It's finals week. Judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace have put45 of the UK's most passionate and talented home cooks throughtheir paces in the ultimate test of their culinary prowess asthey search for one exceptional cook, worthy of being crownedMasterChef Champion 2023.The final four talented amateur cookshave given their all to get to this point in the competition.This week marks the last opportunity for them to prove theirworth, as they are forced outside their comfort zone,requiring every last ounce of energy and skill. Only one willtake the title, and for them, life will never be the sameagain.The finalists embark on the culinary adventure of alifetime as they head to Istanbul, where they face threeextraordinary challenges that they will remember for the restof their lives.Their journey starts in a community garden inthe historic village of Kuzguncuk. Split into teams of two,each pair will be tasked with cooking two well-known localdishes, rooted in centuries of tradition, for local people.To help the finalists make sense of this unique multiculturalcuisine, they will be mentored by one of Turkey's best-knownchefs, Refika Birgül.Next, the finalists have the honour ofworking with chef Fatih Tutak at Turk, the only restaurant inIstanbul to have been awarded two Michelin stars.The fourcontestants work a busy lunch service and are tasked withrecreating a dish from Fatih's celebrated tasting menu. Thesedishes represent the future of Turkish fine dining, whereclassic cuisine is re-imagined in spectacular fashion. Cookingat this level will require precision and a steady nerve as thefinal four try to impress Fatih by proving they have what ittakes to hit his two-Michelin-star standard.The final fourmuster up some last reserves of energy as they head off to oneof the city's most exclusive addresses, Pera House – home tothe British Consulate General and the political centre ofTurkish-British relations for over 200 years.Here the finalistsface the daunting challenge of creating an exceptional lunch,hosted by the British Consul General himself- Kenan Poleo. Thefinalists will need to pull out all the stops if they are toimpress the esteemed guests which include not only theirTurkish mentors Fatih Tuta and Refika Birgül but also thethree judges of MasterChef Istanbul.Inspired by their culinaryadventure and showcasing the skills they have developed throughtheir entire MasterChef journey, the finalists dishes must betruly exceptional for them to stand out and prove they havewhat it takes to be crowned MasterChef Champion 2023.
