Hell's Kitchen Blog: Week One

Episode one of the 2007 version of Hell's Kitchen was a lesson in fair play and teamwork... and what happens when a war zone becomes the personal playground for Chef Gordon Ramsay's vocal chords. This episode allows me to keep believing that the successful, albeit loud mouthed, British chef missed his calling a military general

The episode began with some quiet time with the Chef. He told the whole world that he will not lose his temper when the contestants make idiotic mistakes, promising not to swear or yell or make a scene. Then, he pulled a fast one and told the truth, asking the audience if they thought he was serious. After a montage of the hopefuls for the show, he welcomed everyone to his version of hell.

We then walk to a scene where four limousines drive to this box looking restaurant in Los Angeles, the letters "HK" on the backdrop. They all gather around the Maitre D, a man named Jean Phillipe, who stutters around his life story before Chef Ramsay cuts him off, and immediately begins to boss his charges around, giving them 30 minutes to prepare their signature dishes. This practice begins every season of the show, and is what Gordon usually does to anyone he hires for his restaurants in England.

This are the 3^rd batch of contestants:

Aaron, 48, a retirement home chef from Palos Verdes, CA
Brad, 25, a sous chef from Scottsdale, AZ
Eddie, 28, a grill cook from Atlanta, GA
Josh, 26, a junior sous chef from Miami Beach, FL
Rock, 30, an executive chef from Spotsylvania, VA
Vinnie, 29 a night club chef from Milltown, NJ
Bonnie, 26, a nanny/personal chef from Los Angeles, CA
Jen, 26, a pastry chef from Hazleton, PA
Joanna, 22, a chef's assistant from Detroit, MI
Julia, 28, a short-order cook from Atlanta, GA
Melissa, 29, a line cook from New York, NY
Tiffany, 27, a kitchen manager from Scottsdale, AZ

He begins with a chorizo crusted pink snapper... with minimal snapper ("Where the (expletive) is the snapper!?"), which leads to a remark by Ramsay... he tastes it, and he declares it too hot for even his mouth... the argument led by the chef, Vinnie, leads to an argument. Joanna is next with her parmesan crusted chicken with spaghetti and she even provides a drink which Gordon dismisses immediately. Gordan's verdict was a salty dry chicken and she is dismissed, with her drink.

Rock is next with scallops with a frozen treat of Gordon's, which led to another Gordon insult... apparently, you never use frozen gnocchi. Josh is next with some chicken dish, which Gordon declares salty. Bonnie, who declares she wants to pee her pants, presents Gordon with a cheese plate, which is presented in the wrong way. Bonnie's novice cooking expertise is immediately exposed by Gordon, who dismisses her.

A small 28 year old named Brad, who looks like he is 8, presents him with parmesan scallops, but before he is tasted Brad, with a scallop dish of his own, walks in. Brad and Gordon try Eddies dish and hate it, but when Eddie and Gordon try Brad's dish, Eddie insults Gordon with a tacky palate. Jen, having fainted before the commercial, is given the chance to shine with a peach and egg crepe, loaded with alcohol. Gordon declares he is tipsy before dismissing Jen.

A total street dresser named Melissa presents Gordon with a steak, and it becomes the first edible dish, at least by Gordon's standards. Gordon happily dismisses her and compliments her. Two dishes are presented; Julia has presented chicken fried chicken penne. He had Tiffany try Julia's dish, and both declare it too peppery even though the chicken was good. Tiffany's dish, tostadas, are tried by Julia and Gordon, and both agree that Tiffany presented an orderable dish.

Last is an Asian cowboy, full hat and all, named Aaron, who uses all 48 years of his life to make finger food, which Gordon likes the largest portion, but dismisses the rest. He claims that Aaron doesn't know how to stop.

Gordon tells them they need to up their game if they want to win the prize, an executive chef position at the Green Valley Resort in Las Vegas, a $250,000 salary, and a share in the profits. He announces the teams are men vs. women, and that they have tomorrow to get ready, because Hell's Kitchen opens tomorrow. He sends them to the dorm for the night.

With the first dinner service just hours away, they have to come up with fifteen items and they all must meet Chef Ramsay's approval and standards. The Blue Kitchen seems to be in sync immediately, while the Red team is in the middle of a major meltdown, prompting sous chef Mary Anne and eventually Gordon to calm them down. Meanwhile in the Blue Kitchen, 48 year old Aaron shows his age and is slow on the ice cream. The Red kitchen has become a boiling point, with Joanna making hell for her team mates.

Minutes before the first service and the Blue Kitchen includes Aaron crying for no good reason, and the Red Kitchen is in complete chaos, everyone yelling at each other and complaining on. Gordon delays the opening as he feels as though they need a few extra minutes. After manipulation as only Gordon can, he opens the doors, and the people start filing in and taking their seats. It is the hottest ticket in Los Angeles. A new staff and a chef that demands excellence is ready... or so it seems.

The Red team gets the first order... risotto and venison. The argument starts right away, and Gordon intervenes. Quail eggs are starters, and they are dismissed because they are like rubber. Tiffany was too busy being a boss instead of a teammate and the argument starts.

Blue's pasta starter is like glue and is clumpy and I wouldn't even eat it, so Gordon sends it to the bin, to Vinnie's laughter followed by Gordon's dismay. The Red kitchen still has nothing coming out because the quail eggs are messed up. Meanwhile, Julia is not too happy because she was relegated to garnish duty... if only she spoke up more than her yelling. Gordon is immediately calling this the longest night of his life.

Nothing is coming out and the customers are mad. In the Blue kitchen, Vinnie seems to be messing up big time, and it is messing up the risotto. Gordon kicks him off the appetizer station, puts Brad in charge of the appetizers, and relegates Vinnie to scrubbing duty. The Red kitchen, meanwhile, has Tiffany cooking eggs and bullying Julia, who cooks at the Waffle House back home, crying. Gordon is inquisitive now and getting angrier. Eggs are stopping everything in Red, and Gordon has to console a bawling Julia, who leads Gordon to call out the team. Gordon reassigns Julia to the eggs, and orders the end to the war. The blue team starts to get plates going around, and risottos are going around at a good pace, with Vinnie still joking about it. Meanwhile, Aaron has managed to burn every single piece of chicken, but Melissa taking charge and Julia perfecting the eggs has gotten Red going. Melissa, however, is bossing Joanna around about spaghetti because of her fear for Gordon, prompting more arguing.

World War III seems to be going on in Red, while the Blue kitchen sees Aaron walking off the station, which angers everyone in the station, including a very vocal Brad. Gordon consoles a tearful Aaron, and while he was doing that, Josh has to account the chicken damage. He discovers no more chicken. And that also opens a can of worms... no more chicken, no Wellingtons, no lettuce, because they wasted all of it. It prompts a walkout of everyone. Red's arguing... more of it... finally pushes Gordon over the edge, and he puts himself out of his misery by quitting

Chef Ramsay now faces a choice for a winner. Ramsay calls Red out about being "Hell's B----s" for their constant bickering. Gordon then calls Vinnie out about his attitude towards the night, and calls him a bunch of choice words for his yell back. Based on his decision, he declares the Blue team as the winner of the service. For the Red team, he honors Melissa for her taking charge and getting results, and allows her to nominate two people for the dishonor of being the first to be eliminated. Melissa begins to interview her team mates, and gets the stuff she needs. She then tells Tiffany that she is safe to end it.

The women are about to learn who Melissa stabbed in the back. She first begins by nominating Joanna because she yelled at everyone. Then, she pulls the first Judas act of 2007 by nominating Tiffany, the woman she said was safe, based on her timing. Gordon backs up Tiffany's nomination. After lame excuses by Tiffany and especially Joanna, Gordon looks back at the night, and based on the screwing up of the eggs, he sends Tiffany home.

Before he sends them to the dorm for the night, he sends them a message... one of them was going to win a restaurant, yet nobody is working hard for it. If they think they had their butts kicked, they haven't seen anything yet.

Gordon's funeral for Tiffany: "To run a restaurant, you need passion and a great work ethic. Tiffany worked hard, but that was it."

And so the first episode of Hell's Kitchen has come to an end.

So the stats heading into Week Two:

Two nominations: Joanna and Tiffany...

One Elimination: Tiffany

Eleven left....

See ya next week!