Gordon Ramsay is returning to our screens for ITV1’s new cooking competition Next Level Chef, putting the culinary skills of 12 contestants to the test in a three-storey kitchen.
With social media chefs, professionals and home cooks taking part, Next Level Chef splits them into three teams, with one working in the swanky, top-of-the-range kitchen while another is down in the dingy basement.
Gordon Ramsay is sat firmly on the judging panel, where he’ll be joined by Padstow professional Paul Ainsworth and US chef Nyesha Arrington – but who are they?
Here’s everything you need to know about the judges on Next Level Chef.
Gordon Ramsay
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Gordon Ramsay is a chef and TV personality who is best known for hosting Hell’s Kitchen, Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares and US MasterChef.
He rose to fame after appearing in 1999 docuseries Boiling Point, two years after founding the Gordon Ramsay Restaurants group. Throughout his career, he has been awarded 17 Michelin stars for the likes of Chelsea’s Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and Belgravia’s Pétrus.
He has recently presented BBC One’s Future Food Stars, National Geographic’s Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted Showdown and appeared in Gordon, Gino and Fred, Celebrity Gogglebox and New Girl.
Paul Ainsworth
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Chef and restauranteur Paul Ainsworth worked for the likes of Gary Rhodes, Marcus Wareing and Gordon Ramsay before competing on the Great British Menu in 2011, winning the dessert course.
He went on to open his own restaurant, Paul Ainsworth at Number 6, in Padstow and received a Michelin star in 2013. He also runs Italian restaurant Caffe Rojano and The Townhouse.
As for TV, Paul has appeared on Saturday Kitchen, MasterChef (as a guest chef) and returned to Great British Menu as a judge.
Nyesha Arrington
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Nyesha Arrington is an American chef who is best known for being a judge on Next Level Chef in the US and for her time on Top Chef and Chef Hunter.
During her career, Nyesha has worked with Joël Robuchon in his Las Vegas restaurants and was the executive chef at Santa Monica’s Wilshire restaurant from 2011 until 2013. She competed on Top Chef and Chef Hunter before going on to win 2013 cooking show Knife Fight, which she ultimately joined as a guest judge.
Next Level Chef airs on Wednesday 11th January at 9pm on ITV1. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or Streaming Guide, or visit our dedicated Entertainment hub.
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