In the penultimate round, the pressure is on as the four remaining chefs compete to secure their place in the final three and a chance to cook in one of the world's best restaurants.
First, they must cook-off in the Classic Reimagined round. It's a potentially career-defining moment for the contenders, and they have two hours to stamp their own personalities and styles onto a world-renowned classic. One chef will leave the contest, as only three can proceed to the next round.
The surviving three contenders are then taken out of the MasterChef kitchen and thrown into a cooking world most chefs can only dream of - one of the world's best restaurants, Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester. With an astonishing 17 Michelin stars across an empire of global establishments, Alain Ducasse is the most celebrated chef living today and has set the standard for modern European cuisine. His world-renowned London restaurant has held three Michelin stars for the past 11 years and is led by executive chef Jean-Philippe Blondet.
Here, the first challenge sees the chefs attend a masterclass run by Jean-Philippe, where they get an insight into Alain Ducasse's philosophy before creating their own dish. They have one hour to deliver a dish inspired by the restaurant's ethos of championing vegetables and zero-waste, before serving it to Jean-Philippe.
Then the finalists face the biggest challenge of their careers. They must cook with Jean-Philippe and his elite kitchen brigade in a restaurant service like no other. Each finalist will be responsible for preparing and cooking one course for an exclusive group of selected guests. They must step up to new heights and handle the pressures of working in a three-Michelin-starred kitchen. Precision and attention to detail are crucial at every stage, and anything less than perfection will not be tolerated.
