‘Next Level Chef’ season 3 episode 12 recap: Who was eliminated in ‘Bingo, Bango, Bento!’? [LIVE BLOG]

Tonight on “Next Level Chef,” the seven remaining chefs work individually to create Japanese-inspired dishes for their bento boxes. From tempura to sushi, the chef who constructs the winning box claims the time token and top-level kitchen for the next challenge. Then, with only 25 minutes to create a Wagyu beef dish, only one judge will oversee the chefs during the elimination challenge while two judges blindly taste test their creations in the all-new “Bingo, Bango, Bento!” episode of “Next Level Chef” airing Thursday, April 11 (8:00-9:02 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

In an epic three-story kitchen, the only way to move to the top is to cook your way up. Each week professional chefs, home chefs and social media chefs have seconds to grab, minutes to cook and moments to deliver their dishes to mentors Gordon Ramsay, Richard Blais and Nyesha Arrington. Who will rise to the challenge? Gordon promises the toughest, most competitive and most grueling season of “Next Level Chef” yet. With an amazing one-year mentorship and $250,000 on the line, only one contestant can climb their way to the top.

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Here are the chefs still in contention:

Team Blais: Zach and Nicole 

Team Arrington: Christina and Mada

Team Ramsay: Gabi, Jordan and Izahya 

SEE Angela Pagan (‘Next Level Chef’) exit interview: Gordon ‘was throwing me off a little bit during elimination’ [WATCH]

8:00 p.m. — Previously on “Next Level Chef”! In episode 11, the eight remaining competitors worked together in teams to create a cohesive three course meal. In the end Von, a 37-year-old professional chef from Team Arrington was eliminated. Who will go home next in “Bingo, Bango, Bento!”?

8:05 p.m. — The Top 7 are welcomed back to the studio. Gordon explains the team competition is now over. From here on out they are all cooking as individuals. Not even a golden pin can save them at this point. Zach’s immunity pin is expired and Richard asks him to turn it in. For today, the top level kitchen is closed. In order to decide who will cook on the middle level and who will cook in the basement, the judges went back over every dish they’ve cooked thus far. Cooking on the middle level will be Gabi, Zach, Christina and Izahya. Cooking in the basement will be Mada, Nicole and Jordan. Today’s challenge requires the chefs to create a bento box that includes one sushi roll, one cooked protein and one tempura item. Whoever wins tonight will earn a time token, allowing them a 10-second head start at the platform next week … OR they can take 10 seconds away from someone else. Let’s go!

8:15 p.m. — The platforms drop and it’s a mad scramble for ingredients. Everything looks pretty good up top, but down in the basement Jordan ends up with imitation crab meat. Yikes! Mada gets shrimp AGAIN! I can’t even remember how many shrimp dishes he’s cooked this season. Up on the middle floor Christina realizes she forgot to grab rice. It’s going to be difficult to make a sushi roll without that. Thankfully, the platform descends again and right in front of Christina is a bowl of sushi rice. She lucked out there!

8:30 p.m. — The judges seem a little annoyed that Mada keeps grabbing shrimp. Gordon asks, “Is this all he grabs?” You can’t make shrimp every week and expect to win this show. Nyesha is questioning why Zach chose chicken tenders over something like a black cod. With just 10 minutes left to cook, Gabi is freezing up. She admits she’s never felt this overwhelmed in the competition before. Meanwhile, Izahya is not grasping how to create this sushi roll. After one major misstep, he’s forced to start over. With two minutes left it’ time to start putting these bento boxes together. Izahya runs out of time and doesn’t get his mushrooms in the box. He’s not a happy camper. He gets emotional stating, “I don’t have much to go back to. I’m trying to make the best of this.”

8:32 p.m. — The judges begin judging the bento boxes from the middle floor. First is Christina’s ahi tuna two ways. Her sushi roll is gorgeous and the tuna is cooked beautifully. Gabi’s salmon bento box is visually lackluster and looks clunky. Zach’s chicken satay and tempura vegetables have good flavor, but the chicken is slightly overcooked. Izahya’s lobster box looks a bit unfinished and there’s an empty compartment where his mushrooms were supposed to be. The lobster is chewy and the tempura is soggy.

8:35 p.m. — In the basement now, Jordan’s bento box with imitation crab is actually beautiful, but the crab sticks are “horrendous.” Nicole’s black cod is missing glaze and her sushi roll doesn’t have enough rice. Mada’s red prawn hibachi style roll and tempura medley is visually good and the shrimp are delicious. The highlight is the tempura, which has a beautiful crunch and incredible texture.

8:40 pm.  — The judges take a moment to deliberate. Their favorite bento boxes belong to Christina and Mada. Those two will cook on the top level next week. The person earning the time token is Mada.

8:45 p.m. — The bottom dishes of the night will compete in the elimination challenge. Those boxes belong to Izahya, Nicole and Gabi. It’s the first three-person elimination of the season. For tonight’s elimination they’ll have 25 minutes to create an amazing Japanese-inspired steak dish using Wagyu beef. Gordon will oversee this elimination and Richard and Nyesha will be the judges.

8:55 p.m. — The chefs have 25 minutes in this challenge. With 10 minutes remaining everyone looks okay, but Izahya looks a little confused about what to do with his vegetables. His steak is already resting. Meanwhile, Nicole is concerned about her tempura batter and needs to pivot on her vegetables with just minutes to go. Finally, time expires and all the dishes are plated.

9:02 p.m. — Richard and Nyesha return to judge each dish. Izahya’s Wagyu is cooked perfectly. Richard would have liked more pickled vegetables. Nicole’s dish is too fatty. The richness of the steak shouldn’t be offset by a garnish that is deep-fried. Richard likes that it was grilled, but agrees the fattiness is “a little overwhelming.” Gabi made a smart choice searing her Wagyu in a cast iron pan. Richard thinks the vegetables are a little strong, but the beef is perfect. In the end, Nyesha and Richard both choose to send home Nicole. Gordon tells her to continue her dream and keep her head up high. Nicole says she put her heart and soul into every dish she cooked and wouldn’t change a thing. That’s a wrap for tonight! Only six chefs remain.

Launch Gallery: 'Next Level Chef' Season 3 cast: Meet the 15 chef-testants competing

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