Next Level Chef Season 5 Episode 10 Recap: “Cowboy Cooking” Ends in Major Upset
- Je-Ree
- 22 hours ago
- 3 min read
The herd is thinning, and the spurs are coming out. As we gallop toward the Season 5 finale, Episode 10, "Cowboy Cooking," served as the final team-based showdown before the competition turns into a ruthless every-chef-for-themselves bloodbath. This week, the remaining contestants were tasked with elevating rustic ranch-style dishes in a mere 30 minutes, a timeframe that makes even a simple campfire bean bake feel like a high-speed chase.
In a seating arrangement that felt like a commentary on current momentum, Team Arrington held the penthouse, Team Blais occupied the middle ground, and Gordon’s "Girls" were left to toil in the basement.
High Stakes and Higher Altitudes
Team Arrington started with the ultimate advantage: the top-tier proteins. With ribeye, elk, and venison on the table, Machete felt right at home. A Texas native leaning into country-fried venison should have been a slam dunk, but confidence can be a treacherous seasoning. Meanwhile, Danielle took on elk, a protein she’d never touched, pairing it with a polenta that sounded sophisticated enough to make a ranch hand blush.
In the middle kitchen, Team Blais scrambled. Jared grabbed buffalo loin, while Christian and Darian ended up with duck and squab. Darian, however, committed the cardinal sin of ranch cooking: forgetting a starch. His "winging it" approach with flour and eggs was a bold move for someone who clearly prefers a bistro to a barnyard.
Down in the basement, the struggle was real. Cole went for catfish nuggets and cornbread (the ultimate comfort play), while Gabrielle took rainbow trout. Poor Andy was left staring at a wild turkey like it was a puzzle box she couldn’t solve, and Gabrielle’s pivot toward hummus felt like a massive gamble in a challenge meant to celebrate the American West.
The Butter Pivot and the Platform
Mid-round, the mentors dropped a mandatory twist: incorporating a compound butter topping using the season’s sponsor, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter. It was a seamless bit of product placement, though watching chefs try to "elevate" a tub of spread while the clock ticked down added just the right amount of frantic energy to the room.
When the platform finally rose, the results were a mixed bag of saddlebags. In the basement, Cole’s catfish was a hit, and Gabrielle’s trout proved that sometimes the simplest ingredients shine brightest. Andy’s turkey, however, was a cluttered mess that failed to impress.
In the middle, things got messy. Jared’s buffalo was overcooked (a tragedy for such a lean meat) and his potatoes were gluey. Darian’s squab was technically beautiful but felt like it belonged in a different zip code than a ranch. Christian, as usual, stayed frosty, delivering a duck dish that looked like art.
On the top floor, the mighty fell. Machete’s venison was bone-dry, a shocking error for the resident Texan. However, Danielle’s elk was a revelation, and the ribeye was executed to perfection.
A Shocking Sunset for a Fan Favorite
In a twist that proved the basement isn't always a death sentence, Gabrielle took the win. Gordon’s Girls were safe, leaving Team Arrington and Team Blais to sacrifice a lamb. Or, in this case, a pro and a home cook.
The elimination cook-off pitted Machete against Jared in a 25-minute King Salmon sprint. Machete went for a glazed salmon with potato puree and a caper-lemon butter sauce. Jared kept it "basic" with an Asian slaw and pressure-cooked rice.
While Machete brought the professional flair, his execution faltered with a char that crossed the line into burnt territory.
Jared’s "basic" dish was flawlessly executed, proving that in the Next Level Chef kitchen, a simple dish done right beats a complex dish done wrong every time. In a move that likely sent shockwaves through the fandom, Machete was sent packing.
As we head into the individual phase of the competition, the hierarchy has been completely upended. Can the home cooks continue to out-execute the pros, or will the "every man for himself" format finally favor the veterans?
Who are you rooting for now that the teams are dead? Head over to the comments and let us know if Machete’s elimination was the right call!
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