Masterchef: The Professionals 2014 is back on our screens once more with new judge, Michelin-starred chef 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 the penultimate week so you would think it would be nail biting stuff, right down to the wire – dishes that pushed the chefs to the edge. Unfortunately semi-finals week was like an overcooked fondant – it looked impressive but it was actually uninspiring and disappointing once you tucked in. 

None of the dishes really stood out, those who didn’t play it safe misjudged their flavour combinations and created experimental nightmares. The chefs were in the kitchens of culinary superstars this week - Nathan Outlaw, Claude Bosi and Anthony Demetre. 

But it all felt too safe, only a couple of chefs were really pushed and funnily enough they were the ones who ended up being put through. Under the watchful eye of Nathan Outlaw, Brian cooked gurnard over coals which got up to 450
degrees. He was really feeling the pressure but was Luciana’s skill set really tested? I’m not so sure.

The Brazilian put the final nail in the coffin when she presented the judges with badly filleted sea bass, slimy okra and Acarajé – Marcus Wareing put it bluntly when he said: “This is not great fish cookery – at all.” At Hibiscus Jonathan was preparing the Devonshire crab starter, all served cold and with crab bavaroir piped into a bowl and topped with white crab meat and melon jelly.

He had to prove his worth before he was allowed to add the pickled melon sorbet quenelle – Claude didn’t want anything below his usual standard to leave the kitchen! Danny on the other hand took on the cod dish, he faced Claude’s scrutiny a lot more when he failed to cook the thin gnocchi correctly.

However he impressed Claude with his signature dish, although he was ‘pushy’ on the garlic something a French chef doesn’t mind though apparently! Jonathan just went one step too far once back in the Masterchef kitchen. He gave the judges marinated quail and Monica Galetti said: “There are too many flavours vying for attention.” So it was Danny who went through thanks to his sous vide and pan roasted Dexter beef and raspberry and white chocolate Popsicle.

The two chefs who were really put to the test were Darren and Ollie. Unlike the previous two rounds, Anthony Demetre at Wild Honey really made them work hard. Ollie and the lamb dish – now that was interesting viewing. He attempted to serve raw lamb and at one point he was on his knees trying to wipe up a pan of ingredients he had dropped on the floor.
But his signature dish received nothing but praise – despite him only putting a mouthful of rabbit on the plate and forgetting the lime.

Darren is the most nervous chef in the competition, he cannot keep his hands still when plating up but despite this he always delivers. And his rabbit stuffed with chorizo proved this once again and Marcus said: “It was very, very clever.” So that’s it, the final five have been decided. Jamie, Sven, Brian, Darren and Danny will head to Mugaritz next week to step into the two star kitchen of Andoni Luis Aduriz. Who’s going to take the crown? Whoever it is I hope they deliver a bit of wow factor next week – no more over cooked fondant please chef.

By Cara Pilkington

@canteencara  

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