Next Level Chef Season 4 Episode 3 Recap: Pro Chef Auditions

After two absolutely intense episodes of jaw-dropping auditions and ruthless eliminations, Fox’s ‘Next Level Chef’ has gotten the fire going hotter than ever. In episode 3, titled ‘Pro Chef Auditions,’ it is finally time for the professional chefs to take center stage and battle their way for a spot in a team led by one of the three best-known faces in the culinary world: Gordon Ramsay, Nyesha Arrington, and Richard Blais. Unlike the social media chefs and home cooks, these contestants are all formally experienced and are expected to deliver the perfect dishes under extreme conditions. With the constant build-up of pressure, it is only a matter of time before it is finally revealed who has enough expertise to dominate the kitchen.

The First Round in the Kitchen is Marked With Chaos and Clashes

Richard takes charge as the contestants step into the rugged Basement Kitchen for the first challenge, setting the bar high from the beginning. The chefs are tasked with transforming scraps and leftovers into a soulful dish within the short time frame of just 20 minutes. Right from the very start, a bit of drama unfolds when Brandon Rogers mistakenly stands at Iman Kawa’s station, which she had freshly cleaned. She does not hold back and asks him to leave. To lighten the mood, Ash Delrosario suggests that everyone should take a deep breath while Ashley Applewhite also chimes in, reminding everyone that they have all been cleaning their stations. Although Brandon chooses to walk away and be the bigger person, he is clearly offended by the moment.

As the clock starts taking down, Austin Beckett finds himself wrestling to cut through his core ingredient – a cod’s head. Seeing this, Richard swoops in and hands him a mallet as another tool to assist him. Meanwhile, Nyesha and Gordon, who are watching from a screen, note that Austin carries himself with a more professional edge than any of the 8 contestants. Amid the chaos, Iman makes a move with her Tuna dish, which Richard finds very intriguing. On the other hand, he also showers 18-year-old Beatrice Heirigs with words of encouragement, stating that if she wins, she will be the youngest contestant in the show’s history. However, jokingly, Gordon accuses him, over the screen, of trying to poach the participant for his own team already with such statements.

While all this is going on, Ashley continues running into trouble with her potatoes that are burning. At the last moment, she frantically moves from spot to spot, desperately trying to garnish her dish for the viewing area. Gordon and Nyesha both voice their concern in the watch room, pointing out that she is running out of time and has to finish plating her dish soon. Finally, the time for judging arrives. Gordon describes Brandon’s Roasted Chicken Carcass as “absolutely gorgeous,” with the other judges agreeing with this comment. However, Iman’s Tuna Scrap Taco and Ashley’s Crispy Pork Ribs fail to impress them. In the end, it comes down to a tough decision between these two contestants, and unfortunately for Ashley, her mistakes couldn’t be overlooked. The bone-dry texture of her dish ended up sealing her fate, cutting her time short. Nevertheless, she later expresses that she is truly blessed to have cooked on this platform and has fulfilled part of her dreams.

The Middle Kitchen Observes a Battle That Blended Both Panic and Mishaps

With Nyesha in charge, the participants arrive at the Middle Kitchen for the next battle. Here, she asks them to create a next-level daily special dish with low-cost ingredients that the judges would be proud to put on one of their restaurant menus. Soon after, an unexpected comment from Brennan Dates, asking if anyone is feeling too excited, sets an awkward tone in the kitchen just before the ingredient grab. Initially, his comment is met with deathly silence until Beatrice quickly shuts it down with a simple “no” for an answer. As the contestants dive into the preparation of their dishes from the viewing room, Richard takes note of Ryan Scanlon’s precise knife work while watching him on the screen.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Nyesha also compliments Ryan on his skills and praises Iman for staying so focused. Behind the scenes, Gordon and Richard continue to watch every step of the contestants closely. The latter states that he is keeping Beatrice on his radar and also admits that if he has to choose one pick, Austin is a top choice. Gordon also expresses he is struggling to make his own selection because the potential among all these chefs is truly commendable. As the 20-minute cook inches towards the end, nervousness starts creeping in some of the pros, and Brandon visibly tenses. On the other hand, Brennan finds himself in a tricky situation with his Tri-tip and is quite worried about whether he will be able to finish his dish on time. Both the judges in the watch room also voice their worries regarding the same amongst themselves, and this worry only deepens when they see Ash attempt a fusion dish.

According to Richard, there is fusion, and then there is confusion, and for them, Ash seems a little unclear on what she wants from her dish. With just five minutes left on the clock, disaster strikes Beatrice. Getting caught up in the rush, she grabs a scorching hot pan with her bare hand and ends up dropping her meatballs. Nyesha encourages her not to give up and to keep pushing. As the judges start to consider their elimination pick, all of them agree on one fact: most chefs have impressive elements in their dishes, but panic has led them to overcomplicate things. In the end, the first two individuals to secure their spot in the Top Kitchen from here are Austin and Ryan. Iman, Brandon, and Beatrice soon followed them, leaving Ash and Brennan at the bottom two. In the final decision, Ash gets eliminated owing to the failure of her Italian-Chinese Fusion dish. She ends up describing her time in the competition as a great adventure.

The Final Showdown Demands Precision and Flawless Execution

In the Top Kitchen, the remaining chefs are welcomed by Gordon, who puts them to the ultimate test- the contestants have to create a Michelin star-worthy dish that will finally earn them a spot in one of the judges’ teams. As soon as he announces the challenge, Brennan begins feeling its daunting weight. According to him, creating a fine dining masterpiece within just 20 minutes is quite challenging. Just moments after the timer starts, Beatrice finds herself in a bit of a predicament. She fails to find a lighter, and without hesitation, she turns to Gordon and asks for one. This is ultimately met with his signature fiery response, “I am your mentor, not your b*tch.” Instead of being rattled, she grins ear to ear in her confession and showcases her excitement at being cussed at by him. She discloses that it has been one of her lifelong dreams.

Meanwhile, Iman runs into a more serious issue when she discovers that she has nothing to make a sauce that could be paired with the dish she had in mind. This realization sends her into a fright, and she shows her confusion as to what she is going to put on the plate. As Nyesha and Richard further observe the contestants on the screen, the latter does not hide his admiration for Ryan’s speed and skill. On the other hand, Brennan’s confidence starts to waver as he starts feeling his idea slip through his fingers. With the clock running, his dish seems less refined by the second to him. With just five minutes left on the clock, Richard remarks that there are only three people with proper chef energy- Austin, Ryan, and Beatrice.

With the final countdown, Iman finds herself in a full-blown panic since her plate is incomplete and is still missing a crucial element. She realizes that she is in trouble. Finally, the time arrives for the judges to conduct their toughest deliberation. They unanimously praise Austin’s Fillet Mignon and also agree that Ryan and Beatrice have delivered strong performances. All three of these participants finally end up securing their spot in the draft and are soon followed by Brandon, leaving just two chefs at the edge. Between Iman and Brennan, the judges let go of Brennan since they believed his dish felt unfinished and lacked cohesion between the ingredients. With all the auditions over and draft picks set, it is now only a matter of time until we see who the judges will select for their individual teams and who will prevail at the end of the season.