Perfect...

Foodie favourite Valentine Warner takes on Thomasina Miers, founder of Mexican restaurant chain Wahaca, as the pair cook up a Central American feast. Simple: Eat with your fingers first. Thomasina goes for authentic aguachile and sangrita. Valentine keeps it classic with guacamole and a margarita. Classic: Nothing says Mexican like tacos. Thomasina fills hers with potatoes, chorizo and chipotle salsa. Valentine prefers poblano chillies for his rahas tacos. Ultimate: Time for the showstoppers. Thomasina gets to work on a steak burrito made with home-made tortillas, while Valentine keeps it colourful with sea bass red and green.

Italian food expert Theo Randall and Gordon Ramsey protégé Mark Sargeant bring fresh twists to eating al fresco. Classic: Scotch eggs are easy to make and take. Theo likes his rolled in polenta, Mark is all about black pudding. Simple: Salads are a must on a hot day. Theo makes fried aubergine with a fig and mozzarella salad. Mark keeps it timeless with a salad niçoise. Ultimate: Ready to go gourmet on the grass? Theo makes vitello tonnato with green bean salad and Mark impresses with an asparagus picnic loaf.

Top sushi chef Nic Watt and Ching-He Huang cook up an impressive Asian banquet that’s easier than it looks. Classic: It’s got to be dumplings. For Nic, it’s prawn and cod gyoza. For Ching, it’s prawn and Chinese chive dumplings. Simple: Meat is on the menu, with Nic’s miso lamb cutlets and Ching’s spicy ribs with cucumber pickle. Ultimate: The feast gets decadent. Nic makes beef shabu shabu, Ching creates a black bean dressed lobster.

You know the way to the heart. Mark Sargeant makes a comeback to make the perfect dinner for two, alongside no-fuss cook Jo Pratt. Simple starter: Aphrodisiacs come first with Mark’s pea and asparagus risotto and Jo’s dressed oysters with prosecco. Classic main: Lobster is a favourite. Mark serves his with grapefruit butter and crushed potatoes. Jo makes lobster spaghetti with crisp fennel shavings. Ultimate dessert: Two spoons? Try Mark’s cold chocolate and sea buckthorn fondant or Jo’s panna cotta with rose syrup and pistachio biscuits.

It’s a world tour on a Saturday night. Ching-He Huang is back, this time up against Market Kitchen regular Paul Merrett for some weekend cooking. Classic: There’s an alternative to the chippy when it comes to fish and chips. Ching tries Chinese fish and chips with spicy ketchup, while Paul makes traditional beer-battered haddock and thrice-cooked chips with mushy peas. Simple: It’s a battle of flavours with Ching’s crispy sweet chilli beef and egg fried rice and Paul’s tandoori-style chicken with Asian salad. Ultimate: Show off with Ching’s Peking duck pancakes or Paul’s American-style fried chicken with coleslaw and wedges.

Spend a relaxed afternoon making these baked goodies. Jo Pratt is back for the challenge, this time alongside chef Michael Caines. Classic: A quiche is a weekend staple. Michael reinvents his with leek and smoked haddock, while Jo opts for well-known quiche lorraine. Simple: Get your sweet tooth into these easy treats. Michael bakes choc chip and walnut biscuits. Jo makes an apple crumble traybake with toffee cream. Ultimate: Spatulas at the ready. Michael shows how to make raspberry and pistachio macaroons, while Jo matches up with triple layered carrot cake with clementine frosting.

Leon co-founder Allegra McEvedy squares up to Paul Merrett, back to compete on entertaining at home. Simple: Keep it nice and easy with drinks and nibbles. Allegra makes ham and pea croquetas served with sherry or Spanish beer. Paul goes for crab on toast and serrano ham and fig on ciabatta, accompanied by an old fashioned lemonade, vodka and blackberry cocktail. Classic: The chefs cook up chilli, with Allegra making braised chilli con carne and Paul inventing chilli con carne with everything. Ultimate: A sharing dish is always a talking point. Allegra impresses with Cuban rabbit lasagne and Paul with seafood bouillabaisse with red pepper rouille.

British chefs Matt Tebbutt and Johnnie Mountain battle it out to create the perfect pub lunch. Simple starter: Will Matt’s spiced crab rarebit beat Johnnie’s chicken liver pate? Classic main: Pork belly is on the menu, but will it be Matt’s slow roast pork belly with celeriac and apple dauphinoise or Johnnie’s pork belly with mustard mash, red cabbage and apple jam? Ultimate: The puds have to be tip top. Matt makes raspberry and almond tart. Johnnie whips up chocolate fondant with mascarpone ice cream

Chefs Allegra McEvedy and Maria Elia take on street food and make it their own. Classic: It’s kebabs at dawn first, with Allegra on spicy lamb shish and Maria on Middle Eastern chicken kebabs. Simple: Will it be Allegra’s corn pancakes with sriracha chilli sauce? Or will the judges prefer Maria’s Asian prawn omelette? Ultimate: Allegra pulls out all the stops with empanaditas, pancit guisado and peanut brittle. Maria steps it up with pulled pork, apple slaw and brioche buns.

Tom Kerridge takes on Valentine Warner, who is back to try his hand at the best barbecue recipes. Classic: The chefs gets busy making ribs, with Tom choosing maple and smoked paprika ribs and Valentine spicing things up with baby back ribs and barbecue sauce. Simple: Tom fires up squid with cucumber, avocado and mint salsa, while Valentine keeps it easygoing with corn on the cob with mayo and cheese plus barbecued spring onions. Ultimate: Tom impresses with jerk fillet of beef with slow roasted potatoes and onions. Valentine goes for grilled turbot with coriander sauce and roasted chickpea, pepper and orange salad.

West Country chef Tom Kerridge takes on Tristan Welch as they compete to make the best Sunday lunch. Simple starter: Tom stirs up parsley soup with bacon, garlic and orange, while Tristan goes for fried duck egg with mushrooms on toast. Classic roast: It’s twice-cooked roast chicken with roast potatoes and stuffing from Tristran and roast beef with Yorkshire pudding and potatoes from Tom. Ultimate pud: Who will enjoy sweet victory? It could be Tom, with crème brulee and honey beer. Or will it be Tristan, with Yorkshire pudding with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.

Mark Sargeant is back, this time up against popular cook Gizzi Erskine for a pudding special. Classic: It’s all about lemon sponge with vanilla for Matt, while Gizzie goes for steamed ginger pudding with custard. Simple: Gizzi makes passionfruit curd with raspberry puds and Matt creates caramelised banana and butterscotch fool. Ultimate: Chocolate and lavender mille feuille give Mark a fighting chance, while Gizzi steps it up with rice pudding soufflé with raspberry sauce.

Matt Tebbutt and Paul Merrett are back, this time vying against each other to serve up the best comfort food. Classic: Nothing is as heart-warming as shepherd’s pie (probably). Matt keeps his shepherd’s pie simple, while Paul makes his a roast leg of lamb shepherd’s pie with red cabbage. Simple: For Matt, it’s spaghetti and meatballs. Paul gets cosy with an easy fish finger sandwich with tartare sauce. Ultimate: This is food to comfort and impress. Matt goes for braised oxtail with grapes and white onion risotto, while Paul makes roast chicken with cauliflower cheese.

It’s curry night for Ravinder Bhogal and Aktar Islam, who go head to head to make a spicy feast. Simple starter: Ravinder starts with aloo chikki chana chaat, while Aktar squares up with onion, potato and spinach pakora with chutney. Classic: The chefs compete with their own take on rogan josh. Ravinder makes a slow cooked mutton shoulder rogan josh. Aktar goes for a classic rogan josh. Ultimate: Ravinder show off with quail byriani, while Aktar makes roasted monkfish with Andhra-style nelu fish curry, bengali aubergine and deep fried spiced chickpeas.

Theo Randall makes a comeback to go up against Francesco Mazzei to make a three Italian dishes each. Simple antipasti: Theo starts with calamari in padella with rocket salad, while Francesco makes insalata di mare (seafood salad) with aubergine caponata. Classic: Nothing says Italian like lasagne. Theo shows how to make beef and pancetta lasagne, while Francesco goes for lasagna pastachina.

Valentine Warner returns, this time up against Kenny Atkinson to see who can make the top fish supper. Classic: Moules frites are a favourite. It’s curried mussels with twice cooked frites from Valentine, while Kenny opts for mussels with chunky chips and spiced mayonnaise. Simple: Kenny makes baked salmon with ratatouille. Valentine competes with black bream with braised fennel. Ultimate: For Valentine, the showstopper is cuttlefish with tomato and brandy with buttered rice. Kenny makes baked John Dory with leeks, wild mushrooms, artichokes and truffle with herbed new potatoes.

Thomasina Miers returns, this time in a cook-off with Omar Allibhoy as the pair get together for a Spanish night. Simple: Tapas is easy. Thomasina shows how to make calamari and black pudding with chickpeas and pine nuts. Omar competes with gambas a la plancha. Classic: The chefs make their own versions of paella, with Omar choosing paella Valenciana with chicken and rabbit and Thomasina opting for seafood paella. Ultimate: Ham, egg and chips the Spanish way impresses from Thomasina, but Omar comes back with roast suckling pig.

Market Kitchen Lisa Allen takes on Kenny Atkinson, who’s back to fight for the title for best weekend entertainer. Simple starter: Lisa gets going with potted shrimp with lemon and black pepper mayonnaise , while Kenny makes pan-seared scallops with butternut squash puree, sauteed wild mushrooms and truffle oil. Classic: Who will make the best rack of lamb? Kenny goes for roast rack of lamb with pease pudding, fondant potato and mint sauce jelly. Lisa stands a chance with her herb-crusted rack of lamb with potatoes and green beans. Ultimate dessert: Will it be Lisa’s vanilla and rum roasted pineapple, pinneapple jelly and eccles cake ice cream? Or will it be Kenny, with DIY doughnuts filled with either custard, blackcurrant or raspberry jam and rolled in either cinnamon or lemon sherbert sugar.

Tom Kerridge and Mark Sargeant go all out to get a family Christmas just right. This episode will air in December 2012. Classic: Tom makes turkey with black pudding stuffing, sprouts and chestnuts, roast potatoes, carrots in star anise, pigs in blankets and sherry gravy. Mark goes all out with roast turkey with sage and onion stuffing, duck fat potatoes, parsnips and carrots, sprouts with almonds and pigs and devils in blankets served with bread sauce. Simple: After all that, it’s a leftover pasty with mash and re-fried sprouts from Tom and turkey stir fry with crispy noodles from Mark. Ultimate: Save the best ‘til last with Tom’s Christmas trifle and Marl’s St Clements trifle.

Valentine Warner and Jo Pratt are back for a Christmas challenge. Classic: Valentine makes boiled gammon with Cumberland sauce, potatoes and carrots. Jo goes for pistachio and orange crusted ham with sage cornbread and a wintery slaw. Simple: It’s a port cup, taramasalata and flat bread from Valentine and clementine and campari martini with a crab and avocado blini from Jo. Ultimate: Valentine keeps it seasonal with quinces poached in wine and cloves with creme fraiche and candied walnuts. Jo gets festive with orange, cranberry pancakes with cinnamon butter.