Next Level Chef Season 2 adds this twist and it will change the competition

As a new set of cooks look to impress Gordon Ramsay, Nyesha Arrington, and Richard Blais, a new twist was revealed in the first few minutes of Next Level Chef Season 2. Although the kitchen levels remain, the clock ticks down, and a well-executed dish will earn praise, the culinary competition will be impacted by this new element.

Much has been said about Next Level Chef. While many people watch culinary competitions, especially Gordon Ramsay shows, for both the food and the judges’ reactions to the offerings, the rules often influence the ultimate outcome. Whether it is a punishment pass, immunity necklace, or something else, those rewards can allow a cook to overcome a bad day.

In Next Level Chef Season 2, a new twist has come to the competition. The judges revealed a Next Level Immunity Pin. The best dish in each kitchen, awarded by each judge, received the pin. The cook who receives the pin can avoid the elimination cook-off all together.

This immunity pin is a big deal because it appears that in a head to head battle, the other cook would instantly go home. Given that the cook-off is a sudden death moment and has sent good cooks home in the previous season, it could shake up the culinary competition greatly.

It was unclear in the premiere episode if the immunity pin is awarded with every challenge or just certain times. Looking at a recent season of MasterChef, that competition’s immunity pin was good for just one episode. Maybe this immunity pin is only good for the next challenge. Hopefully, more clarification will be revealed in the next episode.

As for the rest of the Next Level Chef Season 2 premiere, it is hard to tell which cook could be a standout. Overall, most of the dishes were good. No one really seemed to push the envelope with creativity. There were a few missteps, like a fallen plate on the platform, but the luck of a fellow teammate earning best dish kept him safe.

Still, the culinary competition is just getting started. There will be more twists and turns to come. Be sure to tune into Next Level Chef Season 2 Thursday nights on FOX and the next day streaming on Hulu.