Next Level Chef Season 3 episode 6: Fresh catch and unlikely twists

With a couple challenges under their belt, the chefs are trying to gain their footing on Next Level Chef. In Next Level Chef Season 3 episode 6, the fresh catch and beach vibes hoped to create some flavorful escapism, but the platform grab seemed to cause chefs to venture off course. .

The divide between the top chefs and the struggling ones seems to be starting to grow. While each mentor might have had their top picks from the draft, right now the team aspect is vital to getting and maintaining momentum. Although anyone can have a bad day in the kitchen, a little protection can be helpful.

For this challenge, the chefs had to create a fish dish that brought some island flavors to the table. Whether it was the white sands of the Caribbean or the vibrant Hawaiian islands, the chefs could pick any direction. Unfortunately, some chefs had a clear vision and others seemed to be just marooned off shore.

Before the cook began, many people would have assumed that Zach had this challenge in the bag. Having lived in Hawaii and the Caribbean, he seemed to best appreciate the colorful and flavorful nuance of the island concept.

While his dish was nice, it missed the mark for plating. The plate looked more like a white table cloth restaurant than the romantic dinner on the shoreline. If this dish was plated differently, it might have captured the mentors’ attention more.

The big winner of the night was Von. Earning his second challenge win, Von seems to know how to play the Next Level Chef game. He sees the ingredients on the platform, executes the concept, and delivers a dish that the mentors appreciate. Whether or not Von can continue his success remains to be seen. But, he and Team Arrington are flying high.

A big twist of the night occurred during the Elimination Challenge. Team Blais put up Angela in this challenge. It seems like an obvious choice. Again, Team Blais is struggling. While they avoided elimination last week, they have not quite broken through to the top floor.

When Gordon Ramsay was deciding who to battle Angela, he picked Jordan. As Richard Blais commented on Jordan’s dish, the weird baby food like texture on part of the plate was unappetizing.

But, Jordan has an immunity pin. He decided to turn in his immunity pin and save himself. Whether or not this decision was the best one can be debated. Still, he lives to cook another day.

Instead, Wendy went into the final battle. She has been struggling in this episode. From bad platform grabs to feeling a little frazzled, she appeared to be overcome by the pressure. Forgetting to turn on a pot to boil is a big red flag. As many chefs have learned, cooking in a culinary competition is far different from other kitchens.

The elimination challenge had the chefs cook a pork dish. While both dishes had errors, it was Wendy’s choice to slice her meat and re-fire it that caused it to be dry and overcooked. Although undercooked pork would have been worse, the dish was not successful.

In the end, the pressure of cooking in this environment took a toll  and Wendy was eliminated. The decision sends Team Ramsay into the basement for the next episode. Can they recover and move back to a higher kitchen?

New episodes of Next Level Chef Season 3 can be seen on FOX every Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET/PT. In addition, episodes can be streamed the next day on Hulu.