Hell’s Kitchen Coverage: Two Out of Ten Ain’t Bad

The chefs can feel the black jackets on them, but Ramsay has the last word on that in an all new episode of “Hell’s Kitchen.”

The day’s challenge was special because it was the final team challenge. Meaning this was the last time the Blue had a chance to win a challenge. They were 1-10 overall.

Ramsay introduced the chefs to two of his friends: Chef Owen and Chef Jon. Ramsay told the chefs that every chef must juggle lots of things and work in sync with other chefs. Owen and Jon demonstrated this by juggling knives and flaming torches with Ramsay in the middle. Turned out they were not chefs but professional jugglers.

The final team challenge was a “Hell’s Kitchen” staple: The three entrée relay. Here each team had thirty minutes to cook three entrees (roasted chicken, rack of lamb and halibut.) The catch was that only one chef from each team was allowed to be in the kitchen at a time, and they had five minutes to cook. After the five minutes another chef comes in and the first chef had to relay what they did in those five minutes. The team with the most precise dishes wins.

At the end of the first five minutes, Cyndi got the chicken and lamb going while Zach didn’t even start on anything. The nest five had Susan and Ja’Nel putting pans on fire and Ramsay putting them out. He got splashed in the face but didn’t get hurt. In the next five Jon found the oven cold when it should’ve been on for the lamb and he dropped the chicken.

In the final five minutes, Mary and Jon had to complete everything everyone forgot. Jon even said he needs seven minutes instead of five. Sadly, Mary only got two entrees done and didn’t plate the third and the Blue’s lamb was raw.

At tasting, the Red’s lamb looked messy and the kale was raw. With the Blue’s raw lamb no points were given. The Red’s chicken, the dish that was not plated, was a disaster to say the least. The Blue’s chicken passed with flying colors. The Blue won with a nicely cooked halibut and the Red’s halibut was a burnt mess.

Even with this win, this season’s Blue Team is by far the worst Blue Team in “Hell’s Kitchen” history. 2-10 is nothing to smile about.

The Blue’s reward (gee, that’s rare) was a tour of LA via helicopter and eating $20,000 worth of caviar at Gillette Ranch.

The Red’s rare punishment was prepping a truckload of potatoes that went to the LA Mission and prep both kitchens. A bunch of potatoes poured out of the truck when the Red opened it. All the heavy lifting caused Cyndi to breathe way too heavy. She said her chest tightened and she needed an oxygen mask. She was OK despite feeling like “Gumby.”

This dinner service was the last time this season two teams competed and it was all Zach and Cyndi.

In the Blue, Zach burned at least four lambs while they were in the pan. Zach would later stop talking to anyone and then overcook a lamb even when he said “I got this.” He’s really gone downhill.

In the Red, Cyndi started cooking fish before appetizers were over. She would then overcook a lobster tail. Ramsay showed how raw it was by throwing it against the wall and it bounced. Now that’s something. The next lobster was raw even though Mary helped out. Ramsay had to bring all three women into the back room for a talk.

At the end of service, Ramsay announced that he was only giving out four black jackets. That meant that both teams needed to nominate someone. The Blue nominated Zach and the Red nominated Cyndi. Ramsay asked all three members of the Red and they all chose different people. He had to ask Ja’Nel and she said Susan. So Susan and Zach went up. Ramsay chose Zach and told the chefs he’ll give out the black jackets the next day.

Zach was a major letdown. He started off strong, but fell off the rails near the end. Cyndi and Mary fell off, too. It’s looking more like Jon will win this year. The next final episodes should be interesting.