MasterChef (ES)

Out of the thousands of hopefuls who apply for the MasterChef 14 auditions, only the very best reach the final selection round. There, they have 40 minutes to prepare a dish of their choice, followed by an additional five minutes to finish it in front of the judges. To earn the coveted white apron and officially become contestants this series, they must receive the unanimous approval of the judging panel. Chef Begoña Rodrigo (one Michelin star) joins the judges to oversee and assess the contestants’ cooking during this decisive stage. Once the final cast is confirmed, MasterChef travels to the Monterrei region in Ourense, an area of extraordinary natural beauty that was severely affected by last summer’s forest fires. In tribute to the firefighters who fought the blaze and the local residents impacted by the disaster, the contestants face a major culinary challenge. They must prepare a menu designed by chefs Lydia del Olmo and Xosé Magalhaes (one Michelin star) for 120 guests, including firefighters, forest rangers and members of the local community. The losing team will face the first elimination challenge. Back in the MasterChef kitchens, the contestants encounter their first Mystery Box, which reveals the main ingredient for the challenge: chocolate. The black aprons must recreate the famous Dubai chocolate bar, a viral social media sensation consisting of chocolate filled with pistachio cream and kataifi crumble. They must also present an original dessert of their own creation using, at minimum, the same ingredients. For this challenge, the judges welcome Miguel Torres, from Celebrity MasterChef 10, and master pastry chef Jesús Quirós, widely recognised as one of Spain’s leading master chocolatiers. To show that creativity and enjoyment are also key ingredients in the kitchen, Marta Sanahuja will put on her chef’s jacket and cook alongside the contestants.

The second week of MasterChef is packed with challenges designed to test the contestants’ creativity, technique, and culinary intuition. The evening begins with a visit from Juanjo Bona and Masi Rodríguez, who guide the contestants in reinventing the classic ‘bikini’ sandwich and embracing the ‘swavory’ trend (innovative combinations of sweet and savory flavors). For the team challenge, the kitchens move to Desert City, an experimental botanical garden in Madrid. Here, the contestants cook two haute cuisine Mexican menus created by Michelin-starred chef Roberto Ruiz. Each team is responsible for preparing two main courses and a dessert for 80 charity diners, including members of the Association Against Metastatic Cancer and Cris Contra el Cancer. The week concludes with a demanding elimination challenge focused on smoking techniques. Black-aproned contestants fight to stay in the competition by crafting a signature dish where smoke plays a central role. Mentored by Valeria Ros, and with the return of Bea Negro, finalist from MasterChef 12+1, the contestants must demonstrate precision, creativity, and bold flavor combinations under pressure.

The judging panel has some fun revisiting a selection of the show’s most iconic memes, created throughout its 13 years on air and 38 seasons. The Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) recognises the term “meme” as an image or video altered for comic effect and mainly shared online. The contestants must create a dish inspired by one of these memes without losing what makes it instantly recognisable. Mario Vaquerizo, finalist on MasterChef Celebrity 3, is responsible for assigning the memes to the contestants. Next, the competition moves to Jerez de la Frontera, Spanish Capital of Gastronomy 2026. This city is not only the birthplace of flamenco and sherry wine It also stands proudly as the official destination for lovers of fine dining. The contestants cook at Bodega Valdespino, part of the Estévez Group, one of the city’s most iconic wineries. There, they prepare a menu created by Juanlu Fernández (two Michelin stars), one of Jerez’s most celebrated chefs, for one hundred discerning local diners. The teams work in relays to complete the service. Actress Belén López, contestant on MasterChef Celebrity 6 and DecoMasters duellist, visits the kitchens to encourage the teams. Back in the MasterChef kitchens, the judges remind the contestants that some culinary mistakes have gone down in gastronomic history, such as the famous French Tarte Tatin. One of the most viral modern twists is the upside-down cheesecake, where the biscuit base covers the cheesecake with a jam filling inside. For the evening’s final challenge, the contestants must prepare their own upside-down cake, reinterpreting the classic one with ingredients of their choice. The result must be finger-licking good for the judges. Juanma Castaño, winner of MasterChef Celebrity 6, joins the judging panel while Pepe Rodríguez prepares his own version of the dessert in the kitchens.

After the double elimination in the last episode, one MasterChef contestant can earn a valuable lifeline that brings them one step closer to winning the season. The participants face the "Battles" for the coveted immunity pin, one of the most demanding tests in the culinary talent show. Whoever wins it can save it or use it in any elimination round to ensure their stay. The battles consist of three rounds dedicated to contemporary pizza, where only the best continue in the kitchen while the rest head to the gallery. Neapolitan chef Ciro Cristiano, creator of Spain's best pizza and ranked 8th in the ‘50 Top Pizza World’, teaches them how to master the challenge. In the first battle, the twelve contestants must prepare a Roman pizza, but only eight move on. In the second, they make a calzone, with only four emerging victorious. Those four risk it all in the third and final battle, cooking a Neapolitan pizza to earn one of the two spots for the pin duel. To convince the judges, they present a classic sweet pizza or a flourless savory one, competing against ‘MasterChef 12+1’ winner Gabriela Hinojosa. The tasting is blind to ensure impartiality, with Anabel Alonso and Bibiana Fernández (‘Las Retales’) leading the kitchens. Marta Sanahuja also joins in the cooking. In San Sebastián, contestants have the chance to test their talent at GOe (GASTRONOMY OPEN ECOSYSTEM), the world’s largest gastronomic laboratory. This temple of innovation, created by the Basque Culinary Center, researches the food of tomorrow, bringing together chefs, scientists, and designers. Chef Pedro Subijana (three Michelin stars) opens the doors of this space where they prepare a six-tapa cocktail for 120 guests. Both teams cook the same dishes and work in "mirror mode": each dish is prepared at a specific station where contestants see exactly how their rivals execute the same recipe. The judges compare their performance at every moment. For the elimination round, they take a culinary journey led by Japanese chef Hideki Matsuhisa (one Michelin star), who shares the keys to his cuisine. They must create three dishes (one with Wagyu, one with oysters, and one combining both) with their respective garnishes and sauces. Each dish requires precise timing and cannot be made simultaneously, as they only have a Japanese grill, which uses intense charcoal heat for slow, constant cooking. The winner of the previous challenge is responsible for distributing different ingredients and sauces that their peers must integrate. Additionally, the judges invite influencer Isa Pantoja and model Asraf Beno, finalists from the decor show ‘DecoMasters’.

The most successful cooking talent show on television worldwide. On MasterChef, cooking enthusiasts showcase their talent before a ruthless panel of judges—Pepe Rodríguez, Jordi Cruz, and Marta Sanahuja—as they prepare their finest creations for the most discerning diners. Contestants cook under the most challenging conditions, whether for an entire army or for the most distinguished guests in unique settings. In the 14th season of ‘MasterChef España,’ times are changing, and nothing will be the same. The culinary talent show is preparing a special, unique edition full of new features and unexpected challenges to bring out the contestants’ ingenuity, skill, and creativity.

As the competition nears its midpoint, the ‘MasterChef’ judges invite the contestants to a piano bar featuring live music and guest José Manuel Parada. Following this, they must reinterpret traditional Spanish tapas. In Nuevo Baztán (Madrid), the teams will be responsible for serving a wedding banquet, featuring a menu by Chef Pepa Muñoz, for 25 couples celebrating their Golden Wedding anniversaries. In the final challenge of the night, they will recreate the classic Comtessa ice cream cake, guided by pastry chef Lluc Crusellas and rapper Mala Rodríguez. The judges welcome the contestants with music by pianist and composer Gabriel Peso, musical director for several high-profile Spanish programmes. They will also be joined by José Manuel Parada, a ‘MasterChef Celebrity 10’ semi-finalist and a staunch advocate for traditional cuisine. In this challenge dedicated to tapas—a pillar of Spanish gastronomic identity—the contestants must update two classic dishes using the avant-garde culinary techniques they have mastered throughout the competition. For the outdoor challenge, the judges have organised one of the most emotional and romantic tests in ‘MasterChef’ history, celebrating love that has stood the test of time: 50 years of marriage. Twenty couples will gather to commemorate their Golden Weddings, surrounded by memories and a grand celebration. The contestants will cook a special wedding banquet designed by Chef Pepa Muñoz for 80 guests. To test their communication and teamwork, the judges will pair the contestants up, literally tying them together “until plating do us part.” The event takes place in Nuevo Baztán, one of the most beautiful villages in Spain, boasting an enviable 18th-century architectural heritage. In the final elimination challenge, the kitchen travels back to the 1980s to recreate a vintage staple: the Comtessa, a cream ice cream cake with crunchy chocolate layers that remains a summer must-have. The black aprons must reproduce this classic recipe using their choice of chocolate, but with a strict minimum of eight tempered chocolate layers. Additionally, they must prepare a fruit coulis and a biscuit from scratch. The judges will be joined by Lluc Crusellas, the current World Chocolate Master, and Mala Rodríguez, former ‘MasterChef Celebrity’ contestant, to oversee the high-stakes cook-off.