S15.E10: 9 Chefs Compete

[HalcyonDays]

Episode synopsis: The nine remaining chefs take part in a breakfast challenge, during which their team must make a vegetarian, meat, seafood and sweet dish for surprise judges Suzanne Tracht and David LeFebve.  While the winners ride all-terrain vehicles in Palm Springs, the losers prepare fresh-squeezed Orange Juice for a special brunch service featuring celebrity diners Flo Rida and Jeff Dunham.

[Julia]

I scrolled ahead from the bar fight to the team dismissing the bar fight to the end and the elimination of someone other than the person who took it physical. Then I took the series off my DVR.

I thought that would make me sadder.

[ZoloftBlob]

Isn't dumping an ashtray on someone physical assault?

[Julia]

Yup.

[placate]

Jackie and Manda are going to be kept around for drama. Frank the woman hater will also be kept around. Rock on Jared, you're the only nice/sane person on this show.

[AZChristian]

When Jackie dumped the ashtray, production should have stepped in immediately and walked her out the door.  Zero tolerance for assault.

[BusyOctober]

In the first challenge they had to make one of their breakfast-y dishes vegetarian.  How is dropping an EGG on some veggies "vegetarian"?  I know the definition of vegetarian can be all over the place, but if I walk into a restaurant advertising a "vegetarian" option, I would assume there aren't any animal products in it. Or is that strictly a "vegan" expectation? 

 

Anyway...Jackie is an embarrassment to NJ, cooks, diners, women & trolls.  

[Julia]

In the first challenge they had to make one of their breakfast-y dishes vegetarian.  How is dropping an EGG on some veggies "vegetarian"?  I know the definition of vegetarian can be all over the place, but if I walk into a restaurant advertising a "vegetarian" option, I would assume there aren't any animal products in it. Or is that strictly a "vegan" expectation? 

 

Anyway...Jackie is an embarrassment to NJ, cooks, diners, women & trolls.  

 

There is a category of vegetarian called lacto ovo, which means they eat milk products and (hypothetically infertile) eggs. The people who don't eat animal protein at all are vegans.

[Jersey Guy 87]

The fight between Kristin and Jackie appeared totally staged, Jackie looked like she was struggling to remember her lines at times.

 

I don't think people would necessarily view something with an egg to be non-vegetarian although it's non-vegan.

 

I don't see anyone from the blue team winning.  Manda doesn't have the chops, Frank doesn't have the chops and shows total contempt for women, Jared has been heading down for a few episodes now and Dannie was never as good as she thinks she is.

 

On the red team Kristin seems to generally do a good job and not get yelled at.  Ariel has been a little inconsistent of late.  Ashley has been mostly quiet and only as one bad service.  Jackie is a disaster.  So I think it should be between Kristin and Ashley, although I could see Ariel making it to the finals as well.

[xcrayon2215x]

Kristin and Ariel seem to be the two strongest. Frank is not bad either. Chad probably wouldn't have won, but I think he was a better chef than Jackie.

[DropTheSoap]

Jackie's more of a cook than a chef. 

 

I'd agree, if that "fight" wasn't staged, Jackie should have been walked out the door. Then she had the other staged bit of seeking help from Christina. While I believe Christina said the right things, also struggling to remember the dialog, there's no way Jackie's kept around for anything but the draaahhhma. She's at best a novice cook, not a chef.

 

The comment about Frank being about meat made me chuckle. Otherwise, I'm still expecting Frank to snap. I always think of this clip when he's on screen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OnpkDWbeJs

[spiderpig]

While watching this ep with Mr. pig, we were both making the same comments seen above:

 

1.  That Jackie/Kristen thing had to be staged.

 

2.  The ashtray assault should never have been tolerated.   Why didn't the producers shut 'em down and dump Jackie's butt immediately?  They did it to Cliff when they ambushed Marcel on Top Chef. 

 

3.  What's that fakey-fake humble act with Jackie going hat-in-hand to Christina?  

 

Answer to all of the above:  The Drama!  Totally scripted.

 

We continue to watch for the sheer comedy value.

 

ETA - I really enjoyed Ariel's hair.  Minnie Mouse from the front; Butthead from the - uh - rear

 

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/600x315/5d/d8/91/5dd8911535ab3956b9f853bfba4c0bf3.jpg

Edited March 17, 2016 by spiderpig

[Julia]

Answer to all of the above:  The Drama!  Totally scripted.

 

And (JMO) there's no excuse for that, even coming from Fox. Assault is a crime, not an entertainment.

[oldgearhead]

Frank is an embarrassment to all Marines.   From his hateful treatment of women to his sabotages.   Yes, I think that he dumps things on the others and walks away.  He even has a convenient explanation.   This dog face b***h needs to go.  Besides, he can't even perform in the cooking challenges.

[Jersey Guy 87]

And (JMO) there's no excuse for that, even coming from Fox. Assault is a crime, not an entertainment.

 

It's not assault if both Jackie and Kristin agreed to it in advance.

 

[Julia]

It's not assault if both Jackie and Kristin agreed to it in advance.

 

 

What happened onscreen was assault. If it was scripted assault (which I feel the need to point out that nobody has any evidence for), it was a horribly irresponsible thing for Fox to portray as acceptable in a competition.

[Jersey Guy 87]

Nobody is going to jail or being charged with a crime for dumping an ashtray on someone else - it's just not happening in the real world.

 

The "fight" was on the level of the fights on the Jerry Springer show or similar - two people poorly pretending to be mad at each other and saying some threatening things to each other.  This is Hell's Kitchen - a lack of class and appealing to the least common denominator is part of the deal.

[Julia]

Nobody is going to jail or being charged with a crime for dumping an ashtray on someone else - it's just not happening in the real world.

 

The "fight" was on the level of the fights on the Jerry Springer show or similar - two people poorly pretending to be mad at each other and saying some threatening things to each other.  This is Hell's Kitchen - a lack of class and appealing to the least common denominator is part of the deal.

 

Apparently not quite the lowest. I wasn't familiar with the paradigm until you described it to me.

[potatoradio]

 

ETA - I really enjoyed Ariel's hair.  Minnie Mouse from the front; Butthead from the - uh - rear

 

Ha - I thought of Red from Fraggle Rock. And DW asked why Ariel was wearing a Mickey Mouse hat on her head.

 

Chad always looked constipated, but he seemed like a pleasant, somewhat nice guy? And not bad on the eyes? Since this show isn't about cooking at all, couldn't he have stayed a bit longer and one of the plants dispatched? Don't need both Manda and Jackie fakeouts. 

And I didn't realize how long Jackie's hair was. Holy crap, even tough girls know a bottle of deep conditioner is a good thing. Capiche?

[Calamity Jane]

I scrolled ahead from the bar fight to the team dismissing the bar fight to the end and the elimination of someone other than the person who took it physical. Then I took the series off my DVR.

I thought that would make me sadder.

I've been places where I was unable to watch for 3 weeks now, and I have found I do not care in the least.  So I'm done, at long last; it is just not worth my time, especially with so many interesting things on Netflix and HBO, etc.  

[jewel21]

Between Jackie and Frank this season, I don't know who I hate more. I would love to lock them in a room together and see who kills who first .

[mertensia]

I hope Frank's bosses for the rest of eternity are female.

Jackie just has to bait people. I'm sure all of New Jersey just loves her representing the state.

[Canada]

I don't understand this show anymore.

[oldgearhead]

My take on HK from the start is that it is purely entertainment.  No one would seriously risk the operation of an expensive enterprise like a Vegas restaurant on the group of clowns recruited for this series.  Early on, clearly half or more of the participants were jokers put in place for entertainment value.  The last few series seem to have even fewer legit prospects and more clowns.   Case in point, Jackie with the admitted 3 months of experience making it so deep in the competition.  Most of the competitors do not exhibit the capabilities of the level of Trump's vaunted Wharton School of Business, nor do some even present a level of high school education. 

 

So sad to say, that my house still watches this train wreck.

 

The prize used to be a one year "Executive Chef" contract.  The Executive Chef is the person in charge of the entire operation.  Now the wording describing the position has been altered somewhat.  Some sort of independent special highlighting the experiences of each of the past winners would be most illuminating as some seem to have dropped off the face of the earth for some mysterious reason.  I just wonder how badly things got screwed up.

[Sir RaiderDuck OMS]

The prize used to be a one year "Executive Chef" contract.  The Executive Chef is the person in charge of the entire operation.  Now the wording describing the position has been altered somewhat.  Some sort of independent special highlighting the experiences of each of the past winners would be most illuminating as some seem to have dropped off the face of the earth for some mysterious reason.  I just wonder how badly things got screwed up.

The prize was never an Executive Chef position, despite what Ramsay claimed during the first few seasons. The first winners ended up being sous chefs, and now the HK winners are promised a "Head Chef" position at some restaurant (this year, BLT Steakhouse at Bally's in Vegas). What's a "Head Chef," you ask? It's a made-up position, and the winners basically end up as extremely well-paid line chefs. One past winner lasted all of two or three weeks in his new Ramsay job before leaving, as he'd left a legitimate Executive Chef position at a small restaurant for HK. He didn't want to be a line chef and his old restaurant wanted him back, so he took the $$$ and went back to his previous job.

 

Meanwhile, I'm having a hard time deciding whether Frank or Jackie is more loathsome. Methinks Kristin is emerging as a clear Final Two favorite.

ETA: Am I the only one who finds ventriloquists slightly creepy?

Edited March 18, 2016 by Sir RaiderDuck OMS

[DoctorK]

 

Am I the only one who finds ventriloquists slightly creepy?

Nope.

[Jersey Guy 87]

Even creepier than ventriloquism in general is bringing your ventriloquist dummy out to dinner.  Although going to Hell's Kitchen for dinner might be viewed as a sign there's something wrong with you even before you decide to bring the doll.

[oldgearhead]

"Celebrities" get booked to these sort of shows by their agents.   The dummy had to bring his human or they would not be recognized.

[mlp]

What annoyed me even more than a dummy at table was all the chefs arriving in their white coats.  Chefs do not wear their chef's jackets when they go out socially which is what dinner at HK is supposed to be.  That was ludicrous.  I'm surprised legitimate chefs agreed to do it.

[QuelleC]

I did get a chuckle out of the dummy saying Ramsay's hair looks taller in real life.

 

Staged or not Jackie scares the crap out of me.  I was worried there might still be something burning in the ashtray.  Didn't we see her go down the hall, presumably to talk to a producer or someone?  I thought that's why we got the scene of Jackie being talked to by one of the head chefs on the show, or whatever they're called.  I hope she knows how foolish she looked walking into the bedroom mocking herself. 

[Kitchen Junkie]

Jackie should have been sent packing with a scene like that. If it was staged FOX should be fined for promoting bullying. We are trying to tone this down from our young people FOX is putting it on the air just for ratings. Raw chicken? Really? I'm not a chef but nearly every chef I ever saw carries a thermometer in their pocket. I use one for every piece of meat I take off the gril or stove.

[QuelleC]

They're being bullied every second to get them plated.  So I don't completely blame the chefs.  As with every kitchen show, the time restraints are impossible. 

[oldgearhead]

A couple of seasons ago, one of the contestants carried a thermometer.  Ramsay ripped into the contestant saying that they should be able to judge the level by inspection and feel.

[Sir RaiderDuck OMS]

A couple of seasons ago, one of the contestants carried a thermometer.  Ramsay ripped into the contestant saying that they should be able to judge the level by inspection and feel.

Similarly, I remember an episode of the Robert Irvine restaurant rescue show Restaurant: Impossible where Robert was served a chicken breast that had been cut down the middle. He mocked the cutting itself, saying the chef was cutting the chicken to check for doneness instead of knowing, like a good chef should, whether it was done. Edited March 19, 2016 by Sir RaiderDuck OMS

[QuelleC]

I thought I heard Ramsay once being furious about thermometer pokes in meat.  Yet, he cuts open "the protein" most of the time.  I guess because he knows they're raw but I expect they're sometimes served that way.  A downside to the thermometer is it had better be washed between uses. Dog help you if you make it "dry".  Chicken is tough to cook because of the thickness and it varies. That's why the true and tested method is deep frying.  I've definitely done a turkey that looks done only to find the drum joint is still pink. 

Edited March 20, 2016 by QuelleC

[MajorWoody]

Chad probably wouldn't have won, but I think he was a better chef than Jackie.

A first day fry machine operator at McD's is a better chef than Jackie, and less likely to assault the head chef.

[Kromm]

Even creepier than ventriloquism in general is bringing your ventriloquist dummy out to dinner.  Although going to Hell's Kitchen for dinner might be viewed as a sign there's something wrong with you even before you decide to bring the doll.

Well, also Jeff Dunham is a racist (well, his act is, what with the Dead Muslim Terrorist puppet and the "Mexican" puppet who's a Chile pepper on a stick). 

[MajorWoody]

Another week of watching BOCES level cooks (both in skill and maturity level) pretend they are being seriously considered to run a high end restaurant.

Last time we were in Caesars in Vegas, we were deciding whether to eat at Flay's or Ramsay's. After checking both menus, Flay's appeared to be the more varied and tempting menu, so we went with it, and were very happy with the choice. Now, after watching another season of this show, I would be afraid to waste my money on any restaurant that GR owns, unless he was actually cooking there. This new joint in Ballys, which is sort of a low end hotel on the strip, is not something we would seek out on a future trip there, especially considering how many good restaurants are in that town.

I agree with the others that Jackie should have been booted after that outburst. While it did not rise to the criminal level of assault, it did satisfy the elements of a Harassment charge ( at least under NY law). If it was staged, that is even worse, one that Fox allowed it, two that the 2 women went along with it. Jackie has shown once again her lack of class and ability to work with others, which should have disqualified her (not even counting her lack of cooking ability) from this show long ago. Jackie also would be baffled by a PB&J if you spotted her the ingredients and gave her a printed recipe. She seriously needs to consider a different line of work, like being the guy on the back of the garbage truck. That would be right up her alley.

As a veteran, I wanted to like Frank when the season began. Unfortunately, he is just as big an asshole as Jackie, maybe even more so because he has some more experience outside his local neighborhood. When I was in the military, military cooks were where tech school washouts were sent after flunking out, and the food was pathetic, but you really didn't need much skill to pour water into powdered egg mix. Frank appears to be one of those chefs from my time in the service, not the new and improved culinary specialists the services supposedly have nowadays. Frank also seems to think being a leader means taking responsibility only when things go well, otherwise it is always someone elses fault.

Finally, the ventriloquist and his dummy was extremely creepy. I realize that is the guys schtick, but that was just bizarre watching the dummy put down the various chefs. I noticed when the dude was actually eating, they did not show where the dummy went. Also, I couldn't help but wonder if he takes the dummy everywhere, even when it is private time with his lady friend. I also didn't think he or his dummy said anything remotely funny, but the way the Maitre D was laughing you would think it was the second coming of Rodney Dangerfield sitting there.

I think any of the guest chefs eating brunch could do a better job than this crop of contestants. In fact, I think the kids tagging along could do better than most of this crop. Hell, even the dummy could probably outcook most of this crew.

Seriously, I think this show is doing more to damage GR's culinary reputation than any of his older scandals ever did. While there is no doubt he is a skilled chef, who in their right mind would consider spending money at a place run by some reality show buffoons just because his name is on the marquee?

Edited March 21, 2016 by MajorWoody

[Kromm]

I agree with the others that Jackie should have been booted after that outburst. While it did not rise to the criminal level of assault, it did satisfy the elements of a Harassment charge under NY law. 

Well then I guess Jackie was lucky that it happened in California.

 

Although even in NY I imagine the other party would have to press charges.

Edited March 21, 2016 by Kromm

[MajorWoody]

I used NY as a reference because that is where I worked, and have knowledge of their penal laws. I have no clue what the statutes require in California, but usually assault in almost every state requires actual physical injury to occur. Harassment just involved unwanted physical contact, without injury.

Edited March 21, 2016 by MajorWoody

[AZChristian]

Found this on a website about the California penal code in regards to assault:

 

The following are examples of situations where California assault charges may be filed:

 

• After a man propositions her at a bar in a way she finds offensive, a woman throws the glass containing her drink at him;
• During a fight with a stranger over a parking space, a man swings at the stranger in an attempt to hit him, but the stranger ducks and avoids being hit; and
• Two teenagers throw rocks at their neighbor while she is gardening in her yard.

 

Seems to me that dumping an ashtray full of ashes and butts qualifies.

Edited March 21, 2016 by AZChristian

[Sonja]

I hope Frank's bosses for the rest of eternity are female.

 

That would be karma at its best.

 

Last time we were in Caesars in Vegas, we were deciding whether to eat at Flay's or Ramsay's. After checking both menus, Flay's appeared to be the more varied and tempting menu, so we went with it, and were very happy with the choice. Now, after watching another season of this show, I would be afraid to waste my money on any restaurant that GR owns, unless he was actually cooking there. This new joint in Ballys, which is sort of a low end hotel on the strip, is not something we would seek out on a future trip there, especially considering how many good restaurants are in that town.

I haven't made it to one of his restaurants yet (planning to visit The Narrow the next time we are in London though), but when I'm travelling to Canada or the US via London Heathrow, we usually pre-order the picnics and pick them up from his Plane Food airport restaurant to eat on the flight. My usual travelling partner and I have different food intolerances, so we started this to avoid having to choose between getting ill or not eating at all, but now we do it because it's really good.

[AZChristian]

I've eaten at 4 of Ramsay's restaurants (including Plane Food at Heathrow).  All delicious.  After eating a burger at BurGR in Las Vegas, I can never eat a fast food burger again.  I am spoiled for life.  And that's not a bad thing.

[stillhere1900]

In the first challenge they had to make one of their breakfast-y dishes vegetarian.  How is dropping an EGG on some veggies "vegetarian"?  I know the definition of vegetarian can be all over the place, but if I walk into a restaurant advertising a "vegetarian" option, I would assume there aren't any animal products in it. Or is that strictly a "vegan" expectation? 

 

Anyway...Jackie is an embarrassment to NJ, cooks, diners, women & trolls.  

 

Dude, I'm a vegetarian. I always, always ask if there is any animal products in any vegetarian dish that I order. I always ask if there is any egg in it.

 Some vegetarians eat eggs because the animal doesn't have to be harmed *murdered* to get the eggs

[Jersey Guy 87]

Found this on a website about the California penal code in regards to assault:

 

The following are examples of situations where California assault charges may be filed:

 

• After a man propositions her at a bar in a way she finds offensive, a woman throws the glass containing her drink at him;
• During a fight with a stranger over a parking space, a man swings at the stranger in an attempt to hit him, but the stranger ducks and avoids being hit; and
• Two teenagers throw rocks at their neighbor while she is gardening in her yard.

 

Seems to me that dumping an ashtray full of ashes and butts qualifies.

 

Very rarely, though, are assault charges filed in any of the above instances (may be charged is different that will be charged).  The person being assaulted has to press charges, most people don't.  And, if the fight was staged, there obviously was no assault because it was an agreed upon act.

[Kromm]

Another week of watching BOCES level cooks (both in skill and maturity level) pretend they are being seriously considered to run a high end restaurant.

Last time we were in Caesars in Vegas, we were deciding whether to eat at Flay's or Ramsay's. After checking both menus, Flay's appeared to be the more varied and tempting menu, so we went with it, and were very happy with the choice. Now, after watching another season of this show, I would be afraid to waste my money on any restaurant that GR owns, unless he was actually cooking there. This new joint in Ballys, which is sort of a low end hotel on the strip, is not something we would seek out on a future trip there, especially considering how many good restaurants are in that town.

I've been to one of Flay's burger places (not in Vegas though) and it was very pedestrian. Oh in theory the selections sounded interesting, but the actually cookery was pretty mediocre. Then again, it's not like Bobby cooks in any of these locations more than the one or two days a year he probably does a flying visit to them for local publicity. 

[Julia]

Very rarely, though, are assault charges filed in any of the above instances (may be charged is different that will be charged).  The person being assaulted has to press charges, most people don't.  And, if the fight was staged, there obviously was no assault because it was an agreed upon act.

 

I'm not sure what your point is. Jackie either is a thuggish young woman, or is portraying a thuggish young woman, or is a thuggish young woman who is portraying a thuggish young woman, and she's exhibiting thuggish behavior.

 

There are people who believe that it's not a good idea to show that as a success strategy in what's supposed to be a competition of skill. That has little to do with our independent assessments of the likelihood that Jackie would be charged with the actionable behavior she was clearly shown indulging herself in. If the producers introduced it? All the much worse.

 

I'll cheerfully concede that most likely law enforcement in the community that produced Jackie has way more serious interpersonal issues to deal with than attention-seeking young women and their simian dominance posturing, and if that's the bar, she most likely could heave herself over it.

Edited March 21, 2016 by Julia

[DoctorK]

 

simian dominance posturing

You hit the nail on the head.

[Jersey Guy 87]

I'm not sure what your point is. Jackie either is a thuggish young woman, or is portraying a thuggish young woman, or is a thuggish young woman who is portraying a thuggish young woman, and she's exhibiting thuggish behavior.

 

There are people who believe that it's not a good idea to show that as a success strategy in what's supposed to be a competition of skill. That has little to do with our independent assessments of the likelihood that Jackie would be charged with the actionable behavior she was clearly shown indulging herself in. If the producers introduced it? All the much worse.

 

I'll cheerfully concede that most likely law enforcement in the community that produced Jackie has way more serious interpersonal issues to deal with than attention-seeking young women and their simian dominance posturing, and if that's the bar, she most likely could heave herself over it.

 

My post was in response to posts saying that Jackie committed assault based on a list of things that constitute assault in California.  And that's simply not relevant - this is a reality show that is at least somewhat staged.  My belief is the entire "fight" was staged.

 

I have no idea if Jackie is portraying herself, an exaggerated version of herself or is nothing like this in real life.  She's a character on a TV show for me.  I don't believe that the majority of contestants on Hell's Kitchen are selected because they are good candidates to win - they are chosen to produce drama, and I think Jackie is clearly one of those contestants.  She has no realistic shot of winning, it was clear from the very beginning that was the case and it was clear she was brought on to represent the "trailer park tough guy" character Hell's Kitchen seems to love to have every season.  Hell's Kitchen is decidedly low-brow television, it's not something you watch to see great cooking displayed (although usually the finalists are pretty good).  You shouldn't be surprised or upset that Jackie threw an ash tray at Kristin (all the while telling her "touch me, go on and touch me" to provoke a reaction).  This is normal for the show, and a character like Jackie makes it far virtually every season.

[Julia]

Well, frequently people don't react to televisual entertainment in the way we believe is appropriate. Since we're all in agreement that what happened was actionable as portrayed, what's left is how we interpret it and what assumptions we make, which are subjective.

 

I guess we'll all have to live with that.