Passion vs profession: The ultimate food fight

Revisit the glory of season 1 of The Chefs' Line, airing weeknights at 6.30pm on NITV and then on SBS On Demand.

The judges - The Chefs' Line

The trio heading the competition. #TheChefsLine Source: The Chefs' Line

We might be biased when it comes to our own, but the brand-new cooking series The Chefs' Line is fresh in delivery, fresh in concept and fresh in tantalising execution. Let's celebrate Australia’s diverse food culture by battling it out over hot stoves and racing clocks as well as bringing together cooks and chefs from around the country to showcase their love of food.

It's going to be the ultimate food fight as home cooks will try and out cook an entire chefs’ line (did we hear you say what is a chefs' line, anyway? Find out right here) in the hopes that their passion will prevail over profession.

Each night home cooks try to cook their way up the ranks, one chef at a time so you can expect serious skills, fabulous flavour combos, cuisine classics and some genius cooking tips along the way.

Each week, The Chefs’ Line will celebrate a different cuisine, a new chefs’ line will represent their restaurant and go up against four new home cooks. And where would a cooking competition be without its judges? Well, you're in luck with this glorious panel of food experts - Dan Hong, Mark Olive, Melissa Leong and Maeve O'Mearameet the team right here!

Did someone say, kitchen sink battle? We sure did!
Get the Mexican cuisine lowdown here.

With a passion for Mexican flavours, four new home cooks will battle it out with the chefs’ line from Perth's modern Mexican kitchen and bar El Publico.

Beef tacos with slaw and guacamole

Kingfish aguachile with watermelon and coconut granita 

Chicken and egg chilaquiles

Carne apache papitas (Mexican steak tartare)

Spatchcock, mole maximo and refried beans 
Spatchcock, mole maximo and refried beans
Spatchcock, mole maximo and refried beans Source: The Chefs' Line
Get the Japanese cuisine lowdown here.

With a passion for precision and Japanese flair, four new home cooks will battle it out with the chefs’ line from Sydney restaurant Sokyo.

Charred tuna tataki

Pork belly udon soup

Alfonsino robotayaki

Moreton bay bug tempura

Crab-stuffed capsicum tempura
Crab-stuffed capsicum tempura
Crab-stuffed capsicum tempura Source: The Chefs' Line
Four home cooks with a passion for French flavours will battle it out with the chefs’ line from Brisbane's Montrachet.

Twice-cooked cheese soufflé with thyme-pancetta sauce

Double-baked crab soufflé

Duck with cherry and madeira sauce

Roast duck with pommes dauphines

Vacherin
Pistachio, vanilla and raspberry vacherin
Pistachio, vanilla and raspberry vacherin Source: The Chefs' Line
Want the lowdown on Spanish cuisine? Check it out right here.

Our home cooks step into Spanish territory. See how they go as the take on the chefs' line from Melbourne's Bar Lourinha.

Sweet potato & rosemary tortilla (omelette)

Fried sardines with aioli

Sardines, bread & parsley

Churros with chocolate-custard sauce

Paella mixta

Prawn croqueta

Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana
Paella Valenciana Source: China Squirrel
Want the lowdown on Thai cuisine? Check it out right here.

Our home cooks this week take on Thai cuisine. See how they go as the take on the chefs' line from Melbourne's Easy Tiger.


Chicken and prawn pad Thai

Prawn and garlic chive pad Thai 

Massaman lamb shanks with pancakes and cucumber relish

Snapper dumpling tom yum soup

Thai fish cakes

Son-in-law eggs with sweet fish sauce
Son-in-law eggs with sweet fish sauce
Son-in-law eggs with sweet fish sauce Source: China Squirrel

Want the lowdown on Lebanese? Check it out right here.

Our home cooks this week all love to cook Lebanese food. See how they go as the take on the chefs' line from Sydney's Nour.

Lamb shawarma with tahini and lemon

Baklava cashew nut ice-cream

Fattoush salad with purslane, radish and homemade flatbread

Spiced heirloom beetroots with Persian feta mousse and nigella seed lavosh

Snapper sayadieh with leek

Barramundi, cumin and coriander sayadieh

Sambusak

Baklava with custard filling
Baklava with a custard filling
Baklava with a custard filling Source: China Squirrel
Want the lowdown on Indian? Check it out right here.

Our home cooks this week all share their love of Indian spice and flavour as they go up against the chefs’ line from Melbourne's Tonka.

Butter chicken with mint yoghurt and pickled onions

Vegan butter chicken with lachha paratha

Paratha (wholemeal layered flatbread)

Spinach pakoras with tamarind and mint chutneys

Ricotta gulab jamun with saffron syrup

Paneer gulab jamun with rosewater and saffron syrup

Tonka's carrot halwa

Bengali goat curry with fried puffed bread

Bengali fried puffed bread

Bengali barramundi curry
Bengali barramundi curry
Bengali barramundi curry Source: China Squirrel
Online exclusive

Tuna tartare with rice pappadams
Want the lowdown on Greek? Check out our lowdown right here.

Our home cooks this week all share a love for Greek food and they go up against the chefs’ line from Sydney restaurant Alpha

 

Cook the recipes

Dolmades with tzatziki

Twice-cooked octopus with macaroni kofto 

Spanakopita pies with tomato fennel and chilli sauce

Deconstructed moussaka

Beef and salami moussaka

Whole eggplant and lamb moussaka
Whole eggplant and lamb moussaka
Whole eggplant and lamb moussaka Source: China Squirrel
Online exclusive

Slow-roasted lamb ribs with thyme, honey and ouzo glaze
Want the lowdown on Chinese? Check out our lowdown right here.

This week, four home cooks with a passion for Chinese cuisine will battle it out with the chefs’ line from Sydney restaurant China Doll. 

 

Cook the recipes

Barbecue pork with prawn fried rice

Barbecue pork belly steamed buns 

Ginger and shallot steamed barramundi

Tea-smoked duck with Chinese pancakes and cherry sauce

Tea-smoked duck with tamarind and plum sauce

Pork and prawn potstickers

 

Online exclusive

Crab and prawn sesame toasts with chilli
Pork and prawn potstickers
Pork and prawn potstickers Source: China Squirrel
Want the lowdown on Italian? Check out our lowdown right here.

With Italian flare and heritage in play, four home cooks go up against one the chefs' line of Adelaide's finest, Osteria Oggi.

 

Cook the recipes

T-Bone steak with panzanella salad and polenta chips

Lemon and amaretto tiramisu

Ricotta gnocchi with Gorgonzola sauce

Corned veal tongue with crispy capers and mayonnaise

Tripe with tomato and fennel

Pork sausage ragu with soft polenta
Pork sausage ragù with soft polenta
Pork sausage ragù with soft polenta Source: China Squirrel
Want the lowdown on Turkish? Check out our lowdown right here.

With a passion for Turkish cuisine, four home cooks will battle it out with the chefs’ line from renowned Turkish restaurant, Anason

 

Cook the recipes

Crunchy prawns with muhammara (kadayifli kardies)

Raki tomato prawns with yoghurt flatbread

Muhammara dip (Turkish walnut-capsicum dip)

Turkish stuffed eggplant (striped imam bayildi)

Kofte with cannellini and tahini salad

Albanian pan-fried liver with potato and herbs

Atom yoghurt (Turkish labne with dried chillies and fresh peppers

Simit with haydari (Turkish sesame bread with yoghurt dip)
Simit with haydari (Turkish sesame bread with yoghurt dip)
Simit with haydari (Turkish sesame bread with yoghurt dip) Source: China Squirrel
Want the lowdown on African food? Check out our lowdown right here.

Four home cooks with a passion for African food take on the chefs' line from South Australia's top restaurant, Africola

Cook the recipes

Peri peri chicken with boom chakalaka

Goat stew potjie with mushrooms 

African beef sausages with pap and sheba (boerewors)

African spiced fish with pap and silverbeet

Spiced barramundi in banana leaf with pickled radish 

Lamb kofte

 

Online exclusive from restaurant Africola

Pipis in cider
Spiced barramundi in banana leaf with pickled radish
Spiced barramundi in banana leaf with pickled radish Source: China Squirrel
Want the lowdown on Vietnamese cuisine? Check out our guide right here.

Kicking off the series, four home cooks with a love for Vietnamese take on the chefs' line from renowned Vietnamese restaurant, Dandelion.

Cook the recipes

Pork and king prawn lettuce wrap

Coconut and galangal crème caramel (bánh flan)

Chicken phở with soft-cooked egg

Beef phở (Vietnamese noodle soup)

Prawn and mung bean sizzling pancakes (bánh xèo)


Sizzling coconut pancake with crab and barbecue pork (bánh xèo)

Chilli-tomato mud crab

 

Online exclusive from restaurant Dandelion 

Steamed chicken and shredded vegetable salad
Sizzling coconut pancake with crab and barbecue pork (bánh xèo)
Sizzling coconut pancake with crab and barbecue pork (bánh xèo) Source: China Squirrel
Have we got your attention and your tastebuds? Check out The Chefs' Line program page for episode guides, cuisine lowdowns, recipes and more!



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SBS Food is a 24/7 foodie channel for all Australians, with a focus on simple, authentic and everyday food inspiration from cultures everywhere. NSW stream only. Read more about SBS Food
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SBS Food is a 24/7 foodie channel for all Australians, with a focus on simple, authentic and everyday food inspiration from cultures everywhere. NSW stream only.
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