All language subtitles for Next.Level.Chef.S02E10.720p.WEB.h264-EDITH

- Last time
on "Next Level Chef"...

- It's go time!
- For today's challenge,

amazing appetizers.

- With a beautiful
craft cocktail.

- If you mess this up, bro,
no excuses.

- The winner
of the time token is...

the chicken lollipops.

- Let's go!

- Which dish are you going
to eliminate?

- The cucumber, mash,
and wagyu beef.

- Vinny.
- [bleep]!

[applause]
- I love you guys.

[dramatic music]

- And tonight...

- Go!

You'll all be working
with an ingredient

that can be found on a menu

of a three Michelin star
restaurant

or the plate
of a three-year-old.

It's cheese.

I'm not asking you.
I'm telling you.

Get your salmon in the pan.

- I am 100% going
to elimination.

- It's going in.

- Now.

[knives shinging]

[dramatic rock music]

[elevator dings]

♪ ♪

[timer ringing]

♪ ♪

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- Welcome back, guys.

Look at that swagger.

♪ ♪

Listen, over half
the competition has gone.

Now, we're going
to the next level.

The first step starts
right now.

Because for today's challenge,

you'll all be working
with an ingredient

that can be found on a menu

of a three Michelin star
restaurant

or the plate
of a three-year-old at home.

And trust me, I have both.

Cheese.
- Cheese.

- Cheese.
- Ah.

- I am a huge cheese lover.

I love Gouda.
I love Brie.

I love all the cheeses.

I don't discriminate
against cheese.

- There's almost 2,000
varieties of cheese,

and they all behave
in different ways when cooked.

So don't have a meltdown...
[laughter]

If you're faced with a cheese
you're unfamiliar with.

- Pairing cheeses with protein
sounds easy, right?

But in reality, it takes
a lot of skill and finesse.

- Now listen carefully.

You must grab one protein

and at least one variety
of cheese.

- Team Arrington,
we've got more chefs

left in this competition
than any other team.

- OK, OK.
All right, all right.

- Clearly, we are the team
to beat, right?

- Yes.
- Nuri.

- Yes, Chef?
- Chef Stretch,

best dish of the day?

And now you have
that time token?

- Yes, Chef,
right here in my pocket.

It's 250 grand
and a year of mentorships

from the three most amazing
chefs in the world.

I mean, someone might
be getting sabotaged.

Watch out.

- Nuri, now you have
to make a big decision.

You can decide
to keep the time token,

guaranteeing
a ten-second head start

to grab ingredients
from the platform,

or you can take
ten seconds away

from any other chef.

♪ ♪

- Before you decide,

let's talk about the threats
in this competition.

Where are they coming from?

- Chef Tucker and Chef Pilar.

- That's a compliment,
actually.

Thank you.

- But it's only one token,
Chef.

I can't use it against both.

- Please don't come for me.

- This is not a team sport.

When I think about
the strategy of this...

- Mm-hmm.
- To me, the bigger impact--

I'm getting goosebumps
when I say it--

is taking away time from you,
from Nyesha,

from whoever
I'm competing against.

- What, five seconds each,
or ten seconds from--

- No, ten seconds.
Do I have to choose?

- Of course, you have to.
What would you do?

- I'm taking ten seconds
from Gordon.

[laughter]
- Whoo!

- The sabotage is real.

- Nuri, time for the decision.

Are you keeping
the time for yourself,

or are you taking it
from someone else?

♪ ♪

- I'm keeping the time
for myself, Chef.

The extra ten seconds will
allow me to have first grab

and really analyze
or even use five seconds

to bring my dish to life
at the platform

with no other chefs
down my back.

- I respect that decision.

What I'm expecting
from that decision

is a next level dish
beyond belief.

It's a big plus when
you've got a time token.

When the competition starts
to narrow down

the way it's doing,
every little advantage

is game-changing.

Ten seconds is huge,

especially standing
in front of that platform.

♪ ♪

- OK, guys.

Omi,

Nuri,

Tucker,

and Shay,

because you cooked
the best dishes last time,

you're in that top kitchen.

Head to the elevators.

I'll see you soon.

- Tucker, don't worry
about his ten seconds.

- They better worry, Chef.

- [indistinct]

Say cheese.
Say cheese.

[elevator dings]

- All right.
- Whoo!

- Chris, Michelle, Pilar,

I'll be with you
on the middle level.

Let's go.

- Let's go, Pilar.
- I got you, Chef.

- Got you too.

- All righty, here we go.

We get Chef Ramsay
in the kitchen.

I'm super excited about this.

He's like Gandalf,
big white beard

sort of level of wisdom,
you know?

The guy's an absolute animal.
I love it.

[elevator dings]

- Let's go!

This is a good kitchen
right here.

I'm gonna take a risk today.

- All right, Mehreen, Tini,
in the basement.

We're gonna get out
of there today.

- Yes, Chef.
- We have to do better.

Head to the elevator.

I'll see you in the basement
in a minute.

- I'm feeling blessed
that I'm still here.

I could have gone home
last challenge.

But I just want
to show the mentors

I can level up.

♪ ♪

- Good luck.

Have fun.

- Thank you.

- Whoo!
- Yeah!

- All right, wow,
what a greeting.

Wow, it's just the three of us.

- Means the competition's
getting real.

- OK, are we good?

It's a big one today,

a really big one.
- Yes, Chef.

- I think it's
absolutely hilarious

that I'm getting used
to literally cooking

in a kitchen
with Gordon Ramsay.

Oh, hey, Gordon.
What's up?

[elevator dings]

[applause]

- I'm really excited
to be up here

with members
from Team Arrington.

Go, team!

This is exciting.

I've seen them cook
on every single level,

and we're back here at the top
level together again.

Line up, line up.

- Uh, Blais.

Happy in the basement, kid?

- Oh, my gosh, I love
the lighting down here, Gordon.

- Yeah, what do you have
a pair of slippers down there?

- It's getting heated, right?
- Unbelievable.

Let's go, let's go.
Michelle.

- Mm-hmm?
- Don't you dare

[bleep] that grab.

- I won't.
- Yes?

- I'm going in.

- OK, when it goes green,
only Nuri is going.

Nuri, you have ten seconds,

and then everyone else will go.

- I'm waiting on the wall,
ready to be released

like a dog in his cage.

- Platform is on the move.

Go.

- Nuri goes sprinting ahead.

I see him grabbing a lobster.

It is torture watching him take

whatever he wants
and knowing we can't go yet.

- Make sure you're being
intentional with your grab.

- Breaking down
a whole lobster in 40 minutes?

I mean, that's bold.
That's a bold move.

Not everybody can do that.

- Three, two, one.

Go, guys, go!
Go!

- When they said
cheese is the challenge,

I was like,
my ricotta gnocchi slaps.

I run over there,
grab the filet mignon,

and I see that there's ricotta.

And of course there's
Parmigiano-Reggiano.

So I'm hoping to create
a next level dish.

- Come on, team.

Let's do this.

Five, four, three, two, one.

♪ ♪

- Let's go!
Let's go, let's go, let's go!

30 seconds, guys.

- Where is the spinach?
- Coming over, coming over.

- Excuse me.
- Go, go, go, go.

- You ain't gotta push me,
that's for sure.

Chris was a little pushing
a little bit.

Have some manners.

I'm not saying you have
to say "ladies first,"

but it's three of us
at the platform.

- One more grab.
Come on, one more grab.

One more grab.
Well done.

Well done!
Well done.

♪ ♪

- Go!

OK, not much left.

Not much left on the protein--

pork, lamb--
two porks and a lamb.

- There's not a lot of cheeses
left on the platform.

I'm trying to look
for goat cheese.

I don't see goat cheese.

But I see Parmesan.

I know how to work
with Parmesan.

And I see fontina,
so I grab it.

I'm like, I'm gonna
make it work somehow.

- If you can grab it,
you got it.

If you can grab it,
you can use it.

- Ah.
- Good job.

- 40 minutes starts now.

Oh, look at all
this equipment in here,

the possibilities.

- The pasta-bilities?
- The pasta-bilities!

- Ooh!
[laughter]

- Tucker, you got
a filet mignon.

So cheese is being
incorporated...

- I'm gonna make gnocchi
with my ricotta.

- OK.
- I'm using the ricotta

and the parm--double cheese.

- Perfect, perfect.
What did we grab?

- I'm gonna do
a lobster linguine pasta, Chef.

I'm gonna make
a béchamel cheese sauce.

- Yum.
You had those

ten extra seconds.

You know we're gonna be looking
at your dish extra hard.

Do you feel like there's
a target on your back?

- Definitely,
but I'm not worried, Chef.

I'm feeling comfortable.

I cook lobster pasta
at home all the time.

I'm feeling good.

It's time
to bring it now, baby.

- Hi, Chef.
- Shay, my love.

- How are you?
- What'd you grab?

- OK, I grabbed a rib eye
and Gorgonzola.

I know steak and blue cheese,
delicious.

- Oh, love that,
classic pairing.

- Steak and mac and cheese,

that would be my final meal.

Beautiful.
Nothing better.

A little kimchi mac and cheese.

- Wow, how progressive of you.
- I'm a little worried

about the Gorgonzola
and the kimchi.

- Yeah, balance, right?
- But I'm gonna

try to tone each one.

- Make sure you keep tasting.

- Yes, Chef.

- Tell me about
what we have here.

- I'm making
a baked shrimp mac and cheese.

- OK.
So is a mac and cheese

a staple dish
in your household?

- Yes, it is.

I've never made this dish
with shrimp.

So I don't know what
this is gonna be like today.

♪ ♪

- Right, Pilar.
- Yes, Chef?

- Tell me, what did you grab?

- I grabbed chicken breast
with some...

- Chicken breast.
- Goat cheese.

I'm gonna stuff it
with the spinach and tomato.

- That's a tough one
to pull off in 40 minutes.

Roll it or fold it?
- Yes, I'm gonna roll it.

- Poach it first?
- Poach it first,

and then I'm gonna
sear it also...

- OK, love that idea.
- To give it some color.

- Love it, love it, love it.
- I feel good about this one.

[laughs]

- Right, Chris,
what'd you grab?

- I got fingerling potatoes,
shallots.

- Love that.
- I got Taleggio and fontina.

- Good.
And protein, what'd you get?

- Protein--veal,
chop loin right there, Chef.

- That's money right there.
- Yeah.

- I haven't seen
you cook lots before,

but I'm loving this idea, OK?

What's the dream?
- The dream is--

I have a private chef business
out in Florida.

But right now, I've just kind
of been taking all the skills

that I learned in New York
and just applying them

for anyone
who's got enough money

to pay me to cook for them.

- Laying down that foundation.

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

- Something awesome is going
to happen from all this.

A new version of me
is going to step out

into the culinary world when
I get back home to Florida.

I'll be even more of a force
to be reckoned with.

- Here we go.

Right, Michelle,
what'd you grab?

Camembert, ooh.

Parmesan, salmon, fennel.

Is that it?
No other ingredients?

- That's it.
- How can you just grab

three things--
fennel, salmon, and two cheese?

- It was just like,
I blinked my eyes

and suddenly I'm looking down
at this array

of ingredients that, like,
really don't make any sense.

- Why did you go
for the minimalistic grab

at this stage
of the competition?

There's only nine of you left,

and they're grabbing
ferociously now.

You got a tough one there.
- I do.

- I wouldn't grab an oily fish,
you know, with two cheeses.

Wow.

- The worst is that I swore

to my mentor, like,
seconds before,

don't you worry, Chef Ramsay,
I got this.

And I got, like, four things,

and they're all fat.

- Michelle, Michelle, Michelle.
- Yes.

Oh, boy.
- She grabbed salmon,

which is the worst protein
to go with cheese.

- I have 1,000% [bleep] up
this grab.

♪ ♪

- So Michelle, how do you just
grab three things--

fennel, salmon, and two cheese?

- I think I was so focused
on those cheeses

that I wasn't thinking
about the other elements.

- Michelle, we can't cook
unless we've got ingredients.

- Mehreen, what are we making?

- An enchilada
with a tikka masala sauce.

- I think that's gonna work

really, really well here
with the brisket.

There's paneer-like cheeses...
- Yeah.

- In the Mexican cuisine world
as well, right?

- Right, right.
- So this is a great fusion.

What's your ultimate
dream here?

Like, you win this thing,
what are you gonna do?

- I want to open up a pop-up
in Brooklyn

that incorporates all of my
favorite ingredients and dishes

and to eventually have
a cookbook for home cooks.

- Have you named
your future restaurant yet?

- I think Reenie's.
That's my nickname.

- Reenie's?
- Everyone knows me by Reenie.

- So this is our first dish
for Reenie's...

- Amazing, Chef.
- Right here, right now.

It starts right here.
- Wow.

That helps a lot.
I love that.

- Let's make
that restaurant today.

- Let's do it.

- Let's go.
Let's go.

All right, Tini,
orzo, cauliflower, lamb--

perfect combination.

Truffles will work.
What cheese did we grab?

You got fontina and...

- Parmesan.

- I love what you just did.
- I just like cheese.

But I also have never
tried it before.

- No, but you have to taste it.

You and I started in fast food.
- Yeah.

- Can you believe that?
- No.

I didn't even know I was
gonna graduate high school.

- Oh, my gosh,
well, you and me both.

We have a lot of similarities.

I was at a cash register.

- I was making patties.

- We have humble beginnings,
right?

- Yeah.
- But look where we're at now.

Started from the bottom,
now we're here.

- Yes, sir.
- You ever heard that lyric?

- Yes.
- Okay.

[laughing]
- I'm 21.

I'm surprised you know that.

- Oh!

America's here for it.

Let's go, Tini.

- Sweating shallots down?

- Yes, Chef.
- Beauty, beauty, beauty.

- Just starting to let
the sauce reduce,

and then I'm gonna
add the flavors into it.

- Excellent.
- Thank you, Chef.

- Guide it.

Drive that car, baby.

Smart working on the cutting
board so you can just

clear that away right away.
- Oui, Chef.

- So you are
a culinary school teacher?

- I am, Chef.
- Tell me about that.

- So I used to work
in Michelin kitchens.

When the pandemic hit,

we all found ourselves
without any jobs.

- Wow.
- And I teach classes now.

And it's amazingly fun.
My gastronomy gangsters,

I hope,
are cheering me on out there.

It's one of my favorite
things to do, Chef.

I love teaching them tricks.
I love seeing them

when they create
a gangster dish of their own.

- So what's the sauce gonna be?

- We're doing
a lemon beurre blanc, Chef.

- OK, a lemon beurre blanc.
- Gonna be a little fennel

in there,
some onion and garlic.

- Ugh!

I see it.

All day, baby.
Keep pushing.

[suspenseful music]

Cleaning 'em out?

- Yes.
- Nice.

How do you feel to have come
this far in this competition?

Did you anticipate this?

- You know, Chef,
I came here ready.

My husband right now
is not able to work

because he is disabled.
- Wow.

- And so I've been
holding down the household

by myself.
- What a woman.

- My husband and I,
we've had some hardships.

He was diagnosed with
a degenerative bone disease.

And it's been a struggle,
and it's been a journey.

And I'm channeling all of that.

And that's coming with me
into this competition.

Being able to win this would
mean so much to my family.

- You know you're winning every
day that you're here, right?

- Yes.
Thank you, Chef.

- Keep going, OK?
- Thank you, Chef.

♪ ♪

- OK, guys, it's time

for the mid-round mayhem.

What goes well with cheese?

Cured meats!

Grab what you need
to elevate your dish.

Ten seconds, OK?

- Pancetta, perfect!

Yep, good.

- Good job, good job.
- We got meats.

I'm thinking
I don't necessarily need

another salty element
in this dish.

I already have a really salty
Gorgonzola, the salty kimchi.

And my only hope is that they
don't compete with each other.

♪ ♪

- Cured meats, let's go, guys!

Get what you need to make
your dishes absolutely shine.

Now, Michelle, grab one
cured meat, think about it.

- I see Parma ham.
I'm taking that.

And then I realized
that this is another fat.

We're gonna have
some people going

into cardiac arrest over here.

- It's time
for a mid-round mayhem.

You have to work one item
into your plate.

Take cheese to the next level.

Four seconds.
Three, two, one.

What do you got?
- Chorizo.

- OK, yes.

- I'm Muslim.

I don't cook pork.
I don't eat pork.

So this is gonna be
a tough one.

- The chorizo
I think works, right?

- Yeah, I think so too.
- Because the chorizo,

that's gonna be perfect
for this enchilada.

- Chef, would you be able
to taste

the chorizo sauce for me,
because I don't eat pork.

- Yeah, yeah, of course.

16 minutes remain.

Are you on track?

Is everything that you wanted
to do happening?

Keep it together.

- Right, Pilar, gotta get
this thing rolled, girl.

- Yes, Chef.
- What are you thinking?

- About to roll it
right now, Chef.

- I am worried
about your time, Pilar.

- I'm worried that Chef Ramsay
is worried about my timing.

I need perfect timing
on the poach,

and I need perfect timing
on the sear.

Should I put another piece

to close that little hole
right there?

- How should I know?

You'll maybe have
to put that on at the end.

Now get that thing poached.

- Yes, Chef.
- Yeah?

You're underway now, yes?

- Thank you, Chef.

- How are you gonna
balance the flavor

of the kimchi
and the Gorgonzola?

What's in your mind?
- I just tried to do

just enough kimchi
to give it that tang

without doing too much,
because I think too much

would be a little weird.
- Sure, OK.

So you had an intention
with your grab?

- Of course I did.
- Of course he does.

- I always have intention.
- Of course he does.

- A lot of tanginess,
a lot of funkiness.

We like the funk.

Hot, hot, hot.

- Yeah, you are.

- [laughs]
Yes, Chef.

- What did we grab
in the mid-round mayhem?

- Prosciutto.
- And how are you incorporating

that into your dish?
- So that's gonna

bake in the oven
so it gets nice and crisp,

along with my mac and cheese,

so it's a two for one.
- Wow.

- I make mac and cheese
at home every Sunday dinner.

I never make it with shrimp,

never mind adding prosciutto.

Although, adding
all these things together

sounds really great
in my head.

♪ ♪

- Right, young man,
don't take that sauce too rich

because you got the richness
of the cream.

- Right, right.
- OK, so we're

finishing strong now
because you got the makings

of a next level dish here, OK?

- Yes, Chef.

- Ooh.
- How are you feeling?

- I'm feeling good
about this sauce, Chef.

- OK, good.

Mm-hmm.
OK, that's nice.

Delicious.
OK, but look at me,

I need more
than a frickin' sauce.

- I know.
- OK?

♪ ♪

Right, how are you feeling?
- Feeling good, Chef.

- OK, good.
- Just waiting on this

to be ready.
- Beautiful.

Love it.
- Thank you, Chef.

- Take your time.
- OK.

- If you're uncertain, hey,
I'm here to help.

- Yes, Chef, heard.
- Ask me, yes?

Seven minutes to go.

♪ ♪

Good, so put that down
for two seconds.

Yeah?
And just touch that there.

OK?
That's undercooked.

- Got it.
- Yeah?

Back in.

♪ ♪

Michelle, the salmon's
still uncooked.

I haven't come this far
with you, girl...

- You're right, Chef.
- To fall flat.

Let's go.
- Push, Michelle.

- I'm pushing.

Chef Ramsay is on my ass.

If I serve raw salmon
to the mentors,

I am 100% going to elimination.

- Look at me.
I'm not asking you.

I'm telling you.
Get your salmon in the pan now.

- It's going in.
- Now.

Now.

- Come on, Michelle.

We've been on this journey
since day one.

- Yes, we have.
- You're the only one

who hasn't got a protein
cooked here.

You gotta go, girl, OK?
- It's ready.

- Don't tell me it's ready
because it's raw.

How's it tasting?

- It's tasting amazing
to me, Chef.

- Happy?
- Yeah, I'm happy with this.

- Good.
Make it come to life.

- Yes, Chef, I got you.
- Make sure it's exactly

what you want.
- Yes, Chef.

[suspenseful music]

♪ ♪

- Don't rush this now.
That slice is crucial.

Let the knife do the work.
Otherwise,

you're gonna
burst that open, OK?

- Yes, Chef.
- When you walk around

with salmon like that, girl,
you're gonna drop it.

Please.

♪ ♪

Beautiful.

- Make 'em beautiful.

It's a proper looking plate

for this restaurant
that we're opening up

in Brooklyn in three years.

That's right, I said "we."

I'm an investor
all of a sudden.

One minute left.
Let's go.

- Precision and excellence.

all: Yes, Chef.

- Plate it like you care.

Come on, guys.
Platform's on its way.

♪ ♪

- Platform's gone downstairs.

Let's go, let's go, let's go.

- Platform's here.

Platform's here!

Last looks.

OK, clean it up, yeah?

Wipe the plate.

Five seconds left.

[timer beeping]

I'm feeling good.
I'm feeling good.

Let's go.

- Good job.

- OK, home straight, yes?

Pilar, we gotta go.

Let's go, guys.
Come on, Michelle.

Ten seconds, guys.
We gotta go.

We gotta go.
Chris.

- Going.
- We gotta go.

We gotta go.
- Behind you, Michelle.

- Let's go!

Three, two, one.

Well done!
Well done!

Well done!

- Whoo!
- Yes.

Good job.
Come here.

- Platform's here!

Go, guys, go!

Go!
Come on, guys.

every dish on the platform.

Look at that ballet service.

Wow!
- We know how to plate, mate.

♪ ♪

all: "Next Level Chef"!

♪ ♪

- Going into judging today,

I know that I have
the most bizarre

array of ingredients
on this dish.

But I would, like,
cut my arm off

not to go
to the elimination challenge.

- All of you, well done.

The brief was incorporating
cheese across a protein.

Sounds easy.
It's one of the most

difficult things to do.

Why?

The amount of fat
a cheese holds,

the season, the texture.

Some cheeses don't work
in sauces.

So do you season
with the cheese,

or do you add salt
and the cheese?

That's a very fine line.

Shall we taste?
- Please.

- Nyesha, please.
- Yes, please.

OK, starting with the dishes
from the top floor.

- Mm-hmm.
- First up,

we have a lobster pasta...

- Wow.
- With a frico,

or crispy cheese,
with roasted tomatoes.

- I'm so sorry,
but where's the lobster?

♪ ♪

Under here.

- Mmm.
- Tough on this one.

Those cheeses don't really
resonate with lobster.

I'm struggling to find lobster

because it's
absolutely swimming

in an abundance of pasta.

So that is underwhelming
for me.

- Yeah, for me it reads
a little bit family style.

And although the dish of course
is meant to be creamy,

I'm looking
for something to break up

all those deep, salty,
creamy flavors.

- Not good.
Not good.

Not good.
Not good.

Damn, man!

Aah!

- Next up we have
a filet of beef.

This is served with a gnocchi.

- I mean, gnocchi is one
of those things.

It's easy to make bad.
It's hard to make good.

And in this amount of time,
that gnocchi is stellar.

- Beautiful.
Really beautiful.

Visually, next level.

- To cook a beautiful filet
in this short amount of time,

it shows incredible technique.

Great job.

- Let's go.
Girl power again.

- Next up we have
a sharp cheddar mac and cheese

with a shrimp
and crispy prosciutto.

♪ ♪

- Yeah, it's hard.
Shrimp are delicious.

I love the saltiness
of the charcuterie.

It's just not gelling.

It's just not coming together
as a mac and cheese does.

It has to become overcooked
to become flavorsome,

and there's no cooking in here.

It's like it's been
put together in the last

two minutes
and stuck in the oven.

I'm sorry.
- For me, mac and cheese has

got to be ooey and gooey,

or ooey, gooey, stretchy,
and chewy.

And I'm not getting that.

- I had an off day.

There's so much pressure.

- Lastly, we have a rib eye.

This has a Gorgonzola
and mushroom sauce

with a Gorgonzola
and kimchi mac and cheese.

♪ ♪

- This looks like
it's sort of badly presented.

It's such a shame.
The protein's a little bit off.

The sauce is strong.

Oh, my God.
What a shame.

- It's never good when
Gordon says, "What a shame."

- I'm missing the kimchi.

I was really looking forward
to that and unfortunately,

the Gorgonzola is really
overpowering.

- I am preparing myself
for an elimination challenge.

[sighs]

Hoping it doesn't come to that.

- Shall we move
to the middle floor?

So this was a tight grab.

Salmon, the most difficult
protein to get with cheese.

And it's done with a little
clochette of Camembert.

Bad ingredients,
but you picked them.

♪ ♪

- Oh, my God, is it raw?

Is it raw?

♪ ♪

[suspenseful music]

- Beautiful.

♪ ♪

- Tough call
getting that working

because it's sort of overkill

with the fat and the oily fish.

But the flavors are there.
Good job.

- I would have stayed away
from salmon.

You look at it, and you're
like, this is gonna be odd.

But it works.

- This is a beautiful
showcasing

of how to balance
those flavors and textures.

It's really exciting to eat
and really pretty to look at.

- I am so relieved
the salmon is cooked,

and it's cooked beautifully,

and they like the flavors.

[whooping]

♪ ♪

- This one is
a chicken ballotine,

goat cheese and Parmesan
in the middle.

- The tenacity to make
a ballotine, I mean,

that shows incredible
technique and confidence.

- This just screams prowess,

someone that's moving
with such intent.

It's exceptional.

- "Exceptional,"

especially after
the past two cooks,

makes me feel exceptional.

- This is a pan-seared,
oven-roasted veal chop

sat with a little gratin.

- Veal is cooked beautifully,
still juicy, great color.

- Maybe a little bit better
on the sauce work, right,

so that it just doesn't
run all over the place

to kind of bring it
to the next level,

but a classic dish.

- Shall we head
to the basement?

- Yeah.
We'll start

with the rack of lamb
with a fontina,

black truffle,
and Parmesan orzo.

♪ ♪

- Lamb for me needs
another minute.

The orzo is congealed
and grainy, which is a shame.

- I mean, to me,
this is a smart dish.

I like the lamb
cooked this way.

But we're looking
for something that can

break up the saltiness
and the creaminess,

some sort of a pickle
to sort of wake this dish up

a little bit more
on your palate.

OK, lastly,
we have a brisket, paneer...

- Wow.
- And chorizo enchilada plate.

♪ ♪

- The brisket is delicious.

It's just the presentation.

- For me, this sauce feels like

it was only seasoned
at the end.

And every opportunity is
an opportunity

for flavor through the process.

- Right now,
we need to separate

the good from the average.

All of you, please,
give us a moment.

- That's tough.

- It's okay.
- Yeah.

- I wasn't blown away
with the lobster.

It just felt clumsy.

- That lobster dish was
the one that had

an extra ten seconds
to conceptualize

and grab ingredients,

and that's what we received.

- That shrimp mac and cheese,
nothing was gelling.

- That's the thing.
- It tasted like a side,

but it was also plated
like a side.

- Can we talk about the sauce
in that rib eye?

That was weird, the color.
- Yeah.

- I didn't get, like,
the good funk that I wanted

from the Gorgonzola.
- No, the Gorgonzola--

- But at the same time,
it was too much of it.

Let's talk about
the enchiladas.

It needs to have a little bit
more elegance.

- It was definitely congealed.

I appreciate the sauce,
but it felt compartmentalized.

- Highlight the cheese.
The cheese wasn't the star.

- Sure.
- Honestly, we have to talk

about the best dish
of the night.

- Whoever made the gnocchi--

- Did you see how velvety
that cheese sauce was?

- Yeah.
- Mind-blowing.

Can we talk about the ballotine

with the goat cheese
and the spinach

and the cheesy grits?

- For me, I feel
like that's the way

to elevate
a chicken breast, right?

- Yes.
- Is it the gnocchi

or is it that ballotine?

This is a tough one.

- I'm gonna have
to say the ballotine.

For me, that is the makings
of a next level chef.

- I totally,
totally disagree with you.

I mean, the gnocchi themselves
was just an absolute stunner.

- But is it really
that difficult

to make steak and potatoes
next level?

- Deliberation in amongst
the judges is getting feisty.

It's fine margins now.

And that just shows you,

this competition
is getting dialed in.

Are we in agreeance?

- We're not in agreeance,

but I think
we are where we are.

- We're set?

♪ ♪

This has been a tough ordeal.

We do have two outstanding
dishes tonight

that were definitely
next level.

The first was the filet mignon
with the gnocchi.

Tucker, well done, young lady.
- Thank you, Chef.

[applause]
- Tucker.

- The second dish was...

the chicken ballotine.

[applause]

Pilar.

Now we have a time token
to give away.

Unfortunately, only one
of you will receive it.

This split went to a 2-1 vote.

This time token goes to...

♪ ♪

Pilar.

- Good job, P.
[applause]

- Well done, girl.

- Top dish of the day!

I feel like I'm back
to where I belong,

at the top of the pack.

- OK, now for the hard part.

Tonight,
there were three dishes

that were not next level
cheese-inspired dishes

and will be going
into the elimination cook-off.

The first was...

♪ ♪

[sighs]

The spaghetti and lobster.

Nuri, I don't know
what to say, young man.

I thought you were grabbing
a second token tonight.

You gotta get it together.

- I'm putting out a dish
that's not visually beautiful.

It doesn't all the way
make sense.

That's not going to cut it.

- With ten seconds
up your sleeve tonight,

honestly, we were
all expecting fireworks.

What a shame.

♪ ♪

- [crying]

I'm not feeling good.

[dramatic music]

- The second dish headed
to elimination tonight is...

♪ ♪

The rib eye with that super
strong Gorgonzola sauce.

It was so pungent
and so strong.

It did not make sense.

- I have been
in elimination before.

Let the best dish win.

- [sighs]

The last dish
that will be headed

to elimination tonight is...

♪ ♪

The mac and cheese with shrimp.

Omi, this dish just didn't gel.

You need to raise your game.

- Now I have to strap
on my boots

and get ready
for these next 30 minutes.

- Pilar, Tucker,

both of you will be cooking
on the top level

in the next challenge.

You can head back
to the lounge.

- Thank you, Chefs.
- Thank you.

- Enjoy.
- Great job.

Well done, ladies.

- For years,
I've been practicing

putting my all into what I do
and what I love.

And I'm so glad
that it's showing up

on the plate here
for these mentors.

- Michelle, Chris,
Mehreen, and Tini,

you've made your way
to the middle level.

Well done.
- Please head to the elevator.

- Yes, Chef.

- Thank you, Chefs.
- Thank you.

- I live to see another day.

- I look out here,

and all I can see is
Team Arrington.

I go from flying high

with four of my amazing mentees
standing tall and proud

to having to send
one of three home.

I 100% take that personally.

Tonight, you will have
30 minutes

to create a dish
featuring nuts.

all: Yes, chef.

- For one of you,
it's the last 30 minutes here.

Please leave it all upstairs.

Understood?
all: Yes, Chef.

- Where I come from,
we don't get opportunities

like this at all, ever in life.

This will be my first time
in elimination.

So I'm gonna keep pushing.

I'm gonna keep fighting.

Because I'm not ready
to go home.

I'm ready to be
a next level chef.

- Head to the elevators,

and I'll meet you
up there shortly.

- Good luck, all three of you.
- Good luck, Chefs.

all: Thank you, Chef.
- Let's go.

♪ ♪

- Let's go, guys.

- This is my first time
being in elimination.

A quarter of a million dollars
is at stake here.

I've been playing really nice
up until now.

Being in this elimination,
I'm not gonna be as nice.

[cheers and applause]

I'm not going out
without a fight.

♪ ♪

- How we feeling?
- Good, Chef.

- Great, Chef.
- Good.

It's quiet in here.

- It's getting intense.

- How's it feel to have
the rest of your team

in the elimination right now?

- This is so weird.

- Nuri, I know this
is your first time

in this elimination.

Omi, same thing.

You've seen how it works.

Don't let the nerves get
to you.

- Yes, Chef.
- Yes, Chef.

- Shay's been
in elimination though.

- He has.
- And he brought it.

- He did.
He did.

- I've done this before.
I can do it again.

- OK, 30 minutes to create
a nut-inspired dish.

Hands on the elevator, please.

- Let's go, guys.

- My husband and I,
we are conquerors.

We fight.
We don't give up easy.

And that's coming with me
into this cook-off.

- Platform's here!

Let's show these other chefs
why we belong

in this competition.

Go.
- All right, let's go!

Let's go!

- I sprint to the platform.

I want to grab first pick.

I grab halibut.

- Let's go, Shay.
You got this.

- Stretch gets the halibut.
And I'm looking.

There's a pork chop
and a chicken breast.

I really want the pork chop.

Omi grabs the pork chop.

Here I am
with this chicken breast.

[scoffs]

- Nuri, what'd we grab?

- I'm gonna do
a almond-crusted halibut

and then a parsnip puree.

- Excellent.

You need more liquid
in there, Chef.

- Heard, Chef.

Get this warm pan back.

- Put it down.

You have to cook or not cook.

It's not doing anything
in the air.

- Heard, Chef.
- Put more cream in

so you leave yourself
some options.

It doesn't mean you have
to use all of it.

You know what I mean?
- Yes, Chef.

- Look at me.

I need you to focus, OK?
- All right.

- Don't cook nervous.

What's going on?

- Nothing, I'm good Chef.
- You got this.

I know you are.

Nuri, let's go.
- I got you, Chef.

The judges' feedback
from earlier today

is definitely playing
in my mind.

It's giving me even more
pressure and stress.

I just gotta make sure
I don't psych myself out.

- Omi, tell me about your dish.

- Chef, I want to make
a peanut-encrusted pork chop

and a butternut squash puree.

- OK, the butternut
squash is gonna take

the longest to cook, so how
are you planning to cook that?

- I'm gonna boil it first.

- OK, so let's get that peeled.
Let's get it cooking.

- Butternut squash--
oh, damn, in 30 minutes?

That's a lot.

Ooh, girl, you better start
prepping that right now.

- Highlight the nut.

- Multitask, Shay.
- Yep.

- There you go.
- Thanks, buddy.

- What's the plan here?
- I'm making a pesto

with a little Parmesan
cream sauce for pasta.

- How are you planning to stick
the nuts to the protein?

- Flour, egg, breadcrumbs,
and nuts.

- Egg's gonna be
important, right?

- Yes, Chef.
- OK.

Even toast, nice even toast.
- I'm very--

yeah, I'm known
for burning nuts.

- Don't do that.
- So I don't want to do that.

- Just don't do that, OK?

- Let's go, Omi!

- And don't forget,
you're only making one plate,

so you don't need a ton,
you know what I mean?

♪ ♪

15 minutes gone, guys.

- Come on, guys.
- Shay, you all right, bud?

- I'm good, thanks.

- Make sure that chicken's
cooked, right?

You don't want
the crust to burn

before the protein's
cooked, right?

- Heard, Chef, yes.
- Be careful.

When are you planning to drop
your pork chop, my love?

- As soon as I encrust it
right now.

- Omi, my love,
you need to move faster.

I'm so concerned for you.

- This needs to cook faster.

So we need to either cover it
or add more liquid.

- Yes, Chef.
- Don't repeat your steps.

Do it once and be done
with it, OK?

Don't overthink it.

- Everything just freezes.

- Come on.

- I'm not ready to go home.

My boys are rooting
for me hard--

hard.

I'm a fighter.

I've always been a fighter.

♪ ♪

- Guys, 20 minutes down!

Ten minutes left, ten minutes!

Wow, great flavor here.

This is beautiful.

This is taking me
on a journey, right?

- Yes, Chef.
- You know what you're doing.

- Yes, Chef.
- You know what you're doing.

- Yes, Chef.
- Let it flow.

[suspenseful music]

- Damn it.
This crust is not

working for me.

My heart sinks.

The crust is falling off.

both: Ooh.

♪ ♪

- I gotta figure out
what I'm gonna do with that.

- Adjust.
Don't get hung up on it.

Good job.

- I'm literally painting
this egg wash on the chicken

and patting the crust back on.

I have never done anything
like this before.

I don't know
if this is gonna work.

That's terrible.
What am I doing?

- Are you sure you're gonna
be able to save this, chef?

- I'm trying my best.
- Make sure it's even.

- Yes, Chef.
- Believe in yourself.

- I do.

- I know you do.
I've seen it.

- Where'd you learn that?

[laughter]

Five minutes left, guys!

You have this beautiful
butternut squash here, right?

- Yes.
- Pan roasted,

got that beautiful
beurre noisette,

brown butter, right?
- Mmm.

- Use the elements
that you have, Chef.

- Yes, Chef.

- Halibut is out?
- Yes, Chef, resting.

- I don't know why
you used the smallest

bowl in the kitchen, Chef.

Set yourself up for success.
- Yes, Chef.

- I know I'm pushing you a lot,
but I know you can do it.

You just gotta clear the path
in your mind.

- Heard, Chef.
- Let's go.

Come on, Shay.

Let's get
this protein down, yes?

- Yes, Chef.

- Come on.
Come on.

♪ ♪

45 seconds!

Shay, where's your plate?

- Right here.

- Beautiful, Omi.
- Watch your squash.

Nice.
Nice, nice.

You have sauce on there?

Ten, nine...

all: Eight, seven, six,

five, four, three, two, one.

- Whoo!
- Hands up, hands up.

Hands up, hands up.
- Good job, guys!

♪ ♪

- OK.

Nyesha, how was that?

- Intense.
- Yeah.

- They cooked their hearts out.

- Well done.
Three good-looking dishes.

- Let's start
with the fish please.

So here we have
an almond-crusted halibut

with green bean almondine
and a parsnip puree.

- The fish is cooked
beautifully.

Let's get that clear.

And it's a tough one to cook
fish and get a crust on there

as well at the same time,
so that shows a great level

of skill,
whoever executed that.

Parsnip puree, slightly strange

with something
as delicate as halibut.

- I love the fact
that the almonds aren't burnt.

It's so easy to go
from raw to burnt.

Love the citrus note.

Even though it's got
the parsnips,

it sort of brightens it up.

- Next we have a pistachio-
crusted chicken breast,

a creamy pesto sauce,

and a salad of arugula
and heirloom tomato.

- How is that chicken cooked?
Is she beautiful, juicy?

- I love the presentation.
It's simple.

And it's sort of letting
the ingredients speak volumes.

The chicken is slightly dry.

It's about two minutes over.

- Yeah, to me the crust is sort
of falling off of the chicken.

And I'm not getting that sauce
sort of sticking to that.

But I love the fact that
you have this complete dish.

You have the acidity
of the salad.

It looks good.

- OK, our last dish is
a peanut-crusted pork chop.

This has
a pomegranate apple compote

with roasted butternut squash.

- It's cooked beautifully.

Wow.

- Peanuts, apples work really,
really well here.

And I love that we have
the butternut squash

in two varieties.

You have a lot of texture.

- I like this dish,
I just don't like

the puree on top of it.

- Uh-oh.

- [gasps]

- A chop like that deserves

more love at the end.

So love the peanuts,

not a big fan of the puree.

- OK, Richard, please,
I'm going to start with you.

Which dish would you eliminate
this evening?

- To me, it's going
to come down to the use of nuts

and whether that played into
the dish in the correct way.

That was the challenge.

The dish that I'm
eliminating is...

♪ ♪

The pistachio chicken.

♪ ♪

- Gordon, please,
same question.

Which dish will you eliminate
tonight?

- Tough one, Nyesha,

especially when they're all
mentees from your team.

First off, that's the most
outstanding dish tonight,

the halibut, hands down.

So that person is not
going home.

Pork or chicken, Nyesha,

is very, very,
very hard to separate.

No one deserves
to go home here.

The dish I'm going
to eliminate is...

♪ ♪

Is the chicken encrusted
with pistachio.

- That dish was cooked by Shay.

- Oh, jeez.

Damn.

- Shay, I'm sorry.

- It's OK, Chef.

- You've cooked so brilliantly.

- Thank you so much for being
the most amazing mentor.

This experience was the most
whirlwind of my life.

I love each and every one
of these people.

I'm gonna be cheering
you all on.

Obviously, it would have
been cool to win $250,000.

Keep your head in the game...
- I got you.

- For your daughter.

I'm sad to be leaving
this competition

and all these people,
but it has been such a ride.

Chefs, thank you so much.

- Take care, Shay.
- My pleasure.

- Good job.
- Take care.

[applause]

- I'm going home
with my head held high.

I won so much
in experiences here.

And I just feel lucky
to have had this opportunity.

[cheers and applause]

- Shay, Shay, Shay!

- Wow.

We've just sent home
a very good chef.

Nuri, Omi, great job,
really good job.

The next time we see you,

you're in for a wake-up.

Goodnight.

- Goodnight, Chef.
- Thank you, Chef.

- [sighs]

Omi, puree underneath.

[laughter]

- Puree underneath,
puree underneath.

- Next time
on "Next Level Chef"...

For your next challenge,
you'll all have 40 minutes

to create a next level
fried entree.

- Ah.
- Ooh.

- Pilar, big decision,

do you take ten seconds away

from one of your competitors?

- My decision is to use it

against one of my competitors
today, Chef.

♪ ♪

- What's going on
in the basement?

- We're getting out of here
is what's happening!

- Do not screw this up.

- Let's go.
Three, two, one!

♪ ♪

- On the back
of that performance,

this whole competition
is blown wide open.