Masterchef UK is back for a 15th series, complete with a new batch of foodies ready to do battle in the kitchen.
This year's contestants will be cooking for survival in a bid to take home the coveted Masterchef title which has kick started the careers of previous hopefuls, many of which went on to open chains, pen cookbooks and present on TV.
This season’s contestants will hope to follow in their predecessors’ footsteps by impressing the judges with challenging dishes and unique takes on some culinary classics.
Here’s everything you need to know about the new series:
When does Masterchef come back on TV?
Luckily, we don’t have long to wait. The first episode of the new series airs on Monday, February 11 at 9pm on BBC One.
In the same week, you can catch episodes on Wednesday 13 at 8pm and Friday 15 at 9pm.
Proving that it’s impossible to have too much Masterchef, the show will air three days a week for the first four weeks and then upped to four days a week for the all-important final stages.
Who are the judges?
It may be a new series, but it’s still the same old judges. Masterchef veterans Gregg Wallace and John Torode return to the show to put the contestants through their paces.
Who is in the lineup?
We do know that a total of 56 amateur chefs are in the competition and have had a glimpse of some of them in the BBC official trailer – but we’re yet to put names to the faces.
What can we expect from the new series?
From jaw-dropping masterpieces to absolute disasters, any long-term fan of Masterchef will know that each series is never short of drama.
The first episode will see last year’s finalists, David Crichton, Kenny Tutt and Nawamin Pinpathomrat, judging contestants’ food on presentation, texture and most importantly, taste.
The nail-biting Critic’s Test is also back for series 15, during which the contestants will face the wrath (or praise) of some of the country’s most renowned food critics.
Who won Masterchef 2018?
Kenny Tutt was the talented chef who beat his fellow contestants to the Masterchef crown in 2018.
Kenny, a 35-year-old bank manager from West Sussex, said he appeared on Masterchef because he wanted to try something different, had always loved to cook and had fond memories of cooking with his mum as a child.
Judges Wallace and Torrode congratulated Kenny on his “crowd-pleasing” menu, which featured roasted scallops to start, squab pigeon breast and a bitter chocolate dessert.
On winning the show, Kenny said: “It was a really special day. I have learnt so much and I couldn’t appreciate it any more. Today was 100 per cent my best cooking in the entire competition everything just fell into place. I am just blown away. I have put my heart and soul into it and it’s been an absolute pleasure. It’s up there with the happiest days of my life!”
Kenny is now working on developing his own menus, hosting private dining experiences and appearing at live cooking shows around the country.
Here’s hoping this year’s winner has a similar success story.
