If you can’t stand the heat, get out of our kitchen
The 12th series of TV’s most fiendish culinary challenge sees 48 pro chefs competing to wow hard-to-impress judges Marcus Wareing, Monica Galetti and Gregg Wallace.
Over seven intense weeks, they’ll face Skills and Invention tests, create Personal Dishes, cook for Michelin-starred industry influencers and tackle the new Pop-Up Challenge round, where they must serve up fancy fast food from bespoke grub stalls.
Marcus and Monica cast their discerning eyes over contestants putting their reputations on the line to achieve gastronomic glory... You guys have very high standards... Monica: “We expect the best. Inevitably there’s some disappointments. These chefs have to know their craft, otherwise they shouldn’t put themselves up for it.” Marcus: “This is just the start of a long, tough journey. It’s a bloody, brutal competition and they have to deliver every step of the way.” Some of the chefs look absolutely terrified... Monica: “The pressure of cooking in a TV studio is astounding. They have about five cameras and 20 people staring right at them, including us, so nerves play a huge part.” Marcus: “I’m amazed by the young chefs, some of whom are still teenagers.The pressure just slides off them, like Teflon. MasterChef is such an intimidating place to showcase their skills, so I feel really quite proud of them.” What does Gregg offer?
Monica: “On the rare occasions he’s not eating, he brings balance. Marcus and I are so focussed on the technical side, whereas Gregg is very much about the taste and enjoyment of the food, which is much needed.” How tense does it get in The Finals? Monica: “If a chef makes the final three, the world is their oyster. That’s the stage where we unlock the door to the industry for them. It can elevate their cooking.” Marcus: “It’s huge. Are the chefs daring enough to take the experiences they’ve been through, incorporate them into their last three plates of food and be crowned champion? There’s no other opportunity like it.”