‘Next Level Chef’ Season 2 Episode 6 Recap — Who Went Home?
Following Cassie Yeung’s elimination, Chef Gordon Ramsey’s team landed in the Basement for the second week in a row during FOX’s Next Level Chef Season 2 Episode 6. Who went home?
April Clayton went home in ‘Next Level Chef’ Season 2 Episode 6
Scottish singer Nathan Evans kicked off Next Level Chef Season 2 Episode 6 with a rendition of his viral TikTok hit song, “Wellerman,” in which he revealed the cast would cook with liquor for their next challenge.
It concerned 19-year-old world food champion Preston Nguyen as a minor, and Mehreen Karim, who doesn’t drink alcohol as a Muslim. However, the mission excited Tennessee-based home cook April Clayton as cooking with steak and liquor reminds her of home.
On the middle level, as part of Chef Nyesha Arrington’s team, she grabbed the hanger steak and whiskey off the platform and seemed comfortable with her ingredients until plantains had to come into play. Chef Gordon Ramsey claimed her steak was overcooked and considered it “lazy” to incorporate the plantains by simply crumbling them over the meal.
Additionally, Chef Arrington and Chef Richard Blais thought the dish lacked continuity. As a result, she landed at the bottom against Chef Blais’s Chris Spinosa, who forgot to top his meal with the liquor-based sauce, and they had to face off with their take on fish and chips. Ultimately, the mentors preferred Chris’s batter, sending April home.
Chef Gordon Ramsey’s team started episode 6 in the basement, again
Due to Mehreen’s winning duck dish, Chef Blaise started episode 6 on the top level. New Jersey-based social media chef Matt Groark wanted a particular wine and spent nearly all his time searching the platform, leaving him without a starch.
Additionally, Mehreen’s decision to grab chicken tenders concerned her mentor, but she explained she planned to create a vodka sauce.
In the middle level, Texas-based social media chef Shay secured a cooking area near the platform as he missed it last week, guaranteeing his spot in elimination. Even though Chef Ramsey’s team was in the basement for a second week in a row as Cassie Yeung went home, they ended up with high-quality proteins, including filet mignon and lamb rump.
Preston grabbed moonshine and planned to make a gnocchi out of instant potatoes as a nod to his father, who taught him how to elevate everyday grocery items. On the other hand, New Jersey-based home cook Michelle Calcagni had to figure out how to pair sherry wine and swordfish.
Preston Nguyen won his first challenge in ‘Next Level Chef’
Starting with Ramsey’s team, the mentors were impressed by Preston’s gnocchi, with Blaise noting the creativity “inspired” him. Additionally, Chef Arrington praised South Carolina-based home cook Vinny Alia’s plating of his baby scallops and hot sriracha butter, with Blaise calling it a “flavorful” dish despite being a small protein.
Although it was a challenge, Arrington enjoyed Michelle’s “phenomenal” meal, and the judges applauded California-based professional chef Tucker Ricchio’s ability to elevate the plantains with her filet mignon. Although the judges liked Omi Hopper’s bass cooked with marsala wine, Blaise noted he couldn’t taste the sauce.
Additionally, he criticized Shay’s plating of his halibut cooked with sake, claiming he thought it looked like a meal kit. On the other hand, Ramsey told Detroit-based professional chef Pilar Omega that she plates “like an angel.” Maryland-based chef Nuri “Stretch” Nuri Muhammad’s Spanish prawns also received positive feedback.
The mentors enjoyed Tineke Younger’s smoked pork chop, especially her choice to include blackberries but weren’t as fond of Matt’s rib eye dish. Despite her decision to grab chicken tenders on the top level, the mentors were impressed with Mehreen’s homemade pasta but picked Preston’s instant gnocchi as the winner. Arrington put April into elimination against Chris, who Blaise chose because he forgot the liquor-based ingredient, and she became the second member of her team sent home. Next Level Chef airs Thursdays on FOX.
