‘Next Level Chef’ season 3 episode 2 recap: Who makes the cut in ‘Auditions – Home Cooks’? [LIVE BLOG]
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Tonight on “Next Level Chef,” the auditions continue as the home cooks fight for one of the coveted five spots that advances them to the mentorship team draft, taking them one step closer to winning the grand prize of a one-year mentorship and $250,000. One chef is eliminated after each challenge until only the top five are left standing in the all-new in the all-new “Next Level Audition – Home Cooks” time-period premiere episode of “Next Level Chef “airing Thursday, February 1 (8:00-9:00 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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Follow along with our live blog recap of tonight’s episode below.
8:00 p.m. — Previously on “Next Level Chef”! In the Season 3 premiere, five social media chefs cooked their way into the team draft: Gabi, Izahya, Jordan, Matt and Nicole. Along the way we lost Brittany, Tim and Brittnee. Which five home cooks will survive this week? Let’s go!
8:05 p.m. — Tonight’s eight home cooks will begin their auditions in the basement kitchen. Richard will mentor this round while Gordon and Nyesha watch from the lounge. Richard explains this challenge is “to make something out of nothing.” They’ll have just 20 minutes after the platform descends with their ingredients and the clock starts now!
8:10 p.m. — While these home cooks struggle with their bottom-level ingredients, we learn a little about Joe, a 37-year old from Staten Island, New York. He’s a sanitation worker who cooks every day for his wife, who is pregnant with their first child. They just bought their first home and Joe wants to prove to his wife he can “roll with the best of them.” The task won’t be easy, because his protein for this round is some very intimidating alligator meat. Daniel is a 30-year old wealth advisor from Nashville who dreams of being a chef. He wants to win this competition for his wife and live out his dream. In the process, he’s attempting to use a mixer as a food processor, so we’ll see how that works out for him. Christina is a 35-year old intensive care unit nurse from Dumont, New Jersey. She says pressure doesn’t bother her “one bit” and she’s in this competition for herself. After caring for so many others, Christina is ready to chase her own dreams. Her daughter, Isabel, has special needs and has had multiple surgeries — which inspired Christina to become a nurse. Winning $250,000 would let this home cook step away and focus on her career as a chef.
8:20 p.m. — The clock has expired and it’s time for these home cooks to face their first judgement. Joe’s alligator parmesan is a “brilliant take on an Italian classic.” Nyesha didn’t want to love this dish, but he admits it’s a “good first effort.” Christina’s pork chop with stir-fry noodles is “delicious.” Monika‘s pan-seared mackerel is overcooked. Lauren‘s pan-seared haddock with potatoes has “great flavors.” Mada‘s protein bowl with minute steak is “a little bit too sweet” and needs more slat. Daniel’s cauliflower soup with poached shrimp needs some “freshness.” Wendy‘s turkey stir-fry “tastes quite nice” and Nyesha thinks the sauce is delicious. Alexandra‘s beef tongue amazes Gordon who says, “It tastes quite good!” But a decision must be made. The first home cook going home today is Daniel. He’s disappointed, but excited to go home to his wife.
8:30 p.m. — Next up, the middle level will mentored by Gordon. For this challenge they’ll have to cook “a stunning Sunday dinner” to get to the next level. After a quick grab of ingredients from the platform, their 20 minutes begins to tick down. As they cook we learn more about Mada, a 36-year old mountain of a man from Los Angeles. He is a bodybuilder who consumes 10,000 calories a day and looks like a real-life superhero. Mada was born in Egypt, grew up in New Zealand and was a professional basketball player and WWE star — now he’s a celebrity personal trainer! That’s quite a resume, but what he really wants to do is become a chef. He loves grilling meat and expects to be underestimated in this competition, but he promises to surprise everyone. Alexandra is a 29-year old detective from Hillsborough, New Jersey who comes from a “loud Italian family.” Cooking allows her to relax after a stressful work day.
8:35 p.m. — Monika is a 51-year old from Columbus, Ohio who had a successful corporate finance career. She quit to pursue her passion for food and hopes this competition takes her to the next level. She has set her pan on fire and Gordon puts it out telling her, “Get your s*** together girl.” Next we see Wendy, a 26-year old from Sunndale, California. She hopes to inspire young Asian children watching and show them they can be on a national cooking competition as well.
8:45 p.m. — Time has expired and it’s time for the second dishes to be judged. Wendy’s ground beef curry is “soulful cooking.” Alexandra’s chicken breast “hits big nostalgia notes” for Richard. Lauren’s sea bass “looks like a restaurant dish.” Christina’s pan-seared pork chop is bright and Nyesha is “very impressed.” Monika’s turkey breast Bok choy is “underwhelming.” Mada’s crispy salmon is over-seared, but tastes good. Joe’s flat iron steak was not properly rested before he plated, but it’s well-seasoned. After a brief deliberation, the second home cook going home is Monika. She leaves feeling confident that her and Gordon will still be best friends, “even though he forgot to give me his number.”
8:50 p.m. — This final round in the top kitchen will be mentored by Nyesha. She explains this challenge is simply to cook something good enough to make the draft. After the home cooks grab ingredients at the platform, the 20-minute clock starts ticking. It’s here we learn more about Lauren, a 36-year old from Santa Monica who works as a flight attendant on a private jet. She’s used to feeling “cabin pressure” and says cooking is her love language. The self-taught cook wants to prove to herself that she has the chops to be considered a chef. Meanwhile, two home cooks are struggling on this level. Wendy grabbed lamb, thinking it was steak. Joe has fish, which he admits he’s terrible at cooking. Will one of these two be the next to go?
8:55 p.m. — It’s time for the final judgement. Lauren’s ribeye steak is “rosy pink all the way through.” Christina’s veal chop blows Richard away. Mada’s angel hair pasta with shrimp is “delicious,” but Richard wishes he would have tossed the noodles with the sauce. Alexandra’s lobster in chorizo butter is “really nice.” Joe’s pan-roasted branzino and potatoes is cooked “really good.” Wendy’s lamb loin is cooked beautifully, but the garnish is a mess.
9:00 p.m. — After their final deliberation, the mentors have decided these five will move into the draft: Christina, Lauren, Mada, Alexandra and Wendy. That means Joe will be headed home, where he says “the rats will still accept him.” The garbage man is just happy he was able to successfully cook fish for the first time.
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