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00:01Previously on Next Level Chef.
00:03A unique Cajun celebration.
00:05The shrimp. That's what I'm rolling.
00:06He needs the shrimp.
00:07I'm bluffing.
00:08She went straight for the shrimp.
00:09She lied to me.
00:10No hard feelings, Austin.
00:11No, not happening.
00:12Congratulations goes to Beatrice.
00:14Yes.
00:14Okay, Becca, Ryan, Arnav.
00:16Let's go.
00:17Three, two, one.
00:19Angela!
00:20I'm gonna be eliminating the duck.
00:22That was cooked by Becca.
00:23Hey, Steve.
00:24I'm happy it happened, sad it's over.
00:27And tonight, we're down to seven fantastic chefs.
00:29Beatrice, are you gonna keep 10 seconds
00:31or take 10 seconds away from one of your competitors?
00:35Then take away 10 seconds from his time.
00:37Wah!
00:38Revenge is the key.
00:39Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
00:40Let me taste it.
00:42Whoa, that's very fiery.
00:43Watch out, Bobby. Watch out.
00:44Oh, I'm serious.
00:45You're gonna put it on fire.
00:46.
01:03Welcome back, guys.
01:04Good morning.
01:05Good to see you all.
01:06Oh, hello.
01:09Right, how are we feeling?
01:11Good, Chef.
01:12Excited?
01:12Yes, Chef.
01:13Yes, Chef.
01:13We're down to the final seven fantastic chefs, but only three of you will make it into the
01:19grand finale.
01:21Make sure you're one of them.
01:23Yes, Chef.
01:24Guys, all of you have the chance at winning that year-long mentorship plus quarter-of-a-million-dollar
01:30check.
01:31Who wants the money?
01:32Me, Chef.
01:33Who wants the mentorship?
01:34Me, Chef.
01:35With the 250K, after I get out of school, I'd start investing.
01:38I want to become a restaurateur.
01:40I want to open restaurants.
01:41Become like the modern-day Rockefeller of the culinary industry.
01:44My eyes have been set, locked and loaded on that final prize.
01:47Yes.
01:48Okay, Team Blaze, there are three of you still in the competition.
01:52Let's make the final an all-Trail Blazer finale.
01:55What?
01:57At least that will give you a chance of winning.
01:59True.
01:59I still don't think you'd take it, Chef.
02:01Oh!
02:03Like, damn, yeah, okay.
02:06Austin, you're a little under the weather today, I understand.
02:09Yeah, I'd say I'm at about 60% today.
02:11Michael Jordan would score the most points when he had the flu.
02:14So, don't let something like that hold you back today, Austin.
02:17You'll have to carry me off of this.
02:18That can be arranged.
02:22Bobby, my last Team Arrington member standing, the lone wolf.
02:26We're going to the end, Chef.
02:28I see that fierceness in you, wrapped up in a beautiful present of kindness.
02:32Yeah.
02:34I've watched your socials.
02:35I know who you are, but I think you're playing coy in this competition,
02:38playing the nice guy.
02:39I am a nice guy, but I'm bringing my game.
02:42We're gonna win this.
02:43I love this fierce side of you, Bobby.
02:44Let's get it.
02:45Now, today's challenge is all about small bites that really do pack a punch of big flavors.
02:52We're talking about tapas.
02:55Yes.
02:56I love tapas.
02:57Mi comida es bueno.
03:01My food is good.
03:04For today's challenge, you'll all have 30 minutes to create two tantalizing next-level tapas dishes.
03:10One meat and one seafood.
03:12Okay, Beatrice and Bobby, you did have the best dishes last time around.
03:16So, the good news is you're starting off on top.
03:18Megan, Brandon, and Austin.
03:20You've all secured your place in the middle level.
03:22Okay, Ryan and Arnov, we're back at it again, except this time we're in the basement.
03:27You ready for a tapas throwdown?
03:28Yes, Chef.
03:30Now, Beatrice, you had that best dish in the last challenge, which earned you that coveted time token.
03:36Which means I've got a very important question for you.
03:39In the platform grab, are you gonna keep that extra 10 seconds for yourself?
03:43Or are you going to take 10 seconds away from one of your fellow competitors?
03:48Ooh, ooh.
03:54I think I'm gonna take advantage of my sick fellow over here and take away 10 seconds from his time.
03:59Wow.
04:02Austin is my fiercest rival.
04:04I wanna kick him while he's down. I don't need that competition.
04:07I'm so pissed off now.
04:09She screwed me over on the last cook by taking my protein.
04:12And now she's doing this to me.
04:14So, Austin, on that middle floor, we'll let Brandon and Megan head to the platform.
04:21And 10 seconds later, you will hit that platform. Understood?
04:26Yes, Chef.
04:27Beatrice, you've used it wisely. Turn it over.
04:30Mmm, thank you very much.
04:32Savage.
04:33Beatrice and Bobby, head the elevator. I'll join you there shortly.
04:37Yes, Chef.
04:37Well done. Good luck, guys.
04:39Go.
04:40Man.
04:41Things are heating up.
04:42It's getting harsh.
04:49Shhh.
04:51Tuffas.
04:55Open sesame. Woo!
04:57Let's go!
04:59I'm very glad that she didn't knock off, you know, 10 seconds of my time.
05:02She is clearly not somebody to be messed with.
05:04Bobby, this will be our first time cooking together.
05:07I know. I'm very, very, very excited.
05:09She wants to win so badly.
05:11I think it's gonna be so slay.
05:14Let's do this, guys.
05:15Yep.
05:17I have a lot backed against me in this challenge.
05:20But I need to perform in the eyes of adversity, and I need to show everybody that I mean business.
05:25You got it, Austin.
05:29Cooking in the basement makes everything so much harder because there's so much unpredictability.
05:36Not working?
05:37Not working?
05:37No.
05:38You know, I'm definitely terrified of what I'm working with, and I'm terrified of putting up a bad dish.
05:44But my parents always raised me with this mindset that challenging yourself is the best way to grow.
05:49Don't say I never did nothing for you.
05:51Appreciate you, Chief.
05:52I got you, bro.
05:55Good luck, guys.
05:56Let's go, guys.
05:56Arnav, Ryan, good luck.
05:58Yes, Chef.
05:58All right, guys.
05:59Listen, you're both really, really great cooks.
06:01I'm not worried about that.
06:02Tapas could be so many different things.
06:04It could be meatballs.
06:05It could be pinchos, which are meat on skewers.
06:08Very, Chef.
06:08But also make sure you're adding your creative take to it.
06:10Yes.
06:14Back together again.
06:15Absolutely.
06:16Give me some.
06:17How are you?
06:17Good.
06:18Austin, how you feel about the 10 seconds?
06:20It is what it is.
06:21I'm going to choose to take it personally because that's the fuel for my fire.
06:26Revenge is the key.
06:27She has no idea what she started.
06:29At all.
06:30It's things like this that just get me freaking going, man.
06:35Hello!
06:36Woo!
06:37Right, let's go.
06:38Tapas, three small bites.
06:40Yes.
06:40Meat, fish, right?
06:43And don't overcomplicate it.
06:44Yes, Chef.
06:45Good luck, guys.
06:45Line up.
06:46Yes, Chef.
06:46The platform is starting to move.
06:49On your mark.
06:51Get set.
06:53And go!
06:55Let's go.
06:55The very first thing that I see is actually the salt cod.
06:58And this is perfect because this reminds me of a dish called like bunela de bacalao,
07:02which is kind of like a salt cod potato fritter.
07:04One meat, one fish, yes?
07:06Pork cutlet.
07:07That's mine.
07:08Beatrice, you get your protein?
07:10I am gunning for that Emberco pork chop, the creme de la creme of pork.
07:13What's your seafood, Beatrice?
07:14What have you got?
07:15What about shrimp?
07:16Whatever you feel.
07:18Really good grabs.
07:19Woo!
07:19Well done.
07:21All right, guys.
07:21Stay focused.
07:22Hold on, Austin.
07:23I'll give you the count.
07:24Go, go, go!
07:25Go!
07:26Let's go, Meg.
07:27I need chicken.
07:29I know I can build a nice, rich Spanish flavor profile with this chicken.
07:34One meat, one seafood.
07:35I see oysters.
07:36That's what we do in the summer.
07:38Grilled oysters with something spicy.
07:40That's all you need.
07:41Let's go, Brandon.
07:42Wagyu beef and octopus.
07:45Classic tapas.
07:46Es bueno.
07:47The 10 seconds is like an eternity.
07:49This is gonna be the most challenging grab I've ever had to do.
07:51Three, two, one.
07:54Austin, let's go.
07:55First thing I see is flank steak.
07:57I butchered flank steak a couple cooks ago.
07:59Time to redeem myself.
08:00Beautiful ingredients.
08:01I want prawns, head on shrimp, something nice.
08:04Mussels.
08:04We have amazing peppers.
08:06And all I see is muscles.
08:10That sucks, but I'm stuck with what I have.
08:13Come on.
08:13Let's go.
08:14Damn it.
08:15I don't have any citrus.
08:18I don't have any herbs.
08:19I might be in trouble.
08:20Arnav and Ryan, it is time to go.
08:24Sardines over here in hake.
08:25Pig's ears.
08:26Flobby pieces of collagen.
08:28I'm like, okay, I'm definitely not taking that lamb kidneys.
08:31Like, really?
08:33Like, that's a little gross.
08:34Pig's ears.
08:35Pig's ears.
08:35I don't even want this, but it's what I got.
08:38Make sure you get a seafood.
08:39There's sardines over here.
08:40I'm taking those.
08:41So olives, olives.
08:42That's a Spanish gold right there.
08:44If you can grab it, you can get it.
08:45If you can grab it, it's yours.
08:47Back to your station.
08:48Two amazing tapas dishes.
08:50Your 30-minute starts right now.
08:52All right, chef.
08:53All right, Arnav, what'd you grab?
08:55So we have some sardine filets.
08:58I'm gonna do it on a crostini with some garlic
09:01and the sun-dried tomatoes.
09:02Okay.
09:03All right, so sardines on toast.
09:05Then I have my lamb kidneys.
09:06Have you ever cooked with them before?
09:07Absolutely not, chef.
09:08Okay.
09:09I'm definitely panicking a little bit.
09:11These lamb-like guts splattered everywhere.
09:14I don't know how I'm supposed to cook these.
09:15I don't know what it tastes like.
09:17This is just, like, complete garbage.
09:19I kind of like the idea of the kidneys maybe being on a skewer.
09:23Heard, chef.
09:23And then just a sauce,
09:24because the kidneys usually want some spiciness
09:26to sort of glaze over them after they're done.
09:28That's one idea.
09:29Remember, two dishes, though,
09:30so you got a lot of work to do.
09:31Heard, chef.
09:33Ryan.
09:34Hey, chef.
09:34What'd you grab?
09:35So I got pig's ears.
09:36I got hay.
09:37To be honest with you,
09:37I haven't worked with pig's ears too much.
09:39Floppy pig's ears.
09:40What am I gonna do with this thing?
09:42Treat the pig's ears like you would bacon.
09:46Heard.
09:46So, like, make that real soulful dish.
09:49Heard.
09:49Lots of garlic.
09:50And then you can just stuff those peppers.
09:51Heard.
09:52With that pig ear mixture.
09:55None of you are wearing blaze blue,
09:56but I promise I'm gonna try and get you out of this basement,
09:58okay?
09:58Thank you, chef.
10:00Patrice, what did you grab?
10:01So I have eggplant.
10:02I have homo and barico pork chops.
10:04I have some beautiful red prawns.
10:06I'm gonna take the heads off,
10:07but I'm gonna present them on a skewer.
10:09Are you gonna make a little sauce out of the heads?
10:11Yes, chef.
10:12I love that.
10:13And then how are you gonna present that pork?
10:14So I'm gonna slice it.
10:15Right.
10:16And then serve it with, like, a little plum glaze on top of it.
10:19Um, that was interesting with Austin.
10:20Why Austin?
10:21I think he's a really fantastic chef,
10:23but this is a competition first and foremost,
10:25so you should take it as a compliment, to be honest.
10:27He's my biggest competition.
10:29Austin, what'd you grab?
10:30So I got some flank steak, chef.
10:32I'm gonna do a little potatoes bravas.
10:34Love that.
10:34I'm gonna make, like, a nice little sweet tomato chutney
10:37to go over it.
10:38And what are we thinking with the seafood dish?
10:39So, um, yeah.
10:42He's still trying to figure that out.
10:44I don't know what the hell I'm gonna do with the mussels.
10:47Are you familiar with cooking tapas?
10:49Is this something that you do?
10:50Uh, chef, not really.
10:52Mussels and serrano.
10:53Love that.
10:54Nice cured meat, porky, bright.
10:56Oh, man.
10:58How are you feeling?
10:58My stomach's not really acting right right now.
11:00Fair enough, fair enough, fair enough.
11:01I feel exhausted.
11:03And I can't come up with a damn thing.
11:06Like, I'm screwed.
11:13Guys, five minutes down, 25 left, okay?
11:17Austin's mind is at work.
11:19I'm a little behind.
11:19I'm kind of drawing a blank on how I want to make this mussel.
11:22Okay, well, let's start getting some ideas on working here.
11:26Yes, chef.
11:27So, thinking skewer?
11:28Yeah, skewer.
11:29Potentially, okay.
11:30Think about a really nice Iberico ham vinaigrette
11:32to kind of add another layer of flavor.
11:34Yeah, that's actually a pretty good idea.
11:36Keep cooking.
11:38Megan.
11:39What did you grab?
11:40I grabbed chicken thighs and oysters.
11:42With the chicken, I wanted to make kind of a pepper tart.
11:45And then with the oysters, what I wanted to do was a harissa butter
11:48with cherry peppers and a little white wine.
11:50Ooh, a little spicy, a little sweet.
11:51Exactly.
11:52Kind of like you.
11:53Exactly.
11:54Love it.
11:5612 minutes down, okay?
11:5718 minutes to go, guys.
11:59Yes, chef.
12:00Brandon.
12:01What are you making here?
12:02Wagyu and serrano ham meatball.
12:04Pork and beef together in one bite.
12:06That's right.
12:07And what's your seafood bite?
12:08I'm going to do a chipotle octopus that's charred.
12:11How are you serving your octopus?
12:12With the salad that I'm building right now.
12:14I'm gonna whip some cream also.
12:16Whipped cream.
12:17I don't really see whipped cream with octopus often.
12:21Heard.
12:21You know what I mean?
12:22Yep.
12:22Do you, but be careful, right?
12:24All right, I gotta really push.
12:27Okay, we got this going, we got that going.
12:29What else do I need going right now?
12:30I need to get my mayonnaise going.
12:32So let's get that going.
12:33Right, Bob, what'd you grab?
12:34Chef, I got over here my pork cutlet.
12:36I got the salt cod, which I was actually really hoping for.
12:40Salt cod, I'm basically gonna be turning into a...
12:43A nice potato fritter.
12:45I feel like salt cod whipped with potatoes.
12:48It is one of the most delicious, classic things that you can eat.
12:51It's off before you start cooking.
12:52You have to be very careful when it comes to salt.
12:55Absolutely.
12:56Guys, platform's arriving, tapas goes well with a cocktail.
13:00Grab whatever you need to make an amazing sangria.
13:03Non-alcoholic, alcoholic, it doesn't matter.
13:05Thank you, chef.
13:06I don't even look, I just grab this bottle of rosé,
13:08because that's gonna work just fine with whatever I wanna do.
13:11A delicious sangria, yes?
13:13Hurry up.
13:15Beatrice, you're 18 years of age, right?
13:17Yes, chef, I am 18.
13:18I'll taste that cocktail for you, okay?
13:20Yeah, yeah.
13:20I don't want you sipping that, okay?
13:21I know, I know.
13:22You don't gotta tell me twice.
13:23I don't want your mom WhatsAppping me, okay?
13:27All right, platform's on the move.
13:29Grab ingredients to make a beautiful sangria.
13:31Think about those.
13:32A beautiful, like, Cointreau, orange liqueur, juices.
13:36I go into the sangria grab trying to get things
13:39that I could also utilize in my dish.
13:40So I grab the lime juice, because I need acid in my cook.
13:44I grab the basil, because I need freshness.
13:46I need both of those ingredients,
13:47which I didn't get on the first grab.
13:51What goes great with tapas?
13:53Sangria.
13:54You can make an alcoholic or non-alcoholic sangria.
13:58I'm not of legal age to drink.
14:00Definitely wouldn't know a whole lot about how to make a sangria.
14:02You can grab any ingredients that you want, okay?
14:05You got everything you need?
14:06Okay, back to your station, okay?
14:10Arnav, where do you live right now?
14:11Uh, I mean, I live at college in a frat house
14:13with all of my friends.
14:15And are you making lamb kidney tapas at the frat house?
14:17Uh, not at all.
14:18I think some of my brothers would pass out if they saw lamb kidneys.
14:23Twelve minutes left, guys.
14:24Twelve minutes left.
14:28Watch your meatballs.
14:29They're getting too much color.
14:30They're already starting to burn.
14:31Oh, you want your meatball to be perfect.
14:34Not overcooked.
14:35Right, Brandon?
14:35Yes, Chef.
14:36Are you going in the oven with these, or are you waiting?
14:38I am going to go in the oven with those, yes.
14:40You know, the pressure is on.
14:42The last thing I need is burnt ragu meatballs.
14:49Bobby, I haven't made this sangria before.
14:51It's been a minute, but I'm going to bring back what I remember.
14:54For many years, I was actually like a New York City bartender.
14:57It was all on us to actually memorize drinks,
15:00and I knew 1,200 different cocktails that I just had committed to memory.
15:04But now, it's not that easy.
15:07I've actually been sober for 10 years.
15:09Congrats.
15:09So this would be something I'm very familiar with,
15:11but at the same time...
15:12But you can still make your amazing cocktails.
15:13Absolutely.
15:14No excuses, Chef.
15:17It's only 10 minutes.
15:18All right, Chef.
15:18You're getting fired up.
15:19Ryan, you have this beautiful ragu of pig's ears.
15:22You're stuffing the pepper, right?
15:23Yes, Chef.
15:26Hey, hey, hey, hey.
15:27Keep an eye on these.
15:28Keep an eye over here.
15:29I know you've got to make things happen,
15:30but be careful, please, okay?
15:32One of them is looking a little burnt.
15:34One of them is looking raw.
15:35I'm like, bro, like, are you guys...
15:36in the same pan or not?
15:37My biggest concern with those skewers
15:39is making sure nothing's raw in there.
15:41Yes, Chef.
15:44Bobby, check this, um, salted cup.
15:47Just taste the salt on them.
15:49I taste the one you cooked there.
15:51As I'm tasting it,
15:52the fritter is actually really salty.
15:56Really salty.
15:57Did you rinse it off before you cooked it or not?
15:59I'm sorry, Chef.
16:00I missed that memo.
16:02Should have washed that fish.
16:04This is not good.
16:06Do you need a sauce to counteract that saltiness?
16:08Yeah.
16:11Watch out, Bobby.
16:13You're on fire.
16:13Watch out.
16:14I'm so focused on my fritters.
16:16I am completely oblivious to the fact
16:18that my rag is now, you know,
16:20like about a foot high in fire.
16:21I'm sorry, Chef. Thank you, Chef.
16:22This is turning into a really bad day.
16:34Gentlemen, you're up against it.
16:35Pick up the pace, okay?
16:36Hurry, Chef.
16:37All right, listen, tapas,
16:38the thing about it is it requires lots of detail,
16:40so keep moving, right?
16:41Keep moving.
16:42Yes, Chef.
16:43It's my first time doing two plates,
16:45and now I'm in the basement working with two ingredients
16:47that I've never seen before.
16:48I need those lamb kidneys to cook evenly,
16:51but I'm trying to take it one step at a time
16:53and climb my way out of this basement.
16:55Is that the sauce for the kidney skewers?
16:57Yes, Chef.
16:58Okay, spicy and acidic, right?
17:00Because the kidneys can be really gamey.
17:02Yeah.
17:03So you want to cut through that gameyness
17:04with the acid and the spice.
17:07Let's go, let's go, let's go.
17:09Vamanos!
17:10Big, bold flavors, fun dishes.
17:13Take us to a trip to Spain, right?
17:15You tasted that, right?
17:16Yes, Chef.
17:17Let me taste it.
17:18Added a little more maraschino cherry juice
17:20to bring up the sweet factor.
17:22Whoa, that's very fiery.
17:24I mean, everybody's palate is so different,
17:26so I'll go with a strong sangria.
17:29I'm a rosé all-year kind of girl,
17:31so this is absolutely excellent.
17:34Guys, eight minutes to go.
17:35Yes, Chef.
17:36Power time.
17:37Yes, Chef.
17:43Austin, I taste that steak.
17:44It needs some more love, some seasoning.
17:47Oh, yes, Chef.
17:47Yeah, tapas.
17:48Sexy, nice, beautiful bite, right?
17:49Yes.
17:50Got to pack a lot of punch.
17:51One bite that says,
17:53I am the next level, Chef.
17:54Yes, Chef.
17:55Won't let you down.
17:56No, you don't let yourself down.
17:58This is where you guys are determining your spot
18:00in this competition, right?
18:01Yes, Chef.
18:02Absolutely.
18:04Keep going, Brandon.
18:05Big push, yeah?
18:06Will do, Chef.
18:06Big push.
18:08Make sure you give yourself a taste of that octopus.
18:11Yes, Chef.
18:12This competition, it's really getting down to the wire,
18:15but I know that I have what it takes to get there.
18:18Don't forget about those meatballs in the oven.
18:20You want them not overcooked, right?
18:22Yes.
18:22My dream is to be a household name,
18:25and having three culinary geniuses in your corner
18:28to propel my business,
18:30that's what keeps me up at night,
18:32and that's what wakes me up in the morning.
18:38We good?
18:39Yes, Chef.
18:39Just making sauce.
18:42Bobby, just put a bowl on top of that kebab
18:44so it cooks.
18:45Thank you, Chef.
18:46Still got six minutes to go, yes?
18:48Copy that.
18:49Good.
18:50Thank you so much, Chef.
18:53Chef, I don't know how to open these bottles.
18:55OK, don't worry.
18:56I'll open it.
18:56Don't worry.
18:57I don't drink, so the fact that I have to open these bottles
19:00now, I'm like, Chef Ramsay, help me.
19:04Both open.
19:04Let's go.
19:05OK, OK.
19:13They're struggling up there.
19:14I can tell.
19:15I can hear it.
19:16Pig's ears.
19:17Ghosts.
19:18That.
19:19Ryan, when did you start cooking in professional kitchens?
19:22Like 17 years old.
19:23Almost like 16, 17.
19:24For a while, though.
19:25Yeah, I've been in the kitchen for years, Chef.
19:26Yeah, you're not as young a gun as the young guns on your team.
19:29No, Chef.
19:30I got years of experience behind me.
19:32Yeah, I've been in the kitchen for years, but this competition
19:35has been the most jam-packed experience in my life.
19:40I'm doing it for my family, my baby girl, for my girlfriend,
19:44to give us the best life that, you know, I know we all deserve.
19:48Listen, here's the thing.
19:49The kidneys, the sardines, the pig ears, these are tough basement
19:53ingredients, but they're all very, very classical in the world
19:56of tapas, right?
19:57Sardines on toast, that is iconic, okay?
20:00Pig ears and a stuffed piquillo pepper, iconic.
20:05Okay, I love your cooking like a tornado, a nor'easter.
20:08Ryan, the new name for the nor'easter coming through here.
20:10I cook like that, too, when I'm competing.
20:13We're not gonna forget about the sangria, right?
20:16Yes, Chef.
20:17So what do you have over here?
20:18Well, I'm going for a mocktail with my sangria.
20:20That's great.
20:20So I got some ginger and strawberry,
20:22and I'm gonna infuse it with a little bit of plum.
20:24Yep, boom, done.
20:25Ryan, what about your sangria?
20:27Pineapple, vodka, mint?
20:28Hell yeah.
20:29Pear?
20:29Done.
20:30Done.
20:30Okay.
20:30Thank you, Chef.
20:31Two minutes.
20:32Two minutes.
20:32Start plating.
20:34Start plating.
20:34You got a lot to plate.
20:35You got one seafood dish, one meat dish, and the sangria.
20:38Chef, you want to give the sangria a little taste?
20:42Okay.
20:42Nice.
20:43Nice?
20:44This is the challenge with tapas.
20:46It's a lot more work.
20:47It's a lot more detail when it comes down to the plating.
20:51Megan, how's your tart looking?
20:53Right now, I'm gonna spoon the harissa butter over the top of them.
20:55Nice.
20:55With my oysters, I'm just gonna nestle them in here.
20:57Are you using the seaweed?
20:59Yes, Chef.
20:59Of course you are!
21:00Girl from the Northwest, gotta use our seaweed.
21:0490 seconds, guys.
21:06Yes, Chef.
21:06Platform's on the move.
21:07Heading in the basement first.
21:08Heard, Chef.
21:09Beautiful plates.
21:10Brandon, don't forget about those meatballs in the oven.
21:13Meatballs, Brandon!
21:17Come on, Brandon!
21:22I literally just dropped my meatballs on the floor.
21:25Let's go!
21:26I can't serve them.
21:28There's no time left.
21:30What the hell is going on right now?
21:32Go, go, go, go!
21:37Come on, Brandon!
21:38You only need three small bites, right?
21:40That's all I got.
21:41I had made a couple extra to make sure that I was able to taste it.
21:44Two of them have fallen on the floor.
21:46These three are going on a plate.
21:5130 seconds left.
21:52Let's go, Arnav.
21:53Let's go, Ryan.
21:55Make sure you get the sauce on that, Arnav.
21:57Yes, Chef.
21:58Platform's here, Arnav.
21:5910 seconds, guys.
22:01Okay, let's go.
22:01Go, go, go.
22:02Make sure we get to that platform.
22:04Sangria, don't forget the sangria.
22:07Three, two, one.
22:10Nice job.
22:11Guys, it's coming.
22:12Heard.
22:13Nice job, Megan.
22:14Let's go, Brandon.
22:14Let's go, Austin.
22:15Yes, Chef.
22:17Let's go, Austin.
22:19No missed platform.
22:21Hurry up.
22:24Come on, Brandon.
22:27Drink on the bottom.
22:28Don't forget the sangria.
22:29Drink, drink, drink.
22:29Let's go.
22:30Hurry up.
22:30Platform's coming.
22:31Come on, Stretch.
22:31Come on, Stretch.
22:34That's the sangria for 12.
22:35Oh, .
22:37Platform's here, guys.
22:38Go, girl.
22:39You've got to go.
22:40Go now.
22:40Thank you, Chef.
22:41Coming right now, Chef.
22:42Let's go.
22:43Drinks on the bottom.
22:44Drinks on the bottom.
22:45Hurry up.
22:46Let's go.
22:47Put your glass in there.
22:48That's it.
22:48Good.
22:48Let's go, Bobby.
22:49Now, give me the drink.
22:50Give me the drink.
22:52Ah, .
22:53Sorry about that, Chef.
22:54It's all good.
22:57That was tough.
23:04Oh, my Lord.
23:05Look at those colors.
23:07Beautiful.
23:09Really beautiful.
23:11Should we start at the basement?
23:12Yeah.
23:13Please.
23:13Head on down.
23:14Was there anything left on those grams in the basement?
23:15There was not much left, so we definitely did not have the choice proteins for sure.
23:20Mmm.
23:20So this first dish here, this is a classic sardines on toast with sun-dried tomatoes.
23:25And we have deviled lamb's kidneys.
23:28And then for the sangria, we have ginger cherry sangria, non-alcoholic.
23:37Um, sardines are actually quite tasty.
23:38Delicious, uh, perfect for tapas.
23:41Um, kidneys need a touch more seasoning for me.
23:43If you're gonna do deviled, then it needs to be really fragrantly deviled.
23:47Kidneys a little bit undercooked for me.
23:49Yeah, I mean, I think the kidneys are cut differently, so one is a little undercooked.
23:53I wish the sauce sort of coated the kidneys a little bit more.
23:58Our next chef over here, we have fresh hake with cherry peppers and an avocado crema.
24:02A pig's ear stuffed piquillo pepper.
24:05Wow.
24:06And the sangria is cucumber, pineapple, and mint.
24:12Tough on this one, whoever got that pig's ear.
24:16Um, but it's really nice.
24:18It's uplifting with that rich spice.
24:20The hake is cooked beautifully.
24:22Delicious, love that, especially with the crispy skin.
24:24And the sangria is matched beautifully.
24:27Next.
24:27Should we move to the middle floor?
24:29Yeah, let's.
24:29Okay, we have a flank steak patatas bravas.
24:33Traditional pepper tomato sauce on the bottom.
24:36Alongside that we have grilled mussels with an Iberico ham vinaigrette.
24:40And a sparkling sangria with cranberry and basil.
24:48I have ten seconds taken away from me, and I couldn't taste any of the dishes.
24:52I don't know how this is gonna go.
24:54The flank steak's cooked beautifully.
24:56And the patatas bravas, um, smart move.
24:59And the mussels are excellent.
25:00The vinaigrette is just beautiful.
25:01Really nice sangria.
25:02A lovely combination, whoever made this.
25:04I trained at a three Michelin star restaurant in Spain, and I think this chef did too.
25:10It feels good.
25:11Like, I had so many disadvantages today.
25:14Just imagine what I could have done if I was at 100%, right?
25:17Next up, we have a chicken and pepper tartlet, and a baked oyster.
25:23This is served over its natural seaweed.
25:25And here we have a sort of late summer sangria served with pomegranate.
25:31Oysters are delicious.
25:34Enriching all that sort of basque, oil, fragrance.
25:37Beautiful.
25:38The second, crustart.
25:39Such harmony of flavors.
25:41And topped off with that summer take on that sangria.
25:43Pretty good.
25:43Wow, I mean, I wanna book this chef for a party.
25:46Like, this is what tapas is all about.
25:47And the take on barbecue oysters is fantastic.
25:50I will happily come cater a Blaze party.
25:53Like, don't have to ask me twice.
25:56Next up, we have meatball.
25:58This is made with ground wagyu and serrano ham,
26:01and a charred octopus,
26:03and white sangria with fresh peach.
26:09Octopus is delicious.
26:11When you mention the word meatballs, I got excited.
26:15Sadly, these are really dry.
26:18The meatballs are burnt.
26:20Maybe that's why we got a pitcher of sangria
26:22to sort of wash it down there.
26:25Shall we move to the top floor?
26:27Yes, please.
26:28This is the red shrimp with a shellfish vinaigrette
26:31and some pickled anchovies.
26:33The second one is Iberico pork cutlet.
26:36And the sangria is blood orange, strawberry, and pear.
26:43Well, both dishes are really stunning and beautiful to look at.
26:48Maybe a little bit more salt on the pork
26:51and a little bit more acidity in the sauce,
26:53but visually they're breathtaking.
26:54This is really quite pleasurable to enjoy.
26:57I can totally picture myself with my friends at a bar
26:59enjoying these beautiful tapas.
27:02This is a traditional salt cod Spanish fritter.
27:05The second one is a grilled marinated pork kebab.
27:08The sangria is a huge legroni.
27:14Visually, I love both of these tapas.
27:16Really authentic flavors that you recognize
27:18with Spanish cuisine is right there.
27:22I'm genuinely concerned about my cod fritters.
27:25Please don't be too salty.
27:27The texture of the croquette is amazing.
27:32However, it's slightly let down by the amount of salt
27:35that's in this.
27:40The salt cod is really, really salty.
27:42And I wish that the sangria gave it
27:44a little bit more of a reprieve from the salt.
27:48Listen, we've got a lot to discuss.
27:50All of you, please give us a moment, shall we?
27:56Not again.
27:58Listen, the stand out with the oysters.
28:00I mean, they were just cooked beautifully.
28:02I think as far as a menu is concerned,
28:04that was my favorite menu.
28:05100%.
28:06It gave that sort of a light summer vibe.
28:08Yeah.
28:08And another great stand out was that flank steak
28:10and those mussels, the vinaigrette and the mussels.
28:13I mean, that is Spain on a plate right there.
28:14It takes me back to the port of Barcelona.
28:17And believe it or not,
28:18that was actually from the chef who had 10 seconds left
28:21to compose that dish.
28:22Really?
28:23It was.
28:23Wow.
28:25God, how salty were those fritters?
28:27Very salty.
28:28Extremely salty.
28:28Maybe the saltiest thing I've tasted in this competition.
28:31That was Bobby, by the way.
28:32No, it wasn't.
28:33It was Bobby.
28:33This is not good for me.
28:36Just not a good day.
28:39Meatballs, what a letdown.
28:40Did you say that was wagyu?
28:42It was at one point wagyu.
28:44Listen, the dish is bad and then you say it's wagyu
28:46and then it becomes, like, disrespectful.
28:48Oy.
28:49The sardines are actually quite light.
28:50The letdown on that combination was the undercooked kidneys.
28:55You nailed it.
28:56Some are cut evenly and unevenly, so...
28:58Right.
28:58Yeah, great idea, just not well executed.
29:01No.
29:02No.
29:02What a shame.
29:03I want one of those sangrias right now.
29:05Shall we?
29:10We all agreed that there were two amazing individuals
29:15that really produced super creative tapas-style dishes.
29:19Those two will move into that top-level kitchen
29:24across the next challenge.
29:26The first dish is the mussels and the flank steak.
29:33Congratulations.
29:34Really well done.
29:38This is why I use my time token on him,
29:41because he's a scary .
29:44Thank you so much.
29:45There was a lot riding against me today.
29:47And for me to just push through and do what I did,
29:50I mean, it...
29:53It's incredible, yeah.
29:56The second top dish of the night.
30:01The chicken thighs and oysters.
30:04Well done.
30:05Exceptional.
30:05Thank you for that.
30:06Really well done.
30:09Whew!
30:13See what happens when Nyesha's pushing you?
30:15Right.
30:16Both fantastic tapas dishes.
30:18But only one of you can earn this incredible time token.
30:22This will give you an advantage of either a 10-second
30:25additional grab, or you get to penalize a competitor
30:29and take 10 seconds off their allotted time.
30:33If I win the time token, I'm absolutely using it on Beatrice.
30:36Because at this point, it's all still fresh in my mind.
30:38The wound is still healing.
30:41The top delicious tapas platter of the day.
30:46I honestly think it's gonna be Austin.
30:49He's gonna use that on me now.
30:54Was made by...
31:15Megan, congratulations.
31:17Well done.
31:19Pretty well done.
31:21Amazing.
31:21Thank you chef.
31:24Oh...
31:24I got a fancy little time token.
31:27But it can be a blessing, and it can be a curse
31:29if it's not used wisely.
31:31Okay, now for the not-so-positive news.
31:35The first dish that's heading into the elimination
31:41were the Wagyu meatballs.
31:43Joining Brandon in the elimination is...
31:51the lamb kidneys.
31:53The third and final individual into the elimination
31:59is...
32:01Bobby.
32:03I dropped the ball today in a way that I am not proud of,
32:06so I just need to actually, like, shake that off
32:09and get through this.
32:10For the elimination challenge tonight,
32:12we're gonna stay in Spain.
32:14All of you will have 25 minutes
32:16to create your take on a delicious next-level polleja.
32:22Let's go.
32:23Okay.
32:24Going against Brandon and Bobby is definitely terrifying.
32:26Bobby is one of the strongest chefs here,
32:28and Brandon is definitely a force to be reckoned with.
32:30I'm just gonna try and make sure
32:32that I don't get in my head about it.
32:33Just focus on making the best paella
32:35the judges have ever seen.
32:36All of you head the elevator.
32:37I'll see you there shortly.
32:39Best of luck, guys. Let's go.
32:40Thank you, chef.
32:41Let's go, Bobby.
32:41Let's go. Get that rice going right away, guys.
32:44Bobby, last man standing.
32:46Take it all the way, baby.
32:47Yes, chef.
32:49I've never done this, so be vocal.
32:52You've never done paella?
32:53Nope, not yet.
32:54Never made paella.
32:55That's not good.
32:58Oh, there we go.
33:05You know, he's a little too-ponged.
33:10Right, uh, gents, uh, come over, please.
33:12You got this, buddy.
33:13We've got a 25-minute cook.
33:14Think about it.
33:15Not every protein takes 20 minutes to cook.
33:17That's right.
33:17OK, so be smart.
33:18The very best of luck to all three of you.
33:21Line up, please. Let's go.
33:22Let's go, Brendan. Let's go, Bobby.
33:24Platform is moving.
33:25On your mark, get set.
33:27On your mark, get set.
33:31Go, go, go!
33:34Sausage.
33:34That's going to be mine.
33:35Yeah.
33:36Three proteins in there, yes?
33:37And I see these beautiful clams.
33:40Clams, yes!
33:41Baby octopus.
33:42This is going to be perfect.
33:43It's going to cook really quickly.
33:45We've got snails here, oysters here.
33:47Chicken, smoked sausage.
33:49Mussels.
33:50And mussels.
33:51Oh, I know exactly what I'm going to do.
33:52Just watch.
33:53This is exactly what I want to trim.
33:55Squid, chorizo.
33:56I'm like, perfect.
33:57OK, we get the white wine.
33:59Rice there, yes?
34:00Of course, I grab my tube of rice.
34:02The only thing I wish I had was white wine.
34:04Sherry, sherry, red wines.
34:06Paella definitely needs, like, bold flavors.
34:09And some white wine, that is vital.
34:11Red wine, .
34:12Why is there no white wine?
34:14Great.
34:15Now I have to find out some way to give it some complexity,
34:18give it a little more flavor.
34:20Guys, be open to communicating, too,
34:22because I don't know everything about this.
34:24Just think about it like a Spanish-style risotto.
34:26Build that, build flavor into your proteins,
34:28and then just combine it all together, OK?
34:30Just get the rice cooking.
34:31That's all you need to focus on right now.
34:33Copy that.
34:34Brandon, what do you grab?
34:35You got chicken?
34:36I grab chicken, I grab mussels, and I grab chorizo.
34:40Chorizo sausage, good.
34:41Great combination there, yes?
34:42Absolutely, chef.
34:43Have you ever made a paella before?
34:44I've made a couple paellas in my day.
34:46Good.
34:47I've cooked hundreds of paellas.
34:48I've worked for a Michelin-starred Spanish restaurant.
34:50I can cook a paella in my sleep.
34:53Brandon, please get that rice on.
34:54Where is the thirst?
34:55Four minutes down.
34:57The key to the paella is making sure
34:59that it's not super runny.
35:01It's not runny, gotcha.
35:02You do not want it to be runny, al dente.
35:05More stock in your paella, OK?
35:06You don't want it soup, but you don't want it, like, hard either.
35:09Yes, chef, take it, chef.
35:11What is going on right now?
35:12They might as well just cook it for him.
35:16OK, so we got this.
35:18Right, OK, young man, what did you get protein-wise?
35:20So I got shrimp, squid, and some chorizo.
35:23I'm going to get my chorizo in the pan
35:25with my onions, bell peppers.
35:27Nice, that's nice.
35:28And what you're going to do is sherry, white wine in there?
35:29What are you going to put in there to glaze?
35:31No, I didn't grab any wine.
35:34So I'm going to add some of the remaining shrimp heads,
35:36try and make a shrimp head oil that I can use
35:38to dress the plate with a little bit.
35:39Love that.
35:40Good job, Arnav.
35:41Guys, we're halfway, yeah?
35:4212 minutes gone.
35:43Just over 12 minutes to go.
35:44This is a soup.
35:47Cook faster.
35:48You want it almost like a little sort of firm risotto
35:50so it starts to caramelize the bottom.
35:53There's no way that's going to reduce in time.
35:56I'm utterly at this point if this doesn't get cooked
35:58because I can't serve soup to the mentors.
36:01Reduce the down.
36:03It's a complete disaster.
36:05Oh, my god.
36:07Oh, my god.
36:15Under 10 minutes to go, guys.
36:1710 minutes to go.
36:18Please get your rice cooked, guys.
36:20Yes, chef.
36:20It needs stock.
36:21Come on.
36:21Yes, chef.
36:22Thank you, chef.
36:22Please.
36:22Some more stock in there, bud.
36:23Come on.
36:24Otherwise, we're never going to get the rice cooked in time.
36:25I'm just trying to drink up everything
36:27that Chef Ramsay is telling me, but I don't understand
36:29how this is even going to make sense.
36:31It'll evaporate.
36:32I promise you.
36:33Evaporate and grow.
36:35Just to hold your nerve.
36:36Thank you, chef.
36:37You have to trust the master.
36:39It's going to...
36:40Bobby, just wash out.
36:41This might just get that burn flavor from the butane.
36:43It's not going to be a good aftertaste.
36:45Copy that.
36:46I put my octopus on the grill.
36:47I want to get this cooked as quickly as possible,
36:50but you can overcook octopus very, very easily.
36:54Guys, eight minutes to go, yes?
36:56Yes, chef.
36:58Brandon, your rice is going to be done on time?
37:01Man, I want to help Brandon, but he's...
37:03He's not responding.
37:07I got my game face on.
37:08I just need to focus on my paella.
37:11Uh, really nice, Brandon, yeah?
37:13Yeah, that's it.
37:13Would you sort the way down now?
37:14Yes, chef.
37:15Yeah, what float of stock have you got?
37:17I got chicken, so I'm going to make a piquillo aioli
37:20to go with that as well.
37:21Over the top, yes?
37:22Yes, chef.
37:23Good, OK.
37:24Four minutes, guys, yes?
37:25Four minutes.
37:29How's it doing?
37:30Yeah?
37:32I got a lot going on here, young man, yes?
37:33You want to enhance this flavor now, right?
37:35Get a ladle of stock in there.
37:37Good cover.
37:39Covering the paella.
37:40That's a good call.
37:41Arnon's pulling out all the secrets over there, man.
37:43Final two minutes, guys.
37:44Very, chef.
37:45Start building out, young man.
37:46Please.
37:47Taste, Bobby.
37:48Taste, taste, taste.
37:49All right, Bobby, think about your final presentation.
37:50Thank you, guys.
37:51All of that liquid, it actually came down
37:53and absorbed in the rice and disappeared.
37:55I don't even understand this witchcraft.
37:57Don't forget about citrus as well, my man.
37:59Brandon, make it look sexy, man.
38:00Make it look sexy.
38:0360 seconds, guys, 60 seconds.
38:05Let's go, woo!
38:07Cemetery, make it look like a fan.
38:09Fan it out, fan it out.
38:10Where the is my squid?
38:1220 seconds to go.
38:13Arnon, Arnon, Arnon.
38:14Get it on there, yeah, get it on there.
38:15Go down, go down.
38:1710, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
38:27Stop!
38:27How's it there?
38:29Yes!
38:31I am proud of you.
38:34Richard and I, that was electrifying.
38:37What an extraordinary cook.
38:39What a performance.
38:42Let's start off with this one here.
38:45This is paella with beautiful head-on prawns
38:49and squids with a chorizo.
38:54This is a really good rendition of an authentic paella.
38:58With the shrimp head flavor,
38:59I'm getting all of that shellfish.
39:01The chorizo works really, really well.
39:03It's like a well-executed dish,
39:04but I wish it had a little bit more oomph to it, right?
39:07Yeah, interesting take on a paella.
39:09However, it lacks a little bit of depth,
39:11sort of a light approach to a paella.
39:15Second one, the three proteins are used here, chicken, mussels,
39:19and a smoked chili sauce sausage.
39:27Wow, really smoky depth of flavor.
39:31It's almost like each grain of rice has been cared for.
39:34Yeah, this one's strong with those smoky sort of notes.
39:37The aioli lifts it up to another place.
39:41And finally, this is an octopus, clam, and fresh Italian sausage paella.
39:53What I really love about this is how balanced and how much finesse is in this dish,
39:58especially with some of the salty ingredients, the sausage and the clams.
40:01Yeah, I mean, with this paella, I'm getting a really nice saffron flavor and aroma,
40:06but this sort of charred, smoky notes coming off of the octopus,
40:10just a little bit overcooked.
40:13Three outstanding individuals.
40:16Sadly, one has to be sent home.
40:21Um, Naisha, please, which paella are you eliminating?
40:27For me, you know, I think about paella as such a traditional old world dish,
40:31and I think, for me, the one that at least feels that sort of essence is the paella
40:38with the prawns and the squid.
40:41Richard, which are you sending home?
40:46Three great renditions of paella.
40:49One just doesn't quite coax as much flavor as the other two.
40:55The dish that I'll be eliminating is the paella.
41:04With the prawns.
41:08That paella was cooked by Arnav.
41:1519 years of age.
41:18What a blessing and what a performance.
41:20It's definitely tough.
41:21I obviously wanted to be that next-level chef,
41:24but I was doing this competition to prove it to myself,
41:27prove it to my parents.
41:28So it's an honor to be able to be here and cook and make them prep.
41:34Arnav, there's one thing that this competition has done for you and I
41:38is confirm that culinary is in your DNA.
41:42Yes.
41:43It's been an absolute honor to be able to learn from you,
41:46cook for you guys.
41:48It's been the experience of a lifetime.
41:51I've been an absolute pleasure.
41:53Man.
41:54Well done, bud.
41:55Well done.
41:56Seriously, well done.
41:57Good luck.
41:58I'm gonna go back to college, finish my degree,
42:00but I've learned so much in this kitchen.
42:03I appreciate all the ups and downs that I've had and all the friends
42:06and, you know, even some enemies that I've made along the way,
42:08but it's been a great ride.
42:11Wow, all of you.
42:13It's coming down to the wire.
42:14It really is.
42:15I think you can see that.
42:16It's time for all of you to take a well-earned rest
42:20because I promise you next time,
42:22you'll be working your fingers to the bone.
42:25Dude.
42:26Good night.
42:27Ooh.
42:29Ooh-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo.
42:30Austin, feel better, bud.
42:32Thank you, chef.
42:32Well done.
42:34To the bone.
42:35We're gonna have to cook something bone-in.
42:37Ooh-hoo.
42:39Next time on Next Level Chef.
42:41You all have a one-in-three chance
42:44of making it into the finale.
42:46Down to the wire.
42:47Beautiful bone-in cuts.
42:49It's a tarmaha.
42:50I'm so excited!
42:51Woo!
42:52Cooking is the best thing ever.
42:54Oh, jeez.
42:55Ducky luck!
42:57Oh, yeah.
43:00Flambe, good luck.
43:01I'll see you soon.
43:02Where the hell do you think you're going?
43:03You guys seem to have this in control.
43:05I'm going to go, okay?
43:06Yes, chef.
43:07All right, good luck, guys, yes?
43:08What are we going to do?
43:10Help each other out!
43:11Most important cook of my life.
43:12No big deal.
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