A real game of two halves this season – the format whittles down 2 cohorts before bringing them together for a further winnowing, and I’ve never seen such an outrageously talented group in one half, and then a more “survival of the least lame” in the second. A couple of people toppled when you knew there were less-talented, less-ambitious chefs going forward, but that’s the nature of the game. Gutting how a simple mistake (like knocking a saucepan off a stove!) can totally change the look of the field. And as ever, I enjoyed watching this in parallel to reading the excellent recaps by Ariadne.

MasterChef: The Professionals (Season 17)
🌳 Buy me a Tree