Episode 16

After five weeks of fraught competition, it's the semi-finals and eight supremely talented chefs remain standing. It's sink or swim as the semi-finalists cook off against each other for the first time, each with their sights set on the MasterChef: The Professionals trophy.

It's straight in at the deep end with the first task, as professionals are asked to create a dish showcasing two of the most popular ingredients in the world – salt and pepper. They will only have one hour and 45 minutes to deliver a scrumptious plate of food that allows these two seasonings to shine. It's a balancing act, as too much of either can kill a dish, so they must strike the right balance to impress the judges. The hopefuls will need to give it everything they've got, as the best four chefs will be guaranteed to make one of the remaining six places.

The four chefs who fail to make the cut will have one more opportunity to prove their worth as they face an Invention Test with a twist. It's time to deliver a plant-based plate of food. Can they come up with an exciting dish that tickles the taste buds? A huge selection of fruit and veg will be on hand to kick their imagination into overdrive, but only those who push the boundaries can hope to secure one of the last two places in the next round.

Those who deliver will join the four from the previous round and edge closer to the MasterChef: The Professionals 2023 trophy.