Who Went Home Tonight on 'Next Level Chef': Season 3 Premiere

Nyesha Arrington, Gordon Ramsay, Richard Blais

After three nights of Next Level Chef auditions in which 24 cooks – eight home chefs, eight social media chefs and eight professional chefs – were divided into three corresponding groups and auditioned for Gordon Ramsay, Nyesha Arrington and Richard Blais, the 15 finalists for Next Level Chef season 3 were selected and tonight the draft began.

As the chef who has yet to win a season, Richard got first pick for his team. He chose Zach. Then the draft went along smoothly until Nyesha selected Jordan and Gordon wasn't having it. He asked Jordan if he would join his team, and Gordon offered Nyesha his next pick by way of making it up to her. Jordan said yes to Gordon's offer and the draft moved on. Here are the final results:

Who made Team Richard on Next Level Chef Season 3?

Team Richard:

Zach, 34
Maui, HI

Lauren, 36
Santa Monica, CA

Angela, 33
Atlanta, GA

Nicole, 28
Kennewick, WA

Matt, 22
Ingleside, IL

Who made Team Gordon on Next Level Chef Season 3?

Team Gordon:

Chris, 37
Orange County, CA

Gabi, 29
Brooklyn, NY

Jordan, 29
Tampa, FL

Izahya, 24
Miami, FL

Wendy, 26
Sunnydale, CA

Who made Team Nyesha on Next Level Chef Season 3?

Team Nyesha

Von, 37
Scranton, PA

Christina, 35
Dumont, NJ

Ari, 21
San Diego, CA

Alexandra, 29
Hillsborough, NJ

Mada, 36
Los Angeles, CA

Related: Find Out What Gordon Ramsay Is Dishing Up for Season 3 of Next Level Chef, Including the 15 Chefs Who Made the Cut

Who went home on Next Level Chef tonight?

Matt

Advancing contestants tonight on Next Level Chef Season 3 Night 1

Zach, Lauren, Angela, Nicole, Chris, Gabi, Jordan, Izahya, Wendy, Von, Christina, Ari, Alexandra, Mada

Related: Richard Blais on How Next Level Chef Will Serve Up Tears, Emotion and Anger as Well as Great Food in Season 3

What was the first challenge this episode, and who won it?

Once the draft was completed, the first competition began: An All-American Smash Burger.

Team Ramsay was on the top level, Team Nyesha was on the middle level and Team Richard was in the basement.

The winning burger was produced by Team Nyesha’s Von, which meant that next week his team will move to the top level kitchen for the competition.

Next was the elimination cookoff, but before Gordon and Richard named the chefs that would compete for their teams, each of the mentors awarded one of their team members with an Immunity Pin. For Gordon, it was Jordan; for Nyesha, it was Christina, and for Richard, it was Zach. The Immunity Pin gives them safety if a week comes when they are headed into the elimination cookoff.

What was the elimination challenge this episode, and who won it?

This week’s elimination cookoff was between Team Gordon’s Chris and Team Richard’s Matt. The dish they needed to produce was a classic fish taco. Both of the men stumbled along the way, but Chris was pronounced safe -- possibly because he made handmade tortillas, meaning Matt was the first éliminée of the season.

Next Level Chef airs Thursday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FOX.

Next, 16 Things You Didn't Know About Hell’s Kitchen's Gordon Ramsay