TOP OF THE CHOPS
MARCUS WAREING AND MONICA GALETTI PUT A NEW BATCH OF PROFESSIONALS THROUGH THEIR PACES…
MASTERCHEF: THE PROFESSIONALS | BBC2 TUES-THU
One of our favourite mood-whiplash moments of the year is going from Celebrity Masterchef to Masterchef: The Professionals in a matter of weeks – one batch rocks up barely knowing how to make mashed potato, while the other arrives ready to whip up a Sauce Robert at a moment’s notice (well, hopefully, anyway). As another 48 professional chefs begin cooking for judges Marcus Wareing, Monica Galetti and Gregg Wallace in this year’s heats, Inside TV caught up with Marcus and Monica to find out if the candidates are able to meet their very exacting standards…
We know the chefs must be nervous during that first Skills Test – are you?
Monica Yes! There are high levels of anxiety for us, and a lot of excitement. When we make these Skills Tests up, we tend to think that they’re doable, and we want the chefs not to overthink it – which they sometimes do.
What difference does it make that they’re cooking in a TV studio?
Marcus It’s a really weird environment for them, to be honest. You’re taking them out of their comfort zone. Then again, they know what to expect when they walk through those doors, and I think that’s when the “skills” point comes in. What we’re looking for is the basics.
Is it a problem if you ask them to make something and they don’t know how?
Marcus Actually, there are chefs that come in, see the ingredients, and they work it out for themselves. What we want to do is get them underway a little bit; see if they can chop and peel. Monica It depends on the background of the chef, too. You can have someone who specialises in Caribbean food, for example, and hasn’t cooked Frenchstyle sauces. But it hinges on the level of training they’ve had. Plus, there are some who have gone on to surprise us after a disaster in the Skills Test, then given us something that has made us think, ‘This chef is someone really special’.
Are you looking at their temperament as well as their skills in the kitchen?
Marcus I find the youth quite interesting, because they’re so naive as to what they’re walking into, but they get through it better than anyone else. They come in with a smile, they struggle, they get something together, they listen to what we say, then go away and come back bouncing. And what an intimidating place it is for a young person; to showcase their skill at that age. I think you could say I’m getting a bit lighter as I get older!
Monica They’ve broken us down, they’ve worn us out – I mean, sometimes we’re even giving them hugs. Now that’s a really bad day!