S16.E08: Dancing With the Chefs

[Drogo]

A change leaves the chefs in shock as they prepare to host the International Ballroom Invitational. This special event calls for a special menu, which includes a raw bar that requires one team to break down lobster, scrub clams and oysters, and steam up crabs.

[mertensia]

Not sorry to see Johnny go. Ball of anger topped by a ponytail. Lying ball of anger.

That reward looked fun, though that lunch always makes me wonder what does a contestant do if they don't eat whatever they're served.

I did get a kick out of whoever it was deciding she might as well have fun dismembering the lobsters.

[spiderpig]

Whatever Michelle Johnston (choreographer/judge) did to her face was distracting. She was pulled/botoxed within an inch of her life. I wouldn't be petty if she didn't seem so full of herself.

Yes, Ryan's voice is annoying, but she can cook, and compared to the rest of the contestants her attitude is positively beatific.

The Lark didn't seem like fine dining, but their food looked good.  That said, I'd find it hard to digest anything if I had to look at Matt's armpits while eating.

Vegas's Yardbird doesn't seem like fine dining either, but can you imagine offering a position to any of these clowns other than Ryan?  They seem so unkempt and crude...not what I'd want around my food with Vegas prices.

[Kendall]

So, I was a little thrown by the "searing off" issue.

It looks like they are pre-searing the fish and then what, baking them when time to actually prepare them? Is that correct? And, if so, as often as they prepare fish during this season, how could it even be possible for one side of the kitchen to not pre-sear and it not disrupt the flow prior to this show?

I agree that it really can't be anyone other than Ryan that gets this particular job. The rest of them have such major flaws that it's kinda hard to believe that they are even in a position to compete for head chef in a restaurant.

[Michel]

WHOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOO!  HE'S GONE!  HE'S GONE!  THE DOUCHEBAG WHO LIKES MAKING WOMEN CRY IS GONE!

Later, Johnny!  Don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out!  I've hated you from the moment you started talking in the premiere, and most of what you've done has been outright unlikable.  From successfully bullying the other men to nominate Pat instead of Paulie in week one to attacking Genaro in week two for not being angry over losing just because he didn't think it accomplished anything by getting angry to attacking Jessica and making her cry in week three to being so sure that that is what caused her elimination that you attack Kimberly in week four to unfairly scapegoating Aaron at Matt's behest in week five to going after Devin in week six to simply being a failure at everything in week seven to outright dismissing Shaina's suggestion of searing the fish and lying about it this week, in week eight, along with other jerkish, brutish things you've said and done to Shaina and Wendy this week and to all of your teammates and even members of the other team over these eight episodes, you have more than earned your place in HK infamy.  You were probably among the worst human beings on this season, and I find it a real pleasure to see you go.  So glad you're gone!

Embarrassing secret alert: I'd secretly feared he was getting the winner's edit in week one.  I was so glad his douchebag side emerged quickly enough and he started fucking up just enough in the challenges and during services to make me feel better about him possibly not winning.  I was expecting him, by this point, to miss the black jackets.  But I'd thought that his edit was strong enough that he wouldn't be booted this soon.  Glad I was wrong!

Oh, and you all know what's even better about Johnny getting tossed now?  The first eight people eliminated are never seen again for the rest of the season.  They do not return for the finale.  Only the last eight people -- the ninth through sixteenth people eliminated -- do.  Since Johnny was the seventh person eliminated, we're rid of him for good!  YAY!  NO MORE JOHNNY!

He did say one true thing, though.  He does have beautiful hair.  When he lets it hang down, that is.  Not when it's tied back.

Whew.  Now, then.  With my bliss over one of the actual jerks finally getting his long-overdue comeuppance expressed, I can now address the rest of the episode.

The big thing I can say for the challenge is . . . GO, GIRL POWER!  Ah, it was so damn GOOD to see all three winning dishes that made it onto the menu be dishes from the women -- Wendy (who doesn't sound like she messed it up during service this time!), Kimberly, and Ryan!  Awesome!  Oh, and Paulie, Andrew, and especially Johnny were made to look like little bitches when they lost their faceoffs.  (Paulie only because, despite his good dish, he finally lost a faceoff, Mr. I Won, Per Usch.)  I also really loved guest judge Michelle out-and-out saying that Johnny's dish was terrible, accompanied by Andrew looking so taken aback that a judge outright said that.

Dinner service was much ado about nothing for the red team, as Matt really made the only true mistake.  Heidi, Ryan, Heather, Kimberly, and Andrew were all very strong and very solid tonight.  But among Wendy, Devin, Paulie, and Johnny (especially the latter two), there was more than enough blame to go around for their failure tonight.  Easy to see that they were gonna lose.  Only Shaina and Koop seemed to have a flawless service.

While she's not my favorite, I was scared for Wendy, thinking she'd be the latest casualty of the blue team's boys' club.  But thankfully, Johnny outright lied to Ramsay and got his ass booted.  Though honestly, after seeing more of his blame-shifting and failure to take responsibility for any of his errors (that also existed in a couple of earlier services), I wouldn't have been sad to see Paulie walk out the door, either.  I knew he was arrogant, but it's just getting worse and worse from him.  If he makes the black jackets, I can't see him lasting long beyond that point.  Ramsay seemed pissed off at him for trying to play innocent at elimination when he told him dead to rights that he deserved to be nominated.  And the next episode's previews, provided it's not entirely being overhyped, show him to be getting even worse than that.  It seems like it's more than Devin who can't stand him.  Looks like Koop can't stand him, either.  (Actually, I read interviews with Genaro and Aaron, as well, and apparently, they couldn't stand him, either.  Apparently, nearly none of the other chefs liked Paulie.  I'm really beginning to see why.)

So with the teams reshuffled, I have to say I love the new red team.  Truthfully, I really only love all four women on it.  I think Heather, Ryan, Heidi, and Kimberly all look good for the black jackets, or at least getting close to them.  Of those four, I think Heidi and Ryan will make it for sure.  Heather and Kimberly might, but they'll have to keep up the good services.  And I still don't like Andrew or Matt, but at least they're among women who'll check both of their attitudes at the door each week so they can't throw their weight around anymore.  I think Andrew is a strong enough chef that he could make it to the black jackets, but he's really the only man left I see doing so for sure.  I don't think Matt will at all.  I think he's the weakest member of the team at present and might be out of here in the next few weeks.

On the blue team, I don't really know.  I think Shaina and Wendy are basically right that they're the kick in the pants that that team desperately needs.  Koop is good, as he's made very few mistakes, but nothing special.  And I can't imagine someone who's been as under the radar as he has been in terms of editing has a prayer of winning, anyway, if he's still under the radar by this point in time.  Devin is a nice guy, but I think he's made way too mistakes by now to be considered a winner.  In terms of skill, Paulie's probably the best one on the team.  But he's not the team player he plays himself up to be, and his arrogance and lack of humility clearly have Ramsay giving him the side eye.  He might make the black jackets, but he sure as hell isn't winning unless he makes a serious attitude adjustment.

Huh.  When I put it that way, maybe we could have an all-female crew of black jackets this season.  Or maybe five females and one male (still thinking that one male will be Andrew).  Or, on an off chance, four females and two males (with the second male being Paulie by a narrow margin).  Either way, I don't see a man winning this season again.  At the beginning of the season, I might've welcomed it after three women have won the past three seasons in a row, but I secretly wanted to go four in a row.  And honestly, with what we've been shown of the men this season, I think we definitely will go four in a row.  The men just can't hold a candle to the women this season.

I have to disagree that Ryan is the runaway best of the chefs.  While they haven't been the tops at challenges, Heather and Heidi have been amazing in services.  I think one or both of them can challenge Ryan.

Whew.  Sorry about the long post.  This episode really had me pumped.  I guess I'm more excited about HK, even after all of these seasons, than most.

Edited November 20, 2016 by Michel

[Canada]

Wow.

[TDT]

Surprised  that camera in the storeroom doesnt fall off of its supports due to all the times it shakes whenever Gordon slams the door lol

[mojoween]

I hate that Andrew benefits from other people's competence.

I am so not a PC person, but I was taken aback by a Stevie Wonder joke on national television.  I mean, that's who he is.  He can't help being blind so it's a little unseemly for someone of GR's stature to say.  It surprised me, frankly.  And I know by this point it so should not, heh.

Johnny was very hot.  Shame about the personality.

[MajorWoody]

I was also surprised at the Stevie Wonder joke.

 

In my experience, the punchline always uses Ray Charles.

[MajorWoody]

So Johnny , the arrogant burger chef,had his dream dashed, of being the head chef at the new Ramsay joint.

The good news is his old place of employment saved his paper hat and plastic nametag for his inevitable return back there.

[Michel]

I wonder what's with the big gap between this episode and the next?  This Friday is the one after Thanksgiving, so that makes sense, but the Friday after that?

[Michel]

Well, I got my answer this past Friday.  College football was on, for some reason I can't understand.  But the show's back this Friday!:)

[DoctorK]

After this long of a break, how many of the contestants do you still remember by name?

[Drogo]

6 minutes ago, DoctorK said:

After this long of a break, how many of the contestants do you still remember by name?

Does Gordon Ramsay count?

[Canada]

Who's Gordon Ramsay?

[Michel]

On ‎12‎/‎6‎/‎2016 at 8:26 AM, DoctorK said:

After this long of a break, how many of the contestants do you still remember by name?

I still remember all eleven people left, so I'm doing well at that.

Red Team: Ryan, Heidi, Heather, Kimberly, Matt, and Andrew.
Blue Team: Devin, Koop, Paulie, Shaina, and Wendy.

Edited December 8, 2016 by Michel

[DoctorK]

Michel you are much more invested in this show than I am. Or you have better short term memory than me.

[Nowhere]

Johnny was a plant. He was too animated and caused too much trouble to be real. If not, he's the biggest douche on the planet.