Masterchef: The Professionals 11x18 - Episode 18

It is semi-finals week and the competition is heating up.MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace teams up with chef MonicaGaletti and Michelin-starred Marcus Wareing to continue theirsearch for this year's MasterChef: The Professionalschampion.It is the last semi-final and the three remainingchefs are in close competition for a place in finals week. Fortheir first challenge, they are sent to cook at an exclusiveaddress in Padstow, Cornwall - Paul Ainsworth at No 6. ChefPaul Ainsworth honed his skills with culinary legends GaryRhodes, Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing before striking outon his own in Cornwall. With his unique inimitable style ofcombining playful creativity with bold, beautiful andperfectly balanced flavours Paul won a Michelin star and he isnow considered one of the greatest chefs in Britain in his ownright. The chefs will have the enviable opportunity to learnfrom Ainsworth himself and cook alongside his elite brigade.Thefirst step for the chefs is to understand the inspiration andelegance of Paul's food when he gives them a masterclass anddemonstrates his barbecued Cornish duck with Peking tea and apick-your-own salad. Buoyed on by the insight and energy thatPaul imparts, the chefs are challenged to create their versionof his duck dish for him to taste. Paul needs reassurance thatthe chefs before him have understood his philosophy and canemulate his impeccable cookery. He is looking for outstandingskill, personality and a perfect palate from the threechefs.Once the chefs have shown that they have the culinarymastery to take a place in his kitchen, they are each shown adish from Paul's menu. The chefs will join Paul's dedicatedbrigade and take responsibility for one dish each to be servedduring a packed service in his prestigious Michelin-starredrestaurant. The chefs face the toughest challenge of theircareers, the orders come thick and fast and the dishes willonly be served once Paul is satisfied they are perfect.Finally, the chefs return to the MasterChef kitchen to cookagainst each other in a race for the finals - creating atwo-course menu to be judged by Monica, Marcus and Gregg. Theymust create their best main and dessert of the competition sofar, as nothing short of perfection will help them now. Thedishes they deliver to the judges will either secure them aplace in finals week or see them sent home. Only the twostrongest chefs will make it into finals week, taking them onestep closer to the title of MasterChef: The ProfessionalsChampion 2018.