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00:01Last time on Next Level Chef.
00:04Go!
00:04Let's go!
00:05From the 24 chefs here, only 15 of you
00:09will make it through the auditions onto one of our teams.
00:12And today, we are starting with the social media chefs.
00:16Congratulations.
00:18You are now the top five social media chefs in this country.
00:22Let's go!
00:23Come on, baby, let's go!
00:25And tonight.
00:27It's the eight home cooks.
00:29Eight of you will start in the basement,
00:31and after each cook, one of you will be eliminated.
00:34Oh!
00:35I said get the pan hot, but don't burn the kitchen down.
00:38This is my dream since I was a little girl.
00:42Give me the shirt.
01:02Let's go!
01:03Let's go!
01:04Oh, too much weight in here. My bad.
01:06This is so crazy.
01:08And then even on the competition, yeah, I'm still just auditioning,
01:12and we have to do this back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back.
01:15Ooh!
01:17Oh, this is not cool.
01:21This place is essentially a dumpster fire, but I'm gonna make it work.
01:25Oh, my God.
01:26Ooh!
01:26Look at this.
01:27The colanders.
01:28There's holes the size of golf balls.
01:30This is nice that this is burnt.
01:31You know what?
01:32There was a slight sense of panic.
01:35And when I say slight, I mean a lot.
01:39Hey!
01:39How we doing, everyone?
01:40We doing good?
01:41Woo!
01:43How's the, uh, dungeon?
01:44I mean, basement.
01:44How's...
01:45This is an upgrade for my house.
01:47Really?
01:47Okay, I'm gonna hold you to that.
01:49I'm having a little bit of a fangirl moment of it.
01:51Chef Blaze, because I'm a huge fan of his.
01:54I've watched all his stuff.
01:56Just to have his energy around us is just surreal.
01:59We ready to go?
01:59Yes!
02:00Okay.
02:01For home cooks, this is like opening up your fridge.
02:03You got a couple minutes on a Tuesday night,
02:05and you gotta make magic happen, right?
02:07Home chef, show us what you got.
02:09The challenge is to make something out of nothing.
02:12This is your opportunity in the audition process
02:14to show us what you're all about.
02:16For one of you, the audition is going to end
02:19right here in this kitchen.
02:21How we feeling?
02:22Not nervous at all.
02:23Not nervous at all.
02:24Joe, are you nervous?
02:25Yes, but I think there's a pathway
02:27where I can get into the top five.
02:29I just gotta focus.
02:31Line up.
02:31It's time to go.
02:32Only the worst ingredients come down here to this basement.
02:36This isn't the discount rack.
02:37This is stuff that never makes it to the shelf.
02:39I was on the far right away from Mata
02:41because in a madhouse situation,
02:43he'll probably run over five or six people at a time,
02:45so I did not want to have anything to do with that.
02:47When the light turns green, it is go time.
02:54Go time.
02:56Oh, God.
02:57Okay.
02:58I see shrimp, so I grab it.
02:59Tiniest shrimp I have ever seen in my entire life.
03:02There we go.
03:03Get everything you need.
03:04I had a dream that my first challenge, I grabbed beef tongue.
03:09I was like, yes!
03:10Make sure you grab a protein.
03:12I got to the platform last, and I got nudged.
03:15Did their parents teach them any manners?
03:17The ingredients are so scarce.
03:19I had one frickin' baby corn that I could find on the whole platform.
03:23Something to make a delicious sauce?
03:25It's crazy.
03:26The gals who are feisty and fast.
03:28The big guy behind me who's looking at me like I'm an ingredient.
03:31No one's got the alligator yet.
03:32Do I have a vegetable?
03:33Do I have sauce?
03:35God.
03:35No one wants alligator.
03:36No one's got the alligator.
03:38Do I have a protein?
03:39You have to have a protein.
03:40He's got it.
03:42Wow.
03:43If you can reach it, it's yours.
03:46Okay, back to your stations.
03:48I don't even know what the hell this is.
03:49Your 20 minutes starts now.
03:52Let's go.
03:53I don't even know what this is.
03:55This group of home cooks, they're very familiar with the task of opening up the fridge and making something delicious.
04:01Joe.
04:02They have the toughest palates to cook for children and family members.
04:08So I am never surprised by a home cook who actually brings it on Next Level Chef.
04:16Alligator Joe?
04:17Really?
04:17Alligator.
04:18What?
04:20Trash ingredients.
04:21Trash kitchen.
04:23Trash man.
04:25My name is Joe.
04:27That didn't sound natural.
04:30I'm a sanitation worker for the city of New York.
04:32I was a janitor for 13 years, and now I'm a garbage man.
04:35So if you think about it, it's kind of like I graduated.
04:38I cook every day for my wife.
04:40She's pregnant with our first child, and we just bought our first home.
04:44Being in this competition, I want to prove to my wife that, you know, an average Joe can really roll
04:49with the best of it.
04:50$250,000 to me is life-changing money.
04:53So if I were to win that, you'd never see me again.
04:58Oh, my onion.
04:59What are you doing, stupid?
05:02Mata, what are you making?
05:02Here, we've got the minute steak, we've got the mushrooms, we've got the rice noodles.
05:07Got it.
05:07And then I'll go over easy egg on top, too.
05:10You got enough protein in this dish?
05:11I eat about 10,000 calories a day, Chef.
05:13Do you?
05:1410,000 calories a day.
05:16I'm only allowed to eat 1,200.
05:19It's a lot of our food to fill myself up and fuel these 22-inch guns.
05:24Mmm.
05:28Daniel.
05:28Chef Blaze.
05:29All right, man, what's going on?
05:30So we're going to do a cauliflower puree.
05:32How are you going to puree it in the basement?
05:34Right here.
05:35And you're going to puree it in a mixture?
05:36I'm going to try.
05:37I don't know about it.
05:38How'd you puree in a mixer?
05:39Wow.
05:40Daniel, would your wife eat this over here?
05:42Um, yes, she would.
05:43She might give me a little critical feedback.
05:46I am a wealth advisor now, but I really want to be a chef.
05:51When I get home after work, cooking for my beautiful wife, Kendall, is the highlight of my day.
05:56I want to win this competition for Kendall because she wants me to be a chef.
06:00And she truly believes that I'm going to win this thing.
06:04And I'm with her.
06:05Let's do it.
06:07Okay, so you got a cauliflower puree.
06:08Yeah, man.
06:09I know these are only going to take about two minutes.
06:11Keep working.
06:12Got it.
06:12Awesome.
06:13Five minutes down already, everyone.
06:15Five minutes down.
06:16Okay.
06:17Let's make a sauce.
06:20We've got alcohol.
06:21Oh, my God.
06:22Yeah, baby.
06:26Alexandra, you...
06:27Oh, my gosh.
06:28I know, chef.
06:28I was over there.
06:29You grabbed that.
06:30Not on purpose.
06:31Okay.
06:32Have you cooked with beef tongue before?
06:33No, sir.
06:34I mean, I wonder what they actually cook at home.
06:36No chance.
06:37They're at the comfort zone.
06:38They didn't see those proteins coming.
06:41Oh, for sure.
06:43Come on.
06:44Come on.
06:45Christina, how are we doing?
06:46I'm good.
06:46I'm good.
06:47Okay, so you grabbed a...
06:48I got a pork chop.
06:49Pork chop.
06:50I have a bunch of Asian ingredients.
06:52I'm going to go some noodles.
06:54I'm going to get the sambal, the ginger in there.
06:56Who are you here for?
06:56I'm here for my daughter, Isabel, and also so I can realize my dream.
06:59I do everything for everybody else, and I'm here for me and my girl today.
07:05I am an intensive care unit nurse.
07:07Pressure does not bother me one bit.
07:10My whole life is pressure.
07:12Here's the spinach.
07:16Isabel is my daughter.
07:18She was born with a malformed chest wall.
07:22What?
07:23She has had to have multiple surgeries.
07:26Why did you take everything down?
07:30Oh, because it looks so messy with all the stuff there.
07:33But that's real life.
07:35She's actually what inspired me to become a nurse.
07:38Like, cooking just comes naturally to me, and I want to live doing what I love every day.
07:46Winning that money would mean that I could take a step away from the weight that I carry every single
07:54day and really focus on my career as a chef, because that's what I want to do with my life.
08:01I like the idea.
08:02Yeah.
08:03Breathe.
08:03I'm breathing.
08:04You are here.
08:05You got this.
08:05This is how I work.
08:06I'm an under pressure kind of person.
08:08You got it.
08:08You got it.
08:09Let's go.
08:09Love the energy.
08:11Christina.
08:13Let's go, sauce.
08:16Joe.
08:17I grabbed alligator.
08:18Not the smartest move.
08:19You grabbed alligator.
08:19Not the smartest move.
08:21What am I doing?
08:21So I'm going to maybe do like a panko-crusted alligator and a sauce.
08:24Okay.
08:25Now, have you ever cooked with alligator, Joe?
08:27Nope.
08:28No?
08:28Nope.
08:30Alligator is like a grassy-tasting chicken.
08:33Got it.
08:34Is there another element besides the sauce and the cutlet?
08:36A little bit of cheese, which I got to melt last minute on top.
08:39So we're going sort of alligator parmesan?
08:42We could.
08:43We could.
08:44Joe, we are.
08:44We are.
08:45Alligator parmesan.
08:45I like it.
08:46I feel great.
08:47I do.
08:48I feel, um...
08:51Yeah, maybe.
08:52Maybe not.
08:53Alligator parmesan.
08:54All right.
08:55Okay.
08:55Listen, Monica, you got two things cooking already really, really quick.
08:59What's the dish going to be?
09:01Um...
09:02Um...
09:02Um...
09:03This is mackerel.
09:04I've never cooked it.
09:05Like an Indian flair.
09:06You've never cooked mackerel before?
09:08No, but it's like fish, right?
09:09It is a fish.
09:10Well, it's not like fish.
09:10It is a fish, okay?
09:11Whatever you think, right?
09:12You left the skin on it.
09:13Yes.
09:13Just don't overcook it.
09:15As a home cook, I can put together at home meals 10, 15, 20 minutes.
09:20But right here, the fry pans are crooked.
09:23Knives aren't even sharp.
09:24And everybody else was so calm.
09:26What the hell's wrong with me?
09:29You didn't come all the way out here to not make it to the middle level, did you?
09:33No, Chef.
09:34Man, that did not work out.
09:36I'm trying to make my puree.
09:37It helped to have a machine to be able to puree something.
09:41And using that mixer, it is a disaster.
09:45I'm freaking out.
09:47Gosh.
09:48I'm panicking.
09:48I'm running all over the kitchen trying to see if there's a blender anywhere.
09:52Nope.
09:52There's nothing.
09:53Potato masher.
09:55There is nothing in the kitchen to make a puree.
09:59Come on.
10:00Come on.
10:02What is Daniel making?
10:05My cauliflower puree is not going to be a puree.
10:08And I have no clue where to take it from here.
10:16I've got to come up with a new plan.
10:18The puree's not going to work.
10:19Time's ticking.
10:20All I know is that I have to get something in that bowl.
10:22It's time to pivot.
10:24Ding.
10:25It's time to make a soup.
10:26Are we tasting our food?
10:27Yes, Chef.
10:28Gordon and Nyesha are watching you right now.
10:30And we're looking to see who we want to draft on our team.
10:33Cook your way into this competition, people.
10:36Five minutes left.
10:37Only five minutes.
10:38Oh, God.
10:39Dude.
10:39I'm really worried about one individual that is just looking so out of place.
10:44So uncomfortable.
10:46I just don't think Richard's going to make it.
10:50Final two minutes.
10:52It's time to start plating.
10:53Alligator Joe.
10:55I wouldn't think to put cheese and alligator in one dish.
10:57Never.
10:58Oh, it's cheddar cheese?
11:00I cannot.
11:02One minute left.
11:03Think about how it looks.
11:04Do you have any garnish for it?
11:05Have I tasted it?
11:07Marco's upside down.
11:08Where's that nice crispy skin?
11:09Mm.
11:1020 seconds left.
11:11Whoa.
11:12Okay, Wendy's getting arched full.
11:13I gotta say, the ladies are kind of killing it.
11:15Five, four, three, two, one.
11:20Time's up, everyone.
11:22Good job.
11:23Good job.
11:23Good job.
11:29These dishes look good, so I think it's time to dive in.
11:31What do you think?
11:31Sure.
11:32Definitely.
11:32All right.
11:33This is an alligator parmesan.
11:35Wow.
11:36Interesting.
11:37With a tomato sauce.
11:40Seriously, an alligator, tough protein.
11:41No fat, very unforgiving, and also just, it's really hard to get right.
11:46Um, I think you've pivoted brilliantly to do a sort of take on an Italian classic.
11:52What the hell?
11:53I didn't want to love this.
11:55It's not the first pairing I'd think about in my mind, cheddar cheese and alligator.
12:00It's a good first effort.
12:03Think I pulled it off?
12:04I don't know.
12:05Okay.
12:06So moving along, we have Christina's pork chop with stir-fried noodles and crispy onions.
12:14Uh, delicious.
12:16Really nice hit on the spice there in the seasoning.
12:19For someone that works in intensive care, you cook intensively.
12:23Moving along over here, we have a pan-seared mackerel with a vegetable korma.
12:30The vegetable korma, quite tasty.
12:32The fish is overcooked.
12:34It takes three or four minutes to cook.
12:36You shot yourself in the foot there.
12:38This is Lauren's pan-seared haddock with a creamy succotash and potatoes.
12:46Haddock's one of my favorite fish.
12:48I think the flavors are great.
12:49Great job.
12:51This is Mata's protein bowl.
12:53This is a pan-stir-fried minute steak.
13:02It makes it a little bit too sweet, so just be careful.
13:04You just need a touch of salt.
13:05Yeah, you just gotta make sure it's salty, sweet.
13:07You gotta balance things out.
13:08It's like leg and arm day, right?
13:10You can't have chicken legs.
13:11But again, put together in 20 minutes, it's good.
13:14It's really good.
13:14Okay, this is Daniel's cauliflower soup with poached shrimp.
13:19Just start it as a cauliflower puree.
13:21I'd never attempt to do any puree in this kitchen, because we've got no blenders to get this puree smooth.
13:26Just a few moments of, like, freshness would be nice to give my palate some reprieve from the richness.
13:32Thank you, chef.
13:33I just took on a task that was somewhat impossible, but everything's very decrepit in the basement.
13:39This is not the best conditions.
13:41It's the hand I was dealt with.
13:42Okay, this is Wendy's turkey stir-fry with avocado.
13:47Wow.
13:48Yeah, I've never seen a puree with a stir-fry, but turkey actually tastes quite nice.
13:52When constructing a plate, you want some element for me to be able to enjoy that delicious sauce that you
13:57have.
13:58Okay, final dish.
14:00This is Alexandra's beef tongue with a Mediterranean salad.
14:06No one wanted your tongue down here.
14:08I'm amazed.
14:09It actually tastes quite good.
14:11So the tongue's good.
14:12Okay, so we need a few minutes to discuss.
14:15Excuse us.
14:17Great job.
14:18Great job.
14:19Listen, you've got some great dishes to begin with.
14:22Some mild disasters.
14:24I just want to keep going.
14:26Alligator, parmesan, I would have never thought.
14:28No.
14:28I think the soup was a little bit weird with the prawns.
14:31And mackerel.
14:32She started cooking the fish the same time she started making the sauce.
14:35Yes.
14:35I'm never making mackerel as long as I live ever again.
14:38Happy?
14:38Yeah.
14:39Mm-hmm.
14:45Okay, so one of you, unfortunately, are going to be leaving the competition.
14:49The first three people that are moving up to the middle level are Christina, Mara, and Joe.
15:00Oh!
15:02Joe!
15:03Make your way up to the elevator.
15:05Good job.
15:07Good job.
15:07Good job.
15:08I ended up turning alligator into something that Chef Ramsay liked.
15:14I go home happy today.
15:16The next three people that are making it to the middle level are going to be Lauren, Alexandra, and Wendy.
15:28Congratulations.
15:29You made it to the middle level.
15:31Join your colleagues up in the elevator, please.
15:33Good job, ladies.
15:36Okay.
15:36So, Monica, Daniel, unfortunately, that leaves two of you and only one spot left in the elevator
15:46to head to the middle level.
15:49The person moving up is...
16:04Monica.
16:06It's okay.
16:07It's all right.
16:08You can join your colleagues in the elevator.
16:10Congratulations.
16:12Daniel, today, I just think the 20 minutes in the basement sort of got to you.
16:15Sure, yeah, yeah.
16:16Thank you, all three of you, for this opportunity so much.
16:21A lot of things didn't go right today, but I'm getting to get home to my beautiful wife,
16:25Kendall.
16:25I'm, like, really excited about that.
16:27Yeah.
16:35Oh, my God.
16:36Is there a bar around here?
16:38Just a quick tequila shot, and I'll be...
16:40I'll be good.
16:41Ready for round two?
16:42Let's go.
16:43Yes, sir.
16:44Welcome.
16:44Woo!
16:45We've got blenders for purees.
16:47We've got fryers.
16:48Tell me what you're doing.
16:49Yeah.
16:49We've got grills.
16:50We've got ovens.
16:50Take it all in.
16:52It's an actual kitchen.
16:53Now we're cooking.
16:54That's all I need is the middle level.
16:56I'll stay there the whole show.
16:58Middle level.
16:59Actually, no, that defeats the purpose.
17:02You did very well downstairs in that basement, but my expectations are way higher up here.
17:09Line up, please.
17:10You guys know how to make a stunning Sunday dinner?
17:13Now cook something unique.
17:15Get up to the next level.
17:18The platform is moving.
17:20I'm considerate to all the other contestants.
17:22If I went full steam, everybody's gonna get hurt.
17:26I don't want it to be next level emergency room.
17:28That's what I don't want.
17:30Let's go!
17:31Ow!
17:32Let's go.
17:34Turkey steak, sea bass.
17:35I'm grabbing that ground beef.
17:37Flat iron steak.
17:38Come on.
17:39I immediately could smell my mom cooking us up dinner in the kitchen.
17:44Pork chop.
17:45All I see again is a pork chop.
17:49Oh, my God.
17:49I got the same thing.
17:51Oh, my gosh.
17:52Come on.
17:52Oh, go ahead.
17:53You go first.
17:54I'm too nice.
17:56And as my last resort, I grab the turkey breast.
18:00Five, four, three, two, one, and go.
18:0720 minutes starts now.
18:08Let's go.
18:11Mid-level Sunday dinner.
18:13Here we go.
18:15Guys, remember, we are watching your every move, yes?
18:20I want to see what I'm going to be drafting.
18:22Yes, chef.
18:24Someone creative.
18:25I like it.
18:26I like it a lot.
18:27Someone resilient.
18:28Oh, my gosh.
18:29But more importantly, someone that can be mentored to the very top.
18:32Yes, chef.
18:35This sector of the auditions in that middle kitchen beautifully equipped.
18:39The ingredients is second to none.
18:40So these home chefs are in a position now to elaborate.
18:44On their rustic home cooking.
18:46Okay.
18:47Christina, what is this affinity pork chop?
18:49That's a really good grab.
18:50I don't even cook pork at home.
18:52You don't cook pork at home?
18:53So you got the potatoes, the kale.
18:54I'm going Greek yiro flavors.
18:57I'm seeing flavors that actually correlate really well with my Greek heritage.
19:02Fresh mint, Greek yogurt, potatoes.
19:04And I'm like, that's it.
19:06I'm going with my heritage.
19:07The yogurt is going to be tzatziki minus the cucumbers because I couldn't grab those.
19:12But you can put the onion in.
19:13Yeah, yeah.
19:14To sharpen it up a little bit.
19:15To sharpen it up a little bit.
19:15Okay, good.
19:16Joe, you're cooking for two people, not an army.
19:19Joe, so you've gone from alligator to flat iron steak.
19:22That's the dream.
19:22Get that thing seasoned.
19:24Olive on.
19:24Get it marinating.
19:25Okay?
19:26Wish I had lemon.
19:27I don't have lemon.
19:29I need an acid.
19:30I'm thinking maybe a white sauce because I don't have tomato.
19:32If you start thinking about all the foo-foo things, you forget the most important is the protein.
19:37My protein.
19:37Well, that's what's going to send you home.
19:39So focus on that first.
19:41Got it.
19:41You've got a great protein, yes?
19:43Big man, what'd you get?
19:44Salmon.
19:45Salmon.
19:45Gonna go crispy skin.
19:47Skin side down, but don't overcook it.
19:48Okay.
19:49Yes, Chef.
19:50Be leveling up.
19:51I think Mata's wearing one of Gordon's t-shirts.
19:53How tight is that thing?
19:54He's definitely hitting the weights.
19:58People always tell me I look like a real life superhero.
20:01But for me, it's not this.
20:03It's right here.
20:04I'm already from Egypt, grew up in New Zealand.
20:06I was a pro basketball player, WWE star, and now I'm a celebrity personal trainer.
20:12My one constant, no matter what country I lived in, was food.
20:15And I had this deep passion for cooking.
20:19I'm a home chef.
20:20I cook for my family.
20:21Any type of steak, chicken, chops, you name it, I can cook it.
20:25I know a lot of people are gonna underestimate me.
20:27They're gonna take one look at me, they're gonna think I'm just some classic meathead bodybuilder
20:31only makes meal preps.
20:33But they're gonna be surprised.
20:35I love the look on her face when they find out the real me.
20:3915 minutes to go.
20:41Oh, that's going quick.
20:42Plenty of time.
20:43Lauren, you've got the best fish.
20:45You cook with basic fork?
20:46Yes.
20:46I love that.
20:47That skin is delicious.
20:49So cooking 90 to 10 skins like that.
20:51Shallots are burning.
20:52Watch out.
20:54Alexandra.
20:54Yes, Chef.
20:55Where are we going with this chicken dish?
20:56Chicken cutlet with kind of like a puttanesca sauce.
20:59Nice idea, butterflying it like that.
21:00It'll cook quicker as well.
21:02Sunday dinner to me is pasta, chicken cutlets, garlic bread, wine.
21:08Can you tell I'm Italian?
21:10How long have you been in the police?
21:12Almost five years now, Chef.
21:13Five years?
21:14Yeah.
21:14So I don't expect you to buckle under the lights.
21:16I won't.
21:17Food and cooking was a huge part of growing up.
21:20And Sunday dinner is always like a whole day event.
21:23So we'll have like Sunday fun day in the morning where you have Bloody Marys in your wings.
21:26And then there will be homemade meatballs.
21:29And it's just your typical loud Italian family and everyone together on a Sunday.
21:34I am a detective in the ballistics unit.
21:37I deal with incoming weapons that were involved with crimes.
21:41Cooking is definitely a switch off for me.
21:43And it's fun.
21:44So let's go.
21:47Do them proud.
21:48Do yourself proud and get up to that next level.
21:49Yes, Chef.
21:50Yes.
21:50Coming up nearly to halfway.
21:53Monica.
21:53Okay.
21:54What did you get?
21:54I'm going to do something with a turkey steak because I don't have a garnish.
21:59Well, that's it in terms of garnish.
22:03What were you doing?
22:04These little are in my way.
22:07He's a big , not a little .
22:11You cannot tell me what to do.
22:14I'll just do the opposite.
22:16I came from corporate America, had a successful career in finance, but then something shifted.
22:23I've always, I think, had a passion for food.
22:26So I quit.
22:27Yum.
22:28I cook with my heart.
22:30Like, I'm a mom.
22:31I'm not cooking with tweezers.
22:33I mean, I pluck my chin hairs with tweezers.
22:36Explain the dish.
22:37I'm just going to do a bulgogi.
22:38A bulgogi.
22:39Yes.
22:40Okay.
22:41Or a stir fry.
22:44I see it in your eyes.
22:45I'll go stir fry.
22:46I'm telling you to do a stir fry?
22:48Are you?
22:49You need to follow your instinct.
22:51I'll go stir fry.
22:53Be decisive.
22:55I don't think he knows he's my best friend, but we have a connection.
22:59We do.
23:00Just do what you need to do to get yourself upstairs, okay?
23:03All right.
23:03Nine minutes to go.
23:04Let's go.
23:05Let's go.
23:06Let's go.
23:06Let's go.
23:07Oh, Jesus.
23:09Okay.
23:10Um.
23:12Monica's burning down the kitchen.
23:14Monica, what are you doing?
23:15I don't know.
23:15I said get the pan hot, but don't burn the kitchen down.
23:19Woo!
23:20Holy .
23:21I don't want to catch on fire.
23:22What the hell?
23:27Monica, what are you doing?
23:29Honestly.
23:30What are you doing?
23:31It caught on fire.
23:33You can't use that, right?
23:38Get your together, girl.
23:40Let's go.
23:40Let's go.
23:41I hear you, Chef.
23:41Eight minutes to go, guys.
23:43Eight minutes to go.
23:45Hi, Chef.
23:46Wendy, in terms of inspiration, where's this coming from?
23:48From my mom.
23:49The sauce that you loved from the last round, that was the sauce that my mom made for me growing
23:53up, and so I can't wait to be on FaceTime to tell her that.
23:57Just, like, out of the womb, I just, like, came out just running out, like, ready to cook.
24:02But growing up in the Bay Area, everyone ends up working in the medical field or mostly in tech.
24:08But I wanted to do more of what I loved.
24:11Now, I am, like, the epitome of what a home cook is.
24:15Growing up, I never really got a chance to see somebody that looked like me on a cooking competition.
24:21So I hope when young Asian children see me on screen, they will know that if they wanted to, they
24:29could be sitting right here, too.
24:31Tasting-wise, you taste it all the time, yes?
24:34Oh, yeah.
24:35Yeah.
24:36Yum.
24:36Good.
24:36Touch of salt.
24:37Yeah.
24:38Taste it.
24:38Taste, taste, taste.
24:39Okay.
24:40Macaroni, elbow.
24:41Have you tasted it?
24:44Have you tasted it?
24:45Have you tasted it?
24:46I saw him moving his hand.
24:47I was like, this is not real life.
24:48This is not real life.
24:51Chef Ramsay's beating me pasta.
24:53Thank you, chef.
24:53I don't even think I believed it as it was happening.
24:56This is wild.
24:59No .
25:01Tell me what you're doing.
25:02I'm doing a little bit of a cheese sauce for the steak because it's got to be rustic.
25:05It's got to cook down a little more.
25:07Look at me.
25:07You're focusing on all the wrong things right now.
25:10You've got that flat iron steak that's not even cooked, and that needs to be cooked and rested.
25:13And rested.
25:14Yeah, and rested.
25:15Yeah, remember?
25:15Forgot about the rest.
25:16Let's go.
25:17Yes, chef.
25:18Five minutes to go, guys.
25:20How many?
25:21You've got five minutes to go.
25:22Right, are you back on track?
25:24I'm trying.
25:25Good.
25:25Come on, Monica.
25:26Let's go.
25:26It's going in.
25:27Still not hot enough.
25:28Get it out.
25:29Why are you going to boil it?
25:30Sorry, sorry.
25:31Breathe, Joe.
25:32Oh, Joe.
25:32Buddy.
25:33Joey.
25:33Come on, son of a bitch.
25:35These auditions are tough.
25:36It's almost like cooking when you have company over.
25:39Everyone's yelling.
25:40Nothing works, except your company on three of the best chefs in the world.
25:47Oh.
25:48Thank you, chef.
25:48Now start editing yourself and bring it back together, please, yes?
25:52The home cooks, they cook so much different than the pro chefs.
25:55Who are your standouts?
25:57Alexandra and Christina right now, I think.
26:00That pork resting?
26:01Yes.
26:01Okay, start thinking about that.
26:02Visualize now.
26:03Okay, and we want the best for Richard and Aisha, right?
26:05Yes.
26:05I like her, man.
26:06She thinks on her feet.
26:08Big Christina fan.
26:09Is that your first pick?
26:09What are you thinking?
26:10Start plating, guys.
26:12Two minutes.
26:12You've got to pick one of these chefs here to be on your team.
26:14Who are you going to pick?
26:16I'm going with, um...
26:17Time's ticking.
26:17Time's ticking.
26:18Colin, you've got 30 seconds.
26:19Let's start plating.
26:21Ticking.
26:22Gordon Ramsay.
26:23Oh, Gordon Ramsay.
26:24Okay.
26:24Yeah, that's not a bad...
26:25That's not a bad choice.
26:26Okay, let's go.
26:28Five, four, three, two, one, and stop!
26:33Hands up.
26:39That was intense.
26:41Richard, Aisha, welcome back.
26:43Let's dig in.
26:43Um, this is a ground beef, Asian-style curry, cooked by Wendy.
26:49Uh, that's cooking.
26:50That's soulful cooking.
26:51You stayed in your comfort zone, but it's a good effort.
26:54Thank you, chef.
26:55Next up is Alexandra's chicken breast, served with a little elbow macaroni.
27:00This hit some big nostalgia notes for me.
27:02That's what I grew up eating.
27:03Beautiful, classic dish, right?
27:05Chicken's a hero.
27:06That's evident.
27:06Well done.
27:07Yes, chef.
27:08Next one is Lauren's grab.
27:09She grabbed the sea bass, usually roasted skin side down.
27:12Visually, it looks like a restaurant dish.
27:14I don't know if it's Sunday dinner at home, but it's quite beautiful.
27:21Basket of beautiful.
27:22Thank you, chef.
27:24Next up is Christina's pork chop pan seared.
27:27Almost done in a sort of Greek way.
27:29That there's textbook.
27:30I love the brightness coming from the apricot.
27:33I'm very impressed.
27:34Thank you, chef.
27:35This is Monica's dish.
27:37Turkey.
27:38Done with a bok choy.
27:39Finished with a fried egg.
27:44Um, it's underwhelming.
27:46This is not next level.
27:49Next up is marda.
27:50This is a crispy seared salmon, served with a sakatash and a rigatoni.
27:55The glaring area of opportunity for growth here is the controlling the pan heat when you sear the salmon.
28:02But the salmon inside is actually cooked nicely.
28:06This dish is by Joe.
28:08This is a flat iron steak.
28:10Sorry about all the blood, uh, into the sauce.
28:15It's apparent that the steak was not rested before you plated.
28:19No.
28:20Right?
28:20No.
28:20The dish is a mess.
28:22I'm relying mainly on taste.
28:23Well, the steak was seasoned well.
28:25Thank you, chef.
28:27Seven amazing home chefs.
28:28And based on that last 20 minutes, you've made it difficult for us.
28:32Give us two minutes.
28:35The turkey scallops with the bok choy monikers.
28:38For me, 20 minutes, why spend half your time chopping it up like that?
28:42You guys grabbed proper ingredients for your dish.
28:45I grabbed two things.
28:47Joe's?
28:47I mean, literally a bloody mess.
28:49Yeah, they look awful.
28:50A bloody mess.
28:50Awful.
28:51But the steak was cooked really, really well.
28:53It was tasty.
28:53Yeah.
28:54It's gonna look awful.
28:55But I'm relying on taste.
28:57Look, happy?
28:59I think so.
28:59Yeah?
29:00Yeah.
29:01Oof.
29:04Okay, let's start off with the first three cooks moving into the top-level kitchen.
29:13Christina, Wendy, and Alexandra, congratulations.
29:19Make your way to the elevator, please.
29:21I am so proud of myself.
29:24I'm just imagining my mom at home being so stoked that I used her recipe.
29:30The next two dishes making their way up to the top-flight kitchen are Lauren and Marda.
29:41Congratulations.
29:42Thank you, chef.
29:43Strong, strong plates.
29:45Giant weight off my shoulders right now.
29:47Wow.
29:48Yes.
29:48Good job, guys.
29:50Joe, you were time poor.
29:52Monica, you were uncertain of where you wanted to go with your dish.
29:56The final person moving to the top is Joe.
30:18You were great.
30:19You were great.
30:21You were great.
30:21You got lucky on this one.
30:23Elevator.
30:24Thank you, chef.
30:25Monica, keep up the dream.
30:27Continue climbing that ladder.
30:29And thank you.
30:30Good luck.
30:32Oh, Monica.
30:35Bye, Monica.
30:36Bye, Monica.
30:37Take care.
30:41Chef Gordon Ramsay tossed me to the side.
30:44But I'm really confident we're going to be best friends still.
30:49Even though he just forgot to give me his number.
30:53Good luck, guys.
30:54Yes.
30:54Final 20 minutes.
30:55You guys ready to do this?
30:56Yes.
30:57Let's go.
30:57Top level, baby.
30:59Take a look around.
31:00Take a look around.
31:02Familiarize yourself.
31:03Yo, these are so much sharper.
31:05Bro, this top kitchen is beyond incredible.
31:09I don't know half the equipment in here.
31:11I'm like, is this a kid's toy?
31:12Do you know how to work this?
31:13Oh, my God.
31:15But for me, I don't need any equipment.
31:17I would go outside right now and start a fire if I have to.
31:21You've all looked around, right?
31:23It's the best of the best up here.
31:25Yeah.
31:25This is a chef's playground.
31:26I'm moving.
31:27With better equipment, better ingredients,
31:30comes higher expectation.
31:32Yes.
31:32I want you all to make sure that the dish you put out
31:36gets you onto one of our teams.
31:39Yes, chef.
31:40Yes?
31:40Yes, chef.
31:41Home cooks.
31:42Got a lot to prove.
31:43Woo!
31:45Last opportunity to earn your spot in this competition.
31:48Line up, please.
31:49Platform's gonna be coming down.
31:52I'm not going home today.
31:54I'm here for my daughter.
31:56I'm here to change our lives.
31:57That's what I'm here for.
31:58Go!
32:00Grab a protein.
32:02This platform is so much better.
32:04I grab a veal chop, so I'm like, here we go again.
32:08I'm cooking a chop, I guess.
32:10Wow, that's spicy.
32:11Oh, look at that!
32:12I like how she jumped up.
32:13If there was just a competition just for platform grabbing, sign me up.
32:19My feet were dangling, trying to grab the lobster.
32:22Oh, my God!
32:23Leave yourself options.
32:2515 seconds, guys.
32:26Only five of us are making it onto the team.
32:28I have got to fight for what I want.
32:31Earn your spot into this competition.
32:32Go, go, go!
32:33Let's go!
32:34Grab, grab, grab!
32:35Get back to your station.
32:36Let's go.
32:36Gee, many Christmas.
32:38What a nut house.
32:3920 minutes starts now.
32:43I need pans.
32:44I need my fish pan.
32:45Lauren, what do you have?
32:46I grabbed a ribeye, and I'm thinking about making a celery root puree.
32:52All your pans are getting hot, right?
32:53Yes, everything's on the fire.
32:55Lauren stays pretty organized.
32:56I guess from cooking on a private jet, you don't have a lot of space.
33:00Can I help you?
33:03I am a flight attendant on a private jet.
33:06It's a cooking in the basement on steroids.
33:08I have one induction cooktop burner, a blender.
33:13So I am used to having pressure, at least cabin pressure.
33:18I am so passionate about cooking.
33:21It is my love language.
33:22I love cooking for other people.
33:24I love the yummy noises.
33:26It just makes me smile.
33:28I am completely self-taught.
33:30I have never been to culinary school,
33:32but I want to prove to myself that I do have the chops to be considered a chef.
33:40Okay, we're already five minutes down, guys.
33:43Mana?
33:43Boom.
33:44I got some tiger prawns.
33:45Got the shells there with some fish broth.
33:47Messier this.
33:48And we use the pancetta with all these fresh vegetables to make kind of a light sauce for these noodles.
33:53Sounds like you got a game plan.
33:54Yeah, let's go, chef.
33:55I'm ready.
34:07Let's go.
34:08Everything's gonna taste amazing.
34:09That's sort of Malaysian influence.
34:10Yeah.
34:10Here I go.
34:11Stay focused.
34:11Yes, chef.
34:13I grabbed the lamb loin thinking it was a steak.
34:16I've never cooked lamb before.
34:19I'm just gonna take a gamble on this one.
34:21Hi, Joe.
34:22Here's the thing.
34:23Tell me.
34:24Plot twist.
34:24I don't cook fish often.
34:26You guys don't understand.
34:27I don't cook fish well.
34:29Like, my fish just turns to .
34:32Like, this was the one time, genuinely, where I looked at my ingredients, and in my head,
34:37it went .
34:37And naturally, it's on the top level.
34:40Israeli couscous.
34:41Where is this going?
34:42I'm gonna do a side.
34:43I'm gonna toast it first.
34:44Keep cooking.
34:45Just get it in some water.
34:46Just get it in some water.
34:47It needs to be cooked.
34:50Alexandra, how familiar are you with cooking lobster?
34:53Um, I don't cook it as often as I would like to.
34:56Um, I'm blanching a lobster tail, and then I'm gonna cook it in, like, a chorizo butter.
34:59Oh, I like this.
35:00Chorizo butter.
35:01Lobster with chorizo butter?
35:02Oh.
35:04Can't stress enough that you need to get in front of time.
35:07You see how fast this goes, right?
35:10Stay focused.
35:11Veal chop.
35:11Yeah.
35:13I am doing a basic spice rub.
35:16I'm gonna do a blackberry production.
35:19You love that?
35:19Comegranate molasses.
35:20I saw that look you just gave.
35:21Are you thinking that's Team Ramsey right there?
35:23I like it.
35:25Halfway down, guys.
35:26Ten minutes left.
35:27Yes, chef.
35:27This is a life-changing opportunity.
35:30Let's go.
35:31Let's go.
35:32Prove that you want your spot on Gordon's team, Richard's team, or myself.
35:36Final five minutes.
35:38Yes, chef.
35:39Come on, Marta.
35:40Wendy, you okay?
35:41Yes, ma'am.
35:41Be careful.
35:43Okay.
35:43Resting is so important.
35:44It still has carry over time to cook, you know?
35:47Hustle.
35:47Hustle.
35:48Hustle.
35:48Come on, guys.
35:50Time is ticking away.
35:53Joe.
35:54Stay with it, Joe.
35:55Come on.
35:55Finish strong.
35:56Watch that couscous, Joe.
35:59Guys, two minutes left.
36:01Start plating.
36:04Bring the vision to life.
36:06One plate that's gonna get you into this competition.
36:10One beautiful plate.
36:1315 seconds.
36:15Make smart choices.
36:17Five, four, three, two, one.
36:22Hands up, guys.
36:23Hands up.
36:25Wow.
36:27That was intense.
36:28Well done.
36:29Should we taste?
36:30Please.
36:30So first up, Lauren has prepared a ribeye.
36:32She prepared a celery root two ways, a puree and roasted.
36:40Rosy pink all the way through.
36:41Great cook.
36:42Classic combination celery and beef.
36:44Next up, we have a veal chop prepared by Christina with a blackberry sauce, a snap pea, and sweet potato
36:52puree.
36:55I'm kind of blown away that you got so much work done in just 20 minutes, and I guess the
36:59only question I have is, can you cook anything besides chops?
37:02I don't, I've never cooked a meal chop.
37:05Next up, we have an angel hair pasta with roasted shrimp.
37:10Mata has roasted the shrimp heads and folded that into the sauce.
37:14Some tomatoes, a little bit of spinach.
37:16Shrimp are delicious to you, Chef.
37:18Yeah, the seasoning's really good.
37:19I wish you would have tossed the noodles with the sauce.
37:22Let's go.
37:22Next up, we have a lobster prepared by Alexandra.
37:26This is folded in with roasted chorizo, as well as a broccolini.
37:31I was concerned that the lobster would be overcooked, but it's really nice.
37:35Next up, we have a pan-roasted bronzino cooked by Joe.
37:39Israeli couscous on the side, as well as Parmesan potatoes and roasted onion spinach medley.
37:48Bronzino cooked crispy, really good.
37:51I've never made bronzino ever.
37:54It's a win for me.
37:55Couscous sadly undercooked. It's very hard.
37:59Next up, by Wendy, we have a lamb loin and a coconut pan-jou.
38:03Lamb's cooked beautifully.
38:04The strange part of this dish is the rest of the garnish.
38:06It's like there's two different dishes going on here.
38:08All right, guys, so we have some very hard decisions to make.
38:12Please give us a second.
38:13Wow.
38:14We're not going home.
38:17Why would you put coconut with lamb?
38:18I think she has that. That's her real health.
38:20Yeah, but the coconut can work.
38:21Not in connection with the endive and some of the other stuff.
38:24No.
38:24You said it was two dishes on one.
38:25Two dishes, wasn't it?
38:26On one plate.
38:27Yeah, absolutely.
38:27I am praying with every fiber in my being.
38:30Like, I'm not going to accept that it's my fate to leave this competition right now.
38:35Fish was nailed.
38:36The bit on the side with the silly little scales and then that couscous.
38:40It was rock hard.
38:41It was inedible.
38:42I did as best as I could.
38:44I did as best as I could.
38:44But I'm a garbage man.
38:45So if I go home, the rats are still going to accept me for me.
38:49I hope.
38:50They were both on the part dishes, right?
38:52Yes.
38:59We have come to a decision.
39:03But before we reveal that decision, I want to remind you what's riding on this.
39:14I smell the mentorship.
39:18Give me the shirt.
39:20As you can see, there are only five chef jackets on that platform.
39:25And there's six of you.
39:28The first person moving into the draft for a shot at one of our teams is Christina.
39:43Thank you, thank you.
39:45This is my dream since I was a little girl.
39:48And now I'm here and I'm doing it and I'm freaking killing it so far.
39:52Great job.
39:53Just getting started.
39:54Keep going, girl.
39:56The next person that will be moving into the draft is Lauren.
40:04Oh, my God.
40:07Thank you so much, Jess.
40:09Great job.
40:10The third person who has earned their spot on one of our teams is Mata.
40:21Yes, let's go.
40:23Thank you so much.
40:24Let's go.
40:25Your boys made it.
40:26I know my kids are watching right now.
40:28They're like, go daddy.
40:30Let's go.
40:30The fourth person that has made their way into the draft is Alexandra.
40:41Thank you, Chef.
40:42Used to being calm.
40:43I'm not calm right now.
40:45Holy .
40:46It was getting close.
40:48That leaves two.
40:49Joe and Wendy.
40:52We have one last spot available.
40:55It was actually a very tough decision for the three of us.
41:00The final person moving into the draft is Wendy.
41:10Congrats, girl.
41:12Joe, how are you feeling, bud?
41:15Frankly .
41:17But that's the first time I cooked fish successfully.
41:20Amazing.
41:21You should be so proud.
41:22And we wish you the best.
41:23Please head to the elevator.
41:24Thank you, guys.
41:25Thank you, Chef.
41:26I go.
41:27Some people win.
41:28Some people lose.
41:28Today I lost.
41:30I'm proud that I got up there.
41:31I just really wanted to win.
41:34Standing in front of us now, we have the five most talented home cooks anywhere in America.
41:39Well done.
41:40Come on.
41:41Come on.
41:42Holy .
41:44Today's been refreshing.
41:46These home chefs have really stepped up.
41:47And without doubt, they can compete against the pros and the social media chefs.
41:52I've spotted three talented home chefs that I would love on my team.
41:57For home chefs, there's definitely going to be a learning curve.
41:59But I have a pretty good idea at my top two.
42:03Excited?
42:03Yes, Chef.
42:05I am super pumped up about this draft.
42:08I have to win.
42:08There's a lot of pressure on me.
42:10Get your jackets.
42:11Good night.
42:15This is just the best feeling ever in my life.
42:18I feel like this is finally my moment.
42:21Good job.
42:24Oh, look at your boy.
42:26Let's go.
42:27I know this is just the auditions, but it feels like I just won the Olympics.
42:31Wow.
42:32That's certainly beyond home cooks.
42:34Absolutely.
42:34Let's go.
42:35Woo!
42:36Woo!
42:38Next time on Next Level Chef.
42:41Go!
42:42Let's go.
42:42Pro chefs, time to see what you're made of.
42:46Let's take your baby straight to the top.
42:48Go.
42:49Grab ingredients.
42:50Babe, I'm not letting go.
42:52I'm not letting go.
42:53It is game on.
42:54I've been waiting for this my whole life.
42:56Oh, you .
42:58That knife is sharp, though.
43:00Medic.
43:00Oh, my God.
43:04Oh, my God.
43:05We got no lights.
43:07The pressure's really on.
43:08This is all or nothing.
43:10leaned for light.
43:13Just hold hands.
43:13You , tools us, skills, cultivation, and weight.
43:14the cost? The solution
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