by Chef Rock
Winner of Hell’s Kitchen Season 3

I know this competition.

 

I went through it and came out with good results. While I was there, and even afterwards, I have studied what the show is about. I won’t go through that here, but I just want to say that I know this competition. I know the challenges (that I went through at least), the brigade system, the help you get, what is tolerated and what isn’t and blah, blah, blah.

 

I also know that you can’t judge the people on what you see. Not personally, at least. The cameras don’t show you everything, but they show enough. Just because someone makes a mistake in the kitchen doesn’t make them the worst chef in the world. Sometimes, the comments and shots are not from situation that is in front of the viewers. For instance, if Joe the cook overcooks scallops, Chef Ramsay may scream at Henry the cook to call out Joe and to encourage teamwork. The editing may make it look like Henry overcooked the scallops. It’s TV and it happens. Which brings me to my next point: Who cares?

 

Gordon picks the chef that he thinks is the best. All the other stuff is filler, if you ask me.

 

Ever since being on season 3 of Hell’s Kitchen, I have heard excuse after excuse about how “that scene wasn’t shown truthfully” or “it really didn’t go down like that”. It makes me sick, to be honest with you. I understand it, because I had some of the same feelings, but it still doesn’t matter. The producers get in what matters and leave the rest out. HK is about Gordon Ramsay and his ability to find the next chef of the restaurant in only a month or so. It isn’t about any contestant and their ego, even my sizable one.

 

It’s all entertainment and I’m sure many of these people are awesome and great chefs in their own element. I only write and talk about what I see. It’s a TV show, people shouldn’t take it too seriously. That goes for the contestants and the viewers, it’s just entertainment.

 

The taste challenge that happened is a prime example. I’m sure many of these chefs have great palettes, but the challenge is very tricky. Normally we use sight to first recognize what we are about to eat, that tells our brain what it should taste like. Take away that sense and it is trickier than you think. The key is to not gulp it down right away. You have to recognize the texture by moving it around in your mouth for a moment (stop thinking of the jokes and read on). Then, it will heat up a bit and maybe you can smell it a bit, and a warm food will release its flavors better. Then, you guess! Of course a chef from New England (Kevin) doesn’t equate clams and spinach - the challenge is tough but you have to think it through. It seemed as if Andy started off that way, but he sure did stink it up in the end. Avocado tastes like boiled coconut? He wasn’t the only one though; it was a pretty bad showing for all of them. Ariel and Suzanne only got 2 of 4.

 

As far as service was concerned, it was a good one. Dave and Kevin did a great job, as usual. Andy did not, as usual. I don’t get how you run out of mashed potatoes. On the red side, Suzanne can cook, but her peeps don’t like her. If she makes it to the end, that could hurt. She wasn’t working within the system and tried to stand alone, something that doesn’t work in any business, especially restaurants. Like Tennille said out on the patio “It’s about the team!” Tennille is coming in to her own; I loved her taking control of the countdown, something Sabrina should have done before she sent that raw lamb out.

 

Amanda got the boot, and just before that Chef Ramsay summed up what this comes down too with a great question: “Can you win Hell's Kitchen?”

 

Thanks for reading, on to the rankings!  Whether or not they can win Hell’s Kitchen is the basis for how I rank ‘em from here on out.

8. Andy: He has two restaurants that people say are good. So maybe he could, but I don’t see him winning.

7. Sabrina: Much better than I thought from the get go, but I don’t see it.

6. Suzanne-She has the heart, but still needs to learn a bit about teamwork. Not quite ready to win this show.

5. Ariel: I think she leads and follows by examples, which are great qualities, but the jury is still out on how aggressive she really is.

4. Tennille: She has grown from being close to elimination, to being the best in the kitchen. Growth is key in being a leader.

3. Van: He is very impressive to me, if it were not for Kevin and Dave being so good, he would be a bigger contender.

2. Kevin: Hmmm, would a chef mistake a clam for spinach? No, but chances are he wouldn’t be blindfolded either! He bounced back in service and worked the dining room also, something that Araxi would appreciate.

1. Dave: Working while hurt, bailing out cooks without question and admitting his mistakes sounds like a chef.

 

 

Questions, comments or vicious and insulting disagreements? Hit me up on twitter.com/chefrock or facebook.com/chefrock

 

peace and love!

 

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