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Stephanie Izard was eliminated from the contest, along with Nini Nguyen, in a double elimination just before the final round of the season 2 finale of 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing. The two-part conclusion aired on May 25, 2025, featuring five finalists competing for the winner's title and a $75,000 prize money.
Apart from Stephanie and Nini, the others were Bryan Voltaggio, Jonathon Sawyer, and Kevin Lee. While Kevin faced elimination in the first round of the concluding episode, Nini and Stephanie followed suit, unable to outshine Jonathon and Bryan. Although Nini's performance was questionable, Stephanie's was not. I firmly believe she deserved to be one of the two finalists on the show.
After tasting her final dish, the judges had to deliberate long and hard on whom to send home. This suggests that the results were close and likely not unanimous. It is a testament to her talent and skill that she put up a strong fight against her opponents, particularly Bryan, and even posed a threat to his standing in the competition.
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Her performance in the finale of 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing and throughout the season attests to her exemplary culinary skills and her ability to consistently present delectable and unique dishes without succumbing to the pressure of time constraints.Therefore, I firmly believe she deserved a spot in the final two of 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing, if not the winner's title.
Stephanie Izard's elimination from 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing deprived fans of the opportunity to see an able chef compete in the final battle
Stephanie Izard's untimely elimination disheartened many fans of 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing, and rightfully so, as I feel, she would have been a formidable competitor against Jonathon Sawyer. A recipient of the James Beard Best Chef: Great Lakes award and named the Food & Wine Best New Chef, Stephanie has many accolades to her name.
Not only that, unlike Bryan and Jonathon, Stephanie has won multiple culinary competition shows, including Iron Chef in 2017 and Top Chef season 4 (the first female winner of the show). Additionally, she has competed in a wide array of contests like Tournament of Champions, Hell's Kitchen, Superchef Grudge Match, Guy's Grocery Games, Chopped, and more.
With such experience in culinary competition shows, not only as a participant but also as a winner, Stephanie, in my opinion, would have fit quite well in the top two of 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing.
In the double elimination round of the Food Network show, Stephanie had to prepare an 'elevated lunch,' using pork, while Nini used lamb, Jonathon used beef, and Bryan used Blue Foot chicken.
Jonathon chose the best piece of meat, the wagyu beef, securing his spot in the final two. Meanwhile, Nini, who was uncomfortable cooking lamb, underdelivered with her preparation, making her an obvious eliminee. Consequently, the battle for the last spot in the final stage was between Stephanie and Bryan.
The 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing panelists, Jet Tila, Antonia Lofaso, and Graham Elliot, debated the decision, struggling to determine which participant to send home. After a long deliberation, they sent Stephanie packing. Although she was eliminated, I believe she deserved to advance and lost by a small margin.
Stephanie's journey throughout the show further illustrates why she deserved a chance to compete for the winner's title. Whether competing individually or as a team member, she consistently showcased sharp skills, managing to outperform her opponents in each round.
In shift three, the resourcefulness shift, Stephanie created one of the top four entrees, sparing herself from the impending dessert course. In Shift 2, she defeated Lawrence "LT" Smith in a head-to-head battle, where they had to create a refined dish using peanut butter, jelly, bread, and just three additional ingredients.
Stephanie sent JT home by impressing the judges with her soup and sandwich lunch featuring apples, cheddar cheese, and onion. This further demonstrates her adaptability and expertise, showing that she can be uniquely creative even under pressure.
I feel the 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing judges should have considered her performance throughout the competition and her overall potential before eliminating her, because, to me, she was definitely worthy of a spot in the final two.
Stream 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing only on Max.
