Next Level Chef Season 4 Episode 13 Recap: Always Crust Your Instincts

The contestants continue to hone their skills as the fight for culinary greatness reaches a whole new level in Fox’s ‘Next Level Chef’ season 4 episode 13. Aptly titled ‘Always Crust Your Instincts,’ this installment has the kitchen cackling with tension as the semifinals kick off with twists and turns that no one expects. So, with the top 5 chefs just one step away from their ticket to the grand finale, they really give it their all in the kitchen this time around. After all, the stakes are not just the life-changing $250,000 grand prize but also about a coveted one-year mentorship under culinary legends: Gordon Ramsay, Nyesha Arrington, or Richard Blais.

The Semifinal Kicks Off With a Creative Twist on a Classic Dish

Almost as soon as the five remaining chefs step onto the set, Gordon announces that two of them will directly advance to the finals after the end of the day’s first challenge. The remaining three will battle in the elimination cook-off in the hopes of getting that one final spot. Richard then declares that for their semifinal challenge, they have to prepare a dish that Gordon himself has popularized in the past few years – Wellington. However, since simply recreating the dish would be a bit too easy, they have to make it without its traditional key protein of beef – in fact, the judges reveal that beef is not even going to be present on the platform. So, they have to add their own twist to the dish with a separate protein altogether, and for the first time this season, they are given a total of 35 minutes for the cook. In a confessional, Bobby recalled that he has made Wellington before, but it took him an entire day to prepare it, so doing so in 35 minutes would be a feat to say the least.

Thanks to their performance in the previous episode, Bobby and Brandron are cooking in the Top Kitchen with Nyesha for the day’s challenge. Upon being asked his decision for the Time Token he had earned, the latter carefully reveals that he has chosen to take away 10 seconds from Beatrice’s ingredient grab since she has messed with Austin when she had the same advantage. He essentially asserts that even though they are now fighting for themselves, they are still under the banner of Team Blais, so they will continue to look out for one another. Although the judges/mentors express concern, Beatrice confidently declares she will still manage to get a good grab. While Beatrice and Austin then step into the Middle Kitchen under Gordon’s watchful eye, Richard is the one to oversee Megan in the Basement. When the latter arrives in the kitchen, the home cook reveals her big secret. She informs him that she has prepared the dish multiple times, but she wasn’t going to say anything before so as to not have a target on her back, which leaves him delighted.

Meanwhile, Gordon explains in the Middle Kitchen how the secret to cooking the perfect Wellington is to wrap it tightly and get it in the oven on time. As Nyesha hypes the contestants up in the Top Kitchen, they prepare themselves for the crucial ingredient grab. Brandron reaches for the venison despite it being a delicate protien, remarking that he is not going to get to the final without taking a risk. Beatrice makes her choice 10 seconds later than Austin, owing to the time token. Although she chooses lobster first, she soon realizes salmon is the better option. When Megan ultimately receives the lobster, both she and Richard agree that it is a tough protein. As the clock starts ticking down, he advises her to trim the base of its tail to ensure it is uniformly cooked.

Pressure Gradually Arises as the Chefs Find Themselves in a Race Against the Clock

A predicament befalls Megan as soon as she puts her butter in the pan to start her cook. It suddenly goes up in high flames, only for Richard to swoop in and bring it down. With the fire in control, the mentor turns his attention to helping the chef chop owing to the lack of a food processer in the Basement. In the Middle Kitchen, Gordon remarks to Beatrice that he is glad she changed her decision to grab the salmon. He is also impressed with Austin’s vision idea and suggests getting his protein seared and rested as soon as possible to start wrapping it. However, at the Top, Bobby is panicking because he could not see any pasty during his grab, so preparing them himself has put him behind on time. Upon discovering the situation, Nyesha motivates him and asks him not to make silly decisions. Similarly, she also cautions Brandon not to overcomplicate his dish.

As Megan starts arranging the filling for her Wellington, Richard asks her to ensure the wrapping is really tight. He urges her to hurry up and put it in the oven, noting that the work she has done on it is wonderful. With 25 minutes left on the clock, Austin puts his dish in the oven and desperately hopes that by the time it is done, it’s perfectly cooked. Soon after, Brandon makes the horrific discovery that he has forgotten to put his mushrooms in the roll. Hence, he has to unwrap it and start the process again, which means he will miss out on some crucial moments. Similarly, Bobby seems to be growing more uncertain by the minute and is slowing down in his cook – for the first time this entire season, he seems to be doubting himself. Nyesha note thus and expresses her concern that he is out of sorts and needs to work everything out immediately. He hurries and reminds himself that he cannot give up just before the finale.

With just 18 minutes left, Nyesha asks Brandon to hurry and put his Wellington in the oven. After that is the mid-round drop, just for the contestants to find out that the platform is actually brining them messages from their families/biggest supporters. One by one they are left in tears thanks to the words of encouragement they get from their parents, aunt, grandmother, or partners, which subsequently rejuvenates them too. When there are just 6 minutes left on the clock, Richard prompts Megan to check whether her Wellington has started brown or not. It hasn’t, which leads her to wonder if she should deep fry it in order to cook it properly. However, the mentor asks her to keep this idea as a last resort. As the 4 minutes warning is made, Brandron also realizes that his puff pastry is still not brown, leaving him with no choice but to leave his Wellington the oven until the last possible moment. On the flip side, though, things seem to be looking up for both Beatrice and Austin since both find their dish completely ready.

Crucial Deliberations Lead to Three Very Different Personalities Entering the Elimination Round

Megan’s concern grows with every passing second as she continues to contemplate deep-frying her dish. Surprisingly, Richard also begins considering the option when the contestant notices that her pastry is browning. But then, within mere moments, they lets their worry rest as she discovers her dish to be completely cooked upon taking it out of the oven. However, to his dismay, even with a mere minute left, Brandon’s is still not cooked properly, leaving him with no choice but to still take it out for plating. As the 35 minutes come to an end, all 5 competitors manage to complete their dishes and place it on the platform, ready for tasting. Then there’s the actual tasting by the judges, where they don’t hold back because the entire point of this competition is to find the next best chef across the US.

Brandon is disappointed to find out that his dish is the only one that does not have a golden brown color. After carefully tasting the dishes, Gordon notes that this will be a very tough decision for the judges. During their discussion, Gordon points out that although Megan’s lobster is perfectly cooked, the pâté is too strong of an addition to the core protein. While all of them unanimously agree that Austin’s venison wellington is simply perfect, they also agree upon the fact that Beatrice’s use of salmon was really smart. However, Richard’s only issue with her dish is that it felt a little too salty owing to her sauce and other salmon additions. They further note that Brandon’s protien was undercooked, and that Bobby’s plate looked the least like the intended dish. After an intense deliberation, Gordon makes the most awaited announcement that the first individual to move on to the finale is Austin.

Austin is left in tears as he opens up about his feeling, sharing that he will quit his job a thousand times if he can get to where he is now. Gordon then announces that the second person to be in the finale is none other than Beatrice. However, he also lets everyone know that it was a close call between her and Megan, and the former got ahead simply because the problem in the latter’s dish was related to a slight proportion issue rather than just salt. This only motivates her to do better since she knows she has another chance to move forward. The mentors declares that Bobby, Megan, and Brandon will head to the elimination round, where they have to prepare an exceptional Michelin-star worthy dish. This challenge kicks Brandon’s confidence into high gear as he reveals he has worked in a Michelin Mexican restaurant before. Gordon joins them in the Top kitchen and states that he is going to guide them every step of the way.

Despite the Pressure, All 3 Chefs Give This Battle Their All

As all the contestants reach the Top Kitchen, Megan confesses that she has never been to a Michelin-star restaurant. Austin reassures her that all it takes is to know the concept. Gordon’s arrival marks the start of the ingredient grab for the elimination round. Brandon is more than satisfied with his grab since it will help him with his presentation and bold flavors, which Michelin-starred dishes are all about. While Bobby’s grab instantly creates the vision for his dish in his mind, Megan becomes the last person to take a protein. Luckily, she is quite happy to find a filet mignon. He approaches each contestant to understand what they want to prepare and is equally impressed with all of them. However, the mentor advises Bobby to sear his protein with butter and paste.

Gordon arrives to check Megan’s filet, which is already in the oven. Upon checking it, he notes that it is still rare and asks her to roll it over every minute. This has left Megan with an unsettling feeling since she is never going to know if the protein is completely cooked until she cuts it open. With just six and a half minutes left on the clock, the judge informs Brandon that his lamb is still rare and cautions him about the time. Meanwhile, Beatrice continues to encourage Bobby not to give in under pressure. However, he is really worried since his dish needs to be done right now because there is very little time left. In the final 2 minutes, Brandon is baffled to see that his lamb is not cooked properly. So, he wastes no time to sear it in the pan with oil over it. As the last few seconds start ticking, the contestants hurry to complete plating their dishes.

Small Mistakes End up Sealing the Fate of Two Talented Contestants

Nyesha and Richard arrive in the Top Kitchen as it is time for the menu tasting. The latter remarks that Megan’s filet mignon is cooked to perfection, but he feels the sauce is a little too much for him. On the other hand, Nyesha notes that she loves the dish’s approach. While tasting Bobby’s Halibut, both mentors narrow down on the fact that the sauce is too heavy for the fish. To his disappointment, the judge points out that Brandon’s lamb rack is unevenly cooked. After a very intense contemplation, Nyesha and Richard declare that they are sending the filet mignon in the finale since it is a little more cohesive than the other two dishes. Megan is delighted to be in the final three and is unable to express her emotions in words.

Unfortunately, this means Bobby and Brandon have to bid goodbye to ‘Next Level Chef’, but Gordon remarks that they have done an exceptional job. Nyesha expresses that she is proud of Bobby, who also shares the same feelings. In his exit interview, he states that this is the hardest thing he has ever done and is crying happy tears. Richard praises Brandon’s culinary skills, and Brandon expresses that this has been the best experience of his life. As they bid an emotional goodbye to everyone, Gordon congratulates the finalists on their incredible achievement. He reminds them about what is at stake now, setting hope for Richard. The mentor highly expects that with two finalists from his team, this may be the beginning of his reign on the show. All eyes are now on the grand finale to watch what culinary expertise the chefs will bring forth to pave their way to the grand prize.