MasterChef: The Professionals series 19: start date, judges and the full chef lineup
MasterChef: The Professionals returns to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, for its 19th series, with 24 professional chefs competing for the title.
It is the second series of the show to air in 2026, following series 18, which ran from February to March. MasterChef: The Professionals usually airs in its traditional November-to-December slot, but that run was pushed into early 2026 after 2025's series was delayed; series 19 marks a return to the show's usual late-year timing.
MasterChef: The Professionals is a spin-off of the main MasterChef series, open to professional chefs at every level, from Michelin-starred kitchens to neighbourhood pubs. It has run since 2008, testing chefs on technique, creativity and the ability to perform under pressure, before one is crowned champion in the grand finale.
Who are the judges on MasterChef: The Professionals series 19?
Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti judge series 19, continuing as the panel's duo after Matt Tebbutt's departure, confirmed within weeks of series 18 finishing.
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Why isn't Matt Tebbutt judging MasterChef: The Professionals series 19?
Matt Tebbutt joined the panel for series 18 after Gregg Wallace's exit, with the appointment announced in September 2025. His departure was reported in March 2026, with The Sun's sources suggesting a three-judge panel had felt crowded and that producers saw Marcus and Monica as the stronger pairing.
Matt pushed back on suggestions he had been dropped. Posting on Instagram at the time, he said: "I was only ever doing one series and I loved judging on it and will continue working with MasterChef."
Production company Banijay declined to comment when The Staff Canteen asked at the time.
Read our original story on Matt Tebbutt's departure.
Series 19 therefore reverts to the two-judge format, which is the same way the celebrity and amateur versions run.
When does MasterChef: The Professionals series 19 start?
Series 19 starts at 8pm on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, on BBC One. Episodes air three times a week, with the same week's episodes also landing on BBC iPlayer every Monday. The run comprises 21 one-hour episodes across seven weeks, culminating in the grand finale at 8pm on Friday, December 18.
What's new, and what's still to be confirmed, for series 19?
Alongside the judging-panel change, series 19 returns to the show's usual late-year broadcast slot after 2025 and 2026's early-year disruption.
What hasn't been announced yet: the guest chefs setting masterclasses, the quarter-final critics panel, and the challenge locations, all of which were revealed for series 18 only as broadcast approached.
We'll update this piece as the production confirms them, rather than publish and leave it to go stale, the same approach as TSC's other MasterChef coverage.
Who is competing in MasterChef: The Professionals series 19?
The 24 chefs competing in series 19, chosen from across the trade, are:
- Abigail Smith, demi chef de partie at The Hand and Flowers
- Aleandro Brown, private chef
- Alfred Petty, chef and owner of Petty Fours
- Andrea Ruszel, private chef and founder of Andrea's Table
- Ben Black, junior sous chef at Knockinaam Lodge Hotel & Restaurant (previously at Condita during filming)
- Clara Lim, sous chef at Rambutan
- Connor Wilson, head chef at The Kirkstyle Inn and Sportsman's Rest
- Dan Nunn, senior sous chef at The Sir Charles Napier
- Dominique Ogunlowo, private chef and food blogger
- Filomena D'Uva, chef patron at Delizia Italian Food
- Gregory Schaad-Jackson, virtual cooking experience host and mobile caterer
- Ibraheem "Ibz" Umar, chef de partie and co-founder of Guatú
- Inayya Hamid, sous chef at 64 Goodge Street
- Isabel Almeida Da Silva, co-founder and head chef at Volta Do Mar
- Jacintha Henderson, lecturer at City of Glasgow College and freelance chef
- Jack Sencherey-Evans, operations director at Relentless Steak & Lobster House (previously at Natty's Jerk during filming)
- Jemma Harrison, chef and owner of Kaunter
- Jim Foster-Grundy, head chef at The Goose and Cuckoo
- Kieran Jones, sous chef at Sunlaws Restaurant, Schloss Roxburghe Hotel
- Manuel Ribeiro, head chef at 670 Grams
- Matty Grove, head chef at Caper & Cure, Bristol
- Morteza Nouri, private chef
- Ruchi Mehrotra, private chef and owner of Milaanj by Ruchi Mehrotra
- Sebastian Brooks, junior sous chef at Jumeirah Carlton Tower
Weekly chef profiles will run ahead of each episode as the series airs, each linking back here as the series-wide reference.
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