The amateur cooks have one hour to recreate their signature dishes for the judges' first auditions, as the judges and nine past winners offer their support.
After giving out 18 aprons, the judges are searching for six more cooks to complete their top 24, and the chefs who were offered a second chance go head-to-head.
The top 24 try to stand the heat in the kitchen, with 90 minutes and an open pantry to cook their dishes and impress the judges, focusing on hospitality.
Three chefs fight for survival in the first elimination challenge. They are given 75 minutes to cook a dish with ingredients from their home fridge and pantry.
It is the first mystery box challenge, with one contestant choosing eight ingredients for chefs to cook from and make a dish in 75 minutes.
The three contestants on the bottom after the invention test go head-to-head in a pressure cook off, while Maggie Beer presents their new challenge.
Kylie Kwong
Actor
Matt Moran
Gordon Ramsay
Heston Blumenthal
Brent Owens