S23.E4: In a Pickle

[KeithJ]

Quote

This week, the chefs are in a pickle. It is time for a shakeup in the Red and Blue Kitchens. When Michelin-Starred Chef, Dan Barber, joins Chef Ramsay to judge the chef's pickling challenge, some dishes will shine while others go sour. Then, the pressure is on when dinner service guests nearly go hungry.

Airs: Thu, Oct 17, 2024

[seacliffsal]

I found it interesting that all of the women volunteered to go to the blue team.  It does show a willingness to lead, so I see it as a good thing.  I really liked the guest chef in the first challenge.

And, wow, what a reward.  I would love a reward like that.  Whit was absolutely right to use her punishment pass.  I did feel bad for Egypt having to miss that reward.  Did not like the punishment at all.

We are definitely seeing who some of the weaker chefs are.  I agree with Gordon that of the chefs nominated for elimination that Michael was the right one to send home.  Very telling that even Michael could not state in his after eliminated interview that he could see himself leading one of Gordon's restaurants.  

And, I am so glad that Gordon clearly sees that the blue team has some kind of vendetta against Egypt.  At this point I hope that Egypt either wins or at least makes it far.  There are others I like as well.

Edited October 18 by seacliffsal
this was edited as I originally wrote a post about Crime Scene Kitchen and then realized I was in the thread for a different kitchen...

[KeithJ]

They obviously didn't show us something in the pickle ball challenge because not a single ingredient was hit twice.

Shocking that the challenge again came down to the last dish.  I'm trying to figure out exactly how they do this.  Do they review every dish and then rearrange the order for TV?

Anthony sent up two raw lambs in a row and he wasn't even mentioned for elimination?

[AZChristian]

Punishments should not be potentially dangerous to the chefs or to others.  MOST of those cheftestants look to be somewhat out of shape, but they are being forced to do physical things that could cause them real harm with pulled muscles, etc.

And I don't want to imagine a chef shoveling cow poop (with all its potential bacteria) before going into the kitchen to cook, etc.  Yes, I know they shower . . . but all it takes is a small amount of unseen bacteria under a fingernail of a hand that is then used to touch a piece of meat or chop a vegetable that then is placed in front of a customer to eat.  Nope.  Not okay.

Let them peel mounds of potatoes or remove the pits from hundreds of avocados.  Let their punishment be related to their cooking.  

[Trey]

That was pig poop they were shovelling and that is much more pungent than cow poop.  No wonder one of the chefs nearly passed out from it.

That's twice now the chefs have been kicked out of the kitchen - I worry about the poor hungry customers who are still waiting for their entrees.  Does someone else come in and finish the orders?

 

[AZChristian]

1 hour ago, Trey said:

That's twice now the chefs have been kicked out of the kitchen - I worry about the poor hungry customers who are still waiting for their entrees.  Does someone else come in and finish the orders?

Just my opinion - when they sign the release to be filmed for the show, it includes a caveat that they may not actually be fed during the filming.  Some smart food truck owner should find out when they're filming and park his truck outside.

[mlp]

6 hours ago, KeithJ said:

They obviously didn't show us something in the pickle ball challenge because not a single ingredient was hit twice.

Shocking that the challenge again came down to the last dish.  I'm trying to figure out exactly how they do this.  Do they review every dish and then rearrange the order for TV?

I was going to make the same comments.  I didn't believe for one second that each chef was somehow skillful enough to hit a ball into an unused barrel.  I also don't believe that it took one person something like 19 tries to succeed.  

Every team challenge on HK comes down to the last two chefs.  Every one.  Amazing how that happens.

6 hours ago, seacliffsal said:

And, I am so glad that Gordon clearly sees that the blue team has some kind of vendetta against Egypt.  At this point I hope that Egypt either wins or at least makes it far. 

I feel the same way.  Gordon's no fool.  Egypt is dead serious about this opportunity.  He came on too strong at first but he seems to have realized that and toned it down.  I also hope he does well.

[mojoween]

It has to be an editing trick that every episode people are just silent when someone else is speaking to them.  It makes me itch, watching people get ignored.

[Sir RaiderDuck OMS]

On 10/18/2024 at 7:03 AM, AZChristian said:

And I don't want to imagine a chef shoveling cow poop (with all its potential bacteria) before going into the kitchen to cook, etc.  Yes, I know they shower . . . but all it takes is a small amount of unseen bacteria under a fingernail of a hand that is then used to touch a piece of meat or chop a vegetable that then is placed in front of a customer to eat.  Nope.  Not okay.

Also: It cannot be healthy to be breathing in that poop. Remember that there's no such thing as "odor." When you smell something, it's your nasal passages reacting to microscopic amounts of that substance being absorbed into your body. By the time you smell it, you've already been exposed to it, and animal feces is going to have all manner of unhealthy bacteria as you pointed out.

 

On 10/18/2024 at 6:43 AM, KeithJ said:

They obviously didn't show us something in the pickle ball challenge because not a single ingredient was hit twice.

Maybe they changed the ingredient listed on the barrel after it was hit?

 

On 10/18/2024 at 5:57 AM, seacliffsal said:

And, I am so glad that Gordon clearly sees that the blue team has some kind of vendetta against Egypt.  At this point I hope that Egypt either wins or at least makes it far.  There are others I like as well.

At some point, Gordon may switch Egypt over to the Red team to see if his personality clashes with the Blue team are more about him or them.

[Yeah No]

On 10/18/2024 at 3:55 PM, mlp said:

Every team challenge on HK comes down to the last two chefs.  Every one.  Amazing how that happens.

There's a way they can do this before filming the segment by tasting the food and making their decisions first before cameras roll, then arranging the order of on-camera tasting to ensure that the final plates tasted break the "tie". And if their decisions are on the fence between two dishes they defer to the one that will ensure a tie after all plates are tasted prior to filming.

On 10/18/2024 at 3:55 PM, mlp said:

I feel the same way.  Gordon's no fool.  Egypt is dead serious about this opportunity.  He came on too strong at first but he seems to have realized that and toned it down.  I also hope he does well.

It may be just a trick of the editing monkeys to make him look like an annoying hardass, or a trick used in this episode to make us think he's not an annoying hardass, LOL. 😉

I have watched so much reality TV I don't trust anyone's portrayal anymore.

[GHScorpiosRule]

It’s no secret I have a major crush on Gordon and I’ve seen how charming, funny and self-deprecating he can be on his U.K. shows. And he is so much more of a mentor.

All I’m watching for is when Gordon does a cooking demo or cutting and slicing, because he’s just magic when he does that. As @seacliffsal can attest!

[seacliffsal]

5 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

It’s no secret I have a major crush on Gordon and I’ve seen how charming, funny and self-deprecating he can be on his U.K. shows. And he is so much more of a mentor.

All I’m watching for is when Gordon does a cooking demo or cutting and slicing, because he’s just magic when he does that. As @seacliffsal can attest!

You know I'm right there with you!!!

On another note, I actually bought a couple of Hexclad items to give as gifts for Christmas.  The Hexclad knife sets that everyone got on an earlier episode are expensive, so that alone would be worth going on this show!  I bought single items but covet a whole set for myself.  And, yes, they are used in Gordon's restaurants-I used the steak knife in the River Restaurant last summer.

I wonder if the contestants realize how fortunate they are to interact with and learn from Gordon Ramsay!