Recap: High Heat and Low Haters: The Social Media Savants Clash in Next Level Chef Season 5, Episode 2
- Je-Ree
- 46 minutes ago
- 2 min read
After a professional-grade premiere that set the bar intimidatingly high, Episode 2 shifted gears to the wild, filtered world of the Social Media Chefs. This wasn't just about who has the best ring light; it was about who could actually handle the heat when the platform drops and the Basement beckons.
The Basement: Corner Store Chaos
The episode kicked off in the Basement, a place that smells of broken dreams and unwashed sauté pans. Ramsay greeted our eight digital influencers with a challenge that was essentially "rebrand the bodega." They had 20 minutes to take corner store staples and turn them into something that doesn’t look like a late-night mistake.
Henna learned the hard way that a hot dog stir-fry belongs in a dorm room, not on a Gordon Ramsay scorecard. While Tim,
Christian, and Andy managed to elevate the mundane, Henna’s dish lacked the refinement required for this level of competition. She was the first to have her "link in bio" permanently severed from the show.
Middle Level: The Color of Failure
Moving up to the Middle Level with Richard Blais, the remaining seven chefs were tasked with a "Vibrant Concepts" challenge. The goal? Make it pop, make it bold, and for the love of everything culinary, make it edible.
This is where the cracks started to show for Miriam. While her wasabi pea-crusted tilapia sounded like an influencer’s dream on paper, the execution was a technicolor nightmare. The beet sauce was less "fine dining" and more "crime scene."
Blais, who knows a thing or two about over-the-top aesthetics, wasn't buying what Miriam was selling. She was sent packing, proving that a high follower count can't fix a muddy palate.
Top Level: The Final Cut
The air got thinner and the egos more fragile as the final six hit the Top Level. With the draft looming, the pressure to be "Next Level" was suffocating. Landon, who had cruised through the earlier rounds with a fair amount of swagger, finally met his match in a butter-poached lobster.
In a kitchen where perfection is the baseline, his lobster and kale salad felt like a frantic afterthought. It lacked the cohesion and "wow" factor that Matt and Mareya brought to the pass. Landon became the final casualty of the night, leaving five social media stars standing.
The Survivors
By the time the smoke cleared, five chefs secured their spot in the draft: Tim, Christian, Andy, Matt, and Mareya. They’ve survived the platforms and the judges for now. But as they prepare to face the Professionals and the Home Cooks, one thing is certain: the filters are off and the real cooking is just beginning.
Think the judges sent the wrong chef home, or are you already Team Mareya? Head over to the comments and let us know who you think has the chops to win it all.