YumSugar

Hell's Kitchen - 3.1 Recap

partysugar — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 10:50:18 -0700

Last night Fox aired the third season premiere of "Hell's Kitchen", hot shot British chef Gordon Ramsay's reality show. It was my first experience with Hell's Kitchen and what a memorable, yet traumatizing, experience it was. Why anyone in their right mind would volunteer to go into Hell's Kitchen is beyond me. You couldn't pay me in Dior handbags to put up with the condescending, rude, and completely disrespectful behavior and attitude of Ramsay. Sure he is a world renowned chef with Michelin stars and acclaimed restaurants, but in my opinion, no amount of fame, fortune, or success should grant you the right to poorly treat, profusely curse, and yell at people you hardly know. This of course, is the entire premise behind Hell's Kitchen. Twelve contestants have joined Ramsay in the kitchen for a chance to be the head chef at a new Italian restaurant in Green Valley Ranch Resort and Spa in Vegas. Unlike Top Chef or the Next Food Network Star, in this competition the contestants have to cook in a real kitchen for real people. To see my thoughts on last night's episode - including my top 5 favorite Ramsay quotes - just, read more

The show begins with Lord of The Rings type music, a voice over, and the contestants being driven to the kitchen in large black SUVs. The 12 competitors, equal parts male and female, are greeted upon arrival by the restaurant's maitre'd, Jean Philippe - whose accent sounds oddly fake to me. Ramsay appears on a balcony like the Wicked Witch of The West and orders the crew into the kitchen requesting them to prepare a signature dish or as Ramsay says, "you on a plate". Time's up and Ramsay lavishly opens one platter after another asking the creator of the dish to kindly step forward and explain their dish. He hates all but two or three of the dishes; giving compliments to the attractive, long haired Melissa and to Eddie, the guy with a growth-stunting kidney disease (why do reality shows always have a token odd contestant???).

Next they are separated into two teams, the boys versus the girls, and are told that they will cook in the restaurant's kitchen on opening night. An hour goes by and neither team can get an appetizer ready, the girl's fail miserably to fry an egg and the boys' pasta, according to Ramsay, "tastes like gnat's piss." Brad takes the lead for the boys and things look up as they start to crank out 29 of their 50 appetizers. Julia, the short order cook, has a breakdown because the girls ignore her and don't let her attempt to fry an egg. Aaron, the big Asian cowboy, cracks and starts to cry after he can't temper eggs for ice cream and has cooked the chicken until it is dry and inedible. In the end the boy's run out of chicken and lettuce, and the girl's never catch their stride. Ramsay shuts Hell's Kitchen down and the customers leave angry, unfed, and hungry.

Ramsay declares the girl's as the night's losers, although both teams performed poorly. Melissa is asked to nominate two members of her team for elimination. She nominates Tiffany, the girl who couldn't fry an egg if her life depended on it, and Joanna, the feisty African-American girl who picked a fight with just about everyone but Ramsay. In the end Tiffany was justly eliminated.

In case you missed it here are my top 5 favorite Ramsay quotes from this episode (I recommend reading them aloud in a growling tone with a British accent):

"Where's your horse? I've never met an Asian cowboy... you are one chunky monkey, aren't you? How big are your f**king fingers?"
"Your pasta is like glue."
"Sir, would you mind wiping the snot off of your face before we have chicken and snot?"
"Ladies I've never seen girls b*tch so much... it was just evil and twisted hell's b*tches!"
"Touch that egg! It's like a plastic silicone implant!"

Finally, does anyone know where I can find a recipe for chicken fried chicken penne???

Like a Gentleman, the 4-Star General Leaves Hell

partysugar — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:15:13 -0700

I was a little bummed to see Bobby, the self proclaimed "4-Star General," booted from this week's Hell's Kitchen. I'm sick of Jen and would have enjoyed another episode with Bobby. When I spoke to him yesterday his cheerful, gentlemanly manner surprised me. Although he's currently working as the head chef of a grocery store in Buffalo, NY, Bobby is interested in making more television appearances. He had a lot to say about the experience - to hear his eloquent words about Gordon Ramsay - read more.

PartySugar: How did it feel to be eliminated?
Bobby: Of course I didn't want to be eliminated. But I feel great. Am I bummed? No. In the moment I was a little shocked, I was certain he was going to say Jen and that I would step back into the line with the others. When I heard him say Gen - as in General - it took me a minute. It didn't register until he said, "Big boy, give me your coat."

PS: Is Gordon Ramsay really as big of a jerk as he seems?
Bobby: No, no, no, no. When you meet Gordon he is like the pope. He gives off a great energy. He's really friendly and genuine. He's not an I-earned-30-million -last-year type of guy. The way he is in the kitchen, it has nothing to do with you personally. It's like he is the governor of food and he believes food has rights. One of the things he bills for is food served the right, best way.
PS: What was it like working in the kitchen? Did you ever really feel like you were in Hell?
Bobby: They don't call it Hell's Kitchen for nothing. It was definitely hell. Working there took me to a place in my life that I've never been.

PS: Is there anything that you would have done differently?
Bobby: No I would not have done anything differently. I walked in as a 4-Star General and I left as a 4-Star General. I didn't have to backstab anyone or plot against anyone to get as far as I did.

PS: Who are you rooting for?
Bobby: I've sat back and watched all of the episodes and I didn't backstab anyone. I'm rooting for Petrozza. He has a heart and is the one person who gave me a sanctuary everyday. I really connected with Ben and Petrozza. Those are the kind of guys I would hire to work in my kitchen. Christina is an honest girl. I could even work with Mattie, there's a place for him in my kitchen always. I can't work with Corey, Jen, or Craig.

Photos courtesy of Fox.

Let's Dish: Hell's Kitchen 4.1

partysugar — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:13:59 -0700

You know Gordon Ramsay and you've already met the contestants of Hell's Kitchen Season 4, but what did you think of the first episode? I'm incredibly disappointed. Since Ramsay is searching for a chef for his own restaurant, I hoped this season would be more serious than past years.

However, it ended up being like a bad April Fools' joke. It was uncomfortable to watch and I felt bad for the contestants. Watching them slip and trip around Hell's Kitchen was like watching a parody of Top Chef on Saturday Night Live. I miss the heroic, do-good Ramsay of Kitchen Nightmares. To discuss the episode in more depth, and check out my top five Ramsayism of the night, read more.

Throughout the show, I kept asking myself is Ramsay really going to hire an electrician or receptionist to head his first ever Los Angeles eatery? Other questions I had are listed below, so let's talk over the episode.

What did you think of Gordon's disguise?
Is Bobby the most annoying guy or what? Weren't Jason's comments completely sexist?
Isn't it funny when the diners in the restaurant get all pissy? Haven't they ever watched Hell's Kitchen?
What was with the crappy captains?
Don't you think the phrase "for the first time in Hell's Kitchen history" is totally over used?
Did Louross nominate the right two contestants for elimination?
Is it just me, or are the contestants strangely familiar? Bobby is an uglier Tre from Top Chef Season 3. Louross reminds me of Hung, also from Top Chef Season 3. Rosann could be Nikki from the current season of Top Chef's cousin. And Dominic, well he looks like Robin Williams.

Finally, if you missed the episode here are my favorite Ramsay quotes:

On Craig's oversized chef hat: Little boy syndrome downstairs?
On Petrozza's hen in a pumpkin: Let's see what we got for trick or treat, shall we? Right now looking at that mess, it makes me want to stick your f***ing head in there.
On Vanessa's horrible attempt to be a captain: Morning Vanessa, wakey wakey, get a grip.
On Matt's presence in the kitchen: He's standing there pissing his pants looking for his white chocolate caviar tartare crap.
On Louross stepping up as captain: Thank god someone has a f***ing set of balls.

Photo courtesy of Fox.

Hell's Kitchen - 3.5 Recap

partysugar — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 11:01:18 -0700

While nobody burned in hell on last night's episode of Hell's Kitchen, there was plenty of the usual mayhem. Dishes were burnt, Gordon was angry, and the Hell's B*tches (the loving nickname to the all-female team) were back in full force. Forgive me if these recaps have started to sound a little like the Hell's Kitchen narrator, but I just can't help it... For the first time in Hell's Kitchen history, the teams cater a wedding as their challenge (hmm... sounds strangely like the first episode of the Next Food Network Star). To see what happened when the contestants created a meal for the most memorable day of one lucky (??) couple's life, read more

The teams are brought by SUV to Bristol Farms where Ramsay informs them that they will be catering a wedding the following day. Each team has $100 and 30 minutes at the grocery store to create a tasting menu of three dishes: an appetizer, a fish, and a meat dish. Back at the kitchen the teams are given an hour to prepare their 3 dishes for the bride and groom, who are coming in to taste and choose the wedding reception menu.

Melissa takes it upon herself to become the leader of the red team. Instead of leading, she rudely bosses the girls around, doesn't allow Bonnie to answer any questions and second guesses Julia's ability to properly cook duck. In the end, she is the one who overcooks the duck and declares it unfit for the bride and groom to taste. The bride and groom prefer the boy's crab appetizer to the girl's dessert-like brie/strawberry/puff pastry dish and the girl's fish over the boy's. Melissa throws a tantrum stating that the girl's duck should not be presented to the bride and groom. Ramsay overrules her and poor Jen is left trying to describe a plain, overcooked duck breast.

The boys win a trip to a day spa while the girls are left to transform Hell's Kitchen into a beautiful wedding. Melissa is super condescending and the girls, myself, and anyone watching begin to despise her. On the day of the wedding, she really screw up by oxidizing and over-cooking potatoes, causing tension between her and Rock and accidentally spilling all of the girl's sabayon into the water bath. Not even Ramsay can take anymore of her behavior, puts her in her place and demands that Jen lead the red team.

The girls are the obvious losers and Ramsay asks Jen to nominate two of her teammates for elimination. She picks Melissa and Bonnie. When Ramsay calls Melissa forward and asks her to remove her chef's coat, he shocks them all by handing her a blue coat and telling her she will be cooking on the boy's team now. Bonnie is sent back to the line as Ramsay leaves us all anticipating what will go down next week, when we once again meet in Hell.

There were tons of good Ramsayisms and here are my top 5:

You're standing there acting like a jumped up little cave woman... now do as you're told.
Bloody well done, you won hands down.
When was the last time you had a massage? Never? Make sure you keep your pants on.
Shut the f**k up for 30 seconds and you might learn something. Now stop being a stubborn little b*tch and move your ass.
Oh piss off you little sabotage.

Usually I think Ramsay is too mean, but his cave woman nickname for Melissa was right on. What is up with her hair? And what on earth is on her chin, does she have a goatee??

Image Source

Hell's Kitchen - 3.10 Recap

partysugar — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 10:28:31 -0700

Last night at nine, I sat down to enjoy the final episode of Hell's Kitchen. Boy was I in for a shock when at ten I realized it was far from over - there is still one episode left! It was much tamer than it normally is with the finalists, Rock and Bonnie, only entering the kitchen for a quick 30 minutes. All of the previous episodes were reviewed, and the last six contestants were brought back to help the finalists in their toughest dinner challenge. To see what happens when Bonnie and Rock design their own restaurants and are whisked off to Vegas for a surprise challenge, read more

After enjoying a few brief moments with their families - Bonnie's parents and Rock's wife and children - the dining room of Hell's Kitchen is loudly cut in half by a hanging partition. Ramsay then tells the finalists they have 36 hours to build their dream restaurant. Bonnie and Rock have full creative liability and must design the dining room and prepare a menu that reflects their signature styles as chefs. They return to the dorms to celebrate and get a start on brainstorming menus and restaurant designs.

The following morning both meet with the architect to discuss their intentions. Bonnie wants a romantic, European, simple, classic-with-a-twist style restaurant. She dislikes the booths and prefers mismatched China. Rock, on the other hand, loves the booths and prefers classic silverware with a warm, American, Southern, black-and-white style dining room.

Next they meet individually with Jean Phillipe, the maitre d', to select the waitstaff's uniforms. Bonnie decides her servers will wear all black and the females should be sexy. Rock is much more hesitant. His first choice of jeans is vetoed by Jean Phillipe, who helps Rock decide on something more appropriate for a fine dining room. Then it's on to the menus: Bonnie is paired with sous chef Mary Anne and quickly describes her menu of mini grilled cheeses, homemade pastas, and all of her personal favorite foods. Rock is paired with sous chef Scott, but his menu is unclear. The only dish he is certain of is a surf n' turf fried chicken and crab cakes.

Ramsay shows up and informs them that they have some very important business to take care of in Las Vegas!! Bonnie and Rock take five minutes to change before they board Ramsay's private jet. On the plane, Ramsay compliments them both and asks questions about their motivations for certain actions. They arrive at the Green Valley Ranch Resort in Vegas, head to an amazing luxurious room, and are shown a teaser for the season finale. Both are a little shocked to see themselves on television for the first time.

Afterwards, Ramsay invites them for a relaxing drink in the VIP lounge of the bar. Little do they know that behind the doors is a stadium full of screaming fans and several of Vegas' top chefs. Guess what? It's surprise challenge time! Rock and Bonnie have 30 minutes to make a dish that represents their signature style. Bonnie makes a shrimp and Fettuccine Alfredo and Rock does the aforementioned fried chicken and crab cakes (was anyone else disappointed by their lack of culinary splendor? Fettuccine Alfredo? Fried Chicken? I can master those dishes!).

Chefs from Caesars Palace, the MGM Grand, and Michael Mina judge the dishes. Then Robin Leach makes a cameo as a celebrity judge and gives his vote to Bonnie. Leaving the previous two winners of Hell's Kitchen to tie the score up - three for Bonnie and three for Rock. The tying vote goes to the manager and current executive chef of the restaurant at the Green Valley Ranch (surprise, surprise, was this a little fixed???). They declare Bonnie the winner and Ramsay whisks both off to the Ghost Bar at the top of the Palms where he gives them one last pep talk.

When they arrive back in LA, Rock and Bonnie receive another surprise when their old crew (Julia, Jen, Brad, Josh, Melissa, and Vinnie) enters the dorm with large gift baskets. Ramsay calls them all down to the kitchen where Bonnie and Rock are instructed to select team members to work in the upcoming night's dinner service. Since Bonnie won the challenge in Vegas, she has first pick and chooses Jen. They alternate turns each selecting another team member. Rock picks Brad and Vinnie and is stuck with Josh. Bonnie selects Melissa and Julia. The episode ends abruptly with clips of the hellish boys vs. girls dinner service that is to come in next week's final showdown.

Ramsay is at his best when he is in the kitchen, so today I have only the top 4 Ramsayisms and a bonus quote from celebrity judge, Mr. Robin Leach (of Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous):

Rock this wouldn't be such an event without your children... it's baby Rock!
You didn't think we would be flying commercial did you?
Stop trying to charm him, he's a chef he doesn't do charm!
Stop trying to manipulate the judges Rock!
And from Robin Leach: I've eaten at over 1700 restaurants around the world and I'm intrigued by the combination in both. But you told me if I didn't have a choice, you would put a cleaver in my back! So I give it to the lady.

Finally didn't you think Bonnie's hair looked a little too perfect after slaving in the kitchen for a half an hour? She must have spent time with a stylist. What do you think Rock and Bonnie make for themselves to eat in the dorm? Didn't you just want to shake Julia and give her a hug? You got the best prize girl, a culinary education and consoling from Ramsay, so be happy!

Image Source

Hell's Kitchen - 3.4 Recap

partysugar — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 11:01:39 -0700

Last night's episode saw our favorite culinary guinea pigs blind tasting food, getting yelled at (no surprises here), and poorly cooking a dinner service (again, no surprises). The show starts with Jen, last week's almost eliminated female, in tears. She connects with Bonnie who complains about how difficult it is being in Hell's Kitchen. To see what happened when the chefs were challenged to push their palettes to the extreme, and just how angry Ramsay got when too many Wellingtons were under/over cooked, read more

Blindfolded and outfitted with headphones, the chefs must identify different types of food by smell and taste. With varied ingredients like American cheese, plain boiled carrots, venison, and bok choy, the girls come out victorious leading 5-3 after Josh fails to identify any of the ingredients. With one ingredient left - seared tuna - Vinnie and Jen battle as the final pair. Vinnie guesses it's pancetta so the boys lose (how could he mistake tuna for pancetta?!?). As punishment, the boy's are told they must educate their palates and have to eat beef liver, tongue, pig's feet, kidney, etc. They also have to prep both kitchens for the dinner service while the gals are rewarded with a lunch in the dark. During lunch Bonnie actually hits on Ramsay by proclaiming that he has, “the nicest voice in the dark.”

That night, the contestants find out that the customers will decide who goes home. Ramsay explains that in order to be a success, the teams must get the appetizers out quickly. Tension mounts on the girl's side as Julia needs more time to make her scallops when Melissa's risotto is ready for them. Ramsay blames Melissa for not timing it correctly, when in fact it was Julia who burnt the scallops. They finally get the appetizers out and start to crank out the entrees. Both sides struggle with perfecting the Wellingtons - which require a flaky cooked pastry and perfectly well done meat. Ramsay is shocked to find 6 Wellingtons and 1 chicken in Vinnie's trash bin.

Things start to fall apart for the cooks of Hell's Kitchen when a customer (or a really bad actress?) storms into the kitchen to complain about the long wait for her food (if you missed it check out the clip below!). Plates are sent back to the kitchen leaving Ramsay no choice but to throw a tantrum (and several plates) and shut down Hell's Kitchen. Of the customers' reviews, 65% said that they would not come back because the food took too long to get to the table.

Ramsay chooses Rock and Jen to each nominate one team member for elimination. Rock and Jen converse and instead of selecting the obvious weakest links, Rock picks his enemy Josh and Jen, unable to pick her new bff Bonnie, picks Melissa. Ramsay overrules their nominations and calls out the poorest performers: Bonnie and Vinnie. In the end Vinnie is sent home for having already peaked in his performance as a chef.

And now the part you'll all been waiting for: my top 5 Ramsayisms (donkey is totally my new mean vocabulary word!):

Right now I need some team f**king spirit.
You f**king idiot, you stupid cat.
Blue donkeys come here!
What do you think you are the WWF?
I have to really slow it down for you - put it in nannified words for you. Barbie, do your hair before you come over.

Does anybody else feel like things are planted? Who would actually walk into a restaurant's kitchen and demand food? Something smells fishy to me and it wasn't last week's rancid crab....

Hell's Kitchen - 3.3 Recap

partysugar — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 10:15:20 -0700

The third episode of Hell's Kitchen aired last night and, unlike many of the contestants, I was prepared - Grey Goose martini in hand, computer by my side - and ready for whatever challenges Gordon Ramsay proposed. Not only did the chefs-in-training have to cook their usual dinner service, but they also had to wake up at 5am to prepare breakfast for members of the United States military. To see what went down - or as the booming, Robin Leach-ish commentator would say - what went up in flames this week, (including the dismissal of 2 rightfully deserving contestants and my list of top 5 Ramsayisms) simply read more

Things start off with the teams in their respective bunk rooms after last week's elimination. A clear war has broken out between Rock and Josh because Rock put Josh up on the chopping block, really pissing Josh off. Over on the girl's side, Julia, my favorite of all the contestants - what can I say I love cheering on the underdog - decides she better kick it up a notch and studies her cooking books. In the wee hours of the morning, they are woken up by a Military band informing them to get down to the kitchen.

The teams are met by Ramsay who announces that they are making Hell's Kitchen history (doesn't it seem like they make HK history in some random way each episode??) by cooking the first ever breakfast service for the US military. The girls cook for the army and the boys for the navy. Whoever feeds all of their sections wins the challenge and an amazing prize. The girls get organized quickly and put Julia in charge, because as a short order cook for the pancake house, breakfast is her specialty. The girls send out 20 plates before the boys have even sent out one. The girls momentarily run into a snafu when Joanna accidentally sends out raw potatoes disguised as hash browns, but ultimately they come out victorious. For their punishment the boys have to peel 1000 pounds of raw potatoes and onions for the military while the girls are glamorously helicoptered to a Naval ship, given a delicious lunch, and alone time with Ramsay.

Back at the kitchen, Aaron faints and an ambulance is called in to take him away. Ramsay calls Aaron in the hospital to inform him that his sickness prohibits him - by doctor's orders - to enter the kitchen. I took a sigh of relief as they finally got the bumbling baboon Aaron off the show (seriously what were the casting directors thinking??).

The boys then lock themselves in their dorm to nominate a leader of the group. Naturally all of the cocky boys want to be leader. In an attempt to ensure that Rock doesn't get the position, Josh seconds Brad's nomination. Vinnie thirds it and Rock gives in allowing Brad to play team leader.

The following day the Hell's Kitchenettes are appalled to learn that Julia doesn't know what creme brulee is (come on Julia, lie! Say you know and then immediately look it up the second you get home!). Dinner service gets off to a rocky start for both teams as nobody nails the appetizers. The boys find their stride under Rock's guidance (yes I know Brad was voted "leader" but he didn't have what it takes to control a kitchen) and the girls fumble dish after dish. None of Joanna's appetizers are acceptable to Ramsay who realizes the root of her problems is not her skill but her nose: she doesn't notice that the crab is bad. Ramsay sends her out of the kitchen and Jen pulls pasta out of the trash (I know I don't need to say it, but what on earth was she thinking???). Julia catches her in the act and overrules serving pasta picked from the trash to guests at the restaurant. Wellingtons are burnt, guests walk out, Ramsay loses his trust for the chef wannabes, and declares the girls as the losers. He sends the girls off to figure out which two shall be up for dismissal.

Joanna and Jen give themselves up, but Melissa plays queen of the castle and calls out Julia's lack of culinary knowledge. At the dismissal, Joanna tells Ramsay she and Julia are up for elimination. But wait, what's that? Jen nominates herself and tells Ramsay - to his utter disgust, did you catch the look on his face?? - the pasta/trash mishap. Ramsay sends Julia back to line and it's down to Joanna and Jen with Joanna being sent home.

Almost as bad as not being able to fry an egg, Joanna was unable to smell that the crab was rancid. Have you ever smelled bad crab?? I have and it's one pungent, gross, stomach churning smell that is undeniable. How anyone with even the most basic of culinary experience could not know this is beyond me. Good riddance Joanna.

Now the part you've all been waiting for the top five things Ramsay yelled:

Brad are you consistantly fucked? You are about to sink the fucking navy!
Oh come on now, you just asked me if they're raw... Why don't you tell me if they are raw? Oh fuck off!
We sent two orders, don't start wetting your pants.
Are you just trying to sabotage them to make yourself look good? You deserve a kick in the fucking ass, start the fucking table again!
Come here donkey.

Finally, wasn't the most exciting part of the episode during the 45 second commercial break when the new trailer for Harry Potter aired???

Image Source

Let's Dish: Hell's Kitchen the Season Finale

partysugar — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:05:37 -0700

Last night on Hell's Kitchen, Christina and Petrozza faced off in a culinary showdown. Each had to run the pass, manage their team, and control the quality of the food. It was fun to see the old contestants up to their usual antics in the kitchen and it was lovely to hear the kind words Gordon Ramsay had to say about the final two.

To chat about the finale and the (spoiler alert!) winner, read more.

Were you surprised Petrozza picked Jen?
Who had the stronger team?
Whose restaurant design did you prefer: Christina's elegant bistro or Petrozza's rustic clubroom?
Were you shocked when Jen asked Chef Ramsay for a letter of recommendation?
Whose menu was more exciting?
Didn't Petrozza's lobster strudel look unappetizing?
Who was worse in the kitchen, Matt or Jen?
Was it just me or was the ending, totally climatic anti-climatic?
Did Christina deserve to win?
Did you get emotional when Ramsay hugged loser Petrozza?
Overall, what did you think of this season?

Oh Gordon, I will miss spending my Tuesday nights with you! Here are some of my favorite Ramsayisms from the season finale:

On Petrozza's appetizers: We can't run out of strudel and the frisee salad! We can't take two of the appetizers off. This is your f**king night you.
On Christina's slow kitchen: Look all this food over here! Come on now we're backed up now. Christina step up please, yes?
On Matt's monkfish: It's raw in the middle! Matt how can you do that to her? I can't stand here and let that go! You're f**king useless, come here you listen to me f**k face. Would you mind shutting the f**k up and concentrate, yes?
On Christina's control of her team: Hey look at me right now. You have one awkward fish in your kitchen. Organize it!
On ending HK: I feel like I've been on a roller coaster for the last 3 months. Out of all of the seasons this has been the most crazy ride. But now its time for me to get the f**k out of Hell's Kitchen.

Photos courtesy of Fox.

Hell's Kitchen - 3.2 Recap

partysugar — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 11:13:28 -0700

On this week's episode of Hell's Kitchen, the heat was turned up as the contestants were once again taught the importance of masterfully learning basic culinary skills. Last week it was all about frying the perfect egg and this week it was all about prepping fish. The show started off with the girls in turmoil from the recent elimination of team member Tiffani, and the boys united in their concern for the weakest link in their team, Aaron. Both teams are woken before 6am to "go catch fish." Excitement quickly melts into annoyance as Ramsay's cronies throw whole, frozen fish at the wannabe chefs from a truck. To see what happens when things turn a little fishy in Hell's Kitchen, including my fav Ramsay quotes of the week, read more

The boy's team starts to slowly fall apart with Eddie, the little guy, enduring countless fish jokes and pressure from Ramsay and his team to get big and take control. Aaron suffers from severe cramping while transporting the fish and ends up spending the majority of the day passed out on the couch. After demonstrating how to skin and de-roe the expensive, yet delicious Dover sole, Ramsay gives the teams thirty minutes to prep as many fish as they can. The skinned fish have to meet Ramsay's high standards before he declares the dover sole, either (think Heidi in Project Runway here) in or out. The boys end up with 8 Dovers that are in and the girls win with 9 Dovers that are in. They are rewarded with a fishing trip on the Pacific, lunch on the boat, and some alone time with Ramsay, who gives the team a little pep talk. Is it me or is good old Gordon starting to get on my good side?? Maybe he is just a grumpy teddy bear who likes to yell?

The real challenge begins when the teams are put back in the kitchen for their second chance at a dinner service. As part of the boy's punishment, Ramsay picks Aaron to fillet, debone, and serve the Dover sole tableside. Eddie can't make spaghetti nor risotto and Aaron sweats his way through the job, taking more than 15 minutes to debone the fish. By this time the fish is cold and the customer unhappy. The girl's glide along, taking the tips from Ramsay and actually work as a team, cheering one another on. The crowd is pleased with the girl's appetizers and they serve the majority of their main courses. The boys continue to fail and the straw that breaks Ramsay's back (and a few plates) is Josh who can't find the right balance of cooked pastry to raw meat in his beef Wellington. Ramsay kicks the boys out of the kitchen and has the girls finish the dinner service.

It's obvious the boys are the losing team, and Ramsay picks Rock to nominate two of the boys for elimination. Surprisingly easy on cry baby Aaron, Rock chooses Eddie and Josh. In the end, Ramsay asks Eddie, the small guy who couldn't come out of his shell, to hang up his chef's coat.

And now my favorite part of Hell's Kitchen: the Ramsayisms. Here are my top 5 quotes from last night's episode:

"Don't look so unhappy about it... Are you dizzy? Would you like a tissue?"
"What in the f**k is Aaron doing in Hell's Kitchen? Get that f**king donkey outta there. You're in the dining room shaking hands like the f**king president of the United States of America, what was that all about?"
"Are you a dumb blonde? ...f**king barbie"
"All of you taste it. It's inedible, it's way too peppery and you wouldn't even serve it to a f**king pig"
"I think you are one big fake full of piss and wind."

I have to get this off my chest, it has nothing to do with food: What was up with the girls running around the house in hot pants??? How could they not realize that the boys were asking them to "pick up this" and "get that" in order to check out more of their womanly assets??

Image Source

Christina on Her Hell's Kitchen Win

partysugar — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 09:15:41 -0700

Yesterday I spoke with Christina, the young culinary school graduate from the Midwest, who won this season's Hell's Kitchen. Elated about her win and eager to get started at Gordon Ramsay's Los Angeles restaurant, Christina was bubbly and confident. She's kept in touch with Vanessa, but isn't friendly with runner-up Petrozza. To see what she had to say and find out what her real job title at the London will be, read more.

PartySugar: How did it feel to be the winner?
Christina: It feels really good. I've known for a long time now. When I won it was so strange, at that moment I couldn't think anything. I have no idea what Chef Ramsay said to me. I can't remember anything except thinking, don't fall down the steps.

PartySugar: Why did you win?
Christina: The thing about the competition is that at some point you see the worst and best of everyone. Gordon said I won because of my potential, but I think I won because of a combination of things. My ability to deal with stress, my quick wit, and my potential are all reasons why I won.

PartySugar: What was it like when you went back to culinary school, but couldn't tell anyone about the win and your experience?
Christina: That was horrible. Being on the show I was constantly challenged. To go back to culinary school was really hard. It wasn't exciting and I didn't feel challenged. The hardest thing about the show was not being able to rely on the formulas, recipes, and time frames they spend so much time teaching at culinary school. On the show you had to constantly create things off the top of your head. It only became easier when I realized I could do this without a recipe.
PartySugar: Have you started working at the London yet?
Christina: I haven't started there yet, I hope I do soon. Right now I am doing things like this, appearances in public. After graduating from culinary school I was working in a restaurant, but I quit my job on Tuesday. I'm getting everything in order to move. I haven't had a detailed meeting with the staff to know exactly what I will be doing at the London, but I do know my title is "Senior Chef."

PartySugar: What is it like to be a female in the kitchen?
Christina: I think a lot of the things you hear about being a female in the kitchen are not true. I don't think of it like it's hard and "boo-hoo, I'm a female in the kitchen I'm treated differently," females are treated differently in a lot of ways. Being a female in the kitchen gives me strength. Women are amazing multitaskers and it's beautiful to see a woman in that role.

PartySugar: On a previous episode of HK Ramsay said, "Nice girls don't make great chefs." Do you consider yourself a nice girl?
Christina: I don't think so. I come across sweet, I'm from the Midwest, but I'm mean as sh*t. Maybe I'm nicer than Ramsay is when he's in the kitchen, but I don't consider myself nice or mean. I consider myself fair.

Photos courtesy of Fox.