S15.E07: 11 Chefs Compete

[HalcyonDays]

Episode synopsis: The teams must create six unique dishes for former sous chef Andi; while the challenge winners spend the night in Las Vegas, the losing team makes a mountain of macaroons; dinner service has the contestants cooking for Andi's wedding reception.

[Julia]

I wonder if they don't mean macarons? Because macaroons aren't blazingly cupcake-for-a-new-age trendy, and they're awfully rich for dessert.

[RCharter]

I wonder if they don't mean macarons? Because macaroons aren't blazingly cupcake-for-a-new-age trendy, and they're awfully rich for dessert.

 

They meant macarons, and I think that was a mistake.  I would conservatively say that 95.5% of the macarons I've eaten were awful.  Now, there are some that are absolutely delicious, but these seem to be made by people who specialize in making macarons.

 

This show is so hilariously bad.  I felt bad at the elimination, but I don't know that winning HK marks you as a great chef the same way a show like TC would, so its almost better to end your association with HK on a high note with people thinking you're probably a pretty talented chef.

[pnina]

This show has gotten so bad I can't even make a coherent comment on it.

[Julia]

They meant macarons, and I think that was a mistake.  I would conservatively say that 95.5% of the macarons I've eaten were awful.  Now, there are some that are absolutely delicious, but these seem to be made by people who specialize in making macarons.

 

And yet a whole room full of people successfully made them on Master Chef a few seasons ago. I wonder if that isn't one of the reasons other celebrity chefs get so pissy about Ramsay, because for all that they're very insistent that what they do is very different from being a cook (and it totally is), he's had a dozen seasons of people who can't even do that calling themselves chefs.

[RCharter]

And yet a whole room full of people successfully made them on Master Chef a few seasons ago. I wonder if that isn't one of the reasons other celebrity chefs get so pissy about Ramsay, because for all that they're very insistent that what they do is very different from being a cook (and it totally is), he's had a dozen seasons of people who can't even do that calling themselves chefs.

There is just something about that show...and I can't even put my finger on it.  There is just something so low brow about HK, and everyone seems like cooks but I don't know why.  I mean, contestants on TC don't all have James Beard awards (this season the vast majority seem to) but they come from a variety of backgrounds, but each and every contestant on TC gives me the feeling that they would absolutely outclass every single winner of HK.  And I don't know why.

[xcrayon2215x]

The chefs were really bad. I thought Jared was a contender but tonight he screwed up pretty bad. I think Gordon expected more out of Hassan which is why he is gone.

[EAG46]

I wouldn't trust any of the chefs to make me a grilled cheese sandwich, let alone a gourmet dinner.  

[mlp]

I was actually kind of shocked when Gordon eliminated Hassan.  I had him figured for one of the finalists.  He was also one of the only two I liked, the other being Chad.  I was impressed that Chad dressed up for what was billed as a luxury event and all the other guys looked like they were heading to Wal-Mart.

[DoctorK]

 

what was billed as a luxury event and all the other guys looked like they were heading to Wal-Mart.

To be fair, some of these clowns probably consider a trip to Wal-Mart as a luxury event so they dressed appropriately.

[Canada]

You know you're doing badly when you're nominated for elimination ahead of Jackie.

[QuelleC]

I was waiting for Hassan, put on your black jacket.   I ran into a comment somewhere that said Hassan wins so I was pretty shocked he lost and Jackie wasn't even nominated.  He was right, he did a great job last week getting the red team in line.  Dannie can go too.  No one can tell her anything, apparently.  Looks like next time we're being treated to stripper week by Amanda, just when I was finding her a bit entertaining. 

[RCharter]

I was waiting for Hassan, put on your black jacket.   I ran into a comment somewhere that said Hassan wins so I was pretty shocked he lost and Jackie wasn't even nominated.  He was right, he did a great job last week getting the red team in line.  Dannie can go too.  No one can tell her anything, apparently.  Looks like next time we're being treated to stripper week by Amanda, just when I was finding her a bit entertaining. 

Ugh, I wonder what trailer park club she was stripping at......I guess it was enough to cover the Mountain Dew bill.

 

But I hate, hate, hate it on these shows when women try to use whatever they feel their "sexual charms" are to get ahead.

[DoctorK]

 

when women try to use whatever they feel their "sexual charms" are to get ahead

Smart attractive women can make this work, but a lot of women we see trying to make this work are neither attractive nor smart.

[QuelleC]

It's all about the damned energy drinks now.  Dew has lots of flavors and Kickstart drinks.That's where the babypuppymonkey came from.  Drinking too much Kickstart.   I blame my brief time at a convenience store for knowing this. But cases and cases of Dew, yes.  In fact, the number one theft was energy drinks. Kids and adults would  come up and start dumping stuff out of their pockets.  Growing up I feared and knew better than to put things in my pockets. 

 

Did you catch the part where Amanda has three kids?

[biakbiak]

Bless the change in timeslot, this no longer shows up on my DVR.

[Julia]

Smart attractive women can make this work, but a lot of women we see trying to make this work are neither attractive nor smart.

In a situation where you rise or fall on how well you handle flame and knives, nobody can make that work. If sex is effective in other contexts, JMO, it's because the person wielding it was lucky enough to find someone stupid to play, and stupid enough to rely on the only success strategy that doesn't improve with age.

Edited February 27, 2016 by Julia

[Sir RaiderDuck OMS]

Dannie is hilariously self-delusional. "I'm not going home today or tomorrow or next week or ever." Whatever, sport. You're being kept around as cannon fodder, especially since you have not won a dinner service since Week 1. And your blonde dye job looks ridiculous.

Surprised to see Hassan go, but he was a hot mess this week.

Chad bugs. I think it's because his default facial expression is a frustrated frown.

Am I the only one who thinks these super-extravagant wedding receptions are just ridiculous, especially given an average US marriage length of eight years? That reception (assuming Fox didn't pay for it) would probably run $20K or more. Use the money for a down payment on a house or something.

Methinks the finalists will be Ariel and...Kristin, maybe?

[ari333]

Mother of the bride seemed kind of bitchy  to me. She is so starving and malnourished that she cannot effing wait for her own chicken? And what the heck is going on with all the RAW!!!! chicken?

And do wedding /reception planners normally strut around during the DINNERI   ???

Edited February 28, 2016 by ari333

[Mreid]

There is no way in the world that Hassan should have gone home, I just cannot believe it. Two weeks straight of unfair eliminations. First Eddie goes home over Jackie and now Hassan gets sent home over Danni, Chad, and Jared? In my opinion Hassan was a better chef than any one of those guys, so what he had a bad night everyone does.  This show is rigged . And Danni is so delusional if she thinks she is the best chef on that red team she really needs to get over herself.

[Calamity Jane]

It took me until today to realize I missed the show, so I guess I really don't care much.  This year's crop seems abysmal, although I thought Hassan was an exception and am very surprised to see he was eliminated.  I don't think I care anymore who wins.  I think I might be more inclined to watch if Top Chef weren't on now too.  

[Jersey Guy 87]

I agree about the ridiculous costs related to weddings, but I doubt if Andi paid for this one.  Ramsey seems to be fond of her and I would think this might be his "gift" to her.  You'd have to be pretty brave to know how Hell's Kitchen works and still want a reception there.  I would bet she had a second, more normal one in a less public space.

 

If Ramsey was fond of Andi the last thing he would do is give her a reception at Hell's Kitchen.  I'm assuming there was a real reception at some other time, this was an extra reception filmed for the show.  Because it's lame enough when they pretend completely random people decided to have a wedding reception/kids party/whatever at Hell's Kitchen there's no way in hell that Andi would do that.

[Julia]

If Ramsey was fond of Andi the last thing he would do is give her a reception at Hell's Kitchen.  I'm assuming there was a real reception at some other time, this was an extra reception filmed for the show.  Because it's lame enough when they pretend completely random people decided to have a wedding reception/kids party/whatever at Hell's Kitchen there's no way in hell that Andi would do that.

 

I don't know about that - if I had the opportunity to segregate the kind of guests who would appreciate a Hell's Kitchen wedding reception into a Hell's Kitchen wedding reception and then only have to invite people I actually wanted to see to the reception I was paying for, I'd be pretty stoked.

[hkalex]

Well, as Ramsey would say, f**k me.

Every year they have picked the finalists from the word "go", and everyone else is just fodder. When they go is down to chance. Hassan only went this week to keep ratings high.

Can't see anyone doing really well, to be honest. Jared, Ashley or Ariel maybe, but I wouldn't bet on it. Dannie started off so well and then went fifty miles in the wrong direction. Frank's just sexist and overconfident. Manda's not the strongest cook and neither is Kristen, though I do like her. I won't even mention Jackie.

Potential finalists - Ashley, Ariel, Jared.

[RCharter]

But she was there so obviously Andi is fine with having a reception of some sort there.  I'd not be surprised that there was a second reception (and I wrote as much in my original posting) but she participated in the Hell's Kitchen production.  I was just saying she didn't pay for it.

Oh, no way did Andi pay for that HK reception.  Whether it served as her only reception, I'm not sure.  Maybe she just had a BBQ or something relatively inexpensive for those that didn't attend the HK reception, which would still save her a ton of $$

[ari333]

Hassan got totally hosed imo and his hosing began when he was assigned to the red team. The new guy (or woman) on a team rarely gets a fair shake. BOO HISS. bah

I don't know about that - if I had the opportunity to segregate the kind of guests who would appreciate a Hell's Kitchen wedding reception into a Hell's Kitchen wedding reception and then only have to invite people I actually wanted to see to the reception I was paying for, I'd be pretty stoked.

 

But the point is that this was likely not her only reception. (Did I read that right?)

[Julia]

But the point is that this was likely not her only reception. (Did I read that right?)

 

 I didn't think they said, necessarily. I mean, I wouldn't do it, but then Andi's spent an awful lot of time on 'reality' tv.

[Eolivet]

I'll take my lumps and eat crow, etc., as I thought Hassan would be the winner based on his qualifications and that it might be a guy's turn to win this year. I figured he'd go home when he was nominated against Danni. You don't survive long serving pink chicken.*

 

Boy, would I love to see Ariel destroy one of the remaining guys in a final 2, though. Her broken foot actually made me believe she might be the new frontrunner, based solely on her competency and previous winner Dave's broken hand. I think the casts give them super abilities.

 

*unless you're on Masterchef

[RCharter]

^^I wonder if they aren't going to try to do some sort of Last Chance Kitchen style thing to bring Hassan back....

[Major Bigtime]

I removed this from my DVR lineup, forever, because the show isn't trying to hide the fact that's it's fake.

[joeyjoey]

They never referred to Andi as "former Sous Chef".  I'm wondering if she just took this season (and probably next season, assuming they film these back to back) off for her wedding, and will return.  Her eyes are just as intimidating as Gordon's mouth, and she won't take any crap from anybody.  Plus Christine looks like she doesn't wanna be there.

[Totale]

^^I wonder if they aren't going to try to do some sort of Last Chance Kitchen style thing to bring Hassan back....

 

Took me a while to get around to it, but I finally watched this, and predict Get Drunk and Fall Down girl has to go because she can't do her job on crutches, and Hassan comes back to take her place.  I know something is up because when I set my DVR to record tonight's show I saw next week's title.

 

This wasn't Andi's wedding reception, she just had to go in to work.  She did look awfully damned cute, though.

[Totale]

Oh, and I forgot, what was up with Grrr going on about the thousands he'd spent on non-stick pans? I could be wrong, but I always thought non-stick pans were rarely used on top of stoves in professional kitchens, and certainly not when you'd want a sear (like scallops), because you couldn't get them hot enough.  I don't think I've seen a non-stick coating on all those hundreds of pans of scallops he'd smashed his fist into in the past.

[queenanne]

If Ramsey was fond of Andi the last thing he would do is give her a reception at Hell's Kitchen.  I'm assuming there was a real reception at some other time, this was an extra reception filmed for the show.  Because it's lame enough when they pretend completely random people decided to have a wedding reception/kids party/whatever at Hell's Kitchen there's no way in hell that Andi would do that.

 

I feel like... and I deleted it already so I can't check... but i feel pretty strongly like, Gordon introduced Andi's man as "her husband" to the new crop of donkeys.  Not "fiance", but "husband".  Which suggests to me that they were already married, and in exchange for a sweet, sweet appearance fee, she agreed to don her wedding gown again and pretend she had just gotten married.  I mean, doesn't Gordon seem like he'd at least remember that/whether his former right hand woman, was a fiancee or wife?

[Julia]

The reception generally takes place after the wedding, so it could have been the same day. It seems unlikely, though.

[Jersey Guy 87]

I assume queenanne means when Gordon introduced Andi and her husband to the donkeys before the reception.  Which would support the idea that Andi got married, had a real reception and then showed up for work to have another "reception" with a bunch of out of work actors playing the part of her invited guests.

 

Because Andi has spent far too much time working at Hell's Kitchen to ever have a real reception there.