The world is obsessed with protein, and now it’s taking over “Next Level Chef” 2026 tonight. The mentors — Chef Gordon Ramsay, Nyesha Arrington, and Richard Blais — are putting these contestants on “Next Level Chef” season 5 to the test. We have protein bowls taking over the kitchens, so find out who gets eliminated on “Next Level Chef” tonight with us during our “Next Level Chef” 2026 live recap below.
Bowl in One on ‘Next Level Chef’
We had “sea monsters” last week on “Next Level Chef” 2026, as Gordon, Nyesha, and Richard challenged these chefs to slice and fillet big fish as a team. Another cook-off challenge sent one more chef home.
For tonight, the chefs will have to move very fast, as the platform is stopping for no one! They will need to grab quickly, which is going to leave some of the chefs in tears. The pressure is on as the fight to be named the winner of “Next Level Chef” season 5 continues tonight, so follow along with our Live Recap below!
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD: THIS LIVE RECAP WILL BE UPDATED THROUGHOUT THE EPISODE, SO DO NOT KEEP READING IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO READ SPOILERS.
March 5 Live Recap – Week 6
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Protein Night
A new week. We have Team Ramsay on the Top Kitchen, with Andy enjoying her pin for immunity. Team Arrington will be in the Middle Kitchen, and Team Blais will be in the Basement. They joke about Emerson cooking the most this season.
For tonight’s challenge, they have 30 minutes to create a protein bowl. They have to make the entire bowl. The platform will be running tonight also, as it’s not stopping at any floor. Just have to grab and go, so no time for mistakes tonight!
Cooking Time
The teams head to their floors. Team Arrington has some drama, as Emerson and Danielle are fighting over which station they will be at. Then on Team Blais, we have Jared, who eats a ton of protein, excited about this challenge.
This platform is flying through the floors, as the chefs are missing ingredients. Some are getting nothing, but the platform moves back up, so they get another chance. Cole only got basil, sage, and frozen spinach. She is struggling and crying.
The platform will come up and down again, but it seems like no one is happy with what they got. The second time around, Cole got pork belly, so she has a protein. The chefs were able to get more this time around, but they are all trying to figure things out. They have 25 minutes to cook now, but the platform comes again!
Matt doesn’t have a starch, which is normally a base for a bowl. Emerson didn’t grab a starch either, so he is making some egg noodles. However, he is struggling to make those noodles.
The time is starting to run out, so they have to start plating. Andy forgot about her tuna, so it’s overcooked. However, the platform has arrived, so the chefs get their plates on it.
Tasting & Results
The mentors are in place, and the dishes have arrived, so time to taste these dishes:
- Team Arrington – For Matt, the ribs are nice and tender, but it needs a starch. It’s not a bowl. For Danielle, the fish meatballs are delicious. For Connor, this bowl is rich and delicious. Richard thinks there’s too much going on. For Machete, it has a lot of contrast in textures. It’s beautiful. For Emerson, the flank steak is cooked beautifully. The noodles are cooked beautifully, but the texture of the tofu doesn’t fit.
- Team Ramsay – For Gabrielle, the texture of the rice is perfect. This is a really good bowl. For Andy, this is visually vibrant. The tuna is overcooked. It’s a proper bowl. For Amber, it’s tasty, and the octopus is cooked well. It doesn’t eat like a bowl, though. For Cole, Richard wanted to order it for lunch. He loved the flavors, and everything in the bowl worked beautifully.
- Team Blais – For Jared, this is the best shrimp I’ve had in the competition so far. Really good. For Tim, it’s lovely, vibrant, and rich. For Darian, this is the ideal bowl that I want. Amazing textures to enjoy. For Christian, it has a nice finesse. The duck is cooked beautifully. It’s very good.
Results – The judges discussed and struggled to come up with a winner. Some good dishes to choose from, but the best protein bowl goes to Cole, so she went from crying and having no protein to winning this challenge for Team Ramsay! They will stay on the Top Level next week. The two chefs heading to the Elimination Cook-Off are Emerson from Team Arrington (for the third straight time) and Christian from Team Blais.
Elimination Cook-Off
For this challenge, they have 25 minutes to make a lovely breaded cutlet entree. They both want that good protein, as Emerson got pork and Christian got chicken. They are both very excited about what they grabbed from the platform, so the cooking has begun!
Christian screwed up and forgot to put the pasta in, so now he isn’t getting it cooked in time. He lets it cook as long as possible, hoping for the best. The time runs out, and plating is done.
Tasting – The mentors are in place, so time to taste these dishes. For Christian, they loved the texture on the chicken parm, but wanted a different sauce. The chicken parm is nailed, but the pasta is slightly underdone. For Emerson, this is comfort food cooking, but they wanted more texture and coloration. The pork is perfectly cooked. The texture of the curry is too thick.
Results – The judges said they were both great dishes, but Nyesha and Richard both picked to eliminate Emerson!
FOXWhat do you think of the results on “Next Level Chef” Season 5 tonight?
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