Hell’s Kitchen Coverage: C’mon Clemenza

Scarf down those chicken wings and slide down that giant water park slide because it’s time for a wet and wild episode of Hell’s Kitchen.

In this episode Ramsey decided to challenge the chefs to a chicken wing eating competition. Barbie, Tiffany, Brian and Justin were chosen to go against him.

However, Ramsey reveals to them that he wasn’t really challenging them to a wing eating contest. Instead, Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest Campion Joey Chestnut took them on. Whoever could eat 60 wings won $500. Tiffany and Barbie teamed up and Brian and Justin teamed up. Anyone who put money on Chestnut was smart because he demolished these four and was $500 richer.

After that humiliation Ramsey told the chefs the real challenge was a blind taste test. Barbie complained that her lips were numb and burning at the same time. Kimmie decided to sit out because she smoked a cigarette that morning. Dana said that everyone there smoked a cigarette that morning.

If there’s one thing this taste test has proven time and again is that if you’re a chef quit smoking because smoking kills your taste buds. One good example is Christina mistaking turkey for tofu.

It was 4-3 Red when it came down to Dana and Justin. Justin’s perfect performance, a first in Hell’s Kitchen, landed a win for the Blue. Their reward was a day at a Raging Waters waterpark. While there we get to see Clemenza do a handstand in the water. For a big guy, he sure is acrobatic. Really high water slides also freak him out as Brian tried to get everyone to slide off the really tall slide. He went at it alone.

Meanwhile, the Red team had to do the most hated punishment in Hell’s Kitchen: delivery day. Large bags of ice were the first tings to arrive and Tiffany already said she needed a personal assistant and dropped an entire bag.

Of course, there has to be arguing. Barbie and Kimmie give us that. The argument is due to the fact that Barbie is on the truck putting all the bags in the back to the front to make it easier to unload. Kimmie call her a “lazy bitch” and a whole argument ensures.

That night everyone though they were going to have a relaxing night until they heard a truck horn. Another delivery for the Red. This time it was just a small package addressed to the chefs with “open immediately” on it. It was an iPad with a video of Ramsey telling the chefs that the next night’s dinner service would be Red Menu vs. Blue Menu. They must now make three appetizers, three entrees and three desserts.

The menu brainstorming for each team couldn’t be any different. The Red was working in complete harmony with each other (leaving out Kimmie’s ideas because they felt her ideas were not “fine dining”). The Blue on the hand was all Brain and Justin. All of Robyn’s and Clemenza’s ideas were shot down by Justin.

The chefs prepped for dinner service and the Red complained about Barbie taking 2½ hours to clean mussels and Clemenza having to clean his jacket because he did not want Ramsey complaining about him being dirty again.

The episode ended with Ramsey tasting each team’s dishes. Ramsey hated everything the Red made except Kimmie’s marinated ribeye and it’s the same story with the Blue. The cliffhanger here is Clemenza forgetting to take out a bone in the quail dish and it seems like he may be going home.

Not one of the best episodes this season, especially seeing how there are way too many two part episodes. The drama seems forced and chefs who should be doing well (Clemenza) are making stupid mistakes. It won’t be a surprise if people stop watching now and just watch the finale to see who wins.