I don’t know about you, but I get the feeling watching this season of Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen” that Gordon Ramsay would prefer to scrap this batch of contestants and start over again. Last night’s dinner service surely was evidence that this is how he’s feeling. But maybe it’s just Ramsay being Ramsay–that he’s as hard on even his best employees. Anyway, here is how it went down…

At the start, Dave was pissed off at Tennille for throwing Van under the bus last week, leading to Van’s elimination. Dave wasn’t pissed that she chose Van, he was pissed that she chose Van after saying she wouldn’t.

On to the initial challenge, in which Ramsay whisked in the editorial staff of Bon Appetit Magazine. The five remaining chefs would have to create a dish in 45 minutes that is as visually appealing as it is in taste. Suzanne made a calamari salad, Kevin a Caribbean sea bass, Tennille red snapper with Asian flavors, Ariel prosciutto wrapped john dori and Dave some sort of rack of lamb with red and yellow peppers. Dave couldn’t spit the words out of his mouth as to what his dish was, something that’s bound to be a problem for an aspiring head chef.
The two favorites were Kevin and Ariel, and from there Ramsay and editor-in-chief Barbara Fairchild had to choose their #1. They loved them both and declared it a tie. So Kevin and Ariel had the reward of a photo shoot for the magazine in Santa Monica, with their recipes to be featured in the mag.

Meanwhile, the losing three had to pick up garbage on a main road that Hell’s Kitchen was sponsoring, in orange jump suits and all!

Kevin, who hasn’t been in much danger of elimination at all, was starting to get cocky. When Dave’s wrist swelled up again, he tried to talk Dave into quitting the competition, and Dave knew what Kevin’s motive was. But Kevin was becoming cocky in the kitchen to everyone else as well.

Meanwhile, Tennille kept serving overcooked risotto and when Ramsay and everyone else realized it was because Kevin overcooked the rice in the first place, you couldn’t help but think sabotage was Kevin’s motive. But Tennille should have noticed something was wrong and she blamed herself. Suzanne over-cooked scallops and other fish, and Ariel undercooked chicken, about as big a no-no as there is in food service. Ariel also tried to send out ragged lamb chops.

As half of the diners were not being fed, Ramsay was becoming more and more irate. He told them he was disappointed that this was the final five and they were making rookie mistakes. He had even gotten in Kevin’s face for the first time about the rice. He asked them for a consensus two contestants for elimination. They went back to the dorms and decided Ariel would be the first nominee. The second was Suzanne, though she did not agree with that decision. Ramsay asked them to step forward and state their case, and he sent Suzanne packing, since she had been on the verge of being sent home several times lately.

He did, however, offer this parting shot: “I should send you both home.” Yikes. Regardless, we’re down to the final four–Dave, Kevin, Tennille and Ariel. It’s hard to believe Tennille has hung around this long, and Ariel has been on the chopping block a few times now. Kevin and Dave, both gimpy since like 10 episodes ago, have hung in there.

It’s hard to imagine that Kevin won’t take home the title, but you just never know what’s going on inside Ramsay’s mind. What do you all think? Let me know in the space below and we’ll see you next week…

Last night’s “Hell’s Kitchen” episode on FOX was gruesome, but also telling in how things might shake out in the coming weeks. The theme was French food, which is a cuisine that inspires many chefs to become chefs in the first place. The initial challenge? To make crepes, something that can’t be as easy as it looks, and that was proven when most of these chefs had trouble with them. Anyway, they had to create four dishes each–breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert–and with 8 remaining contestants, they would each be responsible for one.

Gordon Ramsay and Jean Phillippe would be the judges, and Van squared off against Ariel first, with Van’s bacon, egg and cheese crepe having a nice filling but failing on the crepe. Ariel’s smoked salmon crepe won–red team up 1-0. Then Andy’s ham & cheese crepe beat out Tennille’s spicy shrimp and black bean crepe, which was too spicy. 1-1. Kevin and Suzanne both presented nice dinner crepes, so they both received points. 2-2. But when Ramsay called Dave’s dessert crepe “diahrrea on a plate,” it was easy for Sabrina’s poached pear/chocolate/cinnamon crepe to earn the ladies the victory.

So the red team was whisked off to mime lessons and a French lunch, which, admittedly, is a prize that would make me want to poke my own eyes out. Meanwhile, the guys had to prep the kitchen, and eat some very disgusting items like cow’s tongue and head cheese. Ewwwwwww.

Then at dinner service, we had another accident, when Andy almost entirely sliced off the tips of three fingers on a mandoline. They didn’t even give us a chance to look away…..and I am shuddering as I write this. But Andy got stitched up and returned, though he was having trouble keeping up the pace.

Meanwhile, Sabrina made a bland risotto and Suzanne was confused about how to keep time. Suzanne then really messed up by over-cooking lamb chops. Ramsay was keeping an eye on Dave, who with one hand was running rings around everyone else in the kitchen. Then after Ramsay had seen enough of Andy, he threw him out of the kitchen. He wasn’t done. He then kicked out both Suzanne and Sabrina, leaving Ariel and Tennille; and Dave, Kevin and Van.

They finished the service, but Ramsay was clearly pissed. He asked the teams to come up with two consensus nominees for elimination, and while Suzanne was obvious, they struggled on who to choose between Andy and Sabrina. Andy was the choice, making Sabrina breathe easy for the moment.

After hearing them state their cases, Ramsay kicked out Andy along with his patched-up fingertips. But he wasn’t done. He asked Sabrina to step forward. Would this be a double or triple elimination? No chance. He told Suzanne to go to the blue team and Sabrina to get back in line. So we have some drama unfolding….Suzanne and Sabrina are now on opposite teams, and the guys now have to deal with Suzanne’s selfish antics. Meanwhile, Tennille has managed to survive after being on the chopping block the first few episodes. It’s amazing, really, that she’s managed to do this.

So we’re down to 7–Tennille, Ariel, Suzanne, Sabrina, Van, Dave and Kevin. I think Ariel, Dave and Kevin are the only ones not to face elimination, and they appear to still be the favorites. What do you think? We’re getting down to the wire, with maybe six weeks remaining in the season. See you next week…

Last week on FOX’s “Hell’s Kitchen,” Gordon Ramsay eliminated Robert, his 500 pound pet project who did not get a fair shake due to health reasons the previous season. This week he let someone go who he didn’t see enough leadership qualities in. But more on that later (unless you are lazy and want to scroll down!). Anyway, the guys were making comments at the start of the episode about “Biggins” being gone.

Then Ramsay subjected the teams to his palate test, in which they are blindfolded and wear headphones that block out any conversation. One person from each team would square off against each other–Ariel vs. Van, then Suzanne vs. Dave, Sabrina vs. Kevin and finally Amanda vs. Andy. Andy was spouting off about what a great palate he has, and so was Suzanne, but these chefs always suck at this challenge, especially when they start talking trash. The best, and most shocking really, was when Kevin thought clams were spinach….say what??? Andy also called avocado “boiled coconut.” Ha! Anyway, the ladies won, and their reward was to have lunch at Opaque, a restaurant completely in the dark. Suzanne was trying to suck up to Ramsay, and it was becoming clearer that her teammates had zero respect for her.

The guys, meanwhile, had to make sorbet from scratch for that evening’s dinner service, and prep the kitchen as well. They also were served their lunch, including a duck entree, but sous chef Scott served it to them after whirring it in a blender. Yuck!!!

At dinner service, there were multiple problems as usual. Amanda couldn’t cook pasta properly, Van had to take over Kevin’s risotto station but didn’t know how to season it properly. Sabrina gave in to Suzanne’s timing issues and undercooked some lamb, making Ramsay kick her out of the kitchen to eat her mistake. Tennille took her place and served perfectly cooked lamb. Then the guys ran out of mashed potatoes thanks to Andy, but at least he told Ramsay about it…Dave then made more from scratch, earning Ramsay’s kudos. Finally with the red team having timing issues, Suzanne tried to throw Amanda under the bus after Amanda helped her finish cooking some fish. Ultimately, both teams finished the service, but not without difficulty.

Ramsay declared the blue team the winners, and commended Dave again, who still is performing with a cast on one arm. Tennille, who has made an incredible comeback lately, was the best of the worst and was asked to nominate two teammates for elimination. She knew Suzanne was obvious, but wasn’t sure if Sabrina or Amanda should be the second choice. She went with Sabrina, but Ramsay also wanted Amanda to step forward.

Then, after asking the three of them to state their case, and hearing Suzanne and Tennille argue like Robert and Andy did last week, Ramsay told Suzanne to get back in line. Of course he did….why would he want to mess with the drama factor? Then he sent Amanda packing, saying that she just didn’t demonstrate enough leadership qualities to run one of his restaurants.

The preview for next week shows Andy cutting off part of a finger (ewwww) and fireworks from Ramsay that may be his most explosive outburst yet. At least that is what FOX wants us to believe, right?

See you all next week!

Last night’s “Hell’s Kitchen” episode on FOX began with the guys all getting along and telling each other they felt like a new team without Robert, who had spent the night in a hospital with chest pains. Then Gordon Ramsay had the two teams roll dice at a makeshift craps table, and each one had a letter that represented part of a meal they would cook. For instance, the ladies started with an “R” and Suzanne chose rabbit…can I say something here? EWWWWWWWW. That’s one step below cooking a dog or cat for dinner, isn’t it? Anyway, each team member had the chance to roll and select an ingredient. The red team wound up with rabbit, haricot verts (a fancy French term for thin green beans), potatoes, garlic and ham hocks. Ramsay praised them for having the basis for a nice, rustic dinner.

The blue team, meanwhile, started with haddock, and then Dave, who rolled an “F,” chose figs. The guys were giving Dave a hard time and hoping he would say fennel, but he didn’t. Van chose angel hair pasta for “A,” and they also had apples and tomatoes. Then each team had to cook their meal for Ramsay, and the guys were all surprised at how good their fig/tomato sauce tasted. Ramsay loved the rabbit dish (again, ewwww) but he loved the haddock dish with the figs even more, and the blue team won the challenge. Part of the reason they won was that the garlic in the rabbit dish was too overpowering, something Tennille had warned Ariel about.
The guys’ prize was a trip to Vegas, while the ladies had to unload delivery trucks all day, and even at 1am after they had gone to sleep. Yikes.

At dinner service, Robert arrived back to Hell’s Kitchen but the guys gave him a less-than-warm reception. Robert sensed it but he didn’t care…he wanted to win this thing. At dinner, Ramsay told them there would be “chefs’ tables” in each side of the kitchen, where four of Ramsay’s executive chefs from various restaurants would sit, two at each table.

Dave waited on the blue table, and put an order of risotto in without asking the chefs what they wanted. The good thing is, they loved his risotto. Meanwhile, the ladies were ignoring the chefs at their table and Ramsay gave them hell for it. Ariel finally did but they were less than impressed with her scallops.

Then it was a comedy of errors all night, especially on the blue team. Van served fish twice that had plastic wrap still attached to it. Wow. Sabrina poked fun at Suzanne, saying Suzanne was barking orders at everyone to look “fake busy,” and that Ramsay would pick up on that soon enough. The blue team forgot about the chefs’ table after a while, and then Robert tried to serve lamb chops that were thinner than the bone, not thicker as Ramsay prefers (as would anyone eating them). Kevin sent out raw fish and then got kind of cocky with Ramsay by not jumping to attention when he tried to gather the whole team. The red team finished getting their orders out, the blue team did not, so there was a clear winner. But even more, the comment cards from the chefs’ tables were as follows:

Red: “Happy to return”
Blue: “Thanks, but no thanks”

So as best of the worst, Dave had to nominate two teammates for elimination, and after some banter between the guys, including Robert and Andy shouting at each other, they were called back in. Dave chose Van and Robert, based on last night’s service. But Ramsay called Andy up front too, based on his entire body of work so far. He then asked Van why he should stay, and Van said something like, “You’ve been in this business 20 years, chef, I know you can spot talent.” To which Ramsay replied, “Back in line!” It was then between Robert and Andy, who started arguing again about who should stay right in front of Ramsay.

Ramsay said, “Andy…….back in line!” And he then booted Robert off…saying that at this stage, and in his second season on the show, Robert should know better than to serve lamb chops that were too small. Robert said he appreciated the chance again, but really…it was time…and that dude really needs to get himself healthy before he can focus on the rest of his career.

So there you have it…we’re really getting down to it here…remaining chefs are Ariel, Tennille (she has managed to hang around), Suzanne, Amanda, Sabrina, Andy, Kevin, Dave and Van. I am seeing some weaknesses in Ariel so I’m still saying Kevin or Dave have the best shot to win, with Sabrina being a possibility too, but a more remote one.

Who do you like? Let me know your thoughts on the episode……

With drama flying around like crazy last night on “Hell’s Kitchen” on FOX, it would be fitting that Gordon Ramsay threw a curve at the end of the episode and eliminated someone we may not have expected.

The show began with a recap of last week when Ramsay eliminated Tek, but not before giving Amanda an earful about why she looks like she’s done. So then he pulled her aside and told her that she needs to get her head back in the game, saying “I’m counting on you.” Well, I’m not so sure any of us are counting on her to go much further, but he wouldn’t pull Amanda aside if he didn’t see something in her.

Meanwhile, the guys were bonding after another victory and the ladies were griping, starting with Tennille, who was pissed that she was up on the chopping block again. After that, it was time for the initial challenge, in which each team was asked to create a 3-course meal that came in at under 700 calories. Sabrina had some experience working in a spa so she took the lead, while the guys were kind of tripping over each other trying to figure out the best way to cut calories. Robert, to nobody’s surprise, said that he likes to cook with lots of “oil, butter and fat.” Yeah, well duh…just look at the guy.

The guys ultimately came in at 597 calories while the ladies came in at 694. They presented their dishes one at a time to Ramsay, and he called the first round a draw between Tennille’s seared scallops with mango chutney and Kevin’s grilled seafood salad. Ariel put up the main course for the ladies, a cottage cheese and mushroom stuffed pork chop, and it blew the guys’ dish out of the water…a dried piece of pork with broccoli and soba noodles that Ramsay called a “small portion” and “boring.” Ladies up 2-1. Amanda presented the dessert for the ladies and Dave for the guys, and Amanda’s fruit bowl with lemon ricotta cream crushed Dave’s egg white pancake with fruit compote that Ramsay said “tasted foul.” The ladies won big and got to spend the day at the beach while the guys had to go to the market and prep for dinner later on that night. But the twist was that sous chef Scott led the guys to the market–him on a motor bike and them on some weird circus bike in which they sat in a circle and pedaled at the same time…..something that required a ton of physical exertion, not good for large men. You see where we’re going with this? Yep, Robert turned white and was short of breath and dizzy and nauseous afterward and had to be rushed to the hospital. Could he be sick and have to leave the show again? We’ll see, but he was going to miss the dinner service, evening each team at 5.

At the dinner service, everyone was screwing up and it was just not going smooth. Even Ariel, who seems to be one of the strongest ladies, undercooked scallops and got chewed out by Ramsay. Jim could not cook the risotto properly, and eventually chef Scott had to take over his station. Andy could not understand Ramsay’s orders and blamed his British accent. Nice. Then Ramsay got all over Tennille, calling her a “lazy cow” among other things. Then after laying into her over and over, finally saying “you’re crap,” Tennille had enough and shot back, “No, you’re crap!” Uh-oh. Ramsay told her to “Get out!” and then pulled her aside and they shouted at each other for a bit…finally he asked her if she wanted to stay and she said yes…..it was almost like Ramsay gained more respect for her at that moment.

Then an order of chicken went missing, Andy served raw fish, and Sabrina could not carve chicken properly, and then really messed up by serving pork that was raw in the center. Yikes!
Ramsay declared that both teams lost, and that he wanted each team to come to a consensus and nominate one chef for elimination. The guys were talking about Andy, but Kevin thought Jim should be up there. Then they ultimately picked Robert because he wasn’t there.
Nice going fellas. The ladies chose Sabrina, but some of them wanted Tennille based on her lack of respect. Ultimately they stuck with Sabrina.

After Sabrina stepped forward, Ramsay asked Van who the blue nomination was, and he said “Robert, chef.” Ramsay said that he understood why they chose him, but that it wasn’t fair to Robert because he was sick and not there…and that if he missed one more service he’d be out, but that Ramsay had the right to make that call. So Van then told Ramsay that the choice was Andy. Andy stepped forward, and then after having Sabrina and Andy state their cases, Ramsay said that he was going to choose someone who consistently lacked passion…and that person was…Jim. Maybe Kevin knows what he’s talking about, huh?

Anyway, now we are down to 10 chefs…..Ariel, Sabrina, Amanda, Suzanne and Tennille on the red team….and Robert, Kevin, Andy, Dave and Van on blue. I still think Ariel has the best shot on the red side and I’m going with Kevin on the blue team. That’s it……next week promises more drama, just like always…I mean, it’s Hell’s Freaking Kitchen, isn’t it?