Gareth Baty only lifted the trophy in the spring, and the MasterChef kitchen is already being cleared for the next batch. A schedule shake-up pushed series 18 of MasterChef: The Professionals back to February, but series 19 returns to the show’s traditional winter slot, and with three episodes a week, we'll see the new champion crowned just before Christmas.
There’s one fewer judge at the pass this time. Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti return as a duo, but Matt Tebbutt doesn’t: the Saturday Kitchen presenter replaced Gregg Wallace for series 18 and said in March that he was only ever signed up for one run.
Waiting for them are 24 chefs, and the line-up is a decent snapshot of where good cooking is happening in the UK right now. Tom Kerridge’s The Hand and Flowers in Marlow has sent a Demi Chef de Partie, while two London Sous Chefs come from kitchens SquareMeal readers will know well: Cynthia Shanmugalingam’s Sri Lankan restaurant Rambutan in Borough Market, and Fitzrovia’s 64 Goodge Street. Beyond the capital, the competing kitchens stretch from Cornwall to Belfast, taking in Birmingham, Bristol, Abergavenny, Portsmouth and the Scottish Borders along the way. Then there’s the wildcard contingent: private chefs, a mobile caterer, a college lecturer and the founders of supper clubs and pop-ups.
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For diners, that’s the real appeal. The chefs sweating through the skills test in November are often the ones worth tracking down a year later - Baty now pops up around the country as The Wandering Cumbrian. Below, you’ll find a short profile of every chef competing and where to eat their food, plus everything else you need to know about the new series.
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When does MasterChef: The Professionals 2026 series 19 start?
MasterChef: The Professionals 2026 series 19 starts on BBC One on Tuesday 3 November at 8pm, with three episodes airing every week for seven weeks.
Who are the judges on MasterChef: The Professionals 2026?
Series 19 of MasterChef: The Professionals sees Monica Galetti and Marcus Wareing return for another year, but this time they're without Matt Tebbutt, after it was announced that the Saturday Kitchen host would only be participating for the one season.
Who are the chefs on MasterChef: The Professionals 2026?
Get to know all the chefs competing on this year's show, and where they're currently cooking.
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Abigail Smith (Demi Chef de Partie at The Hand and Flowers)
Aleandro Brown (Private Chef)
Alfred Petty (Chef and Owner of Petty Fours)
Andrea Ruszel (Private Chef and Founder of Andrea’s Table)
Ben Black (Junior Sous Chef at Knockinaam Lodge Hotel & Restaurant, previously at Condita during filming)
Clara Lim (Sous Chef at Rambutan)
Connor Wilson (Head Chef at The Kirkstyle Inn and Sportsman’s Rest)
Dan Nunn (Senior Sous Chef at The Sir Charles Napier)
Dominique Ogunlowo (Private Chef and Food Blogger)
Filomena D'Uva (Chef Patron at Delizia Italian Food)
Gregory Schaad-Jackson (Virtual Cooking Experience Host and Mobile Caterer)
Ibraheem “Ibz” Umar (Chef de Partie and Co-Founder of Guatú)
Inayya Hamid (Sous Chef at 64 Goodge Street)
Isabel Almeida Da Silva (Co-Founder and Head Chef at Volta Do Mar)
Jacintha Henderson (Lecturer at City of Glasgow College and freelance chef)
Jack Sencherey-Evans (Operations Director at Relentless Steak & Lobster House, previously Natty’s Jerk during filming)
Jemma Harrison (Chef & Owner of Kaunter)
Jim Foster-Grundy (Head Chef at The Goose and Cuckoo)
Kieran Jones (Sous Chef at Sunlaws Restaurant, Schloss Roxburghe Hotel)
Manuel Ribeiro (Head Chef at 670 Grams)
Matty Grove (Head Chef at Caper & Cure, Bristol)
Morteza Nouri (Private Chef)
Ruchi Mehrotra (Private Chef and owner of Milaanj by Ruchi Mehrotra)
Sebastian Brooks (Junior sous chef at Jumeirah Carlton Tower)
When is the MasterChef: The Professionals 2026 final?
The final of MasterChef: The Professionals series 19 is on Friday 18 December at 8pm.
Who won MasterChef: The Professionals 2026 series 18?
It was 40-year-old Gareth Baty who was awarded the trophy and given the title of MasterChef: The Professionals 2026 series 18 champion. Gareth is a private chef, originally from Cumbria, who wowed the judges with his food which Marcus described as 'bold, flavoursome and from the heart' with Monica adding that his final three dishes were 'faultless'.
Commenting on his win, Gareth said: 'This means everything to me, it’s the best feeling I’ve ever had. It’s absolutely incredible, I’m over the moon. If I’ve learned anything through this competition it’s cooking food you believe in and cooking from the heart can take you a long way. Hopefully this journey is just the beginning.'
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Gareth's winning menu:
Starter: Langoustine and green apple tartar, served with a kefir and caviar sauce that had been split with dill oil, topped with tomato tuille, dusted with tomato powder, served with a marie rose langoustine mayonnaise.
Main: Chicken breast roulade wrapped in a chicken and truffle mousse, with king oyster mushroom, set puree and tarragon mayonnaise, served with a side of shoestring fries, finished with a madeira sauce.
Dessert: A layer of milk chocolate cremeux, and dulce de leche cremeux, topped with a brandy snap and brandy poached pears, finished with a ginger and brandy sauce.
What are the challenges on MasterChef: The Professionals?
The challenges on MasterChef: The Professionals differ slightly from the regular series, with more complex tasks given to contestants, as might be expected. From coming up with high-end dining concepts on the spot to stripping techniques back and making a meal without any fancy chef equipment, the cooks are really put through their paces. Below are details on the most common challenges, so you know what to expect from MasterChef: The Professionals this year.
Skills test
For many this is the most stressful round to watch as chefs are given a classic dish or technique to tackle under the watchful eye of the judges. The judges typically take turns demonstrating how they would like each challenge completed before contestants are called in to have a go themselves with minimal instructions. There’s always a pastry chef who is horrified by having to debone an animal and always someone who has never made pasta. Enjoy.
Signature dish
The signature dish challenge is played out each and every year and requires the team of hopefuls to showcase their cooking style in just one plate of food. There are bound to be ups and downs, with some triumphing and others seeing their dreams shatter on the unveiling of a solid chocolate fondant or an overcooked piece of meat.
Invention test
The invention test really sorts the wheat from the chaff, where chefs are given one humble ingredient and are tasked with creating something beautiful from it, with the choice of just a few other larder ingredients. In previous shows Marcus has given everyone rice to cook with, to see what they can make from such an everyday product. Other invention tests will take place throughout the competition, with the format usually allowing the chefs to choose from a limited range of ingredients in order to produce a specific sweet or savoury task set by the judges.
Pop-up challenge
Previously, the contestants had to take on a pop-up food stand at Pergola London food market. This MasterChef challenge was aired over two episodes and saw street food at the centre of the chefs’ offerings. There was an audience of the MasterChef judges as well as invited foodie royalty, who all voted on their favourite dishes to crown a winner.
A personal dish
Another stalwart of the MasterChef lineup, the personal dish round challenges the contestants to produce one plate of food that evokes a memory, reminds them of a favourite person or holds sentimental value to them for some reason. The stories here are usually as good as the cooking, with everyone putting their all into making their friends and family proud after having name-checked them as the inspiration.
The chef’s table
Arguably the most important challenge of all the rounds, the chef’s table is an annual event held in central London. High-profile industry professionals are invited along, including Michelin-starred chefs (holding an intimidating 20 stars between them typically), to try the dishes of the MasterChef: The Professionals hopefuls.
What is the prize for winning MasterChef: The Professionals?
Surprisingly, after weeks of intense competition, contestants receive no prize other than the prestige of winning. Everything is at stake when you are being judged on your livelihood though. The real prize is the new connections and opportunities that come with the publicity from the show. In fact, many winners go on to open their own restaurants or write cookbooks, and become celebrities in their own right.
If you're keen to brush up on your own culinary skills, check out this handy guide to the best cooking classes in the UK.
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