All language subtitles for Next.Level.Chef.S03E12.720p.WEB.h264-BAE

- Previously on
"next level chef"...

- For the first
time ever, you'll

All be cooking in teams.

- There's no I in team,
but there's a me.

- Go, go, go, go!

- David versus
goliath, that's it.

- The dish that I
will be sending home

Is chicken and waffle
with the thigh.

- Von.
- Oh, my god!

- And tonight--

- From here on in, you're are
all cooking as individuals.

- [whistles]
- now's the time to push.

- Normally, I have
a sense of composure.

Oh, [bleep].

Today, that's not happening.

- We decided there's one more
chef joining that elimination.

- [bleep].

- Who's the third person?

- I don't have
much to go back to.

This is everything for me.
I'm not going home.

- ♪ there ain't no
stopping us now ♪

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- Welcome back!
- Whoo!

- What's up, chef?
How are we doing?

How are we doing?

- Ah, seven.
- Yeah!

- The magnificent seven.
- Yes, chef.

- Yes, chef.

- More than half
of the competitors

Have come and gone.

Now, the team
competition is now over.

From here on in, you are
all cooking as individuals.

- [whistles]

- I've been waiting for
these individual challenges

To start.

Enough was enough
with the teams already.

I just want to kind of
break out and do my thing.

- Not even a golden pin
can save you at this point.

Zach, I need you to turn
in the immunity pin.

- Come on, guys.

- Hopefully, I made you proud.
- Good job.

- Well done.
You didn't have to play it.

- Well done.
- That's the impressive part.

Do you want it as
a hair pin or you ok?

[laughter]

- I could use that.

- I think chef ramsay is
jealous of my hair, you know.

[laughs]

Sometimes my dreads fall out,
so I save them

And I mail them to friends.

So chef ramsay might just get
something in the mail one day.

- From now on, you'll
move floors based on how

You cook as individuals.

Oh, one more thing, the
top-level kitchen is closed.

- So in order to decide
who will be cooking

On the middle level
and who will be cooking

In the basement, we went back
over every dish you've cooked

In the competition,
looking at all of your highs

And all of your lows.

- Cooking on the
middle level today

Is going to be

Gabi,

Zach,

Christina--

- What?

- And...

Izahya.

- Man, it's
a great feeling just

Knowing they see me as
a top dog in this competition.

Time to make them proud.

- Ok, that means mada,
nicole, and jordan,

You'll all be cooking
in the basement.

- I kind of like
that pressure.

I want to show these mentors
they made a mistake.

Mada's one of the
best chefs here.

- Throughout this
competition, we've

Pushed you to refine
your techniques,

Produce bold flavors, and then
elevate your presentation.

- Yes, chef.
- Mm-hmm.

- So for this first
individual challenge,

You'll be creating something
that requires all three,

A stunning japanese bento box.

- [laughs]
- bento box.

- Each bento box today has
to include one sushi roll--

- Mm.

- --One cooked protein,
and one tempura item.

Got it?
- Love it, chef.

- Yes, chef.
- Yes, chef.

- Ok, there's one more thing.

To help motivate you today,
you'll all be playing

For one of these, a time token.

The recipient of this
token has the option

To add a 10-second head start
to your platform grab.

But if you don't want
the 10 seconds yourself,

You could use it to
take 10 seconds away

From your fiercest competitor.

- Oh, lord.

[laughs]

- Ok, gabi, zach,
christina, and izahya,

Head to the elevator.

Nyesha and I will
see you shortly.

Good luck, guys.
Come on.

- Good luck.

- Let's go.

- Whoo!

♪ ♪

[cheering]

♪ ♪

- Come on now!

- Yeah, baby!
- Yeah!

- I get this.
- Go!

- I got this one.

- Wow, guys, I haven't had
a chance to work with any

Of you yet, so--
- I know.

- This is--
- yeah, how exciting.

[elevator dings]

♪ ♪

- Let's go.

- All right.

Nicole and the boys.

Whoo-hoo.

Everybody is
in the zone today.

We don't have time
to be messing around.

We don't have time
to be dilly-dallying.

No chit-chat.
Got to get to it.

- Good luck.

- All right, yeah,
we're going to go good.

- Let's go.
- Quash it.

- Let's go.
- Ok, let's go.

- Hello.
- Ok, let's go.

- All right.
- Erupting!

- Lining up over
here real quick.

We don't have a lot
of time together.

But I love it down here.

This is where
the stories are told.

We talked about
track records, but we

Haven't talked about
the mentors' track record.

My record down here,
[whistles] really, really good.

- It's true.

- Ok, we know we're not
going to get great proteins.

- Nope.

- We'll make do with
whatever we got.

And we'll get out of
the basement, right?

- You got it.
- Right.

- Let's go, let's go, let's go.
- Yeah, are we feeling good?

- Hey!
- Hey!

[cheering]

- Yes.

- Whoo!

- I'm feeling confident.

I have my mentor
in here with me.

I want to make
him proud for just

Recognizing me and putting me
in that middle kitchen today.

- Blais, are you feeling
comfy down there?

- Yeah, you want to
come down, gordon?

- No, no, no, it's your
kitchen, kid, your kitchen.

- What are you doing up there?

- We're creating magic.

Ok, guys, the
platform is moving.

On your marks, get set, go!

- Let's go, guys.
- Let's go.

- Look at that protein,
lobster, black cod.

Fake crab?

Oh, my god.

- Imitation crab meat
is disgusting.

Then I see this beautiful tuna!

I snatch it up
before anybody else

Can because we're
not on teams anymore.

- Grab a rice, guys.

- Green beans, great for
tempura as well, yes?

- I wanted chicken
breast or pork cutlet.

And there's chicken strips
right in front of me.

- Seconds to go, guys.
Seconds to go.

One rice, one protein.

Well done.
- Nice, guys, nice.

- Careful. Nice!

- When you see the light
green, it's go time.

There it is.
Let's go!

All right, make sure
you grab a protein,

Make sure you grab a rice.

We're thinking about flavor.

- The first thing
I see, it's bright.

It's red.
I'm like, what is it?

As I grab it, I'm like, oh,
my god, it's imitation crab.

- Yakitori sauce over here.

- Oh, my god,
red shrimp, again?

Don't mind if I do.

- What is this?

Use it, ponzu,
ponzu, ponzu, ponzu.

- I grabbed black cod.

I got my rice.
I grabbed lots of veggies.

I have so much stuff in my
hands, I can't hold it all.

- Nice haul, dude.

Those big arms
come in handy, huh?

- Yeah.

- Oh, surprise,
you grabbed shrimp.

- Shrimp loves me.

- Yeah, shrimp loves
you or you love shrimp.

Ok, here we go.

Your 30-minute bento box
challenge starts now.

Let's go.

Ok, nicole, what are we doing?

- I'm marinating my black cod.

- Black cod.

Somehow you ended
up with a top floor

Ingredient in the basement.

- Oh, great.

- Have you ever worked
with black cod before?

- I have not.

Have you ever been to the
restaurant nobu before?

- No, I have not.
I'm not that fancy.

- Oh, my gosh, ok.

- I don't have money for that.

- Have you ever eaten
black cod before?

- I don't think
I have, actually.

- Oh, my gosh, ok.

In the restaurant nobu,
chef nobu's most famous dish

Is black cod, ok?
- Ok.

- So a lot to live up to.
- All right.

- All right.
- No pressure.

- What's known
an incredible fish.

It's super, super fatty.

It's almost impossible
to overcook.

- Ok.

- But you can't undercook it.

- It's got a next-level
dish right here.

- How do I want to do this?
Want to fry these?

- All right, jordan.
- Yeah.

- All right, what do we got?
- We got some imitation crab.

I've never ever
cooked this before.

- So what's
the most famous sushi

Roll that uses imitation crab?

- California roll?
- Yeah, there you go.

- I don't have any of the
components of that, though.

So we'll figure that out.

- Well, we'll make
a version of it.

- I have no idea
what I'm doing.

Am I frying this thing?
Am I grilling it?

Am I sautéing it?

Like, how do you even
cook imitation crab?

What the hell are
we going to do?

- Also, jackpot over
here with citrus and soy.

This is like when you get
bottle service at the club.

I don't know why I'm
thinking you go to the club

And get bottle
service, but do you?

- Yeah.

- You're drinking
the good stuff.

- Yeah, I'm drinking
the good stuff.

- Ok, right.
So that's what this is, ok?

- Yes, chef.
- That's what this jar is.

- Absolutely.

- Ok, you got the elements,
push, push, push.

- Right, gabi, what'd you grab?

- I have some
beautiful salmon, chef.

- Beautiful.
What are you doing with it?

- And I am going
to marinate it.

And this is actually going to
be incorporated with my roll.

And then I'm going to put
it on top and torch it.

- Have you made many
sort of california rolls?

- No, chef.
This is a first for me.

I'm really trying
to visualize this dish.

Ok.

But I feel like I
don't have enough time

To even do that because I need
to get started on 15

Things now.

Relax, gab, relax.

- Izahya, what'd you grab?

- I grabbed the lobster,
a bunch of spices.

I like spice, chef.

Instead of a pacifier, I had
a scotch bonnet as a baby, so.

- Oh, nice.
I'm a big fan as well.

How are you preparing
your lobster?

- I'm going to grill
this piece of lobster.

And I'm going
to tempura batter that one.

- Be careful.
You don't want a too-high heat.

Lobsters loves a gentle cook.
- Yes, chef.

- How familiar
are you with bento

Boxes or japanese cuisine?

- Ah, I'm not too
familiar with bento boxes,

But it sounds like
everything I would order

At a japanese restaurant.

So I'm just going to
make it beautiful today.

I want to be creative.
We're no longer on team.

So I really want to try
to stand out today, chef.

- Christina.
- Yes, chef.

- What are you
doing with the tuna?

- I'm going to sear
it in my frying pan.

- Right.

- Did you grab a rice?

- [bleep].
I don't have a rice.

♪ ♪

I don't have the freaking rice.

- How would you do
a sushi roll with no rice?

- I don't know.

The most important part of any
sushi, and I didn't grab it.

- Well, I said, grab a rice.

- [bleep]

- [bleep].
I forgot my rice.

You're instantly
going to elimination

If you forget your rice.

- How would you do
a sushi roll with no rice?

- I'm not sure if I'm
going to try to use

My noodles in place of it.

- How is that possible?

- I don't know.

- [bleep] sake.

- You have 22 minutes left, ok?

- All right, now let's get
started on this tempura.

Boom!

- Zach, what'd you
grab, protein-wise?

- All right, chef,
I got chicken strips.

I'm going to do
a katsu chicken,

Super hawaiian, chicken
yakitori with a chicken sushi

Roll, chicken three ways.

- I love that.

- In hawaii, the katsu
chicken, that's usually

What you get in the bento box.

So I was thinking of maui
today when I was making this.

- What does it say about
this top seven now?

Because everyone's eyeing
everybody up, right?

- You know,
top seven, it feels good.

I just want to keep
proving to everybody,

My mom and my family
in maui, and hey,

Man, I'm going to [bleep]
take it to the end, right?

I lost everything to
the line of fires.

But like,
I'm here for a reason.

And I feel like I'm
the phoenix rising

Out of the literally ashes.

The whole future
is a big question

Mark right now for myself, so.

- Sure.

- I'm going to see what this
competition brings out of me.

- I love that.

Get yourself to the top
floor, would you, please, yes?

- Yes, chef.
Thank you.

- 20 minutes to go.

Platform's moving!

- Time for the mid-round drop.

- What goes well
with your boxes?

- Grab a sake.

You can use it for a sauce.

You can cook with it.

- I see the platform
start moving down

Again right in front of me.

[vocalizing]

A bowl of sushi rice.

Yes.

The universe has my back.

- Beautiful sakes, let's go.

- I see sake.
I'm like, boom!

- Opportunity to
grab vegetables.

- [bleep] yes.

- Well done.

- ♪ jesus, I love you ♪

[laughter]

- Everyone,
it's the mid-round drop.

Grab a bottle of sake.

- Yes.

- You can also grab anything
else that's on the platform.

I see fresh wasabi, pickled
ginger, three seconds.

- Hallelujah, let's go.

The sake's going to
go great with my sauce

To really elevate it.

And the pickled ginger is
going to be a great garnish

For my bento box.

- Oh, yeah.

- Did you get your rice?
- Whoo!

Yes, chef.
- Ok, good.

We are lucky.

- That was a little scary,
I'm not going to lie.

- You're going to use
the tuna as a cooked protein?

- Yes.

I'll use some, probably
inside my roll,

And then some on the side
and a bunch of tempura veg.

- Love that idea.

- All right, this batter
needs to get thicker.

I am feeling stressed--

Ok, a lot of elements
going on, gabi.

Because I'm not managing
my time well right now.

I am scattered.

Focus, gab.

Just focus.

[dramatic music]

- You have your batters
made for the tempura?

- Oh.

- About to batter it right now.

- Hey, look who it is, guys!
- Hey, how are you?

Doing good?
- Look at that.

That was a surprise.
- Yeah!

- Are we good?
- Yeah, we're doing good.

- How were the crabs?

- Good enough.

Nicole's got black cod,
though, down here.

- Beautiful.

- Jordan's got
the imitation crab.

- Damn.

- And then here's
the big surprise,

Though, gordon, mada's
got shrimp and rice again.

- Is this guy grabbing
anything but shrimp?

I mean, honestly--

Mada.
- Hey, what's up, chef?

How are you doing?
- Doing good?

- Yes, sir.

But those red prawns
keep fighting me.

- This is in your
wheelhouse, isn't it?

- Yes, yes I love this.

- Is this the kind of
food that you've done

With some of your clients?

- I'm a big fan of asian
food and asian flavors.

And I like to modify my food.

I don't eat the regular
chicken and broccoli.

As you know, life's too short.

So I find ways to add
flavor without calories.

- Yeah, lovely.

- And the asian cuisine
is great at that.

I've been to japan many times.

So I've experienced asian
cooking very authentically.

It's all about being delicate,
being gentle because you

Don't want to butcher it.

- Don't underestimate
how long it takes to make

That roll as well, yes?

- Yeah, I'm going
to get that going soon.

- Good.

- Ok, nicole, black cod,
it's usually broiled.

So we don't have
a broiler per se.

You know
what's not a bad idea,

One of these sort
of things, right

Over the top of the fire,
or you can do it in a pan.

- Ok.

- It's your dish,
it's your call.

- Thank you.

- 12 minutes gone,
18 minutes left.

- All right, chef zach,
are we going

Sauce over the katsu or under?

- Yeah, I'm going to put it on
the side, so you could dip it.

- Beautiful.

- I got to say,
for the first time,

These guys are cooking
by themselves, not

In their teams.

There was beautiful
ahi tuna, black cod.

Why would he grab
chicken tenders?

Keep pushing!

Izahya, how are you
preparing the other half

Of your lobster?

- I'm going tempura
batter it, chef.

- How familiar are
you with tempura?

- Tempura, I made
tempura batter

For my chicken in my
audition, and that's

My favorite kind of fry, so--

- For sure.

- I'm pretty familiar
with tempura style batter.

- Don't wait too long, ok?

- Yes, chef.

I know that lobster
might take some time.

- Yeah, of course it will.

14 minutes left, ok?

- Jordan--
- yes, chef.

- You grabbed fake crab?

- Yeah, it's the first
thing I saw, chef.

- Bloody hell's bells.

- We're going to heat it
over the fire real quick.

- Do not leave it too long
before you start that roll.

You've got to start
[bleep] rolling, please?

- Yeah.
- Let's go.

- Ok, nicole, just make sure
that we cook the cod, right?

- Yes.

- Again, almost
impossible to overcook.

- I'm worried about
the black cod.

I don't want to burn it.
Ooh.

I've never put
a grate on top of my fire.

And I'm definitely overwhelmed.

- That's going
to need more time.

- Yes, chef.

♪ ♪

- Just over 10 minutes, guys.

- Ok, get ready to roll, gab.

Normally, I have
a sense of composure.

Oh, [bleep].

Today, that's not happening.

I'm freezing up a little bit.

I'm not even going to try it.

This is tough.

Don't waste my time.

- Eight minutes left,
guys, yes?

- Playing with
the sesame seeds, chefy?

- I'm going to crust my tuna.

- You're in your element, girl.

- Yes, chef!

- Start to hone in your vision.

- Yes, chef!

- Right now, you
should think about,

When am I going to
drop my tempura?

So that you don't struggle
rolling that roll, right?

- Yes, chef.

- I'm running over to the fryer
to drop my tempura lobster in.

And it's filled with all the
other chef's ingredients.

Everybody's using a fryer.
[bleep].

So now I'm trying to work
on something else.

I'm going to sear my bok choy.

- Watch out, watch out,
watch out!

Careful.

- This late in the
competition, the mentors

Are looking for any
little minor detail

To send you to elimination.

- It's too hot.

Watch out!

- And right now, everything
is falling apart for me.

- It's too hot.
Watch out!

- I still have yet to drop
my lobster in the fryer.

And I'm still trying
to roll my sushi.

- You don't want your sushi
roll too small, right--

- Yes, chef.

- --Because once you
fill it, it's not really

Going to leave you space.
- Ok.

- Do you have more paper?
- Yes, chef.

- Ok.

- Chef arrington, she's
like, you need to start over.

- Start clean.
- Thank you, chef.

And I've already
wasted so much time.

- This is the point
you have to be calm.

- [laughs] thank you, chef.

- 5.5 minutes left,
only 5.5 left.

Time to roll, right?

Ok, did we decide what
we're doing with the sushi?

- Yes, we got
the avocado, cucumber.

I'm going to get
some herbs in there.

- That seems so
nicole, doesn't it?

- Yes, chef.
- Ok, got it.

Jordan, back to you.

Have you ever rolled a burrito?
- Yeah.

- It's the same
sort of concept.

As you're going, you're
kind of pressing it down.

You really just keep going
all the way to the end.

And then like, we'll pull
it out and see how it looks.

Yeah, it looks pretty good.
I like it.

- Ok.

I just rolled a sushi roll.

All right.

This might be the rapunzel
hair that I can climb

Out of the basement with.

- You're just making
a traditional maki roll?

- Yeah.
- A lot of finesse here, right?

- Yeah.
- Ok.

- The smaller tasks
are a lot harder.

All this muscle holds
you down sometimes.

Imagine rolling sushi with
these giant hands, right?

Yeah, exactly.

- Ok and then, right, you dip
your hand in some cold

Water, right?

That can help if your
hands are sticky.

Mada's got these
big, giant hands.

It takes a lot
of finesse rolling

This small little sushi roll.

Physically, this is going
to be probably the toughest

Challenge for mada.

Let's go, push, push, push.

[dramatic music]

- 4.5 minutes to go.

- Come on, zach.
- Yep.

I'm looking good, chef.

- Make sure you leave
yourself a little bit of a lip

So that you can kind
of create that seam.

- Close that.
- Yes, chef.

- Got you.
- Exactly.

- Right, how are we doing?

- Getting my roll ready to go.
- Good.

Go and get that roll now
because you're time-poor.

Don't worry about all
the little minutia.

Just focus now, ok?
- Yes, chef.

I'm making this sushi roll.

And I had this
beautiful vision.

And I'm left with this giant,
fat, hideous sushi roll.

- You have a really
large roll there.

- Blowtorch.
- Thank you.

- Go, go.
You got to go.

- I waited too long to
make this sushi roll.

I don't have time
to make another one.

- Now is the time
to push, right?

You have a lot of elements
to get done, guys.

- Start dressing your boxes.

- Two minutes left.

Go, go, go!

Jordan, have you fried
your tempura yet?

- It's going in
right now, chef.

- Dude, yes, please.
Come on, guys.

You guys are like running
right to the edge here.

[dramatic music]

- ♪ where is my spatula? ♪

- We've got to go.

♪ ♪

Start plating those
bento boxes, yes?

- Yes, chef.

- Just don't over
complicate it, please.

- Don't smash the roll.

Cut the roll.

- As I'm dragging
that knife through it,

This salmon is starting
to just disintegrate.

It's looking terrible.

- 90 seconds, guys,
let's go, big push!

♪ ♪

- The platform's on the way.

We're plating now, right?
- Yes, chef.

- Start building
your bento box,

And there's a lot
to go into it.

One minute left,
only 60 seconds.

♪ ♪

Beautiful, beautiful.

Have you tasted everything?

- Yes, chef.

- Focus.
Take a second.

Think about what it looks like.

Platform is here, guys.

Now is when to make
it look pretty.

Make sure you fill up all
those boxes if you can.

Jordan, nicole,
platform is here.

♪ ♪

It's off, guys.

It's off.

- Whoo!

- Come on, guys,
platform's on the move.

- Don't sweat
the small stuff, guys.

- Platform's here, guys.

Let's go!

- Let's go, guys.

♪ ♪

Let's go!

- Come on, zach.

- Yes, chef.
- Izahya, let's go.

- I'm running out
of time right now.

The platform is here.

I have my bok choy
and my pickled shallots.

But I don't have time
to get those mushrooms

Onto the plate.

And it just looks
so incomplete.

- 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Yes!

Man.

♪ ♪

- Oh, man.

- What is it with you leaving
things to the last minute?

What is that?
- Oh, man.

- Uh-huh?

- Time management, chef,
got the best of me.

I wasn't happy in my dish.

I know there's other
chefs here that

Can go back to their
careers or go back

To whatever they're doing.

I don't have much
to go back to.

So I'm trying to make the
most out of this, for real.

[sighs]

[soft music]

♪ ♪

[elevator dings]

[dramatic music]

- Wow.

- Oh, my lord.

- If you've never done
a sushi roll before,

They are tough, right?

- Yes.
- Yes, really.

- Shall we start
in the middle floor?

- First up, we have ahi tuna,
two ways, both in the roll

And seared with a sesame crust.

- Visually, I love
how many elements

Are on this bento box.

I mean, this is a full meal.

It's a beautiful dish.

- The roll itself is gorgeous.

Beautiful cook on the tuna,
amazing accompaniment.

- Great crispiness
on that batter.

Tuna is cooked
beautifully, by the way.

Really nice, indeed.

- Next up, we have
a bento box with salmon.

This chef deep fried
a tempura shiso leaf

And also tempura'd mushrooms.

- So visually, it's lackluster.

It doesn't have that appeal.

It just looks clunky.

- I mean, you're
almost into like

Sushi-rito territory
with it, you know,

The burrito with sushi in it.

- Salmon, asparagus
makes sense in a roll.

I think it's just about
portioning and understanding

The vision and how
to bring the richness

Of the salmon to life.

- What a shame.

- It was just so far
off the mark today.

This is a low, definitely.

- Ok, next up, honestly,
an ingredient I

Didn't actually expect
to be on the middle level.

We have a chicken satay,
tempura vegetables here,

Chicken in the sushi
roll as well as

A tonkatsu preparation
and a sesame dipping sauce

With tempura lotus root.

- Chicken strips, slightly
more difficult protein

To work into this bento box.

But the flavor is good.

- Yeah, it's probably a
reason we haven't seen chicken

In a roll before or too often.

The yakitori, though,
is absolutely delicious.

- Mm-hmm.

- The chicken is a little
overcooked on the tonkatsu.

But the dipping
sauce is incredible.

Lastly, we have a lobster
with charred bok choy.

This lobster was
prepared two ways,

Both in a roll and tempura.

- So timing got the
better of this individual.

It looks a little
bit unfinished.

- There's an empty
compartment, which

Is sort of great to
put some of the items

That are tough to chew.

The lobster is
really, really chewy.

The tempura is soggy.

- Richard, basement, please.

- This is a bento box
with imitation crab.

- Ooh.

- So it's a california
roll crab salad

In the inside-out roll
and then the imitation

Crab cooked on a skewer.

- The sushi roll is
really beautiful.

The ingredients and the filling
shine bright throughout.

- The inside-out roll, that's
even tougher to roll than

Maybe the traditional maki.

And that's done
pretty well, though.

- This is a tough one
because these crab

Sticks are horrendous.

♪ ♪

- Next up, we have broiled
black cod marinated in sake

And a cucumber
veggie roll as well.

- Wow.

- I'm surprised black cod
made it all the way down

To the basement, incredible.

It's one of my favorite
fishes to enjoy.

However, this,
it's missing a glaze, right?

- Yeah, black cod,
it's one of those fish

That you really want
it to be just charred.

It's a little bit underglazed.

- This box has all the makings
of a perfect bento box.

But unfortunately,
it's not rolled beautifully.

It's got nowhere near
enough rice in there.

So it's a little
bit lackluster.

- Lastly, we have a red
prawn, hibachi-style,

A vegetable roll.

And we have a tempura
medley of vegetables

And a spicy sweet sauce.

- Visually, it looks good.

Shrimp are delicious.

I love the glaze
on there as well.

It's really elevated it.

- What I love about this is
japanese food with the salty,

Sweet, spicy flavors.

- The highlight on this bento
box is actually the tempura.

It has a beautiful crunch
and incredible texture.

- I'm in disbelief right now.

For the first time ever,
making a sushi roll?

I never tempura-battered
anything in my life.

I'm so, so proud of myself.

- Right now, we just need
a moment to determine who's

Heading up to the top
and sadly, who's heading

Into that dreaded elimination.

Give us a moment.

Thank you.

- Ooh.

- That was tough.
- That was tough.

- Damn, son.

- What a challenge.
- What a challenge.

- Yeah, this one's--
- what a challenge.

- --Tough to critique
because there's so many

Different things to
critique in each box.

- The shrimp was
delicious, by the way.

Grilled to absolute
utter perfection.

- Absolutely.

And when you get
those sort of charred

Notes, the caramelization
of the sugar,

It's really beautiful.

- Yeah, nice to see
that cook on the tuna.

The tuna was
cooked beautifully.

- Really beautiful.

And it's such a risk
to be able to keep

Those sesame seeds
toasted and the tuna raw

But without burning them.

- Yeah, it was
just the roll that

Looked a little bit clumsy.
Everything else was immaculate.

- Yeah, beautifully done.

- I was amazed of the style
and the shape of jordan's rolls

Because they were good.

- I was really surprised,
too, because he clearly

Had not made one before.
- Yeah.

- No.

- He chose to do
an inside-out roll.

It's a little tougher, but it
probably was the perfect size.

- Yeah, everything else
was a bit of a mess.

- Totally, but the roll--
- just the roll--

- Best roll out there.

- They like the roll.
- Yeah.

- That's the one thing
I got going for me.

- Nicole's was lackluster.

- Nicole's was lackluster.
- Black cod is a dream.

- Oh, it's a dream.

I was so disappointed
in that black cod.

I was looking forward
to eating that black cod,

And it was-- it was tough.

It wasn't glazed.

It didn't have a nice char.

- The chicken,
tough protein to grab.

- Zach is from hawaii.

He's perfect cooking fish.

- Absolutely.
- So it's an odd choice.

- It was an odd choice.

I think he was just
trying to do too much.

- Yeah.

- It didn't come
together at the end.

- What about that
gigantic california roll?

- Ok, that-- that doesn't
even qualify as a roll.

- The vision just
didn't come to life.

And I think it was just
out of their element.

- Listen, to me though,
maybe the most disappointing

Was the lobster, chewy.

- Yeah, absolutely.

- Super chewy,
impossible to eat.

- Totally, and the tempura
was off as well, really soggy.

- It's the only box that
was missing a compartment.

- Mm.

It feels to me like there
were three boxes that

Were a cut below the rest.

This is going to
be a tough call.

- Yeah.
- Let's go.

Line up, guys, please.

♪ ♪

Ok, well done, all of you.

This was a very, very difficult
first individual challenge.

Two of these bento boxes
really stood out for us today.

Those two will move
into that top-level kitchen

Across the next challenge.

The first bento box--

Was the one made with--

♪ ♪

Tuna.
Christina, congratulations.

- What?

Are you kidding me?

I didn't even know what
I was doing up there.

But I'm so glad it worked.

Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh!
[laughs]

- The next bento box

Moving to the top is--

♪ ♪

The one made with--

Shrimp.
Mada--

- Ahh!
- --Congratulations.

- Ooh!

- Coming out of the basement,
how are you feeling?

- I feel incredible right now.

This is by far the toughest
challenge, especially

Doing it in a basement.

But, man, I'm just over
the moon right now.

- I think those two
had a really great

Mentor, just not to mention.

I got to say.
- Best we got.

- I agree.

I worked with them very, very
heavily across this challenge.

You're absolutely right.

Now, one of these
two bento boxes

Will not only move into that
top-level kitchen next time

Round, but has just
earned themselves

The coveted time token.

This will give you an
advantage of either a 10-second

Additional grab, or you
get to take 10 seconds

Off a fellow competitor.

♪ ♪

This token--

Goes to--

Mada.
- Ahh!

Let's [bleep] go!

- Whoa, come on.

- Yeah, yeah!

Yo!

- Well done, man.
- Congratulations.

- I'm so happy right now.

Oh, man.

Top dish!

And freaking sushi!

Call me shrimp daddy.

Everybody doubted me, but
guess what, I'm in the top six,

Holding the time token.

So what's up now?

- These things are insured
for $5 million apiece.

For god's sake, man.
Be careful.

Now, for the not-so-good news,

The first bento box

Heading to the elimination--

♪ ♪

Was the one with the lobster.

- I should have put something
better up there for you guys.

I'm accepting the fact
that I'm going to elimination.

And I'm going to keep
fighting like I've been

Doing this entire competition.

- Exact attitude you
need to get yourself

Out of this elimination.

- Yes, chef.

- The next bento box
that has earned their way

Into the elimination--

♪ ♪

Is the one made with--

- [sighs]

- --The black cod, nicole.

It was lacking in glaze.

It was lacking
with the seasoning.

It tasted very watery.

And it just did not make sense.

- Yes, chef.

- Unfortunately, we've
decided there's one more

Bento box joining
that elimination.

- [bleep].

- Oh, no.

- The next bento box
heading to the elimination--

- Three people going into
elimination, this is insane.

- --Is the one made with--

[dramatic music]

- Unfortunately,
the next bento box

Heading to the elimination--

- [bleep].

- --Is the one made with--

The salmon, gabi.

I'm lost for words
because I know

You can do so much better.

- Yeah, that was
a classic example

Of me overthinking something.

- Sure.

- And that was
something to kick

Me in the ass a little bit.

- Ok, gabi, nicole,
izahya, listen carefully.

A bento box is usually
a traditional japanese

Lunch item.

So for tonight's elimination,
we are moving to dinner.

You'll all have 25
minutes to create

An amazing japanese-inspired
steak dish using one

Of the most expensive
proteins on the planet,

Japanese wagyu beef.

- Ooh, nice.

- Treat it with respect
and absolutely get yourself

Back in to the competition.

- Yes, chef.
- Yes, chef.

- Right.

From now on, until we reach
the finale, each of us

Will take a turn
overseeing the elimination

Cook-off while the other two
will blindly taste the dishes.

Ok, all of you,
head to the elevator.

I'll meet you shortly
for the elimination.

Let's go, guys.
- Let's go, chef.

- Good luck, guys.
- Let's go, come on.

♪ ♪

- Come on. Let's go.

- Yeah!

- I've never been the type
of person to give up.

I'm the kind of girl who,
when I say I'm going

To do something, I do it.

And I give it my all.

And so now's the time
to give it my all.

- Let's go, let's go.
- Yay!

- I'm doing this
for my family.

I'm doing this for my wife.

This is everything for me,
so I'm not going home.

I'm not going home.

[cheering]

- Let's go.

Right, you three,
come over, please.

- I felt a little embarrassed
to be there today.

I need to prove to chef
ramsay that I don't

Belong in this elimination.

- First time this season
we've had three of you.

So now's the best
time to cook some

Of the most gorgeous, delicious
food you've ever cooked.

Wish each other good luck
and line up, please.

Let's go.
- Good luck.

- Whoo!
- Good luck, guys.

- We love you, guys.

Kill it!

- On your mark, get set, go!

35 minutes.
- Whoo!

- Whoo!
There we go, baby.

- I see the veggies.

I want these gorgeous
purple turnips.

This is my main veg.

I need some of these.

- Check out all sides
of the platform.

There's garlic right there.

- Oh, man.

- Enoki mushroom
on the right side.

- These enoki mushrooms
are so beautiful.

I cannot wait to tempura these.

- Holy [bleep].

It's so much fat.

- It's a beautiful cut,
beautiful cut.

- All right.

Izahya, how are you
feeling, my man?

- I'm feeling good, chef.
- Ok, where are we going?

What are we thinking?

- I'm thinking about just
letting the steak shine,

Making some beautiful veggies.

- What are we going
to do with these veg?

- I'm thinking about
pickling up some carrots.

- Nice.
- I'll add in some acidity.

I do know this is very rich.
- Love that.

Are you going to shave
those carrots or--

- Yes, I'm going to shave
them, cut them real thin,

Get a nice little
slaw going with them.

- Ok, good.
- How are you doing today?

- I'm good.
I'm good.

- He's in the zone, baby.

- 23 minutes to go.

Right, nicole, how
are you feeling?

- I'm feeling great.
I'm going to keep it simple.

I'm going to do what
I know because I'm

Not super familiar
with japanese cuisine.

- Ok.

- I'm going to make
a tempura veggie nest.

I have a bunch of veggies,
and I'm going

To put the steak on top of it.

- And how are you
going to cook this?

- I thought about cutting
it before I sear it.

- Are you using
the yakitori grills?

- I might try.

I'm going to save some and
do some on the pan as well.

- And these grills are
super hot, by the way.

- Yes, chef.

- Feel free, going to put one
little slice on there and just

Have a look at just
how it melts down.

- Oh, yeah, I'd totally
be using that grill.

- Four minutes gone.
- Come on, guys.

- Ok.
- All right, chef.

- First of all, I'm surprised
to see you here, ok?

- Chef, me as well.

- Now, what are you doing?

- I heavily salted this.

I want to just give
it a kiss of heat.

- Make sure that cast iron
is absolutely smoking.

- Smoking hot.

- And in terms of
presentation, how are

You going to lift this thing?

- Do these beautiful purple
daikon radishes in the middle.

- Good, good, good.

Seven minutes gone, guys.

- Love the pace, guys.

You guys are working
hard, working hard.

- Got to get this steak on.

- Love it, love it, love it.

- Yeah, girl.

- That cast iron is
hot as [bleep] girl.

- It's got to be hotter.

It's got to be hotter.

Yeah, that's it.

Good, yeah, get it really
nicely colored, yes?

- Yes, chef.

- Nicole, watch those
flames on that box.

- Thank you.

[dramatic music]

- Ow.

- I see all this hot grease
just, pssh, on her arm.

And she's shaking her arm.

And I'm like, oh, man, she
just burnt herself so bad.

That's like 500-degree
grease right there.

You all right?

- Yeah, I'm good.

And yeah, this is probably
going to show up a little bit.

- Right, how are you doing?
- Doing good.

- You're going to take
this over to the fryer?

- Yes, sir.
- Well, let's go over.

And then that way,
you've got a much better

Chance of doing this properly.

Ok, so you go straight
there into the fryer.

- Yes, thank you.
- Hang that up.

Hang that up as well.

Ok, good.

- Yeah, there you go, zay.

- Great job, great job.

- 10 minutes, guys, 10 minutes.

Ok, that's nicely rested.
- Yeah.

- Where's the starch?
You got the potatoes?

Are you doing anything
with them or not?

- No, I don't know
if I should do

Anything with them right now.

I really don't--

- Oh, get them boiled
and then sauté them.

- Ok.
- Yeah?

- Yes, chef.
- Keep it going, big man, yes?

- Gotcha.
Thank you, chef.

- Let's go, my man.
- I appreciate you.

- I appreciate you.
Let's go.

- Nicole, focus
on your protein.

- That wagyu is going
to go quick, ok?

- The steak is the star.

- Where's the steak?

- Steak is off.

It's resting.
- I can see it's very rare.

- I want it rare.

- Just be careful
that when you slice it,

It doesn't look like
it's still raw--

- Yes, chef.

- Because it's still very--
just touch that again.

- I'll be honest, I don't
have the money to be buying

A wagyu steak like this.

So I'm having a little
trouble figuring

Out if it's on long enough.

- Yeah, watch--
watch your fryer.

- Oh, no.

This batter doesn't
look thick enough.

- We got four minutes, guys.

- Four minutes!

- I'm running out of time,
and my vegetables

Are not frying together.

The tempura batter
is not working out.

So I'm going to need to pivot.

I need more flour.

Oh, man.

I just don't feel
good about this.

These veggies don't look
like what I wanted them to.

Getting nervous.

- We got four minutes, guys.
- Four minutes!

- You guys look amazing.

You guys are crushing this.

- Lots going on now.

It's a
beautifully-cooked wagyu.

Clear your desk,
and then just start

Visualizing that first, yes?

- Yes, chef.

I'm ditching
the tempura nest idea.

So we're just going to plate
one of the mushrooms and fan

The steak out around it.

- Careful, nicole,
you're doing fat on fat,

So keep that in mind.

- Do you have any acid in your
dish, nicole, anything light?

Just to break all that fat.

- Thank you.

- Right, you got them?

- Grabbing them right now.

I'm multitasking out there.

I'm a dj.

I'm at my potatoes.

I'm at my mushrooms.
I'm at my steak.

I'm at my slaw.

I'm just back and forth,
back and forth, back and forth.

- Now we're moving.

Two minutes to go.

- Two minutes!
- Let's go.

- Think about plating.

- Where did the vinegar go?

- Right here, up here, up here.

- You have vinegar up here.

- My vision is definitely
not going to plan.

So I'm going to whip together
a quick little sauce that I can

Hopefully garnish my
plate with and at least

Make it look beautiful.

- Tik-a-tik-a-tik!
- This is crazy y'all.

- Make sure it looks beautiful.

- Whoo!

- Work with both hands, izahya.

Put that tray down.
Two hands, my man.

Good man.
- That looks awesome, nicole.

- 30 seconds to go.
Come on, guys.

- My slaw, my slaw,
my slaw, my slaw.

- Season gently,
gently, gently.

Ok, finishing touches,
bring it home.

10--

- 9, 8, 7, 6, 5,

4, 3, 2, 1.

Stop!
[cheers]

- Let's go!

♪ ♪

- Ah, richard,
nyesha, welcome back.

What an amazing cook.

- Phew. Right.

- We have three
phenomenal dishes.

Let's start off with this one.

This is a wagyu steak served
with japanese mushrooms

And a purple fried potato.

♪ ♪

- The wagyu is
cooked perfectly,

An amazing amount of sear
on the outside of the steak.

And the center is warm.

It's nice and rare.

- Yeah, I mean, the
temperature of the cook to me

Is really, really perfect.

I'm looking for
a little bit something

To break up the fat of wagyu.

So maybe more pickles that are
a little bit more appropriate,

Not that the sort
of carrot shreds.

- Next up, we have
a beautifully cooked wagyu

Served on a nest
of a tempura veg

And a sort of fragrant
soy mayonnaise.

♪ ♪

- There's a few successful
components on this dish.

However, the richness of
the beef and the fattiness,

It's not offset by garnish
that is deep fried.

I think this pickle
is very strong.

It doesn't seem like the
vinegar was cooked out enough.

But I am getting a really
lovely smokiness from

This wagyu that I appreciate.

- I like the fact
that it was grilled,

And you can get that sort
of smoky flavor with it.

But you know, you have
the deep fried item,

And then you have
the fatty sauce,

And then you have
the fatty meat.

So that's a little
overwhelming.

- And then finally,
this was cooked

In a cast iron pan done
with japanese turnip, sliced,

And then served.

- Smart choice searing the
beef in a cast iron pan.

And that shows in the
beautiful caramelization

On the outside of this wagyu.

And I love the texture,
this beautiful radish

In the center.

- You know, the
vegetables are so strong.

Maybe they're,
you know, competing

A little bit with the beef.

But again, the beef
is perfectly cooked.

- This is a tough choice.

Nyesha, which wagyu dish will
you be sending home tonight?

- The dish that I will
be sending home is the--

♪ ♪

Dish with the tempura.

- Richard, please.

- [sighs]

The dish I'm going to
be eliminating is--

[sighs]

--The wagyu with--

The tempura.

- [exhales deeply]

- Oh, nicole.

Keep your head up high,
and continue that dream.

- Absolutely.

I'm so grateful.

- As your mentor, you know,
there's always someone or one

Or two people
that sort of like,

Just jump on for the
ride and just get

Better and better
each time they cook,

And you're one of those people.

- I cannot thank you enough.

I get married in about a month.

And so I think this is
the best training and prep

I could have asked for.

- Whoever's doing that catering
better raise their game.

Guys, all of you, give
it up for nicole, please.

Come on.

- Good job.

- Every day I
woke up and I told

Myself, I was going to have
fun no matter what happened.

And I put my heart and
soul into every single dish

That I cooked.

And I wouldn't change a thing.

- Six of you,
the finale is in sight.

- Whoo!

Top six!

- All of you, get some rest
because the next time we see

You, we are expecting all
of you to deliver dishes that

Are literally picture-perfect.

Good night.
- Good night, chef.

- Good night.
- Come on, guys.

Oh, god.

- One step closer.

- Come here.

That's what I'm talking about!
[laughter]

- Next time
on "next level chef,"

From season 2
of "next level chef,"

Welcome tini younger.

[cheers]

- Wow!

- You'll have 30 minutes to
recreate a dish from a photo

When that platform drops.

- This is going to
be insanely hard.

- It's got to be
picture-perfect.

- How many dumplings
are you making?

- [groans]

I have no choice but to guess.

- We've had one of the
strongest competitions ever.

- I'm chasing
my dreams right now.

I'm not going to
let nobody stop

Me from chasing my dreams.