Previously on Next Level Chef...
We are celebrating America's 250th birthday.
Woo!
What's this big spill?
Let's get these cakes done. Let's go.
I'm just sick to my stomach at this moment.
The winner of the Time Token tonight is... Connor.
There it is, baby.
Christian and Gabrielle,
you're two spots away from finale.
This is the most important burger of my life at this point.
I will be sending home the short rib burger.
- Christian. - Good job, chef.
And tonight... You have 30 minutes
to create a fusion dish inspired by the cuisines
of two World Cup countries.
Mexico, Argentina, England.
Argentina and Germany are very different cuisines.
Um, what am I gonna do with this?
Please welcome Alexi Lalas.
I believe that we will win!
Good morning.
- So we're playing soccer today? - Oh, my!
Oh, wow. My favorite sport, man.
Amazing.
What the heck?
Why is there a soccer field
in the middle of here?
I cannot take any more surprises right now.
Right, chefs, good morning.
Good morning!
Welcome to the Next Level stadium.
- Wow. - It's super cool.
Honestly, right now I really wish I had my Scotland jersey
with me 'cause I'd get out there and play a little
- five-a-side together. - Forget Scotland.
You know I'm pulling for the red, white, and blue.
Same.
I would get out there. Let's go!
But I just want to warn you, I'm pretty sure...
since we're so competitive, I'd run circles around both of you.
- Both of us? - Just sayin'! I'm just sayin'!
Are you kidding me?!
Listen up. Today, we are celebrating
one of the most incredible sporting events in the world.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, airing on Fox this summer.
- How cool is that?! - Come on, let's go.
Hey!
The last time the US hosted the World Cup was in 1994.
So, we've decided to bring in
a legend from that team.
- Oh, . - Please welcome America's
soccer star and Fox Sports lead analyst, Alexi Lalas!
Hello! Hello people!
I grew up watching Alexi Lalas.
Everything meaningful in soccer
in the States, he's the face on the TV.
Oh, my goodness me, welcome to the Next Level stadium.
Thank you. This is awesome!
You've got a busy summer ahead of you.
Busy summer. The biggest World Cup in history.
It's fitting to bring it back to the United States
with our friends to the North, Canada,
and our friends to the South, Mexico.
I go back to 1994.
I was literally running around
as a spotty 25-year-old chef...
- Wow! - ...watching you on that pitch?
- Extraordinary. - It was a lot of hair ago.
Mike Lapper on the cross far side...
and he SCORES!
Lalas!
How excited are you it's here?
I am jacked up. This is me jacked up.
You smell that? That's a World Cup.
A World Cup is a celebration. A World Cup is an adventure.
The candle has been lit. We will see where it leads us.
You know a little bit about competition, obviously.
You've been to the highest level.
Do you have any advice for our competitors?
Only five of them left.
What do they need to do to bring this home?
Whether it's on a soccer field
or whether it's in the kitchen
if you don't believe in yourself
nobody else is going to. Ultimately, you have to say,
"I am here for a reason and I'm gonna kick some ass."
- That's right. Here we go. - Let's go, baby. Let's get it.
One of the greatest things the World Cup does
is bring nations together.
So for today's top-five challenge,
you'll do exactly that.
You have 30 minutes to create a stunning fusion dish...
- Ooh! - ...inspired by the cuisines
of two incredible World Cup countries.
So let your imagination go wild.
I'm kind of like the embodiment of fusion.
Got Cameroon, German, Irish.
I was born for this challenge.
Now listen, that's the goal... today, okay?
Honor two culinary traditions in one united dish.
And only 30 minutes to do it.
Thirty minutes?! C'mon, at least give 'em a half.
Forty-five minutes is a half in soccer.
I mean, give 'em a half!
- Would you like 45 minutes? - Yes, chef!
No. Too bad!
And Alexi's gonna help us judge today.
- You got it. - That's amazing. Thank you.
And listen, I listen to Alexi's podcast.
- He's a harsh critic, okay? - I am, I am.
So, feed me. Feed me well.
- Right, Connor. - Yes, chef.
Thanks for that incredible winning dish last time round.
You know you have that Time Token
which means you've got a big choice, young man to make today.
Are you gonna keep that extra 10 seconds
for yourself at the platform? Or take 10 seconds away
from one of your fellow competitors?
I'm gonna take the 10, chef.
You're gonna take the 10 yourself?
Yes. My best cooks have been the cooks
with intentional grabs.
So if I can bring that together today
with the Time Token, I feel good.
Gabrielle, you're cooking in the basement
- this time round. - I'm ready.
Anybody can cook in the penthouse!
Don't you worry 'bout it. It's gonna be fine.
- I'm bettin' on you. - Yes.
- Thank you. - Connor and Cole,
you're on the top level today.
Head to the elevator and I'll see you there soon.
Let's go, Connor. Let's go, Cole.
You can do this. Believe in yourselves.
- We got this. - Cole, let's go!
Woo! Top kitchen, baby. Let's get it.
Let's get it! C'mon, now.
I love fusion cuisine.
It is everything that I'm about.
But fusion can turn into confusion real quick.
So I don't want to be confused at all.
I want to have a solid plan and idea
going into this cook, for sure.
I got the exact same . Let's go.
We know exactly what we need!
Oh, thanks.
Oh, we get to look at each other!
Yeah, there you go. Here it is.
My very own kitchen. What a dream!
God, I love this. This is my basement.
I am so excited to run for that platform... by myself!
It's getting spooky down here.
Getting spooky.
Alright, let's go, Connor and Cole. Let's go.
- Let's go RB! - How we doing?
- Hello, chef.
Listen, I love this challenge.
I love sort of like the idea of really good fusion.
So I know we can make this happen.
- Yes, chef! - There's a literal
US soccer chant that's, "I believe that we can win."
I believe that we can win.
I believe that we can win!
Let's go.
- Hey! - What's up, chef? Let's go baby!
- Yeah! - Andy!
What's happening?!
Let's go, girl.
- Let's go. - Let's do it.
- Are you good? - You and me, chef. I'm ready.
- How're you feeling? - I feel great.
First pick for Chef Ramsay.
And now here we are in the basement together.
Come on. This is a love story.
This is what we've all been waiting for...
and it's finally here.
So grab that first basket, something classic.
Then a second drop when that comes down, sort of weave it in.
These guys are grabbing two baskets randomly.
It's like a guessing game. They literally have to pivot
and think quickly on their feet
to come up with a fully uncompromising dish to blend
both cultures on one plate. That's a hard task.
- C'mon, you got this. - I'm ready.
What a dream.
Here we go. When the light's green, it's go time.
Connor, you got a... extra 10 seconds
because of the Time Token.
- Here we go. - You got this, Connor.
When the light's green it's go-time. Your time starts...
...right now! Let's go.
- What do we got, dude? - We got Argentina, Spain--
England, USA, Argentina.
I'm seein' gorgeous shrimp and seafood
but paella in 30 minutes? Hell no.
Do you like fish or meat? That's a good way to start.
- I gotta go USA. - USA?
I'm seein' chicken, USA.
I've somethin' in the back of my mind just sayin',
"USA! USA! USA!"
- Go, go! Let's go! - C'mon, Cole!
- Argentina, what's over here? - You got Argentina.
- Mexico. - Do you like seafood or meat?
- You got seafood up top. - Spain.
Spain, perfect. I love Spanish food.
I feel like I have the perfect fixings
for a paella-type of situation.
I love seafood. This is gonna go perfectly.
Go, go, go! Go, go, go!
Mexico, Argentina, England!
I'm seeing this Mexico basket, like pork, pineapple.
Yes! Okay. One down, one to go.
I see the steak. I'm like, I want that ribeye.
It's beautiful. Let's go to Argentina.
- Good job. - I'm happy with this.
Let's go. What is coming to us?
Let's go, girl.
Let's go! Let's go, let's go.
- Yes, England! - Woo! What?!
- That is incredible. - Alright.
Fish, malt vinegar, potatoes, mayonnaise, pickles.
I immediately see the vision for the dish.
Fish and chips, classic. And some malt vinegar fries.
Fish and chips with my guy?!
We are fired up about this basket.
- Let's do it! - That is amazing.
- Wow, we got really lucky. - Amazing!
Alright, guys. World Cup Fusion Dish!
Your 30 minutes starts right now. Let's go!
- Let's go, let's go. - This is a great grab.
Darian, what did you grab?
Yes, I got some beautiful ribeye steak,
some bell peppers, eggplant, potatoes.
Nice. What're you thinking with the peppers?
The peppers, I'ma put them in my chimichurri.
- Excellent. - Thank you.
- We need music down here, chef. - Andy's a singer.
Don't think I didn't look up your songs on Spotify.
Wha'? Uh-oh. Call me out, chef.
Girl, I had to! I say, "What is Andy all about?"
Alright Andy, what'd you grab?
I got pork chop. I'm gonna spice this up.
Make an amazing tomato-pepper sauce to go with it underneath.
Yum, flavors of Mexico.
- Yes, exactly. - Incredible.
So, what are you hoping for to go with
your Mexican-flavored inspiration?
I would love Italian, chef.
Ooh, nice.
- What are we making? - I grabbed Spain, chef.
Right now, I'm going towards a paella-type base.
That's how my fusion's gonna start
but I know I can get a lot of different things
- that can go well with that. - So I love this.
What are you hoping for with the next basket?
I'm hoping for something that has some spice.
I love the idea of a jambalaya paella dish.
Okay, so we know one thing. Paella, just like risotto,
has got to start as soon as you can.
Yes, chef.
Alright Connor, what're we making?
I got USA, baby. I'm gonna do fried chicken. America.
Okay, fried chicken. So what basket
would you love to see next, then?
I think fried chicken is so, you know, versatile.
There's Korean fried chicken. There's Japanese fried chicken.
- Pretty classic, right? - Yes, chef.
Hey, Connor and Cole, platform is on the move.
Here come your second baskets, okay?
What's gonna work with Spain and the USA?
I'm lookin' for Korean or Japanese,
something to give me that sticky, icky fried chicken.
I'm gonna go Italy. The gods have spoken.
Italy, America. Chicken parm. That's kinda classic.
Canada, Germany, Brazil, and South Korea.
I'm looking for something spicy, something punchy.
Something that can really give this paella an edge.
Five seconds left. Here's South Korea.
Korea? Yep, perfect.
I see a little gochujang in there.
I know gochujang can go pretty well inside of this paella.
Platform's on the move again, guys.
What're you gonna use to fuse into your dish?
You have Canada, Germany, and Brazil.
I'ma take Germany. I got the bratwurst
and the beer, sauerkraut...
Challenging. I'm here for it, though.
There's Brazil and then Canada.
Okay, let's think. Think, think, think.
- Five seconds. - This is game-time decision.
Let's go! Now, now, now, now!
Potato, cheese, sausage.
Canada seems like the simplest basket?
Okay, okay, okay. Cheese curds.
Oh, my gosh.
I've never had a Mexican-Canadian fusion dish
in my life.
Literally shaking.
That was a terrible decision!
Oh, my goodness.
Looking at that Brazil basket go down?
I made the wrong call.
Here we go. Here we go, second one.
- Here we go. We have got... - Brazil.
...uh, Brazil! Okay.
- Okay. - England and Brazil.
- Oh, my goodness. - Okay.
England and Brazil.
Perfect combination! You heard it here first.
I mean, that is a perfect soccer game.
- Cool, cool. - Let's get that absolutely true.
Wow.
Okay, okay, okay. What can we do with Canada?
Let's do some boiled potatoes and make a purée out of it.
And the sausage, I'm gonna slice that up,
put it into my sauce.
I'm like, "Oh, this? This going to be fire."
Ooh, I like it, I like it. I'm getting excited!
Twenty minutes remain, only 20 minutes.
Alright Cole, what did you grab here?
- I grabbed South Korea, chef. - Okay.
Kinda what you wanted, isn't it?
I'm gonna do a gochujang paella type of situation.
Let's go, Cole. That sounds fire!
- Let's get the rice going. - Yes, chef.
Let's get the rice cooking.
Okay, Connor. So what did we get?
- What is our second basket? - Italy.
- Italy! - My first thought is
- fried chicken parmesan. - Let's go. I love it.
An heirloom tomato sauce and American cheese.
Italian-American, these are some of the most classic
quintessential dishes on the planet.
So if I can't do somethin' with this, c'mon!
Tomato sauce has got to cook.
You got to get your chicken breaded
- and get that cooking. - Let's get it, baby.
Connor, you got a lot of work to do, right?
Yes, chef.
Okay, Andy. You grabbed Canada.
- How is that... - Yes.
...influencing your dish of fusion?
So, I'm excited. I'm gonna do this fresh salsa
with some grilled pineapple, with a little maple syrup.
Bringing sweetness in from maple syrup.
- Yes. And then a potato purée. - Yep.
And then a tomatoey sauce.
And I'm gonna bring in the sausage in that sauce as well.
- Nice. Kinda chunky, rustic... - Yes. Yes.
Excellent. Twenty-two minutes left, guys.
I just want to get my pork going.
Treat that pork with kindness.
Did you grow up eating a lot of fish and chips?
Fish and chips. That was the staple, oh my God.
That was a... I mean, absolute staple.
And a massive treat as well.
I'll be honest, I've never had Brazilian fish and chips, but...
- We're gonna do it today. - ...today is the day.
Today is the day.
I feel like I can toss this sausage with my peas.
Yes, nice idea.
I have never cooked with Brazilian sausage before
but tossing it in with the peas is a great pairing.
I see the cachaça and I'm like, the what?
The ca-what? Like, what is this?
That's like a local alcohol, so maybe the batter.
Just a little splash in the batter, as well, yeah?
Okay. We've already got this beer batter going.
Why not toss a little in there
and then use it as a deglazing agent?
Nice. Nice, nice, nice!
- Hey, okay! - Hello!
Oh! This is the basement, huh?
This is the dungeon.
It smells of authenticity though.
- You love it? - This is real cooking here.
- This is grit, exactly. - Exactly that.
What do we got going here?
First basket was an incredible English box
with traditional fish and chips, and then followed by...
- Brazil. - ...Brazil.
- Brazil-England? - Yes!
Oh, if I had a nickel for every time
a Brazil-England fusion dish was requested.
It smells good, it looks good.
- Oh, yes. - I'm gonna go upstairs, alright?
- Okay, thanks, my man. - Have fun. Good luck.
See you later. Take care. C'mon, score that goal.
Guys, we're halfway down, 15 minutes to go.
Wow. Where does the time go?
Hello, hello, hello!
- Hey, welcome... - There he is!
- ...to the middle level! - How you doing?
I'm doing fine. How're you guys doing?
- Feeling it today. - Alexi, he said you were
throwing an apron on and helping him as sous chef.
Yes!
That'd be great.
Andy has Mexico and Canada.
Our host countries, the United States, Canada, and Mexico
hosting the World Cup this summer.
- Exactly. - That's right.
Love that. Obviously, you've been
- to Mexico and Canada. - Yes, many times.
Have you been to Argentina or Germany?
- Been to Argentina and Germany. - Amazing.
And all over the place.
Guys, Alexi's been to every country on this floor.
- Wow. - Wow.
He'll be tasting your dishes, so...
here to impress, right guys?
Well, I'm already impressed.
Darian, have you ever played soccer?
All my life in Jamaica. Defender, you know?
- Reggae Boyz. - Reggae Boyz!
Are you happy with your picks?
- I see the wheels turning. - She's turning.
- Okay. Alright. - Wheels turning, for sure.
- Absolutely. - Alright, good luck.
- Thank you. - Running out of time. Let's go!
- Let's go, let's go! - Okay.
How are you fusing your countries together?
- What's the flavor profile? - So, I'm going, um,
with the chimichurri... - Yep.
...for Argentina.
You know, Germany, um...
Argentina and Germany are very different cuisines.
It's just two kinda difficult country to pair together
and make sense on a plate.
What the do you do with that?
Y'know I cook fusion on a daily, but I've never
done German and Argentina, so I'm like, um...
"Holy crap, what am I gonna do with this?"
I'ma tryna figure out what I'm gonna do here.
The two absolute "you're going home" - it is undercooked rice
- or undercooked chicken, right? - Yes, chef.
Those are the two things that are gonna absolutely destroy us.
- Oh... - Alexi, hello!
- I Smell it! - Look who it is.
I smell the rarefied air of the penthouse, the top floor.
- Okay, what do we got here? - Right here I have a Korean
and Spanish-style paella.
- Korea and Spain. - Yes.
Oh, my goodness. Alright, two teams that are
definitely going to be playing in the World Cup this summer.
Spanish cuisine is sort of like Spanish football.
It looks really simple but it's really not.
- There's a lot of small details. - There's a lot of layers!
A lot of layers and complexity but ultimately
- there's a beauty to it. - Yes.
Get that stock in there. Let's get it cooking.
- Heard, chef. - Okay.
I really don't have time to chit-chat.
I love you Alexi, but I'm trying to focus
on getting this stuff cooked, or else
I won't have anything for you to taste.
- Over to Connor. - It's a pleasure, man!
Connor is like an iconic California kid
so he's making American fried chicken parmesan.
We live around the corner so this better be good,
- or else I'm gonna heckle you. - I've seen Alexi Lalas heckle
with the best of 'em so it's just a little extra motivation
for my to be pristine
because I'm not trying to get roasted by that man today.
I grew up watchin' you and seein' you on the TV.
- So sorry you had to see that. - I got extra fire in the tank
and it's an honor to cook for you today, Alexi.
The pressure is on, Alexi. We're in the 90th minute.
We got 12 minutes of stoppage time left here.
- That's right. - We gotta push.
I see no sweating at all here, though.
Both of these contestants know what they're doing.
- It's very, very obvious. - Smart man!
I'm sweaty! I've lost two inches off the hair already, Alexi, so.
Alright, keep going. Don't let me interrupt you.
- Thank you. - I cannot wait to taste this.
- Alright. - It's a pleasure.
Thanks, Alexi. We appreciate you, man.
Alexi, I believe that we will win.
I believe that we will win!
Man, what a treat.
Alright Darian, where are we going?
So I'm gonna roast these potatoes up.
- You know, Germany. - Yep.
Got the rustic vibe going on, too.
Sauerkraut, it's sort of fermented cabbage.
You see that pickly sort of flavor...
It'd be good in the chimichurri.
Really nice in your chimichurri, absolutely.
I'm gonna use my sauerkraut in the chimichurri.
I've never done anything like this before. But fusion...
That's what I do best!
That's what my entire restaurant is about.
I'm feeling good about this.
- Ten minutes to go, girl. - Yes.
That's it. And then tilt that pan and flambé it.
There you go. ! Careful.
Woo!
I'm gonna burn my eyebrows off!
Bloody hells bells.
The basement is the vibe today.
I feel bad for the other levels.
Whatever happens after this,
this is gonna go down as my best day.
- I'm telling you, girl. - Of my life.
- Together in the basement. - And I've given birth twice, so.
Oh my gosh, we're total besties.
Gordon and Gab.
We should do this again, you and I.
Right? We're a good team. When do you want to meet up?
I'm ready whenever.
We are the A-Team. Come on!
Yes, chef.
- Eight minutes left, everyone. - Eight minutes, heard.
Okay, what's going on, Cole?
Feeling a little behind, chef.
- What are we behind on? - Um, the rice.
I need it to be cooked all the way in the next five minutes
so I can drop my seafood in there.
Okay. Do we have more stock to go in there?
Heard, chef.
It was always gonna be last minute.
Okay, boom.
- Okay. Chicken is frying. - Yes, chef.
- It is? - It's gettin' close.
Okay. It looks really good, dude.
- Thank you, chef. - It looks really good.
You got the cheddar cheese sliced so it'll melt on top?
- Yeah, my cheese is right there. - Dude, I'm excited about this.
I'm excited, too. My sauce is a little salty
but I think it's gonna be good in the mix.
Dude, you're locked in, man. I love it.
Locked in, man. I'm here to frickin' bring it home.
- You got this, Connor. - Okay, let's go.
Get that pork outta that pan.
- Are you slicing your pork? - No, chef.
I'm gonna keep it whole.
Darian, how are your potatoes?
Delicious. It's actually really good.
- Chef, wanna taste some of this? - I would love it.
So this is my chimichurri I made with the sauerkraut
- for that brightness. - Delicious.
- Thank you, chef. - Keep going, Darian. Keep going.
That fish is cooked beautifully.
Mmm.
- This is a winner, man. - Yes, it is.
Let's move to the top.
This is not a Gordon Ramsay fish and chips.
This is Gabrielle's fish and chips, yes?
This is Gabrielle's fish and chips.
Come on, girl!
Four minutes left. The number one thing
is that rice has got to be cooked.
The chicken has to be cooked.
I want to be the mentor that keeps both of you up top.
Okay, the rice is working in extra time.
Yes, chef. I am sitting here with this rice
and it's just not getting to where I need it to get.
I'm afraid that it's not gonna be cooked all the way.
Is the rice cooked?
- Talk to me, Cole. - Not yet, chef.
Three minutes left. Three minutes.
Cole, that rice has gotta get cooked.
- We gotta go, okay? - Yes, chef.
Two minutes, guys. Start plating!
Think about how these different countries
plate differently, right?
And how we're fusing the looks together.
- Yes, chef. - Yes, chef!
- Love that. On you go. - Gorge.
- Love that! - Woo!
Here it comes. Platform's moving, girl.
Let's go, all the way.
We're going all the way.
- Wow, look at that. - Love it!
Thank you, chef!
Twenty seconds, guys.
We're not missing the platform, right?
Platform's here.
Darian, let's go!
Now, now, now, now!
Wow, that was intense.
Oh, God.
Platform is arriving.
Get it on the platter. Let's go, Connor. You okay?
- Yes, chef. - Platform's here, Connor.
- Connor, five seconds left. - Alright.
Okay, go, go, go.
Let's go!
Wow.
Let's have a look at these beauties.
Oh, my goodness me. Wowza.
- What an exciting challenge! - Yes, chef.
Is this a celebration of the World Cup or what?
This is, y'know, this is kinda like knee deep in a World Cup.
- Mm-hm. - Some great countries.
They all look wonderful.
Shall we start at the top level, please?
- Yeah, let's do it. Over here. - Yes, of course.
I'm so used to you being
in the basement. I'm so sorry.
No worries.
This chef had to fuse
- the USA and Italy. - Right.
They made a Fried Chicken Parmesan
with a homemade tomato sauce and roasted potatoes.
- That is good. - I think this is
an incredible way to fuse two different dishes together.
You take the classic elements of a dish
and you sort of reinvent it.
Cheddar cheese works really well with the crispiness
and the richness of the fried chicken.
Chicken's cooked beautifully. It's heavily battered
so it just needs a touch more salt, but it's really good.
Yeah, I think this chef did a great job combining
the USA and Italy.
I wish maybe I got a little more brightness
out of the tomatoes, but it's a minor quip.
Okay next up, we have a Gochujang Paella.
This chef had Spain and South Korea.
Spain, as we know on the soccer field,
are incredibly complex in what they do.
But there is also a simplicity underneath it.
I get a little bit of that. It's got a little zing.
- Very good. - Yeah, really nice composition.
Great presentation. Definitely reads paella.
The part that I'm searching for is that Korean element.
The gochujang, definitely understated.
Smart combination. Really good grab.
Rice needs another 90 seconds.
Just needs to be bloomed a bit more.
Yeah, I think the rice is a little bit undercooked.
I would have loved to see a finishing aioli
or something else to just break through some of the salinity.
At this stage in the game, there's only five of us.
There's no room for mistakes.
There's no room for errors.
I could be looking at elimination cook.
And that means my future in the finale is on the line.
Okay, let's move to the middle level, please.
First up, this chef had Mexico and Canada.
That's a tough combination, isn't it?
Yes, definitely.
Here we have a Cumin-scented Pork Chop
with a charred pineapple salsa and elk sausage.
There's some maple syrup that was used
in the sweetness of the salsa, as well.
The thing I'm struggling with is I think it would be hard
for me to pick out what the countries were.
Pork, a little bit chewy on the fatty side
and a little overcooked for me.
It's a tough grab because of the Canadian influence with elk
on top of a pork chop - you've got your work cut out there.
Exceptional.
Next up, we are heading to Argentina by way of Germany.
This is a Spiced Rubbed Ribeye
served with a bratwurst demi-glace
and a sauerkraut chimi.
Now, this is fusion. I'm really interested
in what this is gonna taste like.
That's good. And I like mine mooing.
So this is well cooked for me. That's good.
Ribeye's cooked beautifully. Smart move with the sauerkraut.
It's actually delicious. It's a really good combination.
We asked for two World Cup nations that play together
and this is a great composition of that.
Yeah, sauerkraut chimichurri does not sound like something
that I want to enjoy, but I do really, really enjoy it.
I'll take that back to my kitchen and play around with it.
Fancy coming down to the basement
for some fish and chips?
Big old party down there on the bottom floor.
So this is a English-Brazilian fusion.
Beer Battered Fish and Chips with a caramelized sausage,
fresh pea with mint, vinegar fries
and that Brazilian liqueur is in the batter.
Yeah, I want to hear this one 'cause it looks so crunchy.
Yes.
Oh, the crunchy bits.
I mean, a classic type of matchup when it comes
to international soccer here.
Usually it's the English that will be whining and crying
about everything, whether it's on the field or off the field.
I would think the Brazilians would taste this and say,
"There's not enough Brazil! We need more Brazil!"
By the way, it's the same here. Usually, uh...
the English are whining a little bit more than everyone else.
I just would like to address the room.
I'm actually Scottish.
Visually it's hard to find Brazil in the dish visually,
but when you taste it... when you taste it
you do get the notes from the sausage
and really smart use of the liqueur in the batter.
Really, really delicious.
The cachaça works really well.
It really adds the crispiness in the batter. Really smart.
Okay, Richard, Nyesha and I have got a lot to talk about
but in the meantime, give a big round of applause
for this incredible legend. And the very best of luck...
Let's go, champ! Let's get it!
...hosting the World Cup soon, on Fox.
America! Happy birthday, America!
Right. You five, well done.
Chat amongst yourselves, grab a ball.
Andy go in goal and take some penalties.
We'll be back in a moment, please.
Let's go.
- Get it, girl. - Like when I was--
- Nice. - Okay.
Okay, tricks.
- Yes, Coles. - There it is.
- Please. - Oh, my God.
Right, shall we start on the top floor?
Yes, I think the American fried chicken parmesan tast--
- Winner. - Under-seasoned for me.
I think that's a great way to fuse two nations together.
Unfortunately the paella, which was Spain and South Korea,
- just didn't execute. - It read more paella
- than a fusion dish. - Also some of those rice kernels
- were a bit crunchy. - Definitely underdone.
Damn, that rice will be my demise.
We're in the basement, fish chips was exceptional.
And very smart to use the Brazilian liqueur in the batter.
- Really smart. It's delicious. - Middle floor.
The pork chop was slightly overdone.
- It was a bit dry, sadly. - Definitely.
I think the other chef, the Argentinian and Germany,
those were two hard flavors to put together.
- They were good. - Sauerkraut chimichurri.
That was my favorite dish of the night.
I know that you're flipping out. I can see it.
I would've preferred seeing a touch more caramelization
on that ribeye, because it was just a little bit under-seared.
It's just like every bite was a surprise.
I think for me, that was the best fusion of two countries.
- That was the Lionel Messi of... - Yeah.
...dishes for me.
Definitely a close second to the fish and chips.
Fish and chips, absolutely decadent.
- Yeah, number one. - No, for me, the best dish--
If it had more of a Brazilian influence,
- it would be number one. - That's what I mean.
- It's the ribeye steak. - Oh, I disagree.
- Sauerkraut chimichurri?! - Your best dish of the night?
Argentina and Germany
is damn near impossible to fuse together.
Are you two, uh... plotting something here?
'Cause the fish and chips was obvious for me.
Wow. Okay, wow.
Alright...
There was one dish that scored today.
And that dish was cooked by...
Darian.
Great job.
- Yes! - Thank you.
GOAL!
I'm in semi-finals. Let's GO!
- Darian, congratulations. - Whoo!
You'll be cooking in that top level kitchen...
- Watch out! - ...next time, in our semi-final.
- Thank you so much. - An extra 10 seconds.
Appreciate you, chef. Much love. Look at this.
I'm very proud. Very proud of myself.
First one into the semi-final.
One step closer to the championship, chef.
Cooking is what get me to this point in my life.
And I'm always grateful for that.
And I'm still loving every second of it.
Okay, so unfortunately,
the chefs who are heading into the elimination today are...
...Cole.
- And Andy. - Yep.
Okay, Andy, Cole, for this elimination cook-off
we are paying tribute to our guest, Alexi's roots.
He may be an American soccer legend
but his family heritage is from Greece.
- Mm-hm. - So in honor of that
you're both gonna have 25 minutes
to create a Next Level Greek entrée.
Okay, all of you, head to the elevator
and I'll see you on the top floor.
- Good luck, both of you. Focus. - Let's go.
- Good luck, guys. - Thank you.
- Let's go. - Wow.
That is a battle I didn't think we'd be witnessing tonight.
It's my worst outcome to have two of my mentees,
Andy and Cole, go head-to-head in an elimination.
- Come on, my girls. - Yeah.
It's gonna be devastating saying goodbye to either of them.
You got this.
- Let's go, baby. Let's go. - Y'all got it.
Love my girl, Andy, and I hope she does her absolute best.
And I'm gonna be doing my absolute best.
Alright, everyone. How're we doing?
- Hey, chef. - Much love.
At the end of the day everybody
was supposed to leave except me.
So, bring it.
Now we're into the World Cup knockout phase.
- High-pressure moments. - Yes, chef.
Okay, you have 25 minutes
to create a Next Level Greek entrée
inspired by Alexi Lalas. Hands on the wall.
- Let's go. - Let's go, girls.
- Platform is on the way. - Moving, girls.
- And... go! - Go, go, go.
Alright, so we got racks of lamb.
We got feta cheese, tomatoes.
I see some figs, some grapes, pistachio, eggplant.
- This is classic Greek. - Get some herbs!
Everything green, give it to me.
Chives, rosemary, mint.
I want all of it because I know that's gonna bring some punch
and pack some flavor into my dish.
Olives, tomatoes!
The platform is literally moving up
and I'm like Supermanning
- to get the cherry tomatoes. - Go, babe, go!
Grab it or regret it! There you go.
- Dang! - Yeah, it was a good grab.
Alright, your 25 minutes starts right now.
Heard, chef.
- Take a second. - You're good, Andy.
If you're gonna leave this rack whole
you gotta get it scored and seared
and in the oven as quick as you can.
But it has to go now if you're gonna leave it whole.
Yes, chef. So I have about 10 seconds
to really figure this out.
I can leave it whole, but if I leave it whole
I run the risk of undercooking it.
Alright, Andy, what are we thinking dish-wise here?
Chef, I am doing a pistachio-crusted lamb
with feta, pistachio, a fennel salad,
- And also some roasted potatoes. - Okay, I love it.
I'm feeling good about the lamb.
I just have to get that searing right away.
What's your plan for the grapes?
Um, I'm gonna sauté them.
- Get it in the pan. - Just throw it in.
Put in some herbs and some butter.
- Crack a garlic. - Give me a second, guys.
- Okay, cool. Alright. - Take your time, Andy.
Five minutes down.
Okay, so what's the dish called? What do we got?
I'm gonna do a preserved lemon type of tzatziki, chef.
Okay. Do you have yogurt?
I do have yogurt and I have mint.
- You'll leave the lamb whole? - Yes, chef.
I love it. The lamb's gotta get in the oven as soon as we can.
Get the other side seared real quick.
- Get it in the oven right away. - Yes, chef.
Only seventeen and a half minutes left.
Agh! C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!
- You're good, Andy. - You're good.
Take a breath, Andy.
- Okay! - You got it, Andy.
- Let's go. In the oven. - Yes, chef.
- Alright, how're we doing, Cole? - I'm doing good, chef.
Get it seared, but the most important part
- is getting it in that oven. - Yes, chef.
I like it, you have rosemary in there. Basty, baste, baste.
Sear all sides, right into the oven.
It's got to happen in the next 60 seconds.
- Heard, chef. - Good work.
There you go.
Ten minutes down.
Fifteen minutes left only.
Love all the greens, Cole. You're good, Andy.
- You're good. - Oh, !
- What's the matter? - That wasn't on.
- What is that, potatoes going? - Yes, chef.
- You got 12 minutes, Andy. - Oh, my God.
Turn the potatoes on. This fire's out on the potatoes.
Ooh...
Focus.
Oh, no!
(Ten minutes left.
I love the pace. Keep it up, Andy. Keep it up, Cole.
Beautiful, Andy.
- Yeah? You good? - Yeah.
Just make sure the potatoes are cooked.
Yes, chef. I just need to get these
potatoes in the frying pan, sauté them up a little bit.
Toast, toast, toast, toast! Here we go.
Just... I need them to just be a little crispy.
It's gonna be close.
You got your crumble working and then that's gonna be
a mixture with the eggplant and those grapes,
- and/or figs, right? - Yes, chef.
Let's go. Great job, chef.
I need to check my lamb.
I am so nervous about the lamb. If there's anything
that could send me home in this cook right now,
it is undercooked lamb.
Okay, it needs more time.
Get the tomatoes right in that pan.
Four minutes left!
Check your lamb, Andy, yeah? I think this one's done, yeah?
Yep, they're done. They're ready to rest.
- Looks good, Andy. - I'm nervous about this lamb.
Think about what this plate looks like.
- You got it. - Here you go, Cole.
Cole, you're good, baby.
Two minutes left. You can start plating.
It's go time, gotta go now.
Visualize the plate.
Put every bit of trust into this.
Beautiful. Shine it up, baby.
- Grab that beautiful crust. - Let that lay up.
- There you go! - Gorgeous, gorgeous.
Incredible.
Thirty seconds. I love it.
Okay, let's get it on a plate, too. Gotta get it on the plate.
Beautiful, chef!
I love it, I love it. Okay, boom.
Gorgeous. Let's go.
- Five, four... - Good job, there you go.
- ...three... - That's how you spend your time.
...two, one. Hands up!
It's tough.
This cook determines whether I stay
in this competition or not.
It's tough to not know what the outcome is gonna be
until they cut into that lamb.
- Good job, girl. - Looks beautiful, chef.
Nyesha, Gordon, incredible cook,
and both chefs absolutely gave it everything they had.
We'll start right here.
This is a Pan-Roasted Lamb with a feta and fig sauce
with eggplant, potatoes, and a pistachio crumble.
Lamb is seasoned beautifully.
And there's some really nice
Mediterranean Greek flavors in here.
The one issue I've got: It's about 90 seconds over.
The lamb's running from mid-rare.
I know they sit and they rest
but it's sort of running to medium.
But it's still juicy and it is seasoned beautifully.
Yeah, great flavors.
I love the salty, briny notes coming from the feta cheese
and the sweet balance of the roasted grapes.
It brings a lovely depth of flavor.
Really nice dish.
Next up, we have
a Honey-Spiced Roasted Rack of Lamb
with a warm Greek potato and olive salad
and an herbed yogurt sauce.
The lamb is cooked beautifully, very well rested, juicy,
and I love the richness coming from the herbed yogurt sauce.
As something as humble and simple as a potato,
it's cooked perfectly.
Another good dish. Lamb is seasoned beautifully.
But inside it's just the perfect pink.
This yogurt dressing with the potatoes, it's so on-point
but when you've got such a high cap of fat like that
I'd trim that off a little bit
because it's just a little bit excessive.
Nyesha, I'm gonna start with you.
Which dish will you be eliminating tonight?
The dish that I'm eliminating...
...is the lamb with the feta and fig.
Just straight to the points,
the pistachio one is cooked with flair,
the lamb rack is cooked with confidence.
The dish I'm sending home
is gonna be the lamb with the...
pistachios.
That dish was cooked by Andy.
Ah, shoot.
Andy, I get the talent before coming in here,
but I just want to talk to you chef-to-chef.
I'll make one thing clear, there's a future
- in food for you. - Thank you.
You've really honed in
your craft while you spent time in these Next Level kitchens.
It's been just an honor to be a part of that journey with you.
We're gonna miss you, girl.
This is a dream come true.
I never imagined I would be here.
I grew up in West... in West Africa.
So coming to America, the way my life has unfolded
is truly an example of what's possible.
And this beautiful seed of food and love of cooking in my heart
that has been watered and nurtured by all three of you -
I'm just so excited to keep going and letting it bloom
and continuing to share my heart and my love for food.
- So thank you, thank you... - Do not stop there.
I'm so proud of myself that I've come this far,
that I took a chance on something that I dreamed of.
Thank you. I am... heartbroken
that my journey is ending here.
- Chef, thank you so much. - Wow.
But what a gift!
I got to, for the first time in my life,
really share my spirit
and be the Cameroonian-American person that I am.
Cole, well done.
I mean, not to slice that thing
and sit that on there with the confidence?
It's exactly what I want at this stage of the competition.
- Beautifully done. - Thank you, chef.
You four, congratulations. Semi-finalists! Come on!
Let's go, baby, let's go.
Please get some rest because next time
the finale and your legacy are on the line.
- Ooh. - Good night. Great job.
- Thank you. - Well done.
- Take care. Much love. - Get some rest.
See you next week.
Sheesh! Top four, let's go.
That was hard.
- That was hard. - Ah! Heart shakes.
Next time on Next Level Chef...
Welcome to the semi-finals.
Come on!
For the first time ever
the protein you pick will be a surprise.
Are you kidding me?!
What protein are you gonna grab?
Give me more stuff!
I'm like sick to my stomach.
This is it. This is to get into the finale, okay?
Gotta get that fish in the pan, Cole.
You okay?
Pull the pork chop, man. It's done.
God! You guys are giving me an absolute heart attack.