Next Level Chef Season 4 Episode 14
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00:00Let's go!
00:02Yes!
00:03This has been the toughest...
00:04Alligator with the actual help.
00:06You sure we don't want help?
00:07...most competitive...
00:09Let's go!
00:10Oh, my goodness!
00:11Watch it!
00:12So rude!
00:13...the most grueling season...
00:14Medic!
00:15...of Next Level Chef yet.
00:17Whoo!
00:18Get it up! Get it up!
00:19Oh, my God!
00:20We started with 24 chefs.
00:22I'm taking Gordon down this year.
00:24This is the beginning of the Blaze dynasty.
00:25I'm so excited!
00:26Watch out!
00:27And tonight, the final three...
00:29Go!
00:30...will compete for the mentorship.
00:32Megan, cast-iron queen.
00:34I've earned a spot in the finale.
00:36A quarter of a million dollars.
00:38Austin, the Iceman.
00:39I've never wanted to win as bad as I want to win right now.
00:41And the title of Next Level Chef.
00:43Tenacious B.
00:45It would mean everything to me to win.
00:47The winner of Next Level Chef is...
00:51CHEERING
01:08Welcome back!
01:09Hello!
01:10Thank you, Chef!
01:11Hi!
01:12The final three.
01:14Welcome to the Next Level Chef grand finale.
01:18So thrilled.
01:20It's incredible. I'm excited.
01:21These are my last three chances to cook.
01:24It feels like last day of school energy, you know?
01:27Tonight, one of you will walk away
01:29with a check for a quarter of a million dollars
01:31and an exclusive year-long mentorship
01:34with the three of us.
01:37Beatrice, you're only 18.
01:39What would happen if you became America's Next Level Chef?
01:42I have a 5, 10, 20-year plan in mind.
01:45I'm gonna invest that money
01:46towards something that will make a difference in the world.
01:49Megan, super mom, cast-iron queen.
01:52Bringing it home for the home chefs, right?
01:54That's been my goal from day one,
01:56is represent the home chefs and the moms out there.
01:58And this has surpassed every possible expectation
02:01that I could have ever set for myself.
02:03OK, Austin, the laser-focused heavy hitter.
02:06What would it mean to win the title of Next Level Chef?
02:10Chef, I've never wanted anything more in my life.
02:12Just to prove that the last 15 years of me cooking
02:15everything that I've given up just to be in this point,
02:18it all has to be for something.
02:20And I think that this is what it is.
02:22I love that.
02:23Now, today's final challenge will demand excellence at every turn.
02:28All of you will have to cook an exquisite three-course meal.
02:33You're gonna kick off in the basement with me
02:36where you have to make a stunning appetizer.
02:39And I'll be with you on the middle level
02:41where you must prepare a delicious fish course.
02:44Finally, you'll meet me in that top-level kitchen
02:47where you'll need to serve an incredible meat entree.
02:50Each of you will have only 90 minutes
02:53to produce all three of your dishes.
02:56And today, how you choose to manage your time is totally up to you.
03:00Every time you finish a dish, you'll hit the buzzer
03:02in the centre of the kitchen and stop your clock.
03:05Before we get started, we have a little surprise for all three of you.
03:09Oh, my goodness.
03:11Someone that we would love you to meet.
03:13Please welcome our reigning next-level champion, Gabby.
03:21Hi, guys.
03:22That's so cute.
03:24It's incredible meeting her.
03:26She is just, like, invigorating and gets me excited and ready to go.
03:30Oh, my gosh. Guys, hi. Hi, hi, hi.
03:32I see myself where she is.
03:34You good?
03:35Just mentor, right?
03:37Getting to meet Gabby, what a wonderful person to see
03:41reflected back in us as finalists, as someone who has accomplished it.
03:45Welcome back. Thank you.
03:47I like being on this side, I've got to say.
03:49You are blowing up everywhere.
03:51Congratulations goes to Gabby.
03:54Gabby did exceptionally well last year.
03:57The growth in terms of what she's become
03:59and what this competition has done for her.
04:01I'm Gabby, and this is my next course.
04:04The progression of this incredible woman has been second to none.
04:08Chef Ramsey is challenging me to go and seek out street food in New York City.
04:12Okay, easy.
04:13Gabby's doing some amazing things.
04:15She's got a new series on Bite.
04:17Handmade whole wheat pasta.
04:19She's impacting the world.
04:20Gabby is a great representation of a next-level chef champion.
04:24Even though the mushrooms themselves are delicate, they can take it.
04:27They can take the pressure.
04:28Gabby's the perfect sponge to soak up the knowledge.
04:31So many years of lived experience between me, Richard, and Gordon
04:35that Gabby is now taking and making her own.
04:38Whoo!
04:40How do you truly win it?
04:42I think to win, don't worry about what anyone else is doing because it'll tie you up.
04:47Really just focus on making your dishes as good as they can be.
04:50Great advice.
04:51Yeah, spoiler alert, she did enough.
04:53Before we get started, Richard, Nyesha, and I would like to talk through each of your game plans.
05:00Austin, head to the top level, please.
05:02Richard will meet you there shortly.
05:03Thank you. Thank you, chefs.
05:05I've topped so many mountains to get to this point.
05:07Now I can see the peak.
05:08I can see the mentorship.
05:09I can see the money.
05:10This is a $250,000 menu.
05:12This is what I came here to do.
05:22What's happening, Shelly?
05:26What's happening?
05:28Congratulations.
05:31My mom and dad just standing there.
05:32Oh my God.
05:33You're going to make me cry.
05:36They really helped me jumpstart my career.
05:38I told them, you know, I want to move to Chicago.
05:40I want to go to culinary school.
05:41They supported it 100%.
05:43They said, well, you know what?
05:44You're paying for it by yourself, but we'll drive you there.
05:48So are you ready for today?
05:49Are you excited?
05:50I'm nervous.
05:51You got it.
05:52You got it.
05:53I'm so happy for you.
05:54They're very understanding when I miss holidays, when I'm gone or I don't speak to them for a week
05:58because I've been in the kitchen 16 hours a day, but this is me.
06:01This is the full version of your son with a chef jacket on, ready to cook.
06:05That's who I am, and I couldn't be more happy to have them as parents.
06:10You've achieved and you've accomplished so much, and you set your mind to everything that you've done.
06:16Yeah.
06:19Very proud.
06:20Absolutely.
06:21It's my boy.
06:26Let's do it.
06:29Hey!
06:31Hey!
06:34It feels incredible to see my brother.
06:36That's literally my guy and my best friend, Romy, childhood bestie.
06:41I am so proud of you.
06:42Both of them have been there for me since I was really young.
06:45This is so cool, guys!
06:48I can't believe we're here.
06:49My brother was always there to talk and lead me, and he's really been that person who I go to for advice.
06:55You're going to do great.
06:56You're going to kill it.
06:57The reason why I'm so confident is because of him.
07:00Like, I'm really just trying to copy him.
07:03Last Ramsey standing.
07:04Last Ramsey standing!
07:05That's pretty crazy.
07:18Oh my gosh.
07:21This is so awesome.
07:22My mom and my best friend, they have been two of my biggest supporters.
07:27My heart is so full right now.
07:31I am so appreciative of all of their support through everything.
07:37We are so proud of you.
07:40To see them here just gives me the extra fuel I need to see it to the end.
07:44Look where you're at! Oh my God.
07:46My mom came to the States in the late 60s as a refugee.
07:50From Czechoslovakia.
07:51And they worked so hard to make sure that they could realize this American dream.
07:56We couldn't be prouder.
07:59To know that in a generation, I'm cooking for the most world-renowned chefs.
08:06Every sacrifice they've made has been monumentally worth it.
08:16Come on over, guys.
08:17How was that extra little touch of motivation?
08:22You know how to bring out the feelings, man.
08:25Okay, this is it.
08:26Here we are.
08:27The time has finally come.
08:28Everything you've wanted is about to happen.
08:32Line up, guys.
08:33Very best of luck.
08:35Okay, chefs.
08:36When it turns green, each of you will have only 90 minutes to produce all three of your dishes.
08:43Go!
08:45All right, protein, sauce.
08:47Scallops is absolutely the top of what I want.
08:50Damn it, Megan.
08:52I want the damn scallops.
08:53The red shrimp are the next best thing.
08:55I know exactly where I want to go with this.
08:57Everything that is Japanese.
08:58I need miso.
08:59Miso?
09:00There's miso over here.
09:01Got it.
09:02Awesome.
09:03All right, you got the proteins you want?
09:04I got my chicken thighs.
09:05And because I am obsessed with Japanese food, I grabbed mirin, my sake, my soy sauce.
09:11Japanese mayonnaise right here.
09:12Think about what this dish looks like.
09:13If you can grab it, it's yours.
09:14If you can grab it, you can get it.
09:16Let's go.
09:17Back to your stations.
09:19Listen up.
09:20Three amazing dishes starting here in the basement with a perfect appetizer.
09:24Oh, yeah, baby.
09:26What did we grab, Beatrice?
09:27So I have these beautiful chicken thighs, chef.
09:29I'm going to be doing a chicken yakitori.
09:32I have a bunch of incredible Asian ingredients, so I'm going to marinate these in that.
09:36Is this going to be your theme through all three courses?
09:38Yes, chef.
09:39My theme is a Tokyo izakaya.
09:41So it's going to be diner, Japanese, Tokyo vibes.
09:44So I see Beatrice is making another Japanese dish, but that honestly means zero to me
09:49because at the end of the day, my dish is going to be better.
09:52Where is your Japanese inspiration coming from?
09:54My very first job besides my mom's pizzeria was actually at a Japanese place.
09:59I was a sushi apprentice there.
10:01How old were you when you were doing this?
10:0315.
10:04When I was 15, I was working fast food.
10:06I wasn't an apprentice sushi chef.
10:08You've already accomplished so much.
10:09I know it.
10:10Get going on it, okay?
10:11Yes, chef.
10:12Austin, you good?
10:13You're going to make me run with you there.
10:14It's all right.
10:15I can do it.
10:16I can keep up with you.
10:17What did you grab and what's your theme, Austin?
10:18I got some red prawns, miso yuzu.
10:19I'm going Japanese on this one.
10:21Just spent some time in Japan.
10:22Okay.
10:23Grabbed my heart and I couldn't get it back, so I'm going back to Japan on this one.
10:27Your theme is my culinary travels on a plate for the next three courses.
10:32Okay, well, bon voyage.
10:33Let's go, okay?
10:35What's your theme, Megan?
10:36Pacific Northwest surf and turf, chef.
10:37Oh, I like that.
10:38A little bit of an elevated take on wild mushrooms.
10:40I grew up hunting mushrooms with my grandparents, paying homage to my roots.
10:44How are you going to cook the scallops?
10:45I'm going to pan sear them, chef.
10:46I want them to kind of stand on their own with their own subtle sweetness.
10:49So you're going to go with cast iron for the scallops?
10:51Cast iron.
10:52You know, that's me.
10:53I'm going to stick with what I know.
10:54The cast iron queen has got the cast iron out.
10:56The punk rock chef is cooking over an open flame in a grate.
10:59The ice man over here, cool, calm, and collective.
11:02Three great ideas.
11:05This is a next, next level chef finale.
11:09Fifteen minutes down, 75 to go.
11:13Now we got to pick up the pace.
11:14Let's go, Megan.
11:16I thought I had more scallops than that.
11:20Am I missing scallops here?
11:23Like, where the hell?
11:26A quarter of a million dollars is on the line, and I don't know where my scallops are.
11:30The protein is where?
11:32It's hanging out around here somewhere.
11:34Oh, my God.
11:43There they went.
11:45Two scallops on the floor.
11:46One is completely unsalvageable right now.
11:48The other one, I'm going to wash it off and get it cooking.
11:5426 minutes have gone.
11:57Oh, my gosh.
11:58What is going on?
11:59It's smelling good down here.
12:00Isn't it?
12:01Oh, man.
12:02For the basement, I'm loving all these flavors for an appetizer because you have to build
12:05from the basement.
12:06Yeah.
12:07Now, listen.
12:08Is the most important thing getting to the buzzer for us, too?
12:09No.
12:10To me, it's not about the buzzer.
12:11It's more about the time.
12:12How much time do you have left?
12:13Tell me something good, chef.
12:15Keep your head down and keep going.
12:16It's smelling good.
12:17I would say I wish I could do it with you, but I'll be honest.
12:19I'm happy that it's you guys and not me this time.
12:21Thank you, guys.
12:22Thanks for the inspiration.
12:23All right.
12:24I'll see you around, guys.
12:25See you soon.
12:26All right.
12:27Bye, Gabby.
12:28Thank you, chef.
12:29All right.
12:30Well, how cool is that, guys?
12:31It was incredible.
12:32That's excellent.
12:33How are we doing over here on the skewers?
12:34Good, chef.
12:35They're kind of burning a little bit.
12:36No, no.
12:37That's okay.
12:38Listen.
12:39With yakitori, you want a little bit of char, okay?
12:40So keep spitting them around.
12:41You can turn the fire down a little bit, too.
12:43What's up, Austin?
12:44You good?
12:45Yeah, it just tastes good.
12:46Good problems I have.
12:47They are without a doubt the tastiest shrimp I think I've made in a long time.
12:5027 and a half minutes, so that means if this was a normal day in the office, so to speak,
12:55we'd be thinking about plating in 30 seconds, correct?
12:57Yes, chef.
12:58I can feel the intensity.
12:59I don't want you to be multiple minutes behind when you get to that middle floor.
13:03I do want to be the first to the buzzer, put a little pressure on Beatrice and Megan to
13:07let them know that I plan on having that platform all to myself.
13:10We're just under 29 minutes.
13:12You got to hit the buzzer to stop the clock.
13:15Okay, one second under 29 minutes, Austin.
13:18All right, Megan and Beatrice got to be thinking about getting over that buzzer in the next
13:2160 seconds.
13:22Can we do it?
13:23Yes, chef.
13:24Austin's already done.
13:25I need to get done ASAP.
13:27Beatrice is in.
13:2846 seconds behind Austin.
13:30Woo!
13:31Make it beautiful, right?
13:32Okay, I like it.
13:33You got to go.
13:34You got to go.
13:35Boom.
13:36Let's go.
13:37Let's get to that.
13:38You don't want to be two minutes behind, Megan.
13:39Hit the buzzer and stop the clock.
13:41Woo!
13:42Good job, everyone.
13:43Nice work.
13:44Well done.
13:48It smells delicious.
13:50Naish and Gordon, what an incredible cook.
13:52Wow.
13:53They look so beautiful, don't they?
13:54They look stunning, Richard.
13:55A stunning appetizer.
13:57Okay, so we'll start right here.
13:58This is Beatrice's ode to a Japanese izakaya, chicken thigh yakitori with a cucumber salad.
14:04Beatrice, it looks beautiful.
14:05Really well done.
14:06Thank you, chef.
14:10This is, for me, exactly what I want to start my journey in the menu.
14:14It's simple, really smoky and pleasant.
14:17A charred, deep, roasted flavor.
14:19Those burnt bits are just the magical moments, right?
14:21I could have done a touch more crispiness on there, but it's cooked beautifully.
14:24Really beautifully.
14:25Yeah, Beatrice, this is loud and vibrant, much like yourself.
14:29The only thing it's missing to me is maybe a little bit of fresh citrus or some sort of other version of acidity,
14:35but it's an absolutely fantastic start.
14:37Beautiful.
14:38So here we go.
14:39Next up, a butter-poached red shrimp with a yuzu butter and some crispy leeks.
14:44This was cooked by Austin.
14:46It's elegant.
14:47It's like a cover of a magazine.
14:48It's everything you want from a perfect appetizer, especially in a finale of the competition.
14:58Really incredible start to your menu, Austin.
15:00It's light, but it has this rich quality to it.
15:04These ingredients are speaking to each other.
15:06Young man, the shrimp are cooked beautifully.
15:08There's an added extra layer here from the heads because it's intense and that's what you want,
15:13but I don't think this dish screams fried leeks.
15:16You've got richness in the miso, richness in the garnish.
15:18It just brought everything back down again.
15:20Got it, chef.
15:21I love that you played the Japanese game respecting the ingredients.
15:24You definitely told your story great here.
15:28Lastly, we have surf and earth from Megan.
15:31Representing our Pacific Northwest roots, it is scallops with wild mushroom truffle sauce.
15:36I would not have guessed that this comes from a home chef.
15:39Really excited to get into the flavor of this dish.
15:45I'm a stickler for scallops, as you well know.
15:48Very hard to get right.
15:51The scallops are cooked beautifully.
15:53You've got to stop serving the base of these mushrooms.
15:55That's the sort of bit that no one eats, but the sauce is sublime.
16:00The scallops, they sort of read opulent,
16:02but then it has this sort of rustic charm that hugs the soul of the scallop.
16:06Megan, you've taken me on a foraging trail.
16:09I think this is so true to you.
16:10It's quite an impressive dish.
16:14Honestly, what an incredible start.
16:16Next up, it's a beautiful fish course.
16:18Austin, you used 29 minutes for your appetizer, which leaves you 61 minutes remaining.
16:23Beatrice, just over 60 minutes.
16:26And Megan, just under 60 minutes.
16:28We're two rounds away from crowning our next level chef winner.
16:31Very best of luck to all three of you.
16:33Thank you, chef.
16:34Thank you, chef.
16:35Head to the elevator.
16:36Nice, we'll join you shortly.
16:37Good job, chefs.
16:38Incredible start.
16:39That was intense.
16:40Absolutely.
16:41It's the last time I'll see the basement, guys.
16:42Bye-bye, basement.
16:43I can't wait to see what they do on the fish course.
16:45Won't be missing you, oil cans.
16:55Okay, okay.
16:59Hello, chef.
17:00Let's go.
17:02Really nice start, guys.
17:04Eye on the prize.
17:05Congratulations.
17:07It's really cool to see all of your personalities in your dish.
17:09I want an excellent fish dish, right?
17:11Nothing less.
17:12Yes, chef.
17:13All right, guys, line up.
17:17Platform's on the move.
17:21Let's do it.
17:23Go, go, go.
17:24Grab your protein, build around it.
17:26I see black cod.
17:27Boom.
17:28That's what I wanted.
17:29Grab that.
17:30Perfect.
17:31I'm grabbing miso, bok choy, shiitake.
17:33This is like my dream meal.
17:37Sea bass for Megan.
17:39Damn it.
17:40This is the second cook that Megan has gotten what I need.
17:42Salmon for Austin.
17:43I got stuck with salmon, which totally throws off my entire game plan.
17:46Think about a sauce, veg, garnish.
17:49Time's ticking.
17:50Let's go.
17:51I grabbed just a hodgepodge of s*** that I don't even know if I'm going to use.
17:54Grab like your life depends on it, guys.
17:56Good job.
17:57Good job.
18:01This is not what I thought it was.
18:03Fennel, baby fennel.
18:04Thought it was dill.
18:05All right, Austin, what do you grab?
18:06So I got some salmon.
18:07Japanese on the first course.
18:08What's your theme on this course?
18:09So this one is kind of like a...
18:12I really wanted to go a different route with this, but I didn't, so I'm kind of pivoting.
18:17This is a what the f*** moment right here.
18:19This is a $250,000 menu.
18:22If I don't get this right, if I don't figure this out, it's game over.
18:25Make smart decisions, okay?
18:26Yeah, absolutely.
18:32All right, Austin, what are you thinking?
18:33I would say it's kind of like a Spanish style.
18:35I'm going to do a little romesco sauce.
18:36Incredible.
18:37I'm going to get a nice crispy skin.
18:38Nice, nice and bright.
18:39Incredible.
18:40Yeah, absolutely.
18:41Let's do this.
18:42Thank you, chef.
18:43Yes, chef.
18:44Where are you taking us?
18:45I want to do an elevated pan-fried sea bass.
18:47I want the light, crisp note from the green beans.
18:49I've got the chimichurri that's in there.
18:51What is the theme going into the second course of your fish course?
18:54You know, Seattle's always rainy and gray,
18:56but I want to show that we've got fantastic summers,
18:58we've got fantastic produce,
19:00and we can do light and airy just like California or anywhere else.
19:03So how are you cooking the green beans?
19:04I just blanch them, and then I'm going to toss them in that chimichurri at the very end.
19:09Keep that positive energy.
19:10Yes, chef.
19:11Thank you so much.
19:13All right, Beatrice, what are you making, my love?
19:15So, chef, I'm going to have a miso black cod.
19:18It's going to be very like Japanese breakfast, but elevated.
19:20And then I'm going to have the sweet potato fondant.
19:24I kind of do like a little bento vibe, you know what I'm saying?
19:26Sure. Be productive with your movements, okay?
19:29You need to be like a ninja.
19:30Yes, chef.
19:31Let's get the sweet potatoes cooking, okay?
19:33They take a long time.
19:34100 percent, chef.
19:36Guys, we are 10 minutes into this cook.
19:39Make sure you're bringing it all together, right?
19:43Debbie!
19:44How are you?
19:45Good to see you, chef.
19:46All right.
19:47So, Beatrice, you've met.
19:48I see your whole menu is looking very Japanese at this point.
19:51Yes, this is like a very traditional, home-style Japanese food cooking.
19:55Sweet potato fondants.
19:57I have some braised bok choy.
19:59Oh, wow.
20:00It is going to be good.
20:02It's looking great.
20:03Thank you, Gabby.
20:04Where are we at, Austin?
20:05Good. I got my salmon in the oven.
20:06I just roasted off my macadamia nuts and my peppers for romesco.
20:10Love a romesco.
20:12Oh, with macadamia, that's fun.
20:14I got some nice carrots going just for some color and texture and a little bit of sweetness.
20:18I see your little baby fennel here.
20:19That's really cute.
20:20I thought that was dill.
20:21Hey!
20:22I'm not going to act like I did that on purpose.
20:23Great job, Austin.
20:24Keep going.
20:25Looking great.
20:26Thanks, chef.
20:28How are you doing over here, Megan?
20:29Hi, Gabby.
20:30I'm good.
20:31How are you guys?
20:32I'm loving your ingredients over here.
20:33So, you're pretty much ready to play if you're dropping the fish, right?
20:35Yes, just about, chef.
20:36I really want to make sure that I'm saving time on this back end here.
20:39My only note would be maybe a little citrus, but I think the currants actually would be a nice contrast to that.
20:43That's what I'm hoping for, yeah.
20:45I have a little bit of lime I can just throw on top just if I need it at the very end.
20:48Valuable information.
20:49All right.
20:50I'll see you guys later.
20:51Bye-bye.
20:52Keep going.
20:53Guys, 20 minutes into this cook.
20:56Yes, chef.
20:59What's wrong?
21:00I just don't like the way the skin turned out.
21:01The salmon, the way that it looks right now, looks like garbage.
21:04The skin has moved, and it's not perfectly on top of the fish, which for me is just unacceptable.
21:09I've cooked salmon a thousand times in my life, and I've never messed it up like I have this.
21:15I'm pissed.
21:16Beatrice, watch the heat on that pan.
21:18Watch the heat on that pan.
21:19Don't forget about that potato, okay?
21:21Damn.
21:22I kind of forgot about them.
21:24These are overdone, chef.
21:28I can't serve this to the judges.
21:30Stay focused.
21:31Stay focused, Beatrice.
21:32You can slice off the end.
21:33Okay, you know what?
21:34I'm just going to take off the burnt side and throw them back in the pan, and it's going to be okay.
21:38Make sure that you balance out the sweetness, okay?
21:40You don't want that too caramelized.
21:41Yes, chef.
21:42All right, guys.
21:4322 minutes into this cook.
21:45Keep pushing.
21:46Austin, how are we doing?
21:47Chef, I'm getting there.
21:48Megan, how are we doing?
21:49I'm good, chef.
21:50One question to ask you guys.
21:52Who wants a quarter of a million dollars today?
21:54Right here.
21:55Me, chef.
21:56I said it first, huh?
21:57Suck it, Austin.
21:58$250,000 and a one-year mentorship is at stake today.
22:02Beatrice winning is not an option.
22:04Yeah, that's what I love.
22:06Megan is also an incredible chef.
22:08She beat two amazing chefs in the semifinal cook.
22:12I would be stupid to count her out.
22:14Megan's walking, guys.
22:16Megan, hit the buzzer.
22:18Good job, good job.
22:20Last cook, I was last one to the buzzer.
22:22This cook, I'm first to the buzzer.
22:24This gives me a huge advantage going into the last round.
22:27Megan, that leaves you just over 36 minutes, okay?
22:29Thank you, chef.
22:30Make sure you're tasting all the elements together
22:32and that it's a next-level chef dish.
22:34100%, chef.
22:35It is time to plate.
22:37I need to stop worrying about anything else
22:39and just plate this dish.
22:41Beatrice heading to the buzzer.
22:45Hit that buzzer.
22:49Beatrice, that leaves you with 33 minutes left to cook, okay?
22:53Austin, it looks really pretty.
22:55Let's go, Austin.
22:57Hit that buzzer.
23:00Austin, that leaves you just over 33 minutes, okay?
23:03I was first to press the button during the appetizer cook.
23:06Last to press this one kind of puts me in the middle.
23:09And even though we shouldn't be playing
23:10this sort of time management in our head,
23:12you can't help but do it whenever you're behind.
23:18How was that?
23:19Incredible, so exciting.
23:21Wow.
23:22Look at these.
23:23Beautiful.
23:24So impressive.
23:25They look great.
23:26We'll start here.
23:27This is a pan-roasted sea bass.
23:29The green beans have been wrapped in this spiced chimichurri.
23:33This dish is cooked by Megan.
23:35Visually, I can see a magazine with this on the cover.
23:38I love this sort of festive holiday vibe
23:41that I'm seeing here.
23:47Fish is cooked beautifully.
23:49Skin crispy, seasoned beautifully.
23:51I could have done with a touch more cooking on the green beans
23:53because they're too crunchy, but the fish is nailed.
23:56Thank you, Chef.
23:57You kept a vision from the first course to the second course,
24:00going with that land and sea, very apparent here.
24:02Lots of vibrancy and freshness.
24:04I agree on the green beans.
24:06Maybe just cutting those green beans down a bit
24:08could go a long way.
24:11Next up, we have a glazed black cod.
24:14This is served with braised bok choy and a sweet potato fondant.
24:18This dish is cooked by Beatrice.
24:20Visually, stunning.
24:21I love the glaze on that black cod.
24:31Black cod, let's be honest, it's very hard to get right.
24:33I'm a little nervous.
24:34There's so much, like, promise and future on the line today.
24:38And if you don't have that cooked perfectly, it's game over.
24:46Yeah, wow, I mean, I've seen many renditions of this dish,
24:49many bad renditions of this dish.
24:52This is not one of them.
24:54It looks like there's too many things on the plate,
24:56but it works so well.
24:58Cod's cooked beautifully.
24:59It's sweet, it's sour, it's creamy.
25:01The one issue I have is the sweet potato.
25:04Unfortunately, it's undercooked, it's too hard.
25:08Lastly, crispy-skinned salmon with glazed carrots
25:11and a macadamia nut romesco.
25:14This dish is cooked by Austin.
25:16Visually, beautiful.
25:18Catching, captivating.
25:20Yeah, it's got this beautiful sort of Spanish sunset vibe to it,
25:23all sort of plays off of orange and red.
25:25Visually, it's pretty stunning.
25:32Salmon's cooked beautifully.
25:34Textbook control.
25:36Sauce is beautiful.
25:38I am going to take it to task.
25:40It's the grand finale.
25:41Salmon could be a bit crispier.
25:43I really actually appreciate the mild citrus notes in this dish.
25:46I think it pairs really nicely with the salmon.
25:48I love the salmon cook.
25:50It's sort of got this confit texture, which is great.
25:52The carrots are a little too crunchy for me.
25:54OK.
25:55Wow, all of you, seriously, three outstanding fish courses.
25:58Thank you, Chef. Thank you, Chef. Thank you.
26:00Now, each of you only have one dish left,
26:02which is a vegetable meat entree.
26:04Final course, guys. Yes, Chef.
26:06Here's the good news, the platform will remain
26:08so you can grab ingredients throughout the final cook.
26:11Megan, you'll be at the platform first.
26:14With just over 36 minutes, first choice, you name it, you got it.
26:18Austin, young man, you've got 33½ minutes.
26:22Beatrice. Yes, Chef.
26:24You've got just under 33½ minutes.
26:28Very best of luck to all three of you. Thank you, Chef.
26:30Head to the elevator. I'll see you there shortly.
26:32Good luck, guys.
26:34Run through the finish line, OK? Got it.
26:36Finish strong.
26:38Here's the crazy thing. All the fish were cooked perfectly.
26:40They each have a vegetable that's slightly undercooked.
26:42And that's where we're at right now.
26:44It's all going to come down the upstairs.
26:46The last elevator ride.
26:48Last one!
26:50I feel so pumped and ready to cook.
26:53I love the top kitchen. It is definitely my playground.
26:56I can't wait to do some magic up there.
26:58Oh, the old top level.
27:00I'm just going to stay concentrated, focused.
27:02This is going to be my time to shine.
27:04And I'm going to fully shine.
27:06OK. Hello, Chef.
27:08Let's go, guys. Come over.
27:10Right, line up, please. Line up.
27:12Right, let's have a quick chat.
27:16Final cook, OK?
27:18One cook away from becoming our next-level chef.
27:22Yes!
27:24You've each cooked two incredible courses.
27:26And right now, any one of you can win this competition.
27:28Meg, you'll go first.
27:30You have just under three minutes on your own there, Meg.
27:32Megan, on your mark.
27:34Get set.
27:36Go, Meg!
27:38Go!
27:40The first thing I see is a beautiful rack of lamb.
27:42Look at that!
27:44Done. Thank you.
27:46Austin, 230 away, yes?
27:48Yes, Chef.
27:50Grab what you want.
27:52I'm grabbing mini rainbow beets, asparagus, and lemon.
27:54Anything you want.
27:56Save some for us, huh?
27:58Full two minutes, Megan's at the platform grabbing everything green.
28:00Like, damn!
28:02How you feeling, buddy?
28:04You know it, Chef. You know it.
28:06This is grocery shopping.
28:08To basically go grocery shopping instead of fighting and throwing elbows for ingredients.
28:10Austin, five, four, three, two, one.
28:12Let's go, Austin.
28:14OK, grab your protein, young man.
28:16I cannot believe that Megan passed up a ribeye
28:18to go for fricking lamb.
28:2016 seconds, Beatrice.
28:22Yes, hurry!
28:24If Beatrice sees a truffle, she's going for it.
28:26So I want to try and throw her off her game a little bit.
28:28Give me that truffle, baby.
28:30Five, four, three, two, one.
28:32Let's go!
28:34Off you go.
28:36Pork chop.
28:38Love that. Really good.
28:40I'm grabbing cabbage, onions, red miso.
28:42I got literally everything I want.
28:44OK, OK, OK, OK. Let's go, let's go, let's go!
28:46Final round.
28:48Make it count.
28:50Yes, Chef.
28:5231 minutes to go.
28:54Right, Meg, what did you grab?
28:56I grabbed that rack of lamb, Chef.
28:58So we're going to roast the rack.
29:00I want to put panko crust on there.
29:02I want to throw some herbs in there.
29:04And then get that in the oven.
29:06Yes, Chef.
29:08I don't have time to waste.
29:10I need to get the rack of lamb in the oven
29:12as soon as humanly possible.
29:14If it's undercooked, it's absolutely ruined,
29:16and that's not how I'm going to make next level, Chef.
29:18Please, final dish.
29:20Good to see you up here again, Chef.
29:22You have someone who knows her plating.
29:24You remember these nerve-wracking moments.
29:26This was when it really felt real.
29:28Should we check in?
29:30Yes, let's do it, Chef.
29:3226 minutes to go, guys.
29:34Beatrice, more motivation for you.
29:36Hello, Gabby!
29:38I love your energy.
29:40So, Beatrice, you have this Japanese theme going on.
29:42100%.
29:44How do we round off this menu?
29:46I'm going to top Sando with this milk bread I have here.
29:48I'm going to make a nice barbecue sauce, Chef.
29:50I love it.
29:52You know, it might look simple in, like, execution,
29:54but it's really not.
29:56We're taking a risk. Yeah, big risk, big reward, right?
29:58Yes, Chef.
30:00A fried sandwich for the last cook?
30:02Risky? Yes.
30:04Kind of impressive? Maybe.
30:06Good luck, young lady.
30:08Yes, Chef.
30:10Austin.
30:12How are you doing, Austin?
30:14I'm going to make a paragord truffle sauce,
30:16and I'm also just going to make it rain with truffles on top.
30:18I mean, nothing speaks elegance other than truffles on a plate.
30:20You love to travel.
30:22So, you know, is that what this menu is speaking to?
30:24I mean, I've never been to France before,
30:26but I studied in French culinary school in Chicago,
30:28so this is kind of a homage to living in Chicago.
30:30Right, young man,
30:32this is just under 17 minutes to go, okay?
30:34Yes, Chef.
30:36Use that truffle wisely, right?
30:38I have so much truffle here.
30:40How are you doing, Megan?
30:42I'm doing good, Gabby. How are you?
30:44How is this dish tying in with your other dishes today?
30:46Like kind of the Northwest seasons.
30:48Now I really want to go winter with the lamb.
30:50Things I find in my garden,
30:52I grow garlic in my garden and beets.
30:54Speak in my language, Megan.
30:56Garden, veggies.
30:58Lamb is a little bit gamey.
31:00How are we going to tone that down?
31:02The sweetness from the roasted beets,
31:04a balsamic glaze.
31:06Good luck, girl.
31:08Thank you so much.
31:10Thank you, Chef.
31:12Thank you for the inspiration.
31:14Thank you, Chef.
31:16See you later.
31:1814 minutes to go.
31:20You okay?
31:22Yeah, I just burned.
31:24I'm actually hurting pretty darn good.
31:26How's that hand, Donny?
31:28Show me your hand, please.
31:30Oh, my God.
31:32Everything is at stake in this cook,
31:34and I'm cooking it practically one-handed.
31:36Would you admit it?
31:38Yeah.
31:44My hand really hurts.
31:46This is the most monumentally inconvenient thing
31:48that could happen right now,
31:50but I can't stop cooking.
31:52There's no time for me to be down for the count.
31:54Six minutes to go.
31:56Lamb should come out?
31:58Not yet, not yet.
32:00Hold your nerve right to the very last minute.
32:02Yes, Chef.
32:04Austin, that's a caramelized onion puree, right?
32:06Yeah, I hit it with brandy as well.
32:08That's way too thin.
32:10Yeah, so it's on the stove right now.
32:12At this point, it just looks like a cream.
32:14It's not a puree.
32:16What happened there? Did you just add too much cream?
32:18Yeah, absolutely.
32:20You can always add, but you can't take away.
32:22This puree has to be perfect,
32:24otherwise this dish could set off my whole menu.
32:26Is it worth caramelizing them down
32:28and then adding them to it?
32:30In fact, if you're not happy with that getting too thin,
32:32I'm just worried.
32:34Don't ask questions.
32:36So I have to sweat off some more onions as fast as I can.
32:38I am totally up against this entire cook at this point.
32:40Bring forward some really nice flavors.
32:42Two minutes, guys.
32:44Yes, Chef.
32:46Start plating.
32:48Dishes sound amazing.
32:50Look at me. You need to plate now.
32:52Down to the wire. 60 seconds to go, yes?
32:54Come on, you three.
32:56Take it home, yes?
32:58This is literally the slice of my life.
33:00What I need to see is perfectly pink,
33:02rare lamb.
33:04Show me.
33:06Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.
33:0830 seconds.
33:10Make it count. Come on.
33:12Finish with salt, darling.
33:14Finish with salt, Chef.
33:16On the plate. Good. Well done.
33:18Come on, guys. Final push.
33:2010, 9, 8,
33:227, 6,
33:245, 4,
33:263, 2,
33:281, and stop.
33:32Very good.
33:36Well done, you guys.
33:42Hi, Richard and Ayesha.
33:44Welcome back.
33:46That was one of the most exciting
33:48finale final cooks.
33:50What a performance.
33:52We've got some incredible dishes for you to taste.
33:54Let's start off with this beautifully herbed
33:56crusted rack of lamb, served with roasted beets,
33:58done with a beautiful reduction,
34:00cooked by Megan.
34:02Visually, I don't think I've seen a rack of
34:04lamb cooked this well on Next Level, Chef.
34:06Even the other parts of the plate, it's just a classic.
34:12The lamb is cooked perfectly,
34:14and the sweetness of the beets
34:16is really, really appropriate.
34:18It's an incredible dish, and maybe your best one
34:20of the whole competition. Thank you.
34:22Lamb is cooked absolutely
34:24beautifully. The sort of roundness
34:26of the choux, it's just really impeccable.
34:28It's a dangerous move, sweet
34:30beets with an expensive lamb.
34:32But it actually works.
34:34The sauce could be a touch less reduced, but really well done.
34:36Thank you so much. Thank you.
34:38Our second dish was cooked by Beatrice.
34:40This is a modern take
34:42on a katsu sando.
34:44Breaded, beautifully cooked pork chop,
34:46barbecue sauce, with a cabbage slaw.
34:48It reads street food with
34:50confidence, which I love.
34:56Evidence
34:58a sandwich can hold its own
35:00with a more fine dining presentation.
35:02This is a textural wonderland.
35:04You have soft, you have crunchy,
35:06and a flavor wonderland. You have salty,
35:08you have sweet. Good job.
35:10I prefer the bread just to be a little bit more
35:12rolled out, so it's sort of
35:14the ratio works. But the pork is
35:16cooked deliciously. Thank you. Really well done.
35:18Finally, this is a ribeye, cooked by
35:20Austin. Caramelized onion puree
35:22finished with cream, and a sauce
35:24Perigord, classic French
35:26cuisine. I can see the luxury with
35:28all of the truffles on this plate. It might
35:30be a little less refined than
35:32some of the plates that I've seen from you, but you can
35:34tell that it's going to be delicious with all of that sauce.
35:40Very classic flavors together, really smart.
35:42I definitely see you on this plate.
35:44The perfume of the
35:46aroma and the truffles is, it's
35:48just captivating. Sauce Perigord,
35:50just incredible. Really
35:52smart use of making a statement
35:54in a finale dish.
35:56The truffle brings a lot of flavor to this sauce.
35:58The puree is a little
36:00nondescript, to be honest. But again, the truffle
36:02brings so much luxury to this dish.
36:04You cook with such
36:06intelligence. The flavor profile
36:08is there. The sauce Perigord is exceptional.
36:10Right now,
36:12Richard, Naisha, and myself need a
36:14moment to really understand the balance
36:16of all three dishes together, and then
36:18announce our next level
36:20chef winner. This is
36:22going to be a very tough decision.
36:24Please, head to the lounge.
36:26Thank you, chefs.
36:30It's never easy, is it? It's never easy.
36:32Shall we start
36:34with Beatrice? She had the
36:36clearest vision, which I didn't
36:38expect. That Japanese essence
36:40was there across every course. Played it like
36:42she's been cooking in Japanese restaurants for 20 years.
36:44She hasn't even been alive for 20 years.
36:46No, exactly that. I think her first course was the most
36:48successful out of the menu. Second course
36:50for me was the most lacking.
36:52Sweet potato was thoroughly undercooked.
36:54Yeah. Megan. Kudos
36:56as her mentor, because this girl
36:58has been cooking like an absolute pro.
37:00The theme of Megan's food was about
37:02the seasons of the Northwest,
37:04and the scallops were exceptional. It's just a shame
37:06there was so much garnish with that sea bass and those
37:08undercooked green beans. Yeah, it's almost like
37:10she got through the sea bass quick to get
37:12to have more time for the bean.
37:14Yeah, but I think this lamb is the best entree out of
37:16all three tonight. 100%.
37:18Austin, the theme was about his travels.
37:20He oozes sophistication.
37:22You think of that red prawn dish at the beginning,
37:24then the salmon. Austin's first two dishes
37:26were unbelievable. He's very technical.
37:28His least technical dish
37:30was this final dish where he got
37:32tripped up a little bit. Yeah.
37:34But his shrimp was so beautiful.
37:36The plating, stunning.
37:38It's a tough one. It really is.
37:40Our chefs keep getting better and better.
37:42The competition keeps getting harder and harder.
37:44Two people from Team
37:46Blazer in the finals. This is coming down
37:48to the finest of details.
37:56We did good, guys. We did good.
38:06This has been a hell
38:08of a ride. This whole experience has
38:10already been life-changing.
38:14Oh, my God.
38:16It feels incredible
38:18seeing my brother, my best friend,
38:20all these amazing people.
38:22It's also very overwhelming.
38:24Oh, boy.
38:26What a night.
38:28These next couple of minutes are just gonna
38:30decide the future of
38:32one of us three, and I really,
38:34really, really want that to be me.
38:36All of you, take a moment and say this in.
38:38What an extraordinary performance.
38:44This has been the most impressive finale
38:46we've ever had.
38:48You should all be incredibly proud.
38:50Beatrice, you came into this competition as a young,
38:52tenacious 18-year-old,
38:54and you have risen brilliantly.
38:56Well done. Really well done.
39:00Austin, listen, you came into this competition
39:02a technically skilled chef, but what I love about
39:04your journey is all of the heart and soul
39:06that you've been pouring into it. Thank you, chef.
39:08Megan, you should be so proud of yourself.
39:10I know you're making a lot of home cooks
39:12and I'm very proud and very excited
39:14to see your journey ahead. Thank you so much.
39:18Okay, you three, we've come to a decision.
39:20One of you is on the brink
39:22of being crowned
39:24our next level chef.
39:26Winning that extraordinary
39:28year-long mentorship with Nyesha Arrington,
39:30Richard Blaisdell, and myself,
39:32and that comes with a check
39:34for a quarter of a million dollars.
39:36The winner
39:40of next level chef
39:42is...
39:44I want to win.
39:46I've never wanted to win anything as bad
39:48as I want to win right now.
39:50I've placed my knowledge on these plates.
39:52I threw down with the best of them.
39:54I cooked my ass off here.
39:56It would mean everything to me to win.
39:58I want to change the world, and this is gonna get me there.
40:00I'm doing this for me and my family.
40:02With a quarter of a million dollars,
40:04I can absolutely realize my dream.
40:06I am absolutely ready
40:08to be the next level chef.
40:10Congratulations goes to...
40:18Austin.
40:20Oh, my God!
40:22Oh, my God!
40:24Oh, my God!
40:26Oh, my God!
40:28Oh, my God!
40:34Good job.
40:36Really good job.
40:44Please, please, please, please.
40:46Thank you so much.
40:48I'm so proud of you.
40:50So proud of you.
40:52I can't believe it.
40:54Thank you so much.
41:00You made it so far.
41:02You did so good.
41:04I couldn't be prouder of your team, boys.
41:06Ladies and gentlemen, please give it up for our amazing
41:08Megan and Beatrice.
41:12I'm absolutely proud of myself.
41:14How far I've come, the self-doubt
41:16that I've let go of.
41:18Just because I didn't win the title
41:20doesn't mean I lost.
41:22Good job, babe. Good job.
41:24I just feel really happy and proud of myself.
41:26I 100% have let the world
41:28know who I am and what I represent
41:30through this competition.
41:32I put so much blood, sweat,
41:34and tears into my chef career and this is
41:36just all worth it.
41:38Just to be able to cook with the most amazing chefs,
41:40be mentored by the most amazing chefs.
41:42This is a lifetime
41:44memory I'll never forget.
41:46Oh, my God.
41:48I'm the next
41:50level chef.
41:52Oh, my God.
41:54I'm proud of you.
41:58Ladies and gentlemen, please give it up for
42:00our amazing winner, Austin.
42:04I'm so happy for
42:06Austin. This guy cooked
42:08with such control, finesse.
42:10The only one issue I've got with Austin
42:12is he's mentored.
42:14Richard Blaze is now the crown
42:16champion. Cheers. Well done.
42:18He's a bit like the Olympics. I can handle it
42:20once every four years.
42:22You did it, man.
42:24Amazing.
42:26We won. We did it. We finally
42:28won. Oh, my gosh.
42:30I'm so proud of Austin.
42:32Such an incredible chef. He's got a heart
42:34and goal. And Gordon,
42:36I now have a winner on Next Level
42:38Chef as well.