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It’s the first heat of this year’s competition, and six talented cooks from all walks of life are in the wings, braced for culinary battle. Amongst the amateurs are an IT teacher, the MD of a construction company and a financial advisor who will certainly need their wits about them from the moment they enter the kitchen. Their first goal is to secure one of four gleaming white MasterChef aprons, their key to the adventure that awaits. With just four available, it’s only those who stand out among the pack that will succeed.

First up, Anna and Grace are putting trust in the amateurs’ taste buds as they introduce the Signature Dish round. Signature dishes of a restaurant are often the best dishes in the house, demonstrating what makes that chef tick. Now, it’s the contestant’s best dish in their own house that’s the focus. What dish is a sure-fire hit with family and friends, and is sure to get them noticed by the judges? The best two dishes will find the cook’s efforts rewarded with a MasterChef apron as they sail through to the next round.

The other four will have one more chance to shine as they fight it out for the last two aprons, taking on the Classic Recipe Test. The amateurs will each have the same recipe and ingredients required for a dish, but how will they fare when they find out some key information has been withheld? The recipe is for one of Anna’s favourite brunch dishes and an Irish classic, which puts core cookery skills to test. Which amateur’s skill, knowledge and culinary instinct will be enough to guide them through?

The four aproned-up amateurs have one more hurdle to jump to secure their quarter-final place. Anna and Grace have invited three exciting guest diners to sample the amateurs' finest fare. It’s a welcome return to last year’s final three: champion Harry Maguire and finalists Claire Syrenne and Sophie Sugrue. They will taste two courses from each of the cooks, and having been recent success stories in their own right, these diners know exactly what it will take to impress.

The diners’ feedback will be invaluable food for thought as Anna and Grace make the ultimate decision, choosing which three cooks deserve to become part of this series’ quarter-finalists.