of producing a knock-out dish. From here, the strongest eight chefs will automatically be put through to the next stage of the competition. The other four remaining chefs will compete in a cook-off to win one of the last two places in the competition, using only the ingredients left in the larder.
As the competition progresses, the remaining ten contenders will be divided into two teams of five and will work collectively to impress special diners with their own menus. The teams must work to serve up their own fine-dining menu at two prestigious events, one for The Royal Physicians College 500th Anniversary and the other team cooks at Trinity House, a Maritime Charity that's over 500 years old, was originally given its Charter by Henry VIII and still has strong Royal connections, with HRH The Princess Royal now Master.
From here, the chefs will return to the MasterChef kitchen where they will need to deliver a faultless dish for Marcus and Monica, to reach the semi-finals.
The semi-finalists will compete in two cook-offs and will have to produce a dish based on a food memory, which trigged their passion for food and started their desire to become a chef.
From here, the remaining chefs will be sent out to cook with two of the finest, most visionary leaders in the industry today which includes Michelin-starred chefs Michael Caines and Paul Ainsworth.
The last hurdle that the chefs need to tackle to reach the finals, is to create and prepare a two-course menu. It is on these two dishes that the judges must then make the difficult decision as to who can become a MasterChef: The Professionals’ finalist.
Only five outstanding chefs will go through to the Finals Week and must tackle the most intimidating service of their lives - The Chef's Table in the City of London - one of the country’s most exceptional and prestigious culinary events.
The chefs will then head back in the MasterChef kitchen, where they will produce a plate of food that evokes a place special to them. They must use this dish to elevate and show off not only ingredients and cookery that mean a lot to them personally.
The final three will then be flown to France and will have the opportunity to cook Anne-Sophie Pic. Pic, at her three Michelin-starred restaurant in Valence France. The remaining chefs will then return to the UK where they will participate in their final cook-off where they will create three sublime dishes to win the title of MasterChef: The Professionals Champion 2018.
