All language subtitles for Next.Level.Chef.S02E11.720p.WEB.h264-BAE

- Previously,
on "next level chef"...

Today, you'll
all be working with

An ingredient that can
be found on the plate

Of a three-year-old--

It's cheese.

This time token goes to pilar.

[applause]

[cheering]

- Which dish would you
eliminate this evening?

- The pistachio chicken.

- That dish was cooked by shay.

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

- You'll have 40 minutes

To create a next level
fried entree.

- [bleep]
- ah.

- Pilar, would you
take 10 seconds away

From one of your competitors?

- My decision is to use it
against one of

My competitors today, chef.

- Let's go.
3, 2, 1!

- This whole competition
is blown wide open.

[knives shinging]

[dramatic rock music]

[elevator dings]

♪ ♪

[timer ringing]

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

Welcome back.

We good?
All: Yes, chef.

- We are down
to the final eight.

It's anyone's game
at this point.

♪ ♪

Tucker, young lady,
your third time in a row

In that top flight kitchen.

How do you handle the pressure?

- I have the drive,
I have the focus,

And I'm super persistent.

- Tini.
- Yes, chef.

- I know you have no intention
of going home any time soon,

Right?
- No, I don't want to go home.

I like staying here
and learning.

- But how are you gonna make
sure that that doesn't happen?

- I need to focus
on the little things.

It's, like, the little things
that I keep messing up on.

- It's time to stand on
your own today, for sure.

- Yes, chef.
- Nuri, do you regret

Not using that time token
differently?

- I definitely regret
not taking ten seconds

Away from another competitor.

It's a competition.

I'm not here to be
nice and make friends.

There's only going to
be one next level chef.

They have not seen the best
of chef stretch yet, chef.

- Omi, I could see
how much pressure

You were under in that
last elimination cook.

- I forgot who I
was for a moment.

I won't forget again.

- Listen, the only way to win
this is to be competitive.

- I once beat a nine-year-old
in a hula hoop contest.

- [laughs]
- I'm not afraid to beat

None of these youngins.
[laughter]

- Listen carefully:

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

To create a delicious
next-level fried entree.

- [bleep]
- ahh.

- This is a process that
can be tricky

For even the most
seasoned chefs.

- Sauteing,
stir frying.

Of course, everyone's southern
favorite, deep frying.

- We're not looking
for fast food.

We're looking for more
finesse in the technique.

- I'm puerto rican.
I fry everything.

[speaking spanish]

I'm good with this challenge.

- Pilar, young lady, you've
got that incredible time token.

Big decision today.

Do you take that 10-second
head start for yourself?

Or do you take 10 seconds away
from one of your competitors?

[dramatic music]

What is your decision today?

♪ ♪

- My decision is to use it
against one of

My competitors today, chef.

[dramatic sting]

- Please don't do
something like that to me.

There's $250,000 on the line.

So, yeah,
it's gonna get dirty.

- Which individual are you
taking 10 seconds away from?

- It's only myself and one
person at the top today.

So it's going to
have to go to tucker.

- Super.
Thanks, pilar.

- Interesting.

The competition is on.

- She's one of my
strongest competitors.

She needs to feel the fire.

- 20-second grab.

Can you make it work
with 20 seconds?

- Definitely, chef.

- She's playing the game,
and she's playing to win.

Let's go.

- Pilar, tucker, I'll be
with you on that top level.

Please head to the elevator.

- Go on, tucker.
You got this.

That's the way to play it.

- The time token,
absolute mental game.

You're taking away
only 10 seconds.

But you take away
so much more

Because they start
doubting themselves.

- It's awkward.

- Thanks, p.
[bell dings]

[intense music]

- [claps]
[sighs]

- Chris, maureen,
tini, and michelle,

You're in the
middle level today.

Get yourselves ready,
and I'll see you there soon.

- Team blais plus michelle.
- Oh, boy. Yeah.

- I feel like I have a little
bit of imposter syndrome

Right now.

But I'm going to be focused on
the dish that I am creating.

Let's go.
[clapping]

- Chef stretch,
omi, both of you

Need to start climbing out
of that basement, right?

- Yes, chef.

- And who better to get
you out of there than me?

Best of luck.
Head to the elevator.

- Thank you, chef.
- Come on, guys.

- I'll see you in
the basement shortly.

- You got this.
- Let's go. Game face on.

- The competition is
definitely heating up,

And I know what's at stake.

But sometimes
I psych myself out,

And I cannot do that.

I just have to cook.

This is an opportunity
of a lifetime.

[applause]

- All right.
How are you two feeling?

- Feeling good.
- Feeling good, chef.

[applause]
- all right.

No one's going home today.
That's the goal.

- There's no way in hell I'm
going to elimination today,

Especially not on a frying day.

I've grown up around
frying my entire life.

I could fry anything.

[laughs]

[applause]

- Girl power!
- I'm telling you.

I got the two thirsty chefs.
Let's go.

What are we thinking?
- Grab fast.

- [chuckles]
- all right.

Let's grab.
Line up.

- Just be careful
of these ovens.

As you know, they
don't work very well.

- They're special.

- They like richard blais'
hairstyle--very special.

- [laughs]

- Pilar, when it goes green,
you can go.

Tucker, I'll count you in.

- It's definitely
annoying that she's

Using the token against me.

I have 20 seconds.
That's no time

To formulate a cohesive plan.

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

[beep]
- go, pilar.

[claps]

- I have the platform
all to myself.

I immediately see
the spot prawns.

That's something I can fry.

I see cabbages,
I see carrots.

So I'm thinking
some type of slaw.

This feels awesome.

- One.
Let's go, tucker.

- I typically grab
pretty well.

But I just grab
the first protein

I see off the platform.

It's a veal chop.

Who fries a veal chop?

If I had the time,
I would not have

Grabbed a bone-in veal chop.

[chuckles]
this is not good.

- Think about your protein.
Build around it.

Come on, guys.
Sauteing, deep frying.

Come on.
Platform is still here.

Grab what you need.

- That 20 seconds
really got me.

[beep]
- let's go.

Let's grab that
right protein, ok?

Ok.
What have we got up there?

Squid, monkfish, snapper.

- Long behold, staring right at
me, the frickin' red snapper.

The last time I made red
snapper, I kind of screwed up.

- Skin's a little soggy.
Fish is overcooked.

- Can you taste how dry it is?
- Yeah.

- So I'm hoping that
this will be a little bit

Of a redemption moment for me.

- 15 seconds left.
- Oh, my god.

I can make some bomb ass
fried chicken.

But I don't see chicken.

You know how it's tunnel
vision at that platform.

I'm like, ok. I'ma just grab
some pork cutlets.

And then, I'm just
grabbing random stuff.

- If you can grab it,
you can get it.

- Oh.
- Let's go.

Anything.
I'll take a shrimp.

[clang]
yes!

- Good catch, chef!

- Stand by, guys.

- Don't forget some herbs.

Herbs, herbs, herbs.

Last minute, I just
grab cornflakes.

And I got canned corn
and corn on the cobb.

Two things with corn.

- I got to figure out
what I'm gonna do

With that damn corn.

- Here it comes.
3, 2, 1, and go, guys!

Go, go, go!

Here we go. Grab, grab, grab.
Come on.

- I reach for the monkfish,
and I see the plátanos,

And I'm going, "yes!"

Fish and plátanos together
make a beautiful match.

Let's go!

I can make fried
mofongo balls.

Mofongo is usually
made with plantains

Made into balls to fry,
and I love it.

- Go, go, go, go. Go.

Ground shrimp here as well.
Look at that.

Ground shrimp.

- We're left with
the bare minimum.

I'm grabbing a pork medallion.

I'm grabbing ground shrimp and
whatever the hell I can grab.

I'm all over the place now.

- Grab, grab, grab, grab.

- Oh, I got this.
Let's go, baby.

- 40 minutes starts now.
Let's go.

Tucker, what's your strategy
going into this cook?

- I'm doing a beautiful
fried veal chop over here.

Going to do some crispy
brussels sprouts.

A little fried squash blossom
with some avo crema inside.

We'll see how it develops.

- Love to see it.

Did you feel like there
was more pressure when

You grabbed your ingredients?
- Oh, absolutely, chef.

- Really? You really feel
that 10 seconds?

- I feel the target on my back.

I feel the competition.
I feel the heat.

And I feel--

- What would you do if
you had that time, tucker?

- Oh, I know what I'd do now.

- Let's go, chef.

- Ok, michelle.
What did you grab?

And what are we making?

- My protein is red snapper.

I got a lot of herbs,
some scallions,

Some parsley and cilantro.

My biggest fear with deep
frying this whole snapper

Is that the fish is
going to get dry.

Fingers crossed
I can make it work.

- Then do, kind of, like, a
chili herb vinaigrette on top.

- The yogurt's going
to be the sauce?

- Yes, it's going to get
worked into that vinaigrette.

- Good idea.

We'll put that in
a jar if it works out.

All right. Tini?
- Mm-hmm.

- What are we making?
- I got pork cutlets.

I'm going to pan fry it.

- With some
sort of breading or--

- The corn flakes.
I have them grinded up.

- Where--where are we
going flavor-wise with it?

- I--I was--
I don't know.

- I'm definitely
second guessing

My whole dish right now.

[exhales]

I really wanted chicken
or just something else.

None of this stuff really
goes well together.

I should have a game plan,
but I don't.

And I'm very shaken up
right now.

- Cornflake-crusted
pork medallion.

Cornflakes can
have sugar in them.

Things that have
sugar in them

Are gonna brown a lot quicker.

Pork cutlet's gonna be
really lean, right?

So what you don't want
it to do is dry out.

Get it nice and flat.
All right? Head up. Head up.

Very simple.
- Simple.

- Tini has trouble
connecting the dots.

I see the dish.

She's just gotta
pull it together

And make this dish beautiful.

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

- All right, chris.
What do we got?

- I got prawns as my main.

And we're basically
going to try and do,

Like, an asian riff here.
- So like a satay almost.

You have peanut butter.
- Yeah.

- I like this.
It's a simple idea for you.

- We've been working on
chris not being so psychotic

These days, right?
- Oh, my gosh.

You've been really
listening and, sort of,

Taking things to
the next level, ok?

- I'm trying, chef.

- I want to push you
to get over the line.

- Keep pushing me.
- I really want a win from you.

- This has been
such a long road.

I have approached
this competition

With a lot of big energy.

And all of that has led me
into elimination rounds.

I have to bring all that in and
become, you know, next level.

- Just over 30 minutes left.
- Just over 30. Heard.

- All right, michelle, whole
fish, we haven't touched it.

We haven't done anything to it.

- I'm going to coat
that right now.

- Are you going to
score it a little bit?

- Yes, I am.
On both sides, yes.

- Yeah, so I would do
a couple of scores.

- Mm-hmm.
- That way, you know it's

Gonna cook through, all right?
- Yes, chef. Thank you.

- Ok, so listen, michelle's got
a whole fish, a whole snapper.

That can be risky because
the whole fish

Is gonna take a long time
to cook.

It can work.

But I'm worried she doesn't
have time to fry that fish.

- Ok, maureen.

The fried squid pakora.

- It's just like
a deep fried fritter.

And then, we turn it into
a dish called pakora chaat,

- So it's a squid fritter with
a beautiful sauce and a salad.

- Yeah.

- Your sauce work has
been really, really good.

And this is an
appetizer at your pop-up

At the brunch place,
but now all of a sudden

We're doing a dinner
service there.

- Exactly, yeah.
- This one's gonna go on

The brunch menu, too, or what?

- Oh, yeah, absolutely.
- Ok, got it.

- Lunch or brunch.

♪ ♪

- Great grab there, by the way.
- All right, chef.

I'm thinking I'm going to do
a ground shrimp croquette.

I'm going to pan
fry the pork loin.

- Like a fried surf and turf.

- Still bringing
it to life, chef,

But I got the vision.
- You're 22, young man.

Are you slightly nervous
that you're lacking experience?

- I'm just trying to learn.
I bring 11 cookbooks

With me every day.

But sometimes,
the age can play a factor.

I just always love
to cook, chef.

It's just my passion.
- Love that, love that.

Omi, protein-wise, monkfish.

- Monkfish.
- Beautiful.

I'm amazed it's down here.
It's a gift for you.

- Yes, chef.

- I've never cooked
monkfish before.

So this is a great
opportunity for me

To hone in on chef ramsay
and everything

He's got to tell me about it.

- It's a very tough fish,
so be very careful.

You're not overworking
this, right?

- No, chef.
- And we may be down

In the basement, but hey--
- we're getting out of here.

- We're going to get
out of here, yes?

- Pilar.
- Yes, chef?

- Tell me what you grabbed.

- I grabbed spot prawn, chef.

- I just love being in
the kitchen with you.

- Aww.
- It's like looking

In a mirror, you know that?
- Oh, my god. I wanna cry.

- It's just really beautiful.

- Yeah, I saw you--
- put that soul.

- In the chef
all-star classic

When I was at wolfgang.

And I was just like, oh my
god, there's a black chef here.

- Just one.
There's always one.

- [laughs]

- Girl, put that soul
in this dish.

- Yes.
- I know you've got this, ok?

Do what you know.
- Yes, chef.

- Let's stay up here, yes?

- Absolutely, chef.
- Yes, chef.

- Where you at, nyesha?
- My chefs are focused.

- It's way too quiet up there.
What's going on?

- Yeah, they're focused.
Yeah.

- Yeah, we're doing great.
We're doing great.

[claps]
are we doing great?

Are we doing great?

- Chris, we're doing good.

- Add it in to
a peanut beurre blanc.

- You know, usually,
the fried food

In a beurre blanc, that's,
kind of, an odd combination.

- Sure. But I need some
kind of a sauce with this.

And, you know, it's go time.

I want to get
this dish right.

I've been riding
the middle kitchen

For three straight rounds.

I gotta go up.

- No eggs, chef?
- Eggs. For what?

What do you need
eggs for, chef?

- I would love to egg wash
it first before I

Throw it in the breadcrumbs.

- Egg wash it first, she says.

- Oui, chef.
- You've got your wish.

Time for the mid-round mayhem.

What are you missing?
- Eggs.

- Aioli.
Mayo.

Something for sauce.

- Platform's coming down.

Wide variety of eggs,
both fish and fowl.

- Ah! Yes!
There's fish roe.

There's tobiko.

There is every type of egg
you can think of on this drop.

- This should be
elevating your dishes,

Incorporating into your dish,
yes?

Let's go, both of you.

- Grab what you need.

If you missed something,
maybe there's

Something on this platform.

So you've got chicken eggs,
duck eggs,

You got salmon roe in front
of you right there.

Five seconds.
Caviar. There you go.

- I hear chef blais say
there's caviar there,

I grab that immediately
and put the roe down.

I have never worked with
caviar before

For one very important reason.

I can't afford it.

If I don't use all of it,
I'm definitely gonna

Eat some after this challenge.
[laughs]

- It's got everything you need
to elevate those dishes, ok?

Grab, grab, grab.

- Mid-round drop.

I'm grabbing quail eggs,
grabbing a couple

Regular chicken eggs.

- 3, 2, 1.

Ok, good.

What eggs you get?
- I got some salmon roe.

I got that quail egg.

- What the hell did you
get quails eggs for?

The most difficult
on the planet.

What are they for?
What are you going to do?

- Um--

Oh, god.

I got some thinking to do.

- It's all, sort of, a little
bit discombobulated.

But it's gotta be
cohesive as a dish, yes?

- Yes, chef.

I have so many
different elements,

So many different flavors.

And I'm a little bit
lost on which way

I wanna take this dish today.

But I'm going to do everything
that I possibly can to not

Put myself
back into elimination.

- This is an important cook
for these two in the basement.

Chef stretch is stretched
all over the continent.

He's got some great ideas,
but it doesn't make sense.

And also, a pork loin
may not cook in time.

Right.
15 minutes to go, yes?

- Heard, chef.

- Don't go too
dry on that, yes?

- Yes, chef.

- Just be careful
of that monkfish.

You got the most
difficult timing, ok?

- Fry them too early--[claps]
it's gonna go soggy.

Fry them too late, they're
not gonna be cooked.

So think about it, yes?

Watch your timers, guys, ok?
- Yes, chef.

- Yes, chef.

- There's only eight people
remaining in this contest.

Who wants to be one
of the seven people

Remaining in this contest?
- I do, chef.

- I do, chef!
- Ok.

- 12 minutes, ladies.
- 12 minutes, heard.

- 12 minutes.
- Yikes, this sucks.

I'm frying my veal chop.

And the breading is coming off.

And I'm just still
frazzled at this point.

- Chef?
- Yes, ma'am.

- What do you have here?
Talk to me about--

- Bread crumbs.
Egg and bread crumbs.

- Egg and bread crumbs.

So standard breading, it's
going to be flour first,

Then egg, then bread crumb.

- She's like,
did you flour it, chef?

And I was like, nope.
- If there's no flour...

- [bleep]
- it's going to sweat off.

- All right.
- So you can restart it, right?

You can restart it.

- And there's,
like, no time left.

Can't even bread my veal chop.
That sucks.

I don't know what's
going on, clearly.

- Wow.

Pilar using that time
token against tucker,

I didn't think it
would affect her.

But it might have gotten
in her head a little bit.

It's the first time
I've seen tucker

Sort of scatterbrained.

- I'm not coming back
from this.

[bleep]

- Well, I'm now
having to attempt

To rebread this veal chop.

- Come on, guys!
10 minutes left!

- I am panicking because
I'm running out of time.

- Listen, I got to
say, great strategy.

I love you getting
competitive using that token.

Nobody's going to give you
this competition, right?

- No, they're not,
and I'm here to win.

So I got to do
what I got to do.

- Yes?
- Yes, chef.

- Yes.
- Yes, chef.

- Let's go.

[dramatic music]

- All right, michelle.

Fantastic choice of plate.

- Thank you.

- And the sauce will
pop on there, right?

- I think so.
- Got it. Got it, yeah.

- Yeah, the blues and
greens will look nice.

- And you're in the
fryer already, right?

- I am.
- Ok.

- I just checked on her.
- Got it.

It's a she.

This sauce has to
be banging, right?

- Do you want to try it?

This is, like, this
vinaigrette, creamy, acidic.

Does it taste weird?
- Oh, my gosh.

- You like it?
- No, no, I love it.

- Ok.
[laughs] you made me nervous.

- Listen, and I don't
want to say this too loud.

But you want to
change apron colors?

- [chuckles]
- navy.

I think you look good
in navy, actually.

- Thank you.
Appreciate it.

Yeah, let's do it.
[laughs]

- Well?
We going to do it?

- No, I don't think
gordon ramsay would

Be very happy about that.

[laughs]

- What's going on
in the basement?

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

- Eight minutes...
- Eight minutes heard, chef.

- To get ourselves
out of the basement.

- Yes, chef.
- Come on.

Nice.
Let's make sure they're cooked.

- I'm not familiar with
cooking pork that much.

I have to make sure
it is absolutely

Cooked to perfection
and it's not overcooked.

It's not dry.

I'm worried about making
a next-level dish.

- Come on, omi.
Get that fish fried, yes?

- Yes, chef.

- Please do not
screw this up, yes?

Both: Yes, chef.

[dramatic music]

- Delicate.
Spot prawns are delicate.

They take no time to cook.

Come on, pilar.
- [gasps] [bleep]

- Push. You're ok.

Push, push, push, push, push.
- Yes, chef.

- Stay focused.
Stay ready.

♪ ♪

- All right.
I think I've recovered.

- Happy?
- She needs to rest, chef.

- Should be resting, right?

- Yes, chef.

- Final five minutes!

- Those look fantastic.
Are you're kidding me?

- Thank you, chef.
I have a few different sizes.

- Yes. You made enough
fritters for all of us.

- Yes.
- Maureen made staff meal,

Everyone.
[all cheering]

Maureen made staff meal.
- Whoo!

- Ok, tini, your pork has
got to be done, right?

You also have two.
You can cut one, yeah?

- Yeah.

- When I cut my pork open to
check, it's cooked perfectly,

I get distracted.

Where's my sauce?

And I accidentally cut
the one that I wanted

To serve to the mentors.

- [bleep]
- what's the matter?

- My hands move faster than
my brain, and I'm not thinking.

- Should I slice it or not?

- No, no, don't slice it.
- Just keep it?

- Where's the other one?
- Right here.

- Ok.
- Yeah, I thought--

- These are both of them?

- Yeah, I [bleep] up.

I don't have any spares.

I cut my spare.

- Man, it's tense.
Man, it's tense.

- Three minutes to go, yes?

- Yes, chef.
- Good. Right.

You're on the
home straight now.

- Yes, chef.
- Think about it.

- I know I got some
great ingredients.

But I know I
have to make sure

That the dish comes together.

I gotta get out that basement.

- Those hands are shaking,
girl. Are you ok?

You've come too far in
this competition now

To start shaking.
Come on.

You've got this. Yes?
- Yes, chef.

- I'm trying
to put the mofongo balls

Into my pincho sticks.

And I can't get it together
'cause I'm shaking so much.

[imitates shaking]

- 60 seconds to go, yes?

- 60 seconds heard, chef.

♪ ♪

- Most important minute
of your life right now.

Careful.

Everything ready to go, yes?

- Still don't know about this.

- Are you doing an aioli?
- Yes.

- Didn't you say that?
- Yes, chef.

♪ ♪

- Platform's arriving.
Let's go. Finishing touches.

Please, please, please,
we've gotta go.

We've gotta go.
We've gotta go.

We've got to go. Omi!

- I've never shimmied so fast
with my plate to the platform.

- 3, 2, 1, and stop.

Oh, man. Well done. Good.

- All right. Here we go.
The platform is here.

Platform's here.

10 seconds left.

- Behind you, maureen.
Maureen, five seconds.

Michelle, five seconds.

4, 3, 2, 1.

- Thanks, babe.
- Whoo!

- [claps]
- [sighs]

- Platform's here.

♪ ♪

- When I hear the
platform's there,

I was still trying to
bring my dish together.

- 10 seconds.
10 seconds.

- I didn't realize the counting
when she was counting down.

- Five seconds, guys.
Five seconds.

- I was hearing
her counting down.

And I was still obsessing.

[sighs]
- 3, 2, 1!

Come on.
Get it on the platform, guys.

♪ ♪

- Ah!
[dish clattering]

[bleep]

- [sighs]

- Did you hear that?

- What happened?

- I can't believe that
[bleep] just happened.

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- I don't even know
what made it on the plate.

I'm hoping there was
at least a shrimp

On the plate after my jump.

- Nyesha, should we start
with you on the top, please?

- Yes, please.
- Thank you.

- First up,
we have a veal chop.

This is served
with fried brussels sprouts

And fried zucchini.

The sauce is in avocado crema.

- A lot of the same
color going on here.

Just a, sort of, bad execution.

And I'm not too sure
if I want to see

Everything on that dish fried.

- The veal itself, looks like
the bread crumbs

Are falling off,
but it's also overcooked.

And then, the avocado crema,
I mean,

If you didn't say
it was avocado,

I don't think I'd be
able to identify it.

- I think this was
clearly my worst day.

They hated pretty much
everything on that plate.

There was no saving grace.

I'm hoping that pilar's screw
up will outweigh my screw up.

- Next up, we have a spot
prawn with a cabbage slaw

And a salmon roe aioli.

- It looks terrible.
What happened?

- The time got the
best of the chef today.

And unfortunately,
I had to toss

The dish onto the platform.

- I didn't even
subconsciously realize

That the platform was there.

Like, I was in the
zone a little bit too much

At that point.

- There's some pieces
that actually didn't

Even make it onto the plate.

They're still on the platform.

- Yeah, presentation
aside because, obviously,

It's a little haphazard,
the frying here

Is done really, really well.

- The cook on the shrimp
is really beautiful--

Succulent, amazing.
- Mmm.

Love the batter--
crisp, delicious.

And great pick.

What a shame.

- I feel horrible.

That plate was beautiful,

And I know I showed a lot
of technique and did a lot.

- Oh, boy.

I expected a lot more
from the top floor.

It's not good.

- I'm just a bit
disappointed altogether.

- Off to the middle level.
- Please.

Well, can I just say visually,
middle level,

It actually looks like
it's the top level.

- I have to agree.

Beautiful, vibrant
freshness and colors.

- All right.
We'll start right here.

This is a whole
fried red snapper

With a beautiful
herbaceous green sauce,

Caviar, and an herb salad.

- Was it fried in a wok
or was--

- This was dunked
in the deep fryer.

- Mm-hmm.
- There's a beautiful

Richness and crispiness
coming from this fish.

- The cook on the fish
is exceptional.

Sauce, off the charts.

That needs to be bottled
and sold online.

It's bloody good.
- It's beautiful.

- Oh, my god!
I cannot believe it.

This is my red snapper
redemption.

- Ok, over here,
we have a squid pakora

With another luscious
green sauce, some tomatoes,

Brussels sprouts.

- Mmm.
It tastes delicious.

The batter's crisp.

Very hard to get that right
with a squid.

- This is exciting to eat.
There's texture.

There's crunch.

Delicious.

- Ok. Look at this rainbow.

- Ok, so we have a crispy
spot prawn with bok choy,

Yuzu tobiko and a peanut butter
beurre blanc.

- A what? Sorry?
- Like a satay.

- Well, ok.

- I mean, visually,
what a stunning dish.

An amazing way to
showcase a spot prawn.

- The peanut butter, it doesn't
really need that, sort of,

Cloyiness, especially
when you got

Something sweet and vibrant.

But it's cooked beautifully.

- I don't think I did enough
to get to the top today,

Which is very frustrating
because I've been

In the middle kitchen
for, like,

The last three
straight rounds.

I feel like a gold miner

That's just been hacking away.

I'm still trying to
break that threshold.

- All right. Lastly, we have
a corn flake-coated pork loin

With a summer succotash.

- Before we dig in, there's
a weird cut on the end here,

Like someone's taken a bite.

- Of course chef ramsay
noticed that.

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- My palate is searching
for some sort of moisture.

- Pork is dry.

That needs to be pounded
out and, sort of,

Kissed in the pan
for, like, 30 seconds.

Cornflakes are somewhat burnt.

There's no excuse at this
stage of the competition.

What a shame.
- I'm really, really mad

At myself for doing that.

And I think it's
going to cost me.

- Shall we move to my floor,

The glamorous basement?

So this is a monkfish tempura
and a classic mofongo.

- The monkfish is moist.
It's delicate.

It's well-seasoned.

- The mofongo, the lightness
of the fritter is great.

The frying here is done
really, really well.

- The second dish,
this is a pan-fried

Pork medallion with shrimp.

So it's a bit of
a surf and turf.

- Ok.

- Honestly, conceptually,
I'm trying to understand

What the vision is
in this dish.

- Ooh.

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

The pork, you can see,
is undercooked.

I'm being kind
when I say it's undercooked.

- It's damn near
basically raw.

I'm feeling so,
so upset at myself.

- The seafood doesn't
make sense with the pork.

And clearly, it's undercooked.
- It's not ok.

I deserve to be in
elimination for that.

- We do have some
underwhelming dishes.

This isn't day one anymore.

Give us a second because
we've got a lot to talk about.

[tense music]

♪ ♪

Dear, oh, dear.

- Such a disappointing
collective.

- That's not good enough.

- Yeah, let's start off
with the positives.

The whole fried snapper.
- Oh, gorgeous.

- I mean, honestly,
off the charts. Beautiful.

- Gorgeous.
- Yep.

- It's a restaurant dish.
- Absolutely.

- The squid.
- That was the one that hit me.

It was, like, powerful.
- Mm-hmm.

You're a big fan of the
peanut butter with yuzu?

- Listen, big fan maybe
is pushing it a little bit.

But I understand the concept.

It's a thai classic.
- All day now.

- No, no, no.
- [sighs]

- Let's talk about the mishaps.

- Some of these dishes were
literally shockingly bad.

- The undercooked pork--
shocking.

It's still raw.

- I mean, it's raw enough
to walk away from the table.

- It must be something
with the pork loin, right?

'cause we had polar opposites.
One was raw,

And one was overcooked.

- The cornflake crust.

Would you really put
cornflakes on pork?

- Really? Like, at this stage
of the competition,

We're, kind of,
past cornflakes.

- Let's talk about
the upside down shrimp.

Shrimp cooked beautifully.

It just looked a mess.

I'll be honest, I think
the veal chop was as bad.

- The time token, again,
flustered the chef.

- Shockingly bad.

- Not good enough.
I'm sorry.

- Shockingly bad.
- Not good enough.

On the back of
that performance,

This whole competition
has blown wide open.

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- Oh, dear. Ok.

There were two dishes
that stood out.

The first dish...

♪ ♪

Is the red snapper.

Congratulations, michelle.
- Thank you.

[applause]

That was a fantastic dish.

The second dish...

Is the squid pakora.

Maureen.
- Thank you.

- Honestly, really good.
[applause]

You're both moving
to the top level.

Well done.

- The amount of
relief and pride

I feel in myself
and in michelle,

Because we're both the
last home cooks left

In this competition--
it's a huge stepping stone

For us as home cooks.

- Maureen, michelle,
only one of you

Will receive this time token
and be given

An additional 10 seconds
or 10 seconds

That you can take
from somebody else.

The winner of tonight's
time token goes to...

♪ ♪

Michelle.

[applause]
- good job!

- I'm starting to
feel confident.

I'm like, I can stand
up on my own two feet

Against these
professional chefs.

- Well done.
- Thank you so much.

- Excellent.
- Good job.

- Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.

[laughs]

- Ok, now for
the not so good news.

Nyesha, richard,
and myself had four dishes

In the bottom,
of which three

Will go into the elimination.

The three dishes that
missed the mark today.

The first one...

♪ ♪

The raw pork loin.

Nuri, you need to
think about the concept first

Before you dive into it.

- Yes, chef.

I'm going into
the elimination round

Two times in a row.

Not feeling too good right now.

- The next dish headed
to the elimination...

♪ ♪

Is the other pork loin.

The pork is overcooked.

It's incredibly dry.

- At this point, I just
know I have to do better.

I've been in
elimination once before.

Hopefully, I can make it out

'cause I want to stay to--

I'm going to put
it all in my dish.

I'm going to give it my all.

- The third and final dish
in tonight's elimination

Could have come from either
dish on that top floor.

But the dish going
into elimination...

♪ ♪

Is the veal chop.

[somber music]

♪ ♪

Pilar, nyesha,
and richard, and I all agree

That the hero, the shrimp
were cooked beautifully.

- Thank god that the tempura
shrimp saved me today.

- Tucker, that was shocking.

- Never been in the
elimination before.

Time token, kind of,
screwed me over there.

But I'm going to cook
my way out of this.

- Michelle, maureen, head
back to that chef's lounge.

Put your feet up and relax.

- Thank you so much.
- Off you go.

- Good job, chefs.

- I feel like I just
earned a vacation.

And it's literally just
sitting in this lounge

And watching the final
elimination cook off.

- That means omi,
chris, and pilar,

You'll be headed to the middle
level on the next challenge.

Head upstairs.

- You got this, ok?
- Ok.

Tini, nuri, and tucker,
it's time

To get out of the frying pan
and into the fire

Because, for this
elimination cookoff,

We are turning off the gas.

All three of you
will be grilling

On charcoal and an open flame.

- I know I can grill.
I'm confident in grilling.

Chef stretch is not
ready to go home,

Especially not like this.

- Head to the elevator,

And I'll meet you upstairs.

Get it together.
Off you go. Good luck.

- Let's go, chef stretch.
- Brush it off, tini.

You got this, ok?
- I got you, chef.

- I got you, too. Let's go.

- Oh, boy.
I'm in shock.

[dramatic music]

- 30 minutes to save yourself.

Oh, my goodness.
All right. Here we go.

[ding]

[applause]

- Come on, guys.
- Come on, you three.

Chin up.
- Let's go.

- One more chance.
- Let's go.

Next level grill.

- I'm going against two
really, really talented chefs,

So I'm ready,
I'm confident,

And I'm not going
to be scattered.

I'm going to have a plan.

- Right. Listen up.
Listen very carefully.

30 minutes. No gas.

Super-hot grills.

Be smart.

- I never used
a japanese grill,

But charcoal flames,
grill grate on top.

Treat it just like
a grill at home.

- May the best chef win.

All three of you
line up, please.

Good luck.
Let's go.

[applause]

- Let's go, you guys.

- 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and go!

Go, go, go!

- Boom, I sprint
to the platform.

I see salmon.
I grab salmon.

- I know I have no
shot against nuri.

His arms are as long as
my whole entire body,

So I'm going to get
second choice of proteins.

[dramatic music]

- They're fighting.

- Tini and I both
going for the steak.

It's not personal.

I want it.

That mentorship is
everything to me.

You bet I'm going
to fight for it.

- Four, there we go.

These two wrestled
with this steak the way

Two dogs wrestle
over a freaking bone.

I'm telling you,
it's going to get ugly.

- Let's go.
Platform stays throughout, ok?

- I didn't get the protein
I wanted.

I'm left with chicken,

But I'm going to
come back stronger.

I'm not going down
without a fight.

- Jeez, what happened there?
- Yeah, I didn't want that,

But that's not gonna stop me.
- Right.

Of course it's not
going to stop you.

[claps] hey, of
course it's not, ok?

Airline chicken breast.
Beautiful, ok?

Get it on.
Get it seared beautifully.

- Yes, chef.
- Hey, look at me.

Head up now, ok?
One stunning portion.

Come on.
28 minutes to go.

Tell me about this.
Where are you going?

- Steak chimichurri, grilled
bok choy, or broccolini.

- Ooh, she's got a nice steak!

- No wonder they
fought for that guy.

- She got, like, a ribeye.
- What did you get?

- Chef, I got the salmon, chef.

I'm going to do a nice grilled
pineapple and corn salsa.

I'm going to beautifully
grill the salmon.

I'm going to do some
grilled broccolini.

- Just grill, grill,
grill, grill, grill, baby.

- Make sure it all works, ok?

- Yes, chef.
- Come on, guys.

- 22 minutes to go.
Multitask.

Tell me about this.
Where are we going?

- So I'm making a barbecue rub.

And then, I'm going to reduce
my bourbon into a glaze.

- Right.
- And then I'm going to make

A butternut squash puree.

- Good. Remember, the hero,
the protein, ok?

That needs to rest, ok?
- Yes, chef.

- I cannot tell you.

- Oh, she's pan frying it.
- The chicken?

- Yeah.

- Why wouldn't she
put it on the grill?

Oh, no, please
don't cut yourself.

You're making me nervous.

- [bleep] ow.

Medic!

- Holy [bleep].

- Ahh!

- Can we get a medic for tini?
- Medic!

- Yep.
- Hey, it's not over.

- Here. You got this.

- [crying]

Now I'm bleeding.

I'm really hoping this
is not the end of me.

But everything just feels like
it's tumbling to the ground.

- Tini you're not going
to give up, are you?

- No, chef.
I want to finish strong.

I'm not going down
without a fight.

It's going to be a fight.

- Slow it down a little bit.

Slow it down.
Breathe.

- Seven minutes.

This is intense.

[intense music]

Final stretch.
Let's go.

Hey. Psst.
Hey, come here, you.

- Yes, chef?
- Yeah, you're like a kid

In a candy store,
stay away from it.

- Yes, chef.
- What you've done here now,

Execute that now.
- Yes, chef.

- Don't keep on
adding to it, ok?

- Yes, chef.
Chef ramsay's like,

"get the hell away from the
platform, young man.

You have enough."

I'm like, "yes, chef."

- Stop feeling that salmon.
You're going to break it.

- Yes, chef.
- Right. Taste everything.

Use the time wisely.
Let's go.

90 seconds.
Let's start plating.

- Start plating!
- Let's go, y'all.

- It's plating time.

My butternut squash is
still not what I want.

- 30 seconds to go.
Let's go.

- 30 seconds.

- Come on, guys.
You got this.

- Come on, guys!
Let's go!

- Let's go, y'all.
Almost there.

Almost there.
Almost there.

- Come on!

- Come on, guys. 10...

All: 9, 8, 7, 6,

5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

- Stop.
Hands in the air.

[applause]
- whoo-whee!

- Good job. Well done.
- Good job, y'all.

- Hey. Hey, come here.
- No.

- It looks beautiful.

- Thank you.
- Well done.

- Thank you.
- I know it wasn't

The best start for you,
but look how you adapted,

Lovely. Ok?

Great job.
- Thank you.

- Come here.

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

Nyesha, richard, what an
extraordinary 30 minutes.

To say this was an intense
cook would be selling it short.

Let's start here.

This is a beautiful
grilled airline chicken breast

With a crushed,
sauteed butternut squash,

Grilled broccolini.

- I love the minimalism here.

I love the color palette here.

♪ ♪

- One of the beautiful elements
of cooking over a binchotan

Is sort of that yakitori
smokiness that you get.

I'm missing
a little bit of that

Sort of depth of flavor.

- Chicken is cooked fantastic.

The char on the broccolini,
that's how it should taste.

Looking for maybe a little
bit more sauce here.

- Second dish is
a grilled slice of salmon.

The salsa was a grilled
pineapple salsa.

- Already,
I'm getting this just

Absolutely fantastic aromatics
coming off of this dish.

♪ ♪

- It's a little bland

Until you put
that charred citrus over it.

- You know, I think this
is a celebration of how

The binchotan is being used.

- The final dish
is a steak brushed,

Marinated chimichurri
on a little red endive

And apple salad
with charred broccolini.

- Apples and endive for
steak is a curious choice.

I don't know.
It's not a cohesive dish.

♪ ♪

- For me, the steak
is cooked perfectly.

I appreciate these
charred notes. Great job.

- You can taste that
nice charred flavor

Both on the meat
and the broccoli.

Don't love the
apple combination,

But the sauce
and the steak are fantastic.

- Three outstanding dishes.

- [sighs]

- Unfortunately,
we have to eliminate one.

[tense music]

♪ ♪

Nyesha, which dish will you
eliminate tonight, please?

- The dish that I'd be
less inclined to revisit...

♪ ♪

Is gonna be the chicken.

- The chicken.

Richard, which dish are you
eliminating tonight, please?

- [sighs] for me,
it's going to come down

To the use of the grill.

The dish I'm eliminating is...

♪ ♪

It's the chicken.

- [sighs] that dish
was cooked by tini.

[sad music]

♪ ♪

- Tini, I've been
in this situation

That you're in right now.

I know how it feels.
I know how bad it stings.

When I was in
your situation,

Was the thing that catapulted
me to the next level.

Every door that closes,
three more open up,

And I know that that's
going to happen for you, ok?

- Coming here cooking
has been the best

Experience of my life.

I'm coming out a better chef,
a stronger chef.

And I didn't even
consider myself a chef

Before this challenge.

I thought I was
just a line cook. [chuckles]

- You have to continue
this incredible journey.

- Yes, chef.
I will.

- When I'm in your hometown,
we'll do a tiktok together.

- Oh, I would love that.
[laughs]

- Take care, my darling.
- Thank you.

[applause]

[laughter]

- I just can't.

- It's very nice
hugging chef ramsay.

He smells really good.

And he got big muscles.
[laughs]

[cheers and applause]

- Hey, now!

[dramatic music]

- Another stern reminder--

You've got to stay out
of that elimination.

Now next time we all
see you,

It's gonna be
your toughest cook yet.

- Uh-oh.
That's not good.

- Good night.

♪ ♪

- Next time,
on "next level chef"...

- Go, go, go, go!

- Today, you won't be
cooking a winning dish.

You'll be baking it.

- First time that I'm actually
gonna be baking something

From scratch
and then it's gonna go

In gordon ramsay's mouth?

- Chocolate cake is not
life or death, right?

- It is here.
- Working fast,

But working with precision.
- Yes, chef.

- Yes, chef.
- I am just pacing

Back and forth
like a psychopath.

- You've gotta go!
Let's go!

Go!

[bleep]

♪ ♪

[vocalizing]