Is this the most brutal series of MasterChef: The Professionals EVER? Two contestants broke down in tears after the judges criticized their dishes, with one contestant saying: ‘I can’t believe I failed so badly’

The latest series of MasterChef: The Professionals is proving to be a difficult task for some viewers, as participants falter under the extreme pressure of the jury’s gaze.

In the latest episode of the professional cooking competition, which sees chefs take on the terrifying ‘Skills Challenge’ – as Marcus Wareing, Monica Galetti and Gregg Wallace look on – before cooking two courses for them, half of the contestants were reduced to tears stirred.

In episode eight, Gabrielle, a 33-year-old private chef, couldn’t hide her emotions when the judges criticized both of her dishes – and Malta-born chef Giovann became so frustrated with his performance that he uttered through tears: ‘I can’ I don’t think I’ve failed that badly.”

After rocketing through the skills test, London chef Gabrielle came out crashing in the second challenge, with her two dishes – poached turbot with sliced ​​potato scales and a pannacotta dessert – receiving mixed reviews.

Michelin star chef Wareing told her the accompanying croquettes were ‘a bit on the heavy side’, while all three judges were unenthusiastic about her pannacotta, with Monica and Gregg agreeing there was too much setting agent.

After struggling to hold back her tears – with Galetti asking if she was okay – Gabrielle was hugged by her three fellow contestants and later told the show: ‘The MasterChef kitchen is so much harder than any kitchen I’ve been in seated’.

She continued, “To have them look at you and question your dish is a kind of pressure I can’t describe.”

‘I failed so badly’ A disheartened Giovann, a chef from Malta, couldn’t hold back tears after Marcus Wareing, Monica Galetti and Gregg Wallace didn’t like his dessert

Michelin-starred chef Marcus Wareing didn’t hold back when critiquing dishes in the latest episode of the show

He told Giovann that his strawberry pie was “dense and heavy,” causing the chef to wipe away tears

The moment aroused sympathy on social media. One person wrote: ‘Someone gives Gabrielle a big hug. How incredibly difficult it must be, like these young chefs, to put your heart and soul on a plate and then listen to the criticism from professionals.’

Meanwhile, Giovann was praised for his African-inspired rack of lamb, but none of the judges enjoyed his strawberry and almond tart.

He looked somber as Wareing told him, “Your cake is dense and heavy. It doesn’t work for dessert’.

Wallace enjoyed the flavors, but Galetti also said the dish didn’t work – the “over-churned” ice cream remained “grainy.”

Afterward, he said through tears, “The amount of hours I’m putting in is ridiculous, so it’s going to be really hard when I go home today.”

Gabrielle and Giovann both left the competition after failing to impress in the second challenge

She told the program afterwards: ‘The MasterChef kitchen is so much cooler than any kitchen I have been in.’

A concerned Monica Galetti asked, “Are you okay?” after noticing Gabrielle’s tears

Last week, viewers saw another contestant, who had been tipped for the late stages of the show, break down in front of the trio of high-profile critics.

Welsh chef Ieuan was making a lemon tart with a sable biscuit base and Italian meringue, but had to quickly whip up a French meringue when his first attempt wouldn’t set.

“Do you understand what you did?” Last week, Marcus Wareing had to organize an intervention after chef Ieuan tried to serve a dish with French meringue – containing raw egg – on it

After his Italian meringue failed to inspire the Welsh pro to make a French meringue… but then tried serving it raw – before Marcus intervened

A terrified-looking Ieuan said, “I don’t have dessert on my plate. I don’t know what to do’

After piping the French meringue with raw egg onto his cookie bases, Wareing made an intervention, telling the nervous chef, “Ieuan, it’s raw. You cannot eat raw meringue. Do you understand what you did?’

The chef looked dejected and said, “I have no dessert on my plate. I don’t know what to do’… before steeling his nerves, scooping out the lemon and meringue and conjuring up a new dessert with lemon and piped cream.

He eventually made it to the table, and while the judges were sympathetic, it wasn’t enough to keep the chef in the competition.