- This has been the toughest--
We've got no [bleep] lights.
--Most competitive--
- I'm not going to let you go with it.
- --And the most grueling season
Of "next level chef" yet.
- ♪ where are the champs now? ♪
- For the first time ever, we started with 24 chefs.
- You'll have to earn your place on one of our teams.
Both: Ah-ah-ahh!
- And tonight--
Go!
- --The final three will compete for the mentorship--
- This is an experience of a lifetime.
- I'm in the finale!
- --A quarter of $1 million--
- It would change my life and my family's lives.
- All I have to do is cook my heart out.
- --And the title of next level chef.
- I want to hear that I'm the next level chef.
I just want that so bad.
- The winner of "next level chef: Is--
[dramatic music]
[cheers and applause]
[knives shinging]
[dramatic rock music]
[elevator dings]
♪ ♪
[timer ringing]
♪ ♪
[dramatic music]
- Ahh.
- [exhales] wow.
We made it.
This is it.
- I'm in the finale!
Yes!
Ha-ha!
- Oh my god.
- Tucker. - Tucker, hi.
- Hello.
- This is a huge surprise.
Tucker is just sitting right in front of me.
- It took me a second to realize, oh, it's chef tucker.
- Gabi, what's up? - Oh my god.
- Christina, hello. - Hey, girl. I love you.
- Chef, how we doing?
- Zach.
- I mean, she won last season.
Like, tell me what I need to do to win.
- At this point, you know you can cook, right?
You've got it.
You wouldn't be here if you weren't a badass cook.
So focus, and remember, this is your last chance.
Don't leave anything behind.
Leave it all out on that field.
♪ ♪
Crush this, guys. - Thank you so much.
- Crush this. - Crush this.
- Good morning.
- Morning, chefs. - Wow.
- Richard, nyesha, and I cannot tell you
How proud we are of tucker.
- Yeah. [applause]
- Tucker did exceptionally well last year.
[cheers and applause]
- Winning "next level chef" is just the beginning.
- I've had tucker do pop-ups at my restaurants in
Orlando, florida.
- Every Friday, we have a call to develop
The concepts for her cooking classes and her pop-ups.
- Tucker's career has taken off.
She's one of the most wanted chefs on the planet.
- Give it up for this amazing chef, tucker.
So good to see you, my darling. - Chef.
- Thank you, chef. - Thanks so much, tucker.
- It's last chance. - Good job, tucker.
- Thank you. - Make it happen.
- Thank you. - How cool was that?
- That was awesome. [laughs]
- You guys look so nervous. - [laughs]
- And so you should be, because today is a big day.
Let me tell you.
One of you will be awarded the title of next level chef,
A check for a quarter of million dollars,
And that coveted one-year mentorship.
- Christina, our new jersey nurse.
- What?
- How do you feel?
- I am feeling every emotion under the sun.
I have to keep it together.
I'm a mom.
I have so much weight of the world on my shoulders.
And this is my time.
- You got this.
- Zach, our last remaining pro chef.
How are you feeling, dude?
- I'm ready to just cook with heart today.
I got maui, my family.
I'm here to take it all the way, chef.
- Gabi, you're 90 minutes away from becoming potentially
Our next level chef.
What would that mean for you?
- That means everything to me.
I feel like that will give me a career.
This gives me the runway to actually do what I want to do.
I'm ready to have that.
- Listen, zach, gabi, christina, only one of you
Can win the title of next level chef.
But in order to do it, you'll have to create a stunning
Three-course meal today.
- Ok, you're going to start in the basement
With me, where you're going to have
To cook a beautiful appetizer.
- And then you'll move up to the middle level
To prepare a delicious seafood course.
And I'll be right there with you.
- And finally, I'll meet you in that top level
To help you deliver the ultimate main course.
You'll only have 90 minutes to cook all three dishes.
Each of you will be managing your own clock.
How much time you use on each level is entirely up to you.
Once you've cooked each dish, you then must hit the buzzer
And stop your clock.
Understood?
[together] yes, chef.
- Now, before you start this monumental cook
Today, nyesha and richard and I would
Love to have a chat with you.
- All right, so zach, head to the basement,
And I'll see you there. - Yes, chef.
Thank you.
- Ok.
- Oh my god. Here we go.
This is it. This is it.
[tense music]
Ready to cook, baby.
Oh my god!
- Ahh!
- Dude, what-- - fabulous.
- My parents have been so supportive in anything
That I've wanted to do.
Oh, man.
You guys made me cry.
Where's my makeup?
No.
They made me to the man who I am today.
This is probably the most important cook of my life.
- You got this.
- You know what to do.
You will.
You got it.
- Just having them here means so much to me.
I have to win for them.
[light music]
♪ ♪
- Hi. [sobs]
- Oh my gosh. - How crazy is this?
- I know. - Hi, boo.
- Hug me too.
[sobs]
It means the world to me to have them here.
- I just cannot believe I'm here.
- I can't believe you are either.
That means I made it.
- It's something that in my lifetime
I never would have expected, and I'm so proud of you.
I mean, I'm so proud of you for everything you've done.
And I'll follow you anywhere.
- I know.
- I love you so much.
- To share with them part of this journey is so cool.
It reminds you of why you're here.
[gentle music]
- This is it.
- This is so--
Ahh!
♪ ♪
Hi!
♪ ♪
- Oh my god.
Hi.
[sobbing]
Hi, beautiful girl.
Hi, beautiful man.
Oh my gosh.
It feels so good to see isabel and steve.
I miss those cheeks.
Mwah!
- I need your nose.
- Mwah!
There the reason I'm here, not just for my dream.
I'm going to do this for you, ok?
- I missed you so much.
Winning the grand prize, it would totally change
The path of my family's lives.
Give me all the good juju.
- Let's give great juju.
Ready?
All: Good juju.
- Isabel, she's like--
She's a superstar, that kid.
[sobbing]
I love you.
I just want to give her everything.
- Love you, mama. - Love you, mommy.
- Mommy sandwich.
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
- Ok.
- Yeah.
- Please, all three of you.
Ok, this is it.
The time has come.
You are literally just three dishes and 90 minutes away
From becoming our next level chef.
That platform is moving.
When it turns green, we are off.
Three incredible appetizers, you'll only have 90 minutes
To cook all three dishes.
Go!
- Let's go, guys.
- All right, think about flavor, produce.
There's a truffle up here, worcestershire sauce.
- Yes, chef.
- Boom, scalps, corn, prosciutto.
Thank you, basement gods.
Ponzu is over here.
- It's a risk going for ground pork as opposed
To something more luxurious.
Oh my god.
But my goal is to knock that appetizer out quick.
I really want to hit that buzzer first.
- Protein, vegetable, sauce.
- I grab the giant prawns.
I grab coconut milk, lemongrass, red chilies.
Ok, I'm going asian flavors.
- Five seconds, ok?
Grab more than you need, right.
You can grab as much as you want.
- Yes, chef. - Ok.
Spend every second here, every second.
If you can grab it, it's yours.
If you can physically grab it.
Good job.
- Remember, you want to try and bank time in this 90 minutes.
- Yes, chef.
- [laughs]
- Was that a diabolical laugh?
[laughter]
Get the things that need the most cooking first, right?
- Yes, chef.
- Whatever that is.
It's going to be your sauce, your protein, your big idea,
All where all that flavor is.
Get that cooking first.
All right, zach, what do we got?
- Chef, I got some scallops I'm drying out right here.
I have some corn.
I'm going to do a braised fennel and corn succotash
With a ponzu beurre blanc.
- There's lots of ingredients in it.
Sounds like a zach dish.
The ponzu's kind of giving me a little bit of hawaii vibes.
- Yeah, I'm going to probably fold that
In with my beurre blanc, chef.
- Ok, five minutes down.
- Thank you, chef.
- 85 minutes left in the whole entire competition.
Let's not spend 80 of them down here, ok?
- No, chef. - No, chef.
- All right, gabi. - Hi, chef.
What are we doing? What'd you grab?
- So I have some ground pork.
I am going to make sort of a spiced meatballs and broth.
I want sort of a warming dish and just make sure that broth
Is incredibly flavorful. - Ok.
Ok.
- It's risky, making a broth in this amount of time,
And I am like, oh my god, is this the right call right now?
- Just make sure visually this is something
That's stunning as well, ok?
- Absolutely, chef.
- All right, christina. - Hey, chef.
- What are we doing?
- I just want to do a really simple seared prawn
And a coconut broth.
- Ok, I love the idea.
Just make sure, again, big, big, flavors and technical
Precision when it comes to the proteins, ok?
- It's getting a little tough to clean these, actually.
I'm going to do it like this.
- Yeah, just use your hand.
Usually, I grab the legs off first.
I pop the legs out, and that sort of
Opens up the belly area.
And then you can peel away that shell real easy.
Zach, what's the ideal timing you're looking for here?
- You know what, chef?
If I can keep it under 20 minutes,
I'll be in perfect shape.
I have a plan.
I want this first appetizer to be done in 20 minutes.
I know I could crank out a beautiful fish course
Or seafood dish in about 30-ish minutes,
And then whatever's left is for the meat course.
- Right behind.
- 10 minutes down, 80 minutes to go.
- Yes, chef.
- You said you were going to do this with a flavorful
Broth, right? - Um, so--
- Where's the broth?
- The broth is--
Oh my god.
I forgot about that part.
I'm still making these meatballs.
- You don't need 100 meatballs for us.
- No, just a few. - Get it going.
- Yeah, I need to-- - ok, I know.
I know, but we got to get it going, right?
Because the broth needs to develop flavor.
Those are things that you make the day before usually.
What do you need?
- Stock.
- Pull it together, gabi.
- A little over 12 minutes down, all right?
- Thank you, chef. - Thank you, chef.
- Gab, get that broth on now.
This needs to be done asap.
- Get a top on it or get it reducing here.
- My goal was to try and give myself
A little more time on the next two cooks,
So I got to get moving.
- Ok, here we go.
Christina and gabi's dish, they require a lot of time.
You have these two broths that usually take overnight.
Gabi's behind on her broth, and she's making meatballs.
That needs the most manipulation, so time
Not necessarily on her side.
It seems like zach is sort of, like,
Almost buying time for the other floors,
And his dish seems a little bit light compared to the broths
I'm seeing on the other side.
- Of course, there's no strainers in the basement.
- It takes guts to be like, I'm going
To do meatballs for my first course
In the "next level chef" grand finale.
- Hey, I love a meatball.
- So does everyone, but just make sure,
Again, you're taking the time.
Did you taste one?
- Yes, chef.
- All right, everyone, 70 minutes remain.
- Yes, chef. - Yes, chef.
Thank you.
- 70 minutes to change your life
And hopefully secure $250,000 and a one-year mentorship.
- Yes, chef. - Yes, chef.
- Don't leave anything on that cutting board.
Make sure that this is an outstanding-looking dish.
- Yes, chef.
- This, this, this.
- Tongs, where are my tongs at?
- Let's make sure it's beautiful.
Make sure all those flavors are in there.
- Yes, chef.
- All right, gabi's walking.
Good job, gabi.
Put it on that table, and you got to hit the buzzer, ok?
Hit the buzzer. Hit the buzzer.
Yes, there it is.
- [bleep]. She's done already.
Oh my god. I have to hurry up.
I don't want gabi to get too far ahead of me on this.
- 67 minutes left for gabi.
The sear on the scallop, that's always a challenge, right?
In the basement kitchen, you don't
Got those great pans, right?
- Yes, chef.
- These prawns, right?
We don't want to overcook them and hammer them.
- No.
- Ok, zach, you got all your little zach-isms on the plate?
- Yep.
- Who's gonna get to the buzzer next?
Last looks.
You got it.
You got to hit the buzzer to stop the clock.
Zach's in, ok.
- That course took much longer than anticipated.
- 65 minutes left for you zach.
- Thank you.
- A couple minutes behind gabi.
- I'm slightly worried that gabi's too far ahead.
- Let's make sure you got everything on there.
You got all your garnishes, all your flavor.
- I got this.
- You got everything you want on it?
- Yep. - Ok.
All right, you put it down, and then you hit the buzzer.
- All right, christina is--
Ok, christina's in.
[dramatic music]
Gordon, nyesha, I can truly and honestly say
The gravity of the moment did not
Overwhelm any of our chefs.
- There's an amazing smell coming off these plates.
- Yeah, the good thing for the three of you
Is that's the last time you'll have to cook in the basement.
[laughter] - yay.
- Yeah. - I am not used to it.
- All right, first up, this was cooked by zach,
A pan-seared scallop with a fennel and corn succotash
And a ponzu beurre blanc.
- Visually, it's colorful--
Everything that zach's about.
Your cooking is flamboyant.
[tense music]
♪ ♪
Scallop's cooked beautifully.
Let's get that absolute clear. It's fresh.
It's vibrant, and you've nailed that.
The sauce is very heavy, very rich.
It's a little bit clunky.
- You sent us in the right direction
By starting us off with something that's very
Vibrant and light and fresh.
The plate aesthetically is just so pleasing on the eye.
- Thank you, chef.
- I love how sensible this dish is, that the corn,
The scallops, we know that these go together.
And I think it's a good start.
- It wasn't a bad cook, but the next challenge,
It has to be flawless.
- So next up, we have sauteed pan-roasted prawns with
A little bit of coconut lemongrass
And broth cooked by christina.
- Beautiful. Breathtaking.
It's elegant. I love it.
Great choice of plating.
Lovely color on the shrimp.
It's vibrant.
[tense music]
♪ ♪
- The shrimp are cooked beautifully.
What I love even more is the echoing
Of the flavor of that shellfish throughout the broth.
This is cohesive, really strong start.
- Yeah, I think that the broth is a little too reduced to call
It a broth, but I think that's the best cook on a prawn
That I've tasted all season long.
- Thank you. - Delicious.
Really good.
I'm tasting a level of cuisine that
Is beyond an amateur; it's professional.
It's beautiful.
- To hear those words from chef ramsay's mouth, it's like, ugh,
Brings tears to my eyes.
I'm just-- my heart is so full.
I'm exploding.
- All right, lastly, we have a spiced pork meatball
With an aromatic broth.
This was cooked by gabi.
- I can't wait to taste it, but it is a very basic beginning
To kick-start your menu.
There's hardly anything in there.
I'd like to see a little bit more art and work.
It's a shock for me.
[tense music]
♪ ♪
- Meatballs are difficult to get
Right because they can be overcooked and dry
On the outside.
We've got to color them.
Here's the shock for me.
To bring that kind of depth of flavor in just 22 minutes,
I'm amazed.
It's delicious.
It's fragrant, acidic.
It's hot.
It's a spiced meatball, which is bloody brave.
I want more.
- I really love the restraint that you use in the spiciness.
It's just enough that's lingering
That wants to have me go in and go in for that next bite.
- The broth is a little bit murky because of the time
That we had to boil that broth.
That being said, this reminds me of that little restaurant
In brooklyn that you go to all the time,
And then, all of a sudden, it gets a couple
Of "new york times" stars.
- Ok, they loved it but there is a long way still to the top.
- Next up is the seafood course,
One of the most difficult to nail, from the middle kitchen.
Gabi, you've got just over 67 minutes remaining, zach,
Just over 65 minutes remaining.
Christina, 64 and 1/2 minutes.
The chef with the most time going
Into the final cook in the top level
Gets first pick from that platform.
Very best of luck to all three of you.
- Being the first one on the buzzer, that'd would be huge.
Because if I could shave off some of her time,
If I could be the first one on the top floor for the meat
Course, that's huge.
- Head to the elevator.
Nyesha will join you shortly. Well done.
- Good luck. - Great job.
- That's a good job. - Thank you.
- You're doing a really good job.
Keep it up.
- Wow. - Wow.
What an amazing start.
- Strong start.
- Bloody hell.
- Whoo!
- If I'm able to execute my seafood dish ahead of zach
And christina, then that means going into this final cook,
Getting the first pick of ingredients,
That is a huge advantage.
- Yes, chef!
Whoo. - Congratulations.
- Yeah, baby.
- Sweet baby angels.
- Hey. - Yeah.
- Really strong start.
Put that joy into the food, right?
- Yes, chef.
- Let's do this.
- Yeah, baby.
Rock and roll.
- Platform is coming.
Tell your story in these dishes guys.
- Yes, chef.
- Go.
Go, go, go, go, go, go.
Grab your protein.
Build around it, sea bream, lobster.
- I haven't cooked a single lobster this whole competition,
But without risk, there's no reward.
[laughs]
- Think about how you're bringing these dishes to light.
Envision that dish.
- Hallelujah, I got sea bass.
This is exactly what I want to work with.
- I've always wanted to put grilled grapes on a dish,
And I see them enhancing this gorgeous sea bream.
- Platform is still here. Grab what you need.
- Oh. - [laughs]
- Whew.
- Good job. Good job. Good job.
- Still fishing it all out.
Pun intended. - Let's go.
Let's go. Let's go.
- Yes, baby.
- This is a big-ass lobster tail.
- The finale, how's it feel, gabi?
Talk to me about your dish.
What'd you grab?
- So I have some of these gorgeous grapes.
I'm going to toss them in some herbs, skewer them,
And they're going to go on the grill.
And these are going to accompany my sea bream.
I am just going to try and get it all.
- You got it, girl. Keep cooking.
- It's coming together.
Thank you, chef.
- All right.
All right, christina.
- So I want to do a butter poached lobster tail.
I'm going to do a white miso beurre blanc.
I'm going to get it in this butter asap
Because this is a big boy.
Whew.
- Christina, we're breathing.
- I'm feeling a little disjointed, a little frazzled.
There's just so much gravity on this situation,
And I am just aiming for perfection.
- Look at me.
Look in my eyes.
You got this. - I do.
I got this.
Yeah.
- 100%. - Zach.
- Hey, chef. How we doing today?
- Doing great.
So where are you taking us next with your fish course?
- I picked a sea bass.
I'm going to lightly pan-sear that,
Chef, with some seasonings.
- Yeah, that's really smart.
Keep going.
Ok, guys, five minutes down.
- Yes, chef.
- Thank you, chef.
- All right, this is going.
This is good.
- Gabi, what's your inspiration for cooking?
How'd you start?
- I was in the kitchen with my grandparents.
Like, we would pick grapes from the backyard
And make jam straight from those grapes.
- Is that why you chose to use the grapes today?
- Absolutely.
These are from nana's garden.
- Aw, I love it.
Guys, you're fighting for $250,000.
How are we feeling, christina?
Looking good.
- Feeling ok.
- How are you cooking the asparagus?
- I just sauteed them, like, gently.
- Yep.
Are you slicing the lobster half, medallions?
- I would like to keep it whole,
But I don't want to risk undercooking.
- Yeah, 100%.
Zach, what's your timing on your seafood?
When are you planning to--
- You know, I'm planning on--
Oh, [bleep].
- You good? - Yeah.
You good? - Yeah.
- Sorry, chef. - It's ok.
- That was fun, huh?
- Really cooking here.
Guys, how are you going to build yourself a win today?
How am I separating myself from my competitor?
- Yes, chef.
- Am I just cooking a fish course,
Or am I cooking to win $250,000 and a one-year mentorship that
Is completely life-changing?
- Cooking to win, chef.
- That's what I'm doing, chef.
- Cooking to win, chef.
- I want to get this dish done and hit
That buzzer asap so I get that first grab at the platform.
I really want that.
- Guys, who's going to be the first to that buzzer?
- This is a close one.
- Cook like you've never cooked before.
So much on the line here.
Do not let it slip away from your grasp.
Earn the right to be here in this finale.
- Yes, chef.
- Last touches.
- We're seconds apart from each other.
- Zach heading to the buzzer.
- I have to be the first one at that buzzer.
[tense music]
- Guys, who's going to be the first to that buzzer?
Last touches.
- I need to make up time on gabi.
I have to be the first one at that buzzer.
- All right, zach heading to the buzzer.
Good job.
Zach, 35 and 1/2 minutes.
Hit that buzzer, gabi.
- Oh, no.
Just seconds behind me, gabi hits the button.
Dang it. - 37 and 1/2 minutes.
- Thank you, chef.
- Christina heading to the buzzer.
♪ ♪
Good job. Well done.
♪ ♪
- Whew.
- Nyesha, was it electrifying?
- To say the least.
- Wow.
They look great.
Definitely next level.
- Ok, first up, this was cooked by christina,
Butter poached lobster, miso beurre blanc,
Asparagus, and kale.
- Bold move, lobster.
You're going for the high-end, expensive ingredients.
Visually, it's beautiful.
Shall we?
♪ ♪
- The lobster's cooked beautifully.
So well done there. It's sweet.
It's succulent, everything you want.
The actual asparagus is a little bit undercooked.
- But that's not really what this dish is about, right?
It's about lobster and this luscious beurre blanc.
- The sauce is beautifully reduced.
It's not too tight, just the right amount of butter.
I would have just liked to see a little bit more finishing,
But lobster cooked really beautifully.
Next up, we have the pan-roasted sea bream.
This is sitting on top of a corn emulsion.
On the side, we have a fennel and radish
Salad with roasted grapes.
- Visually, to me, this dish is just stunning.
♪ ♪
- Thank you.
That bream's cooked beautifully.
Grilled grapes, that's a bold one, that one,
With the shaved fennel salad.
Delicious.
- There's an interesting moment with the grapes and the corn
That's kinda sweet and sweet, but it's cut with that sort
Of fresh fennel salad.
- Yeah, I mean, this is in such contrast to your last dish,
Quite honestly.
We've gone from brooklyn to berkeley here.
A lot of finesse in this dish.
- I'm really happy that the judges love my food,
But I'm like, did they love someone's more?
- Lastly, we have a crispy-skin sea bass with buttermilk froth
Garnished with oyster leaf.
- It looks like there's a little lei
Or a wreath around the fish.
I don't know if that's a callback to hawaii.
Zach, you're an artist.
- Thank you, chef.
♪ ♪
- Well, first off, the fish is cooked beautifully.
Skin's super crispy.
Flesh is just succulent and sweet, everything you want.
- Yeah, what an amazing feat to caramelize
The skin so beautifully and still retain
The moisture in the fish.
- I want a little bit more of that pop, though.
It is lacking a little acidity, sweetness.
But it's beautiful, and it tastes good.
- Thank you, chef.
- We're literally one course away from one of you
Becoming our next level chef.
- Everything is riding on this last cook now.
Everything needs to be flawlessly executed,
Or you're not going to win.
- Christina, you now have remaining
Just over 34 minutes, zach just over 35 and 1/2 minutes left.
- Yes, chef.
- And, gabi, you've got just over 37 and 1/2 minutes.
Two-minute head start at that platform.
- Whew.
- All of you head to the top level.
I'll see you shortly. - Thank you, chef.
- Well, done. - Let's go, guys.
- Well done. - Good job.
- Well done. - Oh, man.
Wow, three exceptional dishes.
- Yeah, it's anyone's game truly.
[tense music]
♪ ♪
- One last cook.
Let's keep focusing and just win this thing.
Boom.
- I just want to ride into the sunset with this one
And enjoy every second of it because it's the last time
That I will be cooking here.
♪ ♪
- Chef!
- Come on. - Yeah, baby.
- Come on.
Come on.
Ok, start thinking about the most exciting,
Most creative, and the most stunning dish
You've ever put together.
It needs to happen now in the next 30 minutes.
Now, when that platform comes down,
Gabi, you are going to go first.
- Yes, chef.
- The platform stays, but grab what you need first.
The very best of luck to all of you.
- Thank you, chef.
- This is it, the final course to get yourself
That incredible title.
- Yes, chef.
- The platform is on the move.
Gabi, on your mark, get set, go.
Go, go, go.
The clock is ticking.
Wow.
Pork chop, venison rack, filet mignon.
- This beautiful new york strip.
- Love that.
I see the filet. I'm like, oh, good.
She didn't grab that.
- Stand by, zach.
- Yes, chef.
It feels like a long two minutes.
I had enough time to, like, get a haircut, trim my beard.
- Off we go, zach.
Filet mignon, wow.
- I got the rolls-royce of meat.
- Baby carrots.
Some chilies there, peppers.
15 seconds to go, christina.
- Truffles, potatoes, rustic mushrooms.
I'm just going to go in there and do what I do best.
Let's put out good food.
- Three, two, one.
Go, christina.
Venison rack and a pork chop.
- I've already cooked, like, three pork
Chops during this competition.
So I'm going for that venison rack.
I'm switching it up, and I'm going big.
- Platform stays.
- I have red wine, plums, garlic,
Shallots, everything I need to make a beautiful plate.
- 33 minutes to go.
- [bleep], here we go.
Let's do this.
This is it.
- Let's go, guys.
Right.
Tell me, what'd you grab?
- I have all these gorgeous root vegetables.
My eastern european heritage--
I'm very much into borscht.
I love borscht.
And so, going to be sort of a reinvented borscht.
Borscht is a sweet and sour soup
And takes hours to make, normally.
And I'm just trying to take the essence of that dish
And put it on my plate.
- Right. How are you feeling?
- I feel ok.
- Good.
- I never have cooked venison.
- If you've never cooked it before, why did you grab it?
- Because, ugh, I can't play it safe.
This is about next level chef, right?
- I know. I know.
But you've cooked pork multiple times, right?
- I know, but I can do this.
- Don't underestimate the power of letting that venison relax.
- I want that mentorship.
I need it.
This is the most important cook of my life.
- The pepper cauliflower-- where are we going with that?
- I think I'm just going to get it roasted.
- Good.
Ok, young man, what did you grab?
- Oh, chef, I grabbed some truffle oil,
Some beautiful chanterelles, potatoes, baby carrots.
Yeah, I did a nice, beautiful coffee rub, chef,
On the filet mignon. - Mm-hmm.
Take me back to the beginning.
Because, like me, we started off in the pot wash kitchen.
- Oh, man, yeah.
I was 13, and that's where it all started, you know.
I was watching my brother cook, and I'm like,
This is the most amazing thing ever.
- Right there. - Right there.
I knew. - 13 years of age.
Love it, love it, love it.
- Do you see any red wine anywhere, chef?
- Red wine?
I don't see any red wine.
- I took it. - You got the red wine?
All right.
Bourbon it is.
- Man, what a final cook.
Zach grabbed the filet.
He's doing so many things with it.
He wants red wine.
He has no red wine.
So he's a little bit lost in how he's going to bring
This together with the sauce.
The idea sounds good, but he just needs to edit himself.
Gabi, she went for the new york strip,
And she's taking a modern turn on a borscht,
Playing to her strengths.
And you could see the anxiety in christina's face
When she was last to come to the platform.
Then she goes and grabs a venison rack.
She's never cooked venison in her life,
And we're literally minutes away from plating these.
Guys, 14 minutes to go!
- 14, heard!
- Right, venison.
Come here, look.
Bring it up so you can see it properly.
- Oh.
- So just touch it up there.
Touch it up there.
It's way too rare still. - Yeah.
I can't serve the judges undercooked venison.
At the same time, I cannot overcook it,
And I cannot dry it out.
So I'm, like, kind of freaking out.
- Out of sight, out of mind. Don't forget it, ok?
- Nope. I won't.
- 10 minutes to go!
- Yes, chef.
- Gabi, what did mum say to you before you said goodbye to her?
What was the last words of advice?
- She just wants me to go about it today
Like I have everything else. - Yeah.
- Throughout my career, she has always just
Gone along with whatever it is that I've wanted to try,
And so--
- Yeah.
- --She just said today to just go out there and give 'em hell.
- Exactly.
Good.
How's that venison?
- Still super rare.
- Are you sure it's super rare?
- It felt really squishy.
- Touch at the end there.
It's a little bit over.
- There's so much at stake right now.
I've never cooked venison before!
What am I doing?
- Touch at the end there.
It's a little bit over.
You've got two, right?
- Exactly.
- Ok, so don't worry too much.
- I just have to make sure that my second cut is
Cooked to absolute perfection.
- Five minutes to go.
- Five minutes. What the [bleep]?
- Five minutes away from changing your life.
Come on.
Really apart, all right?
You ok? - Yeah, I'm good.
It's just hot. - Good.
Zach, doing something that rich has been
Banging on about all season.
Edit, ok? - Yes, chef.
- This is the crescendo.
Now is like the crash of the cymbals.
I need this dish to just bring it all home.
- Two minutes to go!
- Whoo!
- Focus.
Please take advantage of every second in this kitchen.
Bring it home, ok?
Bring it home.
60 seconds! This is it.
Let's go. Right.
Now, start cutting. Where's your knife?
- Right here. - Clean it off.
- Oh, god. - Don't worry.
You're still good.
- Oh, god.
- This is it.
- Yeah, beautiful.
- Composure under pressure.
Let's go.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and stop.
- Whoo!
- I appreciate you so much.
[tense music]
♪ ♪
- Welcome back, nyesha and richard.
- [exhales]
- Unbelievably high-pressure cook.
Take a look at those beauties.
First dish here-- christina's dish was a rack of venison.
That's with a plum reduction-- creamy parsnip
Puree and some golden beets.
- It's one of the best-looking plates I've seen this season.
- Wow.
- I'm almost at a loss for words.
To say I'm proud is an understatement.
When I see this dish, it's screaming confidence.
- I'd like to add that she's never cooked venison.
[tense music]
♪ ♪
Venison is stunning.
- Yeah, I mean, it's a theme park of textures.
For someone who's never cooked venison before,
To just know that all of these things work
Is just incredibly intelligent.
- I think it's been your most spectacular plate.
It's beautiful.
It really is beautiful.
Really well done.
- I'm so proud of myself.
Regardless of the outcome, obviously, I want to win,
But even just being here is freaking incredible.
- That second dish is zach's filet mignon
With a coffee-inspired rub over the white truffle parm puree.
- Wow, visually, it looks like they had two hours to make it
And a half a day of prep for it.
- I would want this to be my last meal, eating a filet.
So I'm praying that they love it just as much as I do.
- It's a very classic dish, meat
And potatoes, and very safe--
Until you get to this sort of mystery
Flavor combination of coffee and truffles,
Which is something that really, really works well.
- The filet's cooked absolute to perfection.
But it needs a red wine sauce rather than the bourbon.
Because it's so rich and creamy,
But it needs a little bit of acid.
- For me, the sauce is complementing the steak,
Really rich and robust, and the vegetables cooked beautifully.
- Thank you, chefs.
That plate was me.
I put it out there.
Come on, judges.
- And then finally, cooked by gabi, her new york strip--
This is a modern take on a borscht.
- I really love the vibrancy, the colors that
Are popping off of the plate.
To reimagine borscht-- incredible,
Progressive cooking.
- Please, dig in.
♪ ♪
- What I liked in this dish is the sweet and sour notes that
I'm getting from the sauce.
And you don't really think of it with beef,
But it works for me.
And I think the steak is cooked expertly.
- I think there's a huge responsibility you've inherited
From grandma to sort of elevate borscht and put it
Into the millennial culinary world.
You've done that beautifully.
Often, new york strips are clumsy,
But you've helped to elevate it almost to filet status.
So well done.
- Thank you, chefs.
- Good job.
- What a performance, all three of you.
With a quarter of 1 million dollars
And that one-year mentorship on the line,
This is going to be a very big decision.
Please head back to the lounge while we
Discuss all of your dishes.
- Thank you, chefs. - Well done again.
- Thank you, chefs. - Thank you.
- Good job, chefs.
- Whew. My goodness me.
♪ ♪
The question now is, how do we separate these three?
- What I loved about christina's menu
Is it really did show the transcendence,
Not only of work as an amateur cook,
But this last course is absolutely stunning.
Christina's venison, I think, was the best dish
On the top floor, for sure.
- I agree.
- I thought the lobster was cooked really beautifully.
I think it was lacking a little bit of garnish
And maybe some storytelling on that plate.
- I felt that was her weakest cook.
- I think gabi's first course was her best.
- I agree with that.
- We're staying humble with the meatball,
But I think restrained and mature.
- Yeah, the broth was killer.
It was a great, great dish.
- It's everything you want from a menu.
I think it built--
Humble, ok, I'm going to start putting some lipstick on now,
And then I'm going to get dressed
For the ball for the entrée.
- Yeah. - Seduction.
- Yeah.
To me, gabi's weakest course was the third course.
I love the idea of the borscht and the beef.
It's not a pairing you usually see.
And it was a little too sweet and sour, like it
Almost didn't need the beef.
- Zach?
- Ok, zach's weakest course was the scallops.
I think he progressively got better and better
As the night went on.
- It was visually stunning.
The second course fish cooked beautifully.
- Yeah, the biggest nemesis for zach
Is the overlaboring of his dishes.
The balance between that super chef and a good chef
Is the restraint, the line.
Don't cross that line. - Totally.
- But listen, that's what the mentorship is for, right?
- Yeah.
- You get a couple of months with zach,
He's not running for the third potato in that dish,
And he's really sort of maturing
And becoming the artist and chef that he is.
You can look at it many different ways.
Who had the best dish on each floor?
Who had the tastiest cook?
The problem is, when you break it down like that,
You have three chefs who have won each category.
I mean, we're still at a loss.
I don't know who's going to win this thing.
- No matter what happens, I'm proud of you both.
- Yeah, dude.
Both of you, too.
- Thank you.
[cheers and applause]
- Holy [bleep].
- Oh my god.
- Honestly, this whole journey has been one hell of a ride.
This is an experience of a lifetime.
[cheers and applause]
Yeah!
- All these people, sending us out on that stage--
This literally feels like a dream.
[cheers and applause]
- Oh, my goodness me.
- Just to have all these people here, supporting and clapping
And cheering, it just--
It's such a special moment.
- Say, "I love you, mama."
[cheers and applause]
- Whoo! Whoo!
- Thank you so much, ladies and gentlemen.
Wow.
This has been the most competitive
Finale we've ever experienced.
Gabi, your creativity and poise have
Been the backbone of team ramsay
Across this entire season.
- Thank you, chef.
- Whatever the result, you were born to cook.
- Thank you, chef.
- Seriously, well done.
- Thank you.
Thank you so much.
- Zach, you bring more passion to every single plate
That you make than most chefs do in a lifetime.
- Thank you, chef.
- It's been an absolute honor and privilege
To be your mentor.
- Thank you, chef.
- Christina, you've cooked with so much heart
And soul and determination.
I think it's time to stop calling yourself an amateur.
Right? - Yeah, absolutely.
- You're a chef.
- Thank you, chef.
- It's been a pleasure being your mentor.
- It's been a pleasure here, too, chef.
Thank you.
- We have reached our decision.
One of you is about to be crowned our next level chef,
Winning that extraordinary yearlong mentorship with
Nyesha, richard, and myself.
And that comes with a check
For a quarter of million dollars.
[together] whoo!
- Whew.
The winner
Of "next level chef" is--
- I literally lost everything, so winning the one-year
Mentorship-- that's priceless alone,
But the cash prize, too--
That's going to get me on the right track for the future.
It would truly mean the world to me.
- I just want to hear my name.
I want to hear that I'm the next level chef.
I just-- I just want that so bad.
- That money would be so epic.
It would change the whole path of my life
And my family's lives.
- Congratulations goes to--
♪ ♪
Gabi!
[cheers and applause]
- Oh my god. - Good job.
[inspirational music]
Amazing.
♪ ♪
- You did it. - Thank you.
- You've done it.
Well done.
- Please give it up for our amazing runners-up,
Christina and zach.
Come on.
- No matter what, I won.
Like, what?
I was in the finale of "next level chef."
Like, that's crazy.
- I love you guys.
I'm so inspired by this whole experience.
I love you.
I just want to go after my dreams.
- I've learned a lot about myself,
And I've definitely matured as a chef for being here
In this competition.
And I cannot wait to take this and run with it.
- Oh, my god.
- How are you feeling?
- I-- I can't describe it.
I didn't-- it's like a dream.
The fireworks and you three, and this, and you all here.
I just can't believe it.
- You did incredibly well, and so well deserved.
Ladies and gentlemen, please give it
Up for next level chef, gabi!
[cheers and applause]
- I just won a quarter-million dollars!
That's so crazy!
And just the fact that this journey with these mentors
Isn't over is, like, everything to me.
It's just the opportunity of a lifetime.
I can't believe it.
This is so cool.
- What an exceptional season.
One of the toughest, but the end result is a dream.
And if you think gabi is good now,
Wait till you see what she's going
To be like with a mentorship for 12 months
With me behind her.
And having tucker hand that baton
Over, team ramsay to team ramsay,
We never dropped the baton.
Congratulations, gabi.
Richard, get your [bleep] together.
[laughs]
You've got it, girl. It's yours.
[cheers and applause]
- Ahh! [laughs]