MasterChef: The Professionals is a BBC television competitive cooking show aired on BBC Two. It is a spin-off from the main MasterChef series, for professional working chefs. Introduced in 2008, Gregg Wallace and India Fisher reprised their roles as co-judge and voiceover respectively. MasterChef judge John Torode was replaced by Michel Roux, Jr., a two-Michelin-star chef, assisted, from 2009, by his sous-chef Monica Galetti. Since 2011, Sean Pertwee has taken over Fisher's role as voiceover. On 11 March 2014, it was announced that Roux Jr had left the show due to "a conflict in commercial interests".[1] Three months later his replacement was announced as Marcus Wareing. Series 1 (2008) Derek Johnstone won the first series on 19 September 2008, and went on to take a job with Michel Roux Jr at Le Gavroche restaurant in London. Series 2 (2009) The second series began on 14 September 2009 at 8:30 pm on BBC2 and was won by Steve Groves on 22 October 2009.[3] On 6 June 2010 the series was awarded a BAFTA in the Features category at the British Academy Television Awards 2010, fending off competition from The Choir, James May's Toy Stories and Heston's Feasts. Series 3 (2010) The third series began on Monday 20 September 2010, the eventual winner being 30-year-old Claire Lara from Liverpool.[4] She was pregnant at the time.[5] Series 4 (2011) The fourth series began on 7 November 2011, with India Fisher's voiceover replaced with Sean Pertwee. The series concluded on 15 December 2011, with finalists Steve Barringer[6] and Claire Hutchings[7] being beaten by winner Ash Mair.[8][9][10] Mair, 34, from Tasmania. He cooked a final three-course menu comprising a starter of roasted monkfish tail with lentils and Basque piperade; roast rump of lamb with braised lamb neck potato croquette; and a dessert of Spanish bread and butter pudding with vanilla parfait. This was the first series where two semi finalists were put through to the final from the same semi final heat. This resulted in 4 finalists for the first time and in the cook off Oliver Farrar,[11][12] was knocked out from the finals week. Series 5 (2012) Series 5 was first broadcast on 5 November 2012, with the final aired on 13 December 2012. Sean Pertwee continued to provide the voiceover. The title was jointly awarded (for the first time in MasterChef history)[13] to Anton Piotrowski, head chef of The Treby Arms, Plymouth and freelance event caterer Keri Moss of South London. The third finalist was Oli Boon. Series 6 (2013) Series 6 started in November 2013. In the final, broadcast on 12 December 2013, Steven Edwards was crowned the winner.[14] The final task was to prepare a three-course meal for judges Roux Jr, Galetti and Wallace.[15] The two other finalists were Scott Davies and Adam Handling.[16] Series 7 (2014) Series 7 started in 4 November 2014. In the final, broadcast on the 23rd of December 2014, Jamie Scott was crowned victor.[17] The other two finalists were Brian McLeish and Sven-Hanson Britt.

• published: 30 Nov 2015
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