Next Level Chef Season 3 episode 10: Lacking a little flavor opa

In Next Level Chef Season 3 episode 10, the remaining chefs might wish they were traveling to the Greek Isles for a little respite. The Greek inspired challenge proved to be a little more difficult than anyone had expected. Maybe the mentors should have smashed a few extra plates.

As the competition narrows, the food themes have become more difficult. Even though the platform continues to through the chefs a loop, the reality is that there is something more curious going on in this Next Level Chef season.

Anyone who has been watching throughout Next Level Chef Season 3 is aware of “the curse.” Time after time, the team in the top kitchen immediately falls to the basement and loses a teammate. Instead of breaking plates, maybe some one should take some sage to that top kitchen to help remove the bad juju.

For the Greek food challenge, one chef really wanted to shine. Christina. Given her Greek heritage, it seemed that she could have an advantage. But, nothing seems to go as planned with Next Level Chef. While her dish was traditional and good, Gordon Ramsay thought that her fried sardines needed to be elevated more. It appears that there is a difference between a restaurant Greek dish and what people eat at home.

Another surprising element in this episode was that Nicole admitted she had never grilled before. Whether this moment was a lark or an uncanny revelation, the moment was surprising. It would seem that anyone who was going on a culinary competition would take the time to ensure they could handle most common cooking techniques.

Still, Nicole grilled some good turkey legs. The combination of pita, tzatziki, and turkey worked. After her lamb tongue pizza, she is riding a high. Maybe this good fortune could keep her going into the final rounds.

In contrast, Zach seemed to struggle in this round. While there were elements that were good, the use of goat cheese in his octopus dish was overwhelming. During the mentors’ discussion, it was curious that Richard Blais just allows Zach to cook without a lot of feedback. Even though is the only chef left with an immunity pin, that protection has a finite amount of time left.

Jordan received the hardest ingredient of the night. The pigs ears might be a traditional ingredient in a type of Greek salad, but it is not served in many restaurants. With a lot of guidance from Gordon Ramsay, Jordan was able to pull off a good dish. Jordan seems to find a way to survive no matter the hand that he is dealt.

The two biggest takeaway from Next Level Chef Season 3 episode 10 was that the chefs are still struggling with the platform and timing. Two chefs threw their plates on the platform. At this point in the competition, they should have better time management.

Second, ingredients like a whole seabream and a pork chop should not make their way to the basement. Whether the chefs are not seeing the ingredients on the platform or they are trying to make a statement, it does not matter. These chefs need to choose wisely in order to succeed.

The top dish of the night was from Gabi. Her pork chop was not only beautifully plated, it was well executed. It had a multitude of textures and captured the Greek flavor profile. While Gordon Ramsay said it was worthy of Bon Appetit, it was one of the best dishes of the Next Level Chef Season 3.

Unfortunately, the two chefs up for elimination were Christina and Angela. For Christina, it was a moment of redemption for her Greek dish.

In the elimination round, the chefs had to create a rack of lamb. The two dishes had very different approaches. Angela decided to cut a lot of the fat cap off the rack. While this method helped the lamb cook more quickly, it was a risk. Christina choose a more traditional approach.

The two plates were very different. Christina combined a carrot puree with mushrooms and a pesto. Although the lamb was not the focus on the plate, it was well cooked and all the flavors melded together, even if the pesto was a little acidic.

Angela had a well cooked lamb, but her plate was disjointed. The rich wine sauce felt more like winter and the salad felt like summer. It was almost as if the two dishes were on the same plate.

In Next Level Chef Season 3 episode 10, Angela was eliminated. Now, Team Blais is down to just two chefs. And, the top kitchen curse is still going strong.

Will a member from Team Ramsay, who will be in the top kitchen, be sent home in Next Level Chef Season 3 episode 11 or will they be lucky? Be sure to tune into the new episode Thursday night on FOX. Episodes can be streamed the next day on Hulu.