"One shot" - 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing finalist Kevin Lee shares how a fish dish would determine his spot in the final round

Kevin Lee’s advancement in 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing came down to a decisive fish dish made under time pressure. Positioned among the last three chefs—alongside Kelsey and Kathleen—he risked his spot in the finale by wagering cooking time on a trivia question. In an Instagram post on May 19, 2025, Lee wrote,

“No room for mistakes. Then it’s shift seven, 19 hours in, and I’ve got to take big risks on a fish dish to impress Andrew Zimmern. One shot to make it to the final shift and stay in the game for $75K.”

After answering the question incorrectly, he lost 10 of the original 20 cooking minutes. Despite the setback, he completed the challenge. However, the outcome of his advancement remains unknown, as the 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing episode ended in a cliffhanger.

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Kevin Lee faces fish dish challenge with finale spot on the line on 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing

Team-based soup and sandwich challenge

During Shift 6, the remaining chefs were divided into two teams for a soup and sandwich challenge. Bryan Voltaggio’s team included three chefs who had previously earned a rest, while the other group was made up of Kevin Lee, Nini Nguyen, Stephanie Izard, and Gabe Bertaccini.

Each chef joined their team at staggered seven-minute intervals, introducing a required ingredient to the dishes. Kevin’s team opted for a cohesive culinary approach with a 'bahn mi' and 'tom kha' soup combination. While the judges appreciated the connected flavor profile, they noted the anchovy flavor was overly assertive.

Despite their culinary execution, Kevin’s team failed to plate the required three servings, presenting only two. As a result, Bryan’s team was declared the winner and earned a break along with a $2,400 reward per chef.

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Head-to-head appetizer round

Following the team challenge, the losing team faced another cook-off. Bryan, as the Golden Knife holder, randomly assigned pairings, resulting in a women’s team (Stephanie and Nini) competing against the men (Kevin and Gabe). In this challenge, the chefs created three appetizers that had to impress judge Andrew Zimmern in a one-bite format.

Kevin and Gabe presented an Italian-style Oysters Rockefeller that was well received for its flavor balance. However, the dessert round determined the outcome. Stephanie and Nini’s take on a dreamsicle earned them safety, while Kevin and Gabe were sent into another elimination challenge.

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Spicy street food battle and elimination round

The following round required the chefs to prepare a spicy street food dish. Bryan used his Golden Knife advantage to enter the challenge. The cook who placed first would receive $10,000 and automatic entry into the finale.

Kevin delivered a taco that met the spicy requirement, and although it lacked citrus, it secured him a win. Bryan’s dish, a chicken wing, kept him safe. Gabe’s chicken sandwich was well-received but fell short on the heat level, leading to his elimination on 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing.

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High-stakes fish dish and final decision

To determine the 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing final spot in the top five, Kevin, Kelsey, and Kathleen each prepared a fish dish. A twist introduced a risk-reward trivia component: correct answers would grant additional cook time, while wrong answers would reduce it. As mentioned, Kevin wagered 10 minutes but answered incorrectly, leaving him with only 10 minutes to complete the challenge.

Despite the time disadvantage, he completed his fish dish and presented it to the judges. The judges noted that all three dishes had minor flaws. Ultimately, one of the three chefs would move forward to the finale, while the other two would be eliminated. However, the final decision was withheld, and the 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing episode concluded with a cliffhanger.

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The next and final episode of 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing season 2 airs on Sunday, May 26, at 8 pm ET and streams the next day on HBO Max.