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 was time to get serious in the MasterChef: The Professionals kitchen this week – two had to go on Tuesday and the 12 semi-finalist chefs cooked their socks off to avoid being given the boot. They all went back to basics and cooked a dish of their choice with the aim of impressing Marcus Wareing, Gregg Wallace and Monica Galetti.

That’s the housekeeping out of the way, now let’s have a bloody good look at what they served up – the best and the worst! First on the disappointing list was Ben. Oh Ben, what happened? He was on my 'one-to-watch' list after his chicken broth with a confit egg yolk in last week’s invention test. But he just could’t deliver in the semi’s.

Nobody wants overcooked venison, uncreative spinach and over pickled cherries! Marcus even went as far as to say ‘I don’t know what you’ve done here today but that’s not a good plate of food’. Even in the cook off Ben couldn’t raise his game so it was time for him to bow out alongside Katherine.

She knew she had hit her limit, despite delivering one of her best looking dishes in the cook off. So then there were ten and they were about to be let loose in Michelin-starred kitchens. First up was Scottish Jamie and super cool Richard – they were welcomed into the team at The Connaught under the watchful eye of two Michelin- star chef Helene Darroze. But Richard forgot to put his scallops in the oven, Jamie wasn’t fast enough and although Helene said she liked their attempts at her signature dish I think she was being polite – in other words they weren’t as good as what she does herself! In the end it was Jamie who stole the show and he was the first semi-finalist through to finals week – his Hoggart dish put a smile on Monica’s face – damn it!

No crazy face from her this week. Next in the spotlight was super sous Sven and Scott, they were hoping to impress Pierre Koffmann. He doesn’t have timers in his kitchen so chefs have to use their senses to create the perfect plate.
Speed or lack of, is a recurring theme for these poor professionals trying to make their mark in these top kitchens. And presentation was also a real sticking point for Sven and Scott.

For Scott he couldn’t make his puree pretty enough and as Sven added sauce to his snail dish Pierre came along behind and added more. For a chef of his calibre I imagine it’s hard not to titivate dishes you’ve perfected over 50 years of cooking. Back in the Masterchef kitchen and Sven just pushed that little bit harder with his smoked pigeon legs and classic cooked breast pipping Scott’s sous vide pigeon dish to the post. So we have our first two chefs for finals week – but who’s next?

The remaining chefs have to impress the likes of Nathan Outlaw and Claude Bosi, no pressure then!

By Cara Pilkington

@canteencara

>>> Read more about Masterchef: The Professionals here

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

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