The new Masterchef: The Professionals 2014 series is back on our screens once more with new Michelin-starred  judge Marcus Wareing at the helm.

Each week we'll be bringing you a round-up of the culinary successes and disasters as we edge closer to finding out this year's winner of Masterchef: The Professionals 2014.

It’s Marcus Wareing’s favourite word but I’m going to steal it: “wow.” This week’s MasterChef: The Professionals really stepped up a gear – the dishes, the chefs and the judges were all on top form. First of the final five were tasked with an invention test dish, with no meat, poultry or fish and Brian unveiled himself as the dark horse of the competition.

His lemon posset looked fantastic, what’s not to like about lemon, pistachios, fresh lime and spun sugar? Unfortunately for Darren and Danny the cracks were starting to show. It was a close call between the pair – although their dishes looked fantastic they were trailing behind in comparison to the other three.

I think Danny knew he was lucky to go forward and it was Darren’s turn to bow out. For the final four the pressure just kept coming. If you were stressed and asked once again to create an incredible dish, the line-up of judges you probably wouldn’t want would be 25 of the UK’s best chefs! Sven loved it, Jamie crumbled and Danny was like a rabbit in the headlights! Super sous Sven was so calm he had Monica Galetti and Marcus feeling the nerves on his behalf. Considering the calibre of chef in the room about to eat his food he was completely unfazed – he shrugged his shoulders on whether he could make enough pomme souffle and he was in no rush to seal his lamb.

Slowly, slowly, catchy monkey, eh Sven? Danny who had been pretty composed throughout the competition seemed to be in a daze when preparing his mackerel dish. Monica asked him why he was pouring boiling pickling liquid onto the fish and he was adamant it was the way it should be – his Michelin dinner guests verdict?

Dry and over cooked as Monica had warned him it would be. He’s the happiest chef in the competition but Jamie looked as though he would burst into tears when he walked into the lion’s den of Michelin stars. Sat Bains didn’t sugar coat his feedback saying the Consommé was cloudy and that was all a room full of chefs would see – instead of the rest of the dish.

No one wants to hear someone like Clare Smyth say components of the dish were unnecessary. Clearly Jamie used the feedback positively as he came back fighting in the next round! He was true to his usual form presenting a rabbit dish and impressing all of the judges – Marcus actually said: “If I were a rabbit, that’s how I’d like to be cooked and served.”

A slightly odd compliment but Jamie sailed through – probably thinking what sauce would compliment Marcus if he were a rabbit! Sven as always produced a knock out plate of food – although Marcus looked a little disappointed. He likes Sven’s classic cooking with a modern twist and he said there was no twist on the Fabergé egg.

It was the end of the line for Danny, his Poussin just wasn’t good enough. So far, so good and then we moved on to Mugaritz – I was hooked! Andoni Luis Aduriz’s food philosophy is nothing short of intriguing. And watching Sven, Jamie and Brian trying to understand the thought process behind putting a blanket of mould on a beautiful piece of lamb was sheer TV brilliance.

But give them their due, they embraced the experience and to their credit the dishes they produced didn’t look out of place alongside Andoni’s own crazy creations. The kitchen was an amazing space to view and everyone was so calm and collected – apart from Andoni, who did appear slightly agitated at times but then letting a group of random chefs loose in his kitchen probably isn’t an everyday occurrence.

So that’s it, the final three will fight it out next week for that all important MasterChef crown – for me the winner is too close to call but Brian does seem to be bringing his a-game again and again so Sven and Jamie need to pull out something special!

By Cara Pilkington

@canteencara 

>>> Read more about Masterchef: The Professionals 2014 here