If there is one thing Gordon Ramsay loves more than calling a professional chef a “donut,” it’s showing off his DNA. In this week’s installment of Next Level Chef, Season 5, Episode 8, the kitchens got a dose of adorable and a heavy serving of anxiety as the competition pivoted to a “pint-sized” challenge. With Gordon’s son, Oscar Ramsay, making a guest appearance, the stakes were high, the dishes were nostalgic, and the basement was, as always, a literal pit of despair.
The Challenge: High-End Happy Meals
The brief was simple but treacherous: reimagine a classic kid’s dish. It sounds easy until you remember that transforming a chicken nugget into a five-star entree requires more than just a fancy dipping sauce.
Richard Blais held the high ground in the top kitchen, while Gordon Ramsay patrolled the middle and Nyesha Arrington’s team fought for survival in the basement. The mid-round drop, potatoes, sent everyone into a frenzy of frying, because apparently, you can’t have a childhood memory without a side of starch.
Top Kitchen: Blais’s High-Altitude Ambition
Team Blais took the “elevated” prompt literally. Darian swung for the fences with a shrimp mac ’n’ cheese that actually worked, while Christian proved that a smash burger is the ultimate universal language. However, the cracks started to show with the veterans. Jared’s spaghetti and meatballs came out overdone, a cardinal sin in a kitchen with a view and Tim’s pizza dough was tragically raw. If you’re going to serve raw dough to a Ramsay, you might as well pack your knives right then.
Middle Kitchen: The Bourbon and the Belly
In the middle tier, Cole stole the spotlight by turning fried chicken into “lollipops” with a bourbon BBQ sauce that looked good enough to drink. Gabrielle would have found success, turning the humble grilled cheese and tomato soup into a sophisticated pork belly affair if her plate wasn’t sloppy from almost missing the platform.
The bigger drama, however, centered on Amber. After struggling with a pork tenderloin that refused to cooperate, she was forced into a last-minute pivot. Watching a chef change course mid-stream is like watching a car crash in slow motion fascinating but you know someone is getting hurt.
Basement Blues and the Machete Miracle
Nyesha’s team, despite being relegated to the dungeon, absolutely cleared the floor. Machete handled haddock with grace, and Connor delivered a chicken and waffles dish that made the basement look like a Michelin-starred brunch spot. Even Danielle, who was saddled with the dreaded canned spam, managed to make it edible. The result? Nyesha’s squad took the win, proving that sometimes the best cooking happens when you’re fueled by spite and bad lighting.
The Elimination: Squab Squabbles
The showdown came down to Tim and Amber. The protein of choice? Squab.
Amber managed to pull herself together with a roasted squab and mushroom dish that redeemed her earlier chaotic performance. Tim, unfortunately, tried to go the fried route. His fried squab and pea hummus just didn’t hit the mark, lacking the refinement needed to stay in the game. In a competition this tight, “fine” is a death sentence. Tim was sent packing, leaving the kitchens one chef shorter and a lot less crowded.
Between the Oscar Ramsay cameo and the high-octane pivots, Episode 8 proved that even “kid food” can be a grown-up nightmare.
What did you think of the “Mini Gordon” takeover? Should Amber have gone home for that mid-round scramble, or was it Tim’s time to go? Drop a comment below and let us know who you think has the chops to win it all!
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