Gordon Ramsay’s Three-Story Madhouse Returns: Next Level Chef Season 5 Premiere Recap
- Je-Ree
- 19 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Gordon Ramsay is back at it again, proving that if you give him a massive budget and a three-story elevator, he will find new and inventive ways to make professional chefs cry. The Next Level Chef Season 5 premiere kicked off last night on FOX, and if the first hour is any indication, the mentors are grumpier, the platform is faster and the basement is still a literal nightmare for anyone who enjoys basic kitchen hygiene.
The Professional Auditions Begin
This season, the stakes have been cranked up. Instead of jumping straight into teams, we started with the professional chef auditions. Eight pros entered the arena, but by the time the credits rolled, only five remained. The premiere was a masterclass in controlled chaos, featuring a frantic "multi-round knockout" format that tested whether these chefs had the hands to match their resumes.
The Great Tuna Tussle and a Hard Fall
The highlight or lowlight, depending on your level of empathy was the basement round. When the platform descended into the grimy depths, a literal tug-of-war erupted over a tuna carcass. Cole and Gabrielle went head-to-head in a struggle that looked more like a Black Friday sale than a culinary competition. Cole walked away with the fish, leaving Gabrielle to pivot to pig ears.
As if a lack of seafood wasn't enough, Gabrielle later took a cinematic spill on the middle level, hitting the floor hard while chasing the platform. In true TV Cave fashion, we have to respect the hustle; she stayed in the game, eventually turning out a crispy pig ear tortilla in the basement round that proved she’s tougher than the floor she landed on.
Who Got the Boot?
While some thrived, others crumbled under the pressure of the moving platform:
Belinda: Her journey ended early after a basement-level shrimp head sandwich failed to impress.
Kevin: Despite his professional background, a lackluster steak and potatoes dish in the middle-level round saw him headed for the exit.
Hunter: He struggled the entire episode and the top floor just took him out with his puree and sauce combo.
Meanwhile, Connor emerged as a frontrunner, delivering a fried cod head po’ boy that had the mentors actually smiling, a rare sight in a Ramsay-fronted kitchen.
The Season 5 premiere set a frantic pace that leaves the "cooking competition" label in the dust; this is a survival sport. With the professional spots mostly filled, the pressure shifts to the social media chefs and home cooks in the coming weeks. If they can survive the platform without losing a limb or their dignity, we might have a real competition on our hands.
The draft is looming and the tiers are set. Next Level Chef remains the most stressful hour of television available and we wouldn't have it any other way.
Do you think Gabrielle’s resilience makes her a dark horse, or will the Social Media chefs steal the spotlight next week? Tell us your picks in the comments below!
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