As the chefs hit two-thirds of the 24 hours of non-stop action on the Food Network competition, the next couple of shifts determined who would make the 24 in 24 Last Chef Standing Season 2 finale. Through a teamwork challenge and risky proposition, the final challenge determined who will compete to be the last chef standing.
With the start of Shift 6, the chefs were two-thirds of the way to the end. After the twist where Bryan Voltaggio picked three chefs to get a break, he learned those chefs would become his teammates in this challenge. The other remaining chefs, Stephanie Izard, Nini Nguyen, Kevin Lee, and Gabe Bertaccini would form the other team.
The challenge was to make a soup and sandwich combo meal. But, nothing is ever that simple in this Food Network challenge. The chefs would join the group every seven minutes. In addition, each chef would bring a required element that had to be incorporated into the dish.
The differences between the two teams’ approaches were abundantly clear from the beginning. Communication within the team members was key. One team struggled and it caused their downfall.
Bryan’s team had an original idea with their soup and salad combo, but had to pivot with the component of “sour” came when Sawyer arrived. The corn crab chowder with a grinder allowed the team to parse components and keep lines of communication open.
When the judges tasted the dish, their biggest complaint was that the two dishes lacked continuity. Both the soup and sandwich were tasty, but there was not a line that connected the two.
Gabe’s team had a clearer vision, but they made a big mistake. Each chef seemed to be working individually and no one seemed to be working together. But, the two dishes were clearly connection.
The judges loved the flavor with the soup and sandwich. The bahn mi with tom kah soup was well composes, but the anchovy flavor was a little aggressive.
Unfortunately, Gabe’s team made a huge mistake. They only plated two dishes, not three. It did not complete the challenge. Because of that factor, the judges gave the win to Bryan’s team, they won $2,400 each, and they were able to take a break.
Gabe’s team would cook against each other and one chef would be eliminated. Bryan was able to pick the teams. Instead of choosing, he left it to a random draw. Luck provided that the women would go against the men.
For the 17th challenge, the chef teams had to create appetizers in three different styles. The single bite had to impress judge Andrew Zimmern.
Overall, the two teams had every different approaches to the dishes. Overall, Stephanie and Nini seemed to work well together. They had a rhythm that ensured the dishes were well composed and flavorful.
Starting with the fried course, their fried nori chip with crab salad was delightful. It captured the fried aspect with a interesting texture.
In comparison, Kevin and Gabe scored high praise with its unusual but delicious Italian style Oysters Rockefeller. The balance of flavors wowed the judges and capture the cheesy note.
Lastly, the dessert course sealed the win for the ladies. Their play on a dreamsicle was refreshing and balanced. It had wonderful texture. While the men’s sweet potato bruschetta with burrata was good, it could not beat the bright, citrus dessert.
Stephanie and Nini were safe. Gabe and Kevin would face another sudden death cook-off, but there was a twist for the next round. As the holder of the Golden Knife, Bryan could step into the battle. If he placed first, he would win $10,000 and earn an instant berth into the finale. Bryan chose to cook.
The chefs had to create a spicy street food dish. The differences between the dishes were clear. Additionally, this challenge was easier for Kevin and Bryan versus Gabe. Italian food does not often venture into the spicy category.
Kevin’s taco was superb. The two-bite taco had just the right amount of spice. Although it could have used a punch of citrus, it was quite good. He won the challenge and would continue in 24 in 24 Last Chef Standing.
Unfortunately, Bryan’s risk did not pay off, but he was safe. His chicken wing earned high praise. He was safe.
Gabe was eliminated from the Food Network competition. His chicken sandwich was good, but it did not capture the spicy element enough. Even though he would have liked to make the finale, it was clear that he was exhausted.
To determine which five chefs would make the 24 in 24 Last Chef Standing finale, they had to create a finale worthy fish dish. But, another twist awaited the chefs. They had another risk/reward component.
Facing a trivia question, the chefs had to wager how many cook minutes that they were willing to give up if their answer was wrong. In turn, they would add those cook minutes for a correct response. With only 20 minutes to break down a fish and cook it, the reward was great.
Since the trivia question was math based, it showed that a simple question is much harder when people are exhausted. Kevin was the big loser because he wagered 10 minutes and got the answer wrong.
By the end of this shift, only five chefs would move into the finale. The double elimination combined with the limited time added to the pressure.
Overall, the fish dishes were well composed. Balanced flavors, impressive presentations, and creativity were on the plate. But, there seemed to be a difference between the chefs who had competed in many of these competitions and had more experience versus the less experienced chefs.
Earning the first spot in the finale was Bryan. His delicate sole in brown butter was sublime. Could it finally be his time to win a competition? He has done well time and again. Also, he does not appear to be exhausted.
The second spot in the finale went to Stephanie. Her dish could have used a few less ingredients but the flavors were bold and enticing. Given her experience, she will be a top contender in the finale.
The third spot went to Sawyer. His curry dish had great flavor and texture. This competition could be his moment to break through to Food Network glory.
The fourth spot went to Nini. She made good use of her extra 10 minutes in the challenge. She is always a force in any competition. Her knowledge of both sweet and savory approaches adds to her versatility.
Three chefs remained, Kevin, Kelsey, and Kathleen. While all three dishes were good, they each had a few flaws. Only one chef would move on and the other two would be eliminated.
Who earned the spot? No one knows. Food Network ended the episode in a cliffhanger.
Be sure to watch the 24 in 24 Last Chef Standing Season 2 finale on Sunday, May 26 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Episodes can be streamed the next day on HBO MAX. Additionally, all other episodes are available to stream now.