S14.E08: 11 Chefs Compete

[cooksdelight]

John Ratzenberger judges the contestants' food pairings; gastropub night doesn't go smoothly.

[cooksdelight]

This is the first time I remember celebrities being there that we barely saw or heard a peep out of them. Then again, it was Fred Willard and Urkel.

Did anyone else think when Bret was in the stall that it was something other than a slipped disc? Then Ramsay says "Bret's competition may have ended in the bathroom today, but it was Adam's failure on the meat station that flushed his dream down the toilet." Brilliant.

[mlp]

I had no idea who the "celebrities" were - as usual. 

 

There was something not right about that deal with Bret.  When he was on the floor in the dorm and Gordon was talking to him, he had a hospital bracelet on his right wrist.  The guys walked him out, he went to the hospital and then came back and returned to the floor?  The whole thing didn't quite add up in my mind.  Maybe I missed something.

 

I rather like Josh so I was glad he didn't get sent home but I think Milly (whom I also like) will be the last man standing.  He seems to know what he's doing and he hasn't been in any real jeopardy yet.

[cooksdelight]

Urkel was everyone's favorite little geek:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UYqybsp2snw

The last thing I saw Fred Willard do was "Best In Show"

He's the commentator on the left.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-GaJPgI3jh4

[MrsEVH]

There was something not right about that deal with Bret.  When he was on the floor in the dorm and Gordon was talking to him, he had a hospital bracelet on his right wrist.  The guys walked him out, he went to the hospital and then came back and returned to the floor?  The whole thing didn't quite add up in my mind.  Maybe I missed something.

 

 

 

I noticed that bracelet  too. I also never saw the medics come help him either.

[cooksdelight]

He may have gone to the ER for an Xray or something, given some pain meds and that back brace it looked like he was wearing and sent back. It was Gordon's call to send him home.

[Eolivet]

Ugh, I guess we're stuck with Josh until black jackets. I have reasonable confidence he won't win -- they wouldn't have shown all his sexist ogling of any and all women that came into Hell's Kitchen if he was (I hope).

 

Interesting that others think something wasn't quite right with Bret's exit -- my husband suspected the same thing. He wondered if it was a convenient cover up for something more personal or something the show didn't like. I tend to think Occam's Razor applies in these situations, but then again, it is a reality show that's clearly been prone to staging things.

 

Most of all, I feel like Cliff Clavin's portrayer is owed an apology after all the comparisons to Dan from Survivor. He looks pretty good (unlike Dan from Survivor).

[ElleryAnne]

Really tacky, gross editing.  The focus on the bathroom door and the groaning was bad enough, but the vomit-y looking splat on the graphics leading out to commercial was a new low.  This show isn't exactly food porn, but vomit is sorta the polar opposite of food and anything reminiscent of it is just not a clever choice for graphics.  

 

I didn't like Bret and am glad he's gone, but I'm sorry it was a slipped disc that took him out.  That doesn't sound like fun.  Ramsay was quick to tell him to go, though.  I'm guessing (hoping?) that means he won't be invited back a la Bobby for a different season.

 

I'm glad Adam went home.  I wondered if the men's team would get a free pass since they'd lost Bret earlier, but luckily Ramsay must want to cull the cast more quickly this season.  After last season's four-year stretch of TBC's, it's good to see the men's team down to four and the women's team not much farther ahead.  I feel like we may get to the black jackets before Christmas at this rate.

 

Most of those chefs looked singularly unimpressed by Ratzenberger as a guest judge.  I don't blame them, since I'm not a fan of Cheers, but usually they all gush over how excited they are about the guest judges, and I only remember one of the men talking about loving Cheers.  Then again, the second judge was Marino, and the guest at the reward was the sous chef, so all in all I'd say this was more of a clunker than usual for the guest-name line-up.

 

ETA BTW - what was up with the men seeming to be unanimous about Josh and then not nominating him?  

Edited April 22, 2015 by ElleryAnne

[Julia]

So could the other judges have made it any clearer that John Ratzenberger knows nothing about food?

[DropTheSoap]

It was easy to tell when the "judging" started that the women were sunk. If they'd cooked more red meat they'd have had a chance, but Ratzenberger was clearly grading solely on his tastes.

 

Not sad to see Bret gone. I do feel for the guy, and don't wish back issues on anyone. That said, I will not miss his generally delusional grossness. Hopefully his twin-misogynist, Josh, will be out the door soon.

 

Do you think Michelle is maybe the youngest on the red team?

[Julia]

Why yes, I believe Michelle may have mentioned that she's not a boozer because she's not a raddled old hag in her mid-twenties or something.

[mertensia]

Fred Willard is well-known as a character actor. He has cheerfully clueless down to an art form-see Best in Show or the TV series Fernwood 2night.

There was an Adam on the team?

My guess is Bret went to the hospital, they confirmed it was a slipped disc and they sent him back.

[backformore]

This is the first time I remember celebrities being there that we barely saw or heard a peep out of them. Then again, it was Fred Willard and Urkel.

Did anyone else think when Bret was in the stall that it was something other than a slipped disc? Then Ramsay says "Bret's competition may have ended in the bathroom today, but it was Adam's failure on the meat station that flushed his dream down the toilet." Brilliant.

Yeah, there was a lot of fakery about the whole thing - shots of the bathroom door, moans of "WHY?"   leaving the impression, on purpose, that it was a digestive ailment.  Added to him having a hospital bracelet on BEFORE going to the hospital - all created after the fact.  

[niklj]

Is it just me or are these rewards getting pretty lame? Roller skating and some beer food? A boat ride? Another boat ride?

[backformore]

 

Most of all, I feel like Cliff Clavin's portrayer is owed an apology after all the comparisons to Dan from Survivor. He looks pretty good (unlike Dan from Survivor).

Yep - especially since John Ratzenber is 68, as compared to Survivor Dan being 48!   48!!!!!  Mind-boggling that he is such a grizzled old man type at that age.  ( I know, this isn't the Survivor thread, but the dan = Cliff Clavin comparison has been made in a bunch of places, and seeing Ratzenberger on HK shows just how wrong that comparison is) 

[WickedTuna]

I haven't been watching the dinner services so I missed Bret going home. Damn. I would have really enjoyed that.

Did anyone else get a laugh out of Meghan trying to twirl her knife? She did better than I would but it still looked awkward.

I too thought the women were in trouble when Cliff only gave the first one up a 3. I was pissed off when the men won. Marino and Ramsay were pretty much on the same page all the way but then Boom. Marino thinks the meat was dry but Ramsay gives it a 4 for the win. Argh! Maybe I'll just turn in for the finale.

[OlfinBedwere]

I'll say one thing about this season, at least we seem to be having an actual two-horse race between Meghan and T, as opposed to the dull procession to an easy victory that Christina, Ja'Nel and La Tasha had (and Joy would likely have had if she hadn't thrown a tantrum and quit).

 

As an aside, holy cow, Christine actually got it together this episode. All of a sudden, Michelle's looking like the weak link on the red team. I'd predict her as the next to go, if not for the fact that the men appear to be imploding so badly that I don't see the women losing another service anytime soon.

Edited April 22, 2015 by OlfinBedwere

[cooksdelight]

Roller Skating Rink to the Stars? Huh? There was NO ONE there! The one guy with the feather boa (Josh?) could skate, at least. I wonder if Bret hurt his back when he was there and took a fall? I wasn't paying close enough attention to notice the hospital bracelet snafu.

[mojoween]

Did I hallucinate Jaleel saying something to the effect of "black people fought to get out of the kitchen and now here we are back in the kitchen?"

Fred Willard will always be Leon's husband from "Roseanne" to me.

The guy who was eliminated made no impression on me except that when he would get yelled at he would not shut up with the "yes chef you're right chef absolutely chef won't happen again chef chef chef chef chef."

Michelle is annoying but T went on a little too long with the chihuahua impersonation.

[mertensia]

Fox is definitely downsizing their rewards budget. Pretty soon it's going to be "play in the sandbox for an hour then get McDonald's for lunch."

[Fosca]

I suspect few of the contestants even know who John Ratzenberger is, since they're too young to have watched Cheers (which went off the air more than 20 years ago, after all).  They might have been more appreciative if he had been introduced as the voice of lots of Pixar animated characters.

 

I wish Fred Willard had been given more to do; he's really funny.

[AZChristian]

1)  When Ramsay introduced John Ratzenberger as a bartender on Cheers, I almost spit out my drink.  WHAAAAAT?  Cliff Claven was the know-it-all mailman barfly who hung out with "NORM!!!!!"

 

2) I agree that T went on too long with the chihuahua barking routine. 

 

3) Sciatica is the pits.  I actually found myself feeling sorry for Bret, whom I did not like.

[cooksdelight]

Did I hallucinate Jaleel saying something to the effect of "black people fought to get out of the kitchen and now here we are back in the kitchen?"

That's exactly what he said.

Maybe Ramsay has never watched Cheers either. Who could forget Woody the bartender, or ever get him mixed up with Cliff?

[Lamb18]

1)  When Ramsay introduced John Ratzenberger as a bartender on Cheers, I almost spit out my drink.  WHAAAAAT?  Cliff Claven was the know-it-all mailman barfly who hung out with "NORM!!!!!"

 

2) I agree that T went on too long with the chihuahua barking routine. 

 

3) Sciatica is the pits.  I actually found myself feeling sorry for Bret, whom I did not like.

I missed hearing Ratzengerger's name, but I did hear the "bartender on Cheers" line and thought, "Wasn't that Sam and Woody?"

[Jersey Guy 87]

Did anyone else think when Bret was in the stall that it was something other than a slipped disc? Then Ramsay says "Bret's competition may have ended in the bathroom today, but it was Adam's failure on the meat station that flushed his dream down the toilet." Brilliant.

 

Of course we all thought it was something other than a slipped disc.  We were supposed to think that.  But yeah, Ramsay's line was excellent.

 

There was something not right about that deal with Bret.  When he was on the floor in the dorm and Gordon was talking to him, he had a hospital bracelet on his right wrist.  The guys walked him out, he went to the hospital and then came back and returned to the floor?  The whole thing didn't quite add up in my mind.  Maybe I missed something.

 

I'm assuming the whole being up in the dorm, on his back on the floor, with a hospital wrist band on was filmed long after service was over.  I've had a slipped disc in the past, it can be very painful and restrict your ability to move around a lot.  Pretty sure my slipped disc wasn't the result of a trip to the bathroom, though.

 

Why yes, I believe Michelle may have mentioned that she's not a boozer because she's not a raddled old hag in her mid-twenties or something.

 

Michelle did mention she's only been legally allowed to drink for about a year and a half.  She never mentioned how long she's actually been drinking.

[backformore]

Roller Skating Rink to the Stars? Huh? There was NO ONE there! The one guy with the feather boa (Josh?) could skate, at least. I wonder if Bret hurt his back when he was there and took a fall? I wasn't paying close enough attention to notice the hospital bracelet snafu.

What a reward, huh?   you get to put on funny wigs and glasses and ROLLER SKATE!!!!!!!!!!!!  To actual MUSIC!!!!!  I also wondered if the back issue was caused by the skating, but Maybe I was projecting my own insecurity about skating.  Perhaps the obvious fakery was to conceal that it was the reward that caused him to get hurt. 

 

Did I hallucinate Jaleel saying something to the effect of "black people fought to get out of the kitchen and now here we are back in the kitchen?"

 

Yeah, I think he was talking about the fact that eating in the kitchen of a restaurant, as opposed to the dining room, was at one time what you did for the "help", or a racist maneuver to put "undesirables"  out of sight of upper-class patrons.  And now, the "Chef's table"  where you sit in the kitchen and watch the food being prepared, is considered a privilege, not a slight.  

 

Some restaurants still do the same kind of thing.  More subtle than putting African-Americans in the kitchen.  But certainly putting "pretty people" - young, well-dressed,  towards the front windows of a restaurant in order to convey a certain image to potential customers who might walk by. 

 

Thanks to all who mentioned that Cliff Clavin was not a bartender.  I would have loved an intro that was more like "here to judge your dishes which contain alcohol is an actor who, decades ago, played a character on a show that took place around alcohol".     I mean, it's really  "Your dishes will be judged by someone we found who happened to be available and hungry!" 

 

These chefs are so good at faking enthusiasm -  Yeay!  Cliff from Cheers!  I love Cheers!    AND  Roller skating!  with costumes!  best day of my life!

[Julia]

Thanks to all who mentioned that Cliff Clavin was not a bartender.  I would have loved an intro that was more like "here to judge your dishes which contain alcohol is an actor who, decades ago, played a character on a show that took place around alcohol".     I mean, it's really  "Your dishes will be judged by someone we found who happened to be available and hungry!" 

 

Especially since Top Chef did this better a few months ago with (the far more talented and knowledgeable about food) George Wentz.

[ari333]

So could the other judges have made it any clearer that John Ratzenberger knows nothing about food?

I know, right? But what confused me was.... since when....ever.... was Cliff from Cheers a bartender? Did I miss something?

[cooksdelight]

Cliff wasn't even that heavy of a drinker, that was Norm's job. I think Ramsay needs to have a sit-down with whoever writes his scripts.

[Donny Ketchum]

Of course Ramsay gives the skating reward to the men and the linen/laundry punishment to the women. Way to stick with stereotypes, Gordon.

I always root for the women over the men, so to see two of the latter go while the former mostly dominated, save for one flub each from Christine and Alison, made my day!:)

My only regret over Bret's ouster is that with how ill-tempered and sexist he's been, he didn't get a humiliating elimination instead. But I'll take a medical withdrawal.

I, too, thought that the men would get a free pass with Bret's ouster . . . until Ramsay added to the nominations. Then, I knew one of them was going home. I'd rather Josh have gone, but Adam has still needed to pay for leaving that plastic in the food a few weeks ago, so he's no loss. I think Josh or Nick is gone next from their team, though.

I don't know why everyone thinks that La Tasha got a free ride to HK13's finale. Jennifer and Sade gave her very good competition.  And a certain someone (whom I don't respect) would say Bryant did, too, but I really think he was just a goat Ramsay picked to make her win easier.

Edited April 23, 2015 by Donny Ketchum

[nottopbravo]

  I feel like we may get to the black jackets before Christmas at this rate.   

 

Well, with Bret leaving for medical reasons, we may get some more "To Be Continued"....

[djlynch]

There was an Adam on the team?

 

That was pretty much my thought. If a reality show is halfway through the season and there are still people being eliminated where you ask yourself "Huh? When did that guy get here?", it's a bad sign for the casting and editing.

[cooksdelight]

I think part of it is that most of the guys all have brown hair, all cut short....no freaky looking people now that Bret and his mad face are gone. And that other guy with the nerdy glasses is gone.

[BogoGog24]

Of course Ramsay gives the skating reward to the men and the linen/laundry punishment to the women.  Way to stick with stereotypes, Gordon.

 

I always root for the women over the men, so to see two of the latter go while the former mostly dominated, save for one flub each from Christine and Alison, made my day!:)

 

My only regret over Bret's ouster is that with how ill-tempered and sexist he's been, he didn't get a humiliating elimination instead.  But I'll take a medical withdrawal.

 

I, too, thought that the men would get a free pass with Bret's ouster . . . until Ramsay added to the nominations.  Then, I knew one of them was going home.  I'd rather Josh have gone, but Adam has still needed to pay for leaving that plastic in the food a few weeks ago, so he's no loss.  I think Josh or Nick is gone next from their team, though.

 

I don't know why everyone thinks that La Tasha got a free ride to HK13's finale.  Jennifer and Sade gave her very good competition.  And a certain someone (whom I don't respect) would say Bryant did, too, but I really think he was just a goat Ramsay picked to make her win easier.

 

 

Erm, is this supposed to be directed at me? Because last season I remember liking Bryant somewhat. Not only is making negative references to the posters here against the rules, it's also completely not cool at all. Leave your negative opinions about the posters here out of your posts, please. Oh, and I could really care less if some stranger I don't know doesn't "respect" me. Your opinion of me means nothing to me, but it's absolutely hilarious that you seem to think it does.

[Lillybee]

I am thinking that I may like Randy for the win. He seems competent and is not dramatic..

[Kromm]

I had no idea who the "celebrities" were - as usual. 

Wow.  I know the bar for celebs on this show is pretty low, but I actually think these two AREN'T obscure.

 

Urkel admittedly is only famous from one show. But he became "Fonzie" level famous--at least the character if not the actor.

 

As for Fred Willard?  His only real issue is that he's old as dirt.  I'd actually rate him as pretty famous--at least for a character actor.

Cliff wasn't even that heavy of a drinker, that was Norm's job. I think Ramsay needs to have a sit-down with whoever writes his scripts.

I deleted the recording, but I don't think Ramsay actually said that he was a bartender on Cheers.  I think what was said was that OUR guest bartender was ON Cheers.  The word "bartender" was used because that was his role on Hell's Kitchen, not his role on Cheers.

[Kromm]

The last thing I saw Fred Willard do was "Best In Show"

Tons of stuff since then, although Best In Show is certainly one of his best.

 

If you are a fan of Best In Show, check out "Family Tree" (which Willard is also in, and Christopher Guest also wrote and produced).

Fred Willard will always be Leon's husband from "Roseanne" to me.

He's also Phil's dad on Modern Family (and in fact got an Emmy nomination for that).

[Julia]

Fred Willard has been around forever, and he's been in everything (my favorite FW facts: he and Martin Mull played the first same sex couple to get married on television, on Rosanne, and his comedy troupe was on John and Yoko's week of Mike Douglas). There's a long interview here.

Edited April 23, 2015 by Julia

[Totale]

Fred's has some difficulties in the past few years which are well documented elsewhere, so actually bringing him on to appear as a "celebrity" was nice of them.  And my wife squee'd a bit at Urkel growing up cute.

 

My only regret about Bret's leaving is that we won't get to see him switched to the women's team.

[cooksdelight]

My only regret about Bret's leaving is that we won't get to see him switched to the women's team.

Damn.... you're right. I was sort of waiting for that to be one of the highlights of the season.

[Julia]

You guys think? I kind of had him top seeded, and it didn't seem as if there was that much open hostility between him and the rest of the men.

[cooksdelight]

His reaction at the thought of one of the women coming over to the men's team last week told me he'd not like the idea.

[Totale]

Yeah, I thought it would be like a cartoon with smoke shooting from his ears.  And the gals would be all for it, too.

[mlp]

 

Wow.  I know the bar for celebs on this show is pretty low, but I actually think these two AREN'T obscure.

 

I know, I know.  My kids tell me I'm popular culture impaired.  I knew there's a black guy named Urkel but the one name made me think "rapper" and I never cared enough to find out otherwise.  I never watched Cheers.  In general, I don't like sitcoms.  I think the last one I watched was MASH.  :)

[ElleryAnne]

And my wife squee'd a bit at Urkel growing up cute.

 

 

I'd seen him on an episode of Psych a few seasons back so I wasn't surprised at how he looked, but IMO he's more than cute.  

[Kromm]

I know, I know.  My kids tell me I'm popular culture impaired.  I knew there's a black guy named Urkel but the one name made me think "rapper" and I never cared enough to find out otherwise.  I never watched Cheers.  In general, I don't like sitcoms.  I think the last one I watched was MASH.  :)

Interesting. It's worth noting though that Urkel is 25 years back pop culture.  Fred Williard is arguably 45 years back pop culture, although he's been in relevant things as recently as the last five years.  So it's not really an age thing per se here (in fact, with Willard especially I'd argue that for the most part only the old fogeys among us know him well, although many younger folk may have him as a kind of fairly present "Hey It's That Guy" in the backs of their minds).

[BogoGog24]

I'm part of the younger demo and I remember Fred Willard as Hank McDougall on Everybody Loves Raymond. Looking at his filmography, he's pretty much been in about everything imaginable.

[beesknees]

So could the other judges have made it any clearer that John Ratzenberger knows nothing about food?

And could it have been any clearer that the cheftestants were too young to know who the hell John Ratzenberger was?  I doubt any of the contestants (except the 45 year old - his name escapes me) has ever seen an episode of "Cheers". Or know who Fred Willard is.

Edited April 27, 2015 by beesknees

[beesknees]

I missed hearing Ratzengerger's name, but I did hear the "bartender on Cheers" line and thought, "Wasn't that Sam and Woody?"

Yeah, and all of us OLD PEOPLE know Ratzenberger was "Cliff Claven the postman/mail carrier".  Duh!

[beesknees]

 I was kind of glad to see Bret go.  I felt badly for him but his personality rubbed me the wrong way.  I agree that TPTB need to step up the team rewards.  Roller rink?  I'd be pissed.

Edited April 27, 2015 by beesknees