All language subtitles for next.level.chef.s05e01.720p.web.h264-insidious_track3_[eng]

(GORDON RAMSAY, VOICE OVER)
For four seasons...

(DRAMATIC BEATS)

...this competition
has pushed chefs further...

- Damn!
- This is not next level cooking,

do you understand?

...than have ever
been pushed before.

- Agh!
- (GASPING)

We've seen underdogs rise.

I've dreamed about this
since I was a child.

I'm coming out a stronger chef

and I didn't even consider
myself a chef

- before this challenge.
- Heavyweights fall.

(HOLLERING WILDLY)

I'll take on anybody -
Pros, Home, their kids.

And champions earn their place
in Next Level history.

I put so much blood, sweat
and tears into my chef career,

and this is just all worth it.

(EMOTIONAL MUSIC)

But now,
as the platform drops...

...it's time to raise
the bar once more.

- (CHEERING)
- Season five.

- Good morning, chefs.
- New chefs.

I'm excited to the ROOFTOPS!

I feel like I'm in a dream.

- New challenges.
- Elevator's open!

Let's get the plates on here!

- Thank you, chef!
- Can I get a yee-haw?

(SHOUTING) Yee-haw!

USA! USA!

And the most intense
competition yet.

(ROARING) We want it ALL!

Don't push me, dude.

Team Blais
are the current champs.

Is it gonna be like this...
all season?!

- Because in these kitchens...
- Comin' through! Hot, hot, hot!

...chefs must face the good...

- That filet is mine.
- ...the bad...

(STRAINED) What am
I gonna do with this?

- ...and the ugly.
- (DRAMATIC BEAT)

There are monsters
on this platform.

('LEVEL UP' - MadeinTYO)
♪ Ooh, ooh ooh

Tonight, it's the auditions...

♪ Watch me level up...

- (GORDON) Let's go!
- (ROARING) Ahh!

...where one dish
can earn your spot...

For 20 minutes,
this is impressive.

- Y'all got this.
- ...and one slip...

- (YELPS)
- ...can send you home.

- (RICHARD) Medic!
- I'm bleeding out from my ear.

If you think
you've seen it all...

(SHOUTING) I believe
that we will win!

- ...think again.
- Now, now, now, now!

♪ Watch me level up

(RICHARD) The man,
the myth, the legend -

Gordon (BLEEP) Ramsay.

I'm so excited
they brought him back.

(LAUGHTER)

(HI-ENERGY ROCK MUSIC)

(URGENT MUSIC)

(LAUGHTER)

Oh, my goodness me.

(WHOOPS AND CHEERS)

- Oh, my God! Let's go!
- Loving the energy!

From my kitchen to Next Level
Chef, what happened?

I feel like I quantum leaped
in here.

I don't know how I got here...
(LAUGHING) I don't!

Welcome to the newest season

of Next Level Chef.
Come on, guys.

(WHOOPS AND CHEERS)

Nyesha, what do
you think of the energy?

- I mean, it's palpable, yeah!
- (LAUGHTER)

I'm getting little
goosebumps out here.

Yes!

It's intimidating
with these goat mentors.

And here I am just standing
there in front of them.

Palms are sweaty,
knees weak, arms are heavy.

I'm like Eminem and his bad boy.

- (DRAMATIC BEAT)
- All of you have been handpicked

from the best Pro Chefs,

the biggest Social Media Stars,

and the most talented
Home Cooks

from across America.

Competing for a chance
to be on one of our teams.

- Yes.
- You've earned a shot

at winning a game-changing
year-long mentorship

with Richard, Nyesha and myself.

There's a check
alongside that mentorship

for a quarter million dollars.

- Woo!
- Right here, right here.

Man, to win Next Level Chef

and all the goodies
that come with it?

It would be life-changing.
(SHARP EXHALE)

Out of thousands of people
across the country,

you all earned
this opportunity to be here.

- Yeah.
- Are you guys ready to level up?

- (CHEERING AND CLAPPING)
- Let's go!

- Woo...
- (BELINDA) Let's go!

From 24 chefs here,
only 15 of you will make it

through the auditions
and into that incredible draft.

Five brilliant Home Cooks,

five incredibly talented
Social Media Chefs,

and of course,
five seasoned Pros.

Get on one of those teams.

Now listen, you're here today

because we believe you're
capable of something amazing.

Eight of you are about to cook,

but only seven
of you will make your way

out of the basement
to the middle level.

Six of you are gonna move to
the top from the middle level.

And after that final cook,

only five of you
are left standing

to go into that draft.

(QUIETLY) Yes.

Well listen, as everyone knows,

Team Blais
are the current champions.

- (LAUGHTER)
- Alright!

I want a crown.

I want a belt.
I want a big gold chain.

As long as you have
the right mentor, me...

- (LAUGHTER)
- Ooh!

...any of you can win this.

(GORDON) Season five
for me is an important one.

I'm damned if I'm
gonna give that crown back

to Richard Blais. And secondly,

how do you fit a crown
on hair like that?!

- Thank you and good night.
- (LAUGHTER)

- I mean, c'mon Richard.
- Took him long enough.

- Won and done. C'mon.
- Back to back!

(NYESHA) Richard and Gordon,
I got the stamina.

I'ma eatin' my vegetables.
(LAUGHS)

The competition's very thick
and I'm bringin' it.

You guys ready?

(EXCITED SHOUTING) Yeah!

Let's start with the...

...eight talented
Professional Chefs.

- Let's go!
- (CHEERING AND CLAPPING)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Right, Professional Chefs,
make your way to the elevator.

(CONVIVIAL CHATTER)

(WHOOPS AND CHEERS)

(GORDON) The very best of luck.

- Let's go.
- Alright!

(HI-ENERGY ROCK MUSIC)

Best of luck
to everybody out there.

Good luck!

Come on, give us some love.

(MUSIC BUILDS)

- (ELEVATOR PINGS)
- (CHEERING)

- (WHIMISCAL MUSIC)
- Okay!

As a Pro Chef, the basement
kitchen is terrible.

Instant... just shock.

Got a little smell to it, too.

Oh!

I wanna clean up everything,
sweep and organize it

- just a little bit.
- (CLATTERING)

(MUSIC ENDS)

(ELEVATOR HUMS, PINGS)

- (CHEERING)
- What's goin' on, everyone?

How we doing?
Love it. Love the energy.

Bring it over here
for a second, okay?

Are we getting acclimated
to the basement?

- (CHEFS) Yes!
- The knives are dull

so your minds need to be
super sharp down here.

For this first cook,
you're gonna have 20 minutes.

The first challenge is gonna
be a test of resourcefulness.

Can you take scraps and bits
and turn it into something

- worthy of our judging table?
- Let's go, baby.

I do try to be as sustainable
and resourceful

as I can in my own kitchen,
so I am used to repurposing.

Most of the time,
it ain't for me, though!

Sometimes it's for my dog,

- so we gonna see. (LAUGHS)
- (UPBEAT MUSIC)

(RICHARD) Gordon and Nyesha
are watching everything you do,

and we're scouting the people
that we want on our team.

I'm excited
to see what they can do.

Mm. Twenty minutes is tough
in the basement.

But Pro Chefs -
they have the technique.

(RICHARD) This is the fastest
five-yard sprint you're ever

gonna have to make in your life,
could determine if you make it

- to that next level. You ready?
- (ALL) Yes, chef!

- Are you ready?
- I was born ready.

- (CHUCKLES)
- Alright, lock in.

Ass to ass, cheek to cheek.

(RICHARD) Alright,
the platform's on the way.

When the light turns green,
it's go time.

Trash to treasure, 20 minutes.

(GROWLING) Ah! Here we go!

- (PLATFORM BLEEPS)
- Go time!

(URGENT MUSIC)

(RICHARD) Grab it or regret it.

Everyone's just...
(SCREAMING) WAAAA!

(RICHARD) Grab that protein.

(HUNTER) Sausage scraps.

Ooh, cheese. Boom. Okay.

(RICHARD)
Think about your cuisine.

Lamb. I just grab it,
not even thinking.

I look - it's on the bone.
I'm like, damn it, bro!

(RICHARD) I want it to look
like it's goin' outta business.

Tuna carcass -
THAT'S what I need.

- (RICHARD) Grab that...
- I go for the tuna carcass.

Then me and Gabrielle,
we start to tussle.

(GORDON) Oh, oh!
Cole and Gabrielle.

There's a bit of a fight
going on there, tug of war.

(MACHETE) What is going on?

I was like this...
when I look in the back. Bam!

- (RUSTLING)
- (MUSIC BUILDS)

Literal tug of war
of tuna carcass.

And I'm like, time is ticking.

Then snatch! Mine.

It's all fun and games
'til we get in that ring.

There's still a pig's ear
over here.

I'm stuck with the pig ears.

What am I gonna do with this?

(RICHARD) Someone
doesn't have a protein.

It is wild out here.

Skirtin' elbows and flyin'
under the freakin' head butts.

- (RICHARD) Ten seconds.
- Cod's head, I got it.

(CONNOR) I got stuck
with the cod's head.

That was not
an intentional choice,

but I'll work with it.

Okay, if you can grab it,
you can still use it.

Grab it or regret it!
Let's go!

- (URGENT MUSIC)
- Back to your stations.

Oh we wasn't friends no more
at that point. Okay.

Look at this baby!

Okay everyone,
your 20 minutes starts now.

(URGENT MUSIC)

I am feeling something
kind of... wet.

Is this blood?

Damn, is it bleeding?

I'm bleeding out from my ear.

Holy (BLEEP).

What did I just do?

- (GORDON) Oh, my God!
- (NYESHA) I know.

- Is she okay?
- (RICHARD) Medic!

We need a medic up here, guys.

- Medic!
- (DRAMATIC BEAT)

- (RICHARD) What happened?
- A fight broke out.

It gets crazy down here.

The last time
I had a fight like that,

I dunno, probably college?
I dunno.

Did you get cut up there? No.
That's just the... Okay.

I had to do a little smell test

and I said, is this blood?

Oh my gosh, okay.

(DRAMATIC BEAT)

It's Sriracha.

- You didn't get cut at all?
- No.

- Okay.
- (COLE) Thank God.

(SHARP EXHALE)

(WHIMSICAL MUSIC)

(CLEARS THROAT)
Yeah, that's it.

Nothing really to see here.

Phew! It's just chili paste.

You dummy.
(LAUGHING) My God!

- What did we end up getting?
- I got pig ears.

I'm gonna move in a direction
of a little tortilla.

Yeah, it's A crispy

- pig's ear tortilla?
- Exactly.

- Ever cooked pig ears before?
- No chef, I have not.

- Treat it like bacon, alright?
- Yes, chef.

I'm trying to figure out
something to do

with this tuna carcass.

- You got this, Kevin.
- How we doin' over here?

- Just have to grind this beef.
- What're you gonna make, Kevin?

When I saw the beef
I thought of my grandmother.

- She'd make these beef patties.
- Yeah.

Make a gravy to go with it.

I started cooking
when I was seven years old.

Having to make certain things
from nothing

is something
that I'm completely used to.

(QUIETLY) Okay, I can do this.

- Ooh, behind you!
- Sorry, heard.

Five minutes gone,
there's 15 minutes left.

I know y'all in that green
room watching us!

Don't be judging this book
by its cover, now.

Absolutely not.

- Machete.
- Hey baby. How you doin', baby?

- What'd you grab?
- I grabbed some lamb bone.

I'm gonna do
a curry style with it.

The thing I'm concerned
most with here

is that lamb is gonna be tender?

It is. I tried a piece there.

Anybody see the sugar?

- Darian, how we doin'?
- Doin', chef. I'm doin'.

I got chicken back
deep frying right now.

Something I grew up eating
in Jamaica.

- Yeah?
- And I got sweet potatoes,

some mushrooms...

You're bringing
the Caribbean flavor--

- Yes, sir.
- You know it is. Let's go.

- (CHUCKLES)
- (REGGAE MUSIC)

I've been a professional chef
for 13 years.

When I first came here
from Jamaica,

I'm like, there's
so much opportunity.

I put in work
night and day, every day.

I sleep less and I work more.
That's what I do.

I grew up in Clarendon, Jamaica
which is like the country.

There's not much going on
where I grew up.

That's my all time favorite
mango right there.

That's a julienne mango.

Being Jamaican is many things.
It's colorful.

It's loud.
It's proud. It's vibrant.

It's just a beautiful
place to be.

- (DARIAN) You guys hungry?
- (KIDS) Yeah.

Family's everything to me.
I own two restaurants,

but it's also a family affair.
I employ my mom...

Good job, Mommy.
...my sisters, my wife.

Everybody is involved.

I want them to have
a better life than I had

back in Jamaica, you know.

- Do you like it?
- Yeah.

I'm also a private chef.

I cook for most
of the Buffalo Bills players.

I feel proud every day
I step out

because I represent
Jamaica to the fullest.

I look good, I smell good,
and I cook good.

C'mon, man!

(URGENT MUSIC)

(BELINDA) Should I do the noodle
or should I do the bread?

- Belinda, how are we doing?
- I'm doing great.

- Okay, what do we got?
- I'm gonna do either a bread,

like a bread thing,
or I'm gonna do a stir fry.

- What do you think?
- Maybe the noodles would be

a little easier to make,
but make a choice, right?

- Okay, yeah. (BLEEP)!
- (ROCK GUITAR)

I grew up in Westminster,
California,

AKA Little Saigon.

I was raised by my grandparents,

and my aunts and uncles
helped them.

I think it was
a full team effort

because I'm just so much.

(LAUGHS)

- I'm a lot!
- (UPBEAT MUSIC)

There was like nine of us

living in a three-bedroom
apartment.

Dinner time was chaotic.

Everyone's fighting over
the fish head.

It's good collagen.
It's good for the skin.

It's good for the skin, okay?

I own my own catering and pop-up
company called Eats by Bee.

Eats by Bee creates
culinary experiences.

This is a chaotic competition
and I fit right in.

(GIGGLES)

(TENSE MUSIC)

Hunter, what did you grab here?
Looks like--

I got some sausage,
and I'm gonna do a quick

sausage pasta and then sauce.

Am I getting any sorta tropical
Hawaiian vibes here, or what?

You're gonna get just quick,
easy dinners done by my mom.

- (HAWAIIAN MUSIC)
- I'm from Honolulu, Hawaii.

Born and raised
on the island of Oahu.

- (SURF ROCK)
- I grew up surfing,

and I paddle competitive.
You have to feel the water.

You have to be balanced.

There's so much technique

and that's what I kinda took
with me to cooking.

I was born with a 10 percent
chance of living,

and I had to have surgery.

I turned out to be deaf,
and I wear hearing aids.

I'm cooking for the people
that are disabled

because I want
to show those kids

if I can do it,
they can do it, for sure.

Never stop paddling,
and always finish strong.

(RICHARD) Hunter, elevate it.

Coming through!
Hot pot, hot pot!

(BLEEP) What am I gonna do
with this tuna, boy?

- (TENSE MUSIC)
- Cole, what're we up to?

I have a tuna carcass
over there.

- Okay, Cole--
- I think I'm gonna go

like a brothy type
of Chinese-ish dish.

I'm gonna try and do
something here with this meat.

You fought for this.

It was better
than the pig's ears!

Got it. So we're
gonna make little meatballs?

- Yep.
- You only need two or three--

- Two or three.
- Perfect.

- Heard, chef.
- Okay.

Halfway down!
Ten minutes gone, ten left.

You want Nyesha or Gordon
or myself to work with you?

- (CHEFS) Yeah!
- Now's the time to prove it.

Richard is hungry
for another win.

Of course he is.
It took him long enough.

That's not happening,
let me tell you.

Second that.

Okay, spoiler alert!

One of you go home, okay?

There's blood in the water
and I am like a shark right now.

I'm many sharks.
A fleet, a flock...

What are a bunch of sharks
together? No one knows.

A murder of sharks.
That's crows.

(GORDON, TAPPING TABLE)
Come on, Richard!

I'm so glad to be back.
This is great, guys.

- Connor.
- Yes, sir?

- Just rolling off your back!
- San Diego native...

It's not quite beach vibes
down here, bro.

Aye, sometimes you gotta
take coast to coast.

Taking you down to NOLA.

- Fried cod's head po' boy, baby.
- Love it.

I lived in New Orleans
for six years.

I cooked down there,
I had to go NOLA first.

Five minutes left!

How are the noodles
over here, dude?

Sure they're cooked? The noodles
are right on the edge.

Fire that thing up,
we're running out of time.

Keep that up. Yes, chef!

Who else is in trouble?
Belinda, what's up?

- Change up your plan.
- Yeah, I'm doing an open face.

- He's also doing an open face.
- (BLEEP)

Oh, crap. He's making
an open face sandwich as well.

Well, (BLEEP). Sorry.

No, it's okay. I'm just saying
now you're giving us something

to judge side by side
with each other.

The time is crunching down.

I don't have time to pivot.
No...

(CONNOR) You're good, B.
Stay on your track.

(RICHARD) Now's not a time for
a new idea - now we're refining.

Two minutes left.
You can start plating now.

(CLAPPING) Bring it together
right now. Let's go!

Find yourself a spot
in the middle level.

Five, four, three, two, one...

Hands up. Stop cooking.

- (RICHARD) Let's go.

- (CHEERING)
- Damn.

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)

(ELEVATOR PINGS)

(GORDON) Well done.

Energetic cook.
What happened to the grab?

It looked like a wrestling event
back in the lounge.

Right? Well done.

Alright, let's taste.

We have Connor's
Fried Cod Head Po' Boy.

- Looks very inviting doesn't it?
- Yeah.

Doesn't necessarily look like it
was cooked in the basement.

(GORDON)
Cod's cooked beautifully.

I think it represents
New Orleans really, really well.

It's clear that there
was a vision here.

- (QUIETLY) Thank you, chef.
- Okay, next up we have

Belinda's Shrimp Head Sandwich.

Some Southeast Asian flavors.

It's always tough when you have
two people doing similar dishes

because they end up getting
judged against each other.

Totally. I think the most
successful part of the dish

is in the flavor of the shrimp.
Really comes through nicely.

But there's a lacking
of an aioli or something

to really meld the bread
and the shrimp moment together.

Should have stuck
to the (BLEEP) noodles.

Next up we have
Kevin's Beef Meatballs

with his family-style gravy.

The meatballs
are seasoned beautifully.

The sauce is delicious.

Next up we have
Machete's Lamb Leg Curry.

And that's just scraped
from the leg?

Slivers and cuts
right off the leg.

The lamb's actually tender.
I'm amazed he got that tender.

A little bit heavy on the spice.

A little bit.

This is Darian's

Crispy Jamaican
Fried Chicken Back.

The flavor is incredible.

The spices are there.

It's absolutely bang on
with the spice.

Thank you.

Okay, next up right here.

Hunter's Creamy Sausage Pasta.

The challenge for me
with this dish

is the two different types
of pasta.

So texturally, some
of the pasta is undercooked.

- Totally.
- (SOMBER NOTE)

Next up we have Cole's

Tuna Carcass Meatballs
in broth.

This to me
is really taking scraps

and turning them
into something special.

For 20 minutes,
this is impressive.

It's done beautifully, right?

Quintessential basement cooking.

Lastly here,
we have Gabrielle's

Crispy Pig Ear Tortilla.

(GORDON) Homemade tortilla?
In 20 minutes?

The pig ear's actually crispier
than I thought it would be.

You get dealt that
dysfunctional ingredient

so you come up with a nice dish.
How's your ear?

Can't do a scrap challenge
without a little scrap.

Ooh.

Alright, we need a few minutes
to discuss between ourselves.

- We'll be right back.
- Oh, my God.

The shrimp po' boy
was a bit of a let down.

I just needed a mayo for that.

But the cod's head? Beautiful.

- The crispiness.
- Really good indeed.

The pasta was a difficult one

because some were cooked,
some were overcooked.

That one I was
really worried about.

Really?

I should've cherry-picked out

the pastas 'cause I noticed it.

(GORDON, QUIETLY) Let's go.

(TENSE MUSIC)

Okay. As you all know,

only seven are gonna
go up to the middle level.

The first three people
who've earned their way

to the middle level are...

...Connor.

Kevin.

- Gabrielle.
- (GORDON) Well done.

Well done.
You can head to the elevator.

- Good job.
- Are you serious?

The next three people who
earned their space

to cook on the middle
level are...

...Darian.

Cole.

- And Machete.
- Thank you, guys.

(WHOOPING) Ooo-ee! I'm movin'
to the next level, baby!

- (TENSE MUSIC)
- Okay, not easy. I know it.

Belinda? Hunter?

I'm sorry to say there's only
one space left in the elevator

and unfortunately,
one of you

will be left
here in the basement.

And that spot goes to...

(TENSE MUSIC BUILDS, ENDS)

(RICHARD) Sorry to say
there's only one space left

in the elevator
to head to the middle level.

And that spot goes to...

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)

- ...Hunter.
- (SHARP EXHALE)

- Hey, good job.
- Thank you.

- Great job.
- Thank you.

Hunter, you can join
your colleagues.

- Thank you.
- (HUNTER) Thank you, chefs.

Belinda, keep cooking.
We'll see you soon.

- (SOFT MUSIC)
- (SIGHS)

I have so much more to show.

But what's next is...

...I'ma have a (BLEEP) drink.
(LAUGHS)

(DRAMATIC BEAT)

(HI-ENERGY MUSIC)

(CHEERING)

(NYESHA)
Check out all the tools.

This is like any standard
catering kitchen.

Bro, look at
these immersion blenders.

(NYESHA) This kitchen is
for large-scale cooking.

Not single dishes, right?
You have to make it work.

Chef Arrington is
an absolute legend in LA.

So it's just a blessing
to even have

the opportunity to be here
and cook for her.

I'm deciding
who I want on my team.

- Right?
- I would like that.

And who I'm giving away
to Richard and Gordon.

- (LAUGHTER)
- (RICHARD) Oh, okay.

- Wow, she's fishing early.
- Yeah, that's right.

- Okay.
- (DRAMATIC BEAT)

So your next challenge,

you each have 20 minutes

- to create...
- Woo!

...the dish that helped you start
your culinary journey.

Alright, it's time.
Hands on the elevator!

When that light changes green,
you are going.

- (PLATFORM BLEEPS)
- (NYESHA) Let's go!

- (GRUNTING)
- Grab those ingredients

that are gonna get you
into this draft.

(URGENT MUSIC)

- (GABRIELLE YELPS)
- Oh! No.

(CHUCKLING) Oh, my God?

Your girl goes flying.

Damn. Is she okay?

- (CLAPPING) Ooh! You okay?
- I'm alright.

Alright, let's go, girl.
Stay strong.

How're we building
this dish, right? Vegetable!

The grabs are insane.

I grabbed the steak.
There's potatoes right there.

Perfect ingredients
for a beautiful steak dinner.

(NYESHA) C'mon, guys.
Grab your ingredients!

Back to your station,
organize yourself.

20 minutes starts right now.

Let's go, let's go, let's go!

Get those proteins on.

Alright Connor, what'd you grab?

- California-style cooking.
- California-style!

- Get this fresh and we run it.
- Love that.

No one knows California beach
style cooking more than me.

- I know.
- You do know!

I'm excited to cook for you.

- You did your research.
- Yes, I have!

Growing up in Manhattan Beach
our hobbies were surfing,

and skating
and playing water polo.

But it was a bubble.
I really had to leave that place

to get a taste
of what real food culture was.

So I went and lived
in New Orleans.

- (NEW ORLEANS JAZZ)
- That is what crafted

my creative process as a chef.

I've been in this game
for a minute - I'm 30 years old.

I'm a private chef
and a diehard creative,

and I just love cooking.

Anything's possible over food.

I'm a California kid and I
found my love in New Orleans.

- Yes.
- I feel the California flair.

That's the flair.
Thank you, chef.

Seems like Nyesha's got one
of her picks right there.

- Mr. Machete.
- Hold on! How you doin'?

You grabbed ground lamb,
cheddar cheese.

Do you know what,
it's Mexican food

mixed with Asian cuisine.
I'm great at both.

Don't forget,
this is your audition.

- Yes.
- We're all looking to see

- who we want on our teams.
- Right.

They call me
the biggest, the largest.

- (LAUGHING)
- You're... you're funny!

We're gonna make it happen,
babe. Thank you!

This right here?
They call this the skullet.

It's like a skin on the top,
but mullet in the back.

My head right here says
"conquer your dreams."

- And the grill.
- (CAMERA CLICKS)

Can't go back
to the corporate world now.

(BELLY LAUGH)

I'm a self-taught chef.

I got most of my techniques
from the CIA cookbook

that I got
at a bargain bookstore.

Growing up,
I started selling

these tacos I'm famous for now
for one dollar

at my dad's mechanic shop.

Now I've got a restaurant
voted Best Tacos in Houston

People's choice,
five years in a row.

I'm H-town 'til I drown.

(LAUGHING) I'm a Houstonian
through and through.

(NYESHA) Guys, just under
15 minutes, okay?

(GORDON) He's put
those meatballs in the fryer.

- It could go tough.
- (MACHETE) Looking good!

Cole, what is your dish?

Pan-seared salmon
with this bright salad.

Growing up in California,
we always eat fish...

- Yes.
- ...'cause it's right there.

I love being at the beach.

(GORDON) Oh, lovely...
lovely sear on that.

- Kevin!
- What's up, chef?

Are you here to prove you belong
in this competition?

I'm here to prove
I belong in this...

- How will you do that?
- So growing up,

when we finally got money,

my grandmother started
cooking us a lot of steak.

- Steak and potatoes.
- Love that.

(LIGHT MUSIC)

I'm a restaurant
and food truck owner.

I've cooked for Regina King,
Tom Brady, Julia Roberts.

I cooked for Marlon and the
Wayans family so many times

that I cultivated
a relationship with them.

Marlon saw a light in me.

And about six months later,
he sent me a check.

He invested in my food truck.

Launched my food truck
September 1, 2024.

September 7, 2024,
my food truck was stolen.

I'm still trying
to recover from it.

I think that me being here,

it's just like me trying
to reignite that passion.

But I'm unstoppable.

I'm (BLEEP) unstop--
Okay, I'm freakin' unstoppable.

(LAUGHS)

Eight minutes down.

Kevin's running behind.
The steak's got to go on.

You got a lot of eyeballs
on you. Everybody's scoutin'.

- (DRAMATIC BEAT)
- Gabrielle.

- Yes, chef?
- Haddock.

We get a lot of fresh fish.
My husband's a spear fisherman.

But my background is Italian.

So I'm rolling out
hand-cut pasta.

Growing up as the youngest
of eight siblings

in a big Italian family

was absolute chaos
at all times.

(LIGHT MUSIC)

My parents are restaurateurs

and have owned and operated

a restaurant that has been open
for over 40 years.

I have worked in some of the
best restaurants in America.

But my dad was not excited
for my career path.

He was like, I don't want
that for you at all.

I honestly want you to do
anything but that.

It's been five years
since he's passed.

And now I have
two beautiful children.

- You!
- I'll hold this.

Yay.

There's definitely
this side of me

that really wanted to prove -
to my dad, to my parents -

that I can do this

and I AM a professional chef.

And I DO deserve this.

I want to make him proud.

- Go for it, girl.
- Got it.

- (URGENT MUSIC)
- Darian, what you got?

- I'ma do a curry bean.
- Smart.

Curry is in my bones.

If I break this right now
(MIMICS CRACKING)...

you see curry running out
and it's gonna be delicious.

A Buffalo, New York guy
by way of Jamaica.

You got to bring
in that flavor, right?

- Yeah, you have to!
- (LAUGHTER)

To stay warm inside
because it's cold there.

Chef, can we get
a time check, please?

(NYESHA) We're already
halfway down.

(WHOOPING)

Woo!

Okay Hunter,
three-squeeze bottles.

Yes, chef.
Right now I'm doing

my adobo sauce,
pan-seared chicken.

It's almost like the stress
brings out the pidgin

- in your voice. (LAUGHS)
- This is intense.

Rome against the 300 and...
(GROWLING)

...just fighting each other.
But I know I'm going to the top

and into the draft with
Team Gordon.

Team Gordon, let's go!

Really nice aromatics coming off
your station, Hunter.

Thank you, chef.

(NYESHA) Eight minutes!

Eight minutes to put you
into this competition or not.

Yes, chef!

(DRAMATIC BEATS)

(BLEEP) Oh, my God.

I let the steak sit there
for so long

and I focused on freakin'
Brussels sprouts and potatoes!

Get your steak on, Kevin!
Gotta get the steak on...

It's not hot enough.

Not hot enough.
It's not getting hot.

Time's running out right now.

You're gonna need
at least two minutes.

- Correct.
- He's in trouble.

(SOMBER NOTE)

- (URGENT MUSIC)
- You have three minutes

to fight your way
into the draft.

I'm not feeling great.
The steak...

I didn't cook it as soon
as I should have.

It needed at least
five to seven minutes to rest.

Look at the cook on that steak.

He didn't have time
to let it rest.

Also, he sliced it when
it was a little bit too hot,

- so the juice is gone.
- Yeah.

What's our time, chef?

Two minutes, guys.
You guys can start plating!

This is where
you earn your spot.

My team, Gordon's team,
Richard's team.

(CHEFS) Yes, chef!

(NYESHA) Delicate, delicate...

It's gonna come off
when it wants to.

- Oh, no! Gabrielle!
- Damn.

- (RICHARD) No!
- The skin's gone on the haddock.

(NYESHA) Don't force it.
Pivot, make it make sense.

- (DRAMATIC BEAT)
- (NYESHA) Thirty seconds!

Everyone's scouting you out
right now.

Push, push, push, push!

Five, four, three, two, one...

Hands up, hands up!
Congrats, guys.

Congrats.

(TENSE MUSIC)

(ELEVATOR PINGS)

(GORDON) Good job.
Well done, all of you.

(NYESHA) Looking at these
dishes, they're bursting

with memories,
and now we have to see

if they're bursting with flavor,
most importantly.

So first up we have Cole's
Seared Salmon

with a pickled onion
and tomato salad.

(GORDON) The salmon's
cooked beautifully.

Feels like you had 30 minutes
to cook, it's that intense.

- Great job.
- Thank you, chef.

Next up, we have Kevin's
Steak and Potatoes.

This is a seared top sirloin

with Brussels sprouts
in a red wine sauce.

Great sear on the steak,
but sliced way too hot,

so you've lost the goodness.

(NYESHA) But the sauce -

there's a little bit
of a raw wine flavor happening.

One hundred percent, yes.

(NYESHA) Next up, we have
Curried Cubed Steak.

This is served over
a parsnip and potato purée.

This is cooked by a Darian.

Surprisingly, a lot
of flavor in the curry,

knowing that it's only
probably powder and cream.

The vegetable garnish
is sort of superfluous.

- Thank you, chef... thank you.
- (NYESHA) Thank you, Darian.

Next up, this is Gabrielle's
Haddock Over Hand-Cooked Pasta.

Making pasta - just like making
their tortilla - that's great.

There's some crunchy
vegetables in the sauce

which doesn't work for me.

(GORDON) Haddock's cooked
really well.

I got nervous when it stuck
to the pan, but you pivoted.

- And the pasta's delicious.
- Thank you, chef.

Nice depth of flavor.
Great job.

(UPBEAT MUSIC)

(NYESHA) Next up, we have
a Lamb Mac and Cheese.

- This is from Machete.
- Yeah...

This kinda reminds me
of my mom's food.

Overcooked meatballs.

I was a bit pissed off he put
those meatballs in the fryer.

You know how to cook
a (BLEEP) meatball.

Don't...

start taking shortcuts.

- (SHARP EXHALE)
- (MUSIC ENDS)

Next up, we have Connor's.
This is Seared Pork

served with a crispy pecora
and an herb salad.

Pork's cooked beautifully.

Glistening,
it's beautifully seasoned.

- Pecora - delicious.
- The dish has a lot of sauce.

But tons of depth of flavor
achieved in the sauce.

- Really great.
- Thank you, chef.

Lastly, we have Hunter's
Adobo Chicken over noodles.

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)

Chicken's cooked beautifully,
but it needs more sauce

and more acid in there.
It's such a shame.

(RICHARD) Yeah, the noodles
are a little cloying,

- but the chicken's cooked well.
- Thank you, chef.

Okay, we clearly have a very
difficult decision here.

Give us a minute.
Thank you.

- (DARIAN) Thank you.
- (CONNOR) Wild.

The ladies really brought it
today, I gotta say, gents.

You're just focusing on building
your team? Or focusing on--

I'm always trying
to pick the winners.

You want an all-female team...

I wouldn't be mad at an
all-female team. We love that!

(UPBEAT MUSIC)

The pork chop -
beautifully cooked.

(NYESHA) Pork chop was great.

The one I would turn away
is that sirloin.

(NYESHA) Definitely.

(DARIAN) You should be proud.

- The chicken thigh dish.
- (GORDON) Mm-hm.

Chicken was great, but nothing
else was great about that dish.

- Are we good?
- Okay.

(MUSIC ENDS WITH A FLOURISH)

I gotta say, these decisions,
they're never easy for us.

But as you know, this is your
chance to earn your way...

onto one of our teams.

The first three people

that are moving
up to the top are...

(FAST-PACED MUSIC)

...Cole.

Gabrielle.

- And Connor.
- (APPLAUSE)

Thank you.

(NYESHA) Please head
to the elevator.

The next two people

that have earned their spot
on the next level...

...Darian.

And Machete!

WOO!

Thank God!
I'm still sweatin'.

Kevin and Hunter,

you both had a little bit
of a tough time in this kitchen.

Unfortunately, there's only
one spot left in the elevator.

I'm definitely nervous
and if I make it through,

it's by the skin of my teeth.
But I'm here to prove

to Chef Arrington that I deserve
to be on her team.

That person moving
to the top is...

(MUSIC BUILDS, ENDS)

Unfortunately, there's only one
spot left in the elevator,

and that person moving
to the top is...

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)

...Hunter.

(MUSIC SOFTENS)

You did great, you did great.

Keep up the good work.
Thank you, chefs.

(NYESHA) Thank you.

Kevin... (SIGHS)

...I can see how
good of a chef you are.

This cook just got away
from you a little bit.

I'll forever be disappointed,

but I'll forever
be proud of myself.

I know this isn't
the only opportunity

that I'll have like this.

Good luck, Kevin.

There is going to be another
call, and I will be ready.

(DRAMATIC BEAT)

- (UPBEAT MUSIC)
- One more cook, right?

One more cook. Push!

Welcome to the best kitchen
in America.

- (WHOOPS AND CHEERS)
- Ooh, this is nice...

This is the crème de la crme
of kitchens.

I'm in heaven.

So for your final
challenge - 25 minutes.

I want you to create a dish

that you'd be proud
to put on your own menu.

- I want it that good.
- Yes, chef.

The man, the myth, the legend,
Gordon (BLEEP) Ramsay.

I'm so excited
they brought him back.

(LAUGHTER)

(GORDON)
Platform is moving, guys.

- I'll parkour over that (BLEEP).
- (MACHETE) Parkour, parkour!

I'm looking for speed.
Who's there first?

- (PLATFORM BLEEPS)
- (GORDON, CLAPPING) Go!

Let's go!

(URGENT MUSIC)

Okay, Darian.
With a little box out.

I'm done being a nice guy
lettin' people go in front,

like, oops! Nope.

I could do this venison.

Oh, this is beautiful.

(GORDON) Some New York strip.

Three hands on the plate
at the same time...

I said not today.

Y'all can have it with your
grubby little fingers, okay?

- (GORDON) Halibut!
- I'm taking that.

(GORDON) Come on, guys. There's
a chicken breast up for grabs.

Hup, grab it.
I'm from the South, man.

I'm so confident with chicken.

(GORDON) Three, two, one...

Grab, grab, grab, grab!

- Woo!
- (GORDON) Well done.

Right, your last chance to get
into that draft.

Your 25 minutes start now.
Let's go!

Let's go, let's go, let's go.

How exciting.
Pro Chefs in the top level.

- Big man, what'd you grab?
- Grabbed an airline chicken.

Gonna honey roast these carrots.

- Good.
- Then a purée with this bad boy.

You could do
a carrot topped chimichurri.

- Cheers, thank you for that.
- Let's go, big man. Let's go.

Comin' through.
Right behind, behind!

- Hunter?
- Yes, chef?

You got the hand-dived scallops.

Out of all the proteins tonight
you've got the least stress.

- Yes, chef.
- They'll take two minutes right?

This guy moves, man.
Hunter's got some wheels.

- Tell me about the dish.
- I'm gonna do a sea bean purée.

- Right.
- Then a quick beurre blanc.

You got the purée, as well.
So, uh...

A purée done beautifully is way
more important than a sauce.

Don't waste time with that, okay?

Ramsay said do one purée
or one beurre blanc,

but I was taught
you could have both.

(BLEEP)! Just go for it.

(GORDON) Five minutes gone,
20 minutes to go.

Already? Oh, lord!

(TENSE MUSIC)

(GORDON) Right, what'd you grab?

Hi, chef.
I grabbed the jumbo shrimp.

Jumbo shrimp. Gabrielle,
tell me about the dish.

It's gonna be a nice
infused oil with our...

- Jumbo shrimp?
- ...with our prawns.

(LAUGHING) I have no idea

what I'm doing right now.
Can you tell?

You know I haven't fully figured
out my direction yet.

Don't leave it too long, right?
Only five will make it

- into the draft.
- Yes, chef.

I deserve it!

Ooh, ooh!

(UPBEAT MUSIC)

I think Darian, he's gotta
step up in this round.

I feel like he tends
to lean on spices,

having that Jamaican influence.

- What'd you grab?
- So I grabbed some venison.

- Right.
- Some rosemary.

That is sage, right? You got
sage, rosemary and thyme.

You got more (BLEEP) herbs there
than Snoop Dogg.

(LAUGHTER)

Alright, so who do you
have your eye on?

Connor has this sort of light,
bright, California flair

to his cooking.

Right, young man,
what'd you grab?

I got a beautiful steak
with a butternut hash.

(RICHARD)
So that's your first pick?

All I care about is finding
the best chef out there, okay?

- Whether it's on your team or...
- Same.

- You know what I mean?
- But...

I'd really like that person
to be on Team Blais.

I know how it feels not winning
a couple years in a row.

- I mean, you've practiced a lot.
- That's right, that's right!

(UPBEAT MUSIC)

Gabrielle, what'll you do
with the beetroot?

I'm gonna sear off
these small pieces here and...

- It's already cooked.
- I know.

- But what's the dish?
- We're just gonna do prawns,

- some beets with pistachio.
- Right.

- Asparagus with the prosciutto.
- Gotcha.

- What's our time, chef?
- We're halfway.

Twelve and a half minutes gone,
12-1/2 minutes to go.

What did you get?

(COLE) I got a halibut.
I got some celeriac.

- Have you cooked halibut before?
- I have not.

Gotcha.
Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha.

I feel like it was a huge gamble

to grab something
that I never cooked.

But also, I feel like that's
what this competition

is all about, is seeing
how good you can be.

It doesn't need to go on
for another few minutes.

- Heard.
- Look how focused she is.

Yeah, she's locked in.

She's got the discipline.
She was in the Navy.

- Is that it? Okay.
- Yes, absolutely.

That makes sense...

Get your (BLEEP) together,
Cole.

- (LIGHT MUSIC)
- I would describe myself as...

the life of the party.
(LAUGHS)

I grew up in a very, very strict
blackety-black house, okay.

If you know, you know.

I had zero idea that I would
end up being a chef.

I decided I was gonna go
to the military,

which kick-started my journey
into being a chef.

I mean, I've faced
a lot of adversity in my life,

especially being
a black, queer woman.

People looking at me like, okay,
where's the executive chef?

And I'm like, I'm right here.

(MUSIC ENDS)

Get that nice and hot.
Season again on the side.

We'll flip it over.
Still have plenty of time, yes?

Heard, chef.

(GORDON) Five minutes to go.
Proteins on, yes?

- I'll just pop them in, chef.
- Okay, good.

- And the sauce needs work, okay?
- Damn it.

It's supposed to be a purée, but
it turned out to be a sauce now.

- Come on, baby!
- (RICHARD) It's weird.

It's lookin' weird! (GROANS)

(GORDON) Two minutes, guys.
Let's go!

Start to plate.

We are professional
for a reason.

Think about
the presentation now.

Hunter, we gotta go!

That's lovely.
Still got plenty time, yes?

Thirty-five seconds to earn
your spot in one of our teams.

- Guys, let's go!
- (URGENT MUSIC)

Five, four, three, two, one...

And hands in the air.

Well done.

(MUSIC ENDS WITH A FLOURISH)

- Richard, Nyesha, welcome back.
- Thank you.

Let's start
with Gabrielle's Shrimp.

They've been crusted
with pistachio

and then you've got
fondant of beets.

(UPBEAT MUSIC)

The flavors
are a little scattered

but the presentation's nice.

When you've got those shrimp
beautifully crusted

to sit them in a sauce
is such a shame.

(DRAMATIC BEAT)

Next up, this is Machete's
Pan Roasted Chicken Breast

with a Gruyere potato purée
and roasted baby carrots.

This is really refined.

It's a long way
from overcooked meatballs.

(GORDON) For me, the purée
is what sets it off.

You've got them
beautifully creamed.

Thank you very much.

This is Connor's New York Strip,

sautéed butternut squash
and blackberry jam.

The plate is very vibrant.

Sort of whimsical and fun -
definitely California cuisine.

Thank you, chef.

Okay, next up.

This is Darian's
Seared Loin of Venison

on a buttery polenta

and a red wine,
caramelized plum sauce.

All the flavors work.
It looks fine dining.

Really, really appropriate.
Well done.

Thank you, chef.

Next up, this is Cole's
Pan Roasted Halibut

with a celery roasted purée.

Beautiful halibut,
cooked very nicely.

(GORDON) Having not cooked
this fish and grabbing

something you've
never touched before,

that says a lot about you and
your character.

This is a competition
and those kind

of moments for me are important.

Thank you, chef.

This is Hunter's
Pan Roasted Scallops

with a sea bean purée

and then there's a beurre blanc
sauce in there as well.

I know there's a purée
and a sauce there

but it reads
almost like a soup.

If you do a purée
it doesn't need a sauce.

If you do a sauce
it doesn't need a purée.

But the cook on the scallop,

for me, this one here
was delicious.

(SOMBER NOTE)

Give us a moment
right now, please.

(TENSE MUSIC)

Come on in, bro.

What a shame with the shrimp.

For me, the bottom two
are definitely

the jumbo shrimp
and the scallops.

I mean, those are
the two dishes, I think,

that were the least
performing overall.

I think this
was pretty clear.

- (NYESHA) Yes.
- Yeah.

Before we tell you
who makes it into the draft,

let me remind you
of what's at stake.

(DRAMATIC BEAT)

- (PLATFORM HUMMING)
- (DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Ooh...

(GORDON) That's right.

Those incredible chef's jackets.

This is the most
important platform grab.

You don't get one
of those shirts, you're out!

Five of you are about
to move into the draft

and a chance to compete,

not just for the quarter
of a million dollar check,

but for that mentorship with
Richard, Nyesha, and myself.

The first person that have
earned their way into the draft,

congratulations goes to...

...Darian. Well done.
- (APPLAUSE)

Thank you, chef.

I'm in this! Let's get it.

(HOLLERING) Let's GO!

Joining Darian...

...Cole. Well done.

- Thank you.
- The third person,

congratulations goes to...

- ...Machete. Well done.
- (APPLAUSE)

Okay, the fourth person.
Congratulations goes to...

...Connor.

- Thank you, chefs.
- Well done.

Sadly, that leaves
Gabrielle and Hunter.

The final chef
moving through to the draft.

Congratulations goes to...

...Gabrielle. Well done.

(APPLAUSE)

Hunter, young man,
continue cooking, right?

'Cause we're watching from afar.

Thank you, chefs.

Oh, my god, brother.

Easy when it's watching,

but hard when you're
actually doing it.

A lot of respect
for past competitors.

- (HUNTER) Thank you.
- All the best.

- Thank you.
- Keep cooking.

Thank you, chefs.
A pleasure.

By being on next level
at 25 years old, I'm happy.

Hawaii kid!

- (SHARP EXHALE)
- You five have earned your way

into that incredible draft!

(ENTHUSIASTIC CHEERING)

Congratulations.
Get your chef jackets,

and we'll see you very soon.
Well done, guys.

- (RICHARD) Good luck.
- Well done. Great job.

- (NYESHA) Congratulations.
- Woo!

(GORDON) Machete?
What is that thing

- at the back of your head?
- It's called a skullet.

- A skullet.
- A skin mullet.

It looks like roadkill.

(LAUGHTER)

(MUSIC ENDS)

(RICHARD, VOICE OVER)
Next time on Next Level Chef...

(NYESHA) Let's go,
Social Media Chefs!

Hot dogs. Oh, boy!

(STRAINED) What am
I gonna do with this!?

(RICHARD) Tim, what're we doing?

I can open that for you.

You are embarrassing yourself
on national television.

You can make a pretty plate,
but can it taste good?

It looks like someone's
cut themselves.

This is not how I envisioned it.

- (LANDON) What is this?
- That is kale.

Not the best for salads,
if you can't tell.

(CHUCKLING) Oh, my God!

(MUSIC ENDS)