Next Level Baker narrows to an all-women top five ahead of a pressure-packed finale

Next Level Baker entered its finale night with six bakers still in contention and left its opening hour with a defining result: an all-women top five advancing to the final challenge.

The December 18 episode of Next Level Baker reduced the field through a single savory bake, setting the stage for a finale shaped by technical range, time management, and the show’s vertical kitchen format.

The FOX competition, mentored by Gordon Ramsay, Carla Hall, and Candace Nelson, structured its finale around two consecutive challenges. The first determined who would reach the final bake. 

The second would ultimately decide the winner. Before that outcome could be reached, Next Level Baker required one more elimination, and the process reshaped the competition’s final lineup.

Next Level Baker finale setup reshapes the competition

The finale of Next Level Baker opened with six remaining bakers tasked with producing a savory holiday showstopper in 60 minutes. Unlike earlier rounds that leaned heavily on desserts, the challenge emphasized versatility and holiday presentation, with only five bakers set to advance.

The contestants were divided across the show’s three kitchen levels, each overseen by a mentor. Stefanie and Jeff worked in the Top Kitchen with Ramsay. Zoha and Chloe competed in the Middle Kitchen with Hall.

Deirdra and Nikki baked in the Basement Kitchen under Nelson. The format once again relied on the signature ingredient tower, which dropped supplies unevenly across levels and forced quick decisions.

As time expired and dishes were plated, the mentors tasted and evaluated each bake. After deliberation, Zoha, Stefanie, Chloe, Nikki, and Deirdra were selected to move forward.

Jeff was eliminated, ending his run in the competition. With that decision, Next Level Baker officially narrowed to an all-women top five heading into the final bake.

The result marked a turning point for the season. While Next Level Baker never structured its cast or eliminations around gender, the progression of the competition led organically to a finale lineup consisting entirely of women. The remaining bakers advanced based solely on performance in the savory challenge.

With the field set, Next Level Baker transitioned immediately into its final test. The stakes escalated as the remaining competitors learned the details of the concluding bake.

The final challenge required each baker to create a three-tier cake in four hours. Each tier had to be baked on a different level of the kitchen tower, a rule that forced constant movement and coordination. In addition, each tier needed a distinct flavor profile while still forming a cohesive finished cake.

Unlike earlier rounds, the final bake allowed bakers to move freely among levels, but the tower still dropped ingredients at scheduled intervals. The structure rewarded planning and punished missteps, as missed timing or equipment issues could derail an entire tier.

As the clock ran, challenges emerged. Cakes needed to be baked, cooled, assembled, and decorated across multiple floors. The design of Next Level Baker placed equal pressure on logistics and baking fundamentals, turning the finale into a test of endurance as much as skill.

By the time the bakers returned to the Top Kitchen to finish their cakes, the pressure of the format was evident. Once time was called, the mentors sampled each final presentation before stepping away to decide the outcome.

While the episode ultimately crowned a winner later in the night, the defining development leading into the finale decision was the composition of the final field itself. Next Level Baker arrived at its final tasting with five women competing head-to-head, each having survived both dessert-focused rounds and a high-stakes savory elimination.

The all-women top five reflected the cumulative effect of the season’s format rather than a single twist. Over three weeks, Next Level Baker consistently required contestants to adapt to uneven resources, unfamiliar equipment, and shifting expectations. Those demands narrowed the competition to bakers who could manage both precision and pressure.

With the savory round complete and the final bake underway, Next Level Baker positioned its finale as a direct test of versatility and control. The episode made clear that advancement depended not on specialization alone but on the ability to navigate the show’s layered structure.

As the mentors prepared to make their final decision, Next Level Baker stood poised to conclude its inaugural season with a winner chosen from an all-women lineup, shaped by performance across every level of the kitchen tower.

Stay tuned for more updates.