“The caliber and expectations of these young chefs makes this show different” - Kelsey Barnard Clark shares her view on Next Gen Chef

Next Gen Chef is Netflix’s new cooking show where 21 young chefs compete for a $500,000 prize.

The series began on September 17, 2025, and the finale will stream on September 24.

Filmed at the Culinary Institute of America in New York’s Hudson Valley, the show is hosted by Olivia Culpo. Judges include Top Chef winner Kelsey Barnard Clark and master sommelier Carlton McCoy, with guest chefs like Christina Tosi, Kwame Onwuachi, Thomas Keller, and Grant Achatz joining throughout the season.

From the very first episode, the bar was high. Nearly half the chefs were sent home before moving into the dorms.

Across the season, contestants faced tough challenges that tested their skills, creativity, and quick thinking. With themes from sustainability to French classics, the show aimed to find the next generation of chefs ready to lead the food world.

Judges highlight the search for culinary leaders and visionaries in Next Gen Chef

The judging panel of Next Gen Chef sets the series apart from many other culinary competitions. Olivia Culpo explained that

“Next Gen Chef feels bigger than a cooking competition… They had to tell a story on a plate.”

Kelsey Barnard Clark added,

“The caliber and expectations of these young chefs makes this [show] different.”

Carlton McCoy echoed the idea of long-term impact, stating, “We are looking for who the leaders in our industry will be.”

This focus on leadership was seen in the kinds of challenges given to the contestants.

The chefs were tested not only on cooking skills, like making soufflés and omelets, but also on their ability to design food ideas that could work in markets and casual restaurants.

The competition was not just about flavor. It was also about creativity and showing a vision for the future of cooking. Guest judges such as Christina Tosi and Kwame Onwuachi gave direct feedback that often made contestants rethink their dishes on the spot.

The mix of strict judging and supportive advice built an environment where chefs had to be both strong and imaginative. It showed what it takes to be a chef who can truly influence the food industry.

Contestants navigate intense challenges from French classics to sustainable cooking themes in Next Gen Chef

The challenges throughout Next Gen Chef were designed to stretch contestants in every direction.

From the opening three-team, seven-course menu exam that eliminated nearly half the group, the message was clear: only the best would move forward.

In later rounds, chefs had to create family-style menus, reuse food parts that are often thrown away, and design fast-casual food ideas that could grow into bigger businesses.

These challenges were close to real-world demands, pushing contestants to mix creativity with practical thinking.

Clark explained, “There’s nothing you can hide when it comes to simple, French technique,” stressing how careful and precise chefs must be with classic cooking.

McCoy added that desserts are especially tough:

“It’s almost impossible to just shoot from the hip if you don’t have years of reps executing the recipes.”

Guest judges often gave feedback that changed the course of a dish, sometimes leading contestants to completely rethink their work.

As the finale nears, chefs are expected not only to show strong technical skills but also to present tasting menus that could point to the fine dining of the future.

With industry icons like Thomas Keller and Grant Achatz at the final table, the competition demands peak performance. Ultimately, only one chef will emerge as the titleholder of Next Gen Chef.

Stay tuned for more updates.