- Previously on "next level chef"...
- It's go time.
- Today, it's the eight talented home cooks.
- This is a life-changing opportunity.
- I'm panicking, and I have no clue
Where to take it from here.
- Standing in front of us now,
We have the five most talented home cooks anywhere in america.
Well done.
- I know this is just the auditions,
But it feels like I just won the olympics.
- Oh! [cheering]
Ah! [laughter]
[dramatic music]
- Tonight, pro chefs,
Time to see what you're made of.
- Let's take it, baby, straight to the top.
- Babe, I'm not letting go. I'm not letting go of this.
It is game on.
- Oh, my goodness! - We got no [bleep] lights.
- The pressure is really on.
This is all or nothing.
[knives shinging]
[dramatic rock music]
[elevator dings]
♪ ♪
[timer ringing]
♪ ♪
[hydraulics whirring]
Both: Whoa. - Wow!
- Ooh! - Oh, my god.
- It's definitely giving freddy krueger kitchen though.
Walking into that basement, and I'm looking at it like,
This must be where, like, freddy krueger
And jason voorhees would just come and make a sandwich
And then go back outside and terrorize the world.
It's like "nightmare on next level street."
[laughs]
I didn't even know metal can bend like that.
- It's apocalyptic.
- Look at this kitchen, bro, huh?
- Wow.
- Ooh! Well, I found the plates.
- Oh, my gosh.
My grandma called.
She wants her kitchen tools back.
- Look at this thing. - Yeah.
It feels pretty overwhelming knowing
That three professional chefs will be eliminated today,
Especially in front of the world's best chefs.
I'm really hoping that I don't buckle under pressure.
Should probably get organized
Because I'm not gonna be able to bend over.
- Summer. - Is she pregnant?
- She's building her sous chef in there.
[laughs] - listen.
♪ ♪
- Wow. - Whoa!
- Right, professional chefs.
- Yay.
Please don't tell him, but yeah,
Chef ramsay is my screen saver.
Mm-hmm.
He's a lot of people's icon, okay?
I'm not weird.
- Whew.
- It sounds really creepy now, so yay.
- You only have 20 minutes to cook.
There's eight of you down here.
Only seven of you progress to the next level.
After that, six of you up to the top
From which we'll take five into the draft.
Make sure you're in that final five.
We're in a basement.
Things down here are never organized.
So your first challenge is to turn the scraps coming down
On the platform into something special.
Line up, please.
- First grab. Ooh!
- You've got this. - Oh, no, no, no, no, no.
Von, you're not about to trample me, my boy.
Von stand next to me. He's like biggie smalls.
I'll take on anybody-- pros, home,
Their kids, their cousins.
Only competition I have is me.
- Platform is moving.
- Oh. - Don't get in my way.
- On your mark, get set, go!
Let's go. Come on! Let's go!
[tense music]
- Oh, we're gonna learn so much about these chefs.
- There's not a lot of stuff.
That's a barren platform. - Come on, guys.
[claps] grab. - It's vicious.
It's like the apocalypse.
You're literally fighting for your last meal.
- Let's go.
- Cod cheeks, great.
The first thing I do see is cod cheeks,
But I don't think I've ever made cod cheeks before.
- Grab, grab, grab.
- I see the shrimp, so I grab it.
- It's in my hand.
- It's in my hand too, babe.
- Oh. - I got it. I--
- Did she just steal my prawns?
- I'm not letting go.
This is competition.
If I have to fight a pregnant lady over some shrimp,
It's game on.
- If you haven't got a protein,
You've got to grab a protein, guys.
- Hot dogs?
I don't know how I'm gonna turn this
Into a dish for some of the top chefs in the world.
- So who hasn't got a protein?
- My heart is racing because I have to have a protein.
- There's some livers left here.
Let's go! [claps]
- So I went for the chicken livers.
- Let's go! Grab! Grab! Grab! Well done.
Right, let's go! [claps]
20 minutes, guys.
- We're going. We're going.
- The heat is on.
They're professionals,
They understand how hot it is in that basement.
But it'll be a great insight for me to cherry-pick
Not just my winning team but individuals
That I know that'll knock richard
And nyesha back down to the basement again.
- Oh, this guy is moving. - Yeah, this guy's in it.
- Right, von, you seem pretty composed.
- Absolutely, I've been waiting for this my whole life.
I'm gonna do this right.
I'm gonna do a play on a shrimp and grits.
The blackened catfish and grits, chef.
- Gotcha. - Definitely taking a risk
When I grabbed the catfish.
I've never made grits with rice before,
But I'ma make it work.
- Come on, baby.
- Right, zach, tell me about the dish.
Where are we going? - We're gonna do
A little bit of a seared chuck steak
With a little bit of corn and sweet potato succotash,
A bit of stilton blue cheese cream.
- Good. As a pro chef, you've been
In many basements-- - absolutely, chef.
- How are you gonna elevate this dish?
How are you gonna get up to the next level?
- I have to work my way to the top.
Basically lost everything overnight,
So I gotta earn it back.
[gentle music]
I moved to maui, hawaii, in 2017.
I fell so in love with it.
There's just something fulfilling
About being on the oceanside.
It's like, this is why I live here.
And then 2023, my whole life turned upside down.
- Over 2,200 structures in lahaina,
Which is in western maui, have been destroyed.
- The lahaina fires took everything from us--
My house,
Everything I've owned.
There's nowhere to live.
And everything's burnt to ash.
It's like, how could this happen to us?
But I'm just super fortunate that my girlfriend got out,
And we're physically safe.
[somber music]
♪ ♪
Yeah, sorry.
How's everybody doing over here?
I am a chef and farmer.
I do farm-to-table dinners.
And now our main focus is feeding the displaced.
We're cooking about 800 meals every other day
Out of our 40-foot kitchen trailer.
And there's a lot of people looking for help,
So we're here to help them.
Winning this competition would mean so much to me
To take some of that money and give back to lahaina
Because that's what it needs right now.
- We're behind you, okay? - Absolutely, chef.
- So do this for yourself, your family, and maui.
- 100%. 100%. - Okay? Focus, young man.
Five minutes gone.
[tense music]
- Aah, there goes that.
- Angela, so cod cheeks? - Yes.
- I'm gonna pan-sear them,
Probably do a lemon butter caper sauce.
I'm gonna try to make little dumplings
And put 'em around my plate. - Wow. Okay.
A lot going on in 20 minutes.
Bring your a-game, okay? - Yes.
- And create something unique to get to that next level.
- Yes, chef. Thank you.
- Come on. Come on.
There it is. - Push, push, push.
I want to see what I'm gonna be drafting later.
Come on.
- What am I even gonna do with this?
- Summer, how are you feeling?
- A little scrambled,
But we're gonna make it work, chef.
- Tell me about this dish.
- It's a fritter with some sort of sauce
On the bottom.
- I saw you fight over that prawns
At five months pregnant.
- Six months. - Six months? Congratulations.
- Yes, sir. Thank you. - Okay, good luck.
- Thank you.
- Ari, hot dogs, what the hell?
- That was the first thing I saw, chef.
- And you're good with those things?
- [sighs] we're gonna see.
Trying to impress chef ramsay with hot dogs?
I plan on browning these up,
Turning it into some sort of a meatball.
- Well, I've never seen a meatball made out of a hot dog.
- Hopefully, you can use this at one of your restaurants.
- Mm-hmm. [ari laughs nervously]
Okay. Right.
- This is a great first impression from my idol.
Oh.
- Jennie, how are you feeling? - Um, uh, yeah.
- Tell me about the dish. - Uh, fried chicken livers.
I've never cooked or eaten chicken livers.
I'm trying to elevate it, like, with the pasta.
- And what are you gonna do with the pasta?
How are you gonna cook that? - Uh...
I gotta figure out what I want to do there.
- Just be careful with those livers, okay?
Get them nice and pink. Don't overcook them.
Careful with these proteins, guys.
I don't want them overcooked.
That's why we're pros, right? All: Yes, chef.
- Come on, dad. You kicked my ass
My whole life to be here.
- Right, my man, chris, tell me about the dish.
What are you doing? - Okay.
I got some chicken strips, hoisin sauce.
I got some lentils. I got these in a can.
I'm kind of just going with the flow.
- Yeah. Don't overcomplicate it.
- I'm tasting as I'm going, chef,
So I'm adjusting as I'm going.
Being raised by a chef, he was always on my ass.
He always says, "taste, taste, taste."
- Young man, you are blessed.
- Being on a food truck is like being on a culinary tour bus.
I'm a chef rock star, cooking amazing food
For everybody to see.
Thank you, my brother. Appreciate you, man.
But the things I had to do to be where I'm at today,
I mean, it wasn't handed to me.
I was 13 years old, I was a kid,
And I ended up picking up the graffiti art,
And it got me in trouble.
It actually landed me in juvenile hall.
When I got bailed out, my dad said, "you're gonna go
"to the kitchen and learn how to wash dishes.
"you're gonna be with me.
I'ma teach you what hard work is, son."
My dad was a michelin-star chef.
I mean, I didn't know that my mentor was
Right in front of me the whole time.
Winning "next level chef," I owe it to my father.
He's my lifelong coach, my mentor.
He's my everything.
- I've got a lot of respect for your father,
A lot more respect for you if you get yourself up there.
- I've worked my ass off to be here.
Thank you, chef. Ooh, got emotional, man.
I love cooking with emotion.
- Remember, richard and nyesha
Are watching live, guys.
- I want my chefs on my team... - Yes.
- Should I share this information with you?
- 100%. - Okay, good. Okay.
[both laugh]
Like, there's a part of me that's like, should I--
- Let's get some tea in here.
- Should we really get into this?
- By the end of tonight, all three of us will understand
Who we want on our teams.
- I don't know about these livers.
- Oh yeah, just a nice, clean dish.
- I don't know what I'm gonna do with this.
- Charity, so you grabbed?
- Turkey tenders. - Good.
- Crushed tomatoes and some diced tomatoes.
- So you're gonna turn that into a nice sort
Of sauce somewhere? - I am.
I'm trying to do a play on chicken parmesan, so maybe do--
- On the turkey? - Yes.
- And how are you gonna cook that turkey?
- I am gonna fry it.
- Be careful. There's no fat in that turkey.
- Yes, sir.
- Four minutes to go, guys.
Four minutes to go.
Send that message to your fellow competitors.
You're pros for a reason, right?
All: Yes, chef. [crackling]
- No. Oh, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no.
- Oh, my goodness. - Oh.
- Hell no.
- Oh, my god.
- We got no [bleep] lights.
- What? What's happening?
- Bloody hell's bells.
[dramatic music]
- We've got no lights.
- No worries. I've been in this situation before.
- Oh, I like that, though. - Wow. Oh, they're still going!
- I like that! That's how you can tell they're pro chefs.
- The lights go out in the basement and I'm just cooking.
I've been broke before. My lights been off,
So I know what I'm doing.
- This is what happens
In the basement, right?
Yes, we are back on.
- Great. - Come on.
Literally minutes away
From getting up to the next level.
These are auditions, guys.
- Okay, babe, you got it.
- Start plating. Let's go.
Do not be the one person left in this basement.
- Huh, come on.
- Ooh. - Saucing with the tongs.
- The tong drip.
- I mean, you can really see these are pro chefs.
- Make sure it's on the plate for a reason, okay?
You're professionals, and I want to see it.
- Let's go!
Five, four, three, two, one, and stop.
Hands in the air. Well done.
- [laughs] - great job.
- Well done. [applause]
[tense music]
Richard, nyesha, welcome back.
These guys did an amazing job. - Thank you, chef.
- Let's start off with these. So this is a prawn fritter.
And someone had to fight for these prawns.
♪ ♪
Yeah, a lot of heat there.
It's very spongy as well. Both: Mm.
- It is overcooked for sure.
- It finishes with a sort of oil finish
On the palate.
- Okay, ari got very creative with the hot dog.
It's a hot dog meatball.
- [laughs] hot dog meatball,
It's either ridiculous or genius.
- Nyesha, what do you think?
- Wow. The sauce work alone.
- And really crispy as well.
It's exceptional.
This is a chicken liver, jennie's dish.
It's a cream sauce with chickpeas.
♪ ♪
Some bits are medium rare,
And the bit I had was sort of medium well.
- Unpleasant.
- Richard, what do you think?
- There's a lot, a lot going on there, yeah.
It's a bit weird for sure.
- He is right.
I was just, ugh, cringing on the inside.
- This is zach, chuck steak.
He was lucky to get this. - Zach?
- Yeah, he grabbed this thing.
♪ ♪
I'm gonna be honest, it actually tastes like a filet.
- Mm-hmm.
- You'd never think that's a chuck steak.
- Absolutely.
- Seasoned well, yep.
- This is charity's dish,
Play on chicken parmesan.
- Chicken parm, all right.
- Except with turkey tenders.
- Presentation's a little odd. - Sure.
- A lot going on, yeah.
- They didn't say it was nasty.
- This is a blackened catfish and grits, chef von.
I just want to see how that is cooked in the middle.
Beautiful.
- Gorgeous. - That's delicious.
- The spices are-- bloomed very nicely.
- Let's move on to cod cheeks, shall we?
So this was cooked by angela.
Oh yeah.
You cook with conviction.
- Butter-basted. Sound.
- And finally, chris' dish.
This is the chicken strips.
- When was the last time you had
A non-fried chicken tender?
- Mm. Mm, that's good.
- It's all about the sauce.
- The lentils are delicious. - Yeah.
- First of all, well done, all of you.
Right now, we need a couple of minutes to discuss.
Excuse us.
Wow. Okay. Exceptional start.
- That's 20 minutes?
I mean, some of those dishes looked like restaurant dishes.
- And the lentils? - That chef understands
How you bring that next level.
- Totally.
- [exhales] man.
My dad would be proud. - Aww.
- Yeah. Yeah. - The meatball?
- Two foods that you always love coming together like that?
Meatball.
- I just want to know already.
- One is remaining in the basement
And making their way home.
- For me, I think it's pretty obvious to me.
- Ready? - Yeah, absolutely.
- Oh, god.
- Okay.
This was a very difficult decision,
But we need the best on our teams,
And we've missed nothing.
So the first three people moving up
To the next level are...
♪ ♪
Zach, ari, and von.
Congratulations. Well done.
You three, make your way to the elevator.
Well done. Good job. - Thank you, chef.
- I'm making it out of the basement with hot dogs?
I cannot believe I just pulled this off.
- The next three moving to the next floor are...
♪ ♪
Chris,
Angela...
And charity.
- [sighs] - congratulations. Well done.
Both: Thank you, chef. - Off you go.
Great job.
Summer, jennie, who would have thought at the beginning
Of that tug of war
That you guys would be ending in the bottom two?
Unfortunately, there's only room
For one of you in the elevator.
The final individual heading into the elevator is...
[suspenseful music]
Summer.
- Oh, my gosh.
[somber music]
It's not--it's not over. - No.
- Thank you, chefs. - Great job.
- Jennie, tough one.
We know you're a talented chef.
That's why you're here.
But tonight was just not your night.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
- Thank you for the opportunity.
- Thank you, jennie.
Good job, guys. First-day jitters out.
♪ ♪
- I'm sad to leave, but I'm proud of myself
For, like, putting food on the plate
In that terrible basement.
[hydraulics whirring]
[elevator dings] [excited chatter]
- Good luck, guys.
We'll be watching.
- Hustle, hustle, hustle.
- Whoo!
- Chef arrington is in the house!
- And imagine sort of the nfl combine of cooking.
You're working your way into the draft.
You've cooked your way out of the basement,
And the reward is better equipment,
Better ingredients.
This is your kitchen.
- Yes, sir. - Line up at the elevator.
Hustle, hustle, hustle.
Okay, chefs.
Think about a dish that you can put
On sort of a fast, casual menu.
Put that vision on the plate.
All: Yes, chef.
[dramatic music]
- Platform's on the move. Get ready.
When I say "go," you go.
Go!
[clapping]
- I see the clams.
I am coming for you.
- Oof, it is a scramble.
- So I grab the pork chop.
I'm gonna pray that it goes great.
- Everyone needs a protein.
- I'm running around like a chicken
With her head cut off.
- Grab, grab, grab, guys. Let's go.
- And then I got chicken thighs.
- Look how quick those proteins have gone.
- Grab ingredients. - I look down.
I see fingerling potatoes.
Grabbed the potatoes.
- Grab those ingredients that are gonna get you
Into this draft.
Let's go! Grab ingredients!
- And someway, somehow,
Somebody left rosemary and thyme?
You guys.
- Back to your station. Organize yourself.
Okay, your 20 minutes starts now.
Time is of the essence, team. Let's go.
- Okay, let's do it. Let's chop it up.
- Isn't it lovely to see how fast these professionals
Move, though? - Yeah.
- I mean, they're dancing around the stoves.
- Chris, what are we thinking?
- Okay, right now I'm gonna make gourmet meatballs.
The judges don't know this, but I got a trick up my sleeve.
I know how to cook meatballs really well,
Especially this size.
I make 'em all the time in my food truck.
- What are the other elements of your dish?
- Tomatoes for garnish.
And I add a little bit of sweetness, so honey.
- Think of a way how you're balancing
That sweetness, right?
- Yes, yes, yes.
- Okay, angela, what's the vision?
- I'm gonna do, like, a potatoes fondant
With a pork chop. - Potatoes fondant, okay.
And how are we preparing the pork chop?
- I'm gonna do fried and then finish it in the oven.
- 20 minutes, okay?
- I'm gonna try my best to push it.
- Try? - Well, I am gonna do it.
- Okay. Keep going, angela.
How we feeling, ari?
- I'm so happy with my grab, chef.
- We love to hear that. Tell me about your dish.
- Yeah, I'm gonna do a take on a steak and potatoes.
I'm gonna do smashed rosemary potato.
- How are you cooking the steak?
- I'm gonna do cast iron.
- Make sure you're tasting, right?
And that it's not chewy or tough, right?
- Yes, chef. - In the basement,
Your dish was a stunner.
- Thank you so much, chef. It's such an honor.
- Make sure you stay creative, right?
- Okay.
I'm ari, I'm 31 years old, and I'm from san diego.
Oh, okay. Why did I say my age?
I think I'm, like, on a dating show or something.
I'm single. [laughter]
I took the biggest risk leaving my career
As a model to become a private chef.
I always kind of felt like something was missing.
It wasn't really who I was.
I realized I couldn't live without being in the kitchen.
And so that's when I started my professional career as a chef.
This competition means everything to me.
It would prove that you don't need
A culinary degree to be a top chef.
Cooking is very intuitive,
And I kind of wanna show people that anything is possible.
- And you want to keep climbing
In this competition, so keep leveling up, always.
How we feeling, summer?
- Redemption round, chef.
- Amazing. What do we have going on?
- I'm gonna sauté my clams with a little bit of herbs.
- What herbs did you grab?
- Well, actually, I only grabbed parsley.
- Okay, make sure you know what herb this is.
- Yes, chef.
- Oh.
Yeah. [laughs]
- What is this? - Cilantro. Yeah.
Parsley, cilantro, they're very different.
Oh, I hate myself right now.
- All right, guys. Ten minutes down.
Halfway, right? - Heard!
- Ten minutes to fight your way into the draft, right?
- Yes, chef. - Push. Push, push, push.
What's up, chef von? - How are you?
- What do you have going here? - Yes, I'm gonna do
A pan-seared cod, and I'm gonna put it
Over a little vegetable medley.
I also have bacon.
Dude, that's not ready, chef, but we're getting there.
- You're on the way. - All right. Thank you, chef.
- And you are no stranger to the kitchen, right?
- I am not, chef. - Chef von & mom.
- I'm not, chef. Chef von & mom.
It's not easy working with me because I'm a genius.
[laughs]
I run a restaurant with my mother
In my hometown of scranton.
It's a great place to grow up.
It's all about community and great food.
And I never follow rules in life,
So I don't follow rules when I cook.
I've ran some of the biggest kitchens in the country,
But my mom always wanted to have her own restaurant.
So I had to come back, sacrifice a little bit,
And I'll this for her.
I'm the man the people locally know,
But now I want the world to know.
So that's why I'm gonna do "next level chef."
- Eight minutes left, guys. Eight minutes.
- Hey, chef. - Hi, charity.
Tell me about your dish.
- I'm doing some sort of peanut butter spicy curry
With, like, a chorizo rice.
In the african cuisine, they do, like, a peanut butter stew.
I don't have any tomatoes. - Okay.
- So I'm gonna somehow wing it and see what happens.
My personality is hospitality.
I am a southern belle.
Cooking is in my dna.
My mom was an event planner,
And my dad was a chef in the navy.
That's where I got my chef inspiration from.
Now I'm currently a traveling chef.
I started my business at 22 years old.
So I'm gonna treat the judges like they're my clients.
Maybe that'll be my strategy.
- How are we cooking these chicken thighs?
- I'm just gonna sear both sides.
- Okay. And what do you have on them?
- I did marinate it into some soy sauce.
- Okay. Watch the heat, okay? - Yes.
- Make sure you always stay in control of your pan.
- Yes, chef.
- I'm just worried about charity.
- It's literally a tough one, literally.
- Gordon and richard are watching you guys,
And we are looking for the best of the best.
- All right, I got my scouting eyes out.
- What do you think? Any standout favorites?
- [sucks teeth] it might be this guy right here.
It might be big von. - Do you think so?
- Zach or von. - Mm.
- That's what team blais is looking at here.
- Well, they're both in my sights as well.
- Okay. - But listen,
There's others out there for you.
Chris, growing up with a michelin-star father,
He's got a big advantage.
- Bind it with the honey.
Taste it. That's what my dad said.
"always taste, chris."
- Anyone need butter?
- Whoo! Thank you!
- Sea bass, pan-seared.
- Yep, with a little sweet potato puree.
I'm gonna do a little dill cream.
- Would you say this dish
Is your style of cooking, generally speaking?
- 100%, fresh fish, fresh vegetables,
It's what I'm all about. - Farm-to-table?
- Yes, chef. - Zach.
What'd he grab? He got the bass.
- That's the sea bass.
- Sea bass is a beauty.
- Now I just wanna remind you, I get first pick...
- Why? - This year.
[sighs] well...
I guess I walked right into that one.
- Yeah. - I walked right into that one.
- Yeah, no, but tell me just in case I forgot.
- In american sports, usually the worst team
From the year prior gets the first pick.
- Five minutes left.
Arguably the most important five minutes of your life.
- Yes, chef. - You got to want it.
[dramatic musical sting]
- Medic. - Medic.
- I need a medic really quick.
- Medic. Angela, you okay?
- What's goin' on in there?
She looks worried.
- Please.
[suspenseful music]
Watch your pork chop.
Be careful that doesn't burn, chef.
- I left the pork on the fire.
- Oh, no. Her steak's overcooking.
- It's still cooking on high heat.
- She looks worried. - Yeah. Well, she should be.
It's been cooking for a while.
- Right behind, right behind, right behind.
Right behind.
- Four minutes.
- Okay, thank you. Right behind.
Right behind, right behind, right behind.
- Let's go, angela. You okay? - Yes, chef.
- Push, push, push, push.
- Dude, I'm so mad about this.
- Don't forget what you're fighting for, right?
A spot to be earned in that top level kitchen
And your spot in the draft to be chosen.
- Starting to heat up.
- Yeah, they look so good, don't they, as pros?
- You want to be chosen.
- Yes, chef. - Yes, summer.
- [chuckles]
- Push, push, push, push.
[tense music]
What do we have in this pan, please?
- Clams, cauliflower, water, and heavy cream.
- A lot of opportunity for flavor here.
- Yes. - Go, girl!
- I feel like I've hit the lottery
Because I got the clams.
Can't really go wrong with clams.
- Minutes away, guys. Okay? - You got it. Yes, chef.
- Let's go, chris. - Yes, chef.
- Make sure you are tasting your food along the way.
- Yes. - Yes, chef.
- I'm worried about chris.
Those meatballs are gigantic.
- Come on.
So one issue about making these big meatballs
Is they need to be cooked all the way through.
Secret is, pop 'em into the fryer.
- Two minutes. Let's go, start plating.
Hyper speed but precision.
Big push. One shot.
You don't get a second chance to make it into that draft.
All: Yes, chef.
- Let's go, guys. Nine, eight, seven,
Six, five, four, three, two, one.
Stop plating.
Hands up, hands up.
Good job.
♪ ♪
- Chefs.
- Okay, nyesha, that was exciting.
- Yes. Okay. - What should we start with?
- Start with chef chris and these meatballs here.
- Wow, I mean, seriously,
How did you get something like that cooked in 20 minutes?
- That's a giant meatball.
- And they are cooked. - Oh, look at that.
♪ ♪
Looks appealing, a little sweet.
- Mm. - Yeah.
However...
Meatballs are delicious.
- Next up, chef von's cod with a sort of hoisin jus.
Two times we've seen fish from you, von.
- Yes, chef. - You're just a man
Who loves to cook fish? - No, I just--
It was just right in front of my face.
[laughter]
- Yeah, phenomenal.
Really delicious. - Seasoned well.
- Great depth of flavor.
- Thank you, chef.
- Okay, next up we have charity's chicken thigh
Served with a chorizo and a peanut sauce.
- What happened to the color?
- Definitely, it's a little charred.
Marinated in soy,
So it caramelized a little too much.
- It's burnt.
It's a shame because the actual chicken's moist.
Secret here is to sear the chicken first
And then marinate it so you don't burn that marinade.
- Next up, a pan-roasted pork chop, potato fondant.
Angela had a tough time.
She kind of nicked herself a bit.
♪ ♪
- I like the flavor of the marinade.
But it's a bit dry, overcooked.
- Okay, next up, crispy skin sea bass
With a sweet potato puree.
This is coming from zach.
- Stunning, crispy skin, beautifully done.
- Mm-hmm.
- Delicious. Very good.
- Fish is cooked beautifully.
Next up, we have clams with a cauliflower puree.
It's coming from summer.
- May I ask... Where's the clam juice?
- The best part.
- The money. - Mm.
- Left in the pan. - Left in the pan.
Tomatoes are an afterthought.
- Yeah, the raw tomato as the garnish,
It's a bit weird for sure.
- Okay.
Next dish, we have a top round served with compound butter.
This is coming from ari.
- Top round.
Tough choice, literally.
♪ ♪
- Meat's slightly overcooked.
- Yeah, definitely over.
But for this type of cut, I prefer over than under.
- We have some very hard decisions to make.
Please give us a second.
- Wow, there's some highs and lows there.
- I do, so you know I'm not afraid.
- There's three outstanding dishes,
Straight into the draft. - Mm-hmm.
- And I would also say
That there's one to me that's very obvious...
- Mm-hmm. - That's not making it up
To the top level.
- Yeah. - Okay.
All right. We've made our decision.
Our first three dishes that are moving to the top level
Are going to be...
Von,
Zach, and chris.
Gentlemen, please head to the elevator.
- Thank you, chefs.
I'm feeling emotional. I'm very excited.
But it's just a reminder of all the hardships, the pain,
The suffering, the blood, sweat, and tears
That got me here.
Thank you. Thank you, chefs.
- Well done. - Killer.
- Really well done.
- Our next two dishes that are gonna be moving
To that top level...
Angela and ari.
- Thank you, chef.
Thank god!
I am so excited.
And I'm ready to kick it up a notch in the top level.
- Charity, summer, you both struggled
A little bit on this one.
- Yes.
- Unfortunately, the road for one of you ends here.
- I am holding out hope
That I'm gonna be on the elevator next.
- I am really fighting to be in the top 15.
I don't want to go home.
♪ ♪
- The last person moving to the top is...
[suspenseful music]
It's gonna be charity.
- Oh, my god. Oh, babe.
[somber music]
- First of all, congratulations on the baby.
- Thank you.
- And not only you're an amazing chef,
But you're gonna be an amazing mom.
- Thank you.
- But next time you cook clams...
- I'll use the clam juice.
- Serve the clam juice, clam juice.
- I know, I know. [laughs] - come on.
Clam juice.
- I did this six months pregnant,
So I'm pretty proud of myself
That I even came out here and did this.
- Well done. - Well done.
- I won't be eating clams anytime soon.
- Final hurdle, guys. Here we go.
One cook away from the draft, yes?
Come on. - Oh, my goodness.
- Right.
[cheers and applause]
- Top kitchen, let's go.
- Gordon and nyesha are watching
Everything that you do.
You have a chance to make it on to someone's final roster.
This is fine dining up here,
One beautiful michelin-star plate.
All: Yes, chef.
- Seeing chef blais and the rumors
That I've heard about his hair...
- The product is absolute gold. It's stellar.
- They're all true.
Chef blais just has the most beautiful hair.
It's blowing in the wind.
It's golden. It's just beautiful.
- Man, richard's hair is looking so smart.
It looks like he just stepped off set
From a babygap photo shoot.
- [laughs]
- 20 minutes could change your life.
This is serious time.
- This is the third and final cook.
It's either go hard or go home.
And I'm not going home.
- When the light goes green, it's go time.
[dramatic music]
[hydraulics whirring]
- Go! There we go. There it is.
What do you see, guys?
Grab a protein. Do you have some veg?
- I grabbed the turbot, and there's ari
Trying to take it away from me.
- Chris and I are arm wrestling
For this fish right now.
I really want to win.
- Sorry, ari. This is mine.
- Do you have something for sauce?
- He takes it, but I see this trout
Come down from the heavens, and I'm like... ♪ ah ♪
I don't know why, but I grabbed pork again.
I didn't want it again.
- What do you see, guys?
- I'm grabbing red prawns,
Tomato puree.
- Prosecco!
- When chef blais yells out "prosecco,"
I grabbed that.
- Three, two, one. If you can grab it, it's yours.
Grab everything you can.
All right. - [groans]
- Back to your stations.
The most important 20 minutes of your life starts now.
Let's go.
- This is it. 20 minutes... - Here we go.
- To get yourself into the draft.
- Last opportunity for the pro chefs.
- I love this because we're scouting our teams,
So you get a sneak peek at the skills
Before you have to draft someone on your team.
Who's gonna be my first pick?
Is it gonna be zach?
- Thank you.
- Maybe von. - Oh, man.
This is gon' be hard. - I know.
That's why god gave it to us. We got it, chris.
- Do I take a risk? Do I take-- just take a wild card?
- Ugh.
I'm, like, nervous right now.
- Probably not.
- All right, chef. You got the turbot?
- Yes.
- That's the bmw of fish right there, right?
Or the mercedes.
Whatever brand you like, that's what it is.
- This epic turbot needs some type of a sauce.
I have to put together an amazing beurre blanc
And make it a little bit sweet with that fig.
I always got a sweet tooth.
- Cook your protein,
With the exception of maybe the shrimp.
That's the only one that you can
Get away with there at the end.
- Let's go, let's go, let's go.
- Zach, what's up, dude?
- I grabbed a beautiful filet.
I'm gonna do a blue-cheese foam.
- I know you're a farm-to-table chef.
- 100%.
- But that's very fine dining.
- Fine dining does not mean bland.
It means caring for your ingredients
And bringing all of that flavor.
- Come on, rice.
- How are we doing over here, chef?
- Um, good. I'm a little nervous, but--
- Okay. That's all right. It means you care.
What dish are we doing?
- It's, like, redemption of the pork for me.
I'm gonna try to do some sticky rice a little bit.
- Okay, sticky rice in 20 minutes?
[exhales]
Who are you cooking for today?
- Probably my grandma, ramona. - Okay.
Oh, my gosh. - Yeah, she's 86 years old now,
So I just would like her to see me get somewhere.
I'm ready for my close-up.
[upbeat music]
All my cooking memories have come from grandma ramona.
And now I cook for some high-profile clients
Like timbaland, dwight howard, lil wayne.
The biggest fulfillment and excitement would be
Grandma ramona seeing me win.
Fighting for a spot, I mean, I'm not willing to do anything.
But, I mean, damn near.
It's gonna take a long-ass time to cook.
- Get it going. 7 minutes down, 13 to go.
- Chef, I cannot find a bottle opener.
- Right here. - Oh, god.
I need to get my head in the game.
- Come on, charity.
- She needs to lean in.
[cork pops]
- Charity, you grabbed the prawns?
- I did. I'm gonna try to do some sort
Of roasted artichoke puree with sort of prosecco tomato sauce.
- This is the shells. You're gonna have--
Work that into the tomato sauce?
I don't know why I said "tuh-mot-oh."
I've been hanging out with gordon too much.
Be mindful that they don't need to cook long.
- Yes, chef. - Ten minutes left.
We're halfway through.
- Ten minutes, and I'm pushin' it.
- What is she doing, and why now?
Why do they cook it so early? - I know.
She's got so much time left. - I know.
- Eight minutes left.
The rice, you're happy with it?
- I'm happy with my rice. - Okay. Good. Good.
- I'm spanish. I should know how to make rice.
- There you go.
- We are gonna keep it pushing.
- Let's go, chef.
- Ari, what are we making over here
With the ocean trout?
I like this technique.
- Yeah, it gives it a good, even sear.
- It's interesting. Ari seared the fish
With a parchment paper or something in it, right?
You know, you can tell that these are pro chefs.
- You learn something every day.
- Von, what do you got going on over here?
- So a dry rub new york strip
With a spicy sweet potato hash.
- That's a lot of work.
- Oh, are you [bleep]-- - you all right?
- You all right, brother? - Yeah, I'm good.
[bleep]. Damn it.
Potatoes are on the floor.
And I'm like, "damn." I'm upset.
- If something went wrong, what's your plan b?
You always gotta have a plan b.
- Ready to go. Yes, sir.
But I'm a pro. The milk is spilled.
Mop it up and pour another cup.
- Come on, von.
You've been burning over ovens for 20 years.
You got this, dude.
Okay? You deserve to be here. Let's go.
It's amazing what you can make happen in 20 minutes, no?
All: Yes, chef. - Okay.
Well, that's good 'cause you only got five left, okay?
[cheering] five left.
The pork--temperature's okay? - Yeah.
- That's it. It's a little under.
It's a little under, right-- - I gotta throw it back on.
- Maybe a couple of minutes in the oven.
- I'm having pork nightmares from cook two
That's creeping into cook three.
This can't happen again.
Like, I can't have it happen again.
- Are we doing good?
- We're doing good, chef.
At least, I hope.
- You wanna get to that draft
Because if you get to that draft,
It's your shot at $250,000...
- That actually turned out so nice.
- And a one-year mentorship.
- Whoo! - Final two minutes.
It's time to start plating. Let's go.
- Whew, that went fast.
- Keep it tight and refined.
You okay? You got enough sweet potatoes?
Okay? - Yeah.
- Don't forget that pork tenderloin.
- It's in the oven still.
- We're plating now, right? - Yep.
- You'll run out of time. Okay.
- No time to rest, though.
- You gotta push now. You gotta make it happen.
Zach, let's go, dude.
Please plate right now. Please.
- Aah.
- Charity, are you gonna make it?
- I don't know, chef, but I'm trying.
- Ten seconds!
Nine, eight, seven, six,
Five, four, three, two, one.
Stop plating. Hands up. - Oh, man.
- Celebrate it. You got to the top floor today.
[cheering] - go!
- Yes, sir. - Let's go. We got here.
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
- This final tasting is it.
I really want this spot in the competition.
That's what's on the line.
- Start right here, dead center with ari,
Some ocean trout with crushed peas.
- Great colors.
- Gorgeous.
- Oh, here we go. It's overcooked again.
- Wow. Fish cooked beautifully.
- Oh, my god.
Am I breathing? Medic.
- I love the elegance of this.
- Yeah, I'm still breathing.
Next up, zach has a beef filet with blue-cheese foam.
- Hmm, a little rustic and a little bit underseasoned.
- Temperature on the steak, really, really nice.
- Yeah, beautiful.
- All right. Next we have von.
We have the new york strip
With a sweet potato hash and a chimichurri.
- Great sear on that.
- There's some depth of flavor and some richness coming
From the sweet potato, but then there's this brightness
And levity coming from that chimichurri.
Really nice. - Thank you, chef.
- This is angela.
This is the pork tenderloin with rice
And a asian style sauce.
- Did I still cook it all the way through?
Like, it just can't be raw.
- Pork is cooked beautifully.
- Great sauce work. - Thank you.
This is pork redemption for real.
- However, the rice is somewhat bland.
If you're gonna put that volume of starch on a plate,
You need to lift it with something.
It's the final hurdle ahead of the draft.
If there's ever a moment to bring your a-game,
It was this cook.
And that rice is too plain for me.
- Oh, my god. Like, because of that damn rice,
I could go home.
[tense music]
- So this is a pan-seared turbot
And a salad of beans.
Chris really brought this one together, lots of flavors here.
- Very sweet, that sauce.
However, fish cooked beautifully.
Again, beautifully seasoned.
- [whispers] good job, chris.
- Head chef.
- Okay, these are charity's red prawns
With a champagne tomato sauce with artichokes.
- Sauce is delicious.
Unfortunately, the tail is rubbery.
- Yeah, the prawns are overcooked for sure.
It's clear from these dishes that each of you want a spot
On one of our teams.
Give us a minute, 'cause we have
A pretty big decision to make here.
- Mm-hmm. Wow.
Some great cooking there.
- Phenomenal. They really leveled up.
- I'm proud of all of y'all. - Thank you.
- In 20 minutes, that was brave to grab the pork.
- And rice.
You crazy for that one, babe.
- It comes down to the flavor, right?
It's the combination of everything
They've put on that plate.
Shall we? - Do we agree?
- Yeah. - Yes.
♪ ♪
- Before we move forward, I want to remind you
What's at stake.
[intense music]
- Oh. - Ooh-hoo.
- Five chef jackets and six of you.
- Mm, mm, mm. - Let's do it.
- There it is.
- I am praying that I've done enough
To get one of those coats today.
I need that.
- Five of you are gonna continue this journey
To compete for a life-changing $250,000
And a one-year mentorship from the three of us.
The first person that's heading to the draft is...
[suspenseful music]
Ari. - Oh, my god.
[applause]
- I just want to call my mom and scream, "I did it!"
I won't let you down.
Sorry. [laughs]
I-I can't wait to run home and tell her
And have a margarita after because that was so stressful.
- The second person who has earned their way through
To the draft is...
Chris.
[applause] - wow. Thank you.
Thank you, chefs. Thank you. - Good job, brother.
- Good job, chris. - Nice job.
- And the third person is...
Zach. - Thank you.
- And the next person who's made it through is...
♪ ♪
Von. - Thank you.
Damn, it took you long enough.
[laughs]
- That leaves us with angela and charity.
- Yes, chef.
- And only one spot left.
The last person moving through to our draft is...
♪ ♪
Angela.
[upbeat music]
- Thank you.
Whew. Okay. [laughs]
I didn't win anything,
Just a spot.
Still a whole longer race to go from there.
- Charity, your food is
As vibrant as your personality is.
- Thank you, chefs. - And that sauce was delicious.
- Truly an honor, and I really appreciate the opportunity.
- You can head to the elevator. Thanks, charity.
- Bye, charity. - Good job.
- The auditions have been very tough.
But did I have a lot of fun? Heck yeah!
♪ ♪
- All of you, congratulations.
Today was only the beginning.
Now I've got my eye on quite a lot of you,
Let me tell you.
I'm spoiled for choice.
But you need to bring your energy,
You need to bring your a-game.
Right? All: Yes, chef.
- Give yourselves a round of applause. Come on.
- There we go. - Well done.
- This draft needs to start with a couple of curveballs.
I wanna go for individuals that they would never think
I was gonna go for.
It's not always the shiny stars.
- Well done, everyone.
I have the first pick.
It has to happen for me.
I've been waiting all year for this.
- It's hard to choose. I know who I want,
But it's like, I can see greatness in all of them.
- Really good job. Well done, all of you.
You've got your jackets. [cheering]
- Yeah, baby! - Whoo!
I hope you all have an extra small
Because I'ma be here for a while.
- Professional home chef-- - one, two, three.
All: Top five! - Let's go.
- Yeah, baby.
- Whoo! I got it. Top five.
- Put 'em up. Put 'em up. - Well done.
[cheering]
- So I'm one step closer
To that prize and that mentorship.
I'm ready to go.
- Who wants to be on team blais?
Next time on "next level chef"...
- Today, we are going to draft our teams!
[cheering]
- We got some talented chefs in here.
The draft's about to go down.
Let's go.
- I know how to mentor winners.
What did you do over the weekend?
I made a draft war room board.
- So for my first pick, someone who knows how to grind.
- Do you know what?
Now I have something to prove, and I'm coming.
- Jordan. - Whoo!
- Hold on.
Would you like to join team ramsay?
- What the hell is happening?
- [bleep].
- Uh...