Next Level Chef Season 4 Episode 11 Recap: Tapas In

With the competition narrowed to just seven talents in Fox’s ‘Next Level Chef,’ its season 4 episode 11 kicks everything into high gear. Titled ‘Tapas In,’ it begins as the judges/mentors reiterate that only three of them will make it all the way to the finale. In other words, they tell them that it is now time to put their best foot forward at every turn. The margin for error thins with every challenge, especially as there is $250,000 and a year-long mentorship with the show’s elite mentors – Gordon Ramsay, Richard Blais, or Nyesha Arrington – on the line.

Tensions Rise as a Contestant Makes a Bold Move

After the episode commences with a reminder of the ultimate goal, Beatrice reveals she is determined to win because that money will help her achieve her dreams. She plans to use the money as an investment, open her own establishment, and eventually become a full-on restaurateur. Richard then notes that Austin is feeling under the weather, yet encourages him by making sure he still gives the cook his all. Meanwhile, Nyesha remarks that Bobby is the only chef left from her original team and adds that she loves his fierce side as much as she loves his kindness. Finally, Gordon announces that for the day’s challenge, the chefs will have 30 minutes to create two Tapas dishes (Spanish appetizers), with one centering on meat and the other on seafood. Thanks to the results of the previous cook, Beatrice and Bobby will be in the Top Kitchen, with Gordon as their mentor. On the other hand, Megan, Brandon, and Austin will cook in the Middle with Nyesha, whereas Ryan and Arnav will compete in the Basement with Richard.

It is after this that Gordon asks Beatrice what she plans on doing with the Time Token she had rightly earned in the previous cook. Her response is savage and shows that she is here to win. Instead of adding 10 extra seconds for herself in the platform grab, she takes away that time from Austin because she feels he is her fiercest competitor. She kicks him while he is already down, particularly as he had made it clear that he feels as if he is on 60% capacity that day. This angers him since she had already tried to sabotage him in the previous challenge by taking the protein he had admitted he wanted. Yet, she believes he should take it as a compliment.

The contestants then make their way to their respective floors for the cook-off, and that’s where Austin admits that he has taken her decision personally. While Austin is motivated to prove himself in the face of adversity, Arnav is admittedly nervous about cooking in the Basement after so long, since it is known for getting the worst/least desirable ingredients in an already bad setting. When the judges/mentors arrive at their kitchens, all chefs are ready to make the most of the time they have, with Austin adding he will use the lost 10 seconds as his driving force. That’s when the platform slowly starts descending, with the Top Kitchen getting the opportunity to grab the best of the best elements while the Middle and Basement have to work with what’s left.

Owing to the time penalty, though, Austin not only gets stuck with muscles as his seafood grab but is also unable to get his hands on some important citruses and herbs, which makes him nervous. Meanwhile, in the Basement, Arnav gets the lamb kidneys while Ryan grabs the pig ears for their meat, both of which are not their desired choices at all. As the countdown of 30 minutes begins on the clock, the former panics a little as he has no idea how to cook the lamb kidney, but thankfully, Richard guides him by suggesting he put it on a skewer. Then, when Ryan also admits that he has never worked much with pig ears, the mentor calmly tells him to treat it just like bacon, enabling him to move forward. At the Top level, Beatrice discloses to Gordon that she chose Austin because she believes him to be her biggest competition, unaware that he is struggling in the Middle to even conceptualize his seafood dish. Just like Richard, even though Austin is not a member of Nyesha’s team, she doesn’t hesitate to give him ideas, which he immediately embraces.

As the Clock Continues Ticking, Some Mishaps Create Panic For the Chefs

With 18 minutes left, Nyesha comes to Brandon to understand his vision for the day, only to admit she has never heard of whipped cream with octopus as a pairing before. Nevertheless, she encourages him to follow his creativity if that’s what he wants, with the gentle advice to just keep on tasting his menu as it comes together. Then comes the mid-round ingredient grab, wherein the chefs must choose components to prepare either an alcoholic or non-alcoholic sangria to go wth their Tapas. This time, Austin is careful about his grab and ensures to get all the components he needs for not only his drink but also his dish – he plans on utilizing them in a way that ties everything together. As time passes, Nyesha lets Brandon know that his meatballs have started to char on the grill, which puts pressure on him since he had planned on placing them in the oven, and he doesn’t want them to burn. In the meantime, Bobby reveals that as a former bartender in New York City, he once had over 1200 cocktail recipes locked in his memory, yet since he has been proudly sober for over 10 years, it is a little challenging for him to recollect the recipe for the perfect sangria.

Back in the Basement, Richard cautions Arnav about the lamb kidneys on his pan, just for the latter to note that while some of his skewers already look burnt, others seem undercooked. Simultaneously, another predicament arises at the Top Kitchen as Bobby realizes he failed to wash his salt cod before cooking them, so his fritters are now overly salty. As he thinks of ways to maybe cancel it out with another component, maybe his sangria, his rag catches on fire, and he doesn’t even notice. It is Gordon who helps put this fire out, making it clear the social media chef turned aspiring professional is feeling overwhelmed. In the Middle, Nyesha begins tasting the preparations by the chefs and advises them on how to make things better in terms of seasonings, cook time, and more. Then, with just 90 seconds left on the clock, she remembers Brandon’s wagyu meatballs and asks him about them, just for him to realize they were still in the oven. As he rushes to take them out, he ends up dropping all the extras he had made, meaning he can’t taste test his dish, which frustrates him to no end.

Thankfully, Brandon manages to plate the 3 meatballs he saved. After all the contestants rush to successfully place both their dishes as well as their sangrias on the platform, it comes time for the judges to taste. One by one, they go through the carefully prepared menus by the talents, going from Basement to Middle to Top, before excusing themselves to have a much-needed discussion. That’s when they unanimously agree that Megan’s chicken thighs and oysters, as well as Austin’s filet and mussels, are absolutely delicious. When Nyesha reveals the name of the chef who prepared the latter, both Richard and Gordon are left impressed since he had so much going against him that day. However, since they have to decide the good and the bad, they then point out that Bobby’s fritters were too salty, Brandon’s meatballs were burnt, and Arnav’s lamb kidney skewers were unevenly cooked.

The Pressure Mounts as Three Contestants Head to Elimination

After an intense discussion, the mentors come back to the chefs and announce that Austin’s dish is the first to earn its place in the Top Kitchen for the next challenge. This prompts Beatrice to state in her confessional that this is why she used the Time Token against him, only to then begin worrying because she knows that if he now gets the Token, he will definitely use it on her. The second chef to earn their place in the Top Kitchen is then announced to be Megan, and she is the one who ends up with the Time Token owing to his flawless cooking this time around. Then, Gordon makes the dreaded announcement, listing the names of the three chefs heading into the elimination round – Brandon, Arnav, and Bobby. For their challenge, it is revealed that the cuisine will stay in Spain for a little while longer, but now, they will have a mere 25 minutes to create a delicious and next-level Paella.

As these three chefs on the chopping block head to the Top Kitchen, Arnav states in his confessional that since both Brandon and Bobby are formidable opponents, his plan is to just make sure he doesn’t get into his head. Bobby then asks his fellow contestants to help him along the way because he has never cooked paella before, and every single one who is not cooking in this round agrees to guide him. While he and Arnav are tense, everyone notes that Brandon is incredibly calm. It turns out he once worked at a Michelin-star Spanish restaurant, so he knows he can cook paella even in his sleep. The ingredient grab eventually begins, and Gordon advises them to make wise choices while choosing their three proteins. Although Brandon and Bobby manage to get all their desired components, Arnav fails to find white wine, which he knows is needed to impart bold flavor and depth in the rice. He gets nervous, but he quickly thinks of an alternate solution that doesn’t require wine or any sort of alcohol at all. Then, as Bobby begins his cook, his fellow competitors on the sidelines guide him through every step.

When Gordon comes to Brandon and asks if he has cooked Paella before, he discloses that he is well-versed with it and should have no problem with this cook at all. Meanwhile, Austin cautions Bobby to make sure his rice is not soupy yet still fully submerged in his broth. Then, when the mentor discovers that Arnav did not get white wine or any alcohol to pair with his dish, he grows concerned until he hears of his alternate plan. With just 12 minutes left on the clock, Bobby is worried because his dish is still very runny, so he takes some of the broth out to ensure everything is cooked in time, only for Gordon to soon approach. The professional lets him know that his rice needs the moisture and not to worry because it will evaporate as the cook continues, so he listens and pours some broth back in. As he hurries to get everything done, Ryan also cautions him about his octopus on the grill since it is very easy to overcook or burn.

The Day’s Tense Culinary Battle Ends in a Bittersweet Farewell

As the final two minutes start ticking on the clock, Bobby tastes his dish and realizes that all the liquid has indeed been absorbed in the rice, which pleasantly surprises him. Then, all three chefs fighting for their place in this competition rush to add their proteins to the pan before the time is up. Richard and Nyesha subsequently arrive in the kitchen for the final tasting of the day, and Gordon notes that it was an electrifying performance by all three contestants. Upon having Arnav’s dish in this blind tasting, Richard remarks that he wishes it had a little more flavor, to which Nyesha agrees and adds it lacks depth. While they find no fault in Brandon’s paella, they remark that while Bobby’s preparation of the core dish is incredible, the octopus is slightly overcooked. Gordon then asks both judges for the dish they want to eliminate, which would send its maker back home.

To his dismay, Richard and Nyesha select Arnav’s paella owing to its lack of traditional flavor and depth – it just didn’t feel like a paella to them. Nevertheless, Gordon subsequently takes the opportunity to commend him on his performance in this competition despite being just 19 years of age. Arnav states that it is tough to say goodbye since he wanted to go all the way and win, but he is glad he came to prove to himself and to his parents that he belongs in the kitchen. He further adds that it has been an honor for him to cook alongside renowned culinary experts, but now his eyes are set on completing his college degree. With his departure, Gordon asks the contestant to rest well since the judges will be back once again with an intense challenge for the next episode.