S17.E01: All-Stars Arrive

[Drogo]

In the Season 17 premiere, Chef Ramsay invites 16 all-stars back to the kitchen for a second chance to prove they have what it takes. The competition begins with a twist on the infamous Signature Dish Challenge, with the winning team enjoying the ride of their lives at Skyslide in downtown Los Angeles, followed by a dinner with Ramsay and special guest Wolfgang Puck. The losing team, however, must stay behind to clean up and prep both kitchens for the upcoming dinner service.

[BusyOctober]

Barely recognized most of these “Stars”, and I think I have watched HK since Season 2. I saw Robyn’s face and I knew I could clear this off the DVR. Instead, I will check in here to see everyone’s insightful snark.  

[ZoloftBlob]

I honestly barely remember any of these asshats. I'm just watching because the Exorcist is next and PBS is running Washington Week

[PhoneCop]

When Gordon was "calling" the "All-Stars," I got my hopes up for a second that we'd see them getting their keys to the Big Brother house, which would be a fitting bait and switch for this crew. #missedopportunity

Totally jealous the guys got to do the skyscraper glass slide, which is on my (admittedly modest) bucket list.

I think I need Barbie's "It's a talking stone...?" TH as a GIF.

[aliya]

1 hour ago, ZoloftBlob said:

I honestly barely remember any of these asshats. I'm just watching because the Exorcist is next and PBS is running Washington Week

I guess I'm strange. I actually like playing HK reruns on YT while I do computer work. I also have a set of DVDs from the first 7 or so seasons.  So, I actually remembered most of them, tho I could do without Elise and Robyn (what a clown ).  I dislike the season Robyn was in because of all the drama and screaming; I hope the women can keep it together for a few shows before people start going full-on stupid. 

[ZoloftBlob]

Ironicall Robyn is the one I remembered at the outset. I did also recall the black woman, not Elyse, who came in third and was constantly getting put to the bottom because of personality conflicts. 

That said, it honestly wasn't that interesting and the only real appeal is that this season doesn't have a LOT of obvious deadwood because these are contestants who at least made it past the chum line in their last go around. 

[threebluestars]

Why would you want to give a job to someone who sucked so much the first time they didn't even come in second? All Stars? Hahahaha, okay.

[TDT]

..and we have what may not be the first"To Be Continued" of the season

Can already tell Elise will be a problem

[preeya]

Absolutely hated it.

[mertensia]

And already Barbie's being made a scapegoat.

Here's a hint, people: if your personality hasn't matured, you ain't getting the job. Jackie. Robyn. Elise.

[Snarklepuss]

I found it amusing to see contestants I know from past seasons who weren't in Elise's season have to figure out for themselves how she is.  Other than that, there's something I like about this season so far.  It's a little different than regular HK in a way that's making me interested.  It does seem like a lot of them have matured somewhat.  Others not so much.  It's early yet, we'll see how it goes.  I too didn't remember a lot of them and I've watched every season since season 8.  The people I immediately recognized were Dana, Barbie and Elise.

[backformore]

The thing with Elise not helping with the "punishment" brings up something I wonder every season.  What if they don't complete the punishment? or if one person doesn't participate? They'd have times when they have to eat or drink something disgusting, and some would do it, others not. And what if they just can't lift stuff? 

It seems like the punishments are not really required, unless they involve prepping food for dinner service.

[Mystery]

From the beginning, with the fake "surprise" phone calls (honey, there's a camera crew watching you TAKE that call) I knew it would be pretty bad. (Well okay, it was funny that Benjamin kept talking after Gordon had hung up.) The fake paparazzi made me laugh out loud. 

I did feel like Gordon was genuinely glad to see a few of them, like Manda. 

I was wishing he hadn't invited Jared, since he hasn't learned to pronounce his name (he insists on saying Gerard, like GERR-ard). 

I'll try to stick with it, depending on whether any of these fools are here to actually win or are just here to cause more drama. I won't watch more drama. 

Is Dana the one who shouted all the time, in her one-on-ones with the camera?

[mertensia]

Yes, that's Dana. Shouty McShouterson.

[cooksdelight]

Dana seemed to have toned it down, at least for now. I cannot stand her yelling. And Robyn, I was so hoping that salmon would be awful and it was. Hope that stays in the mind of her competitors and they get rid of her. Barbie’s THs are hilarious, I want her to stay a while. Elyse... what can you say, she hasn’t changed. But I can imagine the director telling her “stand over there and don’t help them” to amp up the screaming.

I remember most of the guys, especially Jared and Van (I think that’s his name, I keep wanting to call him Mad Max).

[spiderpig]

I kinda sorta recall most of this season's characters, but remember in particular Elyse, Dana and Robyn.  The same way I remember my first kidney stone attack.

Seeing manic Robyn busted with a "1" was a nice case of schadenfreude.

It was good to see Christina and hear that she oversees all of Gordon's LAS operations.  One of the few HK success stories.

[Charlesman]

7 hours ago, backformore said:

The thing with Elise not helping with the "punishment" brings up something I wonder every season.  What if they don't complete the punishment? or if one person doesn't participate? They'd have times when they have to eat or drink something disgusting, and some would do it, others not. And what if they just can't lift stuff? 

It seems like the punishments are not really required, unless they involve prepping food for dinner service.

I'm with you. What could they do? What if the entirely team decide to do only as much work as Elise did? Either the producers would step in to make her work, or.... What? If she wasn't going to work, I wouldn't either. 

[ZoloftBlob]

Point - I honestly kinda wonder just how much work actually gets down and how difficult it really is. I actually agreed with Elyse's reasoning on destroying her back taking down some sort of metal parade nonsense simply because she appears to have worked out occasionally. I honestly think the kitchen prep punishments are enough and I get annoyed when I see them doing shit like picking thru the trash or moving furniture. That's not work that cooks in a restaurant kitchen are asked to do. 

[mertensia]

Those gross shakes? Hell to the no on drinking those. 

That said, way to already engender bad blood there, Elise.

[AZChristian]

37 minutes ago, Charlesman said:

I'm with you. What could they do? What if the entirely team decide to do only as much work as Elise did? Either the producers would step in to make her work, or.... What? If she wasn't going to work, I wouldn't either. 

I'd encourage everyone to stand next to her with arms crossed (as she did).  And be sure to tell her that we're going to report to Ramsay that since she got a "5" and we wanted to strive to be just like her, we were going to follow her lead from now on.  If she's not going to work, we're not going to work, either.  Put it back on her.

[cooksdelight]

36 minutes ago, AZChristian said:

I'd encourage everyone to stand next to her with arms crossed (as she did).  And be sure to tell her that we're going to report to Ramsay that since she got a "5" and we wanted to strive to be just like her, we were going to follow her lead from now on.  If she's not going to work, we're not going to work, either.  Put it back on her.

Brilliant idea!! Too bad this bunch is too dense to think of doing that.

[OoogleEyes]

What's  up with cauliflower.  It's  cauliflower. 

It's not rice

It's  not potatoes 

It's cauliflower, dammit

[ketchuplover]

Does Wolfgang have a child named Hockey?

[cooksdelight]

50 minutes ago, ketchuplover said:

Does Wolfgang have a child named Hockey?

No, but I’ve eaten at his restaurant, Spago, several times and the food is wonderful. As is he, if he is there, he’ll come by each table to make sure everyone is happy. That dinner looked amazing.

[spiderpig]

1 hour ago, ketchuplover said:

Does Wolfgang have a child named Hockey?

Oh, I wish!

He seems like a perpetually happy guy.

[Star Aristille]

Milly!  Nick!  Michelle!  Ashley!  Manda!  Oh, wow!  So great to see them all!

I haven't seen seasons five through eleven, so I didn't know how most of the All-Stars were, but for now, I'm okay with Dana, Jennifer, Barbie, Van, Ben, and Benjamin.  Need some time with the others.

I can already tell I won't be a fan of Robyn or Elise, though.

Ugh.  Josh and Jared are back?  Really?  Jared's not really a bad guy, just incompetent most of the time.  And enough said about Josh.  Milly and Nick both looked incredibly pissed to see him back, which tells me just what I'd suspected after HK14.  No one liked him other than Meghan, and it's clear that they haven't made up since that season was taped.

Michelle got a bit chubby.  You can see it in her face.  But she's since gotten married and gone blonde.  I . . . don't like blonde on her.  At all.

Wish they could've thrown in someone from HK12 like Melanie or Rochelle or someone from HK13 like Roe or Sade.  But for now, this looks like a decent, not great, group.

[Surrealist]

I loved the fake paps and the super fans who are straight from Central Casting, plus a handful of tourists the producers picked up to fill in the crowd gaps. 

And judging by next week's preview, already we've got one contestant being taken out on a stretcher. Usually we have to wait about five weeks in for that to happen. 

I remember all of the contestants. Sadly.

I didn't mind Milly and Manda. 

So, I'll be sticking this mess out.

[preeya]

After re-thinking the whole premise of this "All-Stars" show, I've concluded these cooks/chefs/idiots are the focal point of a season that will consist of quite a bit of turmoil and very little cooking skills. Yeah, they can cook, as well they should, but they are here just to pump the GR ratings. As mentioned quite a few times (above), although I've watched every season, I have literally no recollection of most of these people.

 

Oh, one other thought. Millie from Philly, STFU.

Edited October 1, 2017 by preeya

[Rammchick]

These people might have made it to the black jackets but there were plenty more who kept their heads down, did their work and weren't there to be shit stirrers and drama queens.  However, they weren't chosen to come back.  I hope Robyn is eliminated quickly, I can't stand the sight of her.

[mlp]

Quote

 I hope Robyn is eliminated quickly, I can't stand the sight of her.

Ditto.  She is the worst of the worst.  As others have said, I don't remember the majority of these people.  Of the ones I do recall, the only one I remember in any detail is Milly.  I hated his beard (still do) and he doesn't seem like the sharpest knife in the drawer but he doesn't seem like a bad guy.  I liked him during his season.  That could change.

The only person on Hell's Kitchen whom I always actually like is Marino.

[justawatcher]

Jared, Van, Heather, Benjamin (redhead)- one of those will be the winner. The rest are drama queens or too young (Giovanni- nice guy but I don't see him lasting).

Edited October 1, 2017 by justawatcher

[Drogo]

Benjamin is my favorite because I don't remember him at all. 

Robyn's 1 out of 5 is the gift that keeps giving. 

[cooksdelight]

Did you notice Robyn winking at Ramsay when he was discussing her dish? That wink quickly started leaking...

[OoogleEyes]

I think this should be called the *all assholes* season

[mertensia]

I don't know. Nick seems to have done some maturing.

[biakbiak]

I didn't realize this was going to be a gather past losers season until I read this thread and promptly deleted the season pass. 

[cooksdelight]

2 hours ago, mertensia said:

I don't know. Nick seems to have done some maturing.

I agree, I like him this time around... so far. And I like Barbie, I’d be happy with her winning.

[galaxychaser]

I don't remember any of them.  

[Tipsymcstagger]

Robyn is truly repulsive. Ugly from the inside out.

Also in what parallel universe are these turds "all stars"? And who the hell is the roid raging dude with the beet red face? There's got to be some underlying health issue there. Bizarre.

Edited October 1, 2017 by Tipsymcstagger
Premature post

[Charlesman]

23 hours ago, galaxychaser said:

I don't remember any of them.  

 

If you've got mind-bleach strong enough to erase Elise from your memory, please share it. I've got decades of past trauma that don't bug me as much as seeing her on my TV does.

[lh25]

On 9/30/2017 at 6:31 PM, preeya said:

After re-thinking the whole premise of this "All-Stars" show, I've concluded these cooks/chefs/idiots are the focal point of a season that will consist of quite a bit of turmoil and very little cooking skills. Yeah, they can cook, as well they should, but they are here just to pump the GR ratings. As mentioned quite a few times (above), although I've watched every season, I have literally no recollection of most of these people.

I agree.  I wonder if they really think they are back because Ramsey thinks they are great cooks?  Clearly, they were picked because they will bring the drama.  Not sure I'll stick this one out.  Seems to really be more of the same, no matter how many times they tell us it's "awesome" or "history making".

[Meowwww]

See, I like Dana.  She is a strong cook. 

I like Elise.  She doesn’t take crap.  And she is BUILT. 

Not much comments on the guys this season. I don’t remember ANY of them, so there’s that. 

[Eolivet]

I remembered most of these people, but I've completely blocked out Michelle. And she was third?

This is going to be a hopefully entertaining trainwreck, but I do like that they brought back cooks who made it to black jackets. Still so weird that some of these people actually work in a kitchen and their plating is far beneath the "untrained" home cooks on Masterchef.

I never minded Elise. "Most hated Hell's Kitchen contestant of all time?" By whose standards? No thanks, I'll save that dubious honor for the parade of misogynist toolbags that crow about "losing to a bunch of grrrrrrrrls."

Edited October 3, 2017 by Eolivet

[rubinia]

Elise is THE WORST. Worse than Robyn. And you know she'll be there til the end.

[preeya]

13 minutes ago, rubinia said:

Elise is THE WORST. Worse than Robyn. And you know she'll be there til the end.

You can take that to the bank.

[cooksdelight]

I just realized I’m friends on FB with Jared. LOL!!! From a long time ago.

[WescottF1]

I had forgotten about, and actually laughed out loud at, Van's habit of referring to Jean-Phillipe as "Whistle Britches".

[EarlGreyTea]

This takes me BACK. God, I despised Elise, but hers was the first season I ever watched. So it's weirdly nostalgic seeing her on my screen. I was studying for the GRE at the time, so something about seeing other people getting yelled at was comforting. Poor Jennifer getting another shot but having it be alongside the Hellion Elise, who threw her under the bus to save herself in the original season. Even Robyn is better than Elise because she did appear to show some compassion to her fellow contestants in her season. There's a weird vulnerability to Robyn that I find kind of endearing. Kind of.

God do I hate the hokiness of the show sometimes. Ramsay "calling" everyone with that forced smile is so awkward. You know in times like that he's just counting his money in his head.

I loved Barbie! God, Dana was obnoxious then and she's obnoxious now. Team Barbie.

Edited October 5, 2017 by EarlGreyTea

[bluepiano]

On ‎9‎/‎29‎/‎2017 at 10:05 PM, threebluestars said:

Why would you want to give a job to someone who sucked so much the first time they didn't even come in second? All Stars? Hahahaha, okay.

Yeah, that's my thought. How can you call someone an "All Star" when they only came in 5th or 6th in their season, among a whole roster of completely inept and/or mentally unbalanced chefs?

[mojoween]

Elise: "you can hate me."

Me: "Okay."

Ugh Manda no.  She and Barbie annoy me to the nth power.

The flashbacks make me miss JP so much.

I don't like Dana but I think it's cute she and Christina remain friends.