Series 9 – Week One
Episode 1 of 23
MasterChef returns for its ninth series with more fantastically talented amateur cooks who want to take a shot at lifting the coveted MasterChef Champion title.
Out of the hundreds that auditioned, fifty amateur cooks are through to battle it out over five weeks of heats, producing some of the most inspiring as well as some of the most disastrous food ever seen on MasterChef.
Tonight, the first five amateur cooks battle against each other.
Firstly, they must hold their nerve in the infamous Invention Test, where they have just one hour to cook an exceptional dish from scratch.
No-one goes home after this because next they have to survive the extremely tricky Palate Test, a brand new MasterChef challenge.
Tonight, Chef John Torode demonstrates to the viewers at home Sweet Stuffed Courgette Flowers with Saffron Custard. Without seeing the demo the amateurs are given just a few minutes to taste this dish, before being asked to write down exactly what it is in it, using their sense of smell, and palate. Then they are asked to recreate John’s dish in just one hour – without a recipe.
At the end of these two challenges, for two contestants it’s the end of the road.
The remaining three are then thrown into a busy lunch time service in London’s Chelsea Harbour Brasserie and after just an hour of learning the ropes, the home-cooks are set loose to prepare dishes for paying customers.
Finally, it’s back to the MasterChef kitchen for the final test of tonight’s Heat show – cooking their own two brilliant courses to impress John and Gregg. The contestants must draw on all their skills and influences as they prepare this food because it is their last chance to win a place in the quarter-finals.
Only the best will survive, taking their first step towards being crowned MasterChef Champion 2013.
Judge John Torode
Judge Gregg Wallace