Hell’s Kitchen Recap: Mardi Gras and More

It’s a good old time for the entire family in a new episode of “Hell’s Kitchen” featuring some well-known holidays, overcooked food and wine mixing. Let’s add a grease fire to the festivities.

This episode started with Ramsay explaining to the chefs that every dish makes people think of certain times of the year or life. In this episode’s case, it was three different holidays: Fourth of July, Cinco de Mayo and Mardi Gras. This was shown off by having performers come out for each holiday. Eddie really liked the Mardi Gras women.

This all lead to the day’s challenge. They had to split into three teams and make a platter consisting of three dishes that best represents each holiday. Each dish was worth a point. The teams were Hassan, Dannie and Manda and Jared, Alan and Eddie for Cinco de Mayo; Kristin and Jackie and Joe and Frank for Fourth of July, Ashley and Ariel and Chad and Kevin for Mardi Gras.

To help with this challenge’s tasting was Editor-in-Chief of “Family Circle Magazine” Linda Fears. Ramsay also told the chefs that the best overall platter was going to be featured in an upcoming issue of “Family Circle.” Any chef would tell you that their dish being featured in a huge publication is one of the best things to ever happen.

The worst dishes were Jackie’s burger and Chad’s Cajun chicken (both raw.) In the end, the Red Team finally won a challenge 5-4. It was inevitable that they’d win. Having Hassan on the team also helped. The Mardi Gras platter was chosen to appear in “Family Circus.” Their reward was a day mixing wine at “Sunstone Vineyard and Winery” in Santa Ynez. Jackie made a blend she called “Jersey Juice” which she plans on “selling it in every friggin bodega in Jersey. $5.99 a bottle.” People in New Jersey, keep an eye out for that.

The Blue had to prep for family night which included candy making and baking. Joe said that he never baked a cake before in his life. The he mishandled that mixer it looked more like he never baked before, period.

Ah, family night in “Hell’s Kitchen.” If you’ve watched this show long enough, you’d know that this is when the chefs are at their worst. This season continued that trend.

Kevin started things off in the Blue by cooking scallops before they needed to be cooked. His horrible performance continued throughout the night by overcooking scallops. Ramsay had to even show him how to cook them. This was immediately followed by Joe grabbing a hot pot without a glove, almost burning his hand and started a fire on the stove. Another overcooked scallop later and Ramsay not only took the entire team in the pantry but eliminated Frank right there. Ramsay really has to have enough of somebody in order to do that. The entire Blue Team was thrown out after Alan’s horrible risotto and Joe’s raw fish and chips.

The Red Team was fine up until they had to cook for Marino’s family. Dannie brought up one tuna instead of two. Her second one was overcooked. The Red was then thrown out after Hassan made an undercooked NY strip.
The Blue nominated Joe and Alan with Alan getting eliminated. Ramsay wasn’t done yet. He asked the Red for two chefs. They chose Kristin and Manda with Manda going to the Blue Team.

The Red may have won a challenge with Hassan’s help, but there is still a lot that needs to be done. The Blue really crashed and burned this episode. This episode was also a lot more entertaining that previous episodes. It seems the series is improving as it goes along and the challenges getting a bit more interesting.