Twenty four of the finest chefs in the country including many chefs from Great British Chefs site are competing in eight regional heats for the opportunity to create a four course menu at special banquet at the Royal Albert Hall to celebrate 25 years of Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day.

As with previous years, the show follows the familiar format with three chefs from each region cooking a starter, fish course, main course and dessert for a veteran judge who will select two chefs to cook their menu again on Friday’s show for the judges Matthew Fort, Oliver Peyton & Prue Leith. On Friday the three judges will be joined by Emma Kennedy to see how funny the dishes really are.

Representing Wales are Mary Ann Gilchrist (who recently joined Great British Chefs site) from Carlton Riverside in Powys, returning contender, Richard Davies from The Manor House Hotel, Castle Combe and Luke Thomas from Luke’s Dining Room, Cookham Dean.

Monday’s episode leads with starters. Will the simple titles hide the complexity and humour in the dishes? Richard Davies is preparing chicken salad. Mary Ann Gilchrist will be serving peas and ham and Luke Thomas - ham, egg and pineapple.

Fish courses on Tuesday include a lobster dish from Mary Ann called The Great Escape, a fun take on fish fingers from Luke Thomas and grilled and tartare of mackerel from Richard Davies.

On Wednesday all the chefs have intriguing title for their main courses. Richard Davies: A Tasting of Pork, Mary Ann Gilchrist: Three’s a Crowd and Luke Thomas is preparing Beef, Bone Marrow and Watercress.

Thursday it’s desserts and the menus include Mary Ann Gilchrist’s Some Like It Hot; Luke Thomas’s rhubarb and custard and Richard Davies’s strawberries and cream will be given a new spin for Comic Relief.

All week the proceedings will be judged by veteran judge Jeremy Lee, Head Chef of Quo Vadis, London.