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00:01For four seasons, this competition
00:05has pushed chefs further.
00:07Damn!
00:08This is not next level cooking.
00:09Do you understand?
00:10...than have ever been pushed before.
00:12Ah!
00:13Oh!
00:14We've seen underdogs rise.
00:16I've dreamed about this since I was a child.
00:18I'm coming out a stronger chef,
00:20and I didn't even consider myself a chef
00:22before this challenge.
00:23Heavyweights fall.
00:24Oh, fuck!
00:26Oh, fuck!
00:27I'll take on anybody, pros, home,
00:29their kids.
00:30And champions earned their place
00:33in next-level history.
00:35I put so much blood, sweat, and tears
00:36into my chef career,
00:37and this is just all worth it.
00:40But now, as the platform drops,
00:44it's time to raise the bar once more.
00:47Woo!
00:48Seasonal for life.
00:48Good morning, chef.
00:49New chefs.
00:50I'm excited to lose.
00:52Rooftops!
00:53I feel like I'm in a dream.
00:54New challenges.
00:55Elevators open.
00:56Let's get the plates on here.
00:58Thank you, chef.
00:59Can I get a yee-haw?
01:00Yee-haw!
01:02Yee-haw!
01:03U-S-A!
01:04U-S-A!
01:05And the most intense competition yet.
01:07We won it!
01:09Don't push me, dude.
01:11Team Blaze are the current champs.
01:13Is it gonna be like this all season?
01:16Because in these kitchens,
01:18Chefs must face the good.
01:20That filet is mine.
01:21The bad.
01:22What am I gonna do with this?
01:24And the ugly.
01:26There are monsters on this platform.
01:30Tonight, it's the auditions.
01:33Watch me level up.
01:35Let's go!
01:37Where one dish can earn your spot.
01:40For 20 minutes, this is impressive.
01:42Y'all got this.
01:43And one slip can send you home.
01:47Medic!
01:47I'm bleeding out from my ear.
01:50If you think you've seen it all,
01:51I believe that we won't win!
01:53Think again.
01:53Now, now, now, now, now!
01:58The man, the myth, the legend, Gordon Ramsay.
02:02I'm so excited they brought him back.
02:22Oh, my goodness me!
02:26Oh, my God!
02:28Let's go!
02:29From my kitchen to next level Chef,
02:32what happened?
02:33I feel like a quantum leaped in here.
02:35I don't know how I got here.
02:37Welcome to the newest season of Next Level Chef.
02:42Come on, guys!
02:45Now, Aisha, what do you think of the energy?
02:46I mean, it's palpable.
02:48Yes!
02:49Oh, my God!
02:49Getting little goosebumps out here.
02:51Yes!
02:52It's intimidating.
02:53With these goat mentors.
02:55And here I am, just standing there in front of them.
02:57Palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy.
02:59I'm like, Eminem and this bad boy.
03:01All of you have been handpicked from the best pro chefs,
03:05the biggest social media stars,
03:08and the most talented home cooks from across America.
03:13Competing for a chance to be on one of our teams.
03:16You've earned a shot at winning a game-changing year-long mentorship with Richard, Naisha, and myself as a check
03:26alongside that mentorship for a quarter million dollars.
03:30Woo!
03:30Right here, right here.
03:32Man, to win Next Level Chef and all the goodies that come with it, it would be life-changing.
03:40Out of thousands of people across the country, you all earned this opportunity to be here.
03:47Are you guys ready to level up?
03:48Yes, Chef!
03:52From 24 chefs here, only 15 of you will make it through the auditions and into that incredible draft.
03:59Five brilliant home cooks, five incredibly talented social media chefs, and of course, five seasoned pros.
04:07Get on one of those teams.
04:10Now listen, you're here today because we believe you're capable of something amazing.
04:16Eight of you are about to cook, but only seven of you will make your way out of the basement
04:21to the middle level.
04:22Six of you are going to move to the top from the middle level.
04:24And after that final cook, only five of you are left standing to go into that draft.
04:29Yes.
04:30Well, listen, as everyone knows, Team Blaze are the current champions.
04:35All right.
04:36I want a crown, I want a belt, I want a big gold chain.
04:41As long as you have the right mentor, me, any of you can win this.
04:48Season five for me is an important one.
04:50I'm damned if I'm going to give that crown back to Richard Blaze.
04:54And secondly, how do you fit a crown on hair like that?
04:58Thank you and good night.
05:00I mean, come on, Richard.
05:02One and done.
05:03Back to back.
05:04Richard and Gordon, I got the stamina.
05:06I'm eating my vegetables.
05:09The competition's very thick and I'm bringing it.
05:11You guys ready?
05:12Yes!
05:14Let's start with the eight talented professional chefs.
05:21Let's go!
05:26Right, professional chefs, make your way to the elevator.
05:33The very best of luck.
05:34Let's go.
05:34Oy!
05:39Best of luck to everybody out there.
05:41Good luck.
05:41Good luck.
05:42Good luck.
05:43Good luck.
05:48Okay.
05:49That's a pro chef.
05:50The basement kitchen is terrible.
05:53Instant.
05:53Just shock.
05:54Got a little smell to it, too.
05:56Oh!
05:57I want to clean up everything, sweep it, and organize it just a little bit.
06:05What's going on, everyone?
06:06How we doing?
06:07Love it.
06:07Love the energy.
06:09Bring it over here for a second, okay?
06:10We getting acclimated to the basement?
06:12Yes, sir.
06:13The knives are dull, so your minds need to be super sharp down here.
06:16For this first cook, you're going to have 20 minutes.
06:19The first challenge is going to be a test of resourcefulness.
06:23Can you take scraps and bits and turn it into something that's worthy of our judging table?
06:29Let's go, baby.
06:30I do try to be as sustainable and resourceful as I can in my own kitchen, so I am used
06:36to repurposing.
06:37Most of the time, it ain't for me, though.
06:39Sometimes it's for my dog, so we gonna see.
06:43Gordon and Aisha are watching everything that you do, and we're scouting the people that we want on our team.
06:50I'm excited to see what they can do.
06:5120 minutes, it's tough in the basement, but pro chefs, they have the technique.
06:55This is the fastest five-yard sprint you're ever going to have to make in your life.
06:59Could determine whether you make it to that next level or not, okay?
07:01You ready?
07:02Yes, chef!
07:03Are you ready?
07:03I was born ready.
07:04All right, lock in.
07:06Ass to ass.
07:07Cheek to cheek.
07:08All right, the platform's on the way.
07:09When the light turns green, it's go time.
07:11Trash to treasure.
07:1320 minutes.
07:14Ah!
07:15Here we go!
07:16Go time!
07:19Grab it or regret it.
07:21Everyone's just...
07:23Grab that protein.
07:25Sausage scraps.
07:26Ooh, cheese.
07:27Boom.
07:27Okay.
07:27Think about your cuisine.
07:29Lamb.
07:30Just grab it.
07:30Not even thinking.
07:31I look, it's on the bone.
07:32I'm like, damn it, bro.
07:33I want it to look like it's going out of business.
07:35Tuna carcass.
07:36That's what I need.
07:39I go for the tuna carcass.
07:40Then me and Gabrielle, we start to tuss.
07:42Oh, oh.
07:43Cole and Gabrielle.
07:44There's a bit of a fight going on there.
07:46Tug of war.
07:46What is going on?
07:47Playing stuff like...
07:49Like this while I look at it back.
07:50Bam.
07:53Literal tug of war of tuna carcass.
07:55And I'm like, time is ticking.
07:57Them snacks.
07:59Mine.
08:00It's all fun and games, so we get in that ring.
08:01There's still a pig's ear over here.
08:03I'm stuck with the pig ears.
08:04What am I going to do with this?
08:06Someone doesn't have a protein.
08:08It is wild out here.
08:10Skirting elbows and flying under freaking head butts.
08:12Ten seconds.
08:14Cod's head, I got it.
08:15I got stuck with the cod's head.
08:17That was not an intentional choice, but I'll work with it.
08:20Okay, if you can grab it, you can still use it.
08:23Grab it or regret it.
08:23Let's go.
08:25Back to your stations.
08:26Oh, we wasn't friends no more at that point.
08:28Okay.
08:28Look at this baby.
08:30Okay, everyone, your 20 minutes starts now.
08:36I am feeling something kind of wet.
08:40Is this blood?
08:43Damn, is it bleeding?
08:45I'm bleeding out from my ear.
08:48Holy .
08:49What did I just do?
08:51Oh, my God.
08:53I don't know.
08:53Is she okay?
08:54Medic!
08:54We need a medic up here, guys.
08:57Medic!
09:03What happened?
09:03Fight broke out.
09:05It gets crazy down here.
09:06The last time I had a fight like that, I don't know, probably college.
09:09I don't know.
09:10Did you get cut up there?
09:11No.
09:11Okay.
09:12I had to do a little smell test.
09:14And I say, is this blood?
09:16Oh, my gosh.
09:19It's sriracha.
09:21You didn't get cut at all?
09:22No.
09:22Okay.
09:23Thank God.
09:28Yeah, that's it.
09:29Nothing really to see here.
09:30It's just chili paste.
09:32Yes, sir.
09:33You dummy.
09:34My God.
09:35What did we end up getting?
09:36I got pig ears.
09:37I'm gonna move in a direction of like a little tortilla.
09:40Yeah, it's a crispy pig's ear tortilla.
09:43Exactly.
09:43Have you ever cooked with pig ears before, guys?
09:45I have not.
09:46Treat it like bacon, all right?
09:47Yeah, chef.
09:48Trying to figure out something to do with this tuna carcass.
09:52You got this, Kevin.
09:53How we doing over here?
09:54Just have to grind this beef.
09:56What are you gonna make, Kevin?
09:57As soon as I saw the beef, I thought of my grandmother.
09:58Does she make us these beef patties?
10:00Yeah.
10:00Make a gravy to go with it?
10:01I started cooking when I was seven years old.
10:03Having to make certain things from nothing is something that I'm completely used to.
10:08Okay.
10:08I got it.
10:11Five minutes gone.
10:12There's 15 minutes left.
10:13I know y'all in that green room watching this.
10:16Don't be judging this book by its cover now.
10:18Absolutely not.
10:19What's up, baby?
10:20How you doing, baby?
10:20What'd you grab?
10:21I grabbed some lamb bone and do like a curry style with it.
10:24The thing I'm concerned most with here is that that lamb is gonna be tender.
10:27It is.
10:27I try to be, sir.
10:29Anybody see the sugar?
10:31Darian, how we doing?
10:32Doing, chef.
10:33I'm doing.
10:33Got chicken back deep frying right now.
10:35That's something I grew up eating in Jamaica.
10:37Yeah?
10:37And I got sweet potatoes and some mushrooms.
10:39You're bringing the Caribbean flavor to the game.
10:41Yes, sir.
10:41All right, I love it, chef.
10:42Let's go.
10:45I've been a professional chef for 13 years.
10:48When I first came here from Jamaica, there's so much opportunity.
10:51I put into work night and day every day.
10:52I sleep less and I work more.
10:54That's what I do.
10:56I grew up in Clarendon, Jamaica, which is like the country.
10:58There's not much going on where I grew up.
11:00And that's my all-time favorite mango right there.
11:02That's the Julie mango.
11:03Being Jamaican is many things.
11:05It's colorful.
11:06It's loud.
11:07It's proud.
11:08It's vibrant.
11:09It's just a beautiful place to be.
11:11You guys hungry?
11:14You know, family is everything to me.
11:15I own two restaurants, but it's also a family affair.
11:18I employ my mom.
11:19Good job, mommy.
11:20My sisters, my wife, everybody is involved.
11:24I want to have a better life than I had back in Jamaica, you know.
11:27Did you like it?
11:27Yeah.
11:28I'm also a private chef.
11:30I cook for most of the Buffalo Bills players.
11:32I feel proud every day I step out because I represent Jamaica to the fullest.
11:37I look good, I smell good, and I cook good.
11:40Come on, man.
11:43Should I do the noodle or should I do the bread?
11:46Belinda, how are we doing?
11:47I'm doing great.
11:48Okay, what do we got?
11:49I'm going to do either a bread, like a bread thing, or I'm going to do a stir fry.
11:52What do you think?
11:53Maybe the noodles would be a little easier to make, but make a choice, right?
11:57Okay, yeah.
11:59I grew up in Westminster, California, AKA Little Saigon.
12:03I was raised by my grandparents and my aunts and uncles helped them.
12:07I think it was a full team effort because I'm just so much.
12:12I'm a lot.
12:13There was like nine of us living in a three-bedroom apartment.
12:17Dinner time was chaotic.
12:19Everyone's fighting over the fish head.
12:21It's good collagen.
12:22It's good for the skin.
12:23It's good for the skin, okay?
12:25I own my own catering and pop-up company called Eats by Bee.
12:29Eats by Bee creates culinary experiences.
12:32This is a chaotic competition and I fit right in.
12:39Hunter, what did you grab here?
12:41It looks like...
12:42Got some sausage.
12:42I'm going to do a quick sausage, pasta, and then sauce.
12:46Am I getting like any sort of tropical Hawaiian vibes here or what?
12:50You're going to get just quick, easy dinners run by my mom.
12:54I'm from Honolulu, Hawaii, born and raised on the island of Oahu.
12:58I grew up surfing and I paddle competitive.
13:02You have to feel the water.
13:03You have to be balanced.
13:04There's so much technique and that's what I kind of took with me to cooking.
13:09I was born with a 10% chance of living and I had to have surgery.
13:14I turned out to be deaf and I wear hearing aids.
13:17I'm cooking for the people that are disabled because I want to show those kids.
13:22If I can do it, they can do it for sure.
13:24Never stop paddling and always finish strong.
13:29Hunter, elevated.
13:30Hover through.
13:30Hot pot.
13:31Hot pot.
13:32What am I going to do with the tuna boy?
13:35Cole, what are we up to?
13:37I have a tuna carcass over there.
13:39I'm thinking I'm going to go like a brothy type of Chinese dish.
13:43I'm going to try and do something here with this meat.
13:45You fought for this.
13:46It was better than the pig's ears, Chef.
13:48All right, so we're going to make like little meatballs?
13:50Yep.
13:51Okay, you only need two or three meatballs.
13:53Two or three.
13:53Hurry, Chef.
13:53Perfect.
13:53Hurry, Chef.
13:55Halfway down, 10 minutes gone, 10 left.
13:57You want Nyesha or Gordon or myself to work with you?
14:01Yeah.
14:01Now's the time to prove it.
14:02Richard is hungry for another win.
14:04Of course he is.
14:05It took him long enough.
14:06That's not happening, let me tell you.
14:08Second that.
14:09Okay, spoiler alert.
14:10One of you go home, okay?
14:13There's blood in the water and I am like a shark right now.
14:16I'm many sharks.
14:17A fleet.
14:18A flock.
14:20What are a bunch of sharks together?
14:22No one knows.
14:23A murder of sharks.
14:25That's crows.
14:26Come on, Richard.
14:27I'm so glad to be back.
14:29This is great, guys.
14:30Connor.
14:31Yes, sir.
14:31This is just rolling off your back.
14:33It's not quite beach vibes down here, bro.
14:35Hey, sometimes you got to take coast to coast.
14:37Taking you down to NOLA.
14:38Fried cod's head poor boy, baby.
14:40I love it.
14:41I lived in New Orleans for six years.
14:43I cooked down there.
14:44I had to go NOLA first.
14:46Five minutes left.
14:47How are the noodles over here, dude?
14:49You sure they're cooked?
14:50The noodles are like right on the edge.
14:51Just fire that thing up.
14:52We're running out of time.
14:53Keep that up.
14:54Yes, chef.
14:54Who else is in trouble?
14:55Belinda, what's up?
14:56You changed up your plan.
14:57Yeah, I'm doing an open face.
14:58He's also doing an open face.
15:00Oh, crap.
15:01He's making an open face sandwich as well.
15:05Well, sorry.
15:06No, it's okay.
15:07But I'm just saying now you're giving us something to judge side by side with each other.
15:10The time is crunching down.
15:13I don't have time to pivot.
15:15No.
15:16You're good, B. Stay on your chef.
15:18Now's not a time for a new idea.
15:19Now we're refining.
15:21Two minutes left.
15:22You can start plating now.
15:23Bring it together right now.
15:25Let's go.
15:26Find yourself a spot in the middle level.
15:28Five.
15:29Four.
15:30Three.
15:31Two.
15:32One.
15:33Hands up.
15:34Stop cooking.
15:35Let's go.
15:37Damn.
15:38We had a tuna bite.
15:44Well done.
15:46Energetic cook.
15:47What happened to the grab?
15:48It looked like a wrestling event back in the lounge.
15:51Right?
15:52Well done.
15:52All right, let's taste.
15:54We have Connor's fried cod head po' boy.
15:58Looks very inviting, doesn't it?
16:00Yeah.
16:00Doesn't necessarily look like it was cooked in the basement.
16:05Cods cooked beefy.
16:06I think it represents New Orleans really, really well.
16:09It's clear that there was a vision here.
16:12Good chef.
16:13Okay, next up we have Belinda's shrimp head sandwich.
16:16Some Southeast Asian flavors.
16:18It's always tough when you have two people doing really similar dishes because they end up getting judged against each
16:23other.
16:24Totally.
16:24I think the most successful part of the dish is in the flavor of the shrimp.
16:27It really comes through nicely, but there's a lacking of an aioli or something to really meld the bread and
16:33the shrimp moment together.
16:35Should have stuck to the noodles.
16:37Next up we have Kevin's beef meatballs with his family style gravy.
16:42Yeah, meatballs are seasoned beefing.
16:44The sauce is delicious.
16:45Next up we have Machete's lamb leg curry.
16:48And that's just scraped from the leg.
16:50Slivers and cuts right off the leg.
16:52The lamb's actually tender.
16:53I'm amazed it got that tender.
16:55A little bit heavy on the spice.
16:57A little bit.
16:57This is Darian's crispy Jamaican fried chicken back.
17:03The flavor is incredible.
17:05The spices are there.
17:07That's absolutely bang on with the spice.
17:10Okay, next up right here, Hunter's creamy sausage pasta.
17:15The challenge for me with this dish is the two different types of pasta.
17:19So texturally, some of the pasta is undercooked.
17:21Totally.
17:23Next up we have Cole's tuna carcass meatballs in broth.
17:29This to me is really taking scraps and turning them into something special.
17:34For 20 minutes, this is impressive.
17:35It's done beautifully.
17:36Right.
17:37Quintessential basement cooking.
17:39Lastly here, we have Gabrielle's crispy pig ear tortilla.
17:44Homemade tortilla in 20 minutes.
17:46The pig ears actually crispier than I thought it would be.
17:50You get dealt that dysfunctional ingredient.
17:52You've come up with a nice dish.
17:53How's your ear?
17:54Can't do a scrap challenge without a little scrap.
17:56Ooh.
17:58All right, now listen, we need a few minutes to discuss between ourselves.
18:01Oh my God.
18:03The shrimp po' boy's been let down.
18:05I just needed a mayo.
18:07But the cartel, beautiful.
18:09The crispiness.
18:10Really good indeed.
18:10And the pasta was a different one because some were cooked, some were overcooked.
18:15And that was the one I was really worried about.
18:16Really?
18:16Yeah.
18:17I should have just cherry picked out the pastas because I noticed it.
18:20Let's go.
18:24Okay, as you all know, only seven are going to go up to the middle level.
18:30The first three people who've earned their way to the middle level are...
18:34Connor, Kevin, Gabrielle.
18:38Well done.
18:39Well done.
18:40You can head to the elevator.
18:41Good job.
18:43The next three people who've earned their space to cook on the middle level are...
18:50Darian, Cole, and Machete.
18:53Thank you guys.
18:54Oh yeah, I'm moving to the next level, baby.
18:58Okay.
18:59Not easy, I know it.
19:00Belinda.
19:01Hunter.
19:03I'm sorry to say there's only one space left in the elevator.
19:06And unfortunately, one of you will be left here in the basement.
19:10And that spot goes to...
19:20Sorry to say there's only one space left in the elevator to head to the middle level.
19:24And that spot goes to...
19:28Hunter.
19:30Hey, good job.
19:32Great job.
19:33Hunter, you can join your colleagues in the elevator.
19:36Thank you, chefs.
19:36Belinda, keep cooking.
19:38We'll see you soon.
19:41I have so much more to show.
19:44But what's next is...
19:47I'm gonna have a drink.
19:58Check out all the tools.
19:59This is like any standard catering kitchen.
20:03Bro, look at these immersion blenders.
20:05This kitchen is designed for large scale cooking.
20:08Not single dishes, right?
20:09You have to make it work.
20:10Chef Arrington is an absolute legend in LA.
20:13So it's just a blessing to even have the opportunity to be here and cook for her.
20:17I'm deciding who I want on my team.
20:19So bad.
20:19I would like that.
20:20And also who I'm giving away to Richard and Courtney, right?
20:23Oh, okay.
20:24Wow.
20:25She's fishing ready.
20:26Yeah, that's right.
20:26Okay.
20:27So your next challenge, you each have 20 minutes to create the dish that helped you start your
20:34culinary journey.
20:36All right, it's time.
20:37Hands on the elevator.
20:39When that light change is green, you are going.
20:44Let's go.
20:46Grab those ingredients that are gonna get you into this draft.
20:51Oh, no.
20:52Oh, my God.
20:55Your girl goes flying.
20:58Dad, is she okay?
20:59Oh, you okay?
21:00I'm all right.
21:01All right, let's go, girl.
21:02Stay strong.
21:03How are we building this dish, right?
21:05Vegetables.
21:06The crabs are insane.
21:08All right, grab the steak.
21:09There's potatoes right there.
21:11Perfect ingredients for a beautiful steak dinner.
21:14Come on, guys.
21:15Grab the ingredients.
21:16Back to your station.
21:18Organize yourself.
21:1820 minutes starts right now.
21:20Let's go.
21:21Let's go.
21:21Let's go.
21:22Get those proteins on.
21:24All right, Connor, what you got?
21:26California-style cooking.
21:27California-style.
21:28We get what's fresh and we run it, right?
21:29We love that.
21:30No one knows California beach-style cooking more than me.
21:32I know.
21:33I'm excited to cook for you.
21:34You've done your research.
21:35Yes, I have.
21:37Growing up in Manhattan Beach, our hobbies were surfing and skating and playing water polo,
21:41but it was a bubble.
21:44I really had to leave that place, get a taste of what real food culture was.
21:49So I went and lived in New Orleans.
21:52That is what crafted my creative process as a chef.
21:55I've been in this game for a minute.
21:57You know, I'm 30 years old.
21:58I'm a private chef and a die-hard creative and I just love cooking.
22:02Anything's possible over food.
22:04I'm a California kid and I found my love in New Orleans.
22:08I'm feeling that California flair.
22:09That's the flair.
22:10Thank you, chef.
22:11Seems like Naisha's got one of her picks right there.
22:14Mr. Machete.
22:14How you doing?
22:15You grabbed ground lamb, cheddar cheese.
22:17You know what?
22:18It's Mexican food mixed with Asian cuisine.
22:20I'm great at both.
22:21Don't forget, this is your audition, right?
22:23You know what I'm saying?
22:23Yeah, this is it.
22:23We're all looking to see who we want to pick on our team.
22:25That's right.
22:25They call me the biggest, the largest.
22:29You're funny.
22:30We're going to make it happen, babe.
22:31This right here, they call this the skullet.
22:34It's like a skin on the top but mullet in the back.
22:36My head right here says conquer your dreams and the grills.
22:40Can't go back to the corporate world now.
22:43I'm a self-taught chef.
22:45I got most of my techniques from the CIA cookbook
22:48that I got at a bargain bookstore.
22:51Growing up, I started selling these tacos I'm famous for now
22:54for $1 at my dad's mechanic shopper.
22:57Now I've got a restaurant for the best tacos
22:59in Houston, people's choice five years in a row.
23:02I'm H-Town till I drown.
23:04How about Houstonian through and through?
23:08Guys, just under 15 minutes, OK?
23:10Oh, you put those meatballs in that fryer.
23:12It could go tough.
23:13Looking good.
23:15Cole, what is your dish?
23:17Hand-seared salmon with this bright salad.
23:19Growing up in California, we always eat fish.
23:22Yes.
23:22Because it's right there.
23:23I love being at the beach.
23:24Oh, lovely, lovely cereal there.
23:28Kevin.
23:29What's up, chef?
23:29Are you here to prove that you belong in this competition today?
23:32I am here to prove that I belong in this competition.
23:33How are you going to do that?
23:34So growing up, when we finally got money,
23:36my grandmother started cooking us a lot of steak.
23:38The steak and potatoes, OK?
23:40I'm a restaurant and food truck owner.
23:42I cook for Regina King, Tom Brady, Julia Roberts.
23:46I cook for Marlon and the Wayans family so many times
23:49that I cultivated a relationship with them.
23:51Marlon saw a light in me.
23:54And about six months later, he sent me a check.
23:57He invested in my food truck.
23:59Lost my food truck September 1, 2024.
24:02September 7, 2024, my food truck was stolen.
24:07I'm still trying to recover from it.
24:11I think that me being here is just like me trying
24:14to reignite that passion.
24:16But I'm unstoppable.
24:18I'm unstoppable.
24:19OK, I'm freaking unstoppable.
24:24Eight minutes down.
24:25Kevin's running behind.
24:26The steak's got to go on.
24:27Got a lot of eyeballs on you.
24:29Everybody's scouting.
24:31Gabrielle.
24:32Yes, chef.
24:33Caddick.
24:33We get a lot of fresh fish.
24:34My husband's a spirit fisherman.
24:35But my background is Italian,
24:38so I'm rolling out hand-cut pasta.
24:41Growing up as the youngest of eight siblings
24:44in a big Italian family was absolute chaos at all times.
24:50My parents are restauranteurs
24:52and have owned and operated a restaurant
24:55that has been open for over 40 years.
24:59I have worked in some of the best restaurants in America,
25:01but my dad was not excited for my career path.
25:06He was like, I don't want that for you at all.
25:08I, like, honestly want you to do anything but that.
25:13It's been five years since he's passed,
25:17and now I have two beautiful children.
25:19For you!
25:20Oh, I'll hold this one.
25:21Yay!
25:21There's definitely this side of me
25:23that really wanted to prove to my dad,
25:26to my parents, that I can do this,
25:28and I am a professional chef,
25:31and I do deserve this.
25:33I want to make him proud.
25:35Go for it, girl.
25:36Got it.
25:38Carry it.
25:38What you got?
25:39I'm going to do a curry bean.
25:40Smart.
25:40Curry is in my bones.
25:41If I break this right now,
25:43you see curry running out,
25:45then it's going to be delicious.
25:46A Buffalo New York guy by way of Jamaica.
25:49You got to bring in that flavor, right?
25:50Yeah, you have to.
25:51Just stay warm inside, you know what I mean?
25:53Because it's cold there.
25:55Chef, can we get a time check, please?
25:56We're already halfway down.
25:58Whoo!
25:59Whoo!
25:59Whoo!
26:00Whoo!
26:02Okay, Hunter, three squeeze bottles.
26:04Yes, Chef.
26:04Right now, I'm doing my adobo sauce,
26:07pancier chicken.
26:08I can hear that pigeon in your voice.
26:10It's almost like the stress
26:10brings out the pigeon in your voice.
26:13This is intense.
26:14Rome against the 300.
26:18Just fighting each other.
26:19But I know I'm going to the top
26:21and into the draft with Team Gordon.
26:23Team Gordon, let's go.
26:24Really nice aromatics coming off your station, Hunter.
26:27Thank you, Chef.
26:29Eight minutes.
26:30Eight minutes.
26:31That's going to put you into this competition or not.
26:33Yes, Chef.
26:37Oh, my God.
26:38I let the steak sit there for so long,
26:40and I focused on freaking Brussels sprouts and potato.
26:43Get the steak on, Kevin.
26:44Got to get the steak on.
26:45Got to get the steak on.
26:47It's not hot enough.
26:48It's not hot enough.
26:49It's not getting hot.
26:49Time's running out right now.
26:51You're going to need at least two minutes.
26:53To rest.
26:54He's in trouble.
27:01You have three minutes to fight your way into the draft.
27:05I'm not feeling great.
27:06The steak, I didn't cook it as soon as I should have.
27:09It needed at least five to seven minutes to rest.
27:11Look at the cook on that steak.
27:12He didn't have time to let it rest.
27:14Also, he sliced it when it was a little bit too hot,
27:16so the juice is gone.
27:17Yeah.
27:18It's our time, Chef.
27:19Two minutes, guys.
27:20You guys can start plating.
27:22This is where you earn your spot.
27:25My team, Gordon's team, Richard's team.
27:27Yes, Chef.
27:27Yes, Chef.
27:29Delicate, delicate, delicate.
27:31It's going to come off when it wants to.
27:32Oh, no.
27:34Gabrielle.
27:35Damn.
27:35No.
27:36The skin's gone on that header.
27:37Don't force it.
27:38Pivot.
27:38Make it make sense.
27:4030 seconds.
27:41Everyone's scouting you out right now.
27:44Push, push, push, push.
27:47Five, four, three, two, one.
27:50Hands up.
27:51Hands up.
27:52Congrats, guys.
27:53Congrats.
27:59Good job.
28:00Well done, all of you.
28:01Looking at these dishes, they're bursting with memories,
28:04and now we have to see if they're bursting with flavor,
28:06most importantly.
28:07So, first up, we have Cole's seared salmon
28:11with a pickled onion and tomato salad.
28:14Salmon's cooked beautifully.
28:15It feels like you've had 30 minutes to cook.
28:17It's that intense.
28:17Great job.
28:18Thank you, Chef.
28:19Next up, we have Kevin's steak and potatoes.
28:22This is a seared top sirloin
28:24with brussel sprouts and a red wine sauce.
28:29Great sear on the steak, but sliced way too hot,
28:32so you lost the goodness.
28:34With this sauce, there's a little bit of a raw wine flavor
28:38happening.
28:38100% yes.
28:40Next up, we have curried cube steak.
28:43This is served over a parsnip and potato puree.
28:47And this is cooked by Darian.
28:49Surprisingly, a lot of flavor in the curry,
28:51knowing that it's only probably like powder and cream.
28:54The vegetable garnish is sort of superfluous.
28:56Thank you, Chef.
28:57Thank you, Gary.
28:58Next up, this is Gabrielle's haddock over hand-cooked pasta.
29:06Making pasta just like making the tortilla,
29:08that's pretty great.
29:09There's some crunchy vegetables in the sauce,
29:10which doesn't work for me.
29:11Haddock's cooked really well.
29:12I got nervous when it stuck to the pan,
29:14but you pivoted.
29:15And the pasta's delicious.
29:17Thank you, Chef.
29:17Nice depth of flavor.
29:19Great job.
29:22Next up, we have a lamb mac and cheese.
29:26This is from Machete.
29:29Yeah.
29:29This kind of reminds me of my mom's food.
29:33Overcooked meatballs.
29:35I was a bit pissed off he's put those meatballs in that fryer.
29:38You know how to cook a f***ing meatball.
29:40Don't start taking shortcuts.
29:45Next up, we have Connor's.
29:47This is seared pork served with a crispy pakora and an herb salad.
29:53Pork's cooked beautifully.
29:54Thank you, Chef.
29:55It's listening.
29:55It's beautifully seasoned.
29:56Pakora delicious.
29:58Yeah, the dish has a lot of sauce,
29:59but tons of depth of flavor achieved in the sauce.
30:02Really great.
30:03Thank you, Chef.
30:04Lastly, we have Hunter's adobo chicken over noodles.
30:12Chicken's cooked beautifully, but it needs more sauce and more acid in there.
30:17It's such a shame.
30:18Yeah, the noodles are a little cloying, but the chicken's cooked well.
30:21Thank you, Chef.
30:22Okay, we clearly have a very difficult decision here.
30:26Give us a minute.
30:30Why?
30:30The ladies really brought it today, I can't say, gents.
30:33Yeah.
30:33Are you just focusing on building out your team, or are you focusing on...
30:35I'm always trying to pick the winners.
30:37Do you want an all-female team?
30:38I wouldn't be mad at an all-female team.
30:40We love that.
30:42The pork chop.
30:44Beefy cooked.
30:45Pork chop was great.
30:46Yeah, the one I would turn away, I'll be honest.
30:47Is that sirloin?
30:48Definitely.
30:50The chicken thigh dish.
30:52The chicken was great, but nothing else was great about that dish.
30:56We good?
30:57Okay.
30:59I gotta say, these decisions, they're never easy for us.
31:03But, as you know, this is your chance to earn your way onto one of our teams.
31:09The first three people that are moving up to the top are...
31:17Cole, Gabrielle, and Connor.
31:23Please head to the elevator.
31:27The next two people that have earned their spot on the next level.
31:33Darian, and Machete.
31:35Woo!
31:37Thank God.
31:38I'm still sweating.
31:39Kevin and Hunter, we both had a little bit of a tough time in this kitchen.
31:43Unfortunately, there's only one spot left in the elevator.
31:47I'm definitely nervous, and if I make it through, it's by the skin of my teeth.
31:50But, I'm here to prove to Chef Arrington that I deserve to be on her team.
31:54That person moving to the top is...
32:03Unfortunately, there's only one spot left in the elevator.
32:06And that person moving to the top is...
32:12Hunter.
32:15You did great.
32:16You did great.
32:18Thank you, Chef.
32:21Kevin, I can see how good of a chef you are.
32:24This cook just got away from you a little bit.
32:26I'll forever be disappointed, but I'll forever be proud of myself.
32:29I know this isn't the only opportunity that I'll have like this.
32:32Good luck, Kevin.
32:33There is going to be another call, and I will be ready.
32:39One more cook, right?
32:41One more cook.
32:41Push.
32:42Welcome to the best kitchen in America.
32:45Ooh, this is nice!
32:48This is the creme de la creme of kitchens.
32:51I'm in heaven.
32:53So, for your final challenge, 25 minutes.
32:56I want you to create a dish that you'd be proud to put on your own menu.
33:01I want it that good.
33:03The man, the myth, the legend, Gordon Ramsay.
33:08I'm so excited they brought him back.
33:13Platform is moving, guys.
33:15I'm parkouring over that .
33:17Parkour, parkour.
33:18Okay, I'm looking for speed.
33:19Who's there first?
33:20Go!
33:21Let's go!
33:25Okay, Darren, with a little box out.
33:27I'm done being a nice guy, letting people go in front of me like, oops.
33:30Nope.
33:31I could do this venison.
33:32Oh, this is beautiful.
33:33So, New York strip.
33:34Boom.
33:35Three hands on the plate at the same time.
33:38I said, not today.
33:40Y'all can have it with your grubby little fingers, okay?
33:42Halibut.
33:42I've taken that.
33:44Come on, guys.
33:45There's a chicken breast up for grabs.
33:46Oh, grab it.
33:47From the south, man.
33:48I'm so confident with chicken.
33:50Three, two, one.
33:53Grab, grab, grab, grab!
33:56Well done.
33:57Right, your last chance to get into that draft.
34:00Your 25 minutes start now.
34:02Let's go.
34:03Let's go, let's go, let's go.
34:04How exciting.
34:05Pro chefs in the top level.
34:08Big man, what'd you grab?
34:09Man, I grab the airline chicken.
34:11I'm gonna honey roast these carrots.
34:12Good.
34:12And then I was gonna make a puree with this bad boy.
34:14You could do carrot top chimichurri.
34:16Cheers, thank you for that.
34:17Yeah, let's go.
34:18No, let's get it back.
34:18Let's go.
34:20I'm through, right behind, behind, behind.
34:21Hunter.
34:22Yes, chef.
34:22You've got the hand-dived scallops.
34:24Out of all the proteins tonight, you've got the least stress.
34:27Yes, chef.
34:27They're gonna take two minutes, right?
34:28This guy moves, man.
34:30Hunter's got some wheels.
34:31Tell me about the dish.
34:32I'm gonna do a sea bean puree.
34:34And then do a quick bourbon.
34:36But you've got the puree as well, so puree done beautifully.
34:40It's way more important than the sauce.
34:41Don't waste time with that, okay?
34:43Ramsay said, do one puree or one bourbon.
34:46But I was taught you could have both.
34:50Go for it.
34:51Five minutes gone, 20 minutes to go.
34:54Are you ready?
34:54Oh, Lord.
34:57All right, what'd you grab?
34:58Hi, chef.
34:59I grabbed the jumbo shrimp.
35:00Jumbo shrimp.
35:00Gabrielle, tell me about the dish.
35:01It's gonna be a nice infused oil with our...
35:06Jumbo shrimp.
35:07With our prawns.
35:08I have no idea what I'm doing right now.
35:12Can you tell?
35:14You know I haven't fully figured out my direction yet.
35:16Don't leave it too long, right?
35:17Only five will make it into the draft.
35:20Yes, chef.
35:20I deserve it.
35:22Ooh.
35:24I think Darien, he's gotta step up in this round.
35:27I feel like he tends to lean on spices.
35:30Right.
35:30Having that Jamaican influence.
35:33What'd you grab?
35:34So I grabbed some venison.
35:35Right, some rosemary.
35:37That is sage, you know?
35:38You've got sage, yeah.
35:39Rosemary and thyme.
35:39You've got more herbs there than Snoop Dogg.
35:43All right, so who do you have your eye on?
35:45Connor has this sort of light, bright California flair to his cooking.
35:50Right, young man, what'd you grab?
35:51I got a beautiful steak.
35:52Yes.
35:53With a butternut hash.
35:54So that's your first pick?
35:55All I care about is finding the best chef out there, okay?
35:58Whether it's on your team or...
36:00Same, same.
36:01You know what I mean?
36:01But I'd really like that person to be on Team Blaze.
36:04I know how it feels not winning a couple years in a row.
36:07I mean, you've practiced a lot.
36:09That's right, that's right.
36:11Okay, Brad, what are you gonna do with the viewers?
36:13I'm gonna sear off these small pieces here.
36:15It's already cooked.
36:16I know.
36:17But what's the dish?
36:18We're just gonna do prawns, some beets with the pistachio,
36:22asparagus with the prosciutto.
36:23Gotcha.
36:24That's our time, chef.
36:25We're halfway, 12 and a half minutes gone,
36:2712 and a half minutes to go.
36:29What did you get?
36:30I got a halibut, I got some celery yak.
36:32Have you cooked halibut before?
36:33I have not.
36:34Gotcha.
36:35Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha.
36:36I feel like it was a huge gamble to grab something that I never cooked.
36:40But also, I feel like that's what this competition is all about,
36:43seeing how good you can be.
36:45It doesn't need to go on for another few more minutes yet, okay?
36:48Her.
36:48Look how focused she is.
36:49She's locked in.
36:50She's got the discipline.
36:51She was in the Navy.
36:52Is that what it is?
36:53Okay, okay.
36:53Yes, absolutely.
36:54That makes sense.
36:54That makes sense.
36:55Get your together, Cole.
36:57I would describe myself as the life of the party.
37:03I grew up in a very, very strict blackity-black house, okay?
37:07And if you know, you know.
37:10I had zero idea that I would end up being a chef.
37:13I decided I was going to go to the military,
37:15which kick-started my journey into being a chef.
37:20I mean, I've faced a lot of adversity in my life,
37:23especially being a black, queer woman.
37:26People look at me like, okay, where's the executive chef?
37:29And I'm like, I'm right here.
37:32Get that nice and hot, season again on the side.
37:35We'll flip it over.
37:36We've got plenty of time, yes?
37:37It's perfect.
37:38Okay.
37:39Five minutes to go.
37:40Protein's on.
37:41Yes?
37:42I'll just pop them in, chef.
37:43Okay, good.
37:43The sauce needs work, okay?
37:46Yeah.
37:46So it's supposed to be a puree,
37:48but try not to be a sauce now.
37:49Come on, baby.
37:50It's weird.
37:51It's looking weird.
37:52Ah!
37:54Two minutes, guys.
37:55Let's go.
37:55Start the plate.
37:57We are professional for a reason.
37:59Think about the presentation now.
38:01Hunter, we've got to go.
38:03That's lovely.
38:04Still got plenty of time, yes?
38:0535 seconds to earn your spot in one of our teams.
38:09Guys, let's go.
38:12Five, four, three, two, one.
38:17And hands in the air.
38:19Well done.
38:26Richard, Naisha, welcome back.
38:28Let's start with Gabrielle's shrimp.
38:30They've been crusted with pistachio, and then you've got fondant of beets.
38:35I think the flavors are a little scattered, but the presentation's nice.
38:38When you've got those shrimp beautifully crusted, sit them in a sauce.
38:42It's such a shame.
38:45Next up, this is machete.
38:46It's a pan-roasted chicken breast with a Gruyere potato puree and roasted baby carrots.
38:54This is really refined.
38:56It's a long way from overcooked meatballs.
38:58For me, the puree is the one that sets it off.
38:59You've got them beautifully creamed.
39:01Thank you all very much.
39:02This is Connor's New York strip, sautéed butternut squash and blackberry jam.
39:08The plate is very vibrant.
39:09It's sort of whimsical and fun, definitely California cuisine.
39:12Thank you, Chef.
39:14Okay, next up.
39:15This is Darien's seared loin of venison on a buttery polenta and a red wine caramelized plum sauce.
39:23All the flavors work.
39:24It looks fine dining.
39:26Really, really appropriate.
39:28Well done.
39:28Thank you, Chef.
39:29Next up.
39:30This is Cole's pan-roasted halibut with a celery-roasted puree.
39:37Beautiful halibut.
39:38It's cooked very nicely.
39:40Having not cooked this fish and grabbing something you've never touched before,
39:43that says a lot about you and a character.
39:46This is a competition and those kind of moments for me are important.
39:49Thank you, Chef.
39:50This is Hunter's pan-roasted scallops with a seaweed puree
39:53and then there's a beurre blanc sauce in there as well.
39:59I know there's a puree in the sauce there but it sort of reads almost like a soup.
40:02If you do a puree, it doesn't need a sauce.
40:04If you do a sauce, it doesn't need a puree.
40:06But at the cook in the scallop for me, this one there was delicious.
40:10Give us a moment right now, please.
40:13Come on in, bro.
40:14Family.
40:16What a shame with the shrimp.
40:17I couldn't think.
40:19I genuinely couldn't think.
40:21For me, the bottom two are definitely the jumbo shrimp and the scallops.
40:26I mean, those are the two dishes I think that were the least performing overall.
40:31I think this was pretty clear.
40:32Yes.
40:34Before we tell you who makes it into the draft, let me remind you of what's at stake.
40:45That's right.
40:46Those incredible chef's jackets.
40:50This is the most important platform grab.
40:51You don't get one of those shirts, you're out.
40:53Five of you are about to move into the draft and a chance to compete, not just for the quarter
40:59of a million dollar check, but for that mentorship with Richard, Naisha and myself.
41:04OK, the first person that have earned their way into the draft, congratulations goes to Darian.
41:10Well done.
41:11Thank you, Jay.
41:12I'm in this.
41:13Let's get it.
41:15Let's go!
41:17Join in, Darian.
41:19Cole.
41:20Well done.
41:22The third person, congratulations goes to Machete.
41:27Well done.
41:29OK, the fourth person, congratulations goes to Connor.
41:34Well done.
41:36The study of that leaves Gabrielle and Hunter, the final chef moving through to the draft.
41:45Congratulations goes to Gabrielle.
41:49Gabriel.
41:50Well done.
41:53Hunter, young man, continue cooking, right?
41:56Because we'll be watching from afar.
41:58Thank you, chefs.
41:59Oh, my God, brother.
42:01Easy when it's watching, but hard when you're actually doing it.
42:04A lot of respect for past competitors.
42:07All the best.
42:08Keep cooking.
42:09Thank you, chefs. Pleasure.
42:11But being on Next Level at 25 years old, I'm happy.
42:15White kid.
42:1755, you have earned your way into that incredible draft.
42:23Congratulations.
42:24Get your chef jackets, and we'll see you very soon.
42:26Well done, guys.
42:27Good luck.
42:28Congratulations.
42:29Great job.
42:30Congratulations.
42:32Machete.
42:33What is that thing in the back of your head?
42:34It's called a skullet.
42:35A skullet.
42:36Skin mullet.
42:36It looks like a rose kill.
42:43Next time on Next Level Chef.
42:45Let's go, social media chefs.
42:48Hot dogs.
42:49Oh, boy.
42:50What am I going to do with this?
42:52Tim, what are we doing?
42:53I could open that for you.
42:54You are embarrassing yourself on national television.
42:58You can make a pretty plate, but can it taste good?
43:03It looks like someone's cut themselves.
43:05This is not how I envisioned it.
43:06What is this?
43:08That is kale.
43:09Not the best for salads if you can't tell.
43:10Oh, my God.
43:11Move on.
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