Hell's Kitchen: 4/29/08

I cannot believe that Vanessa has to go see a plastic surgeon for her burn. That sucks. I also felt for Ben, because I don't think he did that badly last week. Someone on another blog mentioned that they think Ramsey likes Ben and therefore is holding him to a higher standard.

Poor Vanessa - can't even be near heat with her burn? That's not easy in a kitchen.

The challenge is to create something gourmet out of something seemingly normal - a Fine Dining Pizza.

Matt was getting the serious silent treatment in the Men's Kitchen, where the Women's Kitchen was working really well together, seemingly. Each person did an individual pizza, and then decided on an Ultimate. Jen had an herbed crust, a sundried tomato, and prosciutto pizza, with fried basil with a balsamic glaze over it. Vanessa was hoping they would choose hers, but to no avail.

Ben's pizza was chosen on the other team, without even finishing all of the tastings. Chantrelle mushrooms, chevre cream, something else, sounded yummy. Petrozza was annoyed, because he wasn't even done his pizza.

Some of the mushrooms were gritty, and that's no good. Ben washed them, and Matt was high and mighty about how "some people's cooking skills are beginning to show." The girls won it, with lack of gritty mushrooms. Their pizza is going to be a Special on the menu the following night. They get to go to Santa Barbara to a famous $90 hamburger, in a helicopter. As a punishment for losing, the men have to prep for all the pizzas.

Complaining in the prep kitchen, Louross is called a Bitch by Ben. Yeah, that's mature. We'll see how that goes. For lunch, the men get a "thin ass burger, no mustard, no ketchup, on a bun." Meanwhile, the women are treated to Kobe Beef Burgers with Black Truffle Fries. Mmmmmm.

The prep is really hard for Vanessa, because she just can't be near the heat. She goes to talk to Ramsey about what she might be able to do. He basically says suck it up and stay, or leave. She decided to leave, because she felt that she couldn't be there 100%. Ramsey seemed to be sad by her departure, but I think it was a good decision. She couldn't help, she couldn't cook, she couldn't be near the heat, so she would have gotten in the way more than anything.

As a special "treat", Hell's Kitchen is offering Pizza Delivery, and the men get to deliver in a glorified golf cart or something close to it. Yipes. That's just cruel. Well, I think they almost deserve it, because they can't work together for anything. They deserve hardship.

Jen starts out well on the hot appetizer section, and sends out the risotto perfectly. Ben (being picked on again) is going to be delivering the pizza. Bobby claims again he is the Four Star General, when Matt is attempting to serve disasterous eggs, then breaks yolks left and right. There were some problems in the women's kitchen, Corey showed that she was not the brightest bulb in the lamp by being befuddled by the concept of not sending out anything on a table if the whole table is not ready. Ramsey then gets upset at Rosann who can't mash veggies. He actually sent the table out without the veggies, and Jen helps to get them right.

Over in the men's kitchen, Louross is having a terrible time cooking a steak, and he charred them. Petrozza brilliantly slivered off a bit of them charred outside and exposing the pretty center.

Kristina is flipping out about fallen souffle's in the women's kitchen, but I have to say I am impressed at the completion of the service! The men and the women finish their service!! That's a first for the season.

Each team has to nominate one person to go up for elimination. The men nominate Louross, the women nominate Christina (and she has to tell Ramsey that). Ramsey doesn't think that Christina is the weakest chef, and Jen pisses Ramsey off a little by being too confident.

Ramsey doesn't eliminate anyone because Vanessa has already gone. He says it's his gift to them for completing the service. He leaves them with "Now, piss off, and get some sleep." Classic.