All language subtitles for Next.Level.Chef.S05E03.1080p.AV1.10bit.MeGusta

Previously,
on Next Level Chef...

Today, it's the eight

social media stars.

- This is just crazy.
- Tim, what are we doing?

You are embarrassing yourself
on national television.

All of you, congratulations.

We have the five most talented

Social Media Chefs
anywhere in America.

- And tonight...
- Let's go, Home Chefs!

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

My heart is beating out
of my chest.

Cooking is like a dance.

Musica! Pah-pah!

Talk about adrenaline!

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

Time check?

He's not gonna make it.

- Last chance to impress!
- I wanna make it to the draft.

I wanna be on one of those
mentor's teams.

Let's go!

It's about to get real.

The elevator doors open
and I'm like,

it can't be that bad.

- It's that bad.
- It's like my first apartment.

- Holy moly.
- Oh, my God!

Is there a grater here?

Yeah, it's somewhere down there.

It's probably got
some fingernails in it.

Let's GO!

What's up, Home Chefs?

How are you feelin'?

How did I get here?

Like, me?!

I'm just like
a little home chef.

I took my dad to Gordon Ramsay's
restaurant for Father's Day.

There's eight of you.
Only seven of you

are gonna make it up
to the next level.

Which means one of you -
your audition

is going to start
and end in this kitchen.

Don't let it be you.

- Yeah, yeah.
- Yes, chef.

You guys ready
for the first challenge?

- Yes, ma'am.
- We've all been there.

It's dinner time
and all you have is leftovers.

- You gotta repurpose it.
- Alright.

You're gonna have 20 minutes
to make a delicious dish

using leftover ingredients

that are gonna come down
from that platform.

Okay guys,
hands on the rail, please.

- Oh, my! Let's go!
- Let's go, Home Chefs!

The platform is on the move.

Grab a protein.
They're all on the top tier.

Here we go.
A leftovers challenge.

- It's exciting, this one.
- I'm super excited.

- I think you fail this challenge
-Yeah.

If you just reheat
the leftovers.

Yeah.

You got this.

Go, go, go!

Let's go! We have chicken.

Rotisserie chicken! I want that.

And as we go to grab...

..Michael snatches it
away from me.

- Pork ribs!
- No time to think.

Grab the pork ribs.

Oh, crap. What do I do
with pork ribs?

Lasagna! Canned ham.

Canned ham. Instant flavor.

- Instant texture. This is mine.
- Pork ribs!

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

These are not the most
beautiful ingredients, guys.

Ooh! I gotta get... Oh!

I'm grabbing canned salmon.

Any little inkling of hope I had

is like, bye!

This is the worst possible grab
I think I could've gotten.

Is that a rib?

- Three, two, one...
- Oh, my goodness!

Grab ingredients! Don't let it
go away! You got it...

Canned salmon wouldn't have been
my favorite choice either here.

Your time starts right now!

Oh, this stove doesn't work.

- Here we go. Woo!
- Danielle!

Hello, baby. This is wild.
This is wild.

- What do you have?
- I've got canned salmon.

We have pineapple.
We've got the long grain rice.

We're gonna try a sauce
with the Worcestershire.

It'll be a salmon and
charred-pineapple fried rice.

- We love it.
- Yeah.

- Okay, I like this.
- I like Danielle.

- Yeah.
- She's in the zone.

I'm pretty pumped, but I know

I can put that flavor
palette together

and show all the home chefs in
America, look what you can do!

You want to make it
onto one of our teams.

I want one of you to want me.

How're you doin', Elise?

I grabbed some meatloaf
and some old mashed potatoes.

Yep. What are you going to make?

- Meatloaf meatballs.
- Smart.

And you tasted the meatloaf?

- So you can...
- I wasn't ready to taste it...

Just so you know where you're
going with the seasoning.

Yes, chef. I hear you.

Come on, Spam!

Boom.
This is some slimy stuff

Never cooked
with canned ham before.

Smells like you can definitely

put this in your bunker
for the apocalypse.

- How're we feeling, Jared?
- Oh, we're feeling good, chef.

I plan on making canned ham
mac and cheese,

a little panko crunch
on the top,

keeping it classic
with a little ranch powder.

Classic, classic.

This guy is absolutely ripped.

It's like looking at Clark Kent
when I talk to you, honestly!

Jared Veldheer,
Hillsdale College, Home Chef.

For my career,
I was a professional fat guy.

I was an offensive lineman
in the NFL.

I played 12 years
of professional football.

I played for five teams.

It was a amazing chapter
of my life.

I started cooking in college

when I didn't want to eat
the nasty cafeteria food.

After my football career, I was
looking for the next chapter

and I became the lunch lady
at my kid's school.

I had never been in
a professional kitchen before.

I had no catering experience,

but I wanted to teach some kids

that stuff that's good for you
can be amazingly delicious.

The 6'8-1/2" lunch lady
is about as common as Bigfoot.

You're not going to see it
so just the pure novelty

of it was like something that
was kind of fun the entire time.

The critiques I'd get
from a four year old

all the way up to a 13-year-old

definitely has me prepared
for any critiques

that Chef Ramsay's
gonna throw out.

Kids watching at home,

- this is not how you open a can.
- Definitely not.

I would suggest, Jared,
just put in your bicep and...

- Yeah. Crush it.
- ..just crush it.

- Michael!
- Hi.

- Hi!
- How are ya?

What'd you grab? Wonderful!

- Grabbed the rotisserie chicken.
- Awesome.

So I'm gonna do a little
chicken-inspired moussaka.

- Moussaka?
- Okay.

In 20 minutes.

- Mm!
- How're we feeling? Dancing?

- It's almost there.
- Puttin' the good vibes?

I recognize him!
He's a dancer.

That's the guy
from the viral football video.

There's a viral video

that went around
a couple of years ago,

The Dancing Blue Shirt Guy,
where I was disguised

as a security guard
at the University of Tennessee.

CROWD SCREAMS AND ROARS)

At the time, I thought
nobody would see it.

Holy moly.
It went viral.

It's global.

And it was an absolute
life-changing moment.

So day by day,

I'm a choreographer
for local high school

musical theater departments.

And on the side of that,
I'm just a home cook.

Cooking has been, for the past
20 years, a good stress relief.

It's just like a routine.
You need some jazz.

You need some tap.
You need some ballet.

You can't just have step touch
for the rest of your life.

Let's get a-twerking on that.

- Ten minutes left, guys.
- Oh, my gosh!

Check out this pan.

This thing is all wobbly
and stuff.

- It's not easy for a Home Chef.
- Oh my lord, that is brutal.

They're not professionals.
They're just makin' dinner.

But it's all
about intuitive cooking.

And I think that's
what these Home Chefs bring.

- I've one question for you all.
- Yes, chef?

Who wants to make it
to the middle level?

- Woo!
- Right here!

I said it first,
I said it first.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!

Diana, canned beef.

I'm doing a stir fry
with some veggies

- that I've got here and...
- Awesome.

..I'm also gonna spice it
up all over the place.

- All over the place?
- All over the place!

I am a spice queen.
When I'm cooking at home,

I'm all about the spice!
I think it's okay.

I wish I had other
ingredients to put in it.

This is your shot to make it
onto one of our teams.

- Yeah.
- So make it great.

Red peppers.

Earl, what are you
going to make?

I think I might make
kind of a spring roll.

A spring roll?

I'm gonna make
a lasagna spring roll,

which has never been said

by any human being, ever,
on the planet.

But I'm going with it.

I know you're all about
cooking for the kids, right?

- Right?
- Yeah, absolutely.

I'm a police officer,

and I work security
in the school system.

I have a saying
that I say all the time.

I'm a father of one

and I'm the stepfather
to about 1400 kids.

I went through a divorce

and when I had my son I thought,
what am I going to feed him,

because my ex-wife
did all the cooking.

So when I learned to cook,
it came out of true necessity.

Now, my best conversations
with my son

have been over
a meal that we have cooked,

and now we're enjoying together
as a father and son.

It's just magic.

I love it.
You can't beat that.

Get those rice sheets in

- they need to rehydrate.
- Okay.

Alright Amber,
what did you grab, chef?

I got some pork ribs.
I'm gonna go with a curry

- and make a flatbread.
- Wow.

That's an automatic flex.

- Amazing. Sounds delicious.
- Thank you.

I didn't grab a starch
on there, but I had

my break-in-case-of-emergency
flatbread recipe.

Breaking
that glass on my first cook.

If you can just open up
the fridge, grab some flour

eggs and water -
whatever it is - and make...

- Yeah.
- ..some dough or pasta?

That's a big asset to a team.

A little more heat.
Oh!

- Emerson.
- I am making a pork fried rice.

- Pork fried rice, smart.
- Pork fried rice.

- Got the leftover pork.
- Awesome.

Some ginger
for that Asian flair.

I tasted it.
It is perfect, chef.

Really delicious. Adding the
fresh herbs at the end, right?

Will do. Will do, chef.
Thank you.

- What's our time?
- Five minutes left guys.

Five minutes left.

So I'm super
satisfied with my flavors.

There's something kinda stewy
and warm with the moussaka.

Let's get her out of there.

Cooking is like a dance.

This one felt like
♪ Musica... pah-pah!

♪ Musica... wah-wah, aye

♪ Musica... ha-ha

Ooh!

Michael, how are you feeling?

Like I feel satisfied and ready.

I'm worried
because I'm not worried.

- You should be worried, bro.
- Oh, my...

This is about the time
where you're supposed to start

cracking open a wine bottle.

Wow. He's a little bit too cool
for school, this one.

Let's go, Earl!

Yes, I'm goin'.

I don't like the way
that came out.

It's splitting.

- They're not soaked long enough.
- How we feeling?

Yeah, I tried to hydrate this
and it's become a mess.

Do you have another one working?

Three minutes left, guys!
Three minutes.

You gotta do it, bud.
You gotta do it.

Rice paper sheets?

I don't like you any more.

He's not gonna make it, Gordon.

I'm running out of time.
It's gonna be a bloody mess.

Guys, two minutes!

Start plating!

- Let's go, Earl.
- Yes, I'm goin'.

I'm not feeling great right now.

I like my plates to look pretty.

What the hell is this mess?

- Come on, Earl!
- Twenty seconds!

Guys, push to the end.

Spice it up.

Five, four, three,

- two, one. Hands up, hands up!
- Woo!

Good job, good job.

Richard, Gordon!

Well done.
Love the energy, by the way.

We were studying everything
you were doing

and watching the way you
manipulated those ingredients.

-Yeah
-Listen, we've all had to open

the fridge and make something
out of nothing.

And very, very impressive.

But most importantly,
very creative.

- Well done.
- Absolutely.

Shall we taste?

I'm gonna start with Amber's
Pork Rib Curry.

- Amber made her own flatbread.
- Delicious.

I mean in 20 minutes, incredible
you made bread as well.

- It's a really good dish.
- This is definitely repurposed

and feels like it came
from home.

Thank you.
- Next up, Diana.

We have Canned Beef Stir Fry

finished with
a potato chip crumble.

It tastes like
an authentic stir fry,

but there's SO much
chili on top of this dish.

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

I think Chef Ramsay

would look amazing
with a streak of pink.

We could be twinsies.

Next up, Danielle's
Canned Salmon Fried Rice.

Maybe a little bit
more soy and ginger and garlic.

Oh, yeah. That would've
been great!

That's true, right?
But I love the concept.

This is a showcasing
of how to look in the fridge

and transform ingredients.

- Thank you.
- Next up, Jared's dish.

Canned Ham Mac and Cheese.

I mean, I've never seen boxed
mac and cheese look like this.

It looks like you could serve it
in a restaurant.

Great job transforming this.

Thank you, chef.
Don't need too much of it.

Oof! Like...
weight off the shoulders.

Next up we have
Elise's Meatloaf Meatballs

over mash with roasted corn.

It's a tough one 'cause you got
very few places to go on this.

I quite like the caramelization
on the outside of the meatball.

They're actually tasty.

I think it's the hardest grab,
if I'm honest.

Thank you, chef.

Next up, Emerson's

Pork Fried Rice
finished with a fried egg.

The pork caramelized, seasoned,

yeah, beautifully.
Really good job.

- Thank you.
- Next up,

we have Earl's
Lasagna Beef Spring Roll.

- That is a tough grab, my man.
- It was a tough grab.

I've never seen one of those
in a roll like that.

Did you use
the leftover lasagna?

The actual noodles?

Yes. There's some in there.

Yeah. Tough grab, my man.

I think the nerves
kinda got ahold of you a bit.

He is not nervous.
He's a police officer.

Yeah.

Were you not nervous
in your first cook?

- Never, girl. Never.
- Never!

Lastly, we have Michael's

Chicken Moussaka Stewy Couscous
and a yogurt sauce.

I'm just awaiting

that first bite, and I know
they're going to shimmy shake.

Now listen, the flavors are
a little bit all over the place.

It's like a sort of
sloppy chicken stew.

They didn't shimmy shake!

Texturally, this dish
is just really, really soft.

Please take a moment,
talk amongst yourselves,

and we're going to converse.
Thank you.

- Well done.
- Thank you, chef.

Wow. Can we talk
about the Filipino stir fry?

Emerson was definitely cooking
in his wheelhouse. Absolutely.

That dish did not taste
like it was from the basement.

Mac and cheese? Can we just talk
about how elevated that was?

Blown away.
Would eat the whole bowl.

Your mac and cheese
looked bustin'.

The curry with the naan
bread, the little...

The naan bread... Okay,
it's one thing to make bread.

It's another thing
to make really good bread.

- Delicious.
- My worst two dishes,

the chicken moussaka?
It was just a big plate of mush.

- It needed texture.
- Exactly.

And the other one was
that spring roll lasagna.

Tough, really tough.

- Shall we?
- Yes.

Uh-oh, our parents are back.

Alright guys,
the first three chefs

that have earned their way
to the middle level...

..Jared, Emerson...

..and Amber.

Good job, guys.
Head to the elevator.

Man, talk about adrenaline!

I feel like I could run
through a brick wall.

The next three chefs
that have cooked

their way out
of the basement are...

- ..Danielle, Diana...
- Thank you.

And...

- ..Elise.
- Great job.

That leaves Earl and Michael.

The final chef that is moving
to the next level is...

The stakes couldn't be higher.

There's gotta be some miracle

that could save me
at this point.

It's daunting.
I wanna get drafted

on one of their teams SO bad.

I mean, that's
why we're here, right?

The final chef

that is moving
to the next level is...

- ..Earl.
- Thank you.

Congratulations.
Please head to the elevator.

Thank you.

Michael don't let this
define you.

- Never.
- Or your dance moves.

- Nope. I appreciate you.
- Thank you for being here.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

Wow. I got to show people
that I'm a little bit more

than just
the Dancing Blue Shirt Guy.

I got to wear this for a short
time, but it was some time.

But I'm... proud.

When in doubt, dance it out.

♪ And Next Level Chef
Bye!

You ready?

Welcome to the middle
kitchen, guys.

- Okay!
- Welcome, welcome, welcome.

It's built for catering, okay?

Not for single dishes,
so be smart.

Arsenal of pots and pans
down there.

Okay. In this kitchen,
everything is huge.

Huge is great
if you're serving 100.

But we're making a tiny portion.
So that IS tough.

Think about a dish you're
gonna cook for your loved ones.

Make it special.

Say a celebration,
birthday dish, anniversary.

- Just give LOVE into that dish.
- Let's go!

Excellent, right guys, line up.
Here we go.

The home cooks,
that's where it's at, right?

Twenty minutes. That platform's
starting to move.

Grab smartly, right?

Let's go, guys! Go, go, go, go!

He does not have to move.

The wingspan on Jared!

What... Jared?!

His arms are just
the longest things EVER!

There's skirt steak there.

I grab the skirt steak
because my wife loves it.

This is in the wheelhouse.
I can do this.

Lamb chops.
Fresh clams.

- Sausage. Sorry, dude.
- Good, well done.

I see chicken. Yes!
And then I see some rice.

And now I can grab some herbs.

I can make my mother's...

Lazy mole.

Ten seconds, guys.

Beautiful carrots.
Snow peas as well, yes?

Ground turkey.

Three seconds, guys.
Let's... go!

That's a great grab, by the way.

- Well done.
- Let's go!

Good. Everybody
got a protein, yes?

- Yes.
- Focus on that protein.

Get the protein underway early.

A dish for loved ones, okay?

You're 20 minutes start now.

Let's go guys, yes?

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

This is a dish you would make
for someone you love.

This is the type of dish I would
make for Gordon and Nyesha.

Aww... ditto.

Whisk, whisk, whisk!

Big old giant.

Uh, Jared.

That whisk looks normal
in your hand.

What did you grab, Elise?

Yes, chef.
I grabbed sausage.

I'm gonna break it up, start
cooking it with some aromatics.

She has a journalism background.
- Right.

She's not really used to
these professional kitchens.

I'm your host, Elise Jesse,

coming to you
from Paycor Stadium.

I am a sports journalist,
and I cover the NFL

and this is my 13th season.

- She's got recipes.
- I do have recipes.

I love cooking

and I always have.
But the number one insult

to a female broadcaster is,

get in the kitchen
and make a sandwich.

And so I never let people know
what my passion was.

Now it is time for me
to step into my chef era.

I'm a home chef,

but I am the executive
chef in my home,

and I have the cutest little
sous chefs at my side.

I might be slightly biased.

You're missing a starch, right?

Correct, so I could make a naan.

So... Yeah, you could
make a naan. You got time.

I've never made a naan from
scratch before in my life...

Let's see.

..but I'm very
impressed with Amber.

She made bread from scratch.

To get on one
of the mentor's teams.

I need to show them
that I am strong.

There we go.
Come on, girl. Come on.

You got this.
You know what you're doing.

- Guys, five minutes gone.
- Oh, my goodness.

Just over 15 minutes to go.
- Five minutes gone.

Amber, tell me about the dish.
What're you gonna do?

I'll do a clam sausage
in a nice herby broth.

The kind of dish you'd cook
for your dad, Amber?

Oh, yeah. We love seafood
boils out in the backyard.

So this will be
a nice elevated version.

Good. Get those clams
steamed and open.

Don't forget,
the money's in that juice

- as well, yes?
- Got it.

Diana, the queen of spice.
Drumsticks!

I'm making chicken mole.

Mole, in 20 minutes.
Molé Mama!

There could be, in a good mole,

- 25 ingredients.
- Minimum!

Holy mole!

Get that mole on quickly, yes?

I got it.
I know I'm not gonna have

enough time to probably
make great mole,

but that's my heritage,
my culture.

I have to do it.

My mom was an amazing

Mexican home cook.

Her mole is the best ever.

She was one of those home cooks
that did a little bit of this,

a little bit of that, and
nothing was ever written down.

So when she was sick,

I was writing
every single recipe down

because I wanted
to make sure I passed

that on to my children.

When she died and I started
sharing that story with friends,

they were like, this is a book.

I was like, you know, it is.

It's so lovely
that she is living on with me.

Through every recipe
that I make,

I know she's here.

Earl, tell me about the dish.
What're you thinking?

I got some green beans.
I got some ground turkey.

Maybe get a little ginger
in there.

But what's the dish?
What are you thinking of?

It's gonna develop.

I don't like that,
right off the bat.

Got to elevate that
as well, yes?

I'm gonna add
a little heat to it.

I was hoping
for some big magical moment

where I say, hey Gordon,
I'm gonna make this.

And he goes, wow,
that sounds like a great idea.

Okay, you got to turn it
into a complete, cohesive dish.

Right, of course.

That moment didn't happen.

Guys, we are halfway, yes?

- Woo!
- Ten minutes gone, yes?

- Yessir.
- Danielle, how are you doing?

Y'know, I'm doing really well.
I'm gonna make lamb chops...

- Okay.
- ..cauliflower mash,

then we're gonna make a salad.
I've got a tiny bit of mint.

But I've got apple, so I'll do
a nice little thin salad.

I can't keep it a secret.
I'm looking at Danielle.

- We love Danielle!
- I'm thinking Danielle

should be on Team Blais.

When I was pregnant with my son,
Noah, we were super broke.

We were on the little government
program where you got coupons

and you could get
these little baby food pouches.

But he wouldn't eat them.
And I remember splurging -

it was like two dollars on it -
roasted plums and zucchini.

And then I started thinking,
oh, I can do that.

I can roast up
plums and zucchini

and Noah couldn't get enough.

And that's what really gave
birth to the cookbooks.

That one book -
I self-published it -

and from there I started
randomly working on television,

and that changed my life.
I was on the Rachael Ray show

and she said, I love this woman
because she knows what it's like

to choose between
potatoes and toilet paper.

I've never gone
to culinary school.

So as a chef and as a cook,
I'm a little bit messy,

a little disorganized,
but the beauty that comes

from the chaos
is absolutely worth it.

This guy is ready.

Right, shrimp.
Emerson, what's in here?

- This is gonna be for the pasta.
- Mm-hm.

It's gonna be
a lemon caper sauce.

One of the first dishes
that caught my wife's heart.

Love that.
Let's see it on the plate.

Look at Emerson.
Lined up!

The mustache is still
at full mast.

Get the capers in there
as quick as you can.

- Okay.
- It needs some acid in there.

- Yes, chef.
- The first thing I look for

in a home cook is flavor.

I know they're not gonna have
the most artistic plate,

but what they can do
is make something unique

out of something very basic.
And it's all about the flavor.

- What's the time?
- Five minutes to go.

Oh, my goodness gracious. Okay.

Why does this not want to play?
Play nice, bread.

I'm making a naan for the very
first time in my life

I realize that this bread
is way too wet.

Water in there, or egg white?

Greek yogurt and olive oil.

Come on, Elise!

Pull it together.

You want that
nice and flat, right?

Oh, my goodness!

If I can't get this naan to work

I'm gonna serve the judges what,

sausage on a plate?!

Oh my, no, no! No, no!

Guys, we're down
to the last two minutes, okay?

Oh my, oh my.
No, no! No, no!

What're we doing?
Okay, y'know what?

You're not playin'.
Come on, you got this.

You know what you're doing.
I've never made a naan before,

but I make everything
from scratch

for my family,
including our sandwich bread.

- Nope, you gotta cook more.
- How's that bread looking?

- I think it's good.
- Yeah?

I had no idea

if that was going to be
good or not.

Start plating, guys!
Start plating.

We're looking
for amazing Home Chefs, yes?

Yes.

Sixty seconds to go.

Let's go. Last minute!

Come on, let's go!

Five, four, three, two, one.

And stop, guys.
Hands in the air!

- Oh, my goodness!
- Well done.

- Hm!
- How quick was that?

Hell, that was awesome!

Welcome back, Nyesha...

- Thank you, chef.
- ..and Richard.

That was a lot of love,
let me tell you.

- Visually, what do you think?
- Definitely leveled up.

Let's start with, Elise.

Caramelized Sausage
over a handmade naan.

If you're making bread
in 20 minutes,

you're doing something right.

But it's easy to make bad bread.

- This is not bad bread.
- Thank you.

I love the yogurt in it.
It gives it a nice texture.

- And this is soul food for me.
- At the beginning

you were, what am I doing?
Then it just evolved.

- Really good job.
- Thank you, chef.

I made a naan
for the first time ever

and the judges like it.

That is mind-blowing,
to me, okay?

Because I get ripped to shreds
by my kids.

Next, Diana's Chicken Drumstick
20-minute Mole with rice.

I would have loved more
of that mole sauce

- to really experience it.
- Okay.

It's very heavy
on the cloves, right?

- So it's a little bit one note.
- Okay.

Next up, Emerson's
Shrimp and Lemon Spaghetti

with fresh capers in there.

It's a classic for a reason.

It's the type of dish
I would love to order again.

- Great job.
- Thank you, chef.

Next up, this is a Clam
and White Wine Andouille Broth

from Amber.

Delicious, really good.

For me that's
restaurant quality now.

It's a $30 entrée.
Really good job.

Thank you, chef.

Next up, from Danielle,
Paprika-Marinated Lamb Chops

with mashed cauliflower
and an apple slaw.

It has this rich, bold
paprika flavor

that's smoky and sweet
at the same time but not burnt.

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

Next up, Earl's
Caramelized Ground Turkey

with green beans and a sort
of tomato and cucumber salad.

The dish doesn't really read at
all like it's a complete dish.

It reads like a couple
of different components.

It's just not a
cohesive dish, that's the issue.

And I was hoping
for a little bit more...

sort of magic with that turkey.

Great, thank you.

Last up is Jared's

Marinated Seared Skirt Steak

with a cheesy spaghetti
underneath.

You don't see too many
steak and pasta dishes,

but you do when you're at home

and you just want
something really tasty.

The steak is cooked perfectly.

I would have loved you
to cook the sauce a little more

with the noodle so you get
a little more flavor there.

The steak's nailed.
You seared it like a pro.

I love the pickle
at the end, as well.

Thank you, chef.
To hear Gordon Ramsay

say that I seared it
like a pro was awesome.

That filled me up right here.
Like that... that was amazing.

Wow. We've got
some decisions to make.

Please give us a moment. Wow.

Great dishes,
even like that open naan

with the caramelized sausage.
I mean, beautifully done.

Yeah.
Really nice execution.

The clams with the andouille
sausage - beautiful.

- Love it.
- Lamb as well - very good.

The lamb was rosy
all the way through.

Danielle can really throw down.

I feel she brings a lot
of joy to her food.

At least I know
you're looking at Danielle

for your team
so I know who to steal.

How do you know I'm not just
setting you guys up?

No. You have your eye
on Danielle.

How raw was that mole?
Oh, my lord.

- Yeah.
- I want to taste the 20

- ingredients that go into it.
- Totally.

Not just red water
that tastes like cloves.

If you say mole
like, give me a mole!

- Agreed.
- Lots of sauce, yeah.

- The turkey.
- I feel he grabbed a little bit

of this, a little bit of
this... but it's not cohesive.

No. Are we in agreeance?

- Absolutely.
- Yeah?

I think so, yeah.

Yeah, let's cut
straight to the chase, shall we?

There were two outstanding
dishes that did

literally stand out
for all the right reasons.

The first two Home Chefs

moving to the top level,
congratulations goes to...

..Amber and Elise. Well done.

- Thank you. Thank you, chef.
- Really well done.

Head to the elevator.
Great job both of you.

This is one of
the happiest moments of my life.

I'm gonna cry!

The next three dishes,

congratulations goes
to Danielle, Emerson and Jared.

- Well done. Really well done.
- Thanks, chef.

- Good job.
- Nice job, guys.

- Thank you, chef.
- Yes! Good job.

Earl and Diana.

The final person joining
the rest in the top kitchen...

..goes to...

The final person

joining the rest
in the top kitchen...

..goes to...

..Diana.

- Say goodbye to Earl...
- Alright.

..and head upstairs.
Thank you.

I'm still here!
I can't believe it.

- You made it.
- This is the last opportunity

I have to show why
they want me on their teams.

I have to bring it up.

Earl, I know those kids
back in Connecticut,

they're gonna be proud of you.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

Cooking here at Next Level Chef

was a different beast, but...

I did something pretty cool.

- Thank you, sir.
- Pleasure.

- Really appreciate it.
- Thank you.

Chef Earl, over and out.

Alright everyone,

- welcome to the top level.
- Oh. My. God!

Let's go.
Everything that you wanted.

This is a top-of-the-line
kitchen.

Hell, yeah.
Oh my God, it's so polished

and shiny and pretty.

I'm a top level girl,
so I'm gonna be very comfortable

in the top level kitchen.
Of course!

There's six of you here.

There's only five spots
remaining in the draft.

You have 25 minutes
to create a dish

that's in tribute
to a personal hero of yours.

It could be anyone - a family
member, someone you're a fan of.

Cook a dish
that you would put in front

of that hero of yours.
Okay. Are you ready?

- Yes. We're ready!
- Line up on the wall.

Here we go.
Final one. Wow.

Top floor.
Cookin' for a hero.

When the light goes green
it's go time.

GO!

Get a protein first.

I see the ribeye, duck,
pork loin.

You got it!
We're moving. Let's go.

I'm seeing salmon immediately.

I grab the salmon
and I lock eyes on the farro.

- Fifteen seconds left!
- Oh, farro.

Diana's hand goes
on the farro, as well.

I'm thinking, don't be
a good sport and let it go.

Alright, sake!
Ten seconds. Chicken.

Chicken. Again.

Five, four, three,

two, one.

If you can grab it, it's yours!
Grab it or regret it!

- Grab it or regret it!
- Okay, here we go.

Your 25 minutes
starts now. Let's go.

Okay. A dish for a hero.

Hello, sir!

Okay, Danielle.
Who're you cooking for?

I'm cooking for my sister.
Her name is Jenny.

- Jenny! Let's go!
- She loves a little salmon.

We're gonna do a romesco sauce.

I've got the farro.
I'm done, yeah.

I love what you're saying.
Beautiful romesco on the bottom.

- Crispy skin salmon on top.
- Yeah. You got it.

Richard's getting
into it. I can see he's...

- Scouting. Definitely.
- Scouting. Big time, yeah.

Let's go. Yes.
I have no poker face.

I'm hoping that Gordon
and Nyesha are like,

he's not dumb enough
to just tell us who he likes.

Like, unfortunately, I am.

- Diana.
- Yes?

You're gonna do what, Diana?

I'm gonna do a chicken breast,

mashed potatoes
and blackberries.

- Who are you cooking for?
- My friend Tiffany.

Okay, let's go.
This is for Tiffany, okay?

Yes.

- Jared, how are we doing?
- Good, chef.

- What are we thinking?
- We're going ribeye.

- Who're we cooking for?
- We're cooking for the O-line.

- Let's go!
- Alright!

I'm cooking this meal
for the offensive line

because O-line dinner
was always something sacred

when I was playing.
And when it comes to cooking,

we judge each other heavily.

Jared's way more
composed than I thought he'd be.

- Absolutely.
- Who's your money on?

Who's gonna rise
to the top this time?

Ooh... I got my eye on Emerson.

How about you?

I am keeping my cards
close to my chest.

Listen, we're
eight minutes down, 17 left.

Diana, the chicken breast's
gotta cook and rest.

- Okay.
- So let's get that going..

A big flaw is starting
the protein too late.

Diana's got to move quicker.

Okay, I like it.

Listen, you're Mama Molé.
I'm not going to mess around

if got a pestle working
in different ways over there.

What is she doing?

Emerson, what do we got?

I'm gonna do a Filipino-inspired
pork tenderloin

and create a pork adobo glaze
that will go right over the top.

- Who's your hero?
- My mom and dad.

Hell, yeah, dude.

So I want to make a dish
honoring my roots.

Being a girl dad,

I am surrounded by women.

Estrogen everywhere.

Even my dog is a female.

I love my girls and I wouldn't
change it for the world.

By day, I am an IT manager
and at night,

I'm the backyard grilling dad.
I love cooking everything,

but I have a lot of passion
for the flavors of my heritage.

I was born in the Philippines,
so as my daughters get older,

I really want to show them
what we're all about.

Have them have a taste
of authentic Filipino food.

Gotta represent.

Okay, Next Level adobo,
I love it. Keep going.

Next Level adobo.

Amber, who are you cooking for?

I'm cooking for Martha Stewart.

You're cooking
for Martha Stewart?!

- Yes!
- What the hell?

I love that.

- Martha Stewart, why?
- She's such a gangster!

Okay, she's a queen.
She's a queen.

My family dynamic
was interesting.

My father was in the military,

and he would be gone for like,

four to six months at a time.

And my mom struggled
with mental health issues.

So when I was 14 years old,
I went to foster care

while my father was deployed.

My dad fought so hard
to get me back.

My dad is my hero
and I'm so grateful.

After I got out of foster care,
I had to cook my dinners.

I had to go
to the grocery store.

So that's like when my real
cooking started...

because I had to feed my ass!

This competition is just like
showing the younger self

who felt so lost and like
nothing was ever gonna happen,

and then you end up somewhere.

It's super magical and amazing.

- I got a nice duck breast here.
- Alright, so what's the sauce?

So I'm gonna do like
a honey, cherry vinegar sauce.

And that's a perfect sauce
for duck.

This dish is all about the duck
and that sauce, yeah?

- Elise, how are we feeling here?
- Feeling good. Good, so far!

This like being right
on the sidelines, except...

- We want this!
- ..you're also doing the sport

- and not just reporting on it.
- Yes. That's a bit tougher!

Okay. We got swordfish. It cooks
pretty fast. How long...

It's been about 45 seconds now.

Okay. Get a nice
golden brown color. Flip it.

Okay.

Okay Emerson,
you got the pork tenderloin.

You don't want to overcook.
Mid-rare. Nothing beyond, right?

Do we got a temperature gauge
somewhere so I could check...

The temperature gauge
is gonna be our finger.

I'm not saying this just
because Jared's next to you.

A muscle unflexed: rare.
A muscle flexed: well done.

A muscle just kinda
halfway flexed: perfect.

- Okay.
- Where'd that come from Richard?

Just looking
for an opportunity to flex.

- Uh, yeah.
- Y'know, to rip that jacket.

Five minutes left.
Last chance to impress.

Is the temperature
of your proteins correct?

- Diana, is the chicken cooked?
- I don't know.

- Where's the chicken?
- I mean, look at it.

I mean, you should know, yeah?
Is the chicken cooked?

- No, no.
- Okay.

Diana's in a mess.

That chicken's
not gonna be done.

I am really stressed.

I have decades of cooking

and everything's
riding on this chicken!

-Oh, my God.
Time check?

Two minutes left!
You're plating now.

Here we go.

The sauce is a little caramelly?

Yes, we want to drizzle it.

- Okay.
- Sorry.

Bring it home!
Bring it home!

I my sauce.
I can't have a hard sauce.

It's almost worse than no sauce

because how can they dip
anything into it?

Not my best plating.

Did you want to replate?

Yeah, you do it.
C'mon, let's go!

- What's the time?
- Thirty seconds!

- Woo!
- Thirty seconds, go.

- Oh, my God.
- Yeah, boom.

Oh God, Come on.

- Is the O-line happy?
- Doing good, chef.

- Diana, is the chicken cooked?
- I think so.

- Ooh, it looks good.
- This has thinned down here.

- Yes.
- It's a bit better.

Drizzle and finish
with the apples.

I pour what I have left
in the pan

and I'm just hoping
that it's enough.

Five...
Clean that up.

..four, three, two, one.
Okay, we're done.

Hands up, hands up.
Stop cooking.

Oh, my.
I'm a hot mess.

- Well done, guys.
- Nyesha, Gordon.

Yeah, welcome.

Watching the energy
was incredible.

Smart grabs, again.
Some good looking dishes.

Let's start right here.

- Elise's Pan-Seared Swordfish...
- Mm-hm.

..with a corn and chili
pepper succotash.

This is exactly how I want
to enjoy a swordfish.

Delicious garnish.

Spice from the chili
is very well-balanced.

Thank you, chef

Okay, next up we have Danielle's

Crispy Skin Salmon
with farro and a romesco sauce.

Definitely crispy.

- Salmon's cooked beautifully.
- Thank you.

Oh, my gosh!

Okay next up we have Jared's
Seared Ribeye

with a parmesan cream sauce
and some spring vegetables.

Ribeye - cooked beautifully.
There's so much fat in here

and it really has been
caramelized into the steak.

- So that's perfect.
- Really great effort.

- Thanks, chef.
- Okay next up we have

Amber's Crispy Skin Duck Breast

with mustard lentils.

And there's sauce or gastrique...

Yeah there's a little glaze of
honey and vinegar on top of it.

There's a part missing
and that's the gastrique

which allows you
to eat the duck comfortably

because you'd struggle to eat
this on its own like that.

Yeah. Cooking the duck.
And you didn't undercook it.

It just needed that sauce.

Next up is Emerson's Pork Adobo
with some crushed potatoes.

The pork's cooked beautifully.

It's an absolute bitch
to cook this thing properly.

But the highlight here
is the sauce.

Yeah. I mean, listen,
sauce is so important,

especially up here
on the top level. Good job.

- Thank you, chef.
- Okay, last up is Diana's

Seared Chicken
with a truffle potato purée.

First cut.
See how it's cooked.

Mm-hm.

The chicken's a little
undercooked in the middle

- to be honest.
- Yeah, it's a shame

because I got excited
when you grabbed the chicken.

It's a top class protein
to start off with.

- You have to be so careful.
- I cook chicken all the time.

And to undercook it like I did,
it was a novice move.

We have a lot to talk about, so
you can talk amongst yourselves.

And we're gonna go
figure this out.

Damn.

The cook on the salmon
with a crispy skin, I mean,

- she's cooking like a pro.
- I got some shivers there.

You want her
on your team, right?

I do want her on my team.
The salmon's the best dish.

- The pork all day long for me.
- Wow.

- Absolutely.
- Really?

I would say so.
The sauce work alone, for me.

I think it's the salmon.
Did I play my card too soon?

Uh, you have definitely played
your card too soon.

But for now we have
the bottom two dishes.

- Sadly the duck and the chicken?
- I'd say so.

I think it's clear
for the bottom, for sure.

Alright everyone,
before we reveal

which five of you
will enter that draft,

let me remind you of
what you're fighting for.

Oh, let's go.

I want to put on
that chef's shirt.

I wanna make it to the draft.

I wanna be on one
of those mentors teams.

The first person
who's earned a spot

into the draft to be
on one of our teams is...

..Emerson.

Thank you, chef.

The second person is...

..Danielle.

- Thank you.
- Good job, Danielle.

The third person who will be
on one of our teams is...

..Elise.

Thank you. Thank you.

Ah! I did it!

Top 15. I'm like shaking.

And the next person
who's made it

into the draft is...

- ..Jared.
- Let's go.

Great job.

The final home chef

who will enter the draft is...

..Amber.

Diana, you've cooked
some really tasty food.

The chicken was undercooked,

but I can't wait to taste
one of your moles sometime soon.

You should be proud
of your performance today.

Thank you very much.
It was such an honor to be here.

- Okay, guys.
- Bye.

It wasn't my day to shine

in the way that I needed to,
but I'm so proud of my effort.

- Good luck, Diana.
- Thank you.

This is NOT the last
of Molé Mama.

I'm going into
the draft, baby! Oh, my God!

This means the whole world
to me and I'm gonna bust my ass

to make sure I don't have
any more close calls.

Revved up. I'm ready to roll.

We got a fourth cook today
or what?

Oh, I love it, I love it.

- Oh, my God.
- That was a warm-up.

Grab your chef coats and we'll
see you in the draft. Good luck.

- Well done, you guys.
- Thank you, chefs.

Great job.
Get your jackets, come on.

- Oh, my God.
- Thank you, chefs!

A few of these Home Cooks
have already surprised.

I've definitely got an eye
on a couple of them already.

I'm definitely shaping
the team in my head.

I'm thinking about building out
a well-rounded team.

And ultimately, who can take
Team Arrington to the end.

I'm the defending champ,
until someone says otherwise.

Graphic design, crown!
Bloop! There it is,

King Richard
until someone says otherwise.

Next time on Next Level Chef...

- Alright!
- We're going to draft our teams!

I'm here!

- I've been taking notes!
- Nyesha's come out fighting!

Sort of like Hunger Games
without the death part.

Good luck Gordon,
you'll need it!

I got this.
I did not come to play.

- Platform!
- Now, now, now, now!

I'm kicking myself.

We're trying to find
the best dish.

- Wow.
- Do you wanna write 'em down

- in your little book?
- Oh, my goodness me.

Does not take criticism well.