Next Level Chef 2025's latest episode had fans aghast, as contestant Megan Sheley left the show without being properly eliminated.
The hit reality competition series returned for its fourth season on Fox in February. It introduced yet another batch of food luminaries buying for a chance at a $250,000 cash prize and a mentorship from some of the best chefs in the world.
Sheley joined the series as one of Season 4's 15 competitors to make the main cast. Coming from the world of social media cooking, she is known for her hyper-online presence and acuity for recipe development.
Who Was Meg on Next Level Chef?
Megan Sheley arrived on Next Level Chef's 2025 season as a foodie force to be reckoned with.
The 33-year-old social media cook and recipe developer instantly became one to watch in the series, as she showed off her ability to improvise and cook under pressure.
This was no better represented than her performance in the Season 4 premiere. In the show's debut episode, contestants were tasked with crafting an "eye-catching viral dish" in just 20 minutes as a part of the show's social media chef audition.
Sheley shone in this initial challenge, taking home the top dish of the week for her mouth-watering haddock with curry coconut sauce—something that quickly caused comparisons to be drawn between her and the winners of past Next Level Chef seasons.
Elsewhere in the series, she got to show her ingenuity and willingness to try things in the kitchen including moments like when she had to create alligator nuggets on the barbecue (something she had never done before). And yet, despite it being a challenge, she continued to thrive.
However, it was not long after this alligator nugget moment, that the Next Level Chef star's journey on the show came to an abrupt end.
What Happened to Meg on Next Level Chef?
At the beginning of Next Level Chef Season 4's sixth episode, it was revealed the Megan Sheley was inexplicably leaving the series and would no longer be competing.
This news came without any formal elimination, instead, it seemed to be her choice to pull her name out of contention and go no further in the competition.
According to her team captain, Gordon Ramsey (who had the job of delivering the news of her departure to the rest of her Next Level Chef 2025 teammates), Sheley was leaving for what was described as "undisclosed medical reasons."
This left the chef's team with only three members left, as 41-year-old Mistie Knight was given the boot just two weeks prior.
Speaking with The Minnesota Star Tribune in the wake of Episode 6's release, Sheley revealed why she had to leave, positing that she "had [her] autoimmune disease flare up because of the stress of the show," and was "so debilitated" that she could not continue:
"I had my autoimmune disease flare up because of the stress of the show. I was so debilitated, I couldn’t leave my hotel room. It was such a bummer."
She admitted she is "fine now," but even a year after the show was shot is still "dealing mentally with [her] departure:"
"I’m physically fine now. I’m just dealing mentally with my departure. It’s one thing if I had gone home because I did my best and that wasn’t good enough."
Sheley remains hopeful though, joking that perhaps one day she will get to do a "redemption season" and "get another shot:"
"But in this case, I was performing well and I’ll never know how far I could have gone. Maybe they’ll do a redemption season and I’ll get another chance."
Sheley has remained active online through Next Level Chef to this point but has yet to post about the experience since her departure episode aired. Fans can keep up with Sheley online on her Instagram page (@megansheley).
Next Level Chef Season 4 on Fox with new episodes airing every Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.
