A Jury of Yes, Chef! Peers Ahead of the Finale: Who's in the Final Three? (June 23, 2025)
Eliminated contestants took over the kitchen, helping to cook and judge in the latest episode of Yes, Chef!
And then there were four.
We're down to the penultimate episode of Yes, Chef! Season 1. Next week, one person will be crowned the winner and take home a quarter of a million dollars. The remaining four contestants vowed to stick together until the very end, and were riding high after returning Chef Petrina Peart was eliminated last week. But co-hosts Martha Stewart and José Andrés were full of surprises this week, and the chefs got a drubbing from some super-picky critics: the former contestants!
In a challenge called "Grow With the Flow," Chefs Emily Brubaker, Zain Ismail, Jake Lawler, and Lee Frank — the Final Four — faced down all the previously eliminated chefs (minus Katsuji Tanabe).
“Look who’s here!” exclaimed Martha.
“And there they are. All 7 monkey wrenches,” Chef Zain quipped.
Eliminated chefs return to Yes, Chef! in Episode 9
The most recently eliminated chefs — Chefs Ronny Miranda, Julia Chebotar, Chris Morales, and Petrina Peart — became the contestants’ sous chefs (or assistants), helping them create two courses in 60 minutes.
The other three chefs — Chefs Peter Richardson, Torrece “Chef T” Gregoire, and Michelle Francis — joined the judge’s table. They began their stint as food critics by assigning a cuisine to each contestant based on weaknesses identified by Martha and José.
Chef Lee, for instance, has been “relying heavily on the meat,” said José, so the trio gave him Indian, a vegetable-forward cuisine Lee knew nothing about. Chef Zain struggled with presentation in last week’s episode, so Chef T suggested Japanese, which “requires [a] level of refinement and technique.”
Next up was Chef Emily, who's won MVC twice so far, the most of any contestant, but has fallen short on creativity, according to Martha and José. The group gave her Creole cuisine.
“I feel like when your back is against the wall, you give up,” said Chef T, taking Emily down a notch before scolding Chef Michelle for “kissing [Emily’s] a--.” However, Martha was having none of it, and told the feisty group to knock it off: “I hate sour grapes. Let’s move on.”
Meanwhile, Chef Jake, who played it safe in Episode 8, was handed Spanish cuisine. “I literally said, who’s going to be the sucker who cooks Spanish food for José Andrés,” he revealed, looking a bit shell-shocked.
Chef Lee Frank with Sous Chef Christoper Morales: Indian Cuisine
First Course: Spiced Cauliflower Soup with Madras Curry Seared Scallop
Opinions were divided at the Judges' Table. Chef T called the dish “bitter,” and Chef Michelle was “having a problem with the scallops.” Meanwhile, José deemed it “the best texture [for] cooked scallop up until today.”
Second Course: Chicken Leg and Thigh, Chickpea Stew & Peach Yogurt Chutney
“It tastes like you could have cooked it in a tandoor,” enthused Martha. Chef T added, “I love the warm spices of the chickpeas.”
Chef Zain Ismail with Sous Chef Julia Chetobar: Japanese Cuisine
First Course: Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna and Watermelon Radish
Chef Peter Richardson was the No. 1 fan of Chef Zain's take on a Japanese favorite.
Second Course: Miso Salmon with Japanese Sweet Potato Puree
“This is a Yes, Chef! type of presentation. You listened and you upped your game,” said José, but Martha thought the salmon was “a little overdone.”
Chef Emily Brubaker with Sous Chef Ronny Miranda: Creole Cuisine
First Course: Fried Frog Leg with Cajun Remoulade
Little did the judges know, both Chef Emily and Chef Ronny have Creole food in their backgrounds. It’s no surprise, then, that Martha was transported to New Orleans, and both Chef Peter and Chef Michelle “loved the frog legs.”
Second Course: Crawfish and Andouille Gumbo with Okra
Chef Emily got an earful from Chef T, who homed in on the color of the roux: “You and I know, like a gumbo you gotta go past that copper penny, you gotta get to that chocolate roux, and of course that takes time.”
Chef Emily shot back, “That’s personal opinion. We like where it went.”
Chef Jake Lawler with Sous Chef Petrina Peart: Spanish Cuisine
First Course: Scallop Crudo with Pomelo Vinaigrette
As Jake visibly fretted over serving Spanish dishes to José Andrés, both Chef T and Chef Peter admitted they were “rooting” for him. Unfortunately, everyone found the pomelos bitter and overpowering.
Second Course: Seared Octopus & Spanish Chorizo Tapenade
Martha noticed the octopus was “undercooked,” and José lamented the tendency of chefs to put “chorizo in everything to make it Spanish.” However, the remoulade was a bright spot, according to Chef Michelle.
WINNER: Chef Emily took home MVC for the third time and earned a spot in the Grand Finale.
The Cookoff: Chefs Jake, Lee & Zain battle for a spot in the Yes, Chef! finale
Chefs Jake, Lee, and Zain competed in a one-hour cookoff involving enormous Alaskan King Crabs that were still alive! They would be judged by José and Martha, and the latter shared a cooking tip to add vodka to the pot.
“I’d like a drink before I was boiled to death,” Martha joked.
RELATED: The Yes, Chef! Final Four Share Martha & José's Influence on Their Evolutions: "Nice to Be Human"
In a plot twist, Chef Emily was given the chance to help two of the competitors. She chose Zain, who she has an alliance with, and Lee, reasoning that he “Makes me better. I cook better [if I'm] worried that he’s going to win.”
Chef Lee Frank
- Buttered Crab with Black Truffle Aioli
- Alaskan King Crab Tempura pn Fresh Corn Grits
- Crab Bisque, Crème Fraiche, Meyer Lemon Zest & Chives
- King Crab Roll with Buttered Brioche
Lee’s version of tempura and his take on the lobster roll won over the judges, who marveled at his ability to turn out more dishes than the other chefs.
Chef Jake Lawler
- Crab & Corn Salad with Fresno Peppers, Watercress & Sorel
- White Asparagus and Celery Root Soup with King Crab and Caviar
- Surf N’ Turf of New York Strip and King Crab with Duck Fat Potatoes
“You served corn raw, and there was so much corn. Where is the crab?” asked José. Chef Jake's misstep with his crab and corn salad was hard to overcome, but Martha found his following two dishes “delicious.”
Chef Zain Ismail
- King Crab Ceviche with Sweet Chilies & Tortilla Chips
- Saffron Pasta with Brown Butter Poached King Crab
Chef Zain took a risk putting up just two dishes, but both were winners.
“The crab here, it speaks,” exclaimed José after a bite of her ceviche. Martha praised her pasta-making abilities, calling the saffron noodles “tender and flavorful.”
Who went home this week on Yes, Chef!? (June 23, 2025)
Chef Lee created the favorite dishes of the day, and Chef Zain was named runner-up. Both will move forward to the Finale and Chef Jake was told to pack up his knives and go home.
Yes, Chef! airs on Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. Each episode is available to stream on Peacock the next day.
