Only the best can stand the heat of judges’ critical gaze

Steely-eyed yet charming, all those years of enduring eye-wateringly anti-social working hours and the rigours of kitchen life have left them with an uncannily ability to appear calm at all times while spotting every mistake.

These are handy qualities indeed for judging Masterchef: The Professionals, a competition that puts 40 trained chefs through their paces before a winner is crowned. Last year the title went to Claire Lara and the talented chef has now opened her first restaurant, La Mouette, in the Wirral. With the fourth series about to start, Galetti is quite clear what she’s looking for. “At the start of this particular series, I picked two chefs that I thought would make it all the way through,” she says, adding: “And they did”.

“They were both quite young and, under the pressure, still delivered and outshone the others. The big difference between the amateurs and the professionals is often something won’t work out on the day, but they can go back to their skills and know how to rescue [the dish].”

Fans of the show have come to expect frank talk from Galetti, who began working with Michel Roux Jr more than 10 years ago, and is now senior sous chef at his two Michelin-starred restaurant Le Gavroche in London.

“Maybe I come across harsh,” she says of her withering put-downs. “But when they mess up, they shouldn’t. I don’t think you should put yourself up for this programme and then mess up, at something you should never mess up... like plucking a bird. For me, these are supposed to be professional chefs, so they represent us to the general public.”

Ever the supportive boss, Roux adds: “Once Monica’s in her chef’s whites she is a true professional and doesn’t want to let anyone through who would cast her in a bad light.”

Both Galetti and Roux, the son of Michelin-starred Albert Roux and now a familiar face on foodie television, understand the pressures of competitive cooking and the exacting tasks the contestants have to undertake.

“A lot of the mistakes come from nerves. They might have been calm when they arrived, but it’s a good couple of hours before they get to come and see me. They’re sitting there with no idea what to expect,” says Galetti.

Such anticipation can lead to shaking hands and nervous breakdowns, as chefs struggle to perform highly-skilled tasks, such as dessert decoration, against the clock.

But despite the show’s efforts to encourage creativity, nerves will still get in the way, say Galetti and Roux.

“It’s gut-wrenching when you see a professional not manage to do the job he loves,” says Roux. “Some do break down in tears, and you really feel for them.”

Masterchef: The Professionals starts on BBC Two on Monday, November 7, at 8.30pm.