(S04E11) "I've never cooked spaghetti in my life, but I've heard about it." - sexy cooking school student
I'm not sure if Gordon Ramsay and FOX planned it this way, but I think they invented a new reality show tonight: The Real Housewives of Hell's Kitchen. One of the challenges has a bunch of scantily-clad women teamed up with one of the contestants to make a meal within 45 minutes. The kitchen was all about boobs and boiling lobsters.
And I think that last sentence will give you a clue as to who went home tonight.
As Corey and Christina bond and Jen says she has better cooking skills than anyone else, the first challenge is the one mentioned above: teach a complete amateur how to cook spaghetti and lobster in 45 minutes. The cooks can't help them prepare, chop, cook, or plate the food, they can only give directions. Petrozza is completely distracted by jiggling breasts like a horny teen, and Jen tries to cheat by helping her student chop food more than once (though Chef Ramsay only tells her not to do and doesn't scream at her, which I would have done in this instance).
Everyone finishes their meal, and it comes down to Corey and Christina. Both are outstanding, but Ramsay decides that Christina's is the best. While the rest of the players have to clean fryers and ovens and floors, Christina gets to get lunch and cooking lessons from Mark Peel and Ben Ford. She then tries to push her knowledge on the other players as they prep for that night's service, and they're irritated by it. Though I think if they were being honest with themselves, they would do the same thing that she does.
Tonight's service in Hell's Kitchen will include one large party where they have to serve 12 appetizers, 12 entrees, and 12 desserts, which will be intense (especially with this group, which often has trouble serving food all at the same time). Oh, the 12 diners? A team of Hawaiian Tropic models! I'm sensing a theme tonight.
Though they did actually finish service tonight, it wasn't without problems. Some observations:
- Bobby screwed up tonight (overcooking some meat, undercooking other meat, celebrating too early), but doesn't it seem like Ramsay likes him a little more than the others? Even when he's giving him a dressing down, you sense it comes more out of love and respect and a "you can do better Bobby" more than a "f**k you, you screwed up you &^%$#!" It really stood out tonight.
- Ramsay's confrontation with Jen: I'm not a Jen fan at all, but was she in the wrong tonight? Yeah she's slow and mopey and full of herself at the same time, but was the bad timing of the food going out actually all her fault? It seemed like he wouldn't let her explain herself.
- Petrozza is always yelled at because of his messiness, but many of the cooks I've worked with had a certain messiness that we dealt with.
- I was waiting for Ramsay to explode against Jean-Phillipe when he found out that JP was pushing the meat because the fish wasn't coming out right (and then chicken after the meat was screwed up), but it never happened. But JP walking into the glass door was one of the highlights of the season. He needs his own spinoff.
The team actually completes service, but Ramsay thinks that they're still making too many mistakes, especially at this point in the game. Christina was by far the best tonight (maybe the lessons with Peele and Ford actually did help). She chooses Bobby and Jen to be up for elimination, and Ramsay agrees. Who goes home?
I really thought it was going to be Jen, because of her attitude, but it's Bobby! (My clue at the beginning was the words I used...boobs, boiling, and now Bobby). This is probably a bad decision, even if Bobby wasn't the best at challenges. He seemed like a competent cook and a good leader and at least tried. I don't really see Jen's cooking skills being so unbelievable that it negates her attitude.
Next week: the team cooks for celebrities!
Giveaway Monday: That '70s Show The Complete Series Stash box set
Giveaway Monday: Back to You season one DVD
Six shows that I am watching pretty regularly this season
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-11-2008 @ 12:15AM
Alicia said...
I was shocked that he sent Bobby home and not Jen.
Oooo! I can't wait for her to leave!
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6-11-2008 @ 1:36AM
ANBU_Ghost said...
I think its more clear now than ever that they are more interested in ratings, rather than finding the best chef this season. There is no other reason why they would have kept Matt on for so long, and why they sent Bobby home tonight instead of Jen. This season has so many gimmicks its almost sickening to continue watching...
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6-11-2008 @ 2:36AM
Robobagins said...
Hell, I think it's clear, that none of these chefs has what it takes. I bet Ramsey goes back to his office after each shoot and looks over the headshots of the chefs who didn't make the cut for the show and wonders how it might have been if any one of them was there instead of the current contestants.
Too bad he can't send them all home and start from scratch.
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6-11-2008 @ 4:45AM
BobbyBuz said...
Totally agree.
I'm anticipating that whoever wins won't last the entire year as GR's exec chef.
OR
Another possibility is that at the end, GR decides not to choose a winner from this class.
6-11-2008 @ 7:54AM
willy the impeached said...
That was the worst moment of this show thus far. I can see canning some people over others to garner ratings as you go. Add that shock factor. But this is the endgame and Bobby clearly deserved to be at least in the top 3. Theres no way Jen could work for Gordo. NONE. Just a dumb move.
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6-11-2008 @ 8:27AM
Danielle said...
If I remember correctly, reading on here, plus someplace else, that Gordon opened up his new restaurant last week and the winner of this season is just a sous chef.
I cannot believe Jen didnt go home. Grrr..I cannot stand her. I guess as of now Im hoping Christina or Pertrozza(?) wins.
I think the best part of the night is when JP smashed into the glass door. LMAO!
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6-11-2008 @ 8:28AM
doug said...
The blonde cougar Jen was paired with also appeared on an episode of Gene Simmons: Family Jewels as the "mother" of a 12 year old girl that Nick had to entertain at her roller rink birthday party. I guess there's a job for everybody.
Jen wasn't sent home because she's good TV over Bobby. Ya gotta have an antagonist. But it is a flaw in the show to keep her over Bobby as she could never ever lead any team.
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6-11-2008 @ 9:05AM
Sarah said...
plain and simple, Bobby is just not as good a cook as Jen. he has never really stood out in anything, whether good or bad. the only thing he stood out for was saying he was the four star general to GR. that being said, this is the worst season of this show. i almost could not stand to watch it. everyone is so mean and coniving. how can Corey and Christina be smiling, laughing, and cohorting with one another one night and then claim to hate each other the very next day? gross. all of them. i agree with the person above... i wouldnt be surprised or mad if he chooses no one from this season.
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6-11-2008 @ 9:48AM
deebopalula said...
If he chooses a winner from this season, then all the chefs who came in second, third, even fourth in previous seasons along with favorites Elsie (from Season 1) and Julia (from Season 3) should storm his new restaurant in protest and beat the winner down because any one of them was hands down better than everyone who has been on this season, including the four who remain and are poised to "win". I would leap from my comfy couch and shout hallelujah if I heard Gordon say "And the winner of Hell's Kitchen Season 4 is..... JULIA from Season 3! I sent her to culinary school and she just graduated! Julia will be my new Executive Chef!"
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6-11-2008 @ 11:18AM
dt3 said...
julia... how do i say this nicely... was nothing more than a waffle house short order cook who has a nice personality and some producers who wanted to make a heatwarming story
6-11-2008 @ 4:36PM
Sarah said...
the only difference between a cook and a chef is that a chef gets to wear that silly looking hat and a jacket. julia could outCOOK anyone on this season. she had serious talent.
6-11-2008 @ 9:56AM
Tom said...
Anbu --
From the first season this show has been about gimmicks and keeping the contestants who will drive ratings over talent. But as long as you watch it with that in mind, it's a fun show. If you want a show that at least *tries* to showcase the talent, watch Top Chef.
Oh and Corey once again reminded me why I actually dislike her nearly as much as I dislike Jen. Corey had no problems with Christine until she won the challenge. Soon as that happened, Corey was right back to trashing Christine.
For the umpteenth time...not one of these people deserves to win this season.
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6-11-2008 @ 1:49PM
ORKMommy said...
I totally agree with you. I watch the show for entertainment and because I love watching GR get all mean and nasty! I could care less who wins or goes home because I'll never eat in their restaurants anyway.
It's called entertainment for a reason!
6-11-2008 @ 11:15AM
dawn said...
You know I thought about this last night and the difference in this season is that they are not likable, Christina a little bit and Petrozza alittle but the rest you don't care at all about . It's the first season like this. I think it has to come down to a Christina Corey final only because Petrozza's too messy
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6-11-2008 @ 11:58AM
mj said...
How can you say Bobby was a leader? He did everything he could NOT to lead. He was always way under the radar. That said, I honestly don't think Jen is that great. She had the nerve to say Ramsey liked her ideas, when he HATED her menu. And she did cheat with the boob lady. Shame. Christina was so proud of what she learned, she wanted to share. Good for her. Oh, and wasn't that Jen sneaking over to 'clean'? Not to mention eating food from someone else's plate. ewwwww.
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6-11-2008 @ 1:55PM
ORKMommy said...
Isn't Rock supposed to be the Executive Chef at Terre Verdi in Green Valley Ranch? I just went to their website and there's a video of a Massimilliano Campanari who says he's the EC. What's up with that?
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6-11-2008 @ 2:21PM
GL said...
@Sarah: "how can Corey and Christina be smiling, laughing, and cohorting with one another one night and then claim to hate each other the very next day?"
That sounds like every day working in an office to me. Forced to spend all your time with people you would never choose to.
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6-17-2008 @ 4:42PM
kevjohn said...
Here's a late comment on this episode.
T'was not good. I'm a red-blooded single male, but the two seperate waves of ditzy silicone-enhanced bimbos was stupid and pointless even to me. I hope the show doesn't sink any lower than this. Aside from having the contestants wrestle around in a vat of wasted food as if they were on a lame Road Rules challenge show, I don't see how it could get much lower. I went from enjoying this as a guilty pleasure to just feeling guilty for having set aside my time to watch it.
At this point, I'm rooting for Jen or Petrozza. I don't really know if Petrozza can cook a lick or not, but he seems like a nice guy and is at least skilled enough to still be in the game at this late stage. Ramsay's main complaint against him, his sloppiness, is a bad habit that can be corrected. As can Jen's slowness and seeming lack of "fire" in her. And she's proven she can cook. She may be the best cook left in the kitchen at this point. The two blondes haven't really done anything to show they have what it takes to run a kitchen. The only competition either of them won was this one, showing a tv housewife how to cook a single dish. Wow.
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