‘Next Level Chef’ season 2 episode 5 recap: Who steps up to the plate and who is eliminated in ‘Game Time’? [LIVE BLOG]

Tonight on “Next Level Chef,” contestants face the most difficult test of the season as they cook with game. Game such as wild boar and elk has to be cooked with care and attention, so who will step up to the plate and who will be eliminated in the all-new “Game Time” episode of “Next Level Chef” airing Thursday, March 9 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. Follow our live blog below for a full recap.

Joined by two elite names in the food world, chefs Nyesha Arrington and Richard Blais, Gordon Ramsay and his co-mentors leave no stone unturned, as they’ve scoured the country and hand-picked the best home cooks, social media chefs and professional chefs who will be on each of their teams. The winner will receive a $250,000 prize and a one-year mentorship.

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Here is the remaining roster of contestants (or scroll through the gallery above for more info on each chef):

Team Arrington: April Clayton, Nuri Muhammad, Omi Hopper, Pilar Moega, Shay Spence

Team Blais: Christopher Spinosa, Matt Groark, Mehreen Karim, Tineke Younger

Team Ramsay: Cassie Yeung, Michelle Calcgni, Preston Nguyen, Tucker Ricchio, Vinny Alia

SEE Everything to know about Gordan Ramsay’s ‘Next Level Chef 2’: Meet the 18 chef-testants competing

8:00 p.m. — Previously on “Next Level Chef”! Contestants were challenged to make a dish from the most popular cuisine across the United States. They had 45-minutes to create a next level Chinese-inspired dish. Pilar won the challenge for Team Arrington. In the cook-off, Chris defeated Mark McMillian, sending the 52-year old home cook from Los Angeles packing. Chris also secured the middle kitchen for Team Blais in the next challenge, while Team Ramsay will head to the basement. But enough about last week. Let’s find out who has the best game!

8:05 p.m. — The chefs enter the studio and Gordon explains the next challenge will consist of cooking with game meats like wild boar and elk. It has to be cooked with the utmost care and attention — and can go wrong very quickly. This will be the most difficult challenge yet. Teams disperse — Team Ramsay to the basement, Team Blais to the middle level and Team Arrington up top.

8:10 p.m. — The platform descends and cooks begin furiously snagging their ingredients of choice. Nuri grabs a beautiful squab and knows this could be a show-stopper. Down in the basement, Michelle is relieved to find a pheasant, assuming it will taste like chicken. Nobody completely missed out on a protein this week and the contestants now have 45 minutes to cook.

8:15 p.m. — Vinny looks comfortable frying up alligator like it’s chicken nuggets. He’s an avid hunter and says he’ll be embarrassed if he doesn’t ace this challenge. Gordon seems excited about mentoring Preston, who pulled a wild boar. Preston clearly needs guidance, but he may just thrive in this environment. Meanwhile, Tineke is working on an ostrich filet for the first time in her life. Richard explains that even though ostrich is a bird, it can be served medium rare. Up in Team Arrington’s kitchen, April is determined to prove herself. She admits she has been a nervous wreck in this competition, but today she has her game face on.

8:24 p.m. — April cuts a finger and has to see a medic. Nyesha is concerned a key player on her team won’t be able to finish the dish. Wrapped up and ready to continue, April is back at it. Down in the basement, Cassie works on her rabbit meat. She’s lacking confidence, and after a few rough weeks for the chef, she looks perplexed once again. Halfway through the challenge it’s time for mid-round mayhem! The platform descends with various fruits each cook must incorporate into their dish.

8:27 p.m. — As time expires the chefs rush to place their complete dishes on the platform. For the second week in a row, Shay fails to get to the platform in time. Send him home! What a basic, foolish mistake.

8:30 p.m. — It’s time to judge each plate. Beginning in the basement, the judge call Vinny’s alligator nuggets “delicious” and “re-inventing the way alligator can be enjoyed.” Michelle’s pheasant is “rustic” and “homestyle,” but needs sauce. Tucker’s ground elk meatballs “aren’t the prettiest,” but they have a “winning combination” of flavors. Preston’s wild boar is “overcooked” and has an “overpowering” dried herb flavor. Cassie’s wild rabbit is “bland,” “forgettable” and “under-seasoned.”

8:33 p.m. — The middle kitchen (Team Blais) is next, beginning with Tineke’s ostrich filet. The judges call it “delicious,” “comforting” and elevated. Chris’ goose is “dry,” but the potatoes are “phenomenal.” Matt’s partridge has “beautiful” glaze. Mehreen’s duck breast is “really gorgeous” and “elegant.” Gordon says Mehreen’s sauce should be bottled and sold.

8:36 p.m. — Finally, it’s time to taste Team Arrington’s dishes. April’s venison is “raw” and her vegetables are under-seasoned. Pilar’s guinea fowl is “cooked beautifully” with crispy skin. Omi’s white-tail filet has a puree “to die for.” Nuri’s squab is “delicious” and the color and temperature was “absolutely nailed.” Obviously, one dish is missing — which is Shay’s. They taste it anyways, and it’s a “basket of magic.”

8:45 p.m. — The judges deliberate and decide tonight’s top dishes belong to Mehreen, Nuri and Vinny. The worst were Cassie, Preston and April. Nyesha is so frustrated she says she would love to put both April and Shay up for elimination from her own team. Tonight’s winning dish is Mehreen’s wild duck, which keeps Team Blais safe tonight and guarantees them the top kitchen next week. Gordon throws Cassie into elimination. Nyesha tosses in Shay.

8:55 p.m. — Cassie and Shay will face off with a beautiful rack of lamb. They have 35 minutes to prove their worth in this competition. Richard will help coach each of them while Nyesha and Gordon head backstage.

9:00 p.m. — Cassie and Shay have plated their lamb. Nyesha and Gordon will now complete a blind taste test to determine who wins and who goes home. Cassie’s lamb is cooked beautifully but her mashed potatoes are lumpy. Shay’s is beautifully caramelized and fresh. It’s a tough call, but Nyesha chooses to eliminate Cassie’s dish. Gordon chooses to eliminate Cassie as well. When Gordon discovers he’s eliminated his own contestant, he is devastated. The social media chef leaves in tears, but says she will be proud of herself forever. Next week, Team Ramsay is back in the basement.

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Launch Gallery: 'Next Level Chef' Season 2: Finalists

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