Miners Arms Heat 1

Alex tackles the Miners Arms, a gastropub in the Forest of Dean. Mario and Karen Constantinides have found it impossible to find a new head chef to help them transform their menu from good pub grub to a destination restaurant. They've now turned to Alex for help to find the right person.

Over a week, Alex will offer up nine candidates to be put through a rigorous interview process. As well as testing their technical cooking skills, all candidates will have a face-to-face interview and a chance to cook a signature dish that shows off their culinary flair. But at the end of the week, only one can get the job.

In this episode, the first three candidates are put through a gruelling hands-on interview process. A local rack of lamb immediately puts their butchery skills under scrutiny. Young pretender James flashes a 'gourmet' tattoo, but will his costings prove to be up to scratch? Laidback Robert offers up 'three little pigs' as his signature dish, but will his relaxed attitude let him down? And ambitious Craig attempts the reinvention of a pasty, but will this intricate dish be a risk too far?

At the end of the day, one chef will be selected to go through to a final interview at the end of the week.