0:00:03 > 0:00:06Over the years, MasterChef has discovered
0:00:06 > 0:00:09seven exceptional champions.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13Tonight, the hunt for the next one begins.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19Let's see what we discover this year.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22They're going to have to get through it. As we know,
0:00:22 > 0:00:24cooking does not get tougher than this.
0:00:24 > 0:00:25Bring it on.
0:00:41 > 0:00:46Last summer, MasterChef through thousands of applications
0:00:46 > 0:00:49to find the country's most talented amateur cooks.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52The short-list were invited to audition
0:00:52 > 0:00:55by creating just one dish for John and Gregg.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58What on Earth is that?
0:00:58 > 0:01:00For me, yuk.
0:01:02 > 0:01:03Next.
0:01:04 > 0:01:09From this blind tasting, they selected their top 24 cooks.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12- Mmm.- That is seriously delicious.
0:01:12 > 0:01:13They're in.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23Now the competition begins.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26Over the next three nights,
0:01:26 > 0:01:31the 24 will fight for just 12 MasterChef
0:01:31 > 0:01:34Tonight, the first eight commence battle.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40This could be life changing for me.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44If I didn't believe I could do it, I wouldn't be here.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49I have never experienced this level of nerves in my life.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10Welcome to MasterChef
0:02:10 > 0:02:15We've tasted your food, we think you've got real promise.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Now is your chance to prove it.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21This test is an invention test
0:02:21 > 0:02:24and you can cook whatever you like
0:02:24 > 0:02:28from this wonderful set of ingredients behind us.
0:02:35 > 0:02:40The contestants now have ten minutes to choose from a huge array
0:02:40 > 0:02:41of ingredients.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46From Dover sole and surf clams,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49to rabbit and rump steak...
0:02:51 > 0:02:53Confident, but nervous.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56..as well as selection of vegetables,
0:02:56 > 0:02:59larder foods, herbs and spices.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06I'm not 100% sure yet. I just need another couple of minutes to figure it out.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09Just one minute left, guys. One minute.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29I can see it's going to be a tough fight.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34But at the end of this, two of you are leaving us.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37You know the rules.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42One plate of food, one hour 15 minutes.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45Ladies and gentlemen...
0:03:45 > 0:03:47let's cook.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57You can't practise an invention test.
0:03:57 > 0:03:58You've either got it or you ain't.
0:04:03 > 0:04:0629-year-old Shelina got through the auditions
0:04:06 > 0:04:08with her Mauritian street food.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11I love it, love it, love it.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14For me, it's about changing my career now.
0:04:14 > 0:04:15I've given up my job.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18Some people would say I've lost the plot, maybe,
0:04:18 > 0:04:21but I just know that if you're passionate about something,
0:04:21 > 0:04:24It will work out. I've got a good feeling about this.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28Shelina, why are you here?
0:04:28 > 0:04:31I want to try and bring my Mauritian influences here today.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33I honeymooned in Mauritius.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36- Really? Did you like the food there? - I loved the food there.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39- It's French, it's Dutch, it's Spanish.- They call it a melting pot
0:04:39 > 0:04:43of flavours because it covers so many continents.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47- OK, you're going to bring the sunshine of the Indian Ocean? - Absolutely.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52She's got chillies over there, she's got saffron over there.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55If that girl can handle those big flavours,
0:04:55 > 0:04:56I'm in for a big yum lunch.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05Father of two, Eamonn,
0:05:05 > 0:05:09just failed to get through last year's auditions,
0:05:09 > 0:05:13but his tarragon chicken with a bread and mussel sauce
0:05:13 > 0:05:15has now secured him a place.
0:05:15 > 0:05:20There's a classic form to it and a big, bold flavour.
0:05:20 > 0:05:21Mmm.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25I'm going to be cooking food I love
0:05:25 > 0:05:29and crossing everything that John and Gregg agree with me.
0:05:30 > 0:05:31Hello, baldy, I recognise you.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33Now then, baldy, I recognise you.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37Eamonn, how does it feel to be cooking in the MasterChef
0:05:37 > 0:05:38It's a real thrill.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40What are you going to cook for us?
0:05:40 > 0:05:43Pan-fried fish with a fennel sauce with chanterelle mussels
0:05:43 > 0:05:46and cockle clams. Very simple.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49Doesn't sound at all simple to me, Chef. Sounds lovely.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55He's got a very thin piece of bream, very strong and sweet sauce.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59I think that balancing act is something he has to make sure
0:05:59 > 0:06:02he gets absolutely right.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04You've got one hour left.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13Tom from Yorkshire's chicken served three ways
0:06:13 > 0:06:16was a standout dish of the auditions.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19I think this is one of those rare occasions
0:06:19 > 0:06:22where we have a natural cook. Some with a natural touch.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24All three bits of chicken are perfect.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Tom, can you define your style as a cook?
0:06:30 > 0:06:33I get a lot of my inspiration and different skills
0:06:33 > 0:06:37- from traditional French cooking.- So are you saying you have aspirations
0:06:37 > 0:06:41- to be a fine French chef? - I have aspirations to be a fine chef, full stop.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45- What do you do at the moment? - I'm a plasterer.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48So you're a Yorkshire plasterer with a taste for fine French food?
0:06:48 > 0:06:50That's true, yeah.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54Tom, d'you know, I have no idea what you're cooking.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57It's a garlic crostini with goat's cheese, mushrooms
0:06:57 > 0:06:58and roast sweet potato.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03Mushroom crostini, mmm, delicious, but with goat's cheese
0:07:03 > 0:07:06and sweet potato and a white wine sauce?
0:07:06 > 0:07:07Really?
0:07:16 > 0:07:1929-year-old Emma impressed
0:07:19 > 0:07:22in the audition with her unusual lamb dish.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26Making a eucalyptus foam in place of mint sauce.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29Decent design, clarity, technique,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32yeah, I think you've got to see more of a cook like that.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36I think I'm good at cooking, I just need some other people to see it
0:07:36 > 0:07:38rather than just me and my mum.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44- Where have you leant to cook, Emma? - My dad wasn't a very good cook,
0:07:44 > 0:07:49in fact, I still remember the frozen fish fingers even though they'd been in the oven.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52So he encouraged me in the kitchen and together we learnt to cook.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54What are you making for us?
0:07:54 > 0:07:56- A lemon tart.- That's brave.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59- It is brave, isn't it? - Are you confident in your cooking?
0:07:59 > 0:08:04- Can I answer that later on today? - Sure you can.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Emma, I think, is the bravest cook in the room.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10She is giving herself a classic lemon tart.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13And she's only got one hour and ten minutes, that's pushing it.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18Ladies and gentlemen, you have got half an hour left.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27Alec, from Stevenage, showed promise in the auditions
0:08:27 > 0:08:29with a roast rack of lamb and a risotto
0:08:29 > 0:08:31made from potatoes and vegetables.
0:08:33 > 0:08:34It's all the flavour of a roast dinner
0:08:34 > 0:08:38just delivered in a different texture. I really like it.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42Hopefully it's the start of something bigger.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45First thing I've got to do is get a hold of my nerves.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47Keep calm and carry on.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54What sort of cook are you besides, right now, being a very nervous cook?
0:08:54 > 0:08:58Erm, I was born is Switzerland, my mum was English,
0:08:58 > 0:09:02- I was brought up on meat, cabbage and potatoes.- Brilliant!
0:09:02 > 0:09:03What are you going to cook?
0:09:03 > 0:09:06I've got a steak, port and wild mushroom sauce
0:09:06 > 0:09:08in a very simple plate of food.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11I've just got to make sure I don't murder it.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17I'm not worried. If he does it well and it's seasoned well, fantastic.
0:09:17 > 0:09:18But he's worried about it.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27Christine, from Durham, impressed in the auditions
0:09:27 > 0:09:29with her goat's cheese ravioli
0:09:29 > 0:09:33served with a basil foam on a chilli tomato salsa.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37It's beautiful and, technically, it's wonderful.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41I so would love to see this cook again.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47I've got a slight obsession with food, kind of.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51Eating and feeding people
0:09:51 > 0:09:54is the thing that I want to do for the rest of my life.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00What are you going to cook to make us smile?
0:10:00 > 0:10:03It's pan-fried plaice - I hope it's plaice, anyway -
0:10:03 > 0:10:08with crushed potatoes with a parsley and butter sauce.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12Christine is cooking a sole, she thinks it's plaice.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14She's never filleted a flat fish before.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18She got herself two bits of fish off there and they're very thin indeed.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21I just hope she doesn't overcook them.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25You have just 15 minutes left. 15 minutes.
0:10:32 > 0:10:37London-based Aki shone in the auditions...
0:10:37 > 0:10:38Hey!
0:10:38 > 0:10:44..with her Japanese bento box including caramelised aubergine
0:10:44 > 0:10:46with miso and five spice.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50That aubergine may be the best thing I've tasted today.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53Tell you what, if there's not room for this cook, I'm leaving.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00Being an experimental physicist,
0:11:00 > 0:11:04every time I cook, I calculate what I do
0:11:04 > 0:11:07and it's all very premeditated.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10So, I don't know what's going to happen on an invention test.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12I think it's going to go bonkers.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17Erm, Aki, amongst this terror of a bench of yours,
0:11:17 > 0:11:21this absolutely frightening mess you have everywhere...
0:11:21 > 0:11:25- You haven't seen my room! - I'm probably never going to, I think.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29- That is not going to get you in to the next round.- Definitely not.
0:11:29 > 0:11:30It was worth a try.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33Aki, erm, what are you cooking for us?
0:11:33 > 0:11:35I'm doing a trifle.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38Usually I cook traditional Japanese
0:11:38 > 0:11:41because that's what my mum taught me how to cook, however
0:11:41 > 0:11:46I think British puddings are the best puddings in the world,
0:11:46 > 0:11:47so I thought I'd give it a try
0:11:47 > 0:11:50and show that I can do something different.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54- Aki, I've got to go, I'm feeling dizzy.- See you later.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07Finally it's Ross from East Lothian in Scotland.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10He survived the audition process with roast loin of pork,
0:12:10 > 0:12:13served with sweet and sour toffee apple sauce.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17I see food like that and I get really excited.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19I think that's clever.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22Cooking, I just adore.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24It's a bit showy-offy.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27Saying to people, "Ta-da, this is what I've done."
0:12:27 > 0:12:30Just seeing the reaction is a huge ego thing. It's brilliant.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34What are you going to cook to impress us?
0:12:34 > 0:12:37It's a riff on fish and ratatouille.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40But...I'm terrified.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43I don't think, for one minute, you cook this nervously at home.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47No, no, I've got AC/DC cranked up in the background
0:12:47 > 0:12:49and, erm, just rocking on.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51- This obviously means quite a bit to you?- Oh, yeah.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53Life-changing, hopefully.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58I think Ross knows exactly what he's doing.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01It's sounds really, really good as long as you can taste
0:13:01 > 0:13:04every individual part. It's all about flavour.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07Guys, last two minutes.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12No added pressure.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Guys, you've got just 60 seconds left.
0:13:31 > 0:13:32Stop.
0:13:32 > 0:13:33Time's up.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49First to face the judges is Shelina.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02She chose the chicken and stuck to her Mauritian roots
0:14:02 > 0:14:04by making a spicy ladob
0:14:04 > 0:14:07with saffron and coriander rice
0:14:07 > 0:14:09and a pineapple salsa.
0:14:11 > 0:14:12May I?
0:14:19 > 0:14:24I do like the little bit of heat and the fruitiness that you get
0:14:24 > 0:14:25from the salsa.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29It's not very smart looking, but I like it.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38I think it tastes good, it's got sophisticated spicing to it.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41Doing street food is a wonderful thing, but it always looks
0:14:41 > 0:14:44a little bit shambolic because that's what it is.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47I want this. I want this more than you can imagine.
0:14:47 > 0:14:52The challenge for me is going to be making my food
0:14:52 > 0:14:54look like restaurant-standard food.
0:15:12 > 0:15:13Eamonn used the sea bream
0:15:13 > 0:15:17and pan-fried it with wild mushrooms
0:15:17 > 0:15:19and clams, served with a marsala and fennel sauce.
0:15:29 > 0:15:35For me, very tasty, well cooked, well thought out, well delivered
0:15:35 > 0:15:37- and a very pretty plate of food. - Thank you.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46That tastes every bit as good as it looks, and that's a good-looking dish.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49Wow! Where were you hiding last year, Eamonn?
0:15:54 > 0:15:57You a bit choked up, Eamonn?
0:15:57 > 0:15:58Yeah!
0:16:03 > 0:16:06There is a man who has worked hard for the last 12 months, and it shows.
0:16:16 > 0:16:21Yorkshire plasterer Tom has invented a goat's cheese, garlic
0:16:21 > 0:16:26and mushroom crostini, served with roasted sweet potatoes,
0:16:26 > 0:16:30pancetta and a white wine sauce.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33Let's have a look at this.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47When you first told me what you were going to cook, I thought, really?
0:16:47 > 0:16:54It shouldn't work. But it does. It's very, very, very clever.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03After this nervous plasterer explained to me what he was cooking,
0:17:03 > 0:17:05I came away and I thought, that's it, he's out.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09I am gobsmacked at the dish I've got in front of me.
0:17:11 > 0:17:12Tom...
0:17:14 > 0:17:15..this is fantastic.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18Thank you very much. I don't know what to say.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22So, as you are sort of plastering away, is this what you think about?
0:17:22 > 0:17:25Well, yeah, exactly. There is no creativity in what I do.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28Many hours of many days to think of what I'm going to cook.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32- Plastering's loss, eh?- Hopefully!
0:17:35 > 0:17:37He is very, very exciting.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40Oh, yeah!
0:17:45 > 0:17:50Emma has made a lemon curd tart, served with a raspberry coulis.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54It's a pretty looking thing.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04You have crisp pastry and you have a nice texture with the filling.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07However, it is not quite brilliant,
0:18:07 > 0:18:11- because it doesn't give you the... - SHARP INTAKE OF BREATH
0:18:17 > 0:18:18It's not a classic lemon tart,
0:18:18 > 0:18:21but in the amount of time you had, good on you.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29- John, she cooks.- Oh, yeah.
0:18:29 > 0:18:34Unfortunately, so does everybody whose food we've eaten so far.
0:18:43 > 0:18:48Engineer Alec has pan fried rump steak and served it with carrots,
0:18:48 > 0:18:53new potatoes and a port and wild mushroom sauce.
0:18:58 > 0:19:04You've cooked that large piece of steak very, very well.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06It's as tender as you like.
0:19:06 > 0:19:11However, we could do with a little more fruity flavour in the sauce.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20It's a good dish, a comforting dish. It makes you feel really at home.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24It is quite basic.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31I tried to be honest and do something that I like.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34HE SNIFFLES
0:19:34 > 0:19:37I don't normally even cry at funerals!
0:19:37 > 0:19:40I don't know why I'm crying for a bit of food,
0:19:40 > 0:19:43but it means a little bit to me.
0:19:43 > 0:19:48- Sure, Alec.- You've done a lot better than most people do at home, mate.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52- You do a lot better than most people do in restaurants!- Absolutely true.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54Now, Alec,
0:19:54 > 0:19:55do you have the repertoire
0:19:55 > 0:19:59to produce food which is more sophisticated?
0:19:59 > 0:20:00Yes.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13Christine chose the sole, thinking it was plaice, and served it
0:20:13 > 0:20:19on crushed new potatoes with roasted cherry tomatoes and parsley sauce.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32The fish, because of the way it's been filleted, is dry and overcooked.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35Very highly seasoned, very strong on herbs,
0:20:35 > 0:20:38- and that means that I've lost the fish.- Mm-hm.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43I think the potatoes with butter and spring onions
0:20:43 > 0:20:45and sweet tomatoes is a lovely thing.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49- Unfortunately, not with that fish.- Yes.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00Quantum physicist Aki has veered away from her Japanese style
0:21:00 > 0:21:03to make a fig and orange jam trifle,
0:21:03 > 0:21:07layered with a ginger-infused custard and brandy syrup,
0:21:07 > 0:21:12served with cinnamon dark chocolate and cinnamon bark.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27What we have here, Aki, is not a classic trifle.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30But what we do have is promise of a very good cook.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34You made your own sponge, you made fig jam, you made orange jam.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36Then you made your own creme Anglaise.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39You are intriguing as a cook. Your mind is obviously
0:21:39 > 0:21:41all over the place,
0:21:41 > 0:21:45and there is definitely skill in your hands.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55She has the makings of a brilliant cook.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00Finally, it's Ross.
0:22:00 > 0:22:07He chose to pan fry the sea bream and serve it with ratatouille,
0:22:07 > 0:22:10surf clams and a caper and white wine reduction.
0:22:17 > 0:22:22I like it, it's moist, flavoursome, slightly fruity, well-cooked fish.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25- I like it, Ross.- Thank you.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31Your fish is nicely cooked. I like the saltiness
0:22:31 > 0:22:35of the clams with the sweetness of your pepper sauce.
0:22:35 > 0:22:40It is tasty. It just seems to be a little bit flat.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43Next time, I'll make a tapenade and dress it with that.
0:22:43 > 0:22:49- You're getting a next time, are you? - Certainly hope so.
0:22:54 > 0:22:59You've done your bit, we've got our bit of judging to do.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03Need to remind you that two of you will be leaving us today.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07Thank you very much.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23- I don't like waiting. - No, it's the worst bit.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31If today is the benchmark of MasterChef in the first round,
0:23:31 > 0:23:34we are in for a great competition.
0:23:34 > 0:23:35True, that!
0:23:35 > 0:23:3712 months ago, we could see
0:23:37 > 0:23:40that Eamonn had issues. He's come back in here,
0:23:40 > 0:23:45he has fought his way to make sure he's got a place on MasterChef
0:23:45 > 0:23:49A proper, grown-up, sophisticated dish. Looked like a restaurant dish.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52It's not language that a 47-year-old uses, but I'm psyched!
0:23:52 > 0:23:55Eamonn's in.
0:23:55 > 0:24:00- For me, the dish today that made my heart thump was Tom's.- Yeah.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03Because I didn't expect it to work, and it did.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05- That was heart-stopping stuff. - It's everything to me
0:24:05 > 0:24:08and I just hope I've done enough today to take it further.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10Good lad.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13Little Aki, I can't think that anybody else actually
0:24:13 > 0:24:16went through more processes than Aki.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19She is one well worth having another look at.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23I desperately want to go to the next stage!
0:24:23 > 0:24:25I can't... You know, I really want to.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28It's so much fun, I don't want this to stop yet.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32Technically, Ross is very, very competent indeed.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35The way the dish looked was modern, it was exciting,
0:24:35 > 0:24:36it was thought-provoking.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40It can't stop here. It can't. I've got too much to prove.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43Shelina, we both agreed it tasted good, but I just
0:24:43 > 0:24:45couldn't think it looked very smart.
0:24:45 > 0:24:50She doesn't have the finesse, I agree. But her seasoning, perfect.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53The way her food tastes, for me, delicious.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57Considering what I had in front of me, I was able to stay to my roots, really.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59But it's still nerve-wracking!
0:24:59 > 0:25:04Now that leaves us with Christine, Alec and Emma.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07Christine had some nice flavours on that dish,
0:25:07 > 0:25:09but a question mark over her palate.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12It was all a little bit over the top.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16I've not come on this competition thinking I know everything,
0:25:16 > 0:25:17because I really don't.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20I want to learn and improve and do better.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24Alec, cooked a beautiful piece of meat.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28Is a piece of steak enough to get you through MasterChef
0:25:28 > 0:25:34That steak was superb, just didn't expect to be emotional about it.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Emma promised me a lemon tart.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39Tart au citron.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42The danger of promising a classic dish,
0:25:42 > 0:25:43if it's not delivered as a classic,
0:25:43 > 0:25:46then it becomes very difficult to judge.
0:25:46 > 0:25:52It's just whether John and Gregg give me the chance to do that again.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54The reason we debated these three like we are,
0:25:54 > 0:25:57is because there's been five very good cooks before them.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59We have to lose two.
0:26:16 > 0:26:22I have to say, if this is the quality of food
0:26:22 > 0:26:25that we're going to see throughout this competition,
0:26:25 > 0:26:28we are in for an absolute beauty.
0:26:32 > 0:26:33Eamonn.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39Tom.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44Aki.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49You're staying.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57Alec.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02Unfortunately today, Alec, the dish wasn't enough.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04I'm really sorry, mate.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06Thank you.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14Ross.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18Shelina.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22You're through.
0:27:29 > 0:27:35That leaves Christine or Emma.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42The second person to leave the competition...
0:27:48 > 0:27:50..is Christine. I'm sorry.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01- Congratulations.- Well done.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14You may have thought that was tough, you've got no idea.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17It's going to get tougher, a lot tougher.
0:28:18 > 0:28:23Now, we're sending you to the absolute pressure
0:28:23 > 0:28:25of a professional kitchen at lunchtime service.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29Nothing more ferocious you've ever, ever seen.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32You're going to have to work with people like him.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35Learn, listen, because when you come back in here next time,
0:28:35 > 0:28:39it has to be fault free.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52How would you feel if someone sent your plate back?
0:29:01 > 0:29:05Shelina, Tom and Emma will be working at The Living Room,
0:29:05 > 0:29:07where head chef, Mark Dransfield,
0:29:07 > 0:29:12has been honing his modern British menu for the last ten years.
0:29:12 > 0:29:14You need a cool head, concentration,
0:29:14 > 0:29:18attention to detail and very good time management.
0:29:18 > 0:29:20OK, Tom, you're doing our haddock dish today.
0:29:20 > 0:29:24Yorkshire plasterer, Tom, will be in charge of the pan-roasted haddock
0:29:24 > 0:29:28with clams in a cider, parsley and ham broth.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32The haddock, it needs crisp skin on the one side.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35If it goes overcooked, you'll have to start again.
0:29:35 > 0:29:4129 year-old Shelina is responsible for the roast rump of lamb
0:29:41 > 0:29:47with a carrot puree, fondant potato and a port and redcurrant jus.
0:29:47 > 0:29:52Emma will be cooking the spiced pork fillet with turmeric risotto,
0:29:52 > 0:29:55apple puree and crispy crackling.
0:29:55 > 0:30:00It'll be hard to get the timings right and not get it all messed up.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02Fingers crossed.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07A couple of miles north in Camden, Ross, Aki and Eamonn,
0:30:07 > 0:30:10are about to discover their culinary destination.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14- Gilgamesh!- Oh, my God!- No way.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17We're going to get our ass kicked.
0:30:21 > 0:30:23This 300-cover restaurant,
0:30:23 > 0:30:27is owned by infamous head chef, Ian Pengelley,
0:30:27 > 0:30:29whose menu reflects his fiery passion
0:30:29 > 0:30:33for the very best of South East Asian dishes.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36Put it like this, they're coming into my kitchen,
0:30:36 > 0:30:38they're going to be cooking for my guests.
0:30:38 > 0:30:39I want them to do what I tell them.
0:30:39 > 0:30:43If they don't do it, they can bugger off.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45OK, so here we go. Stir, stir.
0:30:45 > 0:30:49Today, Ross will be cooking spiced lamb served with new potatoes,
0:30:49 > 0:30:54creamed spinach, shiitake mushrooms and a kohlrabi puree.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57This is one of my favourite dishes and also one of the tastiest.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00If you don't do it right, I'll be down on you like a ton of bricks.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02I swear to God.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07Aki will be in charge of the tea smoked trout
0:31:07 > 0:31:09and sour green mango salad.
0:31:09 > 0:31:13- Make sure there's no fingerprints on the bowl.- Yes, Chef
0:31:13 > 0:31:16Fingerprints, I hate fingerprints.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19Eamonn will be cooking the Beef Bulgogi,
0:31:19 > 0:31:23with a sweet soy glaze and served with chive mash or chips.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28I'm trying very hard to remain calm. I really don't want to let Chef down.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35It's midday and both restaurants are booked to capacity.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38Bloody hell, see how many people are out there?
0:31:38 > 0:31:42The six amateurs are about to get their first taste
0:31:42 > 0:31:44of what life as a pro is really like.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48I've just heard that we're doing between 80 and 100 covers today.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51I'm absolutely petrified.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55- Are we ready?- Yes, Chef. - Are we ready?- YES, CHEF!
0:31:56 > 0:31:59- First check on. Two haddock special.- Yes, Chef.
0:31:59 > 0:32:04- Lamb, Bulgogi, trout, second course. - Yes, Chef.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07Pressure, pressure my friend.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10Aki's trout starter will be the first dish to go out.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12Aki, trout salad. Coming?
0:32:16 > 0:32:18Aki, come here.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20Look at your hands, look at your hands.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23The plate must be clean.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25Go and wash your hands, now.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28Don't ever come to the pass again with hands like that,
0:32:28 > 0:32:30otherwise you'll be out, understand?
0:32:30 > 0:32:33I can't believe I'm telling a grown woman to wash her hands.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36On the opposite side of the kitchen,
0:32:36 > 0:32:40Ross is struggling to juggle speed and perfection.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44- How long for the lamb, please? - Coming now, Chef.- Hurry up.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51- Come on, quickly. - Coming now, Chef.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58OK, listen, it looks like someone's barfed on the plate.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00Redress it, go back.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03You need a nice little line.
0:33:03 > 0:33:05Made a bit of a mess.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08Redressing now to Chef's standards.
0:33:08 > 0:33:12Both Aki and Ross have failed to impress.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14Now, it's Eamonn's turn.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16- On the pass, please.- Yes, Chef.
0:33:16 > 0:33:17You've got to get it right.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20If you don't get it right, you're toast.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22Beef, Chef.
0:33:22 > 0:33:26- Where's the salt? Where's the salt? - The salt is on the beef, Chef.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28Service here please.
0:33:28 > 0:33:32Eamonn seems on top of it. A bit nervous though, he scares me.
0:33:34 > 0:33:39In central London, service is ramping up at The Living Room.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43- One pork, one dauphinoise. - Yes, Chef.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47Emma's feeling the pressure to get all three elements of her pork dish
0:33:47 > 0:33:50cooked perfectly and ready at the same time.
0:33:50 > 0:33:51I think I know what I'm doing.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54It's getting the right consistency of the risotto.
0:33:54 > 0:33:57We need that next pork fillet up the window now, please.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59Where's my crackling?
0:33:59 > 0:34:02- Crackling is there, keeping warm. - All right.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07There's far too much liquid on that plate.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09We need to get a new plate and start again.
0:34:09 > 0:34:13If you're not happy, don't serve it.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15- Check on. One lamb, medium. - Yes, Chef.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18You've got a lamb well done on order. Two pink on order.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20Yes, Chef.
0:34:23 > 0:34:27- How long on that first lamb? - For the first lamb, one minute.
0:34:27 > 0:34:30Third lamb is in the oven now.
0:34:33 > 0:34:36- Plating up on the lamb.- Beautiful.
0:34:37 > 0:34:41Just a little bit more around the edges. That's enough.
0:34:41 > 0:34:42Thank you.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44Same again for the next dish.
0:34:44 > 0:34:46She seems to be holding it.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48We'll see how we go if a few more come in.
0:34:55 > 0:34:5672, go, 72.
0:34:56 > 0:35:01Back in Camden, the heat is well and truly on at Gilgamesh.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05- Aki, how long for trout salad? - Two minutes.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07Come on, move those little legs.
0:35:07 > 0:35:11I have to do two in, like, negative ten seconds.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14Aki, come on, sweetheart.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19Why is that one big and that one's not? That looks bigger than that.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23- Yes, Chef.- OK, well, fix that one.
0:35:23 > 0:35:27It's so obvious when I gave it to him... They're different sizes!
0:35:27 > 0:35:30Looks a little bit more majestic, I'd say.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35Aki, Aki, at least the plate's clean!
0:35:35 > 0:35:37SHE LAUGHS
0:35:37 > 0:35:41- OK, waiting on that lamb, please, Ross. Ross?- Chef.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49Come on, Ross. Come on. The customer's waiting.
0:35:50 > 0:35:53One lamb, behind.
0:35:54 > 0:35:58Look at it! It's supposed to be in a nice line and neat and tidy.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01That's embarrassing. I'm going to have to help you, man.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04OK. You see how neat that is?
0:36:04 > 0:36:11It's not that difficult. You've just got to slow down, calm down and focus. Door.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13Carnage. It's great though, isn't it?
0:36:15 > 0:36:20OK, listen. One, two, three, four beef, five beef. Pick up now.
0:36:20 > 0:36:22Eamonn, I need five beef, right?
0:36:22 > 0:36:25Erm, I've got some under the heater there.
0:36:25 > 0:36:31Listen, if you leave it under there, it's going to overcook, so put it underneath the shelf, all right?
0:36:31 > 0:36:34Table 64, been on 20 minutes.
0:36:34 > 0:36:38It goes on like this, I'm going to have to take you off the section.
0:36:38 > 0:36:42- Yes, Chef.- The customers are waiting. I don't want complaints in my restaurant.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47Come on.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50Help, Chef. The steaks are well done, totally my fault.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52Schoolboy error, under the heater.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00You mucked up, you overcooked the beef, I didn't.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03I have to go out now and apologise to the customer.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06Just get them on, Eamonn. Get them on. Come on.
0:37:06 > 0:37:10So, the beef that we're going to use is going to take another 20 minutes.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13The customers will wait 40 minutes.
0:37:14 > 0:37:19Table 29, they say if the main course is not ready, they prefer to cancel.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22OK, guys. Listen up.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26Cancel the beef, cancel the lamb, the customer doesn't want it.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31What a nightmare.
0:37:35 > 0:37:40- These are your last plates, OK? So let's finish on a good note. Make it nice, all right?- Yes, Chef!
0:37:42 > 0:37:45Let's go.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48The last two salads are the best salads you've made. Well done.
0:37:48 > 0:37:49Thank you! Thank you!
0:37:49 > 0:37:53Let's have a look.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56- You eventually got there.- Thank you, Chef.- It's not easy, is it? - No, Chef.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02- Beef on the pass, Chef. - Listen, look at that.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05Beautiful. Why couldn't you have done them all like that?
0:38:05 > 0:38:09- Another two or three services, you'll be all right. - I look forward to it.
0:38:09 > 0:38:14Back in the heart of London, lunch service at The Living Room is no less frantic.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17- Mains away on the four pork. - Yes, Chef.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24I'm trying to get the risotto just perfect this time.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31Is that all right?
0:38:33 > 0:38:35All four, perfect.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40OK, guys. The next table is mains away. Two haddock.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42Yes, chef.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52Need to be a little bit quicker on these.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55The fish is really well cooked, brilliantly presented,
0:38:55 > 0:38:59- just a little bit more speed on the actual plating.- Done, Chef.
0:39:01 > 0:39:06- New check on. Seven lamb pink. - Yes, Chef.
0:39:06 > 0:39:11Shelina has had more orders than any other contestant today.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14This is pretty much as frantic as I thought it would be,
0:39:14 > 0:39:18but I wasn't expecting seven lambs all in one go. All pink. Now.
0:39:18 > 0:39:22Seven we're looking to get up now. And she's still got another four on order.
0:39:22 > 0:39:26So if she gets these seven up, she'll have done really well.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32I'm plating up on the seven lambs.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42- Right Chef, they're ready to go. - OK, that's really well done, yeah.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49To be honest, I don't know how I've managed to plate the food to time.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52Maybe it was a miraculous moment of madness,
0:39:52 > 0:39:55or it's actually part of my character, which is surprising.
0:39:55 > 0:40:00The first time in a professional kitchen in this environment, it's exhilarating.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04What I've learned today is never, ever take your eye off the ball.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07cos you'll get kicked for it.
0:40:07 > 0:40:11I ripped my hands to shreds, but bizarrely, I think this has made me hungry for more.
0:40:50 > 0:40:54Right now, this test is about your own food.
0:40:54 > 0:40:59We have just 12 MasterChef aprons to fight for.
0:40:59 > 0:41:04And we will only take the best cooks with us.
0:41:04 > 0:41:09Ladies and gentlemen, one hour and 10 minutes, one plate of food.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12And it's going to have to be brilliant.
0:41:12 > 0:41:16Let's cook.
0:41:27 > 0:41:31If I was given a MasterChef apron today, it's mine to lose.
0:41:31 > 0:41:35So once I've got that apron it will be getting tied on tight.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40I am going to do a spiced salmon fillet,
0:41:40 > 0:41:43mash made from kidney beans, green pesto, an avocado mousse,
0:41:43 > 0:41:46lime jelly and chorizo butter sauce.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49- That's a bit nuts, all that Tom, isn't it?- A little, yeah.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51My whole future is resting on it.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55Now that I have got this opportunity I don't intend letting it go.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00- Guacamole, fried beans and a margarita.- With the fish!
0:42:00 > 0:42:05Yes! Hot, cold, sweet, sour - it's so exciting!
0:42:09 > 0:42:14I've never cared more about something.
0:42:14 > 0:42:18I really want the apron. I really do.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24I will show you today that I can cook well.
0:42:24 > 0:42:29Really, really classic, elegant, restaurant Japanese food.
0:42:29 > 0:42:34- How should it taste?- It should taste complicated but fresh,
0:42:34 > 0:42:38and healthy and clean. Even when there are so many things going on.
0:42:38 > 0:42:40That's the beauty and Zen of Japanese food.
0:42:45 > 0:42:4735 minutes left.
0:42:56 > 0:43:00If I'm sent home now, it's going to be wholly down to my food.
0:43:00 > 0:43:02That's terrifying.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04But it's also so exhilarating.
0:43:05 > 0:43:09Cannon of lamb that I'm cooking sous vide, confit pumpkin,
0:43:09 > 0:43:11pickled Asian pear, pea and pear puree,
0:43:11 > 0:43:14a roasted garlic puree and some barley risotto.
0:43:14 > 0:43:16Why all this trickery?
0:43:16 > 0:43:21I want you to look at the plate I give you and say, "I'd be happy paying for that in a restaurant."
0:43:31 > 0:43:33I've worked for a long time to get to this stage.
0:43:33 > 0:43:37And I'm not going to blow it by letting emotions get in the way.
0:43:37 > 0:43:39I'm going to let my emotion come out on the plate.
0:43:39 > 0:43:44Eamonn, you were in the waiting to go in a professional kitchen. What was it like?
0:43:44 > 0:43:46It was just full on.
0:43:46 > 0:43:51I really did want to see if I could hack it. At 47 and never having been in a professional kitchen before,
0:43:51 > 0:43:55there was a worry that I may have gone, "My word, I can't do it."
0:43:55 > 0:43:58- But I can.- Nice stuff. Tell me what your dish is.
0:43:58 > 0:44:03Lincolnshire red fillet of beef with a horseradish pommes puree and bone marrow dumpling.
0:44:03 > 0:44:04Mmmm...
0:44:08 > 0:44:10Just 12 minutes left.
0:44:20 > 0:44:23I'm going to try and please you and wow you with the presentation.
0:44:23 > 0:44:29So I'm really having to think about how it's going to look on a plate, thinking about colours,
0:44:29 > 0:44:32I'm thinking differently about this now, trying to be creative.
0:44:32 > 0:44:34- You're thinking about this competition a lot.- I am.
0:44:34 > 0:44:38Being in a professional kitchen was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had.
0:44:38 > 0:44:42I've never felt anything like it, so it's confirmed to me that this is what I want,
0:44:42 > 0:44:46and I'm going to do whatever I can to impress you
0:44:46 > 0:44:49and make sure that my food is damn good.
0:44:49 > 0:44:52I think it's impressive that she's pushing herself,
0:44:52 > 0:44:55but I'm worried that the presentation's the concentration,
0:44:55 > 0:44:58and actually not the dish itself.
0:45:03 > 0:45:08You invest so much into it that your emotions go all over the place.
0:45:08 > 0:45:11Excited, nervous, scared,
0:45:11 > 0:45:15all rolled into one, right in my gut.
0:45:16 > 0:45:18Emma, what are you making for us?
0:45:18 > 0:45:23Scallops, cauliflower puree, spicy caramel and a cumin sauce.
0:45:23 > 0:45:26Do you have a really sweet tooth, Emma?
0:45:26 > 0:45:30Do you know, I wouldn't say I have a sweet tooth, but I just...
0:45:30 > 0:45:32Maybe I do!
0:45:32 > 0:45:36I think what Emma's doing is actually really dangerous.
0:45:36 > 0:45:38That dish is going to be really sweet.
0:45:38 > 0:45:42There has to be an edge somewhere, and I can't see where that edge is.
0:45:42 > 0:45:44Two-and-a-half minutes left.
0:46:06 > 0:46:08This is your final 60 seconds.
0:46:20 > 0:46:21That's it, guys, stop.
0:46:39 > 0:46:44Shelina is hoping to impress with another dish influenced by her Mauritian roots -
0:46:44 > 0:46:48pan-fried yellowtail snapper served with drops of coconut curry,
0:46:48 > 0:46:54coriander foam and a mango kulcha or pickle.
0:46:54 > 0:46:58I'm really, really, really, disappointed that I didn't put enough curry sauce on.
0:46:58 > 0:47:01I wish I could just get my pot and bring you my coconut curry,
0:47:01 > 0:47:02but obviously I can't.
0:47:02 > 0:47:05I actually really like the way your dish looks.
0:47:11 > 0:47:14The flavours of that dish, I think, are simply stunning.
0:47:14 > 0:47:17It is rich and it's vibrant.
0:47:18 > 0:47:21But I want my curry sauce that's in your pot.
0:47:26 > 0:47:30Mmmm... Mmmm, those flavours are lovely.
0:47:30 > 0:47:33I would like some more, but you've got rid of them
0:47:33 > 0:47:36in trying to dainty your plate up.
0:47:50 > 0:47:52Tom has cooked a spicy salmon fillet,
0:47:52 > 0:47:56served on a red kidney bean and potato mash
0:47:56 > 0:48:04with avocado mousse, a lime jelly, green pesto and tomato salsa.
0:48:04 > 0:48:08He failed to serve his chorizo butter because he ran out of time.
0:48:13 > 0:48:16I like what you've demonstrated, it's a really interesting dish,
0:48:16 > 0:48:19I think your mind works in a really interesting way,
0:48:19 > 0:48:22but for me, the dish is missing something which should be joining it up,
0:48:22 > 0:48:26and that has to be that chorizo and the butter sauce.
0:48:26 > 0:48:28Bugger.
0:48:31 > 0:48:33Tom, this is good cooking.
0:48:33 > 0:48:35I don't want you to stop experimenting,
0:48:35 > 0:48:39- but today, you failed to deliver the flavours you said you were going to. - (Yeah.)
0:48:39 > 0:48:41'If I go back to the day job tomorrow,
0:48:41 > 0:48:45'then that'll be it for the next, you know, 15 years.'
0:48:45 > 0:48:48It all rides on the judges' decision.
0:48:53 > 0:48:56- Do you want to unstack Pandora's Box for us?- Sure.
0:48:58 > 0:49:00Aki is offering a bento box
0:49:00 > 0:49:05filled with tempura kara-age, or fried beef, a dashi poached egg,
0:49:05 > 0:49:12handmade udon noodles and a selection of Japanese herbs and pickles,
0:49:12 > 0:49:15served with a jug of dashi sauce.
0:49:19 > 0:49:21Listen, I think this is wonderful.
0:49:21 > 0:49:25It's so precise, it's so clean, it's so elegant, look at it.
0:49:25 > 0:49:27It's lovely, you could sleep in it.
0:49:32 > 0:49:34Mmmm...Mmm.
0:49:34 > 0:49:36Mmmm.
0:49:36 > 0:49:38The flavours are quite sensational.
0:49:38 > 0:49:42It's like a beef consomme, like an oxtail soup,
0:49:42 > 0:49:46but cleaner, sharper, with some Eastern spicing.
0:49:47 > 0:49:51What I do love is the detail and the precision
0:49:51 > 0:49:54of everything that you're doing.
0:49:54 > 0:49:56Aki...
0:49:56 > 0:49:58You can cook.
0:50:08 > 0:50:13Ross has made cannon of lamb, served with pickled Asian pear,
0:50:13 > 0:50:16breaded sweetbreads, pearl barley risotto,
0:50:16 > 0:50:20a green pea and pear puree,
0:50:20 > 0:50:24sous vide confit pumpkin and a Manchego and onion cheese crisp.
0:50:29 > 0:50:33You know, lamb and lamb sweetbreads, they just need
0:50:33 > 0:50:37one or two other little things for it to be beautiful.
0:50:37 > 0:50:39They don't need seven, surely.
0:50:44 > 0:50:48Those breaded sweetbreads are quite chewy and tough.
0:50:48 > 0:50:51The pumpkin's not quite cooked enough, but for me
0:50:51 > 0:50:54the big issue is that the pearl barley is still really crunchy.
0:50:57 > 0:50:59Was I a bit ambitious,
0:50:59 > 0:51:03trying to do something like that in such a pressurised environment?
0:51:03 > 0:51:05Possibly.
0:51:08 > 0:51:13Eamonn has made pan-fried fillet of Lincolnshire red beef,
0:51:13 > 0:51:16horseradish pommes puree,
0:51:16 > 0:51:19a bone marrow dumpling and cabbage and bacon,
0:51:19 > 0:51:22served with a red wine sauce.
0:51:27 > 0:51:31I love the beef. Really enjoy the power and fruitiness of your sauce.
0:51:31 > 0:51:33My one disappointment is,
0:51:33 > 0:51:36I don't get any of that bone marrow flavour from the dumpling.
0:51:36 > 0:51:38OK.
0:51:43 > 0:51:46I actually really like it. That sauce is really strong.
0:51:46 > 0:51:49Your cabbage and bacon is salty and rich.
0:51:49 > 0:51:50But that piece of beef
0:51:50 > 0:51:53is not strong enough for the other flavours on the plate.
0:51:53 > 0:51:56OK.
0:51:57 > 0:52:01Whoa, I'm not too sure. I don't know whether that went well or otherwise.
0:52:01 > 0:52:03I really have no idea!
0:52:11 > 0:52:16Emma has made seared scallops, served with pureed cauliflower,
0:52:16 > 0:52:20a cumin froth, apple shavings and a caramel dressing.
0:52:25 > 0:52:26Perfectly delightful.
0:52:28 > 0:52:34It's not one of the more complex dishes here, but it tastes perfectly delicious.
0:52:40 > 0:52:42For me, it's all too sweet.
0:52:42 > 0:52:46I want to taste the sea as well as the sweetness, and the vibrancy
0:52:46 > 0:52:50of those scallops is completely lost in all that sweet stickiness.
0:52:53 > 0:52:57I didn't think I had a sweet tooth, but it turns out that I do!
0:53:02 > 0:53:06I think for us now, we have a really tough decision.
0:53:06 > 0:53:07For two of you,
0:53:07 > 0:53:09it will mean goodbye.
0:53:09 > 0:53:11Thank you.
0:53:25 > 0:53:28Our six have come back in here with real energy,
0:53:28 > 0:53:32real determination, and their own individual styles.
0:53:32 > 0:53:36Aki - love her. That's beautiful food, John.
0:53:36 > 0:53:39It's not something you see often on MasterChef.
0:53:39 > 0:53:41- Aki's got to stay.- Brilliant.
0:53:41 > 0:53:43I don't think Tom quite pulled it off today,
0:53:43 > 0:53:46but there is no doubting that guy's skill.
0:53:46 > 0:53:49We don't need safe cooks, we need daring cooks,
0:53:49 > 0:53:52and that's what Tom is.
0:53:52 > 0:53:56There was one cook in this room who is starting to change,
0:53:56 > 0:53:59but has an essence of a great cook already.
0:53:59 > 0:54:01And that's Shelina.
0:54:01 > 0:54:04John, in trying to make the dish looks smart, she got rid
0:54:04 > 0:54:07of a beautiful coconut curry sauce.
0:54:07 > 0:54:09But I want to see if she can get there.
0:54:09 > 0:54:11I think she should stay in the competition.
0:54:11 > 0:54:14That means we have to choose one person to go through
0:54:14 > 0:54:19- from Emma, Ross and Eamonn.- Whoa.
0:54:19 > 0:54:23Ross today gave himself a huge amount of work to do.
0:54:23 > 0:54:26He was trying to cook two or three-star Michelin food,
0:54:26 > 0:54:28and he is not ready to walk.
0:54:28 > 0:54:32I mean, no half-measures, he really did go for it, John.
0:54:32 > 0:54:38This is such a great opportunity for me to live the dream.
0:54:38 > 0:54:41I've got to do it. I can't go.
0:54:42 > 0:54:46I think that Eamonn's flavours were really big and bold.
0:54:46 > 0:54:49But you need a hunk of well-flavoured beef
0:54:49 > 0:54:51sitting in the middle of the plate.
0:54:51 > 0:54:54How much do I want to go through to the next stage?
0:54:54 > 0:54:57The room's not wide enough, my arms aren't long enough.
0:54:57 > 0:55:00I just hope I don't get judged on a dumping.
0:55:00 > 0:55:02Emma completely split you and I.
0:55:02 > 0:55:05- Yeah.- I loved the sweetness with the scallop,
0:55:05 > 0:55:07but I've got a sweeter palate than you.
0:55:07 > 0:55:12It just didn't taste enough of the sea. It was lots of sweet things.
0:55:12 > 0:55:16I just hope Gregg wins the argument on this one.
0:55:18 > 0:55:23We can only take the best cooks through, but who's it going to be?
0:55:23 > 0:55:25That is the big question.
0:55:41 > 0:55:44We said right at the start that we can't take you all.
0:55:50 > 0:55:53Aki, your food today was stunning.
0:55:53 > 0:56:00- You've earned yourself a MasterChef apron. Congratulations.- Well done.
0:56:04 > 0:56:06Shelina...
0:56:09 > 0:56:14You too have got a MasterChef apron. Congratulations.
0:56:15 > 0:56:19- Does it feel nice?- It feels amazing.
0:56:26 > 0:56:28Ross...
0:56:29 > 0:56:34I'm sorry, but you're leaving us. Thank you very much.
0:56:44 > 0:56:46Tom...
0:56:48 > 0:56:50Tom, you're staying in the competition.
0:56:52 > 0:56:56- You are an exciting cook, Tom. Are you all right?- Yeah.
0:57:06 > 0:57:08Emma and Eamonn...
0:57:08 > 0:57:12Gregg and I saw weaknesses in your cooking.
0:57:12 > 0:57:16But we also saw real potential.
0:57:18 > 0:57:21So we've decided...
0:57:23 > 0:57:26- You're both staying in the competition.- No!
0:57:32 > 0:57:34All right? You OK?
0:57:36 > 0:57:39- All right, big fella?- Yeah, cheers.
0:57:41 > 0:57:45I'm ecstatic at the moment. I really am. I just...
0:57:45 > 0:57:50Last two, again! I've got to sort that out.
0:57:50 > 0:57:52Congratulations!
0:57:58 > 0:58:02I'm up for anything. Bring it on. Make me cry. Come on!
0:58:02 > 0:58:06The first of this week's heats is over.
0:58:07 > 0:58:11Only seven aprons remain.
0:58:13 > 0:58:17Tomorrow night, the next group take on the battle.
0:58:17 > 0:58:18Whoop, whoop.
0:58:20 > 0:58:25Who will have what it takes to join the five who've already made it?
0:58:31 > 0:58:32Aaagh!
0:58:51 > 0:58:54Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:54 > 0:58:58E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk