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NBC's latest culinary show titled Yes, Chef! premiered on April 28, 2025. It welcomed 12 skilled but short-tempered chefs from different parts of the country, not only to let them showcase their talent and earn the $250,000 cash prize, but also to rework themselves and rise above their personal limitations.
In the kitchen, the contestants were pushed to their limits and tested with different types of challenges. While some tests were skill-based, others were designed to challenge the contestants' emotional strength—their ability to compete alongside other hot-headed chefs. The system was crafted specifically to allow each contestant to grow skill-wise and personally.
However, not many could take advantage of the pattern and left the contest with a bitter attitude, potentially, in worse shape than they entered the show. One such example is 23-year-old Chef Peter Richardson, who was sent to the contest by his boss, Dov, so he could work on his personality. Peter, too, wanted to utilize his time on the show to grow as a person and in his craft.
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In my opinion, he could master neither, which was disappointing to see. Not only were his dishes never appreciated by the Yes, Chef! judges, but Peter's outburst in episode 5 left netizens concerned about his mental health.
To see a young talent, who still had a lot to experience in the food industry, not even try to control his temper was disheartening. Naturally, it took a toll on his cooking, as he consistently presented underwhelming dishes, eventually leading to his exit in episode 5.
Yes, Chef! alum Peter Richardson could have done much better
One of the reasons why Peter crumbled under the pressure of Yes, Chef! was his adamant temperament. He appeared to be inflexible and disrespectful toward the profession he was associated with.
His journey on the NBC show disappointed me mainly because of his age. As a young chef aged 23, Peter should have had the energy and willingness to learn and explore, and adapt — because, honestly, he still has a long way to go compared to some of his other opponents.
However, instead of being humble and receptive to the experience around him, he was stuck in his ways and seemed disrespectful to his craft. Consequently, he never managed to earn praise from the judges Martha Stewart and José Andrés.
In episode 1 of Yes, Chef!, Peter was part of the Blue Team under Chef Katsuji Tanabe's leadership. They had to prepare a four-course meal, and Peter cooked endive salad with lemon vinaigrette and shaved Bottarga. Both Martha and José noted they wished the endives were crisper.
At the start of Yes, Chef! episode 2, I hoped Peter would redeem himself, but he could not. Peter was part of the Green Team, which also included Chefs Zain, Julia, Jake, and Katsuji. They had to compete in a relay-type team challenge and win to secure safety. Peter prepared a fennel salad with miso vinaigrette.
Not only was this the second time Peter served a vinaigrette, but also another time, he failed to impress the panelists. José disliked the overall taste of the dish and added that it was missing "a little acidity."
This is another reason why I was disappointed with Peter's journey on Yes, Chef! Instead of learning from his previous mistakes, he continued down the same path, unable to tackle the pressure, further sabotaging his chances of presenting his artistry.
The same happened in episode 3, where despite having the "easiest" level of cooking, Peter was unable to wow the experts. He prepared a stuffed Swiss chard with mushroom consommé, which Martha thought was "undercooked." Moreover, José noted that Peter missed a big opportunity to present the food in bamboo baskets since the technique designated to him was steaming.
In episode 5 of Yes, Chef!, Peter reached his lowest point. He needed semolina flour for his pasta, but could not find it in the pantry. He grew agitated with each second and ultimately, headed to the walk-in freezer to scream at the top of his lungs.
I was surprised by his inability to control his rage, and more so by his inflexibility. Ingredients can be absent, but that does not warrant such a reaction. As a chef, Peter should have tried making pasta with regular flour. When he did, the dough became tough, and he had to discard it.
Had Peter remained calm, he could have performed better. His outburst showed his lack of adaptability and highlighted his impatience. Instead of trying, he resorted to pre-made pasta. I was disappointed to see how Peter was affected by minor hurdles. It ultimately impacted his dish, which the contestants, who were the judges for the round, thought was "dry."
He was then sent to the elimination round, where he cooked deviled eggs with mayonnaise, dijon mustard, paprika, and caviar. Martha disliked how "rough" Peter was with the eggs, noting that the dish was "messy and very salty." It eventually led to his elimination from Yes, Chef!
Had Peter taken the judges' feedback seriously and worked on areas he lacked, he could have performed better. Instead of leaving the contest after having a meltdown, Peter could have stayed and continued competing for the winner's title.
Yes, Chef! episodes can be streamed on Peacock.
