It’s every man for himself in Hell’s Kitchen from this point on, and the switch from separate teams to a unified group made not a bit of difference for these "chefs." The dinner service was a hot (literally) mess, Ramsay invaded Gio’s space bubble, and Ramsay shared the "shocking announcement" teased in last week’s preview. The shocking announcement was not shocking for two reasons: 1) It was fairly easy to guess what was going to happen based on the chefs’ performances and 2) It’s hard to be shocked by something that is obviously a stunt that will last no more than one episode. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Let me start this recap by expressing my newfound hatred dislike for Ben and his “Bow before me for I am the kitchen God” attitude – especially considering that, unlike the cocky cook, my short term memory is intact enough to recall that he screws up consistently every week. But, more on Ben’s delusions of grandeur later. The episode started off with the chefs receiving their fancy-shmancy new black shirts signifying that they are no longer working as two individual teams but as one uber-team. Of course, team work has never been their strong suit. For the challenge, the chefs were competing as singles and were required to create a dish using all 14 of the ingredients Ramsay provided them. The winner of the challenge would be going to San Francisco with the Brit for a culinary tour. The chefs got to work creating their meals and I can honestly say for the first time this season that the dishes – made with wine, pasta, rosemary, and chicken among other things – actually looked rather yummy.
Ramsay liked all six of the dishes prepared (!) and was basically complimentary even when a dish wasn’t perfect. Ben was proclaimed the winner – something that no doubt contributed to his smarmyness later – and was allowed to pick one person to share the prize. He picked Robert. As for the losers, well they had to spend the day unloading the food delivery trucks and prepping the kitchen for dinner service. Ben tried to explain why he chose Robert by saying that Robert has evolved in his time there and blah blah blah. Word to the wise Ben, it is splendidly condescending to claim to be rewarding someone for something you yourself have not yet managed to do. Still, the duo headed off on a private jet and spent their day touring the city and riding on a San Francisco trolley a la Full House. Meanwhile the remaining four unloaded trucks, dropped and broke bottles of wine (Gio), miscounted lobsters, and got on each other’s nerves.
After Ben and Robert returned and dinner service was upon them, Ben bragged to the camera that he was not worried about “being outshone by anyone.” Seriously?! I mean, really. There can only be two explanations why he strutted (so to speak) around like a peacock in this episode: 1) He thinks that being super-confident will somehow suddenly instill him with talent, or 2) His memory is wiped clean every time he sleeps like Drew Barrymore’s in 50 First Dates. Either is plausible.
Then came dinner service – the downfall of many a mediocre chef on this show. Andrea suffered a mini-meltdown when Ramsay asked her to repeat an order back and she got so frazzled she blurted out “I have no idea!” Then the entire group tried to shout the order out all at once – which, appropriately enough, made the kitchen sound like an excited preschool classroom. Ramsay blew up at Andrea’s lack of attention and ordered her out of the kitchen. J.P. played the role of cheerleader and convinced her to return to the kitchen, which she did. Gio, however, had the roughest time, starting off by serving bloody chicken. (Really makes you wonder who was unlucky enough to have been fed by these chefs at their previous gigs, eh?) The aforementioned space invasion occurred when Ramsay called Gio a f—face and Gio responded calmly “I’m not a f—face.” Wrong reply. Gio found himself nose to nose, literally, with the Ramsanator – who jutted his head back and forth like a pissy chicken while he screamed into the poor guy’s face. Then, while pulling a scalding hot pan of wellingtons out of the refrigerator (why? who knows…) Gio accidentally burned Robert’s hand. Second degree burns, dude! Youch! Ramsay closed out the dinner service with a sentiment that pretty much sums up the entire season of Hell’s Kitchen thus far: “Same s—, different day.” Indeed, dear Gordan, indeed. Needless to say, Gio was sent packing. Personally, I’ll miss the guy. He was really…not detestable – which is high praise, I swear.
Ah yes, the announcement. The chefs were roused from their slumber in the middle of the night by a phone call from Ramsay demanding them to report to the dining room. Once assembled, he dropped the proverbial bomb – he is (GASP!) closing Hell’s Kitchen. Riiiiiiight. Perhaps those of us untouched by the wicked forces of cynicism would be jarred by this announcement. I simply found myself rolling my eyes and groaning to no one in particular that it’s not shocking when it’s something that obviously gets resolved pretty damn quickly seeing as it’s, ya know, the basis for the show. Come on Ramsay – give me something a little juicier. I’m beginning to lose my sunny disposition.
What about you Popwatchers? How did you react to the “shocking announcement?” How do you feel about the remaining 5? Who should get the ax next?
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Thanks for the recap. Missed the show last night (watched Slumdog Millionaire on the big screen instead – what a beautiful movie!)
Liked Gio. Knew he would not win but thought he was a decent guy in the kitchen.
Rooting for Paula and Danny – the other 3 are useless.
I’m shocked that I’m still watching it. *head–desk*
I am not rooting for anyone this season. The only one of them i don’t totally dislike is the girl i can’t remember the name of. That doesn’t exactly bode well for her.
And if Ramsey wanted to do something really shocking, he could cast actual talented chefs instead of these hacks he finds on the street corner.
Thanks for the recap, we had bad weather here so the weather channel prevailed on Hell’s Kitchen
Ben is a stupid donkey, and needs to go NOW. So insecure and jealous of Danny, who is clearly way better than him in the kitchen. Notice Ramsey didnt have to yell at Paula or Danny all service? Just make them final 2 already and can the rest.
This is a very forgettable bunch of cooks unlike the previous seasons which contained some qualified chefs. I guess I am rooting for Paula since she seems the most consistent by far. If this show continues, the stupid producers need to pick a better crop of cooks. This season’s cooks aren’t cut-out to work at the local fast food joint.
Yeah they arent casting for talent, except I looked up paula and danny and they have had actual acclaim and experience as chefs. Maybe most of the rest were cast just to be cannon fodder?
Umm, Andrea said “I have no idea” so many times it was like she was chanting a Buddhist mantra.
I’d like to edit my previous comment. Aside from Paula and Danny, the rest of the chef’s stink royally and that takes away from the drama. Chef Ramsay should cut to the chase and put Paula up against Danny.
So, according to the previews, it looks like Hell’s Kitchen is closed. Until the contestants say “Pretty please.”
well i think that robert is funny as hell and chef loves this guy you watch somthing will happen chef loves his food all his dishes and you know he made the show entertaining this season this guy will go far. and i have checked up on robert a now executive chef in the hamptons getting great reviews and about to open 2nd location . i hear he was invited to do somthing with the yankees. as far as the rest danny and paula are very good but under rador. go robert hes the man. he is a all american joe tryin to but it in the mans face that he can do it no matter the odds. respect to him.
well i think that robert is funny as hell and chef loves this guy you watch somthing will happen chef loves his food all his dishes and you know he made the show entertaining this season this guy will go far. and i have checked up on robert a now executive chef in the hamptons getting great reviews and about to open 2nd location . i hear he was invited to do somthing with the yankees. as far as the rest danny and paula are very good but under rador. go robert hes the man. he is a all american joe tryin to but it in the mans face that he can do it no matter the odds. respect to him.
I think Danny is the one who most deserves to win. None of them are in the same ballpark as seasons past, but Danny seems to be consistent in all areas, and has a cool head on him. I can’t understand why Andrea is still there. Every time she opens her mouth I want to slap her.
I think Danny is the one who most deserves to win. None of them are in the same ballpark as seasons past, but Danny seems to be consistent in all areas, and has a cool head on him. I can’t understand why Andrea is still there. Every time she opens her mouth I want to slap her.
I couldnt take Andrea and her hysteria or Ben and his donkey incomeptence for 5 minutes! And sorry, but I wouldnt wanna eat anything cooked by Robert who wipes sweat with the cooking rag!
Do they not have hand carts at Hell’s Kitchen?
I’m also thinking the final two will be Danny and Paula with Danny triumphing in the end. BTW, the reason Ben took Robert with him instead of Danny is that he is totally threatened by Danny, he knows he’s a much better chef, and didn’t want him to have any one on one time with the Raminator. WEAK.
Chef Ramsey needs to calm down a bit – his blood pressure is going to explode. A little drama is o.k. but he over reacts to everthing. However, I really like him but this show is always predictable.
Jami, you are astute and funny
thanks for the recaps
Bring back Ji! Tape up her ankle and push her out there. She’s better than any of these feuding, lame-brained. smoking (how the hell can you be a good chef with a good palate and smoke?) recluses from a greasy spoon.
GR’s reaction to Gio responding made me laugh out loud, he looked like he could have jumped on his head and ripped out his eyeballs. WOW, does he really do this anywhere else? He must have a good Workman’s Comp policy.
There are two things that could resuscitate HK (because watching it now is like watching a beloved mentor die slowly of awkward dementia):
1) Cast REAL cooks, you know, the kind with talent AND ability. Give the foodies someone to actually root for, someone they can believe in.
2) Animate it. This show has degraded into a cartoon so actually turning it into one might make it entertaining again.
I’m looking at you Ramsay, you did this to yourself and to us. No more dog’s dinner, eh?
Ok. The top six put on a rather bad (to put it mildly) dinner service. But I think closing Hell’s Kitchen is unfair to, at least, two chefs who have been pretty consistent and who I have not seen do too much wrong in the kitchen to get screamed at, and have also been very, very good with their creativity. Danny and Paula!!!
Doesn’t Gordon think they have any potential? I really didn’t see the two of them do anything wrong last night…except for having to wait for the rest of their team to do right so they could do THEIR stations right!! I felt bad for Paula and Danny when Chef Ramsay made the announcement that Hell’s Kitchen was closed. I am in no way an expert but I think they are the only two who have potential to win this Season. My hubby and I have thought so since the beginning!!
Hope Paula or Danny get the job!!
I am a huge Survivor fan and just got done reading and posting comments to Jeff Probst Blog here. Why am I bringing this up? In response to Pat who said bring back Ji. I wish they could. She was one of my faves. There was a comment over at Survivor about how they should let past constestant come back on the show who had to leave because of an injury. They didn’t have a chance to finish competing because their injuries pulled them out of the game. (Which is what happened to contestant Joe on Survivor last night.) I think that would be a good idea for Hell’s Kitchen too because if I am not mistaking, since I have watched Hell’s Kitchen, three VERY GOOD contestants had to leave because of injury. Can’t they give them another chance?? Like Ji?!
Again where did these MORAN’s come from? THis season is totally out of
control. They are not chef’s. Can u see any of them running anything.
This is stupid./
None of them deserves to win the title of head french fry technician at McDonald’s. I thought that Ramsay was shutting it down because some diner had gotten food poisoning or something like that….that story line would have 1) Been more plausible, given the “chefs” keen abilities to send raw food out and 2) The ratings would have been better.
Jami, I love your brilliant commentary each week! It’s the only good thing about this season. And I wasn’t exactly enamored with last season. (This may have been discussed in an earlier thread, but am I the only one who thinks the contestants are a motlier version of last season’s?) I am shocked –SHOCKED- that only one person goes home each week. Swathes should have been cut through these “chefs” at this point and Hell’s Kitchen closed down weeks ago. And yet I can’t stop watching it! I am praying for the final to be between Danny and Paula (from my lips to God’s ears) with Danny taking show. He ain’t a fancy chef but he actually knows how to cook. What a concept! And, in addition to his level head and even temper, he is very kind when giving advice to others. The others, pppfff. I’m not sure I can stand another week of any of ‘em. But, with this much aggro invested, I’ll be there next Thursday.
hey rss, you are the MORON FOR SPELLING MORON WRONG!!!
anyway, based on this week, paula is definatly Chef Ramsey’s favorite at the moment, but I have a feeling he like Andrea as well.
I think instead of casting any kind of chef wannabes they should just get contestants from off the street. That would be more entertaining and a bit more honest. And I doubt there would be any change in drama of the show. But as it is who would want to eat at a restaraunt with any of these guys as the head chef?
Maybe it’s because Hell’s Kitchen only airs once a year, but I’m not as bored with it like some of you. I agree that the first two seasons (and season three in a lesser extent) had a better batch of chefs, and some of them this time aren’t up to snuff. I thought that was the purpose of this season; to find more qualified ones over crappier potential contestants. At least this bunch isn’t as egregious as the last season, though HK has room for improvement.
I’m surprised Giovanni left before Andrea. He only had one terrible dinner, whereas Andrea is often inconsistent and wobbly during services. Plus, I like Gio a lot more compared to Andrea. Ramsey should’ve given him another chance. Paula and Danny are the frontrunners now. And, as usual, Robert’s still funny as hell. His line about ‘un-gay feelings’ towards Ben was awkward and endearing. Not as unintentionally comic like his claims about him being ’so hot, he’s like napalm’ last week, though. LMAO, that sounded like a bad rap lyric.