Episode 7

The third week of heats gets under way as six more ambitious professional chefs enter the kitchen, hoping to wow renowned chef Monica Galetti and culinary legend Marcus Wareing, and prove they have what it takes to reach the quarter-finals. But first, they must face two demanding challenges designed to test even the most seasoned of chefs.

There’s no time to settle in, as the chefs are thrown straight into the skills test. But this time, they don’t face it alone. Cooking side by side with their fellow competitors, they must tackle a technically demanding dish set by Marcus.

He wants them to spatchcock and cook a quail, served with a complex marsala sauce and a cabbage garnish: a test of their butchery, sauce-making and inventive cookery skills. When one chef strays from the brief altogether, is it game over before they’ve even started?

Next up is the signature dish round. With just 90 minutes on the clock, the chefs must put their own stamp on the plate and deliver a dish that makes the judges sit up and take notice. This is their chance to show exactly what they’re capable of, but there’s nowhere to hide.

Some chefs throw caution to the wind and push themselves to the limit, while others play it safe. But the judges are looking for ambition, originality and a dish that tells them exactly who these chefs are. Get it wrong, and there’ll be no second chance. Will ambition pay off, or will one chef’s lack of it prove enough to send them home?