Jess Liemantara

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 contestants arrive at the Dandenong Ranges for the team challenge. They must prep a three-course meal using open-fire cooking in two hours for 60 Victorian firefighters.

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.

It is the start of royal week and the contestants have one hour to use all of the ingredients from the mystery box, including kalette, lemon, coriander seeds, gin and mint, to make a dish.

The ten losing contestants have to taste and identify all the 26 ingredients of Nigella's trifle before the elimination round where they will be using these ingredients.