A brand-new season of the Fox cooking competition kicks off with 24 chefs from across the country stepping into Gordon Ramsay’s three-tier culinary gauntlet, all hoping to prove they’ve got what it takes to survive the chaos and claim the $250,000 grand prize.
Once again, the chefs will be guided — and pushed — by mentors Gordon Ramsay, Nyesha Arrington, and Richard Blais, who are each fighting to lead one competitor all the way to the finish line and crown the Season 5 Next Level Chef.
This year’s lineup brings together three very different worlds of cooking: seasoned pros, social media stars, and passionate home chefs — all battling it out under intense pressure, unpredictable ingredients, and a kitchen setup that never plays fair.
Season 5 promises new chefs, new challenges, and what may be the most intense competition yet. The journey begins with the Pro Chefs audition round, where eight elite chefs step into the kitchen first, hoping to impress the judges and earn their spot in the competition.
Let’s get into it!
Auditions Round 1: Pro Chefs
From 24 chefs, only 15 will make it out of auditions and into the season’s draft — where Gordon, Nyesha, and Richard will choose their teams. Below are the Pro chefs cooking tonight.
| Name | Age | Hometown | Chef Category |
| Belinda | 35 | Westminster, Calif. | Pro Chef |
| Cole | 31 | Los Angeles | Pro Chef |
| Connor | 30 | Manhattan Beach, Calif. | Pro Chef |
| Darian | 34 | Buffalo, N.Y. | Pro Chef |
| Gabrielle | 34 | Palm Beach, Fla. | Pro Chef |
| Hunter | 25 | Honululu | Pro Chef |
| Kevin | 39 | Los Angeles | Pro Chef |
| Machete | 34 | Houston | Pro Chef |
Tonight, the Pro chefs kick things off with eight competitors entering the three-tier kitchen. Round one begins in the basement — the toughest level, stocked with the worst utensils and most limited tools. In round two, the remaining chefs move up to the middle kitchen with solid equipment, before the final round takes place at the top level, where the best tools and ingredients await. One chef is eliminated each round until only five remain, earning their spot in the draft.
The Basement
Richard mentors the first cook, giving the chefs 20 minutes to turn scraps and bits into something judge-worthy. When the ingredient platform drops, it’s instant chaos — 30 seconds, flying elbows, and a full tug-of-war over a tuna carcass between Cole and Gabrielle. Cole wins. Gabrielle walks away with pig ears.
Top Dishes: Connor (fried cod head po’ boy), Kevin (beef meatballs and gravy), and Gabrielle (crispy pig ear tortilla)
Eliminated: Belinda (shrimp head sandwich)
Middle Level
Nyesha takes over mentoring duties for the second cook on the middle level, where the chefs are challenged to create the dish that helped launch their culinary journey — all in just 20 minutes.
When the platform drops, it’s another mad dash for ingredients. Once again, Gabrielle struggles in the scramble, biffing it and falling flat on her back. She’s okay — but it’s clear she’s going to have to get used to the chaos if she wants to survive this competition.
Top Dishes: Cole (seared salmon with pickled onion and tomato salad), Gabrielle (haddock over hand-cooked pasta), and Connor (seared pork and herb salad)
Eliminated: Kevin (steak and potatoes)
Top level
Gordon steps in to mentor the final cook, welcoming the chefs to “the best kitchen in America.” On the top level — with the best equipment and ingredients — they have 25 minutes to create a dish they’d be proud to put on their own menu.
Top Dish: Darian (seared loin of venison on a buttery polenta with plum sauce)
Eliminated: Hunter (pan-roasted scallops with sea bean puree)
