This week on Hell's Kitchen, Ben sweats all over the place, PrettyGirl quits again, and Andrea is a bitch.
At the bitch/smoke session this week, Andrea says "I don't wish that spot on anybody." Um, Andrea? It's a competition. It's sort of necessary to get rid of everyone else in order to win. Numnuts.
Andrea tells us that she's feeling pretty beaten up having to make the decision about who was going to go on the chopping block. Puh-lease.
Carol can't believe Andrea didn't pick her, and Andrea says she would never base it off something so stupid or petty. Oh No! She'd rather base it on payback and revenge. You know, I wouldn't even care that she operates that way if it wasn't for the fact that she told LA she would have no hard feelings. I knew it was a lie when she said it.
Andrea tells Carol that she doesn't feel like Carol is a weak part of the team. What she does "honestly" feel is that LA has not been there for them. LA is like WTF? She wants to know how Andrea could pick her to go home. Andrea feels like there has been a lack of passion over the past few days from her.
Paula chimes in to tell LA she can do more, and Andrea says she backs up everything Paula just said. Oh, and it's not a personal thing. Yeah. Right. LA informs them that it's going to be balls to the wall from now on.
Carol says the red team has divided itself into two teams: Andrea and Paula vs. LA and Carol (she thinks). It's getting more and more difficult to work together. Yeah, it's amazing how y'all didn't bond once PrettyGirl was gone, huh?
Gio stops by to tell them it's a team effort and they should let bygones be bygones and work together as a team. Gio! You're supposed to sit back and laugh your ass off as they crash and burn, not try to help them. Gawd.
As usual, the next morning the teams gather in the dining room to see what fun Ramsey has in store for them. Today he has prepared something "slightly special". Well, I think I'd prefer "very special" or "super special" but then I am a picky bitch and very hard to please.
He has samples of a few dishes for them to try from his London restaurant, Maze. Chef Ramsey says they're called tapas style. Which according to him means "small, unique, delicious portions." The literal translation of tapas is "covers", but in the restaurant world they are considered to mean "small plates". To me, they are "yummy stuff that I can order tons of and pretend I didn't just order enough food to feed a horse." That's a rough translation.
Anyway, the dishes are six different preparations of salmon, and most of them look tasty. See?
The first dish I'm guessing is raw salmon served over a polenta cake with goat cheese, truffles and a little bit of chives.
Next we have salmon classically prepared with a caviar garnish and served over braised leeks.
Next, well, this can only be described as salmon sauteed with the skin on, served over a bed of pus and floating delicately in a delicious menstrual stew. Nutritious and delicious.
We follow that with a salmon carpaccio, perhaps with a Thai style chili sauce.
Now the always "Unique" salmon ravioli with a creamy, drippy sauce served over asparagus.
Finally, the rare salmon flower, served just as it is found in the wild. I've heard tales of such a thing but never before this day have I been lucky enough to see one. Slightly special indeed.
Ramsey urges the teams to have a taste. Of course they all cream themselves over his food. I would have loved it if one of them had said: "Salmon is the least unique fish to prepare. This is slimy and dee-sgust-ting. You have turned me off salmon forevah." Oh well, maybe someday.
He tells them that over the past two to three years tapas have been a huge trend in restaurants around the world. Guess what the challenge is? You're right! Family style dishes!
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Comments (11)
Your recap really pointed something out: all the contestants have already decided somewhere in their heads that Gio should win. The blue team has acknowledged Gio as the best cook, and the red team believes they won only because of Gio's leadership. If the women are incapable of leading and need someone to guide them, they shouldn't win this thing, and if Gio cant cook circles around all the other guys and they know it, case closed. Thye should all go home and Gio get on with his new career.
Ramsey HAS to know how much work Pretty Girl has blown off. She only has a quitting tantrum when there's prep to do...and the producers have to have shown Gordon the footage. So I agree with Robert. P.G. is being kept for "entertainment" purposes.
As for the tapas trend...it's easy to see why it's spreading. Smaller portions at higher prices. It's cost effective for restaurants. I still prefer going somenwhere less ritzy where I can get enough to eat without ordering three or four dishes and running up a $150 bill for two people (before the alcohol is added.) Texas Roadhouse, anyone?
1 of 11 | Posted by cattyfan | Posted on March 23, 2009 8:35 AM
Big hugs Potty Mouth - excellent recap!
Seriously snorted at your comment that Pretty girl was working at snail's pace. When she started to complain about "alllll the haaaaard prep worrrrrk" - OMG I had to wonder why she became a chef? That's like saying I'm a nurse but can't stand the sight of blood. Robert is right, she is a cancer and a spoiled brat. This game of running off and crying whenever she doesn't feel like working makes me want to jump through the screen and smack her silly. PM, you say you've worked with people like Andrea - I've worked with people like Pretty Girl and it does make you homicidal.
Andrea is a serious witch and she is not all that when it comes to cooking. Although I am tired of Carol's whining, I can't wait to see Andrea get what she deserves and hope she goes before Carol just for the laughs.
Paula is looking like a possible dark horse (as opposed to Pretty Girl who just looks like a horse's ass). I think Ben is delusional that Chef is picking on him because of his potential. Pssst - he's picking on you cuz you suck. Let's see if Gio continues his good streak, he seems to be quite competent and able to hold it together during a rough service.
I've never worked in a kitchen, but if you read Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential it will make you wonder about what happens in the back of the house.
Thanks for the giggles Potty Mouth - Mwah! (kisses)xoxoxox
2 of 11 | Posted by njgasmifan | Posted on March 23, 2009 10:58 AM
Sorry, Cattyfan, I have to disagree. My husband and I eat out regularly and the bill at the tapas places are generally about the same as the other restaurants we frequent. I enjoy tapas because instead of having just a starter and a main course, I can have several different things.
Gio seems to be the golden boy at the moment, but remember the steak episode? He couldn't cook a decent steak to save his life. And he works at a steak house! Granted, he seems to have bounced back but I would love for the show to throw some steaks back on the menu to check it.
Hate PG. Love Robert. He cracks me up. I'm more annoyed by Carol than I am by Andrea, but both are annoying. Carol just is slightly more so.
Great recap. Thanks PM!
3 of 11 | Posted by Snootchy Bootches | Posted on March 23, 2009 12:53 PM
You know what I discovered in this episode?
Both Lacey and Robert barely have chins. Their faces melt into their necks like who you might ask?
The people on the spaceship in Wall-E. Both of them look like Wall-E people. It creeped me out. And I hope both of them lose weight before they die of some preventable issue.
4 of 11 | Posted by pixiegal262 | Posted on March 23, 2009 2:54 PM
Excellent summary, as usual!
Giovanni seems to be the front runner, as far as I'm concerned. I must say, though, that I wouldn't give any of these poor performers a restaurant of their own to run. I'm not rooting for anyone.
Lacey is an idiot and shouldn't be anywhere near a kitchen.
I'm amazed at how little experience most of the contestants have. Based on experience alone, I think this contest is between Paula, Giovanni and Robert.
5 of 11 | Posted by Streaker | Posted on March 24, 2009 2:00 AM
Snootchy Bootches...guess I need more experience eating out. Hmmmm...I'm sure it will be a trial for me, but I'll do my best to check it out. :) (Here's hoping the chefs in the kitchen are not J, Lacey, Seth, or Ben.)
6 of 11 | Posted by cattyfan | Posted on March 24, 2009 8:37 AM
Dear Pottymouth,
Please, please, please make pretty girl go away. If she isn't gone at the end of next episode, I'm giving up on this season, but I'll still read and love your fab recaps. So, if you don't mind lying and pretending that she's eliminated or maybe just combusts in a spontaneous grease fire, I'd really appreciate it.
Hugs,
Yenta
7 of 11 | Posted by yentapatrol | Posted on March 24, 2009 10:00 AM
PottyMouth! Awesome job! But didn't they have a picture of Robert in his crack-whore outfit you could have posted for his niche-market-johns like me and juddfan? LOL, kidding! Sorta.
Ugh, and PrettyGirl, Jeebus Krispies she is annoying! At least we can rest assured that she's going to have a rough time getting food work when this is done (who would want her in their kitchen? Maybe Hannibal Lecter)
Awesome recap, loved it!
love, J-Mo :)
8 of 11 | Posted by J-Mo | Posted on March 24, 2009 1:55 PM
i actually read that whole picture caption in the melody of "I will survive" and it fits perfectly.. friggin hysterical.. good job lol
9 of 11 | Posted by angelbayyb | Posted on March 24, 2009 3:21 PM
His name is Ramsay. Gordon Ramsay. R-A-M-S-A-Y. Not -E-Y.
10 of 11 | Posted by jakeinla | Posted on March 25, 2009 12:40 AM
cattyfan: I'm sure he's seen the footage too. I just wish he'd stop "entertaining" us so much.
njgasmifan: My only concern about Paula is how quiet she is in the kitchen. At some point she's going to need to step it up and prove that she can lead the kitchen.
Snootchy Bootches: I do find Carol to be annoying also. I think if Andrea wasn't such an evil witch, I'd dislike Carol more, but her "I'm so awesome” attitude just really rubs me the wrong way.
pixiegal262: OMG - Wall-E people! True. And HilARious.
Streaker: Ramsay likes to populate the show with a variety of experience levels. I mean, last year Christina won and she had very little experience compared to Petrozza. I think he likes to be able to mold them. I just wish he'd pick people that suck less. ;)
Yenta: Believe me, if I could disappear PrettyGirl from the show she'd have been gone loooooooong ago. Keepin' my fingers crossed for tonight!
J-Mo: I searched and searched and searched and couldn't find Robert's ad. Maybe it'll turn up before the end of the season. :P
angelbayyb: Thanks! I had so much fun writing that, my four year old was singing along with me!
jakeinla: Oops! How embarrassing. But where've you been for the past six episodes? You could have saved me SOME of the embarrassment, at least. Oh well. Thanks for the heads up.
Thanks everyone for reading and sharing your comments with me! You guys make my day!
SWAK, PottyMouth
11 of 11 | Posted by PottyMouth | Posted on March 26, 2009 6:29 AM