Fox is taking its culinary competition Next Level Chef to the, uh, next level.
The network has renewed the Gordon Ramsay-led series for a second season. The pickup comes a few hours before Next Level Chef’s first season finale airs Wednesday night.
Aided by a pair of post-NFL airings, Next Level Chef is the top-rated rookie series among adults 18-49 on a broadcast network this season. It averages a 1.1 rating in the key ad demographic (including a week of delayed viewing), to go along with 4.16 million viewers. Fox says the series debut was among its most streamed unscripted premieres ever, drawing 3.3 million viewers across Hulu and Fox Now.
“We’re always thrilled when a new series resonates with audiences, but in this case, we’re doubly so, because this one was the first to come out of our new venture with Gordon and Studio Ramsay Global,” said Rob Wade, president alternative entertainment and specials at Fox. “We’d like to thank our partners at Studio Ramsay Global and, of course, Gordon, our talented chefs and our amazing crew, for an epic season one. And we know season two will continue to be ‘next level’ television.”
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Said Ramsay, “With audiences as excited about the new show as we are, we can’t wait to introduce another group of incredibly talented chefs in season two.”
Next Level Chef pits restaurant line cooks, home chefs, food bloggers and others in a competition featuring a three-level cooking arena — a grubby, ill-equipped kitchen at the bottom, a nicer one in the middle and a gleaming, high-end one at the top. Contestants are challenged to use their skills and problem-solving abilities to turn out worth dishes at each level. Ramsay and chefs Nyesha Arrington and Richard Blais serve as mentors and judges.
The series is the first produced under an extensive deal Fox signed with Ramsay in August 2021. The pact created Studio Ramsay Global, which develops and produces unscripted shows for the network; the new production outfit also acquired all of the former Studio Ramsay’s TV business.
Ramsay, Lisa Edwards and Matt Cahoon executive produce Next Level Chef.
