Original subtitles

Previously on Next Level Chef...

I'm putting together a team

that Is gonna absolutely dominate.

Nyesha's comin' out fighting!

This is the first cook in Team Arrington

- and I just want to impress her. - Now, now, now!

Agh!

The winning dish is... Christian.

Top dish, first round?!

You have one last chance

to save yourselves in this competition.

- I can't look right now. - I'm still here.

WOO!

And tonight...

There are monsters on this platform.

- Oh, my God. - I have trouble with proteins

that still have their heads on them.

He was moving like a samurai in there.

It's squishy, slimy... ew!

Ouch! Holy !

- Medic! - Medic!

- Oh, my. Here we go. - Let's go!

Back at it again, baby. Let's go.

- Right, how's everybody feeling? - Great! Excellent!

- Ready to go again? - Yes, chef!

Love it.

Okay, trailblazers!

Chef!

I mean, let's be honest. last time we showed the other

teams exactly how it's done.

- You set the tone. - Yeah.

Christian put us on top,

so now it's your job to keep us up there.

Let's maintain that advantage.

- Can we do it? - Yes, chef! We do!

Team Arrington,

thanks to Emerson's performance

in the elimination cook-off,

we are heading to the middle level.

Team Ramsay, we are down one. Right?

The only way is up from now on in, okay?

Yes, chef.

You guys ready for your next challenge?

- Yes, chef! - Good. Because it is a big one.

Let's go.

This one will test even the most experienced of chefs.

Because today

when that platform comes down,

it will only have three...

...huge... items on it.

Okay, okay.

Only one giant protein...

for each level.

Everyone terrified?

No, chef.

You should be. When the platform comes down

there's going to be three large whole fish...

...straight off the boat

and your team has to grab one whole fish

and work together to break it down and portion it out

before you even start cooking.

Yes, chef.

I have trouble with proteins

that still have their heads on them.

I am not a fan of looking at the face

of the protein that I am about to cook.

Guys, understand.

Cooking fish is no joke.

It requires a lot of finesse.

And trust me, the line between perfectly cooked

and overdone is razor thin.

- Got it? - Yes, chef.

But there's also one more thing on the line today.

Of course.

Besides just winning the challenge for your team,

the best dish of the day will also win...

- Yes. Whoa, whoa, whoa. - I want that.

...the incredible Next Level Immunity Pin.

That immunity pin on your apron is your safety net.

If you ever find yourself

in an elimination cook-off, you can play it

and your mentor will have to choose

someone else from your team

to take your place.

But listen up.

This season, for the first time ever,

we are only giving out one pin.

That's right.

It's that elusive.

Only one of you here today can earn this pin.

Make sure it's you. Understood?

Yes, chef.

Only one Immunity Pin? Only ONE?!

It would just be like a little flexi-flex to have on my apron.

It would be a nice little security net, you know,

- 'cause anything can happen. - Alright Team Blais,

we're headed to the top level kitchen.

Let's go. Time to huddle up.

Oh!

Holy fish.

Hey!

- Let's go, baby. - Alright.

I'm gonna grab this one this time.

Oh, my God.

Oh, my God, you're gonna carve it?

Social media chefs don't typically

break down the whole fish.

Luckily I've had experience with that so, I'm so excited.

Focus. I want that pin.

I want that win, I want that pin.

As soon as that fish lands on the cutting board

I feel like muscle memory's gonna kick in.

- Let's go, guys. - Alright.

♪ They don't know what's about to go down ♪

We have three options. I'm like,

"Yo, this fish has to be frickin' huge."

Hopefully a shark, that'd be kinda dope

if we get a big-ass great white or somethin' in there.

How are we feeling about cutting fish? Who's on?

I've got a bunch of 'em, man.

Ooh, I like a confident man!

Let's get out!

Yeah, straight to the top.

Alright, we got this!

I'm just really excited to be on a powerful team

of, like, boss-ass bitches.

Start getting organized, y'all.

Literally, Gordon's Girls. Okay, trademark that.

Check this out.

Oh ! Oh!

- Oh, my God. - It's like Halloween.

Let's go, ladies!

- Let's GO! - Right. Ready to go?

- Yes, let's do it. - Who is familiar

with butchering, breaking down fish?

I'm not professional but I've done it a few times.

- I have a couple of times-- - Gotcha.

Show me the size of the fish you've done.

This, yeah.

Okay, so that's not even the size of the fin.

Whose house?! Whose house?!

We're not gonna fail, yes!

Christian! How're we feeling as a team?

- Great. Locked in, yeah. - Strong. Solid. I love that.

If you can handle the heat, I got you.

- Yes, we love this! - Okay.

Alright everyone, how's it going? We doing good?

- All good, chef! - Going down the line here.

- We're good, baby. - Let's go, let's go, let's go.

Okay, you're about to see some things

I've never seen in my career.

- Oh, my God. Okay! Let's do it! - Woo!

This is bucket list stuff. Embrace it.

Let's line 'em up.

What?!

There are monsters

on this platform.

What the ?

What was that? This is why I don't swim in the ocean.

Let's go! Go!

It's freakin' Codzilla!

I have never seen a fish this big.

You have a halibut with the two eyes

just kinda looking at you goofy up there

Then you have the world's ugliest monkfish

that you can't look at too long or you turn to stone.

- What's this? - Swordfish.

Swordfish. Grab it, grab it, grab it!

Okay, one swordfish. Alright.

That thing look like Pinocchio. That thing looks ug-ly.

But no, we make it look pretty just like me, know what I mean?

That's what you want? Yeah? Are you sure?

Over the halibut? Alright!

Swordfish. Why?

- Are you sure? - Yeah.

We're committed, we're committed.

It's basically a five-foot sword!

Be very careful. This is dangerous, yeah?

- Ooh! - Woo!

Go! Go! Go!

- What is that over there? - Monkfish, halibut.

Oh, monkfish. Oh, my gosh.

This monkfish kinda looks like me!

I ain't messing with you, go back to Gordon's team.

Send it down to the basement.

- Halibut, halibut, halibut! - You got it.

- It's gorgeous. - Good team decision.

I'm like, "Okay, we're doing the halibut."

Great work.

Let's GO!

Oh, my goodness me.

They're hanging off the side of the platform.

- Oh . - Bloody hell.

Oh, my God.

Right ladies, let's go, let's go!

- What is it? - Jeez, a monkfish!

Alright, let's go.

I swear it's still alive.

Watch the front, it's very sharp.

It is gigantic! It's got teeth out.

It is just like, "Oh my God, how do we pick up this thing?"

Watch the mouth!

It's squishy, slimy. It's cold. Ew!

We got it.

Oh, my God!

WOO!

It is a monster.

Like, a blob. Like, just like, bleh.

Alright listen, your 40 minutes starts now.

- Let's go! - You got it?

- This is Darian, chef? - Yeah, I'll... I'll...

Just one big bone, right?

Christian sighed. He's like, "Ahh...

"You know what? That's all you."

I'll hold it up, you cut.

Me? Okay, I'll do it. Then I just...

bust that thing down

like it's nobody's business.

Good job, there you go.

I think we can all cook with this one loin.

You're doing really good.

Put it on a cutting board by the grill.

I'd take the pieces you need now, whoever needs what?

Swordfish is an excellent fish for grilling.

Think of it like tuna.

This is super dangerous, okay?

- Yes. Yes. - Please be careful.

Chopping up a whole fish is a little intimidating.

Don't rush this. You gotta focus now, right?

I got right in there. I'm learning on the job.

Just be careful.

All the way through. That's it.

Stop. What happened?

- Step out, step out. - I nicked myself.

Medic!

- Yeah. - Holy , girl.

My hand was filled with blood.

- Medic! - Not a good look.

- Medic! Medic! - What the .

- Medic! - Medic!

Medic!

- Medic! - Medic!

- Medic, quick. - Get in there.

Damn, damn, damn. Right.

You're doing great, Gabrielle.

Let's go, let's go.

We all get nicks here and there.

Back in the game, and that's what's important.

Five minutes gone.

- You got this, buddy. - Great job.

- Okay, you take this guy. - Great work, Matt.

Great work, brother.

Thank the lord we have

good ole West Virginia Matt in the building.

Couldn't we get four hunks out of this?

Sure can. Beautiful.

He looks like a country bumpkin

but he was moving like a samurai in there...

- Let's get this cut up. - ...with the precision.

Does anyone want some trimmings? Trimmings for some broth?

Sure, absolutely.

Excellent. That's beautiful.

Go, go, go!

Alright everyone, listen. You can't make fish alone.

So, the platform is coming.

Go dive in. The platform is here.

You got less than 30 seconds. Let's go!

You want something from those tanks, too.

Compose dishes, right?

So you need a full dish right now.

Swordfish can be dry.

So I have to make an amazing sauce.

We're gonna knock their socks off with a lemon buerre blanc.

- Ten seconds! - I see seafood stock,

clam juice, so I grab those.

And I see beautiful maitake mushrooms.

- So I'm thinking a broth. - Five seconds!

Is there a starch? Is there vegetable?

Rice? Pasta? You need a complete dish.

I need a starch.

- I need something. - Some couscous over here.

- I couldn't carry any more. - Grab it or regret it!

And then the platform's gone.

Hey, platform's coming down! Platform's coming down.

Go! Find your ingredients for your dish.

We got seaweed up top, capers, tomatoes.

No way, bro! There's sea urchin!?

All wimbly-bimbly? Gimme that uni.

Fresh herbs. Ten seconds, guys!

Miso paste? Miso! Miso! Anyone see any miso?

- I'm aiming for Asian flavors... - Five seconds!

...and I see a red container. I grab it.

C'mon! Leave the basement with nothing!

Go, go, go! Nice.

I wanted miso paste, but I grabbed gochujang.

Here's the platform!

Platform's here, y'all.

Everything you need to build these dishes.

Think about the monkfish. Think about the starch.

Don't grab minimally, okay?

Oh, my goodness me, look at those crabs!

Oysters, razor clams.

- I got cauliflower. - Baby, you got grits.

- Thank you. - Light beer, champagne.

Who dropped that champagne down here?

Oh, yeah. Hell, yeah.

You idiots up there, what were you doing?

I'm gonna go with a champagne beurre blanc.

Last minute, I see peanut butter

and I'm like, "Oh my gosh. Oh, my gosh!"

Yes!

Go grab! Gotta grab!

Well done.

Thirty minutes to go, okay?

- Yes, chef. - Thirty minutes to go, right.

Tell me, what did you grab?

Chef, I got a mishmash of things, but I am thinking

I'm gonna do a peanutty sauce to go with the monkfish.

Good. I like the idea of the satay.

Is this a dish you've made before with someone?

A little bit. Just kinda taking some inspiration...

- Good. - ...from back home.

Trying to honor my dad with this one.

- No, that's good. - My dad is my heart.

I'm named after my dad,

and he's been having some health challenges.

I'm SO excited to make

this traditional Cameroonian groundnut stew.

- I wanna cook this one for him. - Love that.

Wish I had a little tomato, but it'll be alright.

Tell me what you're thinking.

So, I'm gonna go with the Spanish vibes I wanted.

- I have some tomato, gonna do... - Good.

- ...a champagne and butter sauce. - Nice.

The wine makes everything better.

So, that's what I want for my dish.

I'd say you're familiar with fishing, right?

Yeah, I go fishing with my dad. We go camping every summer.

I love fishing with my girls, as well.

- Oh, yeah? - Trout and salmon fishing.

- Tilly is a crazy for it. - Oh, my God.

Oscar, as well. He's mad with fish. Mad!

- It's the best day. - I love that.

This is where you're gonna start honing your dish.

You got lots of bones, lots of trim to work with, right?

We want this guy in here.

A beautiful broth.

You know, you got this. Buck up girl.

- Where are we at, Machete? - Doin' well.

What're you working with?

I'm making a pan-seared halibut.

I just know what flavors go really well together.

And uni has a salty sea flavor.

And that fish has a nice, flaky, crispy, crunchy skin.

- This dish has what it needs. - Yep.

Wup! Didn't do it over a bowl. I forget.

- You're good. - Been a while since I did uni.

Don't worry, we're here to get a little dirty, right?

- That's right. - Need to get the couscous going.

Thank you, chef. Let's make it work.

- Let's get it, y'all. - Connor.

- Yes, chef. - What're we working with?

I'm gonna do a little curry. I got my aromatic broth going.

- Making a homemade curry paste. - I love it.

And do some cubed sweet potatoes in there.

- Amazing! - Gonna make a bitchin' curry.

I need a ton of flavor to kind of counterbalance that dry fish.

So curry, boom.

Just a big aromatic spicy little hug.

- Awesome. A man with a plan. - Feelin' good.

- Love to see it. - Feelin' great, chef.

Guys I LOVE the vibes in this kitchen.

You guys are cooking with confidence.

- What do we got? - Making a pan-seared halibut

- and some rice. - How're you elevating your rice?

How are you getting flavor in there?

- I put coconut milk in there. - Amazing.

Yes, I'm gonna put some fish bones in there.

That's not bone.

Where're all the bones?

Wait, we had a bone. We had all the bones for the fish.

- Where'd they go? - They're in my stockpot.

- I'm sorry. - I'm panicking.

I really need to get the nerves out of me.

I don't want to go into elimination again.

What are you making with your romanesco?

- Uh... - Your romanesco.

I thought they were cauliflowers.

I'm gonna blanch, I'm gonna cook this and get it softened up.

And then I'm gonna-- - Stop.

Yep.

See how beautiful these florets are?

- Yes, chef. - You always want to maintain

the integrity of the vegetable and how it looks, right?

Take a breath and compose your dish.

I believe in Emerson,

but it's up to Emerson to believe in himself.

I'm gonna pan-sear 'em and then put some stock in it.

Smart. I love that. I believe in you.

I love it, chef. Thank you.

Just under 24 minutes.

Hustle, guys. Hustle.

You're playing to keep the team safe

but one of you are fighting for the Immunity Pin.

Christian, what are we doing?

I'm gonna grill this after I marinate it

and then I'm going to make crispy maitake

with a gorgeous seafood broth. A little a hint of Asian.

Okay. Marinated swordfish grilled...

- With Asian broth - ...with an Asian broth and...

Where's everything else, dude?

I'll make it work, chef. Chef Blais - I can see the panic

in his eyes, "Where's the rest of your stuff?"

I'm worried that's a little too minimalistic.

It's just mushrooms.

And I'm like, um... Um...

It's not even like a substantial mushroom.

Yeah.

It's just fish and mushrooms and broth.

Um...

Right?

I'm worried that your dish is so minimal

that we have nothing else

besides the mushrooms and the fish.

I need to pivot. I need to adapt.

I'm gonna make... give this some volume with a tempura.

Okay, I love this.

Keep a couple roasted and then some tempura?

I like that, yes. That's exactly what I'll do.

- Now you're stacking flavors. - Yes, chef.

Mushrooms two ways. Now we're talking.

- Way to think through it, dude, - What a frickin' mentor!

Fifteen minutes team, 15 minutes left.

Your fish should be cooking.

Or you should definitely be thinking about it.

- Darian, what's next? - I'm making a sugar spice rub,

a romesco sauce. I'm going for colors.

- Flavor first color next. - Let's go, baby.

I love it dude, I love it. Your energy is good.

It's calming me down a little bit.

Boom! Give me that rice vinegar.

C'mon Jared, this is a no-huddle offense, dude.

- It is, baby. You're right. - You're over football analogies?

No dude, I love it. Keep 'em coming.

- Elise, what are we doing now? - Okay, I'm just chopping

my vegetables. I'm thinking of a pan-seared swordfish

- with lemony beurre blanc. - So three elements?

- Yes. - Vegetables, fish, sauce.

- Yes, sir. Yes. - Okay, go.

The first time I cooked swordfish was in auditions.

This is exactly how I want to enjoy a swordfish.

And so that makes me feel confident

because I know that I can produce a good dish.

- You cook a lot of fish at home? - Sometimes, yes.

Depends on what my kids are feeling, to be honest.

Fish Friday? Hey, I get it. I get it, right?

- So you got how many kids? -seven and three.

Do they have totally different palettes?

Totally different palettes! Why do they do that to us?

I dunno. I have one kid is just straight chicken fingers

and the other one's eating escargot. I totally get it.

- Let's go. - Escargot is a flex, man.

Let's do it for them, do it for them.

Don't take too long to cook this fish, right?

- Yes. - Go, go, go.

- Tim, you're good? - I'm good.

You're almost too calm for me sometimes.

Okay, you're good? Potatoes good.

- You love to grill. - I love to grill.

Are you the dad who's out on the grill weekends?

I love the grill, the griddle, the smoker. All of it.

Dude, you're a grill master. Let's go.

- Thanks, man. - Who're we doing this for?

We're doing it for my wife and kids.

For the kids, right? 'Cause you and I both,

we'd be driving to soccer now or something if we weren't here.

- That's right. - So it's a blessing we're here.

- Absolute blessing. - Let's do it for them.

Thank you, chef.

Twelve minutes to go, guys.

- Everybody's fish in? - No, chef.

- Not yet. It's good. - I'm dropping the fish!

When you cook this thing, a really nice hard seal.

It's got that sweet meat flavor like lobster, right?

- Yes, chef. - Think about that Immunity Pin

- as well, ladies. - Yes, chef.

We'll show those buggers upstairs

just how freaking good we are.

C'mon, best dish, baby. Best dish. Here we go.

I am gunning for that Immunity Pin.

Alright, Papa.

It's mine.

Chef, can I get your help opening this?

Here we go.

Can you taste those grits for me, chef?

Here we go. Have you got cheese in there?

Yes, chef.

Mm-hm. That's delicious.

I'm surprised nobody took grits upstairs.

Fish and grits is a classic.

Pretty good. A bit more cheese, a touch more salt.

- Whatever you want. Yeah? - Yes, chef.

Ten minutes to go!

Thank you, chef. Thank you, chef...

Don't forget. Get your pan ready for your fish, right?

Yes, chef.

Halibut likes a low and slow cook.

- Where are we at, Machete? - Perfect.

- How's your couscous? - The flavor's great on those.

You're gonna need enough liquid, okay?

- Thank you. - You got it. Where we at, Matt?

I'm wrapping these zucchinis around my halibut.

- Have you done that before? - I've done it in potato

- a bunch of times and it worked. - Beautiful.

One of my most viewed dishes

is a potato-wrapped halibut with green sauce.

And I made it at my little cabin over open fire.

- That's what I'm shooting for. - This fish is a little big

for what you have to work with here.

- Okay, - 'Cause you're gonna need

to sear it and seal that. You know what I mean?

- Let's go, let's go. - Best fish of the day, guys!

Here we go, guys. Here we go.

- You guys excited? - Yes, chef!

- Let's see it in the dish! - Woo!

Kill the flame!

Eight minutes left. Eight minutes.

The challenge with swordfish is gonna be

if you overcook it, it can get dry.

Elise. Feeling good?

- Yes. - What about the fish?

He should be cooking.

- Elise, we gotta go on pace. - No, it's not... Yes.

I'm mad at myself for leaving that fish for so long.

Get the fish going.

I put myself in this position.

Now I need this fish to cook.

Pace, guys. Pace, pace, pace.

I love this, dude. You brought this back.

You brought this back from the depths.

This thing was buried under the sea

and now we're swimming on the surface.

- Let's go, Christian. - I want that pin, chef.

I want that pin, I want that win.

Can I get you to look at my fish, chef?

Six minutes, guys. Six minutes to go.

Should I get that in the oven for two minutes?

You can also just finish it lightly in the curry.

Right in the pan? Right in the curry?

- Yeah. - Try this curry, try this curry.

A little more lime?

- That's delicious. - It's gettin' there.

It's spicy. Make sure you balance out the spice.

- I got you, chef. - Who wants the Immunity Pin?

- Woo! - Yes, chef!

C'mon, make it a reality. Time's ticking.

- Let's go. Next Level dish. - What do you have here?

This is gonna just be a gochujang crème fraîche.

- You have crème fraîche here? - Yeah.

Okay, crème fraîche you don't really want to heat

'cause it's gonna split.

Oh .

Stop whisking it. It's not like heavy cream. Stop.

I don't have time to pivot.

What am I going to do?

- Stay in control. - Yes, chef. Yes, chef.

Ladies, we are down to two minutes to go.

Let's go. Start to plate.

My heart is pounding.

Now, finish it off now, beautifully.

Gordon Girls gettin' outta this basement!

- Let's go! - Come on!

- Here we go! - This is the time

to bring your dish together, right?

Yes, chef.

Alright! Here we go Team Blais.

Last chance to impress.

Compose, compose.

Chef, can you taste this broth for me, chef?

I like that. I like that, yeah.

Alright, the platform's heading to the basement

so that means we're 90 seconds away.

Elise, um... this is undercooked.

My stomach drops.

I have made a grave mistake.

They're both undercooked, they're rare.

We're running out of time, okay?

I feel like this entire cook is a disaster.

Like I have no idea what the heck I'm going to do.

One thing we're not going to do here

- is miss a platform, okay? - Not today, chef.

Nyesha! Remember, the platform comes.

- Emerson, don't forget it! - Don't listen to him, Emerson.

Emerson, when I say go on that platform, you go.

- I am running. Running. - Okay? No matter what you do.

- Is Next Level? - It's Next Level to me.

Ladies, I need it on here now.

Platform now! Let's go.

Go now! Go, girl. You gotta go.

C'mon, c'mon, c'mon! Go, go, go!

- Right here. - Yes! Yes, yes, yes!

I can't believe it!

Well done! Come on! That's what I want to see.

- Well done! - Oh, my God!

First time I've ever kissed a monkfish!

Platform's here, guys. Platform's here!

Don't miss the platform. Let's go.

- How's it look, chef? - Let's go.

Matt, let's go!

- C'mon Connor, please. Go! - Oh, my gosh.

Good job, guys. Good job!

- Baby, Let's go! Woo! - I made that platform, baby!

Make sure we get to that platform.

Platform's here.

Ready guys? Let's go, let's go, let's go, baby!

Tim, that one's for you. It's closer to you.

Whoa! Let's go!

- We're staying up here. - Yes.

Look at these.

Oh, my goodness me.

Shall we start deep, deep down

into the submarine basement?

We were shocked and surprised

when that handsome monkfish landed in the basement.

This is a beautiful

Pan-Roasted Monkfish with rich, creamy grits.

I think the fish was cooked well.

For me, fish and grits - someone who lived in the South

for a while - needs a little bit of sauce to sort of

break through the creaminess. It's a lot of grits in there.

This is soul-hugging. It's delicious.

For me, this is a very successful dish.

Beautifully done. Next up...

Pan-Roasted Monkfish with a beautiful corn velouté.

Yeah, another good cook on the monkfish.

Some of the flavors seem like they clash

but it actually works well together.

Good job. Next up...

Pan-Roasted Monkfish sat on a bed of creamy pomme purée

with a champagne tarragon beurre blanc.

It's cooked nicely, but it's lacking a little bit

of seasoning on the fish itself.

I was hoping that the cucumbers

which are sort of off to the side there,

brought a little bit of citrus and spice to it.

It's a little creamy and one note, for me.

Finally, Pan-Roasted Monkfish

with a peanut sauce and little roasted florets.

Visually, I really love this dish

And I don't think I've ever had monkfish satay.

But I think maybe I'll start making it.

Totally. I agree with you.

Every bit of this dish is intentional,

well-balanced, really, really great execution.

Man, it feels good to hear all that.

I feel like my dad would be really proud about this dish.

- Nyesha? - Let's head down

to the middle level.

- They all made the platform. - They made it.

A round of applause. That's good news. Job well done.

Good job, Team Arrington.

First dish here is a Pan-Seared Halibut with couscous.

This chef made a sea urchin butter.

Wow. I love that confidence.

The actual halibut is cooked beautifully.

But one issue I have here

is that the couscous is a little under.

What a shame.

Next up we have a Pan-Seared Halibut

served in a yuzu broth.

The broth is delicious. It's elegant.

The fish inside is perfect. Glistening, moist.

Everything you want from a halibut.

Super tasty.

Next dish, we have a seared halibut.

This is served with a gochujang sauce.

Halibut can dry out so quickly.

So it eats dry

and the gochujang's got an odd flavor to it.

Yes, I definitely think that this dish

leaves a little bit of opportunity for flavor.

Too much heat on the crème fraîche

makes it split and become almost grainy.

Next up, we have a Halibut Curry.

This is served with herb salad and butternut squash.

It is one thing to cook halibut in a pan,

but to bury it in a curry sauce is the best thing ever.

It just gets tastier and tastier.

Be careful with the strength of that curry.

It is powerful.

Yes, the heat level's definitely up there,

but the spices really tie it together

in the curry sauce, as well.

Next Level, well done.

Next up, we have a Zucchini-Wrapped Halibut.

This is served with an herb sauce.

Firstly the halibut is cooked beautifully, whoever done it.

And respect, because wrapping it in something is even harder.

It just needs some refreshing citrus notes there.

Alright, let's head to the top floor with swordfish.

Here we have a Grilled Swordfish,

olive relish, and asparagus and carrots.

The fish, cooked beautifully. Love that little gremolata

and the tapenade in there.

Yes, definitely a showcase of... less is more.

Great effort.

Next up we have a Grilled Marinated Swordfish

with a romesco sauce and potatoes.

This dish shows rustic elegance.

The cook on the fish is beautiful.

Yeah, it's restaurant quality.

Good job.

Okay, up here we have another Grilled Swordfish

with a razor clam and lemon vinaigrette,

chanterelles and potatoes.

It's very delicate Swordfish - cooked beautifully.

- Really good. - Man, I just love all the flavor

that this chef is getting from the grill.

It's elegant. I like it.

This dish right here is a Grilled Swordfish

with a little bit of a seafood broth

and mushrooms two ways.

The broth is delicious. Really smart.

And mushrooms, nice idea, two ways. That's a really good dish.

Hands down, one of the best of the night.

I'm praying I get the top dish. The win dish, the pin dish.

Y'know what I mean? That's... mm!

Okay, last dish from the top.

We have a Pan-Seared Swordfish

with a little bit of fennel, potatoes,

and a lemon beurre blanc.

It's a little bit under.

Okay.

Oh, dear.

Such a shame.

This fish is seasoned beautifully.

It's got the right type of garnish.

Sadly, the fish is undercooked.

I can't even separate that. It's actually raw inside.

We have a lot to talk about.

With that Immunity Pin on the line,

this is not gonna be easy.

Have a chat amongst yourselves. We'll be back in a moment.

- Thank you... wow. - Thank you.

- Thanks, chefs. - Man!

I hope you're ready for this.

How're you feeling?

- Damn. - Oh, my gosh.

- Come on, Blais. - Let's start in the basement.

- Yes. - I'm gonna kick off with the

pan-roasted monkfish with a peanut sauce. Exceptional.

- Chef's kiss! - With a cauliflower couscous.

- Thanks Nyesha for being honest. - Delicious dish.

Put it on a skewer and do it as a satay like it's

- an inspiring dish. - Mm. Middle level.

- The curry was exceptional. - Yes, curry was great.

A little bit too hot.

- It was fiery. - The fish - cooked beautifully.

- So, that gochujang halibut? - Mmm...

It's not good.

She's looking at us.

- Yeah, yeah. - Top floor.

All the swordfish were some of the best cooking

of all of the fish on all of the floors.

One of the swordfish I couldn't even cut up.

- It was undercooked. - Barely, in the dead center.

No honestly, if you give me the head or the tail,

I'll put it back in the water where it'll kick into

living again.

Here's what I WILL give you.

The swordfish with the broth - delicious.

- Oh! Lights out. - Delicious.

- Really, really good. - Lights out.

So, the big conversation: the Immunity Pin.

The top two dishes tonight for me was the halibut in curry

and the monkfish in peanut sauce.

We're not seeing the merit of the grilled swordfish

with the mushrooms two ways.

The broth was too strong for the fish.

I mean, the curry was overpowering.

We have three mentors

and my choice is the other dish, the swordfish dish.

Is he gonna be like this... all season?!

I'll call it like I see it and like I taste it.

Goodness.

Ramsay's pissed.

- Best dish of the day? - You cannot be serious.

- Alright, here we go. - Here we go, guys.

Here we go.

Right.

The dish that will keep their team safe.

And also earn this chef the Immunity Pin

was cooked by...

...Andy.

- Come on up. Well done. - Thank you.

- Seriously well done. - Thanks, chef.

Nailed it, girl. Well done.

- Look after that thing. - Thank you!

I'm a Golden Gordon Girl.

Can you say that ten times fast?

And congratulations.

Yes, girl!

- I know. - We're safe.

Where'd you come up with that idea?

We're fascinated here.

Inspired by my heritage, Cameroon,

and just honoring my dad.

So this dish is for him.

- Congratulations. Well done. - Thank you.

Oof! Am I happy to say this, Team Ramsay you are safe!

- Phew! - Woo!

Head back to the lounge, put your feet up

and celebrate. Well done, ladies. Very proud of you all.

- Thank you, chefs. - Well done.

- Good job, ladies. - Really well done.

Nice job, earned it.

Richard and Nyesha,

each of you now have to choose one member of your team

to head into that dreaded elimination.

Richard, I'm gonna start with you.

The person I'm sending into the elimination

to represent Team Blais is...

...Elise.

Wow.

Elise gets stronger each and every time that you cook.

And now we're just gonna continue that momentum,

in getting better and better. You can do this.

Elise is a parent.

Elise is a journalist.

Elise knows about pressure

and I know it's nervy up there.

But the people that get through it, they do come back stronger.

- You can do this. - Yes, chef.

You got this, Elise.

It's like...

gut wrenching honestly.

But...

...that's how you become better.

I don't want to lose

any of Team Arrington.

But there's one chef here

that I know can come back...

...because he already did once.

Wow.

Emerson.

Right now I got to say, Emerson, he's skating on thin ice.

But I believe putting him up in the kitchen again,

it could be another opportunity to learn

and get the best out of him.

Okay, Elise and Emerson,

you've got one last chance to save yourselves.

For tonight's elimination

we're switching up from surf to turf.

And you'll both be cooking dry aged steak.

Okay.

You got this.

All of you, head to the elevator.

I'll see you up there shortly. Well done.

I believe in you, Emerson.

- Let's go, baby! - It's on me.

- We got you. - Let's go, Team Blais.

You're coming back, Elise.

Emerson, head up, buddy. You got this.

Pick your station, Elise. Pick it.

I'm going into this knowing that my protein

better be banging, because you can't have two proteins,

back to back, that are not cooked well.

Right. Let's go, guys.

I'm not ready to go home.

Cooking my butt off is gonna save me.

Twenty-five minutes to make an exceptional steak dish.

The steak is the star, okay? You guys ready?

- Yes, chef. - Platform is moving.

On your mark...

Get set...

- Go! Let's go! - Go, go, go, go, go!

Right, New York strip and a rib eye.

The rib eye is buttery, fatty, and there's tons of flavor.

Get those potatoes, get those potatoes.

I'm excited and I'm confident.

- You got it! - Potatoes there.

The second I grab the strip, I'm looking for those potatoes.

Classic steak and potatoes from the Midwest showin' up.

There's a roasting bone marrow there, yes?

I'm gonna step it up a notch with a bone marrow butter,

making a difference between an ordinary steak

and an elevated steak.

- There you go. - Ah, well done.

- There you go. - Yessir, yessir!

Good grab, good grab!

Your 25 minutes

- starts now, guys. - Yes, chef.

Now Emerson, you are the grill king, right?

So, this should be your wheelhouse, yes?

- This is in my wheelhouse. - Tell me about the dish.

- What're you thinking? - So we'll do a smoked rib eye.

- Good. - And I'm gonna make

a chimichurri sauce.

And then making a compound butter that will go on top

- of the steak when it's done. - Love that.

Hey, I got six minutes. Count me down.

- Diamond, baby. Yessir. - Yeah, ooh...

- Guys, 19 minutes to go, yes? - Count me down. Six minutes.

- Six minutes. - If you grill it

you need to get that nice crosshatch.

- Ooh, God! - Elise, tell me about the dish.

I'm gonna make a New York strip and a creamy mash for you today.

- Good. - Everyone in my family

loves a New York strip.

That's something I would order the most.

Potatoes are en route, that's good.

- Yes. - 15 minutes to go, guys, yes?

You got it, Elise. Let's go!

- Woo! Woo! Woo! - Yeah!

Emerson, you need to turn this steak, bro.

You want more heat in there, Emerson?

Let me see it.

- There you go. - Woo! Yes, chef!

Oh!

- Nice! - Ooh-a!

Ohh, lord!

My God, he's fast.

You got this, Elise. You got this, Elise.

That's still quite raw in there, okay?

- Okay. - You got 13 minutes to go, yes?

Chop up some of that mint and put it in the chimichurri.

It tastes too good to do that.

Okay, okay! You're good! Oh!

Let Elise cook, baby. Let Elise cook!

- It's Elise and the Blais Boys. - Pipe down, pipe down.

Blais' team is just talking, talking, talking mezz!

Somebody's mad over there.

I had to bite back.

They can shut the hell up, bro.

- Beautiful sear. - Let it rest, let it rest.

- Okay guys, ten minutes to go. - Taste, taste, taste.

Taste everything you do and let that steak rest.

- Yes. - Come on, let's go.

Where's your potatoes?

Oh, God.

- Potatoes! - Get 'em in the water, man.

I was so locked in on my steak,

I totally forgot about the potatoes.

Those are purple potatoes, they'll take forever.

Ooh!

- He's got purple potatoes! - This late in the game?!

Cut 'em really small. Really, really small!

- Gonna make this into a mash. - A mash, how?!

You only got like ten minutes left.

- They need to be small. - Oh, no...

- It's too late, it's too late. - Oh, my gosh.

Get 'em in the water, man!

Guys, seven minutes to go, yes?

Let's go, let's go!

- Where's your potatoes? - They're cooking still, chef.

Uh, they're solid. Did you cut them too big?

- I did. - Slice them smaller.

There's no way these potatoes are cooked.

With that mashed potato, it's gonna come down to the wire.

Oh... my gosh.

Potatoes cannot be the reason I go home today.

Pour it right over?

- Oh, yeah. Yeah! - Woo!

Elise, you're crushing it right now.

She's looking good. She's confident.

Four minutes, guys. Four minutes.

Here we go, Emerson.

- So mash is en route, right? - Yes, sir.

- Yeah, let's go. Ooh! - Agh!

- You're fine, that's okay. - Whip it, whip it, whip it!

Whip that thing like it owe you money.

- Whip that thing! - Tap it, tap it. Tap it hard!

- Okay, Elise. - Yes?

Make sure they're the best mashed potatoes

- you've ever made, okay? - I will.

The pressure is on - it's time to really get it together.

Two minutes! Let's go! Go and grab your plates

Start visualizing your dish.

Don't leave it to the last minute, okay?

- Plates over there! - Oh, God.

Chimichurri on top of your steak.

Purée on the plate, let's go.

The best steak on a plate.

It's stressing me out.

Seventy-five seconds.

Plate! Plate!

Start dressing, Emerson.

These potatoes have taken so much time to cook.

- Oh, my gosh. - This could be another disaster.

Thirty seconds to go, guys.

It's gonna come down to the wire now.

Yeah more. Right on top, right on top.

Everything's coming together perfectly!

- Go, go, go. - What?

- Salt, salt, salt! - Five, four,

three, two, one... and stop! - Damn!

Damn.

I instantly want to rub off this oil.

It looks like it was just splashed on the plate.

Any tiny little mistake, they'll send you home.

- May the best chef win. - Hey!

Richard, Nyesha, welcome back.

Let's cut straight to the chase, shall we?

The first dish here is a grilled rib eye,

and it's served with a purple mashed potato,

a chimichurri, and some caramelized bone marrow

compound butter with blistered tomatoes.

For rib eye, it's pretty impressive.

You get the char off of the grill

which I really, really like.

I love this combination of the chimichurri

and the bone marrow butter,

which you usually see one or the other,

but the potatoes are a little bit gummy.

I think the bone marrow pairs really nicely

with the grilled rib eye.

Chimichurri sauce, delicious.

I don't think we need so much of it,

but really beautiful.

Second dish of the night.

This is a New York strip

served with a chimichurri, mashed potatoes,

roasted mushrooms, and some grilled fresh asparagus.

I love the fact that it's a classic combination:

the steak, the potatoes, the asparagus and the mushrooms.

It is hard to NOT notice the running chimichurri

slick that we got going on over there.

I don't know if it spilled on the plate or...

New York strip is...

...delicious.

It has beautiful caramelization

and the chimichurri is an amazing complement.

The steak is cooked to absolute perfection.

I REALLY love the flavor of this chimichurri sauce.

The potatoes, for me,

are a little bit lumpy, a little bit grainy.

But the chimichurri is so good.

Richard, I'm gonna start with you.

Which dish will you be eliminating tonight?

This is one that's tough.

Obviously, a lot of similar ingredients:

the same sauce, two potato purées.

The dish I'm eliminating tonight is...

...the New York strip.

Nyesha, please.

For me, I think it comes down to progressive cooking.

So, I'm going to eliminate...

...the New York strip.

That dish was cooked by Elise. I'm so sorry.

No!

Elise, I'm sad that our journey doesn't continue past this point

because you are just getting better and better.

And I know that that's going to continue.

Thank you, chef. I'm disappointed.

I wish I would have been able to create something

even better for you guys.

But I get to go home and see my babies, so I'm okay.

On this performance, you got nothing

to be disappointed about, let me tell you.

I think you worked your ass off, you focused,

and you cooked an incredible dish.

- You should be very proud. - Thank you.

Good job, Elise. Good job.

I am obsessed with being the best version of myself.

And being here has gotten me closer to that.

Give it up for Elise, everybody.

Thank you.

- Head held high. - Yeah.

There is so much more to accomplish for me.

It's gonna be virtually impossible to get me out

of a kitchen at this point.

Oh, my goodness me. Emerson, congratulations, young man.

What is it with you and these elimination tests?

I'm gonna take out everybody.

Some people fold under pressure.

It's clear that you can take it.

So bring that energy to Team Arrington

'cause I believe you're gonna keep getting stronger.

Right. All of you, listen up.

Next time we see you, we're expecting your dishes

to absolutely bowl us over.

- Woo! - Ahh!

- Good night. - Yes, thank you. Thank you.

Let's go, Team Blais. Let's go.

- See you next time. - Emerson!

- I'm back! - You're amazing.

Big E!

Next time on Next Level Chef...

Today the platform will not be stopping on your floor.

- What?! - You have to grab on the go.

Jesus, take the wheel!

One, two, three... ah!

It's coming, it's coming!

And up!

And down.

I literally have nothing.

Go big or go home, baby.

We're going back to the top!

- The tuna was overcooked. - Ohh!

The tuna was way over.

- It's just bland. - It's so hard.

I don't want to use my Immunity Pin.