The Winners, Losers, and All the Dishes on Yes, Chef!: Who Went Home Tonight? (May 19, 2025)
The chefs had to come up with creative takes on ballpark food this week. Who hit it out of the park and who struck out?
Yes, Chef! captivates viewers with a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to survive in a professional kitchen, but it’s not just about tantalizing cuisine. Hosts Martha Stewart and José Andrés provide tough love and guidance to “problem chefs,” and in Episode 4, the contestants are put to the test in a new way. Large egos and big personalities have fueled the kitchen antics so far this season, but the latest episode of NBC’s cooking competition series put the spotlight on chefs who think they’re flying under the two legends' radar.
“I feel like I barely know some of you,” Martha told the remaining nine contestants. José agreed, saying, “Some voices are drowning under the power of others. A good chef and a good leader cannot be invisible.”
The challenge seemed straightforward: Three chefs who hadn’t demonstrated leadership skills yet needed to step up as the captains of three teams. Chefs Jake Lawler, Julia Chebotar, and Peter Richardson became captains, and Martha and José explained the rules.
The teams would reinvent ballpark concession stand dishes in two rounds. Ultimately, members of the losing team would face off against each other, and the person with the least delicious dish would go home — the first time Martha and José would decide who gets eliminated.
But the judges lobbed a few curveballs.
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“The captains will be like coaches on the baseball team,” José said. “You can taste, you can give advice, but you cannot cook.”
Well into the first round, another twist was revealed: The judges would taste just one dish from each team, leaving the other plates on the counter to grow cold. The captains were left to choose which dish would be presented for tasting, testing each captain's ability to make a hard decision in the heat of the moment.
Who knocked it out of the park and who got benched? Read on to find out.
Round 1: Elevated Hot Dogs
Green Team: Chef Julia Chebotar (Captain), Chef Zain Ismail, Chef Ronny Miranda
Chef Julia’s strategy as captain — “to be nice and friendly with everyone” — did not impress Martha, who noted that she “is a little insecure when it comes to managing her team.”
Chef Zain Ismail: “Elote” Corn Dog, Pickled Red Chili, Lime & Chili Seasoning
Chef Ronny Miranda: Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dog Inspired by San Francisco’s Mission District
Julia chose to present Chef Zain’s spin on the hot dog, deeming Ronny’s dish uninventive and “too simple.”
Blue Team: Chef Peter Richardson (Captain), Chef Christopher Morales, Chef Katsuji Tanabe
Despite Chef Katsuji describing his team captain as a “little kid” who’s “full of energy and chocolate milk,” Peter (who is the youngest contestant) was determined to flex his muscles.
“As far as Katsuji and Chris go, I have to learn how to deal with those personalities. But if those problems are standing in my way, I just need to run them over,” he said.
Chef Chris Morales: Exploded Hot Dog With Chorizo, Chimichurri, Panko, and Tomato
Chef Katsuji Tanabe: “Philly Cheesesteak” with Pâte à Choux
Peter chose Chris’ dish, which the judges found “playful, enjoyable,” and “very well done.”
Red Team: Chef Jake Lawler (Captain), Chef Emily Brubaker, Chef Lee Frank
In his confessional, Chef Jake admitted that Chef Emily “scares the s--- out of me. She’s definitely going to speak her mind.” But Martha was impressed with Chef Jake’s ability to get Chef Emily back on track after a tense moment near the deep-fryer with Chef Katsuji.
Chef Frank Lee: Shrimp & Branzino Sausage, Mustard Aioli on Brioche
Chef Emily Brubaker: Scallop Corn Dog with Bacon Tomato Marmalade
Chef Jake chose Chef Lee’s dish, and José proclaimed it “delicious,” noting the seafood sausage had just the "right amount of fish."
Round 1 Winning Dish: Blue Team's Chef Chris Morales
Round 2: Elevated Nachos
During Round 2, Martha and José introduced another twist: There would be two MVCs, or Most Valuable Chefs, in Episode 4, instead of one. The person who created their favorite dish between the nachos and the hot dogs — as well as the captain who chose that dish — would both be saved from the final cook-off and possible elimination.
Green Team
To be “diplomatic” and “give everyone a fair shot,” team captain Chef Julia chose Chef Ronny’s dish to present to the judges, since she chose Chef Zain’s last time. Chef Ronny’s Smoked Whitefish, Yellow Tomato Salsa, Whipped Crème Fraîche received mixed reviews. José admired the “bold move” of replacing nachos chips with bread slices, but Martha thought the bread was too thick.
Blue Team
To Chef Katsuji’s shock, team captain Chef Peter overlooked him again and selected Chef Chris' dish, an inventive Korean spin on nachos. Chef Chris' Togarashi Potato Chips, Smoked Turkey Leg, Kimchi Vinaigrette “blew our minds,” enthused Martha. José added that he “only wished there were more potato chips and kimchi sauce.”
Red Team
Team captain Chef Jake chose to present Chef Frank’s dish once again, leaving Chef Emily annoyed.
“It feels a little like a boy’s club. I don’t like it,” she quipped.
Chef Jake’s Black Bean Puree, Corn Pudding, Fried Cheese, Duck Chorizo hit all the right notes, however, and Martha praised the “perfectly melted” cheese.
Round 2 Winning Dish: Red Team’s Chef Jake Lawler
Who had the best dish and who was eliminated in Episode 4 of Yes, Chef!?
The Blue Team swept the competition thanks to Chef Chris Morales’ cooking, and both he and team captain Chef Peter Richardson were named Most Valuable Chefs.
The Green Team, under Chef Julia Chebotar’s leadership, headed into the cook-off, where Martha and José unveiled an array of ingredients, from everyday staples to luxury items. The catch? They would need to cut the options down by half before firing up the stoves again.
“One by one, you will be taking one ingredient off the table to never be seen ever again,” José explained. From caviar to garlic and herbs, the options disappeared as the chefs tried to outmaneuver each other.
The two MVCs then assigned one tricky ingredient to each chef, which the chefs had to incorporate into their dishes. Chef Ronny was given dark chocolate, Chef Julia got vanilla bean, and Chef Zain was handed licorice root, deemed the most difficult of the three.
Chef Julia: Grilled Lettuce Salad with Grilled Oyster, Lemon Vinaigrette with Shallot & Vanilla
José praised her “soft hand” with vanilla, a potentially overpowering ingredient. Martha advised that the lettuce was “too delicate for the grill.”
Chef Zain: Celery Root Gnocchi with Licorice-Root Cream Sauce & Lemon Lobster
“The licorice was a bit chewy,” José remarked, “but I don’t care. The cream and the lobster were liking each other so much.” Martha interjected that the “gnocchi were like little hard rocks.”
Chef Ronny: Dark Chocolate Pudding with Coconut Water, Mirin, Lemon & Coconut Flesh
“Having these two icons stare you down, it’s scary,” Chef Ronny said in his confessional, adding that Martha “looks at you, and it cuts right through you!” Martha thought the meringue topping was “watery,” but overall, she was pleased with the chocolatey taste.
Chef Ronny’s chocolate pudding was the favorite of the three, but Chef Julia's dish could not rise above the misstep with the grilled lettuce, and she was sent home.
New episodes of Yes, Chef! premiere on Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC, following The Voice. Each episode will be available to stream on Peacock the next day.
