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On the latest episode of Next Level Chef, titled “A Very Special O’Cajun,” contestants tackled the challenge of preparing dishes inspired by Cajun and New Orleans cuisine. This fusion highlighted the rich Southern flavors mixed with French culinary techniques. The chef who excels in this round earns a valuable time token, granting a significant advantage in the upcoming challenge. The episode aired on Thursday, April 17, from 8:00–9:02 PM ET/PT on Fox.
The Teams
Each week, a mix of professional chefs, home cooks, and social media personalities compete under the scrutiny of their mentors: Gordon Ramsay, Richard Blais, and Nyesha Arrington. This week’s lineup showcases a diverse group, with previously eliminated contestants marked out.
Team Ramsay
Name
Age
Background
- Arnav, 19 – Home Chef
- Beatrice, 18 – Pro Chef
- Meg, 33 – Social Media Chef
- Mistie, 41 – Social Media Chef
- Ryan, 22 – Pro Chef
Team Arrington
Name
Age
Background
- Becca, 27 – Social Media Chef
- Bobby, 38 – Social Media Chef
- Cathy, 30 – Home Chef
- Iman, 35 – Pro Chef
- Natalia, 28 – Home Chef
Team Blais
Name
Age
Background
- Austin, 30 – Pro Chef
- Brandon, 36 – Pro Chef
- Jeff, 35 – Social Media Chef
- Maryam, 31 – Home Chef
- Megan, 37 – Home Chef
SEE what judges Nyesha Arrington and Richard Blais have to say about Season 4, their strategies against Gordon, and an exciting element of surprise in the current competition.
The Challenge
This week’s challenge highlighted the contestants’ ability to elevate Cajun-inspired dishes. Based on the previous week’s performances, the contestants were divided as follows: Austin and Beatrice cooked on the Top Level with Richard, Arnav, Bobby, and Becca worked on the Middle Level with Gordon, while Ryan, Brandon, and Megan faced off in the Basement Level with Nyesha. Each chef had 30 minutes to create their culinary masterpieces.
As the platforms shifted, tension built when Beatrice snatched shrimp intended for Austin, leading to a notable confrontation. Austin, initially planning to use the shrimp, was left frustrated and chose to pivot to catfish instead, severing his competitive link with Beatrice.
On the Middle Level, Arnav experimented with alligator for the first time, while Becca opted for pork belly—leaving her squeamish about the choices presented. Meanwhile, in the Basement, conditions improved with Ryan tailoring his dish with a ribeye, Megan incorporating crawfish, and Brandon selecting ham hock.
As the challenge progressed, the chefs gathered French-inspired ingredients during the mid-cook drop, culminating in their final presentations on the platform.
Top Dishes
In a twist, judges noted two outstanding dishes: Bobby’s frog legs and Beatrice’s jumbo shrimp. Beatrice secured the Time Token, igniting more frustration from Austin.
Elimination Cook-Off
Three dishes fell short this week: Becca’s pork belly, Ryan’s ribeye, and Arnav’s alligator, each criticized for various reasons, including a lack of cohesive storytelling in Becca’s dish and toughness in Arnav’s alligator preparation. These contestants were challenged to engage in a cook-off focused on French cuisine, with a strict 25-minute time limit.
Once the cook-off concluded, the judges sampled the dishes: Arnav’s veal chop impressed with its cooking and sauce, Ryan’s dover sole paired excellently with white asparagus, and Becca’s duck breast, though flavorful, lacked the finesse in fat rendering that Gordon anticipated. Ultimately, the seventh elimination of the season fell upon Becca, a 27-year-old social media chef hailing from Denver.
Source
www.goldderby.com