MasterChef: The Professionals

Episode 14 (7x14)

Air date: Dec 03, 2014

It's the semi-finals. Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti send the first two talented semi-finalists to Mayfair's Connaught Hotel to experience service in the two-Michelin-starred kitchen of exceptional French chef Helene Darroze. With a successful Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris already, in 2011 Helene brought her acclaimed food across the channel, and is now one of only nine establishments in the capital to hold two stars. The semi-finalists must quickly adjust to cooking at the highest level in Helene's concentrated and largely silent kitchen, as they each take responsibility for one of the unique, precise dishes on her lunch menu. With diners paying up to £125 a head, it's vital they deliver to her exacting standards. Once service is over they each have to prepare Helene's signature dish of black squid ink, with Acquerello rice, calamari, blue lobster, clams and parmigiano reggiano foam for her to taste. A dish that she created eight years ago and that remains very close to her heart, the pressure is on for the chefs to impress with their plate. Finally, the two semi-finalists return to the studio to cook for the last time before Marcus and Monica decide on their fate. They have two hours to produce a main and dessert inspired by their Michelin experience and good enough to blow the judges away. It is a tense and thrilling battle where any mistake could cost them the competition. Once Marcus and Monica have judged their two courses, they must decide which of the chefs is good enough to become a Professional MasterChef finalist.