Who went home in the semi-finals of Next Level Chef? Details explored
Two contestants were eliminated from Next Level Chef during the semi-finals, which aired on Thursday, May 8, 2025, on FOX. The latest episode of season 4 titled 'Always Crust Your Instincts' saw five chefs—Bobby Hicks, Brandon Rogers, Beatrice Heirigs, Austin Beckett, and Megan Keno—competing to secure a spot in the finale.
Ultimately, Bobby Hicks, 38, a social media chef from Coconut Creek, Florida (Team Nyesha Arrington), and Brandon Rogers, 36, a professional chef from Chicago (Team Richard Blais), were sent home. Austin Beckett, Beatrice Heirigs, and Megan Keno advanced to the finale of Next Level Chef.
The competition challenges chefs from different backgrounds to cook across three unique kitchen levels. The show was created by Gordon Ramsay, who also serves as a host alongside mentors Nyesha Arrington and Richard Blais. It features home cooks, professional chefs, and social media chefs competing for a $250,000 prize and a one-year mentorship.
Next Level Chef: How the elimination unfolded
The semi-final challenge on May 8, 2025, began with a twist on a classic dish: Gordon Ramsay's signature Beef Wellington, but without beef. Each contestant was required to recreate the dish using alternative proteins. Austin Beckett, a 30-year-old pro chef from Freeburg, Illinois (Team Blais), prepared a veal tenderloin Wellington.
Judges called his dish “utter perfection,” “seasoned beautifully,” and “truly stunning.” Beatrice Heirigs, an 18-year-old pro chef from Flagstaff, Arizona (Team Gordon Ramsay), crafted a salmon Wellington that was described as “elegant,” “vibrant,” and “colorful.” Both chefs were declared the winners of the Wellington round and automatically advanced to the finale.
The remaining three chefs—Megan Keno, 37, a home cook from Auburn, Washington (Team Blais), Brandon Rogers, and Bobby Hicks—faced elimination and were given one final challenge: to prepare a Michelin-star-level dish in just 25 minutes. Each contestant had to apply all they had learned throughout the competition.
Megan prepared a filet mignon with mushrooms and spinach. Judges noted the meat was perfectly cooked but felt it needed a bit more sauce.
Brandon’s dish, a rack of lamb on a bed of potato purée with cherry sauce, had solid seasoning but uneven doneness. Bobby served halibut with mushrooms and kale, but judges criticized the sauce as too heavy.
During this phase of the Next Level Chef episode, Brandon used a Time Token to take 10 seconds away from Beatrice during the ingredient grab. Brandon said, “I would love to see three blues in the finale,” referencing his teammates from Team Blais. Beatrice responded,
“I’m going to kick his a**. Quite frankly, it’s not going to help any of their team because I’m going to beat them out.”
Despite the disadvantage, Beatrice advanced. Megan’s advancement to the finale gave Richard Blais two contestants in the final round, increasing his chance to win the show for the first time. “Oh, my God,” Megan said on air after learning she had earned a spot in the finale. She added,
“Words are kind of hard right now. To be seen not just as a home chef but as someone who can stand up with the professionals, I am so proud of myself for every step I have taken.”
With Bobby and Brandon eliminated, the finale now features three chefs: Beatrice Heirigs (Team Ramsay), Megan Keno (Team Blais), and Austin Beckett (Team Blais).
The Next Level Chef episode also included emotional video messages from home for each contestant. This surprise came while they were mid-cook, adding an emotional component to the high-pressure competition.
At the beginning of the Next Level Chef episode, team configurations were determined by the results of the prior week’s cook-off. Bobby and Brandon had the top dishes last week, granting them access to the top-level kitchen with mentor Nyesha Arrington.
Beatrice and Austin cooked in the middle level under Gordon Ramsay, while Megan, who had been at risk in the previous episode, was assigned to the basement kitchen under Richard Blais. When the ingredients platform dropped, Brandon grabbed venison loin and Bobby selected pork tenderloin.
Austin used his 10-second head start to secure veal, while Beatrice, advised by Ramsay to avoid lobster, opted for salmon. Megan was left with the lobster tail.
Next Level Chef airs Thursday nights on FOX at 8 pm EST and is available for streaming on Hulu the following day. As the finale approaches, the stakes remain high with just one episode remaining to determine who will be crowned the winner of Next Level Chef season 4 and take home the $250,000 prize.
