S12.E19: 4 Chefs Compete

[phoenix780]

True.  She also demonstrated in several episodes that she had trouble making decisions.  And she wasn't a leader.  I was sort of astonished that she just went along with Melanie in watching Scott do all the work during the last episode.  She should have known that being a follower and not being a team player would count against her.  I liked her and would have preferred seeing her in the final instead of Jason but she pretty much did herself in.  And giggled while she did it.

I thought she backed off of the chores because of the injury to her thumb, not because she was following Melanie's lead being a slacker.  

[Kromm]

I thought she backed off of the chores because of the injury to her thumb, not because she was following Melanie's lead being a slacker.  

And I thought the two of them were pretty much just playing a prank/playing to the cameras.  it didn't really resonate with me as anything that egregious.

Edited July 18, 2014 by Kromm

[nitrofishblue]

Well, we already know that Scott has been crowned the winner. I sure won't be watching next week. This entire season was a flat out bummer. Now we can start wondering if the next group of "chefs" will be as bad as this last group. Every season the quality goes down. Someone needs to do so quality control on those who choose the competitors. I actually watch now for the humor in the once good show. It is like watching a Godzilla movie, so bad it is funny.

[Kromm]

Well, we already know that Scott has been crowned the winner. I sure won't be watching next week. This entire season was a flat out bummer. Now we can start wondering if the next group of "chefs" will be as bad as this last group. Every season the quality goes down. Someone needs to do so quality control on those who choose the competitors. I actually watch now for the humor in the once good show. It is like watching a Godzilla movie, so bad it is funny.

We do?

 

I mean I've been assuming, since Jason is such a dumbass, but if anybody "knows" that... it might count as a spoiler.

[Julia]

I wouldn't say I know-know, but I'm definitely in for every drop of rain that falls, a flower grows territory. I've been wrong before, but it just seems unlikely they'd show all the sexist stupidity on the air if they were planning to make female employees work for him.

[Tabasco Cat]

I'm rooting for Jason. Scott is a little too namby-pamby for me. But I won't be too upset if he wins, both of them seem to have developed a friendship of sorts and no matter who wins, the other will give them a sincere round of applause and congratulations. As will I. If anything there will be more drama from the returning contestants than the finalists. I wonder if Joy will even show her face.

Edited July 19, 2014 by Tabasco Cat

[peggy06]

That was the most boring episode of the season. It doesn't help that Rochelle is the only one of the four I was rooting for. Never could stand Melanie and her conceited attitude. Can't forget how useless Scott was in the early going, when he was always offering to "help" other contestants instead of just doing a job. Plus, he combines arrogance with being a suck-up. I thought it was total suck-up when he went to GR with the garlicky dish (and that whole little incident seemed staged, to me). Like the kid in the classroom who tries to get other kids in trouble with the teacher. Rochelle, IIRC, never messed up in any big way and was consistently praised. Plus, she kept out of the feuds, just did the job. I think it's ridiculous that she was eliminated for giggling.

Edited July 19, 2014 by peggy06

[BogoGog24]

There were other things about Rochelle that justified the elimination though (much as I liked her as well), like when they had to create a menu and she didn't contribute any ideas.

[snowblossom2]

I am glad Melanie was cut and frankly don't know how she made it this far. She has the worst palate (zero on the blind taste test!) and makes amateur mistakes

[Jersey Guy 87]

 

Rochelle was robbed. Her only crime was the giggles.

 

She also lacked experience and creativity.  As others have pointed out she had no contributions to the menu.  She lacks self-confidence (which is part of why she giggles all the time).  She clearly isn't capable of pretending to win a head chef's job.

 

Melanie and Jason were close, but Melanie screwed up running the pass (reading an appetizer that doesn't exist).  Plus her poor performance in the blind taste test gave Jason the edge.

 

I've thought for a while that Scott was being given the redemption edit.  And it's important to remember that just because he was nominated a whole lot early on doesn't mean Gordon felt he deserved it - Scott was a target for a lot of the blue team, easy to thrwo under the bus to save themselves.

[WickedTuna]

Ugh.  I can't believe Jason is going to the final.  He's just so gross and disgusting and obnoxious.  I'm not even sure I'm going to watch the final.  I might just see what you all have to say about it and then catch it at On Demand.

 

I loved Rochelle the whole season so I was sorry she left.  If anyone deserved to keep their black jacket it was her.  I hope there's some way Gordon can help her out with an amazing (tee hee) job.

[Tabasco Cat]

I am glad Melanie was cut and frankly don't know how she made it this far. She has the worst palate (zero on the blind taste test!) and makes amateur mistakes

 

Melanie was done the day she put flour in the mashed potatos to thicken them up.

[Surrealist]

Well, we already know that Scott has been crowned the winner. I sure won't be watching next week. This entire season was a flat out bummer. Now we can start wondering if the next group of "chefs" will be as bad as this last group. Every season the quality goes down. Someone needs to do so quality control on those who choose the competitors. I actually watch now for the humor in the once good show. It is like watching a Godzilla movie, so bad it is funny.

 

For me, it's the same. I love coming here to make fun of the show too.

[OhioSongbird]

Jason?!?  Seriously....JASON?!?    Hells no.  That dude is a disgusting misogynistic pig and this is only going to feed his already over-inflated ego.  When his "girlfriend" came on I kind of yelled "He has a girlfriend?!?"  Mr. Songbird hasn't been watching and when he saw him he agreed.  I told him some of the things Jason said/did during the season.  One that really bugged me was in his TH when he looked at the camera and said "Chicks" while rolling his eyes.  Grrrrrrr......can you tell I loathe this waste of space?

 

Scott was awesome on the pass.  I think he's been pretty solid (fish screw-ups aside but they all fucked up at one time or another) and Ramsay rode him hard and he improved during the show overall so Scott for the win.  And yes his family was adorable.

 

*eta because I knew I spelled the m word wrong and it was buggin' me

Edited July 20, 2014 by OhioSongbird

[snowblossom2]

Jason?!?  Seriously....JASON?!?    Hells no.  That dude is a disgusting mysongonistic pig and this is only going to feed his already over-inflated ego.  When his "girlfriend" came on I kind of yelled "He has a girlfriend?!?"  Mr. Songbird hasn't been watching and when he saw him he agreed.  I told him some of the things Jason said/did during the season.  One that really bugged me was in his TH when he looked at the camera and said "Chicks" while rolling his eyes.  Grrrrrrr......can you tell I loathe this waste of space?

 

Scott was awesome on the pass.  I think he's been pretty solid (fish screw-ups aside but they all fucked up at one time or another) and Ramsay rode him hard and he improved during the show overall so Scott for the win.  And yes his family was adorable.

I mean, once Joy left the non-Scott person in the final two was superfluous (and I agree w those who said Joy was to be the anointed one)

Melanie was done the day she put flour in the mashed potatos to thicken them up.

How did I forget about that?! Seriously, Melanie was the worst - all smack talk, no cooking skills

[Scout Finch]

It sounds horrible but the only thing that surprised me was Rochelle having such a good-looking boyfriend. Not that I look much better, but she was a hot mess and her dopey smile and giggling annoyed me the entire time. I would have preferred a final two of Scott and Melanie. On the subject of Jason's character and attitude, I agree that he doesn't belong there.

[Zahdii]

It sounds horrible but the only thing that surprised me was Rochelle having such a good-looking boyfriend. Not that I look much better, but she was a hot mess and her dopey smile and giggling annoyed me the entire time.

 

The giggling has also annoyed me, but Rochelle said on a couple of occasions that the giggle is a reaction to anxiety.  She's still in her 20's so maybe she'll learn a better response to stress. 

 

Anyway, I know it's considered to be common for people to seek out partners that they perceive to be on their own level of attractiveness (i.e. people who consider themselves a 10 want to pair up with another 10, etc.).  Maybe Rochelle's boyfriend liked her giggle, or her eyes, or her smile when he first met her, and stuck around to find out who she really was.  I'm just glad that she has someone.

 

I'm really trying to wrap my brain around Jason having a girlfriend.  The man personifies obnoxious misogynistic behavior.  Is his girlfriend an actor, or on drugs?

[OlfinBedwere]

To be fair, Melanie's almost as bad with the sexist behavior, and she has a boyfriend. Hell, if memory serves Anton's actually married, and he showed more sexism than Jason and Melanie combined! Some people will just put up with anything in the name of love, I guess.

 

Either that, or Jason just pulls in a ton of money from his day job.

[fishcakes]

Aw, I think Rochelle's very pretty and her smile is adorable. She's got great dimples. I think it's just that they all start to look pretty rough a few episodes into the season. By the third or fourth week, most of them look perpetually filthy.

Edited July 20, 2014 by fishcakes

[aussieinsydney]

Scott has this in the bag.

[Sonja]

I can't believe Jason made it into the finals. I'm not a fan of Scott either, but at least he geniunely cares about his family and doesn't think everything is a joke. Jason didn't even bother to say goodbye to his girlfriend. Count me among those who were surprised he actually managed to find one with his charming personality.

 

Melanie and Rochelle: shame on you for letting Scott do most of the work, that was embarrassing.

 

I didn't find a single person to root for this season. It would be really nice if they could cast for skill instead of different kinds of insanity next year.

 

I would also love if they introduced punishment for behaviour outside of the kitchen. It would be fun to see the reaction if GR eliminated someone on the grounds of things that were said and done outside of service. After all, no employer wants employees poisoning the work climate.

[SherriAnt]

 

I would also love if they introduced punishment for behaviour outside of the kitchen. It would be fun to see the reaction if GR eliminated someone on the grounds of things that were said and done outside of service. After all, no employer wants employees poisoning the work climate

I totally agree with this! There's no way Ramsay isn't seeing everything that's being recorded, at least highlights of it. In Kitchen Nightmares, he talks a lot about camaraderie ( sp?) in the kitchen. Most of these people need to realize that to get to the end, you have to be a team first.

 

 

[leighdear]

Gordahn absolutely knows who does what, who helps, is lazy, doesn't contribute, etc.  Of course he saw Scott loading those beds into the van, and while it looked like Melanie & Rochelle were slacking in the kitchen at that time, it could have been a setup where they were actually told to take a break & let Scott do some heavy lifting on his own.  No coincidence Melanie & Rochelle were let go that night.  We're probably supposed to think their getting the boot was because they didn't help Scott. 

 

There are no coincidences on any of these shows...*LOL*

[Florinaldo]

This season's group of candidates had a higher proportion than usual of people I would not want near any food I was liable to ingest. Most I would not want touching it, some like Kaysha I would not want to breathe over it, and a select few I would not have just thinking about food destined for my plate (like Mike and Anton).

 

And now Jason, who holds a prime place in each of these categories, is in the finals? His cooking must be incredibly good, because I I can't see him leading a kitchen crew, except by bullying (it seems to work for Ramsay though). Of course, his main opponents were not executive material either: Rochelle would never inspire confidence and strength with her present behaviour, while Melanie would probably lead her staff into confusion and chaos.

 

Although Scott may look like the Golden Boy redeemed for now, I would not put it past the show to pull a switcheroo and give it to Jason. Which would be reason enough never to eat in any of GR's U.S. restaurants if that is the standard they apply in their hiring practices.

Edited July 22, 2014 by Florinaldo

[aliya]

 

I would not put it past the show to pull a switcheroo and give it to Jason.

I agree, but I hope that's not the case. I don't want to be used - looking at Scott's family, thinking he's a serious family man, etc. I get a little Rock vibe from him. Of course he wants to show he's a good chef, but he also has other things that motivate him and that may make him a better person or influence his actions, more than some people.. 

 

Considering all the drama other people caused, I never paid much attention to Scott before the last few episodes. I guess he can cook and lord knows I'd rather have him win than Jason. 

 

Can someone tell me what a 'goat' is in this context? I looked around for various definitions, but mostly got 'greatest of all time.'  Surely you guys aren't saying that about Jason.

 

Also, I've looked around over the years and have never found out what the contestants make each week. Anybody know? I think it's standard for reality show people to get some kind of stipend for giving up their regular lives for 2-6 months.

[cooksdelight]

Can someone tell me what a 'goat' is in this context?

A goat is someone in a finale who can't win. If you pick your seatmate, like on Survivor, you want to pick someone that you know no one else will vote for. It can be because they are hated, or lazy and never did anything to deserve winning.

[alegtostandon]

As soon as that actress portraying Jason's girlfriend walked in, I turned to Mr. ToStandOn  and said 'She is not really his girlfriend, must be someone hired to portray his girlfriend'.  There was no connection between them whatsoever.  The mother seemed to get a big kick out of the fact Jason "yelled" at people, as tho is so proud of her bully son.

 

I was relieved to finally see Melanie go; she just bugged me the whole season.  She was catty, mean and lazy throughout the whole season.

 

I am pulling for Scott: I just do not see Jason in a position of authority.  Plus I think he would offend anyone working for him, he obviously has an issue with women...

[OlfinBedwere]

A goat is someone in a finale who can't win. If you pick your seatmate, like on Survivor, you want to pick someone that you know no one else will vote for. It can be because they are hated, or lazy and never did anything to deserve winning.

Were this MasterChef I could believe that Jason was here in that role, but Ramsay's actually giving a job to whoever wins this, and it's still possible that Scott could blow it so badly that there's no way he could be feasibly named as winner. I suspect that while Ramsay wants Scott to win, he also sees enough in Jason (or at least more than he did in Rochelle or Melanie) that he would be okay having him as a backup choice.

[Kromm]

Were this MasterChef I could believe that Jason was here in that role, but Ramsay's actually giving a job to whoever wins this, and it's still possible that Scott could blow it so badly that there's no way he could be feasibly named as winner. I suspect that while Ramsay wants Scott to win, he also sees enough in Jason (or at least more than he did in Rochelle or Melanie) that he would be okay having him as a backup choice.

Technically "actually giving a job" with Hell's Kitchen could mean as little better than a dishwasher, however, with a fancy title.

[OlfinBedwere]

Now you've got me imagining how the final four would react to their brand new dishwashing job:

 

"Scott, go wash those dishes."

"Sure, no problem, chef!"

 

"Jason, go wash those dishes."

"HOW DARE YOU GIVE ME SUCH A F***ING LOWLY JOB! I OUGHTTA SMASH THESE PLATES OVER YOUR HEAD!"

 

"Melanie, go wash those dishes."

"No way, that's men's work. I'm going outside for a smoke."

 

"Rochelle, go wash those dishes."

"Oooh! Should I clean them with a sponge, or a scouring pad? And should I wash the pots first, or the pans? Tee hee, I'm so confused!"

Edited July 22, 2014 by OlfinBedwere

[hatchetgirl]

Chef Andi always looks disgusted.

Rochelle is a freaking mess, Melanie was useless, Jason is a pig and Scott was a lying shit (because he never owned his mistakes, he was always trying to sneak away with them).

I really expected Joy to win. :(

[ProfCrash]

Rochelle was destined to go at this level because she has no experience on the line and is not comfortable in her own skin, yet. She stayed this long because she was willing and able to learn and she continued to grow and improve with each service. I think that Gordon kept her around, like Julia, for the additional experience and training opportunities. Give her a few years and I think she would be in a good spot to win it all.

 

Melanie has always been annoying but she is a good cook. I think she has some serious learning to do before she would make it to a more senior position on the line.

 

Jason is just annoying and I don't think he is a good cook. He made the finals only because Joy imploded. He got as far as he did because others were worse, not because he is that good.

 

Scott is a good cook. He is a bit hyper in the kitchen and tries to do too much. I don't see him as a suck up, I see him as some one who wants to learn and grow. He needs to chill out and learn to master what he has been tasked with and not bounce around. Essentially, he needs to focus.

 

Had Joy not imploded, it would have been Rochelle, Melanie, Joy, and Scott in the final four. Joy and Scott would have been the final two.

[SAMMSTAR]

On 7/18/2014 at 12:51 AM, Beloved Aunt said:

So this is where Fiona's boyfriend, Steve Jimmy Jack, has been! I swear, Scott looks like Justin Chatwin. For that alone I wouldn't mind him for the win. And it seems he is a capable chef and far better equipped to deal sensibly with all the people in the business he's going to be around. Jason is a big blustery asshole and I can't imagine working with, or for, him.

Lmfaoooo all I can think of when I see him. And on top of that- V (Shanola Hampton) comes in to eat during the finale hahaha what are the odds. And he’s from illinois!

Edited December 4, 2022 by SAMMSTAR