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MasterChef: The Professionals

Factual: Food & Drink

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The hunt for a chef who wants to make it to the top of the culinary world.

The hunt for the the next superstar chef. Professional cooks are put through their paces. Who will cope and who will crack?

Series 11

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Marcus Wareing

Monica Galetti

Gregg Wallace

Sean Pertwee

David Ambler

Genevieve Welch

Anthony Crumpton

Clare Elliot

Laura Edwards

Ian Kelsey

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MasterChef: The Professionals: Series 11: Episode 18

Episode 18

BBC One - MasterChef: The Professionals, Series 11, Episode 18

Three chefs are sent to cook at Paul Ainsworth at No 6.

The search for the UK's 2018 culinary superstar continues. It is the last semi-final and the three remaining chefs are sent to cook at an exclusive address in Padstow, Cornwall.

It is semi-finals week and the competition is heating up. MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace teams up with chef Monica Galetti and Michelin-starred Marcus Wareing to continue their search for this year's MasterChef: The Professionals champion.

It is the last semi-final and the three remaining chefs are in close competition for a place in finals week. For their first challenge, they are sent to cook at an exclusive address in Padstow, Cornwall - Paul Ainsworth at No 6. Chef Paul Ainsworth honed his skills with culinary legends Gary Rhodes, Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing before striking out on his own in Cornwall. With his unique inimitable style of combining playful creativity with bold, beautiful and perfectly balanced flavours Paul won a Michelin star and he is now considered one of the greatest chefs in Britain in his own right. The chefs will have the enviable opportunity to learn from Ainsworth himself and cook alongside his elite brigade.

The first step for the chefs is to understand the inspiration and elegance of Paul's food when he gives them a masterclass and demonstrates his barbecued Cornish duck with Peking tea and a pick-your-own salad. Buoyed on by the insight and energy that Paul imparts, the chefs are challenged to create their version of his duck dish for him to taste. Paul needs reassurance that the chefs before him have understood his philosophy and can emulate his impeccable cookery. He is looking for outstanding skill, personality and a perfect palate from the three chefs.

Once the chefs have shown that they have the culinary mastery to take a place in his kitchen, they are each shown a dish from Paul's menu. The chefs will join Paul's dedicated brigade and take responsibility for one dish each to be served during a packed service in his prestigious Michelin-starred restaurant. The chefs face the toughest challenge of their careers, the orders come thick and fast and the dishes will only be served once Paul is satisfied they are perfect. Finally, the chefs return to the MasterChef kitchen to cook against each other in a race for the finals - creating a two-course menu to be judged by Monica, Marcus and Gregg. They must create their best main and dessert of the competition so far, as nothing short of perfection will help them now. The dishes they deliver to the judges will either secure them a place in finals week or see them sent home. Only the two strongest chefs will make it into finals week, taking them one step closer to the title of MasterChef: The Professionals Champion 2018.

MasterChef: The Professionals: Series 11

BBC Two

Knowledge, drama, comedy and the arts for a broad adult audience.

BBC Two is a lively channel of depth and substance, carrying a range of knowledge-building programming complemented by great drama, comedy and arts.

Over seven weeks, 48 professionals will face the rigours of the MasterChef kitchen.

Over seven weeks, 48 professionals will face the rigours of the MasterChef kitchen before one chef is crowned culinary superstar of 2018.

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