Suvechha Sarkar
Fox’s ‘Next Level Chef’ always refuses to play by the rules, combining raw culinary talent with nerve-racking twists and a kitchen stacked from top to bottom. Each episode of season 5 pushes chefs far beyond comfort zones, forcing them to prove that true skill isn’t about fancy tools but also about adaptability and creativity. At the helm of the cook-off are the judges/mentors: Nyesha Arrington, Richard Blais, and Gordon Ramsay. After the selection of the five professional chefs and five social media chefs in the first two auditions, episode 3, titled ‘Auditions – Home Chefs,’ is set to select the five home chefs for the draft.
The Eight Home Chefs Dive Into a High-Pressure Basement Kitchen Audition
The episode begins as the originally selected eight home chefs: Michael, Jared, Emerson, Elise, Earl, Diana, Danielle, and Amber, enter the Basement Kitchen for their audition. Accompanying them is the mentor Nyesha, while Richard and Gordon observe them from the lounge. Wasting no time, the judge announces their challenge for tonight: each contestant will have 20 minutes to make a delicious dish using leftover ingredients available on the platform during the ingredient grab. As the platform finally comes down, the home chefs rush to grab their components. Although Amber tries to take the chicken, she sadly loses it to another competitor. Similarly, Danielle gets the canned salmon, but she is not at all thrilled about it.
As the 20 minutes on the clock begin ticking, Nyesha makes her way to Danielle, who reveals her vision about her dish. After learning about it, Gordon and Richard quickly note that they truly like Danielle’s idea. Shortly after, Nyesha advises Elise to taste her meatloaf to ensure the seasoning is perfect. Meanwhile, the focus shifts to Jared, who reveals that he has never cooked canned ham before. In his confessional, he further reveals that he was originally a professional NFL player in the offensive lineman position for 12 years. It turns out Jared has played for 5 teams and began cooking in college. Now, he shares that he has become the lunch lady at his children’s school. Additionally, Jared is nervous because he has no catering experience and has never cooked in a professional kitchen.
Nyesha next arrives at Michael’s station, who can be seen dancing while cooking. He is soon revealed to be the person from a viral dance video where he was disguised as a security guard at the University of Tennessee. Michael is currently the choreographer for local high school musical theater departments and a home cook. With just 10 minutes left on the clock, the focus shifts to Diana, who is preparing canned beef, and she remarks that she will add a lot of spice to her food since she is a “spice queen.” Right after, Nyesha arrives at Earl’s station, where she learns that he is trying to prepare lasagna spring rolls. In his confessional, Earl opens up that he is a police officer and works in the security department of the school system.
Risky Flavors and Intense Judging Culminate in the Elimination of Michael
As time passes, Earl reveals that he has been divorced three times and has a son. He began cooking out of necessity to feed his son because his ex-wife used to cook all the food. After observing his rice sheets for the dish, Nyesha quickly suggests that he must rehydrate them. The mentor then moves on to Amber, who is making a flatbread, prompting Richard to remark that it is an automatic flex. With just 5 minutes remaining on the clock, Nyesha asks Michael how he is feeling. He quickly states that he is worried about not being worried at all. Meanwhile, Earl struggles to fit his rice sheets, which keep splitting. As the final few seconds tick away, Earl manages to prepare his spring rolls and plates them before the time comes to an end.
It is now time for all three judges to taste the preparations of each chef. They begin with Amber’s pork rib curry and flatbread, which receives praise from both Gordon and Nyesha. As the judges move on to Diana’s stir-fried canned beef, Richard and Gordon note that the dish is too spicy. Upon tasting Danielle’s canned salmon fried rice, Richard notes that it would be better with a bit more ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. While Jared’s elevated, canned mac and cheese receives great praise, Gordon compliments Elise for the caramelization on her meatloaf. Although Gordon next praises Emerson’s pork fried rice greatly, the judges point out that Earl’s choice of the ingredients was truly a tough grab. Nyesha elaborates that it is clear the nerves got hold of Earl a bit during the cook-off.
Lastly, the mentors taste Michael’s chicken moussaka, which Gordon points out has flavors all over the place. Similarly, Richard remarks that the dish’s texture is much softer than it should be. The judges then excuse themselves to discuss the dishes they have just tasted in more depth. After much consideration, Nyesha announces that the first three chefs to earn their way to the Middle Kitchen are Jared, Emerson, and Amber. Following them are Danielle, Diana, and Elise. The choice ultimately comes down to Earl and Michael, between whom Michael is unfortunately eliminated. In his exit interview, Michael expresses his gratitude for the opportunity to show others that he is more than just the dancing blue shirt guy. Although he has worn the apron of competition for only a short time, he is proud of himself.
Personal Memories and Culinary Risks Take Center Stage in the Middle Kitchen
The remaining home chefs now move on to the Middle Kitchen, where Gordon will be overseeing the round. He then announces that tonight, the contestants must make a dish for their loved ones for a special occasion, such as a birthday or anniversary, in just 20 minutes. After the competitors complete their ingredient grab, Gordon quickly asks them to start preparing their proteins. As cooking begins, Gordon arrives at Elise’s station, where it is revealed that she is a Sports Journalist who covers the NFL and is currently in her 14th season. Elise reveals that although she loves cooking, she has kept it a secret because it is often used as an insult against broadcasters. However, she is now ready to step into her chef era, motivated by her two children, whom she calls “little sous chefs.”
Elise is making naan from scratch, but she has never made it before. The focus then shifts to Diana, who is making Mexican mole, even though she knows there isn’t enough time to make it in large quantities. She discloses that her mother was an amazing Mexican home cook, and when her mother passed away, Diana began writing down her recipes to pass on to her children. Ultimately, Diana published it as a book, and for every recipe she makes, Diana feels her mother is with her. Gordon then approaches Earl, but the contestant says his dish is still in development. After hearing that, Gordon asks him to ensure his preparation becomes cohesive. Once 10 minutes on the clock pass, the focus turns to Danielle, who opens up that when she was pregnant with her beloved son, she was broke.
In her confessional, Danielle divulges that, since her son didn’t like baby food pouches, she began roasting plums and zucchini, which led to the birth of her cookbook. She continues that it paved the path for the chef to work on television, which ultimately changed her life. Danielle admits that as a chef, she is messy and disorganized, but she feels it is working. In the meantime, Gordon turns his attention to Emerson and advises him to put the capers inside the pan as soon as he can. In the remaining 5 minutes, Elise faces a predicament when she finds that the dough for her naan is too wet. As more time passes, she grows tense, noting that she definitely doesn’t want to serve the judges with just sausage. Thankfully, in the last few seconds, Elise prepares the naan and finishes plating her dish.
Criticism and Earl’s Bittersweet Farewell Set the Stage For the Top Kitchen Round
The tasting begins with Elise’s naan and caramelized sausage, and, to her delight, both Richard and Gordon note that she has prepared the bread beautifully. After tasting Diana’s mole, Nyesha points out that she needed more sauce, while Richard finds the clove in the dish overpowering. Right after, Emerson’s shrimp dish and Amber’s clam preparation receive immense praise from the judges. Similarly, Nyesha finds the flavor of Danielle’s lamb chops to be quite bold. After Richard tastes Earl’s turkey dish, he points out that it doesn’t feel like a complete preparation but rather a combination of different components. Likewise, Gordon remarks that he hoped there would be more magic with the protein. Lastly, they taste Jared’s steak pasta, prompting Richard to note that he loves the steak but would love more cooking on the sauce.
On the other hand, Gordon remarks that Jared has seared the steak like a professional chef. After a very detailed discussion, Gordon announces that the first five contestants who are moving on to the Top Kitchen are Amber, Elise, Danielle, Emerson, and Jared. The final decision narrows down to Earl and Diana, and much to her delight, Gordon reveals that Diana will be moving on. It means that Earl has to bid farewell to the contest. In his exit interview, Earl mentions that cooking on ‘Next Level Chef’ was different, but he did something pretty cool. The remaining competitors move on to the Top Kitchen for the final challenge of the night, with Richard overseeing the round. Richard informs everyone that, for this challenge, the contestants will have 25 minutes to create a dish in tribute to a personal hero.
The hero can be anyone, from a family member to someone they are a fan of. Once the ingredient grab concludes, the home chefs rush to their stations to begin preparing their dishes. One by one, Richard visits the contestants’ stations to learn who each is cooking for. With just 17 minutes left on the clock, the mentors suggest that Diana cook her chicken more quickly to ensure it is properly cooked and left to rest. Richard then moves on to Emerson, who considers his parents his heroes and is trying to respect his roots. In his confessional, Emerson reveals that, being a father of two daughters, he is surrounded by women. As Emerson opens up further, he reveals that he is passionate about cooking and that he was born in the Philippines. So, as his daughters get older, he wants to show them what his heritage is all about.
The Final Challenge of the Night Concludes as Diana Bids Goodbye
When Richard visits Amber at her station, she discloses that growing up, her father was in the military and would be gone for 4 to 6 months at a time. During that time, her mother struggled with her mental health, which resulted in Amber being sent to foster care when she was 14 years old. Amber continues that when her father returned, he fought hard to get her back, and hence, she considers him her hero. In her confessional, Amber divulges that during that time, she had to cook for herself, which led her to begin cooking. The focus then shifts to Elise as Richard warns her that the swordfish she is preparing cooks very quickly. Shortly after, Richard moves to Emerson’s station and reminds him not to overcook the pork tenderloin. With just 5 minutes remaining on the clock, the mentors ask Diana to check if her chicken is cooked properly.
Diana becomes concerned when she finds her chicken is still undercooked. Meanwhile, another predicament falls on Amber when she finds that the sauce for her duck has hardened. Without wasting any time, she replaces the sauce with the leftover she has in the pan. Each home chef finishes plating their dishes as the final few seconds tick away. It is now the time for the judges to taste the dishes, and they begin with Elise’s swordfish. Nyesha quickly praises the preparation, remarking that its spice is quite well-balanced. Danielle and Jared’s dishes also received immense compliments from the mentors for their efforts and flavors. Upon tasting Amber’s crispy-skinned duck breasts, both Gordon and Richard note that it lacks enough sauce.
Gordon praises the sauce of Emerson’s pork dish before finally moving on to taste Diana’s seared chicken. However, it leaves Gordon and Richard disappointed since it is undercooked in the middle. The judges eventually have a detailed discussion about the dishes they have tasted before Richard announces that the first four people to enter the draft are Emerson, Danielle, Elise, and Jared. The final person to make it to the draft is Amber, thus eliminating Diana. In her exit interview, Diana expresses that it is an honor for her to be here. She continues that it wasn’t her day to shine as she would have liked, but she is proud of her effort. Before the episode ends, Richard announces to the selected home chefs that the auditions were just a warm-up, and the real competition is now set to begin.
Read More: Next Level Chef Season 5 Premiere Recap: Auditions – Pro Chefs
