It's the last semi-final and three of the remaining chefs are in close competition for a place in finals week. For their first challenge, they are sent to cook at one of the UK's most famous restaurants - the two-Michelin-starred Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Oxfordshire, home of legendary chef Raymond Blanc OBE. Here, executive head chef Gary Jones, who has worked as executive chef at Le Manoir for 22 years, takes the three semi-finalists into his kitchen for the ride of their professional lives. Gary works closely with chef patron Raymond to develop and execute the exceptional dishes that have enabled the restaurant to retain its two Michelin stars for over three decades and, over the next two days, the semi-finalists will be lucky enough to experience that skill and perfection first hand.
First, Gary shows the professionals how to make his own unique lobster dish, talking them through the fine and intricate detail of preparation and presentation. The chefs are then given free rein to explore the restaurant's incredible two-acre gardens and collect whatever fresh produce they choose in order to create their own personalised version of Gary's dish. On tasting them, Gary looks for the chef's ability to showcase the seasonality of the beautiful garden produce, whilst displaying a keen eye for presentation and flavour balance.
Once they've given Gary a taste of what they're made of, the three chefs then have the daunting honour of being made responsible for one of Le Manoir's dishes during a packed lunchtime service. With 80 covers to feed and guests arriving from across the world, the stakes couldn't be higher. As Gary polices the pass and watches their every move, the chefs have to keep pace with the frenetic demands of the service and deliver pitch-perfect dishes, time after time. It's their chance to prove they have what it takes to work as chefs at the very highest level.
Finally, the chefs return to the MasterChef kitchen to cook against each other in a race for the finals - creating a two-course menu to be judged by Monica, Marcus and Gregg. They must create their best main and dessert of the competition so far, as nothing short of perfection will help them now. The dishes they deliver to the judges will either secure them a place in finals week or see them sent home.
Only the two strongest chefs will make it into finals week, taking them one step closer to the title of MasterChef: The Professionals Champion 2017.
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