The Taste (UK)

The mentors sample the cooking of 25 hopefuls - ranging from talented amateurs to professionals from some of Britain's best restaurants. Each of them must deliver just one spoonful of food that will showcase their talent and earn them a spot on the show. Where they're from and how they're trained doesn't matter - only those who can deliver a mouthful of sensational flavour will make the cut.

The three mentors get to witness their hand-picked contestants in action for the first time. Richard Corrigan sets and judges a 'classic' challenge, where the mentors have to coach their cooks to create the best prawn cocktail. In the elimination challenge, the contestants are on their own as the mentors return to the role of judges. At the end of the show one of them is eliminated.

Only 11 cooks now remain. This time the challenge is all about comfort food, with dishes ranging from ginger and black pepper rice pudding to posh cheese on toast. And to stay in the competition the contestants must make a pie fit for Michelin-starred guest chef Michael Caines.

The cooks prepare some spiced sweet dishes for guest chef Yotam Ottolenghi, then serve up the spiciest spoonfuls they can muster to Nigella, Anthony and Ludo - with some eye-watering results.

The cooks keep it in the family, making recipes passed down through the generations. Emotions run high as the contestants try to do their mums, dads, grandparents and godparents proud. But, as always after the blind tastings, somebody must head home. And guest chef Ruth Rogers sets the immunity challenge.

The show goes to chocolate heaven, as the cooks are challenged to produce sensational sweet and savoury spoonfuls containing chocolate, ranging from chocolate cupcakes to chocolate and Stilton tarts.

Simon Rogan, the chef behind L'enclume, one of Britain's best restaurants, shows the cooks how one man's trash can be another man's treasure, as he challenges them to cook fantastic food using leftovers.

This week is all about meat, and features the master of 'nose to tail' cooking Fergus Henderson as guest chef. To progress to the semi-final the cooks have to prove they can make exceptional food from the very finest cuts of meat and from the 'forgotten cuts', like bone marrow and tripe.

Five cooks remain, but only four can progress to the final. Tonight's theme is 'simplicity', and the queen of sublime food, Angela Hartnett, is the guest everyone's desperate to impress.

It's the final, and the remaining four cooks battle it out to make heavenly champagne canapés. Who will be the champion of The Taste?