All language subtitles for Next.Level.Chef.S02E12.720p.WEB.h264-BAE

- Last time
on "next level chef..."

- The winner of tonight's
time token is michelle.

- Nice, michelle.
- Yeah!

- Cooking in tonight's
elimination--

Tini,
nuri,

And tucker.

And go.

- That mentorship
is everything to me.

You bet I'm gonna fight
for it.

- The dish I'm eliminating is--

- --The chicken.
- Tini.

[applause]

- I'm coming out
a better chef.

And I didn't even
consider myself

A chef before this challenge.

- And tonight--

- Go, go, go, go!

- You won't be cooking
a winning dish.

You'll be baking it.

- First time baking
something from scratch

And that it's gonna go
in gordon ramsay's mouth.

- You got to go!
Let's go!

Go!

- [bleep]!

- Chocolate cake is not
life or death, right?

- It is here.

[knives shinging]

[dramatic rock music]

[elevator dings]

♪ ♪

[timer ringing]

♪ ♪

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- Welcome back.

You guys are looking energized.

- [laughs]
- let's be honest,

The magnificent seven.

- Ooh.
- Yes, chef.

- Ok.

- Tucker, after
that elimination cook off,

How are you feeling?
- Excellent, chef.

Everybody gets a bad day.

And you know, when you fall
down, you get right back up

And keep swinging.

- Tucker's always been front
of the pack, front of the pack,

Front of the pack.

You can be a hot-shot
cook in this competition.

But like, you know, what
happens when the pressure

Starts to build on you?

- Trust me, I've had
thousands of those days.

- I'm here to win so I can
continue teaching and pass

On that knowledge.
Because I really

Do believe that at the heart
of the day, food is love.

- Every single one of you
has the crucial ingredients

To become a next level chef.

The question is,
can you rise above the rest?

[together]
yes, chef!

- This would be your
toughest challenge yet.

And that's because today
you won't

Be cooking a winning dish.

You'll be baking it.

- [exhales]

[whispering]
I hate baking.

I hate it.

- We're giving you
60 minutes to bake

Us a next level dessert.

Excited--
- yes, chef.

- Let's go.

- --Or terrified?

- Both.
- Both:

- I love baking so much.

I built and decorated my
best friend's wedding cake.

I take cake orders
for people's birthdays.

So this feels
personal right now.

[laughs]

- The precision required to
bake beautifully is an art.

Any next level chef should have
at least one crowd-pleasing

Dessert up their sleeve.

- But each one of you
should be able to bake

Something delicious
that also looks amazing.

- Desserts should be the
most fun part of the meal.

- This is a stress test
like no other.

We're really gonna see who
the real chefs are here.

- Ok, michelle, your last
dish was exceptional.

It earned you
that incredible time token.

So now, you've got
a big decision to make.

Do you take those 10
seconds for yourself

And grab the
ultimate ingredients?

Or do you take 10 seconds
off one of your competitors?

- I'm not comfortable baking.

I'm gonna do my best.

Given my past experiences
with those grabs

Being a little bit late, I
need the extra time for myself.

- That's a very wise decision.

Not comfortable with that
grab, 10 seconds is a godsend.

So, michelle and mehreen,
I will be

Up with you in that top level
kitchen every step of the way.

Both of you, head to the
elevator and good luck.

[tense music]

Good luck, ladies.

[hydraulics whirring

- Here we go.

[clapping]

- Being in the top
kitchen with michelle

Is such a wonderful moment.

I'm not the only one
going through this type

Of journey of feeling
like an amateur

But trying to grow into a pro.

- Me and you.
- Yay.

- Yay.

[elevator door opening]

- It's a huge stepping
stone for us as home cooks.

We earned our place here.

This is crazy.

What the heck are
we doing here?

[laughter]

Why are there only two of us?
- I know.

[laughs]

[hydraulics whirring

- Baking day.

Baking day.
Baking day.

[elevator dings]

♪ ♪

- Today's challenge
is my most feared.

There are a lot
of ways you can go wrong.

[chuckles] so that control
part of me hates it.

[hydraulics whirring

- My ass out this
basement today.

Baby, let's go.

I've been in elimination
two times before.

So for me, it's just about
moving up into that top level.

- A depressingly short ride.

- I don't want to be
in that basement.

I hate the basement.

[elevator dings]

Burnt-up, beat-up mixers.

The oven looks like it was
made in frickin' 1600s.

- You found the tops?
- Are they over here?

- I don't know.

Scavenger hunt for the tops.

Baking and pastry
in the basement?

Come on, man, this is hard.

[chuckles] I hate this so much.

[elevator dings]

[elevator door opening]

- All right, how are we doing?

Feeling good, tucker?

Honored to be working
with both of you.

The big dogs are in the
basement today, huh?

- Yes, chef.

[elevator dings]
[applause]

- Yes!
First time together.

Boom
- yes, chef.

Yeah.
- Boom.

[applause]

I like your positioning.

How do we feel about baking?

- Great.

- We've done savory
this entire competition.

So this is an
amazing time to see

The range that you chefs have.

- After being in the basement,
there's only one way,

And it's up.

I want to prove it
to myself that I can

Get to that top kitchen again.

But I don't bake often.

I fry more than I bake.

♪ ♪

[elevator dings]

- Right, we good?

- Yes, chef.
- How we feeling?

- Good.

- You had the best
dish last time round

And earned yourself
that amazing time token.

So 60 minutes, good luck.
Come on.

- Thank you, chef.
- Line up.

Let's go.

Stand by, guys, yes?

When that goes green,
michelle goes for 10 seconds.

So I'll give you the countdown.

- Perfect.

- Stand by.

Good luck to you both, yes?

Make it count.

Here we go.

Michelle, when that goes green.

Ok, let's go.

- I see graham crackers.

I see cream cheese.

I see goat cheese.

And I immediately
think cheesecake.

- Let's go.

- I'm feeling very blessed to
be in the top kitchen today,

Because in this challenge, if
you're missing one ingredient,

Your dessert might
not come together.

- 4, 3, 2, 1.

Let's go, mehreen.

Let's go.

- I'm seeing tons of peaches.

I know that I can make
a dessert out of anything

On that platform,
and it'd be delicious,

But I am a georgia peach
myself, so I'd love to bake

Something to reflect that.

- It's going, ladies.
It's going.

Go, go, go.

- Platform's coming, guys.

Go!

Go, go, go, go!

Let's go, guys.

Every single thing
that you need.

- Ding-dong, baby.

There's two nice cans
of coconut milk.

I grab some kumquats.

I grab pineapple.

I'm making a
coconut pastry cream tart

With confit kumquats
and kombucha squash.

We are in a good spot.
- [yelps]

- Oh, I'm sorry.
Sorry, sorry, sorry.

- Come on.
Come on, pilar.

- Jam.

- Go.

There it is.

Fast start.

- The grab is one of the
more challenging aspects

Of the competition,
because it definitely depends

What kitchen you're on.

But dessert of choice,
definitely chocolate cake.

I grab cocoa powder.

I grab chocolate.

Sounds like a good time to me.

- 3, 2, 1.

All right, there we go.

Ok.

All right,
your time starts now.

60 minutes to go,
an amazing baked dessert.

- Showtime, baby.

- Ok, nuri, what did you grab,
and what are you making?

- I'm gonna do a citrus
tart, sweet-crust pastry,

And I'm gonna make a nice
flavor chantilly cream.

- Ok, got it.

- I'm thinking I'll make a
mango pineapple sauce to--

Oh, this knife is trash.
Wow.

- Ok.
- --To go with it.

- That's gonna be beautiful.

- Yes, chef.

- Do you bake a lot at home?

- Actually, sometimes I make
a good sweet potato pie,

Pecan pie.
- Oh, are you kidding?

- So yeah, I do.
Yeah, yeah.

- I think pecan pie is my
favorite all-time holiday pie.

- Me too, chef.

- It's also the sweetest thing
I've ever tasted in my life.

- It is, chef.
It is.

- It's not sweeter than
getting out of this basement.

- Yes, chef, getting out--
- let's go.

- --Of this basement.
- Let's go.

All right, tucker,
what are we making?

- I'm gonna be making
a fudgy chocolate

Cake, chocolate pastry cream.

- Ok, decadent
and chocolate, right?

- Oui.
- That's where we're going.

Ok, classic.

- I'm not really
a sweet kind of person.

I have the sweetness inside.

- Who does the baking
on the holidays?

- Somebody else, chef.

- Listen, every chef needs
to have these skills,

And the key here is just
making sure

That the flour gets worked in
but you don't lose

The volume in there.

Your hair, my hair.
Come on.

Let's go. Let's go.

- Team hair, chef, team hair.
- Yes, exactly.

Ok, 55 minutes are left.

- So tell me about
this dessert.

What's it called?

- Spicy peaches and cream cake.

- I love the idea.

You tasted the cornmeal, why?

- I want to get the nuttiness
out of that cornmeal

So that the flavor
shines and adds to,

Like, the bite of the cornmeal.

It's a little toothsome.

- You bake a lot
at home, right?

- More than I cook.

Chocolate chip cookies
are my favorite food.

I've had them every day of
my life, thanks to my mom.

[chuckles] just grew
up always wanting

To make my own desserts.

Dessert is my favorite
meal of the day.

I plan everything
around dessert.

- Mom and dad,
what are their thoughts

Of you baking and being this
talented chef on the rise?

- She said, "that's why you
took photos of your food

Your entire life?"

[laughs] and she's really
proud that something happened

With it, because when they
moved to this country,

They didn't know that this
is what could be possible.

- The american dream, right?

- Yes, exactly.

- Top seven, young lady.

Around the corner
is the finale.

Yeah?
- I'm there, chef.

- This could be one step
in that direction.

- Thank you, chef.

- So tell me about
this cheesecake.

- We're doing lemon zest,
cream cheese, goat cheese.

I usually don't do dessert.

This is something that
just sounds good to me.

I'm kind of winging it.

First time that
I'm actually gonna

Be baking something
from scratch

And that it's gonna go
in gordon ramsay's mouth

Is not a great feeling.

- So cheesecake, sort of
the plain jane of desserts.

- Yes.

- This needs to be
an exceptional cheesecake.

- Absolutely.
- We're on the top floor,

So we're expecting
the most attractive desserts.

The equipment is here, right?

Imagine what it's like down the
basement cooking dessert now?

- No.

- Are you kidding me, with
those ovens down there?

Brutal.
Brutal.

- Pilar.
- Yes, chef.

- What's your roadmap?

- Tequila, lime, chocolate
cake with a strawberry sauce.

- Beautiful.
- And maybe a little zest.

- Like a compote?
- Yes, chef.

- Nice.
Yes, chef.

- Very cool.

- Me and my daughter
do the holiday

Cookies, cupcakes.

That's about it.

[laughs] I'm hoping
that she wants to become

The pastry part
of the empire.

Learn all the things that
mommy doesn't know how to do.

- Last time,
how was it for you?

- It was rough, chef.
- Wow.

- [yelps]

[plate clatters]

[bleep].

- Wow.
- But I'm a fighter.

I'm here to stay.
- Yeah, you are.

Clearly,
that's why you're here.

I don't doubt that
for a second,

And you shouldn't either.
- Yeah.

- You know what I mean?

It's all about
the determination

And the will to succeed.
- Yes, chef.

I'm anxious.

I'm nervous.

And I know that I have to
redeem myself.

- Talk to me about
your game plan.

- I'm making
buñuelos de viento.

- Amazing.

- This is a dessert that I
grew up eating and a desert

That my boys absolutely love.

- Wow.

- Growing up in puerto rico,
my grandmother used to make us

Buñuelos de viento.

They're like round
fried donuts.

But this being
a baking challenge,

I am going to be baking
some and frying some.

- Like a choux pastry?
- Yes.

- You cook that flour out.
- Yes.

- The choux pastry is
most important right now.

Otherwise, you don't
have anything to fill.

Yes, biceps.

- Welcome to the gun show.

- Hey, I see you.
- [laughs]

- Be careful,
don't rip that shirt.

Don't rip that shirt, omi.

- [laughs]

- Chris, first time in
the kitchen with you.

- I know,
this is very exciting.

You get to see if I'm all about
what I'm all about, right?

[laughs]
- hey, you've made it this far.

You clearly belong here.
- Exactly.

Talk to me about
your dessert.

- So as a kid,
me and my parents

Used to go to this
thai restaurant

In town that had this amazing
pumpkin custard dessert

That I loved.

So this is basically gonna
be my take on it in a tart.

- How is the kabocha
being incorporated?

- This guy is gonna get roasted
and cut into a little disc

To go on top of here.

- Do you live
in the middle level?

You think I haven't noticed?
[laughs]

- I know.
- This is your kitchen.

- I'm trying to get out.

It feels like today is gonna
be the day that I finally

Kick down the door
that's been holding

Me into the middle kitchen.

I'm getting out of here and
in the top level kitchen,

I promise you.

This is where the rubber
meets the pavement, baby.

- I want to see some
beautiful desserts, guys.

Keep baking.

Both: Yes, chef!

- What do we have here?

- Whipped chocolate
ganache and--

- This is separating.

Did moisture get in here?

- Yeah, I think some
water from the--

- Throw it out.

Mm-mm.
Come on, pilar.

- [groans]
it just looks horrible.

It's not next level quality.

How embarrassing.

This is the day from hell.

- I truly need pilar
to pull it together

And give her dish the
recognition that it deserves.

I cannot have another
bad dish from pilar.

- Come on, pilar.
I need no liquid in this, ok?

- Yes, chef.
- That's what seizing

Your chocolate up.

Are you going with
chocolate or are you just

Going neutral whip?
- I'ma just go neutral, chef.

- Tell me your thoughts,
you know, it being neutral.

- I'ma go neutral.

I have chocolate
already, the ganache.

- I love it.
- I'll be fine.

- Don't overthink it.
It's whipped cream, chef.

That's the easiest component
of your dish right now.

- Yes, chef.
- Come on.

- I'm gonna scrap the
chocolate mousse idea.

And I'm just gonna
do a whipped cream.

- I don't want you to cook
in a reactionary state.

I need you to get in front
of your dish right now.

- I want the mentors
to see this girl

Is not gonna give up.

[laughs]
- bring it home, pilar.

- Bring it home.

- You got this.

- Get that in the oven,
will you, please?

Yes?
- Yes, absolutely, chef.

- Ok.

So, guys, it's time
for that mid-round mayhem.

A bounty of berries along
with other ingredients

To really elevate.

Let's go, second grab, guys.

- It is berries.

I already have beautiful figs.

But like why not throw
some berries into the mix?

- Red currants, strawberries.

And-- oh.

- I got some blackberries.
- Mmm.

- Mid-round mayhem!
- Yes!

- Make sure it makes
sense with your dish.

- Yes, chef.
- Hurry up.

- Gooseberries.

- Incorporate berries
into your dish, yes?

- Done.

- Great.

- You can grab anything
that's on the platform,

But grab at least one berry.

- Super happy to see
some nice fruits.

Definitely a welcome
drop over here.

- Five seconds left.

- I'm just grabbing
berries, baby.

I'm going berry crazy here.

- Ok.
- Very delicious, chef.

- What kind of
berries did you grab?

- Blueberries, strawberries,
and raspberries, chef.

- Well, what really the
question is, what kind

Of berries did you not grab?
- Did I not grab, chef.

- You got all the berries.
- Oh, yeah, baby.

- Ok.

Tucker, you have the tray nice
and buttered or oiled, right,

So that's gonna be able
to pop off of there?

- Hopefully, chef.
- Yeah, don't doubt yourself.

Don't doubt yourself, right?

I've seen your food, and
you're an incredible cook.

One-year mentorship,
$250,000 on the line.

You do whatever you got to do.

- The basement is terrible.

There's definitely
no cake pans in here.

And when you bake
a cake, you probably

Should have a cake pan.

- And right into the oven.

Have you ever seen
an oven like that?

I mean, maybe at the
gas station to, like,

Warm up some nachos.

But we're in the basement.

Good thing about
that whole tray is,

There's gonna be some
extra for me, I think, tucker.

- [chuckles] maybe a
little for you, chef.

No problem.

- Guys, halfway down, yes?

- Halfway, yes, chef.

- 30 minutes to go.

Whatever needs to be
baked and cooling needs

To be in the oven right now.

- Yes, chef.

- Yeah.

Baking is a science.

And I did not go to that
class of baking or science.

[laughs]

- How's it feel being one
of the last social media

Chefs here?

- [sighs]
that's incredible, chef.

- You've hugged my soul
with some of your dishes.

- Thank you, chef.

I'm seeing 10-year
veterans, and here is me,

A mom who loves to cook
who turned into

A social media chef.

Come on, baby.
Let's go.

Got years
of experience that

They know what to do with.

- Oh, god, that smells good.

- And they can intimidate you.

In my case, I'm going
to cook fearless.

Today's the day.

- Come on, chris.
- Yes, chef.

Right behind you,
coming around.

My tart dough is the one
thing that I'm sort of still

Worried about.

It's got to get blind baked.

And then the weights come out.

And then you bake it
so that the rest of it

Gets cooked fully through.

- We're starting to whip up.

What's that for?

- I'm gonna wrap the
bottom of these pans.

- You should've done
that to begin with.

Let's get them
in the oven, yes?

- Thank you, chef.
- You got to go, girl.

Let's go.

This is a tough one.

Michelle's going down
the cheesecake route.

My one worry is
the base is way too thick.

A cheesecake is about that
creamy texture, not the base.

Mehreen,
on the other hand,

She's doing
like a cornmeal cake.

But corn,
it's very hard, very gritty.

For me, right now,
the jury's out.

- Baking is so sweaty.

- I know.
I'm so hot right now.

- Young lady--
- yep?

- --You've never been
in an elimination.

I don't want to
send you in one now.

- I don't want to go to one.
- Ok, so come on, let's go.

There you go.

Yeah?

Good.

- I'm the only chef that
hasn't been in elimination.

And that is absolutely absurd.

- It's going fast.
- Top seven, top six,

Top five, finale.
- Yep.

I want to get there.

- Well, focus on this, please?
Yes?

- I'm focused, yes.
- Keep it going.

Let's go.
Let's go.

Let's go.

Cornmeal out?
- Cornmeal out.

- Good.
You don't soak that, do you?

No?

- I can make a soak.

- Depends what kind of
texture you want, remember?

- Right.

- You've got plenty of time.

- I've made peaches
and cornmeal cake

Many times before.

The cake is nowhere near dry.

I'm confident.

I don't need a cake soak.

- You got your
tart shell working?

- I'll take my tart shell out
and let it cool down a bit.

I'm just wanting to make
sure my tart shell is

Baked properly and make
sure the dough is not raw.

That's the most
important thing for me.

- That's your chantilly cream?

- Yes, chef.

- You got your curd chilling?

- Yes, chef.

- Bring it together.

Ok, so I mean, nuri has
got a lot on his plate.

He's doing a citrus curd tart.

So he's got his own dough.

He's got to blind
bake the dough.

He's got to make citrus curd.

He's got all these berries.

But it's just a lot of work.

And then for tucker,
I'm worried that the cake is

A little loose
and a little fudgy,

And it's not gonna be
a perfect slice for her.

I have an incredible
track record of getting

People out of the basement.

I stand by it.

I'm getting someone out
of the basement today.

- How are we feeling in here?
- Good, chef.

- We're good, chef.

- I have the plan
blueprinted in my head.

The schematic is ready for
this plate to come together.

I'm just right now waiting on
the tart crusts to cool off.

Oh, mama.

Whoo!

- Tart shells are cool?
- They're a little warm, but--

- Be careful.

- Because if I go for
this pastry cream in like

A piping-hot tart crust,
it's gonna come right out,

And then the tart shell
is not gonna be good.

- Get that cooling, chef chris.
- Yes, chef.

- You can't put it
in there hot. Let's go.

- Yes, chef.

So I tossed it in the freezer.

And I am just pacing back
and forth in full-blown panic

Mode like a psychopath.

[tense music]

I am not going home because
of a botched thai desert.

I'm pacing like a madman.

I can't go out like this!

Cool off, baby.

Cool off.

Chris.

- I'm feeling
the pressure right now

Just because of my tart crust.

But besides that,
everything else is

Locked and loaded
and ready to go.

The tart hasn't
totally cooled down.

I have it in the freezer
on a tray on top of ice.

- Seven minutes.
- Seven minutes.

- Heard that seven.
- Seven.

I want beautiful dishes out
of this middle level, team.

- Yes, chef.
- Heard that, chef.

It is game time, baby.

I grab that tart shell
right out of the freezer--

- Chris, you thinking
about your plate?

- Thinking real hard, chef.

- Love that.

- --Get a nice smear
of the pastry cream.

Any chef loves
a well-executed tart.

We are good to go.

It is nostalgia,
old memories of my family.

It is money
in the bank today, baby.

♪ ♪

- We're ready to open up
our own bake shop down here.

- Yes, chef.
- Yeah, we are.

- And I like it.
And you're going tart?

- Because it needs
a little brightness

From that chocolate cake.
It's gonna be super fudgy.

- I think that's smart.
Good call.

Just again, presentation-wise,
making sure that that's not

Running all over the place.

I want to make sure
that the amount of sauce

Is appropriate for the
thing that's there.

- Heard that, chef.

- Always thinking of the eater.

- Sure are.

- You didn't start out
being a cook, did you?

- No, I went to nursing school.

I got my bachelor's in
health sciences and spanish.

- Ok, so that's why you're so
good under pressure, though.

- Sure, I mean, when a
patient's having a problem,

You don't get to panic.
- Right.

- I mean,
you can on the inside,

But you can't let it
affect what you're doing.

- I mean, as important as
this is, a chocolate cake

Is not life or death, right?

- It is here.
- It is here. I love that.

- I think when people get
down in this basement,

The underdog mentality
takes over down here.

- Yes, chef.

- They fight hard
to get out of here.

[upbeat music]

- How high are we
going with this stack?

Where are we going?

- I'm gonna start
with two layers.

If it can hold three,
that's fine.

- Good.

Did you put a soak on there?

- No, I haven't done a soak.

- What a shame.

Five minutes to go.

- I'm running out of time.

My cakes haven't set.

I'm gonna need to get
them in the blast chiller.

I haven't even made
the berry sauce.

- Quick.

- Thank you, chef.

- This is [bleep] disaster.

[tense music]

- Oh, omi, these
look delicious!

- Right out of here.

- Start composing.

Make sure you're
ready to plate.

Stay ready so you don't
have to get ready.

Filling?
- About to fill.

- Beautiful.

Nice puff.

- They're beautiful,
golden on the outside,

And they feel nice
and light on the inside,

So I know that they're ready.

And I'm so happy with
how they turned out.

- Here we go.

- You good, chris?
- Yes.

This is what I made before.

I did a pop-up
back in west palm beach

Where I did it
in the whole kombucha squash.

- Beautiful.
Love to see it.

- I doing a tart
is exciting for me,

Because nothing
to me screams love than,

Like,
a perfectly executed tart.

- Absolutely.
Visualize the win.

- Let's do it.

- Focus on the size of
what's going on your plate

First, michelle, ok?

- Yes, chef.

- The hero is the
cheesecake, ok?

- Let's go, mehreen.

Good.

Again, michelle, the cheesecake
is the most important thing.

Get that on first
and then the garnish.

- All right, blais'
basement, we got two minutes

Left only, ok?

Now, it's about making this
look beautiful and delicious.

Let's start getting it
on a plate now, yep?

It's go time.

Ok, that's good, just
make sure we're getting

Everything on the plate, nuri.
- Yes, chef.

- Ok.

- I'm kind of thinking
maybe should I just

Put the cream directly
on the plate instead

Of these little corny cups?

But I'm happy.

Visually, the dish
looks beautiful.

- Let's go.

- Gotta go.

- It's beautiful plates,
working with intention.

Platform's headed down, guys.

One minute left.
- Heard that, chef.

- One minute!
- Yes, chef.

[tense music]

♪ ♪

- All right,
the platform is here.

You got to get your
plates over there.

Be gentle, nuri.

- I'm hoping the tart
shell is perfect.

I'm worried that it's
maybe slightly underdone.

I hope that they don't
rip me apart for that.

- 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Way to bake, chefs.

[clapping]

- [laughs]

- Here we go.

Platform's here.

Let's go.

Let's go, omi.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

♪ ♪

- Come on.

Hurry up!

- I am just
completely flustered.

My cheesecake, I can't
get it out of the mold.

I've never used one
of these things before.

Chef.

- Gently.

20 seconds to go.

- The time is ticking, and
I feel like a crazy person.

Is it supposed
to just lift out?

- Yeah, it does.
Lift it off.

Gently now.

Ok, underneath.

Lift, lift, lift!

There you go.

[clapping]
15 seconds to go.

We've got to go.

- I basically throw it on the
plate, and it is everywhere.

- We've got to go.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Michelle!
- [groans]

- You've got to go!
Let's go!

Go!
Go!

Go!
- [groans]

It was a mess.

It literally looked
like I dropped it

From the top kitchen
to the basement kitchen.

- [bleep]. [bleep].

- Oh, god.

I'm going to elimination today.

That was a mess.

[tense music]

[elevator dings]

[tense music]

♪ ♪

- I'm feeling like
absolute trash.

I basically threw my
plate on the platform.

So at this point, I don't
even know what it looks like.

I need a miracle.

- Richard, nyesha, shall we?
- Yes, please.

- Let's.

- Let's start in the basement.

- This is a citrus tart with
a tropical fruit marmalade,

If you will, and then some
whipped chantilly cream.

- Visually, it looks
sort of pedestrian.

The tart is way undercooked.

- It's a bit confusing
how this dish

Is intended to be enjoyed.

It's a bit compartmentalized.

Just make one
beautiful tart shell.

- Yeah, this one's tough,
because the concept is here.

The curd is delicious, just not
together as a beautiful dish.

Ok, over here,
we have a chocolate cake

With a raspberry cremeux,
fresh fruit, and a little bit

Of raspberry coulis as well.

- Visually, it looks nice.

- When there's
a sauce like this,

I want to be able
to enjoy that sauce.

A nice little puddle to really
ensure that we can actually

Go in there and taste that.

- Thank you.

♪ ♪

- I think the only
thing I want to say

Is a little bit more depth,
a bit thicker, a bit more

Confidence in the cook here.

It's a shame.

- I think a deeper
pan would help

Create those layers and depth
of flavor so it's more moist.

- It's tastier than
the dish looked.

- Shall we move to the middle?

- Please.

- Nyesha, please,
what do we have?

- First up, we have the
buñuelo, a fried choux pastry

And also baked as well.

This is filled with a coconut
crema with a wild berry sauce.

- Visually, it looks beautiful.

It's like a sort
of dessert trolley

In a top five-star hotel.

♪ ♪

I just want to say, the cook
inside that choux pastry

Is absolutely spot on.

- The choux pastry
here is superb.

- [chuckles]
I'm so happy to be able

To represent my culture
and show

The world what I could do.

- Next up,
we have a chocolate cake.

This is garnished
with fresh berries

With some texture coming
from candied pecans.

♪ ♪

There's freshness
coming from the berries.

Nothing is over
sweet or cloying.

- This is a chocolate
cake that's just fudgy

Enough and not too dense.

- The actual hero, the cake,
is just off the charts.

- Oh my god, I pulled it off.

[chuckles]

- Next up,
we have a coconut tart.

This is garnished with kabocha
squash and candied kumquats

And pineapple.

- The eye-catching
moment for me, it's just

The thinness of that pastry.

And it is wafer thin,
but cooked beautifully.

And that shows great skill.

Beautiful.

- Kabocha squash has a lovely
sweetness that plays really

Nicely with the coconut.

- Beautiful.

- I could kick a door down
right now with how happy I am.

And on a pastry day, no less.

This is me just
letting everyone know

That I'm still here
and I'm still very

Much in this game to win it.

- All three of these
dishes, personally,

Some of the best food I've
tasted in this competition.

Should we move
to the top floor?

- Yes.

- Let's start with
a cornmeal cake.

This is done with
a puree of peaches.

And then there's a creme
patisserie and a peach puree

Around the outside.

- I love the height on it.

It looks fantastic.

- I love the structure of this.

I'm really impressed.

♪ ♪

- Yeah, I love the idea
of cornbread as a cake base.

There's just a little
too much of it, right?

It's not soaked.

There's not enough cream to
match the dryness of the corn.

- Yeah, there's a
sort of gritty texture

That's happening in my palate,
but it's not unpleasant.

- When you start
tasting that,

It does need a soaking,

Because it's heavy,
that corn, right?

Yeah, it's a shame.

- I'm so disappointed.

I know how to bake a cake.

And I don't want my last
impression here

To be the mistakes
that I've made today.

[tense music]

- Ok, so visually, you have
to sort of put your sunglasses

On for this one.

This is a classic
baked cheesecake.

It's done
with a graham cracker.

Unfortunately, this young
lady forgot the dessert

Needed to hit the platform.

I hope it tastes
better than it looks.

- This has got all the
right components here,

But it's just not quite set.

- It's undercooked.

- You just run out
of time to execute it.

- My plate was
an actual disaster,

But I feel like I have
a lot of fight left in me,

And I don't want to go home.

- Excuse us.

♪ ♪

- Hell, no. No.

- What went on with your floor?

Seriously?
- They were focused.

Thanks.

When she pulled that choux
pastry out of the oven,

It was really beautiful.

- A really great
example of just

Do what you know how to do.
- Yeah.

- 100%.

- The chocolate is hard.

It looks dense, but it was not.

It was creamy and fudgy
sort of chocolate cake.

That coconut cream pie,
absolutely stunning.

And the thinness on the
tart shell, next level.

And to cook it that way.

- That was perfection.

Ok, let's talk about
cheesecake nightmares,

Because that was a shocker.

- Too buttery,
too cheesy, not set.

And the crumb on the
graham cracker didn't set.

- What happened?

Getting under--
getting away from you?

- I just never made
a cake before, so...

- Oh, so you were like--

- This was me--
- --here we go.

- --Learning on the job.

- Oh my god.
- Yeah.

- And then the corn cake.

Just very heavy.

- Like, it looks so delightful.

It's just dry, and there's
not enough cream on it.

- Basement, richard,
the tart wasn't even half full.

- The curd was tasty.
- Yeah.

- But, yeah, a mess.

- That chocolate cake--

- Too thin for me.
Too thin.

- Yes.

- We've got to come
up with the best dish.

And the good news
is we have three,

And we know what floor
they're on.

♪ ♪

Ok, I'm gonna cut
straight to the chase.

The first two dishes moving
to the top level belong to--

[tense music]

Chris.

[applause]

Young man,
that tart was amazing.

- Thank you, chef.

Right now, I just
have the "star wars"

Theme song playing in my
head, like, on full blast.

I'm so excited right now.

- The next dish headed
to the top level is--

Omi.

[applause]

Those buñuelos, extraordinary.

Yeah, well done.

- Thank you, chef.

- The winner of the time token,
a huge advantage at this stage

Into the competition,
especially in the top six.

Congratulations goes to--

Omi.

[applause]

- Whoo!

Get it, girl!

[cheers and applause]

- Good job, omi!

- Good job, girl.

- That was well-earned.

Great job.

- I'm very proud of myself.

I'm so proud of this cook.

I really pushed myself to
really show my heritage

And show my culture.

It just reassures me
that I am--

I'm staying in a good lane.

- All right, chris, listen, you
may have missed the time token,

But you are finally moving
to the top level, man.

- Yeah.

- I'm proud of you, dude.

- Thank you, chef.

- Now for
the not such good news.

The first dish that will
cook in elimination--

And it should come as
no surprise, but it pains me,

Because I've been
behind this young

Lady every step of the way--

--Belongs to michelle.

You understand why, right?

- I do, chef.

- The next dish that will cook
in the elimination

Belongs to--

[tense music]

Mehreen.

Richard said it.

It was just too much corn,
too dense, too heavy,

And a lot going on there.

- I have to say my pride
is hurt a little bit.

I don't want to go
home on baking day.

I'm not gonna let that happen.

- The final person cooking

In tonight's elimination is--

[tense music]

[tense music]

- The final person cooking
in tonight's elimination--

And it pains me, is--

♪ ♪

Nuri.

[somber music]

The curd, exceptional.

The hardest bit done.

The rest of it just not up
to the next level standards.

I didn't want to see
you in there again.

It's your third in a row.

- I'm upset with myself.

This is what I wanted to do
ever since three years old.

And then I just get sent
back into elimination,

So it's just like--

I just feel like I failed.

- Ok, so obviously, that
means that tucker and pilar,

You're both moving
to the middle level.

But omi and chris,
you're headed to the top.

You're both safe.

And you can head back
to the lounge

And watch the
elimination from there.

- Thank you, chef.
- Really well done.

- See you soon.
- Good job.

[applause]
- good job, guys.

- Chris, well done.
- Thank you, chef.

- Proud of you. Omi!
- Yes, chef.

- Can I have
the recipe, please?

- Yes, chef!

- So we're gonna be switching
it up from desserts--

- Thank god.

- --To the first
meal of the day

With a classic, eggs benedict.

[upbeat music]

- I love eggs benedict.

It's not something
I'm necessarily

Making on a regular basis.

But it's something I
order from the diner all

The time when I'm hungover.

[chuckles]

- A traditional
eggs benedict takes

So much skill to get right.

So tonight, I need you
three to make it count.

Ok, pilar, tucker,
you can head to the elevator.

We need a moment
with these three.

Congratulations.

- Thank you, chef.

- [laughs]

- Well done, ladies.

- Good job.

[tense music]

- [exhales]

- All of you, it's got to
be down to that velvety

Hollandaise sauce.

There's no fast-tracking that.

And that yolk bursting over
that ham, spinach muffin.

Whatever way you're taking it.

- Ok, all three of you,
head to the elevator.

I'll see you up there soon.
- Yes, chef.

- Good luck.
- Good luck, everyone.

- Let's go, nuri.
- Come on, michelle.

Let's go, girl.

- Magazine cover, mehreen.
- Let's go.

- Flavor.

- Don't leave it to late
before poaching the egg.

[hydraulics whirring

- All right, guys.

- Even though I've been in
elimination two times before,

This one feels a
little bit different--

- Come on, guys!
[clapping]

- --More on the line,
more at stake for me.

I want to get
into top six so bad.

I'm not ready to go home.

- All right, everyone.
How are we doing?

Both: Good, chef.

- So here we go, listen,
every next level

Eggs benedict
usually features

A protein as well, right?

30 minutes; for one of you,

The last 30 minutes,
unfortunately.

Hands on the elevator.

Let's go.

- I am very nervous.

I've never cooked
a dish in 30 minutes.

It's a lot of pressure.

- The platform's not
gonna go anywhere, right?

Lots of flavors over there.

What's gonna take
the longest to make?

30 minutes, your best
eggs benedict dish.

Let's go!
- Get it, mich.

Get it.
- Ok, guys, get it.

- I run to the platform.

I grab the lobster,
even though that's

Probably risky because you
could overcook the lobster.

But I'm like,
I want the challenge.

- Someone's grabbed the salmon.

Michelle's got the shrimp.

- I grab the shrimp.

I'm super excited, but I'm
also like, they're not clean.

They still have heads on.

Right away,
I start ripping them

Off and cleaning them out.

- Michelle, what are we making?

- I want to do some beautiful,
panko-fried shrimp with

A tarragon-type hollandaise.

- It's also called a béarnaise.

That's what that is.
- News to me.

Turns out all these years
I've been making

Fancy béarnaise sauces,
not hollandaise.

Who knew?

- Nuri, what are we making?

- I'm making a
lobster benedict.

Chef, I'm gonna make
a nice hollandaise,

Use the clarified butter,
fried green tomatoes,

And some crispy bacon.

- You're making
your sauce already?

- Yes, chef.
- Ok.

- I'm just getting it started.

I'm gonna put some
cayenne in the end

And some clarified butter.

- Ok, got it.

Mehreen, what did you grab?
What are you making?

- I grabbed kimchi.

I grabbed salmon.

I'm gonna make a fried salmon
cake, kimchi hollandaise.

I'm just getting the
salmon cooked so I can just

Shred it into these scallions.

- Salmon cakes,
you bit off a lot, ok?

- When I hear chef blais tell
me that I have a lot going on,

My brain just says,
"time to prove

To him that you can do a lot
when you have a lot going on."

[sizzling]

- Ooh, look at
that salmon, girl!

- Nuri, your lobster?

- I'm just gonna remove
the meat from it.

- You're gonna
poach that in butter

Or are you gonna blanch it?
- Yes, chef.

No, I'm gonna poach
it in butter, chef.

- Ok, got it.

Don't forget the hallmark
of this challenge--

Beautifully poached eggs,
hollandaise sauce

On some toasted bread.

Have you toasted
your bread yet?

- You've got to be
able to do three things

At the same time, everyone.

Ok, we're already
eight minutes down.

I'm a little concerned we
bit off a little bit more

Than we can chew here.

- [bleep].
That's no good.

I'm making my
hollandaise sauce.

It's going the plan.

And I start working
on other components,

Come back to my hollandaise
sauce, and it's scrambled.

It's broken.

- Where did your sauce go?

- Chef, it kind of broke.

I'm just gonna restart it.

- Oh, nuri.

Come on.

- Work smart, nuri.

Work smart.

- If I don't have a
perfect hollandaise...

- [exhales]

- Chef stretch is going home.

[whispering]
all right, let's go.

- 13 minutes to go.
- Whew, my arm!

- You got this, mich!

- Did you throw away the
idea for the green tomato,

Or are you still doing it?

- Yeah, I'm gonna
do crispy bacon.

I'm not gonna do
the green tomato.

- Ok, I like that.
- Let me just make sure that

The key parts are correct.
- Who taught you how to edit?

- Chef ramsay.
- Ok, keep going.

Let's go.
Let's do it for him, ok?

- Yes, chef.
- I cannot screw this up.

I have to edit, edit, edit.

Perfect hollandaise, the
first one messed up, edit.

Green tomatoes fried,
don't need it, edit.

I'm like, edit, edit, edit.

- I love the pace, everyone.

You're fighting for
your lives up here, ok?

So you still got
to do your eggs

And you still got to
cook your salmon cake?

- My heart is beating
faster than it's ever beat.

There's not a second
in elimination

Where you don't feel rushed.
[laughs]

- When they cut into
those poached eggs,

You want that egg yolk to run.

- You see that yolk,
'cause that-- that thing is--

- Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's--

- Falling out of that thing.

- You keep an eye on
those for me, tuck?

- Yeah, for sure.

- Just under six minutes.

- Michelle, you better
watch that in hollandaise,

I swear to god.

- Mich, babe, check them.

They're brown on the outside.
Are they good on the inside?

- They're good.
- Don't slip.

- Please don't slip.

- It's almost scrambled.

- Oh, [bleep].

- Let's get a little bit of--
a drip of water in there.

- She left it in that
pot for way too long.

- Feeling good?

It look like it's together?

- It was beautifully together.

My hollandaise looks
like scrambled eggs.

I'm trying to frantically
bring it back together.

- Ok, it's broke.
It's broken.

You have two more eggs.

- [bleep].

It's doomed.

- You need these eggs, mehreen?

- No, chef, you can grab them.
- Ok?

- Blais is encouraging
me to start a new one.

I am not sure if I'm gonna
make it out of this alive.

- Start whisking,
whisking, whisking.

Let's go. You got it?
- I think so.

- You got this, mich, come on.
- Whisk it, finish it off.

- Thank you, chef.
- You got it. Ok?

It's back.
All right, two minutes left.

You got the perfect one, right?

And you have the sauce ready
to go after that, right?

- Yeah, the sauce
is right in here.

- Pull it together, michelle.
Yeah, are we good?

- Yes, chef.

- Watching is very stressful,
because this

Is somebody's last cook.

I'm just concerned that
everybody is like not doing

Things in a timely manner.

I'm like,
the wheels are spinning,

And the car is standing
on the little block thing.

I don't know about cars,
but, like,

You know, we're not
going anywhere very fast

And I'm concerned
for everybody right now.

- Final minute and a half.
Let's start plating.

It's go time, 90 seconds!
- Come on!

Come on!
- Come on, let's go, guys!

- Here we go!
Here we go.

- Gotta be the best eggs
benedict you've ever made.

- Yes, chef.

- 15 seconds left.

- Nice.
Don't be afraid--

- 15 seconds.

- --Of the hollandaise, nuri.

- 10--

- There you go.

- --9, 8, 7, 6,

5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Stop cooking, everyone!

[cheers and applause]

- Whew!

[tense music]

♪ ♪

- Nyesha, gordon, welcome.

It felt like a super intense
three-star brunch service.

Ok, so this is
a salmon eggs benedict

With a kimchi hollandaise.

- Wow.

The secret is always
in that yolk being runny.

Yeah, so that bit worked.

♪ ♪

Egg cooked beautifully.

Kimchi hollandaise, amazing.

Salmon,
just a touch too crispy.

- I love the fresh take.

It's really taking me
on a journey.

- Next up,
crispy shrimp eggs benedict

With tarragon hollandaise.

♪ ♪

- So the cook
on the egg, delicious.

Let's get that
absolutely clear.

You've got to be so careful,
I've got a mouth full of grit.

It doesn't look like the
shrimp have been cleaned.

And I honestly
thought it was sand.

- I did clean
the shrimp, I swear!

There must have been one that
wasn't as thoroughly cleaned.

And that's the one that ended
up on the frickin' plate.

- But nice toast
of the bun, delicious.

- I really appreciate
the tarragon

Flavor that's so pronounced.

But it's completely
thrown off with the grit

That was, unfortunately,
left inside that shrimp.

♪ ♪

- And finally,
we have lobster eggs

Benedict with a cayenne
hollandaise sauce.

- Lobster,
bold move, can be rubbery.

I would prefer to have seen a
complete cover of hollandaise

Over that egg.

Doesn't need bacon that thick.

That's a big no-no for me.

- I kind of miss that crunch
and contrast of texture

That you generally get
from the crispiness

Of that english muffin.

But I really enjoy this.

It's delicious.

It's giving everything I want.

- Ok, so three good takes
on an eggs benedict.

We'll have to
eliminate one, though.

So, nyesh, I'm gonna
start with you.

Which eggs benedict
will you eliminate?

- [sighs]
I'm going to eliminate--

--The benedict with
the crispy shrimp.

- Gordon?

- Tough one.

Three courageous efforts,
very tough.

The dish I'm going to eliminate
is the eggs benedict--

--With the shrimp.

- That dish was
cooked by michelle.

- Oh, michelle.

- It's michelle.
- Oh, michelle.

- You came in as our home chef.

And over the last
couple of months,

I'm talking to you like a pro.

- I never thought
that I would get

This far in this competition.

And it's been a real
dream come true for me.

- You've been amazing.

- So thank you,
especially to you gordon.

And, nyesha, we didn't get the
opportunity to cook together,

But I wish we did.

And, richard, two top dishes
with you in the kitchen, so...

- I'll take you on team
blais any day, michelle.

- [laughs]

- Come here.

- Thank you so much.
It was amazing.

- Oh, man.

- Having gordon ramsay say,
"you came into this competition

"as a home cook,
but you're leaving

As a professional chef,"

Regardless of going home today,
I'm just so proud of myself.

- Take care, michelle.

[somber music]

- I'm really sad that
michelle has been eliminated.

She was my partner in crime.

You know, we're both the last
of ramsay's angels over here.

But yeah, I'm now the
last ramsay team standing.

So I am team ramsay.

- That is not
getting any easier.

Young man, there is
nothing to be upset about.

- It's my third
elimination in a row.

That's why I'm upset right now.

- Think of it this way,
it's your third victory.

All of you have
proved yourselves

The potential to become
the next level chef

Is within your grasp.

Good night.

- Good job.

[upbeat music]

- Thank you, chef.

♪ ♪

- Next time on
"next level chef..."

We are down to the final six.

- The semifinals are right
within my grasp, baby.

- For today's challenge,
you need to reimagine

An old favorite--

Surf and turf.

- You're in the basement;
you better start thinking

Of some low-end seafood,
man, because that's what

You're getting.

- Stop stirring the pan, dude.
It's cooking.

- [bleep].
Touch that again.

- Yeah.
- That's raw.

Not even rare yet.

- I don't know what I'm doing.

- [bleep] hell.

[tense music]