Next Level Chef Season 4 Episode 6 Recap: Shoyu My Ramen

Following the incredibly talented home cook Cathy Cann’s elimination in episode 5 of Fox’s ‘Next Level Chef,’ the pressure is definitely on for all remaining chefs to always be on their A-game. Even a slight slip-up or time management could cost them their position in this competition and their chance to walk away with not just $250,000 but also a year-long mentorship with the renowned judges. After all, it is Chef Gordon Ramsay, Chef Nyesha Arrington, and Chef Richard Blais who lead them, and episode 6 – ‘Shoyu My Ramen’ – only brings the importance of their presence to center stage.

With Every Round, The Contestants Are Evidently Raising the Bars

Despite all the excitement to jump straight into the kitchen for the next challenge the moment all chefs and judges step onto the set, this episode begins with a bit of bad news. Gordom Ramsay announces that a member of his team, Megan Sheley, will no longer be participating in the competition owing to a medical complication. He asserts that while this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and they are improving at every step, mentors like him, Nyesha, and Richard are there to help them thrive in all aspects, meaning they will take care of their health, too.

This leaves Team Ramsay with just 3 members, whereas Team Arrington and Team Blais have 4 and 5, respectively, but the former wasn’t afraid, adding that this only solidifies his vision of a young team. Team Blais’ professional chef Brandon Rogers then remarks that while that may be true, the only thing that shakes him is the fact he has almost 20 years on Team Ramsay’s professional chef Beatrice Heirigs. After all, while he is 36, she is just 18. It is only then that Gordon reveals the challenge – to bring on the flavor of Japan by making a Ramen dish in 25 minutes, something that can be elevated to fine dining or just a struggle meal.

This excites every single player, but Team Blais’ professional chef Austin Beckett, in particular, is over the moon about it, especially considering he had been to Japan just a few weeks prior. As if that’s not enough, he had spent most of his meals there gorging on ramen, including waiting for an hour to try what is said to be the best Ramen in Tokyo. However, this excitement simmers down a little when Gordon reveals a catch – the platform for the ingredients will not stop at any level, meaning each team would have to grab items while it is still moving up and down.

Chaos and Panic Are The Two Primary Sentiments During the Beginning of the Cook

With 25 minutes on the clock, the teams get into position, with Team Ramsay being on the Top Level thanks to Beatrice’s top dish in the previous challenge. Team Blais’ is on the Middle Level owing to Brandon surviving the elimination round last time, and Team Arrington is at the Basement Level since Cathy was a part of this group and was eliminated last time. Then, as the platform begins lowering, the teams rush to it so as to grab the best possible produce they can get their hands on, but a few individuals panic and just grab whatever they see first.

This results in Team Ramsay’s home cook Arnav Kamulkar grabbing the imitation crab, professional chef Ryan Scanlon getting his hands on the beef filet, and Beatrice getting the pork tenderloin. As for Team Blais, home cook Maryam Ishtiaq gets the monkfish, home cook Megan Keno has the salmon, social media influencer Jeff Kim picks up the chicken, and Brandon scores the Tiger Shrimp. However, while Austin manages to get his hands on the ground pork with a clear concept in mind, just as the platform is lowering, the produce falls out of his apron and right on o the railing board.

Then comes Team Arrington, where Nyesha’s Ninjas are already determined to get out of the basement and prove their mettle. So, while social media influencer Bobby Hicks goes for the first thing he sees, pig tails, professional chef Iman Kawa grabs the duck breasts, home cook Natalia Gutierrez gets the hot dogs, and social media influencer Becca Guevara picks the black cod. As for what happens as the platform goes up again, Maryam believes luck is on her side as she gets the ingredients she wants, whereas Austin manages to drop sake too. That’s when Brandon realizes something is wrong and actually picks his teammate Austin’s protein from the raiking so that he can clean and actually cook it.

The Cook is a Mix of Frazzled Moments and Calm Motivations

While Bobby is truly living up to the reputation he has established on the show by motivating his teammates while calmly cooking himself, others struggle to even get an idea of where to start. Arnav, in particular, can’t believe he grabbed crabs instead of a better protein because now he is worried he won’t have enough flavor, whereas Megan has crushed noodles that she knows won’t nearly be enough to make a proper Ramen. Nevertheless, they both power through, just like the rest of the players as they tell their mentors precisely what they plan on making and how.

That’s when Brandon reveals that he is the eldest of six children, so he was responsible for feeding and helping out his siblings while his mother worked, and so a broth is something he knows how to make. He also becomes the first-ever chef to use a pressure cooker in ‘Next Level’ history. Similarly, Maryam expresses that her daughters are huge fans of her broth, but this is a challenge for her because she has to make it in 25 minutes when she usually takes 24 hours at home. The mid-level platform drops also change the trajectory of the cook as Austin’s luck finally changes when he gets his hands on white miso, and Maryam gets homemade noodles.

Becca, though, is left noodle-less. So, she decides to make use of her Asian-German background – her father is from the Philippines – and handmake some noodles herself even though less than 5 minutes are left on the clock. As for Iman, she shares how she is determined to shine through in the show because cooking is her passion. In fact, she worked two jobs just to be able to cook at one point; she spent mornings in a bakery and cooked in a kitchen at night, sleeping in Central Park in between to get her rest. In the end, everyone is literally rushing to the platform to submit their dishes, with Becca, Maryam, and Beatrice barely making it.

The Mentors’ Judgements and a Japenese Fusion Dish Decides Who Will Be Eliminated Next

As the judges taste all the dishes presented before them one by one, they are incredibly impressed by the different flavor profiles and techniques evident. However, since it is a competition, they also have to be fair, so the dishes that miss the mark in terms of flavor, balance, or just intensity are pointed out too. Arnav’s crab ramen, Maryam’s monkfish special, and Megan’s salmon dish are the ones they point out as not being up to the mark. On the flip side, they really praise Becca’s handmade noodles, the flavor of miso and the intensity of Austin’s broth, and the overall incredible flavor profile of Bobby’s pigtail ramen. However, it is Beatrice’s class tenderloin ramen that takes the best dish.

So Team Ramsay escapes elimination once again, but Beatrice then goes towards the kitchen door to tease her mentor, indicating she is ready to cook all over again. But then comes the hard part of Nyesha and Richard having to pick someone to send into elimination. Richard picks Maryam as he had noticed how she wasn’t thinking on her feet or working quickly during the cook, whereas Nyesha decides to take a page out of his book and send in one of her best chefs, Iman. Then, they are told their challenge is to create a Japanese fusion dish that will blow the judges away.

While Iman settles on a wagyu taco with Japanese flavors, Maryam decides to cook what she and her husband prefer on their date nights – wagyu steak with potatoes, mushroom, and miso. Thus, Iman’s dish is a Japanese-Mexican fusion, whereas Maryam’s is Japanese-Fresh-American. But alas, despite her torching her wagyu and Iman burning her hand during the cook, it is the challenge prompt that decides who will go home. The judges didn’t really get a Japanese or fusion flavor from Myram’s dish, so she is eliminated. Nevertheless, she asserts that she is proud of putting herself, her family, and her culture on the global map with her participation and is excited to go home to her daughters.