First the contestants cooked their signature dishes for the judges. Kathleen was preparing two dishes, while Peter sampled some of the wine he was using for his coq au vin. Gary and George wondered if Michelle’s lean lamb cutlets could carry the flavour of her spices and herbs without salt being added.

Gary said the presentation of Michelle’s spiced lamb cutlets with eggplant and blackcurrant couscous was spot on. He commented some salt would have worked wonders and George suggested using dehydrated chickpea dust to bring out flavour if Michelle didn’t want to use salt.

Gary would have liked to have seen more sauce with Kathleen’s chicken adobo but her caramel flan was a smash hit with Gary and George.

George said the chicken in Peter’s coq au vin was juicy but his grainy and lumpy mash let him down. George told Peter adding egg yolks to his mash wasn’t a good idea. Matt proclaimed the mashed potato a disaster but told Peter his chicken was absolutely beautiful.

Kathleen won the first round and had to pick from two dishes by Brent Savage, chef at Bentley restaurant and bar. Instead of a dessert, Kathleen nominated a complicated dish for the pressure test - roast spatchcock with sweet corn polenta, pistachio and asparagus.

The contestants had two and a half hours to make the two page recipe and one lifeline each to have Brent’s assistance for 90 seconds. They carefully prepared the spatchcocks, taking care not to rip the skin which they needed to wrap the spatchcock ball in.

They had to place the balls in water that was exactly 68°C. Kathleen used her lifeline and Brent reminded her about her confit in the oven which she had forgotten about. Michelle also used her lifeline.

After they took the spatchcock balls out of the water, the contestants had to fry them in hot oil, taking care they didn’t explode. Peter called for Brent who told him he had used oil instead of stock for his jus. Brent suggested Peter start a new sauce with his fried chicken bones and stock.

The contestants finished their pressure test dishes and Peter was the first to present his to the judges. Gary said the spatchcock ball was cooked well. Matt observed Peter had made pistachio "soil" instead of a puree and his dish lacked sauce.

The judges thought Kathleen had made a wonderful sauce but Matt said her spatchcock ball was overcooked.

Gary pronounced Michelle’s jus magnificent but noted her chicken was borderline – her spatchcock ball was just cooked. Matt thought Michelle’s dish was the best looking they’d seen and said her polenta confit block was delicious.

Michelle won the pressure test and a place in the semi-finals.

Stay tuned for the next round of celebrity contestants!