- 7 hours ago
Next Level Chef - Season 5 Episode 14 - The Ultimate Goal
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00:00Previously on Next Level Chef,
00:02we are celebrating America's 250th birthday.
00:06What's this big spill?
00:08Let's get these cakes done. Let's go.
00:11I'm just sick to my stomach at this moment.
00:13The winner of the time token tonight is Connor.
00:16There it is, baby.
00:17Christian and Gabrielle.
00:19You're two spots away from finale.
00:21This is the most important burger in my life at this point.
00:23I will be sending home the short rib burger.
00:26Christian. Good job, Chef.
00:27And tonight, you have 30 minutes to create a fusion dish
00:31inspired by the cuisines of two World Cup countries.
00:35Mexico, Argentina, England.
00:37Argentina and Germany are very different cuisines.
00:40What am I going to do with this?
00:42Please welcome Alexi Lalas.
00:44I believe that we will win!
00:46I believe that we will win!
00:59.
01:13Good morning!
01:14coach, we're playing soccer today.
01:16Holy crap!
01:17Oh, wow!
01:17My favorite sport, man!
01:19Amazing!
01:20What the heck?!
01:22Why is there a soccer field in the middle of here?
01:24I cannot take any more surprises right now rice chefs good morning welcome to the next level stadium
01:33Well, let's see right now
01:35I really wish I had my Scotland Jersey with me because I'd get out there and play a little sort
01:38of five-a-side together forget Scotland
01:41You know, I'm pulling for the red white and blue
01:43Say I would get out there. Let's go, but I just want to warn you. I'm pretty sure since we're
01:48so competitive
01:49I'd run circles around both of you
01:51Just say it. I'm just saying
01:54kidding me
01:59Listen up today we are celebrating one of the most incredible sporting events in the world a
02:072026 FIFA World Cup airing on Fox this summer. How cool is that?
02:14The last time the US hosted the World Cup was in
02:181994 so we've decided to bring in a legend from that team
02:24Oh, please welcome America's soccer star and Fox Sports lead analyst Alexi Lalas
02:36I grew up watching Alexi Lalas
02:40Everything meaningful in soccer in the States. He's the face on the TV. Oh my goodness me. Welcome to next
02:46level stadium. Thank you
02:47This is this is awesome. You've got a busy summer ahead of you busy summer the biggest World Cup in
02:52history
02:53It's fitting to bring it back to the United States with our friends to the North Canada and our friends
02:57to the South Mexico
02:58I go back to
02:581994 I was literally running around as a spotty 25 year old chef watching you on that pitch extraordinary
03:05It was a lot of hair ago
03:28You know a little bit about competition obviously
03:36You know a little bit about competition
03:36It's been to the highest level do you have any advice for our competitors only five of them left?
03:41What do they need to do to bring this home? Whether it's on a soccer field or whether it's in
03:45the kitchen if you don't believe in yourself
03:47Nobody else is going to ultimately you have to say I am here for a reason and I'm gonna kick
03:52some ass
03:52One of the greatest things the World Cup does is bring nations together
03:59So for today's top five challenge, you'll do exactly that you'll have 30 minutes to create a stunning fusion dish
04:07Inspired by the cuisines of two incredible World Cup countries to let your imagination go wild
04:14I'm kind of like the embodiment of fusion got Cameroon German Irish
04:20I was born for this challenge now listen. That's the goal today. Okay honor two culinary traditions in one
04:29United dish and only 30 minutes to do it
04:3330 minutes come on at least give him a half 45 minutes is a half in soccer. You're not even
04:36gonna give him a half
04:37Would you like 45 minutes?
04:39Yes, sir. Yes, sir. No, too bad
04:43And Alexi's gonna help us judge today. You got it. That's amazing. Thank you. And listen, I listen to Alexi's
04:48podcast
04:49He's a harsh critic. Okay, I am. I am so feed me feed me well
04:55Right Connor. Yes, chef
04:56Thanks to that incredible winning dish last time round, you know, you have that time token, which means you've got
05:03a big choice young man to make today
05:04Are you gonna keep that extra 10 seconds for yourself at the platform or take 10 seconds away from one
05:10of your fellow competitors?
05:15I think I'm gonna take the 10 chef
05:16You're gonna take the 10 yourself. Yes
05:18My best cooks have been the cooks with intentional grabs so I can bring that together today with the time
05:24token. I feel good
05:26Gabrielle you're cooking the basement this time around anybody can cook in the penthouse. Don't you worry about it. It's
05:32gonna be fine
05:32I'm betting on you. Yes, thank you
05:34Connor and Cole you're on the top level today head to the elevator and I'll see you there soon. Let's
05:40go Connor. Let's go call
05:41You can do this believe in yourselves. We got this. Oh, let's go
05:56I love fusion cuisine it is everything that I'm about but fusion can turn into confusion real quick
06:02So I don't want to be confused at all. I want to have a solid plan and idea going into
06:07this cook for sure
06:08I got the exact same let's go
06:19Oh
06:20We get to look at each other. Yeah, there you go. Here it is
06:26My very own kitchen what I dream got I love this this is my basement. I am so excited to
06:33run for that platform by myself
06:36It's getting spooky down here. It means spooky
06:42All right, let's go
06:47Listen, I love this challenge right I love sort of like the idea of really good fusion so I know
06:52we can make this happen
06:53Yes, there's a literal u.s. Soccer chant. That's I believe that we can win
06:58I believe that we can win
06:59I believe that we can win
07:01I believe that we can win
07:05Let's go
07:06What's up chef?
07:07Let's go baby
07:10What's happening?
07:14Let's go girl
07:15Let's go
07:17Let's do it
07:18I feel great first pick for chef Ramsay and now here we are in the basement together. Come on. This
07:28is a love story
07:29This is what we've all been waiting for and it's finally here
07:34So got that first basket something classic and then a second drop when that comes down sort of weave it
07:40in
07:40These guys are grabbing two baskets randomly. It's like a guessing game
07:44They literally have to pivot and think quickly on their feet to come up with a fully uncompromising dish to
07:49blend both cultures on one plate
07:52That's a hard task. Come on. I'm ready. What a dream
07:58All right, here we go with the lights green. It's go time Connor. You got an extra 10 seconds because
08:02of the time token
08:03Here we go. You got this time. It's go time. Your time starts
08:08Right now. Okay. What do we got dude?
08:11Okay, Argentina stay. England, USA, Argentina
08:14I'm seeing gorgeous shrimp and seafood but
08:18paella in 30 minutes
08:19Hell no. Do you like fish or meat? That's a good way to start you. I gotta go USA. USA?
08:23I'm seeing chicken, USA. I'm something in the back of my mind. Just saying USA
08:28USA
08:29USA
08:30Go, go, let's go
08:32Come on, call
08:32Argentina, what's over here? All right, you got Argentina. Do you like seafood or meat? You got seafood up top
08:38Spain. Perfect. I love Spanish food. I feel like I have the perfect fixings for a paella type of situation
08:45I love seafood. This is gonna go perfectly
08:49Go, go, go, go, go, go, go
08:53Mexico
08:55Argentina, England
08:56What? I'm seeing this Mexico basket. I like pork, pineapple
09:00Yes, okay, one down
09:02One to go
09:02I see this steak. I'm like, I want a ribeye. It's beautiful. Let's go to Argentina
09:07Good job
09:08I'm happy with this
09:12Let's go. What is coming to us?
09:13Let's go, girl. Let's go, let's go, let's go
09:16Yes, England
09:18What?
09:19That is incredible
09:21All right
09:21Fish, malt vinegar, potatoes, mayonnaise, pickles
09:26I immediately see the vision for the dish
09:29Fish and chips classic and some malt vinegar fries
09:31Fish and chips with my guy?
09:34We are fired up about this basket
09:37Let's do it! That is amazing
09:39Wow, we got really lucky
09:42All right, guys, World Cup fusion dish
09:45Your 30 minutes starts right now. Let's go
09:47Let's go, let's go
09:48This is a great grab
09:50Darien, what did you grab?
09:52Yes, I got some beautiful ribeye steak, some bell peppers, eggplant, potatoes
09:56Nice, what are you thinking about the peppers?
09:58The peppers, I'm putting my chimichurri
10:00Excellent
10:00Thank you
10:02We need music on here, chef
10:03Andy's a singer
10:07Don't think I didn't look up your songs on Spotify
10:08What? Call me out, chef
10:11Girl, I had to, I said, what is Andy all about?
10:15All right, Andy, what you got?
10:16I got pork chop
10:17I'm gonna spice this up, make an amazing kind of tomato, pepper sauce to go with it underneath
10:23Yum, flavors of Mexico
10:25Yes, exactly
10:26So what are you hoping for to go with your Mexican flavored inspiration?
10:30I would love Italian, chef
10:33Ooh, nice
10:36What are we making?
10:37I grab Spain, chef
10:38Right now I'm going towards a paella-type base
10:41That's how my fusion's gonna start
10:43But I know I can get a lot of different things that can go well with that
10:46So I love this, what are you hoping for with the next basket?
10:49I'm hoping for something that has like some spice
10:51I love the idea of like a jambalaya or paella dish
10:54Okay, so we know one thing, paella, just like risotto, has got to start as soon as you can
10:59Yes, chef
11:01All right, Connor, what are we making?
11:02I got USA, baby
11:03I'm gonna do fried chicken, America
11:05Okay, fried chicken, so what basket would you love to see next then?
11:08You know, I think fried chicken is so, you know, versatile
11:12There's Korean fried chicken, there's Japanese fried chicken
11:15Pretty classic, right?
11:16Yes, chef
11:16Hey, Connor and Cole, platform is on the move
11:18Here come your second baskets, okay?
11:21What's gonna work with Spain and the USA?
11:23I'm looking for Korean or Japanese
11:26Something to give me that sticky, icky fried chicken
11:28I'm gonna go Italy
11:30The gods have spoken, Italy, America, chicken parm
11:33That's kind of classic
11:35Canada, Germany, Brazil and South Korea
11:38I'm looking for something spicy, something punchy
11:40Something that can really give this paella an edge
11:43Five seconds left, here's South Korea
11:45Korea, yep, perfect
11:47I see a little gochuchang in there
11:49I know gochuchang can go pretty well inside of this paella
11:54Platform's on the move again, guys
11:56What are you gonna use to fuse into your dish?
11:58You have Canada, Germany and Brazil
12:00I'm gonna say Germany
12:02I got the bratwurst and the beer
12:04Silver crow
12:06Challenging
12:06I'm here for it though
12:07There's Brazil and then Canada
12:10Okay, let's think, think, think, think
12:12Five seconds
12:13This is game time decision
12:15Let's go, now, now, now, now
12:17Potato, cheese, sausage
12:20Canada seems like the simplest basket
12:23Okay, okay, okay, cheese curds
12:27Oh my gosh
12:29I've never had a Mexican-Canadian fusion dish in my life
12:34Literally shaking
12:35That was a terrible decision
12:37Oh my goodness
12:39Looking at that Brazil basket go down
12:42I made the wrong call
12:46Here we go, here we go, second one, here we go
12:49We have got
12:49Brazil
12:51Uh, Brazil
12:52Okay
12:54Okay
12:54England and Brazil
12:55Okay
12:56England and Brazil
12:57Perfect combination
13:00You heard it here first
13:01I mean, that is a perfect soccer game
13:03Let's get that absolutely true
13:05Wow
13:08Okay, okay, okay
13:10What can we do with Canada?
13:12Let's do some boiled potatoes and make a puree out of it
13:16And the sausage, I'm gonna slice that up, put it into my sauce
13:20I'm like, oh, this, this is gonna be fire
13:24Oh, I like it, I like it, I'm just getting excited
13:2720 minutes remain, only 20 minutes
13:29All right, Cole, what did you grab here?
13:31I grabbed South Korea, Chef
13:32Okay, it's kind of what you wanted, isn't it?
13:33So I'm gonna do like, almost like a gochujang paella type of situation
13:36Let's go, Cole, that sounds fire
13:38Let's get the rice going
13:39Yes, Chef
13:40Let's get the rice cooking
13:42Okay, Connor, so what did we get?
13:44What is our second basket?
13:45Italy
13:45Italy?
13:45My first thought is fried chicken parmesan
13:47Let's go
13:48I love it, I love it
13:49With an heirloom tomato sauce and American cheese
13:50Italian American
13:51These are some of the most classic quintessential dishes on the planet
13:54So if I can't do something with this, come on
13:57Tomato sauce has got to cook, you got to get your chicken breaded in
14:00You got to get that cooking as well, right?
14:02Connor, you got a lot of work to do, right?
14:04Yes, Chef
14:10Okay, Andy, you grabbed Canada, how is that influencing your dish?
14:15Of fusion
14:16So I'm excited, I'm gonna do this fresh salsa
14:19Yes
14:19With some grilled pineapple with a little maple syrup
14:23Bringing sweetness in from maple syrup, nice
14:25Sweetness, yes
14:25And then a potato puree
14:28Yep
14:28And then a tomatoey sauce
14:31And I'm gonna bring in the sausage in that sauce as well, Chef
14:35Nice, kinda chunky, rustic
14:37Yes
14:37Excellent
14:3822 minutes left, guys
14:40Just wanna get my pork going
14:42Treat that pork with kindness
14:48Did you grow up eating a lot of fish and chips?
14:50Fish and chips, that was the staple
14:51Oh my God, that was a, I mean, absolute staple
14:54And a massive treat as well
14:55I'll be honest, I've never had Brazilian fish and chips, but
14:58We're gonna do it today
14:59Today is the day
15:00Today is the day
15:01I feel like I can toss this sausage with my peas
15:04Yes, nice idea
15:05I have never cooked with Brazilian sausage before, but tossing it in with the peas is a great pairing
15:12I see the cachaça and I'm like, the what? The co-what? Like, what is this?
15:17That's like a local alcohol, so maybe, maybe the batter, just a little splash in the batter as well
15:22Yeah? Okay
15:23We've already got this beer batter going, why not toss a little in there and then use it as a
15:29deglazing agent?
15:30Nice, nice, nice, nice
15:34Okay, okay
15:35Hello
15:35Okay
15:36Oh, this is the basement, huh?
15:38This is the dungeon
15:39It smells of authenticity, though
15:40You love it?
15:41This is real cook in here
15:42This is great, exactly
15:43Exactly that
15:44What do we got going here?
15:45So, first basket was an incredible English boss with traditional fish and chips and then followed by
15:50Brazil
15:50Brazil
15:51Brazil England
15:52Yes
15:53What do you think?
15:53Oh, if I had a nickel for every time a Brazil England fusion disc was requested
15:58It smells good, it looks good
15:59Oh, yes
16:00I'm gonna go upstairs, right?
16:02Okay, thanks, my man
16:02Have fun, good luck
16:03Take care
16:04Come on, score that goal
16:07Guys, we're halfway down, 15 minutes to go
16:09Wow, you're just a time girl
16:13Hello, hello, hello
16:14Hey, welcome
16:15Hey, there he is
16:16To the middle level
16:17How you doing?
16:17I'm doing fine, how you guys doing?
16:19I'm feeling it today
16:20Alexi, he said you were throwing an apron on and helping him in sushi
16:22Yes
16:24That'd be great
16:26And he has Mexico and Canada
16:28Wow, our host countries, the United States, Canada and Mexico hosting the World Cup this summer
16:34Exactly
16:34That's right
16:35Love that, obviously you've been to Mexico and Canada
16:37Yes
16:38Have you been to Argentina or Germany?
16:40I've been to Argentina and to Germany
16:42Amazing
16:42And, you know, all over the place
16:44Guys, Alexi's been to every country on this floor
16:47Wow
16:48Wow
16:48And he'll be tasting your dishes, so here to impress, right guys?
16:51Well, I'm already impressed
16:52Yes
16:52Darren, have you ever played soccer?
16:54All my life in Jamaica
16:55Defender, you know
16:56Reggae boys
16:57Reggae boys
16:58Are you happy with your picks?
17:01I see the wheels turning
17:02It's turning
17:03Okay
17:04Oh, it's turning for sure
17:05All right, good luck
17:06Thank you
17:06You don't have a lot of time, let's go, let's go, let's go
17:09Okay
17:11How are you fusing your countries together? What's the flavor profile?
17:14So, I'm going with the chimichurri
17:18Yep
17:19For Argentina
17:20You know, Germany
17:23Argentina and Germany are very different cuisines
17:26It's just two kind of difficult country to appear together and make sense on a plate
17:33What the f*** would you do with that?
17:36You know, I cook fusion in a daily, but I've never done German and Argentina
17:40So I'm like, um, holy crap, what am I going to do with this?
17:46I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do here
17:53The two absolute you're going home is undercooked rice or undercooked chicken, right?
17:58Yes, chef
17:58Those are the two things that are going to absolutely destroy us
18:02Oh, ho ho ho ho ho
18:04Let's smell it
18:04Look who it is, man
18:05Look who it is
18:06I smell the rarefied air of the penthouse, the top floor
18:11Okay, what do we got going here?
18:12Right here, I have a Korean and Spanish-style paella.
18:17Korea and Spain.
18:18Yes.
18:19Oh, my goodness.
18:20All right, two teams that are definitely going to be playing in the World Cup this summer.
18:23Spanish cuisine is sort of like Spanish football.
18:26It looks really simple, but it's really not.
18:28There's a lot of small details.
18:29There's a lot of layers and complexity, but ultimately, there's a beauty to it.
18:33Yes.
18:33Yeah, get that stock in there.
18:34Let's get it cooking.
18:35Okay.
18:36I really don't have time to chit-chat.
18:38Love you, Alexi.
18:40But I'm trying to focus on getting this stuff cooked, or else I won't have anything for you to taste.
18:45Over to Connor.
18:46It's a pleasure, man.
18:47Connor is like an iconic California kid, so he's making American fried chicken parmesan.
18:52We live around the corner, so this better be good, or else I'm going to heckle you.
18:56I've seen Alexi Lalas heckle with the best of them, so that's just a little extra motivation for my to
19:02be pristine,
19:03because I'm not trying to get roasted by that man today.
19:06I grew up watching you and seeing you on the TV.
19:09I'm so sorry you had to see that.
19:10I got extra fire in the tank, and it's an honor to cook for you today, Alexi.
19:12The pressure is on, Alexi.
19:14We're in the 90th minute.
19:15We got 12 minutes of stoppage time left here.
19:17That's right.
19:18We got to push.
19:18I see no sweating at all here, though.
19:21Both of these contestants know what they're doing.
19:22It's very, very obvious.
19:24I'm sweating.
19:25I've lost two inches off the hair already, Alexi, so...
19:27All right.
19:28Keep going.
19:28Don't let me interrupt you, and I cannot wait to taste this.
19:31All right.
19:31It's a pleasure.
19:31Thanks, Alexi.
19:32We appreciate you, man.
19:34Alexi, I believe that we will win.
19:36I believe that we will win.
19:38I believe that we will win.
19:40I believe that we will win.
19:44Man, what a treat.
19:47All right, Darian, where are we going?
19:49So I'm going to roast these potatoes up.
19:51You know, Germany.
19:52Yep.
19:52Got the rustic vibe going on, too.
19:54Sauerkraut, it's sort of fermented cabbage.
19:58You see that pickly sort of flavor?
20:00It would be good in the chimichurri.
20:01It would be really nice in your chimichurri.
20:03Absolutely.
20:04So I'm going to use my sauerkraut in the chimichurri.
20:06I've never done anything like this before, but fusion, that's what I do best.
20:11That's what my entire restaurant is about, and I'm feeling good about this.
20:16Ten minutes to go, y'all.
20:18Yes.
20:19That's it.
20:20And then tilt that pan and flumbay in.
20:22There you go.
20:22Careful.
20:23Woo!
20:26I'm going to burn my eyebrows off.
20:28Bloody hell, pals.
20:30The basement is the vibe today.
20:32I feel bad for the other levels.
20:35Whatever happens after this, this is going to go down as my best day.
20:38I'm telling you, girl.
20:39Together in the basement.
20:40And I've given birth twice, so.
20:43Oh, my gosh.
20:44We're total besties.
20:45Gordon and Gab.
20:48We should do this again, you and I.
20:50Right?
20:50We're a good team.
20:51When do you want to meet up?
20:54I'm ready whenever.
20:56We are the 18th.
20:58Come on.
20:58Yes, chef.
21:02Eight minutes left, everyone.
21:03Eight minutes heard.
21:05Okay, what's going on, Cole?
21:07Feeling a little behind, chef.
21:08What are we behind on?
21:10The rice.
21:10Got it.
21:11I need it to be cooked all the way in the next five minutes so I can drop my seafood
21:14in there.
21:14Okay.
21:15Do we have more stock to go in there?
21:17Heard, chef.
21:18Okay.
21:18It was always going to be last minute.
21:20Okay, boom.
21:22Okay.
21:23Chicken is frying.
21:24Yes, chef.
21:25It is?
21:25It's getting close.
21:27It looks really good, dude.
21:28Thank you, chef.
21:29It looks really good.
21:30You got the cheddar cheese sliced so that it's going to melt on top.
21:32Got my cheeses right there.
21:33Dude, I'm excited about this dish, man.
21:35I'm excited, too.
21:35My sauce is a little salty, but I think it's going to be good in the mix.
21:38Dude, you're locked in, man.
21:39I love it.
21:40Locked in, man.
21:40I'm here to freaking bring it home.
21:42You got this, Connor.
21:43Okay.
21:44Let's go.
21:47Get that pork out of that pan.
21:50Are you slicing your pork?
21:51No, chef.
21:52I'm going to keep it whole.
21:54Darian, how are your potatoes?
21:55Delicious.
21:56It's actually really good.
21:57See if you want to taste some of this?
21:58I would love it.
21:59So, this is my chimichurri I made with the sauerkraut, with that brightness.
22:04Delicious.
22:04Thank you, chef.
22:05Keep going, Darian.
22:05Keep going.
22:08That fish is cooked beautifully.
22:13This is a winner, man.
22:14Yes, it is.
22:15Let's move to the top.
22:16This is not a Gordon Ramsay fish and chips.
22:17This is Gabrielle's fish and chips, yes?
22:19This is Gabrielle's fish and chips.
22:21Come on, girl.
22:24Four minutes left.
22:25The number one thing is that rice has got to be cooked.
22:27The chicken has to be cooked.
22:28I want to be the mentor that keeps both of you up top.
22:32Okay?
22:32The rice is working in extra time.
22:35Yes, chef.
22:36I'm sitting here with this rice, and it's just not getting to where I need it to get.
22:40I'm afraid that it's not going to be cooked all the way.
22:43Is the rice cooked?
22:44Talk to me, Cole.
22:45Not yet, chef.
22:51Three minutes left.
22:52Three minutes.
22:53Cole, that rice has got to get cooked.
22:55We've got to go, okay?
22:56Yes, chef.
22:58Two minutes, guys.
22:59Start plating.
23:00Think about how these different countries plate differently, right?
23:03And how we're fusing the looks together.
23:06Yes, chef.
23:07Yes, chef.
23:08Love that.
23:09George, George.
23:10Love that.
23:12Woo!
23:13Here it comes.
23:13Platform's moving, girl.
23:14Let's go.
23:15All the way.
23:16We're going all the way.
23:19Wow, look at that.
23:20Love it!
23:21Well done.
23:21Thank you, chef.
23:2420 seconds, guys.
23:26We're not missing the platform, right?
23:29Platform's here.
23:31Period.
23:32Let's go.
23:33Now, now, now, now.
23:35Wow, that was intense.
23:37Oh, God.
23:39Platform is arriving.
23:41Get it on the platter.
23:42Let's go, Connor.
23:43You okay?
23:44Yes, chef.
23:45Platform's here, Connor.
23:46Connor, five seconds left.
23:47All right.
23:48Okay, go, go, go.
23:49Let's go.
23:52Wow.
23:59Let's have a look at these beauties.
24:03Oh, my goodness me.
24:06Wowza.
24:07What an exciting challenge.
24:08Yes, chef.
24:09Is this a celebration of the World Cup or what?
24:11This is, you know, this is kind of, like, knee-deep in a World Cup.
24:14Some great countries.
24:15They all look wonderful.
24:17Should we start at the top level, please?
24:19Yeah, let's do it.
24:20Over here.
24:21Yes, of course.
24:22I'm so used to you being in the basement.
24:24I'm so sorry.
24:24No worries.
24:26This chef had to fuse the USA and Italy.
24:30So they made a fried chicken parmesan with homemade tomato sauce and roasted potatoes.
24:36That's good.
24:37I think this is an incredible way to fuse two different dishes together.
24:41You take the classic elements of a dish and you sort of reinvent it.
24:45Cheddar cheese works really well with the crispiness and the richness of the fried chicken.
24:50Chicken's cooked beautifully.
24:52It's heavily battered, so it just needs a touch more salt.
24:54But it's really good.
24:55Yeah, I think this chef did a great job combining the USA and Italy.
24:59I wish maybe I got a little bit more brightness out of the tomatoes, but it's a minor quip.
25:05Okay, next up, we have a gochijang paella.
25:09This chef had Spain and South Korea.
25:14Spain, as we know on the soccer field, are incredibly complex in what they do, but there is also a
25:20simplicity underneath it.
25:22So I get a little bit of that.
25:23It's got a little zing.
25:24Very good.
25:24Yeah, really nice composition, great presentation, definitely reads paella.
25:29The part that I'm searching for is that Korean elephant, the gochijang, definitely understated.
25:35Smart combination, really good grab.
25:37Rice needs another 90 seconds.
25:40It just needs to be bloomed a bit more.
25:42Yeah, I think the rice is a little bit undercooked.
25:44I would have loved to see like a finishing aioli or something else to just break through some of the
25:48salinity.
25:49At this stage in the game, there's only five of us.
25:51There's no room for mistakes.
25:53There's no room for errors.
25:54I could be looking at the elimination cook.
25:56And that means my future in the finale is on the line.
26:01Okay, let's move to the middle level, please.
26:04First up, this chef had Mexico and Canada.
26:07That's a tough combination though, isn't it?
26:09Yes, definitely.
26:10Here we have a cumin-scented pork chop with a charred pineapple salsa and elk sausage.
26:16There's some maple syrup that was used in the sweetness of the salsa as well.
26:21The thing I'm struggling with is I think it would be hard for me to pick out what the countries
26:26were.
26:27Pork, a little bit chewy on the fatty side and a little bit overcooked for me.
26:31It's a tough grab because of the Canadian influence with elk on top of a pork chop.
26:35You've got your work cut out there.
26:37Sauce, exceptional.
26:40Next up, we are heading to Argentina by way of Germany.
26:44This is a spiced, rubbed ribeye served with a bratwurst demi-glaze and a sauerkraut chimie.
26:53Now this is fusion.
26:54I'm really interested in what this is going to taste like.
26:59That's good.
27:00And I like my mooing, so this is well-cooked for me.
27:04That's good.
27:05Ribeye's cooked beautifully.
27:06Smart moo with the sauerkraut.
27:08It's actually delicious.
27:09It's a really good combination.
27:10You know, we asked for two World Cup nations that play together, and this is a great composition of that.
27:18Yeah, I mean, sauerkraut chimichurri does not sound like something that I want to enjoy, but I do really, really
27:24enjoy it.
27:25Like, I'll take that back to my kitchen and play around with it.
27:29Fancy come down to the basement for some fish and chips?
27:32Big old party down there on the bottom floor.
27:34So this is a English-Brazilian fusion beer batter fish and chips with a caramelized sausage fresh pea with mint,
27:42vinegar fries, and that Brazilian liqueur is in the batter.
27:46Yeah, I want to hear this one, because it looks so crunchy.
27:51Yes.
27:52All the crunchy bits.
27:57I mean, a classic type of match-up when it comes to international soccer here, usually it's the English that
28:03will be whining, crying about everything, whether it's on the field or off the field.
28:07I would think that the Brazilians would taste this and say, there's not enough Brazil, we need more Brazil.
28:12By the way, it's the same here.
28:14Usually the English are whining a little bit more than everyone else.
28:17I just would like to address the room.
28:19I'm actually Scottish.
28:22Visually, it's hard to find Brazil in the dish visually, but when you taste it, when you taste it, you
28:28know, you do get the notes from the sausage and really smart use of the liqueur in the batter.
28:33Really, really delicious.
28:35The cachaca works really well.
28:37It really adds the crispiness in the batter.
28:39Really smart.
28:42Okay.
28:43Richard, Naisha, and I have got a lot to talk about.
28:45But in the meantime, give a big round of applause for this incredible legend and the very best of luck.
28:51Let's go, champ.
28:52Let's get it.
28:52Hosting the World Cup soon on Fox.
28:56America!
28:57Happy birthday, America!
29:01Right, you five.
29:02Well done.
29:02Chat amongst yourselves.
29:04Grab a ball.
29:05Andy, go and goal.
29:06And take some penalties.
29:07We'll be back in a moment, please.
29:08Let's go.
29:10Get it, girl.
29:11Like when I was...
29:12Oh, wow.
29:13Nice.
29:14Okay.
29:15Okay, tricks.
29:16Yes.
29:17There it is.
29:18Oh, my God.
29:19Right, should we start at the top four?
29:21Yes.
29:22I think the American fried chicken parmesan tastes.
29:24Winner.
29:25Yeah.
29:25Underseasoned for me.
29:26I think that's a great way to fuse two nations together.
29:30Unfortunately, the paella, which was Spain and South Korea, just didn't execute.
29:34It read more paella than a fusion dish.
29:37But also, some of those rice cows are a bit crunchy.
29:39Definitely underdone.
29:40Damn, that rice would be my demise.
29:42We were in the basement.
29:43Fish and chips was exceptional.
29:44And very smart to use the Brazilian liqueur in the batter.
29:48It's delicious.
29:49Middle floor.
29:49The pork chop was slightly overdone.
29:51It was a bit dry, sadly.
29:53Definitely.
29:53And I think the other chef, the Argentinian and Germany, you know, those are two hard flavors
29:58put together.
29:59They were good.
30:00Sauerkraut chimichurri.
30:00That was my favorite dish of the night.
30:02I know that you're flipping out.
30:04I can see it.
30:05I would have preferred to see a touch more caramelization on that ribeye, because it was just a little bit
30:09unseared.
30:11It was just like, every bite was a surprise.
30:14I think for me, that was the best fusion of two countries.
30:16That was the Lino Messi of dishes for me.
30:20Definitely a close second to the fish and chips.
30:22Fish and chips, absolutely decadent.
30:24Yeah, number one.
30:25No, for me, the best dish.
30:26If they had more of a Brazilian influence, it would be number one.
30:28That's what I mean.
30:28It's the ribeye steak.
30:30Oh, I disagree.
30:31Sauerkraut chimichurri.
30:32And your best dish of the night?
30:33Argentina and Germany is damn near impossible to fuse together.
30:37Are you two plotting something here?
30:40Because the fish and chips was obvious for me.
30:42Wow.
30:43Okay.
30:44Wow.
30:49All right.
30:50There was one dish that scored today, and that dish was cooked by Darian.
31:00Great job.
31:02Yes.
31:04Goal!
31:06I'm in semifinals.
31:07Let's go!
31:10Darian, congratulations.
31:11Woo!
31:12You'll be cooking in that top-level kitchen.
31:14Watch out.
31:15Next time around, in our semifinal.
31:17Thank you so much, Chef.
31:18An extra 10 seconds.
31:19Appreciate you, champ.
31:19Much love.
31:20Look at this.
31:22I'm very proud.
31:23Very proud of myself.
31:24First one into the semifinal.
31:26One step closer to the championship, Chef.
31:29Cooking is what get me to this point in my life, and I'm always grateful for that.
31:33And I'm still loving every second of it.
31:36Okay, so unfortunately, the chefs who are heading into the elimination today are...
31:44Cole.
31:49And Andy.
31:51Yep.
31:52Okay, Andy, Cole, for this elimination cook-off, we are paying tribute to our guest, Alexi's roots.
32:00He may be an American soccer legend, but his family heritage is from Greece.
32:06Mm-hmm.
32:07So in honor of that, you're both going to have 25 minutes to create a next-level Greek entree.
32:14Okay, all of you head to the elevator, and I'll see you on the top floor soon.
32:18Good luck, both of you.
32:18Let's go.
32:19Focus.
32:20Let's go.
32:21Wow.
32:22That is a battle that I didn't think we'd be witnessing tonight.
32:25It's my worst outcome, to have two of my mentees, Andy and Cole, go head-to-head in an elimination.
32:31Come on, my girls.
32:32Yeah.
32:33It's going to be devastating saying goodbye to either of them.
32:36We get the lead.
32:41Let's go, baby.
32:42Let's go.
32:43Y'all got it.
32:44Love my girl, Andy, and I hope she does her absolute best, and I'm going to be doing my absolute
32:48best.
32:48All right, everyone, how are we doing?
32:50Hey, Chef.
32:51What's up?
32:51At the end of the day, everybody was supposed to leave except me, so don't bring it.
32:55Now we're into the World Cup knockout phase, high-pressure moments.
33:00Yes, Chef.
33:01Okay, you have 25 minutes to create a next-level Greek entree inspired by Alexi Lawless.
33:08Hands on the wall.
33:08Let's go.
33:09Let's go, girls.
33:12The platform is on the way.
33:13Moving, girls.
33:16And go.
33:17Go, go, go.
33:18All right, so we got racks of lamb.
33:20We've got feta cheese, tomatoes.
33:22I see some figs, some grapes, pistachio, eggplant.
33:27This is classic Greek.
33:30Get some herbs.
33:31Everything green, give it to me.
33:32Chives, rosemary, mint.
33:35I want all of it because I know that's going to bring some punch and pack some flavor into my
33:39dish.
33:40Olives, tomatoes.
33:41The platform is literally moving up, and I'm, like, supermanning to get the cherry tomatoes.
33:47Go, babe, go.
33:47Oh, I'm going to regret it.
33:49Damn.
33:50Yeah, that was a good grab.
33:52All right, your 25-minute starts right now.
33:55Perfect.
33:56Take a second.
33:57You're good, Andy.
33:58If you're going to leave this rack whole, you've got to get it scored and seared and in the oven
34:03as quick as you can.
34:04But it has to go now if you're going to leave it whole.
34:07Yes, chef.
34:07So I have about 10 seconds to really figure this out.
34:10I can leave it whole, but if I leave it whole, I run the risk of undercooking it.
34:18All right, Andy, what are we thinking dish-wise here?
34:20Chef, I'm doing a pistachio-crusted lamb with feta pistachio, a fennel salad, and also some roasted potatoes, chef.
34:29Okay, I love it.
34:30I'm feeling good about the lamb.
34:31I just have to get that searing right away.
34:34What's the plan for the grapes?
34:36Um, I'm going to saute them.
34:38Get it in the pan.
34:39Just throw it in.
34:39Put some herbs in here, some butter.
34:41Crack of garlic.
34:42Nice and charred.
34:43Give me a second, guys.
34:43Okay, cool.
34:44All right.
34:44Take your time, Andy.
34:47Five minutes down.
34:48Okay, so what's the dish, Cole?
34:50What do we got?
34:50I'm going to do like a preserved lemon type of tzatziki, chef.
34:53Okay.
34:54Do you have yogurt?
34:55I do have yogurt, and I have mint.
34:57Cole, are you going to leave the lamb home?
34:59Yes, chef.
34:59I love it.
35:00The lamb's got to get in the oven as soon as we can.
35:02Get the other side seared real quick.
35:03Get it in the oven right away.
35:04Yes, chef.
35:05Only 17 and a half minutes left.
35:07Ah, come on, come on, come on.
35:09You're good, Andy.
35:09You're good.
35:12Take a breath, Andy.
35:14Okay.
35:14You got it, Andy.
35:16Let's go.
35:16In the oven.
35:16I like that grilled cheese.
35:18All right, how are we doing, Cole?
35:19I'm doing good, chef.
35:20All right, get it seared, but the most important part's going to be getting in that oven.
35:23I like it to get rosemary in there.
35:24Basey, base, base.
35:25Sear all sides right into the oven.
35:27That's got to happen in the next 60 seconds.
35:28All right, chef.
35:29Good work.
35:29There you go.
35:31Ten minutes down.
35:32Fifteen minutes left only.
35:33Love all the greens, Cole.
35:35You're good, Andy.
35:36You're good.
35:37Oh, .
35:39What's the matter?
35:40That wasn't on.
35:41What is that?
35:42The potatoes going?
35:43Yes, chef.
35:44You got 12 minutes, Andy.
35:46Oh, my God.
35:47Turn the potatoes on.
35:48This fire is out on the potatoes.
35:49.
35:50Oh.
35:51Focus.
35:53Oh, no.
36:01Ten minutes left.
36:02I love the pace.
36:03Keep it up, Andy.
36:04Keep it up, Cole.
36:05Beautiful, Andy.
36:06Yeah, you're good?
36:07Yeah.
36:08Just make sure the potatoes are cooked.
36:09Yes, chef.
36:11I just need to get these potatoes in the frying pan, saute them up a little bit.
36:15Toast, toast, toast, toast.
36:16Here we go.
36:17Just, I need them to just be a little crispy.
36:19It's going to be close.
36:20You got your crumble working, and then that's going to be a mixture with the eggplant and
36:24those grapes and or figs, right?
36:25Yes, chef.
36:26Let's go.
36:27Great job, chef.
36:28I need to check my lamb.
36:30Okay.
36:30I am so nervous about the lamb.
36:33If there's anything that can send me home in this cook right now, it is undercooked lamb.
36:38Okay, it needs more time.
36:39Get the tomatoes right in that pan.
36:41Four minutes left.
36:43Check your lamb, Andy, yeah?
36:45I think this one's done, yeah?
36:46Yeah, they're done.
36:47They're ready to rest, yeah?
36:48That's good, Andy.
36:50I'm nervous about this lamb.
36:51Let's think about what this plate looks like.
36:52Got it.
36:53Here you go, Cole.
36:54Cole, you're good, baby.
36:55Two minutes left.
36:56You can start plating.
36:57It's go time.
36:58Start plating.
36:58Let's go.
36:58Got to go now.
37:00Visualize the plate.
37:01Put every bit of trust into this.
37:03Beautiful.
37:04Shine it up, baby.
37:06You have that beautiful crust.
37:07Lay up.
37:08There you go.
37:09Gorgeous.
37:10Gorgeous.
37:10Incredible.
37:1130 seconds.
37:13I love it.
37:13Okay, let's get it on a plate, too.
37:14Got to get it on the plate.
37:16Beautiful, chef.
37:17I love it.
37:17I love it.
37:18Okay, boom.
37:19Let's go.
37:19Gorgeous.
37:20Honey.
37:20Five.
37:21There you go.
37:21Gorgeous, chef.
37:22Four.
37:23Three.
37:23That's when you spend your time.
37:24Two.
37:25One.
37:26Hands up.
37:29It's tough.
37:30This cook determines whether I stay in this competition or not.
37:34It's tough to not know what the outcome is going to be until they cut into that lamb.
37:40Good job, chef.
37:41Beautiful, chef.
37:45Nice.
37:46Nice.
37:46Gordon.
37:47Incredible cook.
37:48And both chefs absolutely gave it everything that they had.
37:52We'll start right here.
37:54This is a pan-roasted lamb with a feta and fig sauce with eggplant, potatoes, and a pistachio crumble.
38:09Lamb is seasoned beautifully.
38:12And there's some really nice Mediterranean Greek flavors in here.
38:16The one issue I've got is about 90 seconds over.
38:20The lamb's running from mid-rare.
38:22I know they sit and they rest, but it's sort of running to medium.
38:27But it's still juicy, and it is seasoned beautifully.
38:31Yeah, great flavors.
38:32I love the salty, briny notes coming from the feta cheese, and the sweet balance of the
38:37roasted grapes brings a lovely depth of flavor.
38:40Really nice dish.
38:42Next up, we have a honey-spiced roasted rack of lamb with a warm Greek potato and olive salad
38:49and an herb yogurt sauce.
38:51Mmm.
38:54Mmm.
38:56Mmm.
38:56Mmm.
38:57Mmm.
38:57Mmm.
38:59Mmm.
39:03The lamb is cooked beautifully, very well-rested, juicy, and I love the richness coming from
39:10the herbed yogurt sauce.
39:12As something as humble and simple as a potato, it's cooked perfectly.
39:16Another good dish.
39:18Lamb is seasoned beautifully, but inside it's just the perfect pink.
39:22This yogurt dressing with the potatoes, it's so on point, but when you've got such a high-cap
39:28fat like that, I'll trim that off a little bit, because it's just a little bit excessive.
39:34Naisha, I'm going to start with you.
39:35Which dish will you be eliminating tonight?
39:44The dish that I'm eliminating is the lamb with the feta and fig.
39:52I'll be straight to the points, um, the pistachio one is cooked with flair, the lamb rack is cooked
39:58with confidence.
39:59The dish I'm sending home is going to be the lamb with the pistachios.
40:08That dish was cooked by Andy.
40:12Oh, jeez.
40:15Andy, I get the talent before coming in here, but I just want to talk to you chef to chef.
40:21I'll make one thing clear, there's a future in food for you.
40:26You've really honed in your craft while you spent time in these next-level kitchens.
40:31It's been just an honor to be a part of that journey with you.
40:34We're going to miss you, girl.
40:35This is a dream come true.
40:37I never imagined I would be here.
40:40I grew up in West Africa.
40:43So coming to America, the way my life has unfolded is truly an example of what's possible.
40:49And this beautiful seed of food and love of cooking in my heart that has been watered
40:55and nurtured by all three of you.
40:56I'm just so excited to keep going and letting it bloom and continue to share my heart and
41:02my love for food.
41:03So thank you.
41:05I'm so proud of myself that I've come this far, that I took a chance on something that
41:11I've dreamed of.
41:12Love you.
41:15I am heartbroken that my journey is ending here.
41:19Thank you, chef.
41:19Thank you so much.
41:21But what a gift.
41:23I got to, for the first time in my life, I got to, for the first time in my life,
41:26really
41:26share my spirit and be the Cameroon and American person that I am.
41:32I got to do.
41:40Goal, well done.
41:41I mean, not to slice that thing and sit down there with confidence.
41:45It's exactly what I want at this stage of the competition.
41:47Beautifully done.
41:48Thank you, chef.
41:49You four.
41:50Congratulations.
41:51Semi-finalist.
41:52Come on.
41:52Go, baby.
41:53Go.
41:54Please get some rest because next time the finale and your legacy are on the line
42:03Good night great job. Thank you. Well done. Take care much. No get some rest. See you next week
42:12That was hot. That was hard
42:20Next time on next level chef welcome to the semi-finals. Come on
42:26For the first time ever the protein you pick will be a surprise. Are you kidding me what protein you're
42:35gonna grab
42:38I'm like sick to my stomach. This is it. This is to get into the finale. Okay
42:47You okay hold the pork chop man. It's done. God guys giving me absolute heart attack
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