Christabel has emerged as the first Star Chef of the Day in Big Chef Season Five after impressing judges with her take on an English breakfast.

The heat is officially on in the Big Chef Season Five kitchen, as the 12 young contestants faced their first culinary test of the season, with Christabel emerging as the first Star Chef of the Day.

After weeks of auditions, preparations and their official unveiling, the contestants finally stepped into the Big Chef kitchen for the real competition, beginning their journey with the English Breakfast Challenge.

Judges Chef Michael and Chef Comfort welcomed the young chefs into the kitchen, laid down the rules of the competition and revealed their first task: preparing their own take on an English breakfast.

But before any cooking could begin, there was a race for ingredients. The contestants were given just five minutes to shop from the Big Chef market and select everything they needed for their dishes.

Once their baskets were filled, the young chefs headed to their stations with 30 minutes on the clock to cook and plate their meals.

As the kitchen came alive, so did the pressure. Chef Michael and Chef Comfort moved from station to station, monitoring the contestants, checking their progress and constantly reminding them about time management and keeping their workspaces clean.

“Remember to clean as you go and manage your time well,” the judges reminded the contestants as they worked against the clock.

Host Michelle Agyekum was also in the thick of the action, interacting with the young chefs, finding out what was on their menus and how confident they were about impressing the judges with their first meals.

As the minutes disappeared, the tension in the kitchen became increasingly evident, with contestants racing to complete their cooking and get their plates ready before time ran out.

At the end of the 30 minutes, the judges brought the kitchen to a complete standstill. Ready or not, it was hands off for all 12 contestants.

Chef Michael and Chef Comfort then went around the kitchen to taste and assess each English breakfast, paying attention to the overall execution of the meals.

It was during the tasting that the pressure of the first challenge became particularly emotional for Yara, who was moved to tears as the tension of the moment got to her.

But amid the nerves, tears and anticipation, there was also a reason to celebrate.

After tasting all 12 meals, Christabel emerged as the standout contestant, impressing the judges with her dish, which she named “English-Styled Breakfast”.

Her performance earned her the coveted Star Chef of the Day title, making her the first contestant to receive the honour in Season Five.

An excited Christabel could barely contain her joy following the announcement.

“I’m so happy and excited to be the first Star Chef. I didn’t expect it, but I’m really proud of myself,” she said.

The judges also commended Christabel for standing out among the 12 young chefs and delivering a meal that impressed them in the very first challenge.

While Christabel enjoyed her moment at the top, the challenge proved more difficult for Hamdiya and Tyanna. Their meals least impressed the judges, placing the two young chefs in the bottom two after the first task.

The result sets the tone for what promises to be a competitive season, as the contestants now know that every trip into the Big Chef kitchen is another opportunity to impress the judges or find themselves at the bottom.

From the frantic five-minute market run to the race against the clock, tears during judging and the excitement of crowning the first Star Chef, episode one gave viewers their first real taste of the competition ahead.

Big Chef Season Five airs every Sunday at 4:00 pm on Joy Prime, while JP Diaries airs every Tuesday at 5:00 pm on Joy Prime, giving viewers another opportunity to catch up with the contestants and their journey through the competition.