- 18 chefs faced the world's toughest culinary gauntlet.
- We on "next level chef," baby.
[intense music]
[all shouting]
- But only three cooked their way to the top.
- I want to be the next level chef.
I want that thing with all of my heart.
- I want to show that this girl is a fighter.
- That title would mean so much to me.
I want that thing badly.
- Tonight with a one-year mentorship
And $250,000 on the line--
- I got to cook like my life depends on it.
- --Only one will earn the title of next level chef.
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
[upbeat music]
♪ ♪
- To make it this far, it's absolutely mind-boggling.
But I am so ready for this.
- Super excited to be here in the finals.
Winning this mentorship will change my life.
- I'm definitely going to bring this home today.
This is the dream.
- How are you all feeling?
- Amazing, chef. - Ready to rock, chef.
- Ready to finish this off.
- Today's the day that one of you
Will be crowned our next level chef.
- [exhales]
- With that title comes a check for a quarter
Of a million dollars and that coveted
One-year year mentorship--
12 months of all our experience dedicated to you.
- You wouldn't have made it this far if there
Was any doubt in your ability.
But to win the title of next level chef,
You'll have to impress us by producing next level dishes
On all three kitchens.
- Only next level cooking will be good enough.
[together] yes, chef.
- Now, you'll start off in the basement,
Where you'll have to cook a beautiful hot appetizer.
Then you'll move up into the middle floor
To prepare an amazing seafood dish.
And finally, into that top-level kitchen to create
An exquisite meat entrée.
Now, you'll only have 90 minutes
To cook all three dishes.
You will be in charge of your own time.
- [exhales]
Today is going to be one hell of a challenge.
It's like michael jordan, lebron james, and, you know,
Kobe bryant all on the frickin' court together.
- Which means time management is essential.
[together] yes, chef.
- Today my foot is on the gas.
And I did not come this far to let up now.
- How much time you want to use on each level
Is entirely up to you.
Three dishes on three levels to determine who will
Become the next level chef.
[dramatic music]
Now, before you begin, richard, nyesha,
And I would like to have one last chat with each of you.
So I'd like all of you to head the elevator.
We'll join you shortly.
- Good luck, chefs.
- Come on.
[applause]
- Final three. Here we go.
Expect a battle.
It's so close I can taste it.
I'm thinking about my family.
I don't want to let anybody down,
And I especially don't want to let myself down.
- Ok. This is it.
How are you feeling?
- Excellent, chef.
- I always pick a winner from the start.
And that's why I picked you, ok?
But today it's all on your shoulders now.
This is your time.
[elevator dings]
[both clapping]
- Congratulations. - Thank you, chef.
- How you feeling? - I feel good.
- Good.
- I'm gonna bring it all today. - 100%.
And you know you can do it, right?
- Yes, chef. - Good.
You got this.
- Yes, chef. - Pit bull p.
- [laughs]
- [clapping]
- Oh. - How you feeling, man?
Feeling good? - I feel amazing.
- Not worried about you when it comes to pace.
It's just making sure you're not
Doing anything that doesn't need to be there, right?
- Sure.
I want to bring you one more piece of inspiration for you.
- Ok. [elevator dings]
- Our season one winner, pyet.
- Oh.
- Hi. - Oh, my god. Hello.
- Nice to meet you. - Hi.
- We're all super proud of pyet, who won season one.
[cheers and applause]
Watching pyet's career progress
Over the last year has been incredible.
- There's a lot of significance behind this dish.
And it's almost like you're eating culture,
But you're also eating history.
- I really love your vision,
Because it has so many different
Facets of it.
Like, you can open up your mobile restaurant.
You can share your story.
- Yeah. - And you can do it
While you document it and then potentially have fun
While you're doing it. - Yeah.
- We are waiting for this type of food
That tells a legacy story.
- I can't tell you enough how proud I am.
You deserve it, girl.
- Thank you.
- All of the things that you expect the next level chef
Champion to achieve, pyet is doing that.
- How are you?
- I'm good and ready to go.
The season one victor.
Freaking-- oh my god.
And she is gorgeous, by the way.
Total crush on pyet.
- It's really about letting your authenticity
Shine through these dishes.
- I'm sitting there just, like, take everything in.
Take everything in. Take everything in.
[laughs]
- Good luck. - Yeah, thank you so much.
- And also, I think they have another surprise for you.
[elevator dings]
- Oh, yes!
Oh, yes!
Oh my god, you guys are here.
My parents are here!
Ahh! I love that.
They've seen this culinary journey with me.
You guys are here.
They've seen all the blood, sweat,
And tears that went into this.
I just want to make them proud.
- You are a winner no matter what.
- Yes.
- I know you'll do your best.
- I will.
I love you guys.
- Love you. - Love you.
- Now, I've got a surprise,
Someone that can give you
Those final words of inspiration,
And she's here now.
Please welcome our first-ever "next level chef" winner, pyet.
- Whoa!
What up, chef?
I would so love to be the next pyet.
- Don't get caught up on something
That's not working out. - Adapt and recover.
Got it. - Yeah.
- I'm definitely going to keep that advice close
When I'm running around making all
These dishes in 90 minutes.
- I think they have one more surprise.
- Oh, okay. - Pyet.
- Hi. - Oh, honey.
Let's go over-- talk, yeah.
[laughter]
- Having my parents here is definitely that,
Like, emotional pick-me-up.
They've always been my biggest support and cheerleaders.
- You're going to be your badass gangster
Culinary self, right?
- Mm-hmm.
I learned my love of cooking from my family.
Food is love for us.
I've taken all that I've learned.
I'm ready to go ahead and just shine.
- So I have one more person that I think
You should speak to. - Oh my god.
- This is our first season winner.
- Hello. - Pyet.
- Nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you, too.
- I know you have a daughter, so you're here representing
More than just yourself.
I don't have a daughter, but I have
Lots of nieces and nephews.
Being able to show up for them, being able to show who I am
And who native american latinas are
And letting them know that we have some spice
And we have a lot of fight in us, you know?
- Yeah.
It's an inspiration.
Today I'm going to step in her shoes.
- Good luck to you. - Thank you.
- And I think they have one more surprise.
- Ok. [elevator dings]
- [sobbing]
- Oh, crying.
It's ok. It's ok.
It's going to be ok.
- My older brother karl and my mom are here to support me.
To have them here with me, it really means a lot.
So that all my sacrifices were worth it.
- You deserve this more than anybody.
- It's time to bring it home.
- Love you, sis.
- You too. - All right.
[dramatic music]
[elevator dings]
- Let's go.
This is it.
♪ ♪
Three dishes, three amazing levels, and 90 minutes
To become the next level chef.
♪ ♪
Take a look.
That platform is coming.
When that turns green, head in there and cook your heart out.
- A three-course meal in 90 minutes.
This one is going to be a showdown for the books.
- 30 seconds to grab your ingredients
And create a stunning appetizer.
This is it.
Very best of luck.
♪ ♪
Your 90 minutes start right now.
- Let's go.
Next level appetizers.
Ok.
Think about a stunning hot appetizer.
- I'm looking for squid.
I don't see any, so I grab duck breasts, soy sauce.
And at that point my mind is like,
All right, we're going asian. - 10 seconds left.
- Where's my--
I see soft-shell crab.
My strategy is to bang that appetizer out
As fast as possible.
- I'm pretty stoked to see mussels on that platform.
They cook in a short amount of time,
And I can balance my french-italian fusion
Flavor profile into it. - Five seconds.
Grab that flavor.
- I'm hoping I can cook them quickly.
But if it doesn't taste bomb, then it doesn't matter
That you finished super quick.
- If you can grab it, you can get it.
Ok, get it, get it. Back to your stations.
Let's go.
Remember, you want to try and bank time in this 90 minutes.
Pilar, what are we doing? What did you grab?
What are you making?
- I'm doing a soft-shell crab bao bun with
A pickled vegetable, chef. - Ok.
- Pickled cucumbers, pickled carrot, chef.
And a cajun aioli.
I feel good about my grab.
I'm making an asian fusion dish that's my take on a po' boy.
Po' bao.
[chuckles]
- The smallest bowl in the world.
Is that going to be ok?
Is that for your aioli?
Remember, you just need enough for however many bao buns
That you're making.
Right, guys?
- We're definitely moving at lightning speed today.
I just don't want to be in trouble later on.
- All right, tucker.
What did you grab, and what are you making?
- I grabbed mussels, chef.
- Ok.
- A little charred corn with some crispy potato on top.
- Fried like chips? - Yes.
- All right. I like that.
I love that take on it.
- Making it italianized, chef.
- Should cook relatively quick.
You trying to buy yourself some time?
- Yes, chef.
- All right, chris.
What are you going to make?
- Sichuan peppercorn duck with togarashi potatoes
And a pickled herb salad.
- Seared duck. Is that what you wanted?
- It wasn't what I wanted, but it's fine.
- Don't wait too long to cook that protein.
You have a big protein to cook.
- Damn right, chef.
- Five minutes down.
You've got to be done before the 30 minutes,
Or else you're really setting yourself up for a rough middle
And top floor.
Chris grabbed duck breast.
And it could be a really, really risky protein.
That duck is going to have to cook.
I'm worried that he might be the last one to the buzzer.
- It's a challenge to do duck breasts
In less than a half hour.
It's a big risk.
I can't have any mistakes, especially
On a day like today. You can't.
Not with what's on the line.
[bleep].
- Ooh, that did not feel good.
The goal is to get this duck breast going
And get it done as quickly as possible.
- Ok. You have the duck--
- It is in the oven right now. - It's in the oven.
Ok. Don't waste any time, right?
- I won't.
- You know, tucker's almost done.
She's going to steam mussels.
She's going to be done in a second.
- Heard. - Right?
You ok pace-wise, tucker? - Yes, chef.
- Ok.
This should be a quick cook, right?
- Oui, chef.
- You want to develop that flavor
In whatever this broth is.
- I'm kind of trying to balance bomb
Flavors with saving time here.
- Tucker's doing a really, really simple dish--
Just some steamed mussels with some vegetables.
Is it enough for a "next level chef" finale?
Steamed mussels?
I don't know.
Is this a dish that you'd put on that restaurant menu,
Your dream restaurant that maybe we're going
To open if you win this thing?
You want to be the first to that buzzer.
You really do.
And you definitely don't want to be the last to that buzzer.
15 minutes down.
- 15 minutes down, heard.
- Ok.
There's only 75 minutes left in the whole entire competition.
75 minutes left between you and a potential $250,000,
A one-year mentorship.
Ok, pilar. Crab is cooked?
- Yes, chef.
- It cooked in, like, an instant, right?
- Yes, chef.
- Make sure it's cooked all the way through.
- I got it, chef.
[tense music]
- So usually when the butter goes in the pan, that's--
That's wrapping it up, right?
Gotcha. - Yes, chef.
- All right.
Pilar is done with her aioli. She's already made
Her crabs crispy. She's almost done.
Ok.
- Oh, [bleep].
One thing that's just pissing me off is my duck breast.
It's not really cooking through fast enough.
And at this point, I really can't
Wait for this any longer.
I am a chef, not a magician.
- You're not going to have a lot of time for it to rest.
- It's fine.
- Ok.
- I'll make it work.
- Pilar, are you going to be the first one to the buzzer?
- Yes, chef. - All right.
Looks like pilar is heading to the buzzer.
Right, plate goes there. Hit the buzzer.
[buzzer chimes] ok.
Pilar's in.
21:51, pilar.
- Definitely feels good having a leg up on chris and tucker.
It was very important for me to give myself an edge
On the top floor today.
- 22 minutes gone.
Don't overthink it. - I just like to let it
Speak for itself, chef. - Yeah.
And that's what-- that's what's great.
- Tucker's plating as well.
Chris, you got to go.
- Heard. - Tucker's plating.
- As I'm slicing this duck breast,
As soon as I get to the middle of it--
Oh, no.
I have one piece on this thing that's unfortunately...
A little undercooked.
I'm clenching and starting to work up
A bit of a nervous sweat.
But tucker and pilar are done.
- Ok. Here comes tucker.
[buzzer chimes] all right, tucker's in.
Well done.
You're the back of the pack.
- It's all on me.
There's a lot riding on this, because I'm
Trying to obviously cut time down for my final cook.
So I decided to go with it.
- Ok. Chris is walking.
[buzzer chimes]
There it is, everyone.
Way to wrap it up in the basement.
Well done, chefs.
Fantastic work.
- I don't mind that I finished last in this.
There is a part of me that's, like, a little nervous
And stressed.
We'll see what the judges say.
[exhales]
♪ ♪
- Wow.
Ok.
Shall we start?
- Ok.
Starting here, we have steamed mussels with an italian broth
With corn, tomatoes, crispy spiced potato chips
Cooked by tucker.
- I love the presentation.
I don't think it's a very difficult cook, technically,
But it's all in the broth.
♪ ♪
That broth is magical.
You crisped up those potatoes, and those mussels are
Sweet and cooked beautifully.
- The broth is definitely my favorite part.
Really great execution.
- It might be a safe play, bank some time, but delicious.
♪ ♪
- I'm really glad that my flavor profile stood out.
I italianized it, got it a little spicy.
So hopefully we'll just keep that ball rolling.
- Next up, a crispy soft-shell crab bao with cajun spices,
Pickles, and a homemade aioli.
This one obviously cooked by pilar.
- I love the idea of something that is texturally appealing.
♪ ♪
Mmm.
♪ ♪
- Texture contrast is really, really great.
Because the bun and the crab itself is pretty big,
You want more pickles and a little bit more sauce.
- I love the textural contrast.
This is incredible.
- Soft-shell crab cooked beautifully.
It's crunchy, it's sweet.
I love the sauce.
There's a cajun spice.
They're bloody delicious.
Great start.
- To start with those type of comments is great validation.
[exhales]
- Next up, we have a spiced, pan-roasted
Duck breast with togarashi potatoes
And a soy ginger glaze.
This was cooked by chris.
- Hats off to the level of courageousness
To get a duck breast cooked in a grand finale.
I'll deal with the elephant in the room.
♪ ♪
This bit here, it looks a bit pink.
- The one piece of duck that I had that
Was a little bit under, that might be a problem.
- Don't put it on, because I've got to judge
You what you put on the plate.
- I will be damned if I leave this competition
Disappointed with myself.
- [exhales]
[suspenseful music]
- Uh, young man--
[exhales] to the naked eye,
Looks like it's undercooked.
But you've executed the duck beautifully.
Potatoes, crispy.
Good start.
- I really appreciate the texture that I'm getting
Off of the fried shallots.
Really brings a nice crunch element
That's getting me ready to enjoy a second course.
- I love those flavors.
It's an impactful start for sure.
A tasty dish.
- It's a bold, courageous move, and it does taste good.
- To have chef ramsay even tell me that I was ballsy for going
For a duck, I think I'm definitely
Earning my way into the good graces of the judges so far.
- Three brilliant appetizers.
But of course, all three of you have
A mountain to climb still.
Now on to the fish course.
Before we head to middle level, pilar, just under 22 minutes,
Which leaves you 68 minutes remaining in this competition.
Tucker, you used just over 23 minutes,
Which leaves you with 67 minutes left.
And, chris, just under 24 minutes.
That leaves you 66 minutes left, young man.
Ok.
All three of you head to the elevator.
Nyesha will meet you upstairs. - Thank you, chef.
[applause]
♪ ♪
Wow, what a start.
What a start.
- Still steely focused, ready to get back in there
And crush this next one.
Fish doesn't take that long to cook.
I have to make sure that I finish super quick.
That's the goal.
[elevator dings]
- Hey, let's go!
[cheers and applause]
- Course two.
Really not a lot of room for error.
Line up.
[clapping]
Get ready.
♪ ♪
Go!
Let's go, let's go, let's go.
- I'm really confident cooking fish.
One thing that sticks out to me is
This nice fillet of halibut.
My mind was like, let's take another chance.
So I grab the halibut.
It's mine.
- I grab this beautiful sea bass.
I want to take us to asia today.
- 20 seconds, guys.
Think about the storyline in your dish.
- I'm showing the story that I want to tell today,
Which is cajun-asian fusion.
So when I see salmon, I want to do a
Nice, um, blackened seasoning.
I'm feeling confident.
- 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Platform's still here.
Grab it if you need it.
Good job.
Let's go. Let's go.
Sauté a little bit of the garlic, puree it up.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
- What's the plan with the fish?
- I'm gonna poach the halibut with white wine,
Thai basil, ginger, garlic
And do, like, a calabrian chili--
Kind of a sautéed ghee shallot butter.
- Nice.
- Something to give it a little bit of, uh--
- Chutzpah. - Yeah.
Exactly. Exactly.
- [laughs]
Tucker, is sea bass something that you cook with often?
- I'm not a big fan of cooked fish.
I like my fish raw.
I haven't cooked much fish in this competition.
So I really need to make sure this
Is bomb, because I know that they know
That I can cook some meat.
- How are you cooking the beets?
- I'm going to be doing a little roast
And some fresh shaved. - Raw beets? Nice.
- Just a little.
- Got to make sure those are paper thin, ok?
They have a lot of density and fiberness to them, right?
- And then plate is going to get sauce.
There's going to be a blood orange
And regular orange sauce.
- Sounds delicious.
Let's go.
Chef pilar. - Hello, chef.
- What's the plan here?
- So I'm going to do, like, a blackened
Salmon, miso butter sauce with some broccolini with citrus.
I have the most time left so far,
But I do have the thickest protein,
So I definitely need to make sure I just
Cook this protein perfectly.
- How are we cooking the fish?
- Skin side down.
Get it crispy, and then flip it over and grill it.
- Are you going in the oven? - Uh, no.
- Or are you cooking straight on the stovetop?
- Straight on the stovetop. - You gotta be careful.
You don't want to burn the spices, ok?
- Yes, chef.
♪ ♪
- What's the plan with the peppers?
- These guys are going to be charred.
And then the broccolini I will grill as well.
- How's that poaching liquid looking?
Fish is down? Not yet.
- Fish is about to go in.
- It's really still anyone's game
In this kitchen right now.
The one I'm concerned about is chris.
Halibut is truly unforgiving, and it's a very lean fish.
It's going to be interesting to see if the risk pays off.
When I think about fish, I think about finesse.
This is the type of ingredient that
Could go wrong in a heartbeat.
Remember what's at stake here, right?
One-year mentorship.
That's life-changing.
Not to mention a cool $250,000, right,
To fuel your dreams.
This is not the time for mistakes.
Guys, 15 minutes down.
♪ ♪
- Oh my god.
At this point, the salmon's still underdone.
Time is getting the best of me.
- You have ovens too, chef.
You don't always have to cook everything stovetop, you know?
- Yes, chef.
I don't want to present anything to the judges
That I'm questioning.
- I'm not telling you how to do your dish,
But use the tools around you.
♪ ♪
Come on, chris.
- There's less elements on this plate than usual, saving time.
That's what this is about.
- Pilar, you've used just under 47 minutes.
- Seafood and fish is my specialty.
I know the flavor is there.
I just need the cook to be perfect.
- It's got to be perfect.
- Let's go, let's go, let's go.
- I wasn't happy with the fish.
I didn't like how the oil was running all around the plate.
That's not plating like an angel.
- It's in your control, chefs.
- I really need my sauce to bring it together for me.
This is where the train comes off the rails over here.
My sauce is awful.
Come on. What are you doing over there, bud?
Oh, now you thicken. [bleep].
♪ ♪
My agar is not setting.
♪ ♪
- What's the plan here, chef?
- So we have to throw it away.
Scrap. - Ok.
What's the next step? - Um, that's going to be
Sort of a gochujang soy concoction.
- Push. - Yes, chef.
I can't believe I have to make my second sauce.
Please don't let this be the day
That we screw up this fish.
- Tucker, 37 minutes left. Let's go.
- Yes, chef. - 37 minutes.
Let's do this.
- I have to make second sauce.
[exhales] it is stressful.
- Oh, this is gonna be good.
- Come on, guys.
Think about how you're spending the time in the entire menu
Execution, right?
- If I have to take an extra couple of minutes
To re-plate it, then that's
What I'm gonna have to do today.
♪ ♪
- Chris heading to the buzzer.
[buzzer chimes] - [clapping]
Good job, chris.
- Thank you, chef.
Saved myself a bunch of time on this.
Now I have an edge going into the main event.
- Pilar's heading to the buzzer.
[buzzer chimes] good job, pilar.
$250,000 to win.
Let's go.
Tucker, you have 34 minutes left, ok?
- Yes, chef.
Chris and pilar have already dropped
Their plates off at the platform,
Pushed the button.
I know that lingering here in my fish course
Is going to impact my meat course later,
But I need this sea bass to absolutely slap.
♪ ♪
- Tucker going to the button.
You got this, girl.
[buzzer chimes] good job, tucker.
- [clapping]
Great job, guys.
Impressive fish cook.
♪ ♪
[elevator dings]
- Every time we walk into judging it is just the most
Nerve-racking experience.
But today it hits a little harder,
Because this is the judgment.
- First of all, all three dishes
Visually look beautiful.
Definitely next level.
Nyesha?
- Here we have a white wine poached
Halibut with a calabrian chili butter and grilled broccolini.
And this was cooked by chris.
Beautiful approach poaching halibut.
Really smart to retain the moisture in a fish
That tends to be unforgiving.
- I watch chef ramsay dig his knife into the halibut.
♪ ♪
Oh, it's juicy.
It's good.
- Fish is cooked beautifully.
That thing just falls apart.
But it's not dry.
- I would have liked a little bit more butter,
Just to sort of bring it together,
Because the fish is so lean.
But it's cooked so well.
- There's something quite courageous about the risks
You take.
Again, it's a great cook.
- To take a bold move and choose halibut
As my fish shows that I have a serious
Set of you-know-whats on me.
- Next up, we have a seared sea bass
Served with kumquats and beets in a soy gochujang sauce.
This was cooked by tucker.
- You can just see the fish here,
Very crispy and beautiful.
- Main thing I'm concerned about is fish--
You either cooked it or you didn't cook it.
I'm like, please let this be nailed.
- The dish is exceptional.
I love the fragrance of the sauce.
- I love the salty, sweet, umami-laden flavor
That's in this dish here.
- Amazing celebration of a sea bass,
Really elegant and lovely.
- Just be careful of those beetroots.
They've got that raw, muddy flavor.
That's the only bit that sort of
Pulls this down a note for me.
- Beets has left the chat.
- Lastly, from pilar, we have a blackened salmon
Served over shiitake mushroom and broccolini
With a citrus salsa.
- Visually, a lot to admire here.
I love blackening spice and a blackened piece of seafood.
- Cajun spices are feisty and hot,
And I can't wait to get in.
Wow.
Oh, boy.
That flavor is just-- yeah, beautiful.
You've nailed the cook.
- Not as spicy as I was expecting.
But the fish is cooked excellently.
- I think there's a little more opportunity
To impart some more flavor on the vegetables,
But really spot-on with the fish.
- The fish is just utter perfection.
- Absolute perfection from gordon ramsay--
What more can I ask?
- Two courses in and six great dishes.
Right now, this is anyone's game.
Third and final course.
Chris, you've got 35 minutes and 40 seconds.
Eight seconds later, pilar,
You'll have 35 minutes, 32 seconds.
And, tucker, you'll have 30 minutes and 43 seconds.
Which means, tucker, you'll have to wait five minutes
Before you get cooking.
The very best of luck to all three of you.
I'll see you upstairs shortly.
Head to the elevator, please. Let's go.
- Good luck, chefs. - Good luck, chefs.
- Time is not on my side.
I have to cook my ass off and become that next level chef.
♪ ♪
- Wow, it's tight.
- I was expecting heading to the top floor
That someone's chances would be diminished.
I think it's anyone's game going to the top.
- I agree. - Hmm.
- This is the final showdown.
Pilar and tucker are going to be fierce,
But you can't out-godzilla godzilla.
[elevator dings]
- Ok.
Let's go. How are you feeling?
- Amazing.
- One final cook stands between you
And a one-year mentorship that comes with a quarter
Of a million dollars.
It's anyone's race.
The good news is, the platform stays with us,
So there are no excuses.
Clearly, the most important grab is a protein.
[together] yes, chef.
- I've got one cook left between me
And this mentorship.
This is a quarter of a million dollar dish
That I'm about to cook, so it'd better be banging.
- Chris, you're going to start first.
And then I'll give you an eight-second countdown,
Pilar, right?
- Pressure is on.
I'm doing this for my family, my baby girl callie.
I'm here to win.
- The platform is coming.
Ok, chris.
Go! Let's go!
- As I'm running towards the platform,
I notice a lighthouse of a protein--
[dramatic music]
It's a giant-ass tomahawk.
That is mine.
- 3, 2, 1.
Go, girl.
Go.
Off you go.
Let's go.
Grab, grab, grab.
- Of course I'm doing filet mignon.
If it's left there for me, then I'm definitely
Going for that filet.
- Ok, tucker.
We've got 4 and 1/2 minutes to go.
- Of course pilar took the filet.
It's a filet.
I'm like, oh my god, is there even going
To be anything left right now?
- Pilar, go on. Get cooking, girl.
All right, chris.
What did you grab?
- This giant-ass tomahawk. - Wow, the tomahawk.
Oh my lord.
You do not play it safe, do you?
- No, I don't, chef.
- Tomahawk is every grill chef's nightmare.
- And forcing me into a corner is
The best way for me to grill.
For me, it's another day at the office.
♪ ♪
- I can't believe chris went for that tomahawk.
Any professional chef in the u.S. Tonight
Needs an hour to cook that thing.
What a message to send across this cook.
You got to get that thing seared, marinated, seasoned.
- It's going right in. - Beautifully done, yes?
Got to get that in.
- Yes, chef.
- Two minutes, tucker.
Two minutes.
What'd you grab, protein-wise? - Filet, chef.
- The filet. Wow.
Ok.
Hey, the rolls-royce cut. You happy?
- Yes, chef. - Do it justice, now.
- Yes, chef.
- Do it justice.
- I can't waste time.
This is the last course, and I just
Want to bring it all home.
- 15 seconds, tucker.
- This is the longest five minutes of my life.
It feels like an entire year has gone by.
I have aged.
- 3, 2, 1.
Let's go.
Let's go, let's go, let's go.
- I'm looking at that pork chop thinking that's the one.
- Smart.
- I see a little truffle peeking out.
I'm like, that's mine.
- Ok, young lady. What did you grab?
- Pork chop, chef. - Why pick that?
- It's got that bone in.
Going to render that fat off a little bit,
And I have some asparagus.
It's going to be beautiful. - Uh-huh.
What's the garnish?
- It's going to be a truffle aioli, chef.
- They're four or five minutes in front of you.
Get that pork in, please.
♪ ♪
- It's got to get off the bone.
I'm cutting you off the bone.
- So the chop didn't fit in the pan, did it?
Listen, young man, it's got to be cooked, ok?
The [bleep] thing needs to be nailed in terms
Of that temperature, ok? So-- ok?
- Yes, chef.
- We're down to the final 20 minutes, ok?
And for one of you, 20 minutes away
From becoming the next level chef
With a 12-month mentorship.
Pilar, you're one of the first to start,
But you haven't got the protein yet.
Is that the smartest move?
- That wasn't intentional.
That makes it scary.
- Don't underestimate the resting time--
- I'm about to season it right now, chef.
- Filet in? - Yes, chef.
- Nice.
- Just want to get the most important stuff done,
And then I'll start editing after that, chef.
- Ok, tucker.
Presentation-wise, where are we going?
- I'm going to do some thin slices
Of that pork chop, chef. - Good.
Don't go too thin, because it's unforgiving.
If it hasn't rested properly, it's going to go dry.
- Yes, chef.
- Tucker-- she went for that beautiful pork chop.
But right now she's feeling those five minutes,
Because she is up against it.
I know that that pork was not her first choice.
That's a tough one to get right.
I'm not too sure if she's got enough time to nail it.
We are 12 minutes to go.
- Oui, chef.
I really need to pull this off.
That mentorship means the world to me.
I'm this close.
I want it so bad.
I'm gonna go down fighting.
♪ ♪
[sizzling]
- Oh yeah, tucker.
- One of you are seven minutes away from becoming
The next level chef.
- This final challenge, the pressure
Is definitely intense.
- Be decisive. Come on. - Yes, chef.
Own that confidence now, ok?
- Yes, chef.
I'm just hoping that this thing is cooked perfectly.
If not, it's the end of the competition for me.
- Young man, there's a difference
Between rare and raw.
- You can't be disrespectful to a tomahawk.
They have a special place in hell for those people.
- Nice.
Now you've got that weight off your shoulders.
Focus on the rest of the dish now.
- I definitely had a good cook on that filet mignon.
I've got to put it all on the plate
And bring it together.
I have a lot on the line.
- 90 seconds to go.
- $250k and the year-long mentorship--
I want this badly, but the real goal is the validation.
All those people that told me I couldn't do it.
It's been a long road.
♪ ♪
- Stay organized.
This is it.
Start plating. Ok, tucker.
Let's go. Now we push.
Now we go up a gear.
- Every single little detail matters.
It's the last chance to take home that mentorship,
And I want that thing with all my heart.
I always visualized myself in the finale,
And I visualized myself winning.
I'm just ready to soar all the way to the top.
- 45 seconds to change your lives.
Come on.
- I feel like it's been a really tight flight
Between all three of us.
But when you're from detroit, you're born
With tenacity in your blood.
And I want to win this thing so badly.
- Pilar, beautiful.
20 seconds to go.
Tucker, let's go.
Final touches.
9, 8, 7, 6-- quick, chris!
5, 4, 3-- quick!
2, 1.
And stop.
Well done. Wow.
- [bleep]. - Well done.
♪ ♪
[elevator dings]
[applause]
- Final judging.
This is the judgment.
- Come and line up.
- I've been taking risks this entire day.
Me cooking a tomahawk is absolutely
The final impression that I really wanted to leave.
- Now that was a cook.
All three of you, well done. What a performance.
Absolutely tremendous.
Shall we? - Let's do it.
- Um.
So this tomahawk was selected by chris.
The potatoes look roasted.
With some beautiful roasted tomatoes
And mushrooms as well.
- Absolutely huge accomplishment
To cook such a formidable piece of a protein in such
A short amount of time.
- Let's see how it tastes.
- [exhales]
♪ ♪
- The steak is cooked to absolute perfection.
It's just really pleasurable to eat.
- Perfectly cooked.
The fat is melting.
It's rustic, but it's delicious.
- It's seared beautifully. It's cooked with such finesse.
I knew that was a big risk, but it paid off.
I just want more green on there.
That's the only bit.
And I am taking you to task.
Good job.
- This is it.
This is what it all came down to-- all the experiences
The last 10 years, my ups, my downs, my lefts, my rights.
I am feeling very proud of myself.
- Next, tucker's dish.
This is a pork chop, and it's cooked on the bone.
Beautiful sautéed mushrooms and a truffle sauce.
- A really beautiful and amazing gloss
On the-- on the sauce here.
- It's eye-catching, because that fat is caramelized.
Dive in, please.
- I'm really just crossing every spare finger and toe.
My entire future is now riding on this one bite.
- That asparagus with the aioli and the pork,
A lovely richness that the aioli brings.
Overall, really cohesive and well-balanced.
- Flavor, everything works.
Pork is cooked perfectly.
Tasty dish.
- The cook on the pork is beautiful.
I love the truffle and the acidity in that aioli.
It doesn't really need these little dices of potato,
Because you sort of lose the crispiness of them.
But it's a good dish. Really good dish.
- I am just really happy that they loved it.
- Third dish.
This was cooked by pilar.
It's a filet mignon, uh, rubbed in a beautiful spice.
That's set on a bed of a really nice, rich mashed potato.
It's finished with a port wine sauce.
- It looks so classic.
So iconic, if you will.
♪ ♪
- $250,000 on the line.
This would be life-changing for me and my daughter,
And I left it all out there on that plate.
- I'm wanting more of that spice, that cajun essence
That I've been seeing throughout the progression
Of your menu.
Um, but other than that, I mean,
Impeccable cook on the filet.
- I mean, what's not to love about this dish?
The potatoes are velvety and smooth and silky.
- Cooked with utter finesse.
Beautifully done.
- [exhales] it feels good.
I just hope I did enough today to be next level chef.
- Chris, tucker, pilar.
Irregardless of what the outcome is, all three of you
Should be incredibly proud, because the performance
Has been nothing short of perfection.
♪ ♪
Now, I would like all three of you
To head back to the chef's lounge,
Because the three of us need to combine the appetizer, fish,
And the meat together to understand who will
Become the next level chef.
Well done. Off you go.
- Thank you, chefs. - Good job, chefs. Great job.
- Great job. - Be proud.
- Wow.
This is going to be a tough one, because each of us
Have got our own mentee in this finale.
But at the end of the day, it's going to come
Down to the technical ability.
Which chef delivered absolute perfection?
It's going to be tight.
- [exhales]
- That's it, guys.
- Just like that. - That's it.
- Oh, just like that.
- This is not a one-horse race here.
We need to go back to the beginning, the appetizer.
- Ok.
- Let's start with, um, pilar.
Let's go back to the soft-shell crab.
- I do think that was one of the more
Flavorful dishes of the day.
- And then her fish course with that blackened salmon.
Do you put spice on wild fish like that to enhance it?
- Yeah.
I'm ok with the spice, but I really don't think there
Was enough spice on there.
- For me, listen-- the salmon was cooked beautifully.
I think the last two courses from pilar were amazing.
- I think she was trying to weave in these asian
And cajun flavors-- - mm-hmm.
- --But it sort of hit some notes and not other notes.
- But overall, I think it was a great song.
- Yeah.
- Chris, he came out the gate and started
With that duck breast.
- That sauce was incredible.
That's a dish I want to revisit.
- Guys, chris made the biggest mistake.
One piece of duck was undercooked, as you saw.
And then from there, he went on to that poached halibut.
- It's a really smart way to cook
The halibut in a lean way but then add
The fat in that chili butter. - It was awesome.
The tomahawk-- did you ever think he was going to do that?
- He's fearless and brave and maybe a little
Insane sometimes. - Extravagant.
- But he got it done in just over 30 minutes,
So-- what a risk.
- Mm-hmm.
Uh, tucker.
She started with those mussels, that beautiful broth.
- The broth had so much depth.
- But it's the safest dish of the night for sure.
But to me, maybe the most elegant,
Tasty dish of the whole day.
- The flavors in that sea bass were off the charts.
- She could have done more with the beets.
Absolutely, right?
Fibrous, really a little dense and earthy.
- Where are we with the pork chop at the end for tucker?
It's a simple dish, but it definitely
Doesn't taste simple.
- The dish looks like she's had the most time,
And she had the least time.
- I think all three finalists cooked three courses
That are worthy of winning each round,
Which therefore makes this decision really tough.
Anyone could win this.
- [sighs] best of luck, all three.
[dramatic music]
[elevator dings]
[cheers and applause]
- Let's go!
- I was not expecting all of that.
[exhales] it's emotional, because it's been a journey.
Hasn't been easy, but it was all worth it.
[cheers and applause]
- Really awesome to see people, like, celebrating us.
I think we're all just really, like,
Proud of ourselves right now.
- So many people. I love it. I love it.
- Wow.
[cheers and applause]
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
What a reception.
- Chris, you should be incredibly proud of yourself.
And I am incredibly honored to have
Been your mentor this season.
- Thank you very much, chef.
- Tucker, your tenacity and drive has
Been apparent from day one.
- Pilar, it's been such an honor to watch your growth
In this competition.
So I'm very proud of you.
- Thank you, chef.
- You three really are the very best of the best.
[tense music]
But only one of you will be crowned our next level chef.
With that title comes a check for a quarter
Of a million dollars and that coveted one-year mentorship.
♪ ♪
The person...
Who will be our next level chef is...
♪ ♪
- I want that thing badly.
It would mean so much to me.
- I have never been this stressed in my life.
I'm just hoping with every cell in my body
That I have done enough to make this happen for myself.
- I really want this.
It's for my baby girl.
♪ ♪
- Congratulations goes to...
♪ ♪
Tucker!
[cheers and applause]
- Yeah, baby.
Yeah!
- Oh my god!
- Yeah!
- Congratulations. That's my chef.
- Well, tucker.
What does it mean to you?
- This means everything to me.
I'm not going to disappoint you guys.
Going to keep making you proud.
I can't wait to work with all three of you
And just skyrocket my career to the next level.
I won. [laughs]
I wanted to come in here, because representation
Matters, and I hope I let girls know
That you can throw it out in the kitchen.
You can be a badass.
Believe in yourself, work hard,
And you can do anything you want to do.
Glass ceiling.
- Ladies and gentlemen, please give it up for our runners-up,
Chris and pilar.
Amazing.
[cheers and applause]
Go spend some time with your families.
- I came, I saw, I kicked ass, I conquered,
And I became a better version of myself.
This will definitely remain with me until the end of time.
- I knew I was a fighter, but this
Showed a whole nother level.
I'm not done, and I'm going to keep rising to the top.
- Come here, you.
[cheers and applause]
- Aw!
- Amazing.
- I did it.
[cheers and applause]
- I'm so proud of you, honey.
So proud of you.
- Our next level chef, ladies and gentlemen, tucker.
Come on. Give it up for tucker,
Our next level chef!
Well done, tucker!
Being the one that discovered tucker
And now as her winning mentor of this competition,
I couldn't be any happier.
This is just the beginning of that young girl's career.
- Hey, chef. Thank you.
- Welcome to the next level club.
- It's an honor to follow you. [laughs]
[glasses clinking]
- Wow. What a night.
Now, if you think you have what it takes
To become our next level chef,
Then please go to nextlevelchefcasting.Com,
And good luck.
Well done.