All language subtitles for Next.Level.Chef.S05E02.720p.WEB.H264-JFF

Previously on Next Level Chef...

From 24 chefs

only 15 of you will make it

into that incredible draft.

I'm deciding who
I want on my team

and also who I'm giving away
to Richard and Gordon.

Five of you Pro Chefs
have earned your way

into that incredible draft.

Let's go!

And tonight...

Social Media Chefs,
you can make a pretty plate

- but can it taste good?
- How are we making this viral?

How're we gonna get people
to stop the scroll?

Hot dogs? Oh, boy!

What am I gonna do with this?

Honestly, it looks
like someone's cut themselves.

This is not how I envisioned it.

- What is this?
- That is kale.

Not the best for salads,
if you can't tell.

Oh, my God.

- Let's go get it!
- One, two, three...

Wow. I can't believe I'm here...

..competing on
Next Level Chef!

- Damn!
- Oh, man.

Like, I just feel
like I'm a kid, you know?

And I'm just like...

Look at this.

I'm like the Statue of Liberty.

Let's go!

Let's go.

There he is!
Like there he is, there he is...

- Oh, my God. So exciting!
- So the basement -

there's no sympathy down here.
I'll be honest, the majority

of the equipment down here
is older than you guys.

Okay?

- Maybe not me, chef.
- I'm telling you.

Now, you're all
social media stars, right?

So you understand how
to turn minimal ingredients

into viral hits.
Your first challenge today

is taking corner store staples -
prepackaged, canned, frozen -

and transforming them
into a Next Level dish.

- Got it, chef.
- Twenty minutes

is gonna go fast, okay?

Remember, there's eight
of you down here.

Only seven of you
are gonna make it out.

I'm here to help you, okay?

Now, Richard and Nyesha
are watching very carefully.

I'm also looking for candidates
to be on Team Ramsay.

- So give it your best shot.
- Yes.

How are you feeling?

- I'm feeling somethin'.
- Are you hungover?

Not today. No, not today.

Okay, right.
Line up, guys.

Here we go.

It's time to get
cooking, guys. Yes?

The platform is moving.

Corner store staples turned
into prolific dishes.

Here she comes.

Let's go!

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

Pork pieces, chicken wings.

I saw the wings. I was like,
hmm, no, don't do wings.

And I saw the rest of the stuff,
I was like, you're doin' wings.

Hot dogs. Oh, boy!

Looks like a 7-Eleven in here,
doesn't it?

Woo!

Look at that size apple!

- Oh! Yeah!
- It's going! Well done.

I dunno what that is,
but I grabbed it.

I was so close to garlic!

Your 20 minutes starts now.

Great knife skills.

This guy, dude!

Right Landon, what'd you grab?

We got some turkey strips,
some cheddar.

- I don't know what that is.
- There're chickpeas.

Okay, and pretzels.

I think we're gonna do some
kind of meatball.

We're gonna chop
those turkey strips up.

- Right, like a turkey meatball.
- Pretty much, yeah.

This should be in your
wheelhouse, knowing what

- you've done before and...
- Absolutely.

..and where you've got today.

The the ingredients,
the better I do.

In the kitchen,
I'm a complete catastrophe.

I'm fat, hungover,
and I want pasta.

I drink, I make food,
and post about it.

Just al dente.

I'm everything your parents
don't want you to be.

Ooh! I'm known for making food
that is bad for you.

The greasier, the better.
The cheesier, the better.

I'm doing pretty good
on social media.

I think I have 2 billion
views at this point.

That's a lot of damn views.

This is killer, literally.

When I win the quarter
of a million dollars,

I'm buying a jet ski,
that's for damn sure.

Woo!

Gettin' our steps in!

- Andy, how're you feeling?
- Chef, let me tell you.

This can is gonna be
the end of me!

The can - what did you grab?

I've got a frozen white
fish here.

I wanted to do kinda like
a bacon white fish

and some creamed spinach.

Be careful, Gordon.
Those hands are worth

millions and millions of dollars
maybe a billion dollars.

- What?!
- Love that.

Chef Ramsay!

No notes.

You're used to being
in the spotlight.

I expect you to shine
down here, yes?

Yes, chef.

Acting and music were always
there simultaneously.

I was in Pitch Perfect 3,
Chicago Fire, and Upload

being the female lead
of that show.

That's been my big break.

I also put my first album
out in 2009,

and that led me
to work with Prince.

I think back
on that chapter of my life,

and I'm like,
did that really happen?

I've always dreamed
of being a chef.

The catalyst was
the actor and writer strike.

I found myself
with all this time on my hands

and just that little idea
bubbled up again.

So now I'm a professional actor
and a social media chef.

I can't even believe I'm here.

- Christian.
- Yes, chef.

- What'd you grab, young man?
- Chicken wings.

I'm gonna do
an oatmeal-crusted wing.

- I love wings.
- We all love wings, right?

If you don't love wings,
I don't trust you.

I'm marinating them
with an Asian-inspired marinade.

- Nice.
- Then a bit of extra texture.

- Who doesn't like crispy wings?
- Love that.

I think everyone on your YouTube
channel loves wings, yes?

I'm a big fan of First We Feast,
and also,

the impact it's had
on that younger generation

- is huge, right?
- Yes, chef.

Don't forget, Richard
and Nyesha are watching!

Oh, yes.
Always watching.

Christian got, I think, the
golden ingredient down there.

- Chicken wings.
- Wings? All day long.

Ooh! We almost lost that.

We almost lost it!
But I'm not losing it.

Henna, what'd you grab?

I grabbed hot dogs.

I also grabbed some pineapple
so I'm going to do

a pineapple Sriracha
kind of glaze

to go with the hot dogs
and kind of stir fry them.

Love that. So bringing
back your Latin flavors, I hope.

Yeah, a little bit.
But I love stir fry, too.

So it's not out
of my wheelhouse, either.

When I graduated high school,

I was like, I wanna
be a YouTuber.

I loved makeup,
and I wanted to be a creator

in the beauty space.
I did that -

creating these very
extravagant looks might I add -

but I needed a big girl job.

So I was like,
what do Hispanic people love?

Food! I just turned
Dominican breakfast,

los tres gulpes,
into a sushi roll!

So I started cooking my
childhood recipes

like pollo guisado
and chicken piccata.

Today we're making piononos.

I'm not professionally
trained, but...

YouTube University
teaches you a lot of things.

I just wanna find a
can opener for these carrots.

I'm gonna put them
actually in with the hot dogs.

Where did that can opener go?

I love that Gordon's role in the
basement is just opening cans.

That's can openers.

This sauce is gonna be more
like a relish or like a chutney.

Just gonna get that sauce ready.

- There you go.
- Thank you so much.

I just want to focus
on the sauce.

- Love that.
- I might have the winner here.

Just make sure that sauce
is not too sweet.

Thank you, chef.

- Miriam is working magic...
- Let's go, Miriam.

..with those hot Cheetos.

My mom used to show me
how to make

- fried chicken like this.
- Right!

She put it
in a brown paper bag...

- Nice!
- ..and shake the bag up.

- Shake 'N Bake!
- And I... exactly!

Miriam, what did you grab?

I got the Cheetos
and I have some pork pieces.

I'm thinking of just a
Cheeto-crusted pork I'll sauté

- and make like a jalapeno sauce.
- Love that.

Comfort food
is your wheelhouse, right?

Comfort food, soul food.

You got a great protein.
Put those pork bits in.

- Yeah, good protein. I love it.
- Make sure that stuff

- is seasoned beautifully, yes?
- Got it.

Guys, seven minutes gone

13 minutes to go, yes?

Right Matt,
what're you thinking?

I got cubed steak -
I think was a pretty good grab.

- Love that.
- I got two starches here.

Pre-cooked sweet potatoes
and then I've got some rice.

Not exactly open fire cooking
in West Virginia, is it?

It is not, it is not.

Being a dad has been my purpose.

Family first.

Back in my 20s,
I went to culinary school.

Got into the corporate world.

But when my wife became pregnant
with my kids,

I left my corporate job

to start raising my family.

For me, there's no greater joy
than being a dad.

I love to cook gourmet meals
outside over an open fire.

And I was creating all these
videos of me cooking outdoors

just to have the memory of it.

My daughter said, Dad, why don't
you post those on social media?

Boom. That's how MattDad
came about.

I want to show people

you're never too old
to chase your dreams.

Just do it!

That's what I'm gonna...
just cook.

It's a tough steak.

- Don't marinate it too long.
- Okay.

You've got to cook it first
as well, okay?

- So that starts tenderizing.
- Thanks, chef.

That's set. Okay...

Alright Tim, how you doing?

We're on it. We're feeling good.
About to crisp up

- these beef strips here.
- Love that.

I think we'll go ramen.
I don't know

quite how it's gonna
turn out yet.

Something you've made
for your kids at home, ramen?

Yeah, they love ramen.
They love ramen.

It happens quite frequently
in the house.

Sometimes I make it
for them for lunch.

Get some beef stock
and reduce them down

- to get some strength in there.
- Smart, thank you.

Guys, this is the basement.

Remember, canned food,
corner store staples

- are not easy, right?
- Yes, chef.

It's obvious
you are Social Media Chefs

and not used to being rushed
but I'm going to rush you.

- Let's go. Let's go.
- We're down to the last

two minutes, guys. We can
start thinking about plating.

These things gotta get
on the plate. Let's go!

Here we go.

Thirty seconds to go.

Amazing. That's so nice.

Wow.

Bring it home, y'all.

Five, four, three, two,

one... and stop!
- YES! YES!

Well done.

Hands in the air! Wow.

Dang, wow.

That went fast.

Here we go!

Wow. Exciting.

Oh my gosh,
it's crazy down here.

- Drives you crazy.
- It moves fast.

And congrats,
cooking for the first time

in your careers with no filter!
Well done.

Come on!

Right, should we start
with Christian's

Oatmeal-Crusted
Asian-Inspired Wings?

Not a dish that tastes like
it was made in the basement.

The glaze is super flavorful.

Listen, this is the way
to highlight corner store

ingredients that nobody wants.

- They're delicious.
- Smart grab.

This is exactly
what I would have grabbed

if I was cooking
in the basement.

I have no notes. Great job.

No notes?!

That is the ultimate compliment

I can get from Chef Arrington.
I can die happy.

Next up,
Miriam's Cheeto-Crusted Pork.

Half the Cheetos are
on the floor over there.

Miriam, this is why - even
though I'm a restaurant chef -

why I spend a lot of time
on social media

because sometimes you just find
really cool, neat ideas, right?

So marinating
that in the bag itself,

getting the flavor
from the convenience store item,

- really, really smart.
- I'm a big hot Cheeto girl.

I'd have definitely grabbed
that ingredient.

Really smart use to make
an aioli

to kind of balance out
the spiciness.

However, they're both
really spicy.

It's still getting hotter.

Next up, this is Henna's
Hot Dog Stir Fry.

There's some carrots
and mango relish.

- Mm.
- I think it is a little sweet.

Even carrots themselves
are pretty sweet so that,

the fruit - maybe the cola
in it - a little too sweet.

I love the caramelization
on the hot dogs.

It is very sweet, though.

It needs some spice.

Next up is Andy's
Pan-Fried White Fish

with a delicious creamed
spinach.

The fish was frozen
and it got defrosted,

seasoned, and then cooked

in a pan that was somewhat
nonstick back in 1985.

I mean, frozen fish sticks
into a dish that looks like

it could be in a restaurant
is pretty impressive.

Yeah, I think really smart use
of that canned bacon.

It brings some beautiful
sort of salinity.

The canned spinach I would have
liked transformed a little more

but really nice cook
on the fish.

Next up,
Landon's Turkey Meatballs

finished with a smashed potato.

He got a can of cream soup
and turned that into a sauce.

Very smart, very clever.

Whew. I hope I didn't make
the worst thing.

Because I am by no means
confident that I am

gettin' back in that elevator.

I love the use of pretzels

as you might
use bread in a meatball.

Tough grab that one -
turkey, no fat.

So very unforgiving.
It could have done with a touch

more sauce in there.
Enrich those meatballs.

But they are tasty.

Next up, Mareya's

Canned Prawns
sat in a mustard sauce,

almost like a fritter.

I love the use of corn and
shrimp together. Pairs nicely.

And really smart to do
a fritter on the first cook.

You give me an hour

and I'm gonna do something
really spectacular.

This is Matt's
Marinated Beef Tips

with sweet potatoes and rice.

The seasoning's great
on the beef tips.

Two starches together, you know,
not something you see a lot.

The dish looks like it
could come together a bit more.

Just think about how you're
adding some freshness to it,

- some vegetables.
- Tough grab.

You have to be careful
what you grab.

Last up, Tim's Beef Strip Ramen.

You took the idea of ramen
and elevated it.

I really appreciate the stock.

It's the way to transform
something out of a bodega

that's sitting on a shelf
for who knows how long.

This is comforting.
It's soul-hugging.

I can clearly see your vision
brought to life.

This is one of the most famous
corner store ingredients.

So ramen's sort of a clutch grab
off of the platform.

And I think you know
that egg yolks

bring extra likes and followers.

Absolutely.
- You have to remind yourselves

you're social media stars,

and you're used to having
everything set up.

Nothing got set up for you.

It was dysfunctional
from the get go.

And that dish is delicious.

Thank you, chef.

Right.
Have a chat amongst yourselves.

We need a very serious moment.
Excuse us, please.

Thank you.

- Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo.
- Yeah.

Can we talk about the wings?
How good were they?

Delicious. I can eat
an entire plate of those wings.

It was kismet that I had to make
wings for that first round.

I love that take on the ramen.

- Beautiful.
- Yeah.

I turned when he said,
Tim, it's delicious.

I was about to like... hoo!

- Matt's beef chunks?
- Yeah.

I think you said it right.
It's beef chunks

with nothing really else.

The two starches,
the sauce didn't really work.

I did, yeah.
I just missed the vegetable.

- And Henna's hot dogs.
- Yeah, too sweet.

When was the last time you
saw carrot and hot dog together?

- First time.
- Yeah.

I put a little bit too
much coke in my hot dogs.

Right, Richard and Nyesha and
myself have come to a decision.

First, three individuals
that have earned a place

on the next level,
congratulations goes to...

..Tim.

Christian.

And Andy.
Well done, head to the elevator.

- Thank you, chef.
- Well done.

- Great job.
- Thank you, chefs.

Joining those three,

congratulations goes to...

- Mareya.
- Yes!

Landon.

And Miriam, let's go.

Woo!

Congratulations, well done.

Unfortunately, there's only one
spot remaining in that elevator.

The person moving up,

congratulations goes to...

The person moving up

to the middle level,

congratulations goes to...

..Matt. Let's go.

- Thank you, chef.
- Whew.

Very best of luck.
Do not stop what you're doing.

- I won't.
- Thank you.

I mean, I tried my best - you
can't beat yourself up about it.

I definitely feel very inspired.

So yeah, I don't take it
as a bad experience.

Okay, everyone.

Let's go, let's go.
Welcome to the middle, okay?

Alright, now listen.
This is a catering kitchen.

You're not gonna be dealing
with bent pans and rusty spoons

and some of the stuff
you saw in the basement.

Yes, chef!

Alright listen,
as Social Media Chefs

what you do best
is making first impressions.

You want people to stop
on your page.

You want people to follow.
You want people to like.

So this challenge is
about big colors, bold ideas.

We're looking for you to impress
us, specifically visually.

I think I got this.

Link. Subscribe.

Click the notification buttons.

You're gonna have 20 minutes.

Grab as much as you can.

I want the platform to look

like it's going out of business.

Alright, grab the elevator.

Okay, you're ready for war?
Let's go.

I hear it.
Alright, here it comes.

When the light goes green
it's go time.

Go!

Let's go! Let's get over there.
You got it.

Okay! You need a viral dish.

Make sure you grab a protein.
Grab big flavors.

There's beetroot juice
over here that's colorful.

Gochujang
that's super flavorful.

I try to grab gochujang
but fricking Christian

reaches over and rips it
out of my hand.

I'm not scared of anyone,
but I would not want

to pick a fight with Christian,
that's for sure.

Grab it or regret it.
Let's go!

Excuse me!
Everyone is towering over me.

The next thing I see
is the tilapia so I grab it.

And some wasabi peas.

Five seconds!

Herbs, spices,
something to make a sauce!

Let's go! If you can reach it,
it's yours.

What am I gonna do with this?

Okay, here we go, everyone.
Your 20 minutes starts now!

Mareya, so you got
a piece of snapper, and...

- I got Serrano ham...
- Okay, ham.

..miso and I've got rice
ready to cook.

Okay, you know what you
can do with this is wrap

the Serrano ham around
the fish, you can sear it.

- Wow, that's complicated.
- Vibrant colors.

Yeah, great grab there.

You don't have to do it.
Just a suggestion.

Okay, definitely.

Andy, how're we doing?

I'm just getting these sweet
potatoes chopped up.

I'm gonna do
a sweet potato purée.

- Okay.
- Got this chicken breast here

that I'm gonna sauté.
- Okay.

- And get the chicken cooking.
- I heard, chef. Heard, chef.

Okay, let's go.

- Chef, how are ya?
- What do we got?

- I have a zucchini here.
- Okay.

I have a tilapia
and some wasabi peas.

We're a long way
from flaming hot Cheetos, right?

Growing up for me -
I'm a pastor's kid -

it was a very strict household.

We couldn't go anywhere,
I couldn't do anything.

So I needed something to do
with this energy that I have.

Okay, beautiful people,
let's go.

I started

with content creation
and cooking.

Today, Big Momma's
been craving a seafood board.

With the content creation
I feel so free.

To let go and to be me.

Lookit, sexy. Ooh!

My channel is based upon deep
fried foods and cheesy foods.

We're here for
a good time, baby.

I'm not here
to watch cholesterol.

So listen, for the tilapia,
comfort food, right?

- You love comfort food, right?
- That's what I do, baby.

Let's treat this like a coating
for the fish, if you want.

Okay, got it. Thanks, chef.

Oh, got a beer for you, Landon.

I'll be damned.
You did get a beer, didn't ya?

Stout action.

Tim, what are we going?
Already rolling out meatballs.

- We're going meatballs.
- What is the rest of the dish?

Well, that's the challenge here.

I've got coconut milk,
chili oil.

I like this.
Get the meatballs cooking

and then work
on this coconut sauce, right?

- Too big, the meatballs.
- Twenty minutes

so the pork doesn't dry out
around the outside.

Take a half a breath!
Take your time.

Tim, what are we doing?

- What... You good?
- Trying to open my chili oil.

Come on, Tim.
I can open that for you.

- Agh! I got it.
- You got it?

You can't open a jar?!

You are embarrassing yourself
on national television.

I got it, I got it.

I'm a stay-at-home dad.

I don't touch the laundry,
my wife does that,

but I do the other stuff.

Hey, girls!

I'm the one who does
all the cooking in the house.

And so a year and a half ago
I started posting food videos.

I'm a big kid at heart.
I'm just a goofball.

This started out for fun
and now it's... it's what I do.

I like to embarrass my kids,

but my daughters
have no problem critiquing me.

Tony, how do you feel
about falafel?

- Bad.
- What have I created?

You're not cooking
out of your house, guys.

There's no ring lamps down here.

You're laughing at that, Tim.
You know what that's about.

Landon, how're we doing?
You got some great ingredients.

Mustard, mackerel, potatoes.
You feel good with seafood?

Uh, I don't do much seafood.

You're from California
aren't you, dude?

- Yeah, but I eat out.
- Okay.

I grew up in Ohio.
We were nowhere near an ocean.

I don't like seafood.
I don't make it.

Makes your house stink,
so I avoid it.

So we're gonna sear these
skin side down.

Yeah, I like that.
This isn't hangover food, dude.

- No, it is not.
- Okay, bruh? Let's go, dude.

Let's make it happen.
How are we making this viral?

How are we gonna get people
to stop the scroll?

How are we gonna get
people to subscribe, okay?

We're gonna make it do
what it do, baby.

First impression, first
impression. Pretty, pretty...

If you could pick one
Social Media Chef right now

- who would it be?
- I definitely have my eye

on Andy, she's fire. I think I
saw some stuff I can work with.

Yeah, I would pick Christian.
Look at the way he moves.

- Yeah. Christian can cook.
- It's incredible.

Filipinos - not necessarily are
known for being spicy,

but I am.

We've come to
what I was born to do,

fry some chicken.

I'm a social media chef

and culinary producer
for First We Feast.

Christian, it's Sean here.

Your mission is to make
the perfect wing.

I make tons of different recipes

in multiple techniques,
but everything has to be spicy.

Spin, spin, toss.

I want your eyes to roll back
when you're eating my food,

just roll back.

Christian, what's up?

Wassup, wassup?
I'm making a skirt steak.

Then I'm making
a fennel beurre blanc.

Okay. Alright, keep going.
Go, go, go.

Thank you.
Cooked... perfectly.

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

Andy, let's move, let's move.

- She better hurry up, Andy.
- She has to move her ass.

That chicken's gonna
be undercooked.

- Chef.
- Yeah?

Chef Blais, to the rescue.
Please.

Just get it on the stove
and start reducing it.

Maybe let's add a little
bit of sugar to it,

a little bit of red wine
vinegar, and you're making

this beautiful
beet sauce for it.

Matt, what're we making here?

I've got these beautiful
head-on prawns.

- Okay.
- I'm gonna fry them.

You're frying them
with a little bit of a batter?

- I am, yes.
- Okay, let's go. Keep moving.

- Ten minutes down, ten to go.
- Get off of there.

Alright, Landon. Just one minute
on the other side, pull it out.

Clean your station up.
It's a mess, yeah.

The stations are a disaster!

Gordon and Nyesha would
absolutely lose it. Let's go!

If my room looked like this
when I was younger

I woulda gotten my ass beat.

Six minutes left.

Unbelievable.

Where's the chicken, Andy?

It's still in the pan.

That's undercooked,
you know that.

I'm terrified
'cause you can't eat it raw.

Like any other meat
you can get away with.

Five minutes
to bring it together.

We're gonna take it right
to the wire.

I'm nervous
about Andy's chicken.

Same.

Um...

So stressful!

Four minutes left.

If I'm pushing you,
it's 'cause I want you to get

to the top floor. Okay?

Let's go!

Ohh... What am I doing?
What am I doing?

- No, Andy's not happy.
- Mm.

I can confirm
the chicken is cooked.

Hopefully it's not overcooked.

Now I'm worried
that it's overcooked!

Two minutes left,
so now start plating.

They have to be colorful,
they have to be bright,

they have to be viral.
It has to be a dish

that's gonna get you
to the top level, okay?

Yes, chef.

Everyone likes cheese...

Five, four, three, two, one...

Hands up, hands up!

That was somethin'.

Okay.

Woo!

Nyesha, Gordon,
we raised levels.

And I think we raised the level
of tension up here, for sure.

Mm-hm. They look good.

Well, let's get into it.
We have Christian's

Curried Skirt Steak
with a gochujang butter sauce.

Mm-hm.

And enokis and some spinach.

A little banana leaf
for the aesthetic there.

That steak's cooked beautifully.
It's a melt-in-the-mouth moment.

Just on the optics alone,
I'd definitely stop scrolling

and study that dish.
Great job.

Thank you.

Okay, next up we have

Mareya's
Serrano Ham-Wrapped Snapper

with rice and
some charred tomatoes.

?I don't know if this
one is as worthy of the Gram,

but sometimes you're just
looking at a picture

and you want to dig in
and eat it, right?

Hm, that's good.

Yeah, the Serrano ham
is a really great

protection for the fish.

I love the crispy saltiness that
Serrano ham gives to the fish.

It's exceptional.

Exceptional?! EXCEPTIONAL.

Thank you, Chef Ramsay.

You just made my...

millennium.

Okay, moving on.
This is Tim's

Pork Meatballs
with a coconut curry.

It's a shame
because it looks vibrant.

Meatballs - a little bit dry.

- Any breadcrumbs in there?
- I did.

That just gets
drier and drier and drier.

So you can't really taste
the pork, which is such a shame.

Next up we have Matt's
Crispy Shrimp

- with curry noodles.
- Wow.

Is it tall enough,
is the question.

It's eye-catching.

Again, you gotta
remind yourselves, guys.

Not four assistants,
not 18 ring lights.

Twenty minutes.
It looks beautiful.

The shrimp
are cooked beautifully.

Yeah, the quick note
here is visually it's great.

Just remember you're serving
a couple people, right?

You don't need to make
a big, big meal all the time.

Okay, so this is Miriam's

Wasabi Pea-Crusted Tilapia
with beet sauce.

Honestly, it looks
like someone's cut themselves.

The beet sauce
is actually really delicious.

Vibrant, earthy. Would pair
nicely with something rich

like a venison or beef
that can stand up to it.

It really overpowers
the delicate fish.

The actual crust
needs more seasoning.

Okay, next up we have
Landon's Seared Mackerel

with purple potato salad
in a mustard cream sauce.

Mackerel's cooked beautifully.

Skin is nice and crispy.
Cheapest fish on the market.

But you've elevated it.
Well done.

Okay last up, we have Andy's

Spiced and Seared Chicken Breast

with a sweet potato purée

and a snap pea salad.

Purée -
nailed beautifully, but...

the chicken should have
gone on earlier.

Chicken needs time to rest.
So when you slice it like this,

it's got all these string
effects because it's dry.

Give yourself more time with
the chicken breasts like that.

Yeah, what I love about this
dish is it's very autumnal.

You have the sweet potato, it's
really silky, the pomegranate.

Overall it's tasty.

Alright everyone,
have a chat with yourselves

and we'll get right back
to you, okay?

Interesting, no?

I love the tempura shrimp.

My eye went directly
to that plate.

I mean, really beautiful.
And the big letdown for me

was the tilapia,
this unseasoned crust on top

and then the ground pork.
Everything was so dry.

When the meatball's that big

and you fry it,
it sucks up all the juice.

- Cook it in the sauce.
- Yeah, yeah. We're agreed?

- Shall we?
- Absolutely.

The first three people
that have earned their way

to cook on the top level are...

..Matt.

Landon.

And Mareya.

Head to the elevator,
you've earned your way up.

Congratulations.

Holy mackerel.
Well, we're still here.

Okay, the next two people
that have earned

their spot to cook
on the top level are...

..Christian.

- And Andy.
- Thank you.

Head to the elevator
with your colleagues.

I can't believe it!

I was doubtin' myself.

I gotta stop that.

Tim, Miriam.

Unfortunately, only one
of you are gonna make it

- to the top level.
- Yes, chef.

I keep thinking of my family.

I keep thinking of my daughters.

I've given up so much
to be here,

to get eliminated
in the audition rounds

would just be devastating.

The person moving
to the next level is...

The person moving
to the next level is...

- ..Tim.
- Awesome.

Good job, you deserve it.

- Good job.
- Bye.

Miriam, first of all

you had me
at Flaming Hot Cheetos.

- I know!
- Your social media

is an absolute joy to watch
and you've been a joy

in person and we're
gonna keep watching you, okay?

Thank you. It's definitely been
an honor to meet all of you.

It's been truly a blessing.

This was a very tough audition.

Love you!

But this has definitely lit
a little bit of fire in me.

So I'm just gonna go home
and keep trying.

Welcome to the best kitchen
in America.

Alright, guys.
Take a look around!

- Take a look around.
- Wow!

- Wow, wow, wow.
- Let's go!

- Yes, chef.
- You ready?

Yes! I wanna shoot
content in this kitchen.

It is a SEXY kitchen.

Ready for your last challenge?

- Let's go!
- Okay Social Media Chefs

for your final challenge
I want you to forget

about the likes
and the shares...

-Yeah.
..and create a dish

good enough to earn
you a spot in the draft

- Right.
- And PROVE that you belong

- in this competition.
- Yeah.

Final cook from these
incredible Social Media Chefs.

Last chance to impress here.

Alright guys,
hands on the elevator.

- Oh, man!
- You got this.

Believe in yourself.
Grab smart.

You have 25 minutes
to earn your spot in the draft.

Go! Go, go, go!

Alright, what do we see?

That filet is mine.

So I snatched it.

Filet. Nice grab, Tim.

The best protein
on the platform.

- No.
- Game hen.

Let's grab some
supporting ingredients.

I see a pork chop. Beautiful.

Where'd it go?
It's gone.

Now what's left?
I'm looking up there.

- I got a sea cockroach.
- Lobster.

Five seconds!

Think about how you're
supporting the protein.

Grab it!
Come on, guys. Let's go.

Back to your station.
Visualize your dish.

Alright, your
25 minutes starts right now.

- Right now! Let's go.
- (UPBEAT MUSIC

Yes, season that filet.
Get it on.

- Ooh!
- Who's your money on?

I like Andy.
I see a lot of potential.

I feel like she's got
a lot of great energy.

What are you thinking
for your dish?

I'm gonna keep it simple.
I've got this amazing polenta...

- Great.
- ..carrots, tomato, pork chop.

Yep. Really smart
to get the pork on first.

Make sure you concentrate
on the protein first.

- Heard, chef.
- That's the most important.

That's what gets you
into this draft.

What IS this?

Oh...
That's great!

- Alright, Landon.
- Can you tell me what this is?

That is kale.

- That is kale?
- Yes.

That's the first time
that Landon's seen kale?

Come on, Landon!
You're from California.

Would you recommend
leaving that raw?

- Did you taste it?
- I did. It's a little bitter.

Yeah, it also tends
to be a little bit fibrous.

- Mm-hmm.
- So if you wanna serve it raw

you definitely
want to massage it.

- Oh, really?
- It helps break down the fibers.

Yeah, sorta makes it
more palatable.

Not the best for salads,
if you can't tell.

I don't eat salads.
I never order salads.

I always get the soup option.

How are you cooking
your lobster?

I was gonna just slow cook it

in this butter
so it doesn't overcook...

-Yeah.
..then it doesn't curl up on me.

- Light poach.
- Was a thought.

Yeah, just like that.
You have 18 minutes left.

- Mareya, how you feeling, girl?
- Hi, chef. I'm feeling great.

I'm doing
a little Cornish game hen

with a allspice, maple
syrup glaze

- inspired by my upbringing...
- And what is your background?

I'm Egyptian.

I am The Fit Foodie.

I'm small, but I'm scrappy.

So don't be misled by my size.

I grew up in Egypt

and I like to bring
my North African

flavors to the party.

I like to take a nutritionally
dense approach to food,

because in the last three years

I have discovered bodybuilding.

Entering a bikini competition

as a 53-year-old

is terrifying and invigorating,

but I don't do anything
half-assed.

How are you cooking
your game hen?

I'm going to sear it first

then I'm gonna put it
in the oven.

- It's a whole bird, you know?
- Yeah.

Move with intention.
Move quick, quick.

- Yep, yep.
- Fast, fast, fast.

Why is it not in?

The chicken needs to get
in the oven.

Alright Tim, what did you grab?

I got the filet,
which is the cream of the crop.

I'm feeling a little bit
of pressure with this filet,

because it is the most
perfect grab.

I cannot this up.

- You've turned this?
- Yep, just flipped it.

Yeah, just cook all sides.
What do you have going here?

I have some chickpeas in here,

so we're gonna do the
cauliflower chickpea mash.

It's gonna be an interesting
color visually, you know?

Yeah.
I think it'll be beautiful.

Christian, what'd you grab?

I got Japanese potatoes.

I'm making a chipotle
potato purée.

Look at the color of that thing.

A lot of purple happening
up there.

Seasoned black cod
with a nice green sauce.

Black cod. Everyone loves it.
Everyone's seen it.

- Smart.
- Matt, what's your dish?

I'm doing a tuna, searing it
with some salt and pepper.

I've got my lemongrass broth

- cooking there.
- Yep, beautiful.

Matt's got a tough one
with that tuna.

If he doesn't understand
how to sear it

that could go incredibly dry.

- Time check?
- Ten minutes, guys! ten minutes.

I'm wasting time looking
for gloves.

But it doesn't matter.

Let's go, Social Media Chefs.

That hen
is still not in the oven.

Crank up the oven
and get it in the oven!

How much time before I flip?

- Just put it straight in.
- Okay. Okay, alright.

- Eight minutes to go.
- I know.

The chicken is in the oven.

Yeah, this is just crazy.

Get your massage.

Yeah, look at that. Ooh!
This feels wrong.

But if she says it's right,
it's right.

Very California.
We're just there...

Thank I'm from Scotland.

- Yeah.
- Oh, my God.

None too bad.

What is he drinking over there?

He's drinking white wine
out of a deli cup.

Five minutes.
Five minutes left.

Last chance to get on one
of our teams, guys.

Stay hungry, stay focused,
stay happy.

Can you make it through
this gauntlet of a competition?

- Right?
- Yes, chef!

No one's gonna give it to you.

You have four minutes
to bring it together.

Four minutes!

A little more.

I don't even know if Mareya
can get something on the plate.

Oh my gosh.

The hen's still in the oven!

Three minutes left, guys.

Two minutes left, guys.
Two minutes left.

- Ooh...
- Start plating.

Oh, it's the chicken.

I don't know.
Is it burnt? Is it raw?

It sounded like it was cooking.

Let's go, dawgs.

Bring your vision to life.

Last chance to get on one
of our teams, guys.

Let's go, Landon.
Make this plate a party.

- Don't you like to party, dude?
- Yes, I do.

Five, four, three, two, one...

Hands up, guys.

Yeah!

Nyesha. Wow, what a cook.

Everybody at home thinkin'

that doesn't look that hard.

I just cooked a Cornish game
hen in 20 minutes.

What the freak!

So we'll start with Mareya's.

This is a Spiced Game Hen

with a parsnip and potato purée.

Could you hear Richard
and I screaming,

Get. It. In. The. Oven!

Mm-hm.

Your hen is cooked
all the way through.

I thought you were gonna
spatchcock it or take off

the thighs and do
something elevated with it.

It does taste good.

And also think about how
you're plating it.

It's kind of difficult to eat
a whole bird in a bowl.

Next up, we have Andy's

Seared Pork Chop
with polenta and tomato sauce.

- Let's see how it's cooked.
- Mm-hm.

That pork's cooked beautifully.

Sauce is delicious,
purée's delicious, the polenta.

Yeah, I mean, listen, you just
have ingredients that work.

- It's a perfect combination.
- Thanks, chef.

Next up, we have Landon's

Butter-Poached Lobster
and a kale salad.

You know, it's a bit confusing.

Is it a salad?
Is it a composed hot dish?

Yeah, so it feels
and looks unfinished.

It's such a shame.
But the actual lobster

is cooked beautifully -
it does need more acid.

It does, yeah.

Okay next up,
this is Tim's Seared Filet

with a cauliflower
and chickpea purée.

What's the cook, Tim,
you wanted?

I wanted mid-rare.

Yeah, it's mid-rare.

I actually really love
the visual.

You guys were supposed to do
the colors on the middle floor.

But you guys really brought
some colors up here.

You may be a Social Media Chef
but that's cooked

- like a professional.
- Thank you so much.

Okay next up, we have
Christian's Black Cod.

This is a chipotle sweet potato
purée and an herb sauce.

Visuals are great.
A little confusing

with all the sauces and purées,
for me.

Yes, chef.

Fish is cooked beautifully.

You know, it's viral.

Yeah, it's a really good dish.

Okay lastly,
we have Matt's Seared Tuna

with a lemongrass
and black garlic broth.

It's so nice to see dishes
higher than Richard's hair

- this season on Next Level Chef.
- Yeah, knew that was coming.

Broth is delicious.

But none of this is seared.
So, rookie mistake.

- Yes, chef. Heard.
- Thank you.

We definitely have
a lot to talk about

so please talk
amongst yourselves.

Thanks, chefs.

Some great dishes,
really good dishes.

The guinea hen is
the sort of strange one for me.

Just dunked on a purée
like that.

Break it down,
take it off the bone.

You could turn that thing
into an absolute stunning dish.

Landon's dish
was unfinished, right?

You're on the top level fighting
for your chance to be

on one of our teams
and you make a kale salad.

He definitely
massaged it long enough.

Yeah, I know. I'd rather
massage my wife than my kale.

- I think it's clear.
- Yes.

This challenge was
about proving yourself.

And before we reveal
our decision

we want you all to take
a look at what's at stake.

Oh, my God!

Get me out of this sweaty shirt

and into a fresh white coat.

I deserve it, I know I do.
I've earned it.

It's mine.

That's what you're
fighting for. Six of you.

Five chef jackets
on that platform.

The first person

who has earned their spot
in the draft is...

..Tim.

- Thank you, chef.
- Congratulations.

Name called first.
Moving on.

Getting out of these auditions
and into the draft.

Hell yeah.
I am so fired up right now.

The next person that
is making it into the draft

and on one of our teams is...

..Andy.
Congratulations.

The next person...

is...

..Christian.

The fourth person is...

..Matt.

Good job, Matt.
That leaves Landon...

..and Mareya.

The final Social Media Chef

moving through
into the draft is...

..Mareya.

Congratulations, girl.

Landon, you fell
a little bit short.

I regret not grabbing
anything other than kale.

I don't even like kale
so how could I expect

the mentors to like kale?

It comes down to the grab.
That's a huge part

of the competition and it's
something I didn't do good at.

- Take care, bud.
- Alright, brother.

- Party on, Landon!
- Don't encourage it.

We'll go back
to making videos now

where I get a lot of takes.

And I know what I'm making.

Bye.

Right. Well done.
You guys excited?

Yes! Yes!

- Woo!
- Think about it.

Richard Blais, Nyesha Arrington
and myself on speed dial.

How cool does that sound?

- Amazing?
- The coolest. The coolest.

Right. All of you,
congratulations.

Grab those chef jackets.
Celebrate.

We will see you very soon, yes?

It's the grab! Ahh!

Well done, guys!
So proud of you.

- Bye, guys.
- Yay!

- Bring it. Bring it.
- Yeah, bringing it in here!

Next time on Next Level Chef...

Let's go, Home Chefs!

This is like a crazy pack
of animals going after food.

My heart is beating
out of my chest.

You wanna make it
onto one of our teams.

- I want one of you to want me.
- It would be exciting

to have a Home Chef
win this season.

That whisk looks normal
in your hand.

Cooking is like a dance.

This one felt like musica.
Pah-pah!

So much spice my hair's
gonna turn pink any second now.

Talk about adrenaline!

I feel like I could run
through a brick wall.