Hell’s Kitchen Coverage: Five Left

The final five chefs compete in another vein popping episode of “Hell’s Kitchen.”

In the morning Ramsey decided to cook the chefs a little comfort food. Specifically, chicken parmigiana. Clemenza was particularly excited for this one and said that his could “blow that one out the water.”

Of course, this was a setup for the day’s challenge. The challenge was for the chefs to teach someone to make Ramsey’s dish. Dana was excited for this with her being a chef instructor and all. The people they taught were Teen USA winners, fully clad in nice dresses, high heels and makeup. It went smoothly despite Barbie and her student, Hilary, running a little behind.

At tasting you’d think Clemenza would’ve been the better teacher and had the better dish. Ramsey didn’t approve of his chunky sauce and it came down to Dana and Barbie with a retasting. Barbie won the challenge. She was asked who she wanted to take with her and chose Justin.

Their reward was Italian inspired. First a ride in Ramsey’s brand new Maserati convertible, then lunch and Ado Ristorante cooked by Chef Antonio Mure. The day was topped off with kayaking in the Venice canals. Hearing Barbie purring like a kitten duty lunch was a little creepy.

As for the rest of the chefs, they had to prepare for Italian night by making pasta. Clemenza was the only one who knew what he was doing and Clemenza was getting cranky. Speaking of pasta, Dana and Barbie made pasta for the chefs’ dinner that night. It didn’t go over well with the chefs who spent the entire day around pasta. Talk about rubbing it into somebody’s face.

At dinner service Clemenza decides to pound the chicken cutlets into really big pieces. That got him in trouble with Chef Scott. That’s not all he got into trouble with as the rest of the night went on. When Ramsey called the appetizers for the first table he asked Clemenza what they were. Clemenza said, “I didn’t hear it.” Later on he didn’t hear another order because he was talking over Ramsey. At this point Clemenza should know better and start paying attention.

Ramsey just told Clemenza to call the ticket himself. The silence that followed Clemenza’s call summed up everyone’s reaction to Clemenza’s attitude tonight.

Clemenza wasn’t the only one who had trouble. Barbie couldn’t cook a proper risotto even this late into the competition. When Clemenza helped her she was yelling at him to take it up even when he was saying it was watery. He took it up and Ramsey called it an “insult to Italy.” She finally got it right after Ramsey gave her a good talking.

In other bad news, Dana burned two beef filets, Christina burns her garnish and Ramsey made a bet with Clemenza Barbie that they don’t get the last table right. Ramsey wins when Barbie makes too much cappellini.

At elimination the chefs nominated Clemenza and Barbie. Clemenza gets sent home.

Clemenza had a nice run, but he made way too many mistakes and his failure to pay attention caused his elimination tonight. Barbie’s risotto disaster almost made her get eliminated again. She has potential; it’s just that she tends to make these small rookie mistakes that she should know better to not make. It might be Christina and Justin at this, but knowing this show anything can happen.