By Foster Nicholas | Reporter
Fox and Hulu’s new cooking competition, “Next Level Chef,” has elevated cooking competitions by testing the next generation of great chefs. Gordon Ramsey’s new cooking competition not only tests the competitors, but also tests himself and his fellow judges, Nyesha Arrington and Richard Blais, to develop their chefs and lead their proteges to the end.
In the competition, 15 chefs battle for the title of Next Level Chef and the chance to win $250,000, plus a full year being personally mentored by the three judges. Ramsey hand-picked the best line cooks, home chefs, social media stars, food truck owners and even sous chefs.
“Next Level Chef” is currently the second-most watched show on live television, following only “The Amazing Race.” While streaming numbers aren’t as high, there is still an incredibly large fan base that makes sure to catch the event at the time it airs.
Unlike many other cooking competitions, each week the chefs will be placed in one of three different kitchens to ultimately create the best dish they can. The basement is eerily similar to that of an old kitchen with stains and the worst equipment possible, while the top level is filled with the best cooking equipment. The top level has the same look as a kitchen that is in a Michelin Star restaurant. The other level is the middle, which is the same as a normal restaurant or home kitchen that includes everything that could be found in a chef’s home.
Each week, the judges challenge the chefs with brand new cuisines to cook. From the top level down they select ingredients to challenge the competitors to do the best with whatever they can grab.
“Everything you do matters,” Ramsey said. “You’ve got to earn it.”
The excitement in “Next Level Chef” doesn’t stop with the endless chaos and five-star dishes, but in every show that Gordon Ramsey stars in there’s another element of joy and secondhand embarrassment.
Ten episodes are available on several streaming platforms including Hulu, Fox Now, YouTube TV and Tubi. One episode remains to be seen, and anyone who is interested in cooking shows or exciting competitions should look no further than “Next Level Chef.” With the semifinal just airing, now is the best time to binge and prepare for the exciting finale on Wednesday.
