge. Monica wanted the chefs to cook a braised artichoke with saffron aquafaba mayonnaise, served with a salad.

Marcus Wareing set the remaining 3 chefs his Skills Test. Given 20 minutes, he asked the chefs to make a Chicken Schnitzel Holstein. Marcus wanted to test the chef’s butchery skills – a skill he believes they should know.

Following the skills test, all 6 chefs take part in the final challenge, to deliver their Signature Dish. In only one hour and 15 minutes, the chefs have the opportunity to redeem themselves from any past mistakes, and show the judges the level of cooking they’re capable of. It is then up to the judges to decide which 3 chefs must leave the competition, and which 3 chefs will secure a place in the quarter finals.

Let’s meet the chefs and see how they got on in episode 10…

Louise, aged 25. Sous Chef at a Private Catering Company in London.

Signature Dish: Pan-fried cod with seaweed crumb, white balsamic grapes, peas, broad beans, and fennel, served with a white fish sauce, pea foam, and a pea puree. Garnished with olive oil edible leaves.

Monica was pleased, and said the fish was ‘beautifully’ cooked, and she ‘really loved the flavours’ of the dish.

Gregg also enjoyed the dish, and the puree. However, Gregg criticised its appearance, saying it lacked ‘refinement’.

Marcus was equally complimentary of the dish. The vegetables he found were cooked perfectly, and the grapes were a delicious addition.

Exose, aged 22. Chef de Partie at a Fine Dining Restaurant in Manchester.

Signature Dish: Choux bun dusted with raspberry powder, topped with a brandy snap, fresh raspberries, raspberry puree, lemon curd, meringue, and lemon segments, garnished with lemon verbena. The Choux bun was then filled with raspberry Italian meringue, lemon verbena, lemon curd, and fresh raspberries.

Monica loved the look of the dessert, and when cut open she said it was ‘fancy’. Monica was genuinely happy with the dessert, saying she really enjoyed all the flavours and textures.

Gregg also enjoyed the dish, but said the meringue made it too sweet and too wet.

Marcus loved the lemon and raspberry flavours, although wanted to see another texture in the dish.

Monty, aged 21. Junior Sous Chef at a One Michelin Star Restaurant in Solihull.

Signature Dish: Rump of lamb, lettuce dressed with malt vinegar gel, chive flowers, jersey royals, ewes curd, lamb, bacon and pea fricassee and a pea puree, finished with a lamb jus.

Gregg absolutely loved all elements of the dish.

Marcus was equally thrilled with the dish. Marcus complimented the freshness and tanginess of the gel, saying it was a ‘delight’.

Monica had no criticism for Monty, she said the lamb was cooked excellently and congratulated him on ‘a great plate’.

Rob, aged 32. Head Chef at a Riverside Pub.

Signature Dish: Spicy southern fried coated quail legs with thyme potato fritters, charred sweetcorn, sweetcorn panna cotta and a sweetcorn gel, served with a ranch dressing and garnished with celery micro cress.

Gregg said Rob’s quail cookery was good, although he didn’t enjoy its seasoning; he felt quail was too delicate to use a southern fried coating.

Monica found the dish fairly mediocre. There were elements of the dish that Monica liked, although she wasn’t thrilled with the potato fritters or sweetcorn panna cotta.

Marcus struggled to find strengths in the dish, and finished his comments saying ‘its not refined’.

Debbie, aged 42. Private Chef based in Cornwall.

Signature Dish: Pan-seared hake with clams, pickled Jerusalem artichoke, sea kale, and kale berries, finished with a clam sauce. Debbie garnished her dish with viola petals and alyssum edible flowers.

Gregg’s initial comment was that the bowl was crowded. However, Gregg enjoyed almost all elements of the dish, but said they were too much all together.

Monica complimented the cookery of the fish and the creaminess of the sauce. Although, she said the cream of the sauce began to overtake the flavours of the clams.

Marcus was equally hesitant. Marcus liked Debbie’s ideas but said there was simply too much on the plate.

Ross, aged 27. Head Chef at a Modern British Restaurant in London.

Signature Dish: Lemon and pine curd with a black pepper Italian meringue, gooseberries, strawberries, cardamom sponge, filo wafers, and a pumpkin seed sherbert, garnished with dill.

Gregg complimented the lemon flavour with the pine, saying it was ‘really refreshing’.

Marcus was pleased with the addition of gooseberries, although was slightly confused with the dish. He commented, if you were to order it in a restaurant it may be a case of ‘what is it?’

Monica enjoyed elements of the dish, although agreed with Marcus, saying it didn’t seem a ‘whole dessert’.

 

Gregg, Marcus and Monica all agreed that the 3 chefs going through to the quarter finals would be; Monty, Lousie & Exose.
Unfortunately saying goodbye and good luck for the future to Ross, Rob & Debbie.

 

MasterChef: The Professionals

Series 12: Episode 11

Monica Galetti set the first 3 chefs’ Skills Test. Given 15 minutes, the chefs were tested on their ability to make a classic sauce. Monica wanted them to make an ouef moret served on garlic toast.

The remaining 3 chefs were then challenged with Marcus Wareing’s Skills Test. Marcus wanted to challenge the chef’s skills and knowledge, giving them only 15 minutes to make drop scones with a flambe suzette sauce and segments of oranges.

Following the skills test, all 6 chefs then have the chance to redeem themselves from any past mistakes, and create their Signature Dish. It will then be up to the judges to decide which 3 chefs will be sent home from the competition.

Let’s meet the chefs and see how they got on in episode 11… 

 

Kevin, aged 31. Chef Lecturer at Leeds City College.

Signature Dish: Chicken thigh ballotine stuffed with a chicken, coriander and lime mousse served with a chicken wing lollipop, puffed wild rice, satay sauce and a pickled cucumber and radish salad, garnished with red vein sorrel and micro coriander.

Gregg said the sauce, puffed rice and chicken was a ‘delight’. Although, Gregg did comment that there was not enough sauce.

Monica found the sauce to be more like a ‘sweet puree’.

Marcus didn’t enjoy the stuffing and was disappointed with the flavours of the satay sauce.

Sheryl, aged 38. Sous Chef in a Modern Gastro Pub in Bournemouth.

Signature Dish: Pan-roasted duck breast served with a five-spice jus, fondant potato, shiitake mushrooms, pak choi, and a shallot puree, garnished with tendril pea shoots and amaranth micro cress.

Gregg viewed the dish as ‘a little bit messy’. However, the duck was cooked nicely.

Marcus agreed with Gregg and felt the sauce was over reduced and sticky, and the dish was in need of some refinement.

Monica acknowledged the duck, shiitake mushrooms and pak choi worked well together, although agreed the sauce didn’t work.

Jay, aged 40. Executive Chef at a Pan-Asian Restaurant in London.

Signature Dish: Lamb rump crusted with Holy basil, served with lamb lumpia, pan-roasted cauliflower, Jerusalem artichoke and Dutch chilli served with cauliflower puree, and a spiced coriander and basil jus, and garnished with tendril pea shoots.

Gregg loved Jay’s lumpia and said the vegetables had been cooked very well and were ‘refreshing’. However, he felt the lamb was too big of a portion.

Marcus complemented almost all elements of the dish and said ‘I like your ideas; I like your thinking’.

Monica agreed with Gregg that the lamb was too big, but she loved the vegetables and said there was a lot on the dish that she liked.

Adam, aged 29. Junior Sous Chef at Corpus Christi College in Cambridge.

Signature Dish: Lobster and smoked salmon filled raviolo, topped with salmon caviar, served with a lobster bisque and dill oil, and garnished with red vein sorrel leaves.

Marcus was very enthusiastic about Adam’s dish, saying it was ‘absolutely delicious’.

Gregg was equally as complimentary. Gregg didn’t have any criticism, and said the dish showed real ‘skill’.

Monica was also thrilled, saying the dish was executed very well.

George, aged 22. Chef de Parties working in a Modern British Brasserie in Dorchester.

Signature Dish: Fennel and carraway infused duck breast, served with pommes anna, pineapple ketchup, sherry and balsamic gel, and a port jus, garnished with bulls blood micro cress and tendril pea shoots.

Monica said the duck had been cooked very well and the pineapple ketchup was nice, however, with the port jus it just became ‘sickly sweet’.

Gregg was disappointed with several elements of the dish. Gregg said he couldn’t eat the duck skin because it was not crispy, and instead would be chewy. Alike Monica, Gregg also found the sauce too sweet.

Marcus agreed with the other judges, saying ‘I can’t deal with the sweetness’. He did however enjoy the potato.

Steve, aged 29. Head Chef at a Fine Dining Restaurant in London.

Signature Dish: Crispy scaled red mullet, served with caramelised cauliflower puree, raw apple filled with crab in a tarragon mayonnaise, pickled cauliflower and a tomato shellfish sauce, garnished with dill.

Gregg loved the fish and the way it had been cooked.

Monica complimented the dish as a ‘really tasty plate of food’. She particularly enjoyed the cauliflower puree.

Marcus also loved the dish, and said the sauce had some great flavour.

 

Gregg, Marcus and Monica all agreed that the 3 chefs going through to the quarter finals would be; Adam, Steve & Jay.
Unfortunately saying goodbye and good luck for the future to Sheryl, George & Kevin.