MasterChef: The Professionals Catch up, Series 11: Episode 18 on BBC 2

MasterChef: The Professionals

Series 11: Episode 18

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.\n\nIt 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.\n\nThe 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.\n\nOnce 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.

Source: BBC 2

Most recent episodes of MasterChef: The Professionals

Masterchef: The Professionals

Series 18: Episode 21

It’s the endgame, and the three extraordinary remaining chefs do battle in the MasterChef: The Professionals final. Each dish plated and each mouthful tasted in this compe ...

26-03-2026

BBC 2

All episodes

Masterchef: The Professionals

Series 18: Episode 20

Finals week continues, and the three chefs left standing are in for an absolute treat as they head off for an Italian adventure that will change the way they think about food fo ...

24-03-2026

BBC 2

All episodes

Masterchef: The Professionals

Series 18: Episode 19

The finals have arrived, and after weeks of culinary excellence, the four chefs remaining in the competition now need to deliver their best food yet, with two huge hurdles to ov ...

23-03-2026

BBC 2

All episodes

Masterchef: The Professionals

Series 18: Episode 18

The semi-finals draw to a close, with just five remaining chefs ready to face two challenges. The contenders dig deep into their culinary repertoire as they cook for one of the ...

19-03-2026

BBC 2

All episodes

Masterchef: The Professionals

Series 18: Episode 17

The semi-finals continue, and just six sterling professional chefs remain. They face two extraordinary tests that should take their food to the next level. At the end, one will ...

17-03-2026

BBC 2

All episodes

Masterchef: The Professionals

Series 18: Episode 16

As the semi-finals begin, just eight extraordinary professional chefs remain. Each of them has their sights set on taking the title, but they must dig deeper than ever before to ...

16-03-2026

BBC 2

All episodes

Masterchef: The Professionals

Series 18: Episode 15

It's the end of knockout week and time for the second group of five professional contestants to enter the world of pop-ups as they head out of the MasterChef kitchen for the fir ...

13-03-2026

BBC 2

All episodes

Masterchef: The Professionals

Series 18: Episode 14

Knockout week continues as the ten remaining professional chefs are split into two groups. The contenders step out of the MasterChef kitchen to compete in the real world once ag ...

11-03-2026

BBC 2

All episodes

Masterchef: The Professionals

Series 18: Episode 13

Knockout week has arrived. It will see the best 13 chefs who have cooked their way through the heats and quarter-finals come together to do battle once more. Some will only be f ...

10-03-2026

BBC 2

All episodes

Masterchef: The Professionals

Series 18: Episode 12

The last quarter-final has arrived, and with it come the standout chefs of the week, who are ready to impress with even more culinary wizardry. Deliver across two tasks tonight, ...

08-03-2026

BBC 2

All episodes