Hell’s Kitchen: Rookies VS Veterans Episode 2 Recap: Hanging By a Thread

These rookies are banking on the veterans’ giant egos to bring the rookies to victory in an all-new episode of “Hell’s Kitchen: Rookies VS Veterans.”

This episode started where the last one left off: Ramsay announcing who died. Turned out, “Hell’s Kitchen” retired its infamous lobster risotto. First, lame. Second, it was up to these chefs to come up with a new risotto dish that would be a permanent staple of “Hell’s Kitchen’s” menu. Now there’s something to put on your resume. Also, that chef will get something new for this season: a “Punishment Pass,” meaning if they don’t want to do a punishment they can use it to go with the winning team. There’s raising the stakes.

There was one twist in the tasting: each sous chef chose four dishes that Ramsay would taste. They were Chris, T, Gizzy, Roe, Mia, Ariel, Scott and Bret.

Gizzy came out strong with her vegetarian risotto, which was then beaten by Mia’s sweet pea and basil risotto. Mia seemed like a winner until Bret’s shrimp and asparagus risotto won the challenge.

Latter, sous chef Christina called out the chefs to the kitchen to go over the menu. The Blue (Veterans) were there promptly, but the Red (Rookies) lagged behind by a lot. These rookies should know that “Hell’s Kitchen” is like a boot camp and tardiness will not be accepted.

Trev also got chewed out by Sous Chef Jocky for marking the Wellingtons and then putting the egg wash on instead of the other way around. He’s exactly like he was the first time around and will be eliminated.

This season’s first dinner service was like any other season’s: lots of mistakes.

In the Blue T started things by not putting enough broth in Bret’s risotto. Trev sent up rubbery risotto that was still in the pan instead of in a plate. At entrees, Bret sliced a lamb he was supposed to slice (Ramsay does that.) He did realize he messed up and was strong the rest of the night. Jen overcooked a pork with everyone telling her it was burnt. Besides that, they finished dinner service.

In the Red Scott was a mess. He started off by cooking one order of shrimp for two risottos, fixed it by making two more orders and then made shrimp for the TABLE SIDE pasta. Ramsay had to explain to him what table side meant. What an embarrassment. At entrees, Jose sent up raw halibut, Chris was busy writing everything down because he can’t remember the orders (Ramsay broke Chris’s pencil) and he couldn’t remember one order. Ramsay forced everyone in the kitchen to repeat the order multiple times like a song (“two halibut, two pork, one lamb, one beef.”) An overcooked lamb was enough for Ramsay to throw the entire Red Team out.

The Red nominated Scott and Chris with Ramsay wanting to also speak with Jose. Chris got eliminated.

That was a comedy of errors leads by Scott. That was an absolute joke of a performance by him this episode. The rookies making mistakes is understandable, these vets should be making zero mistakes. Instead, they are proving why they got eliminated in the first place. This episode went by too quickly and the next episodes should be a lot better if this season doesn’t want to be a bust.