Episode 13

It’s knockout eeek, and there are just 14 amateur cooks left in the competition. Judges Anna and Grace increase the pressure to see which contestants can hold their nerve. Split into groups, they battle for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: the chance to cook in their first professional kitchen.

The first group of seven amateurs take on a truly tough task which will decide if they’ve got what it takes to tackle the professional kitchen experience.

The judges know all too well the high aspirations of the contestants, who dream of breaking into the culinary world. Therefore, Grace and Anna want them to deliver one dish worthy of being served in a restaurant, pop-up, or even featured in a cookbook. The contestants’ dream dish should be something that will thrill and intrigue customers. Serious skill and technique is required to impress at this stage, as Anna and Grace must send two cooks home and trust the others to feed the public, working under the critical gaze of some exceptional chefs. Get ready for the business end of the competition!

The five who make the cut will soon be able to tick something off their bucket list. They’ll be heading into London to see their home for the day, the renowned Roe restaurant in Canary Wharf, where the cuisine is rooted in sustainability and seasonality.

This time, service is being run by Jack Croft and Will Murray, two trailblazing chefs who met whilst working under incredible gastronomy maestro Heston Blumenthal. Not only will the amateurs have their work cut out preparing a dish for a real lunch service, but they will have two head chefs to impress. Menu highlights include a lobster doughnut, honey-glazed lamb skewers and a unique dish featuring a banana. All plates incorporate various techniques that the contestants will need to master, and quickly. Can they deliver food at the standard of a professional chef with years of experience under their belt? We are about to find out.