10 Thoughts on Hell's Kitchen — Episode 6-12

Reviews

1) Upstairs, Shouty Tennille shouts that she beat thirteen people to be in the top four. Scheming Kevin lets us know he knows everyone’s weakness, and no one can beat him. Stoner Dave gets up early and talks to himself in the mirror. The next day, the chefs are greeted by a tiny Chef Ramsay-looking kid. He talks about last night’s service like he was there, and berates the team. Then the man himself comes out and admits to having a bit of fun with them. Fun?

2) Again we’re told that vegetarians suck, but must be catered to if you plan on running a successful eating establishment. Today’s reward challenge is to make a stunning vegetarian dish. Stoner Dave calls it a “true challenge.” The chefs have to make eighty portions. Scheming Kevin’s doing a mushroom crepe with beet carpaccio. Shouty Tennille has a mushroom-stuffed eggplant with mushroom sauce. Ariel’s making a vegetarian lasagna. Stoner Dave’s doing a polenta tower with goat cheese. Stoner Dave seems to be struggling, but refuses help; he’s working through pain.

3) None of the chefs have eighty plates done by the time an hour has passed, but that doesn’t matter because the guests are here! And since we haven’t seen any yet this season, they must be children! That don’t like vegetables! Oh, the twists just keep on coming. After tasting all of the dishes, the kids will rate the best one. The producers make them all shout “we want food!” to manufacture some drama in the kitchen. The chefs throw plating to the wind and just toss the food on the plates. Stoner Dave starts calling his a “sandwich” and pals around with the kids to curry some favor. Ariel feels she lucked out with the lasagna. Scheming Kevin’s got an all-vegetable dish, and he’s having trouble selling it. We’ve got various shots of kids yakking up food and generally disliking everything. To pay off the kids for doing this, Chef Ramsay hands out goodie bags of candy.

4) Results:
With 40% votes for Least Favorite: Scheming Kevin.
The top two dishes are Stoner Dave and Shouty Tennille. And with 55% of the votes your winner is Shouty Tennille! Let the shouting interviews commence. The losers’ punishment is to clean up the dining room, naturally. Shouty Tennille gets a glamor day in Beverly Hills, so that she looks presentable when she accompanies Chef Ramsay to Nobu for lunch. Back in the dorms, the rest of the chefs whine that they didn’t win because they made “adult” food, while the juvenile food Shouty Tennille made was suited to the children. Shouty Tennille gets all Whoopie’d up, and heads over to Nobu. She yells how awesome it is to have an internationally recognized chef make her and Chef Ramsay lunch. Then she gets a set of Henckel sushi knives. She shout-erviews thank-yous to the little kids, and we’re back to Hell’s Kitchen. Shouty Tennille changes into the black jacket, and it’s about time for the…

5) Dinner service challenge: Chef Ramsay gives a quick pep talk and praises the final four, and says they can do better. Put some passion on the plate! With that, here come the tickets. So far everyone is communicating, with Scheming Kevin leading the way on appetizers. So far, so good, but this is Hell’s Kitchen, and Shouty Tennille screws up an order of scallops. Chef Ramsay correctly tells her that if she can’t cook scallops she shouldn’t be here.

6) All the appetizers are out in a half hour (wow, really?), and it’s up to Stoner Dave on the meat station to keep it going. He goes to pick up the lamb to put it in the oven, and sinks to the ground in visible pain. Chef Ramsay doesn’t see it and keeps calling for the lamb to the pass. Stoner Dave heads to the back before he passes out on the floor, and Chef Ramsay follows and tells the medic to look at him and make sure he’s OK (with what, the backstage MRI?). Stoner Dave tells us he can work through the pain (again).

7) Shouty Tennille messes up the sea bass, getting burned bits all through the sauce. The fish station is a mess, and the line comes to a halt. Again fish comes up wrong, this time it’s halibut. Stoner Dave interviews that Shouty Tennille shouldn’t be here. Everyone is asking her how long she needs, and she doesn’t do herself any favors by calling two minutes, then six minutes when Chef Ramsay asks her again. He’s not taking any of that crap, and to the cooler they go to have a talk. Chef Ramsay tells her to get it together, and he seems to genuinely want her to pull through. Back to the kitchen they go, and Shouty Tennille is trying to bounce back. This time, the halibut is cooked perfectly. With that, we hit the last table and we’re done. Shouty Tennille is disappointed in her service, and Stoner Dave thinks he could go home due to his injury.

8) Chef Ramsay is very concerned about Stoner Dave, due to the pain he’s working through. Stoner Dave pleads his case, asking not to be taken out due to his wrist, but only due to his ability. Chef Ramsay relents, but lets Stoner Dave know he’s keeping an eye on him.

9) Next, Chef Ramsay turns his attention to Shouty Tennille, saying that she had the worst service of the group tonight. He doesn’t want any nominations; to save her being called out and belittled by the team, he calls for her jacket then and there, asking her to leave hell’s kitchen. He’s very proud of her, and praises her. Through tears, she says goodbye to the team. So what are we going to do for the next twelve minutes? Her goodbye montage can’t take that long.

10) Upstairs, the final three share a beer. And then the phone rings. It’s Chef Ramsay, and he calls the chefs downstairs. Again, he talks about Stoner Dave and the possibility that his injury may just be worse than he thinks. Chef Ramsay says he’s still not sure he made the right decision. But after a suspenseful music sting, he claims he knows he did. To reward the chefs, it’s family time! Stoner Dave’s fiance! Ariel’s fiance! Scheming Kevin’s wife! YOU get a family member! And YOU get a family member! Awwwww. Everyone hangs out and enjoys the company. Chef Ramsay tells everyone to say goodnight, and we’re done.

Next time: People run the pass! Someone falls apart! Someone ignores the rules of the kitchen! Wait, what are they? The finale, finally!