Next Level Chef Season 5: Who Got Cut — and Who Cooked Their Way to the Finale?
Next Level Chef Season 5 cranked up the heat in a blistering semifinal, slicing the final four down to a fierce final three and sending one chef home just shy of the cash and crown. Here’s who made the finale—and who got cut.
If you’ve been keeping up with 'Next Level Chef' Season 5, things just got real — as in, semi-finalists sweating bullets, suds flying, and one unlucky chef packing their knives right before the big finale. Let’s break down what actually happened in a way that doesn’t sound like a press release.
And Then There Were Three
Four pros walked into the semi-final hoping not to be the one heading out the other side: Darian Bryan, Cole Lawson, Connor Caine, and Gabrielle Coniglio Fricker. These folks aren’t TikTok stars or amateur bakers — they’re full-on, knives-out professionals. But someone always has to go home, and this time it was Gabrielle Coniglio Fricker from Florida who got the boot. That’s tough luck after making it this far.
Semi-Final Showdown: What Actually Happened?
The episode started like the reality TV version of culinary Russian roulette: the four chefs each got a mystery protein thrown at them and 30 minutes to impress the judges. If you’re wondering: Darian Bryan scored a head start from an earlier win, so he wasn’t mad about it.
When the clock ran out, the judges — yes, Gordon Ramsay himself, plus Nyesha Arrington and Richard Blais — weren’t feeling Gabrielle and Connor’s dishes as much as the others. That meant the two had to face off in a high-pressure elimination cook-off: 25 minutes, make literally anything you want, just don’t mess it up.
For their final stand, Gabrielle went with veal schnitzel, while Connor went pan-roasted veal chops. Both got rave reviews, but, as they say, close but no cigar. Gabrielle’s dish was good, just not quite enough, and she was sent home.
Who’s Still Standing?
So, the last three chefs competing for the money and the big title are:
- Darian Bryan
- Cole Lawson
- Connor Caine
They’ll battle it out in the big finale, which the show’s calling 'The Final Level' — because, of course, it is. You can watch the meltdown (or maybe a miracle) when it airs on Fox, Thursday, May 21, 2026. (Yes, we’re talking about the 2026 finale. That’s TV for you.)
What Even Is 'Next Level Chef'?
If you somehow missed the memo, 'Next Level Chef' is Gordon Ramsay’s contribution to the culinary competition genre, and it has all the bells and whistles: three judges who double as mentors, a three-story set that honestly feels like a video game, and a bunch of chefs clawing their way to a $250,000 payday and a job with the judges. It’s not just for professionals — the show mixes in social media cooks and home chefs too, but this season’s semi-finalists are all pros.
The series was cooked up by Ramsay himself and is produced by Studio Ramsay Global, his own outfit, along with Fox Alternative Entertainment.
Honestly, it’s one of the slicker reality competitions out there. If you like watching people stress-cook under a ticking clock and Ramsay making “that look,” the finale's probably worth adding to your calendar.
'All three judges had a lot of praise, but Gabrielle’s dish just fell a little short.'