Season 2 Episode 1

The first episode of Season 2 of Hell’s Kitchen aired on Fox, on June 12, 2006. On that episode, we got to know the contestants of that season, and the staff. The teams were divided, and the first dinner service is nothing to cheer about.

Please watch the full episode before you read (below) to avoid spoilers about this episode.

Intro

The contestants arrived in Hell’s Kitchen and were greeted by Jean-Philippe. They celebrated with some champagne glasses, and having a first look at the restaurant. Meanwhile, Ramsay, in his office, was checking the contestants’ profiles and pictures. He called Keith “slightly demented”, and was shocked when he saw Virginia was putting makeup on at work. After that, he walked through the hallway, opened the dining room doors, and greeted the contestants by introducing himself and announcing that only one of them twelve is going to win the competition. After that, he asked all of them to cook their signature dishes.

Signature dish challenge

Each contestant had 30 minutes to prepare their signature dish. Keith’s “ching-ching” sesame crusted tuna was called “Leaning Tower of Pisa” by Ramsay, and Ramsay asked him what “ching-ching” means. Keith answered by saying it is his slang for “slamin’ and money”. Ramsay did not believe him when he said the dish was light, and asked him to take his hat off so he could put the feta cheese on top in it. The sauce was deemed too hot. Rachel’s butterfly shrimps with chocolate sauce received mixed reviews. Ramsay called it weird, praised the shrimps who were cooked perfectly, but said they were spoiled by the chocolate sauce which was too much. Polly’s “undone” focaccia bread was poorly received as Ramsay stated he would rather eat poodle shit. Larry’s potato crab cakes with Asian flair and peppers were undercooked, and Maribel’s eggplant soup was spit out as Ramsay found it garlicky, hot, and baby-vomit-looking.

After big disappointments, Ramsay said he did not know if he wants to go any further because he could not believe it could get any worse.

When Tom step forward to present his shrimp scampi with cooked Caesar salad, Ramsay remarked he was sweating a lot and asked him if he was okay. Tom answered he is fine as he sweats all the time and called himself a “schweatzer”. Ramsay tossed the cooked Caesar salad in his hands, and spit out the shrimps. Heather served chocolate raspberry empanadas, and despite telling the outside is too thick to digest, Ramsay told her dish was the best so far. Garrett’s meat was tasted first by Gabe. He told Ramsay it was overcooked, and Ramsay confirmed him, praising his honesty. When his fish was tasted by Ramsay, it was so raw Ramsay said he could call it sushi. Giacomo’s Frutti di Mare and Sara’s herb crusted salmon with crab pasta were tasted at the same time. Sara tasted Giacomo’s dish and found it very nice. Ramsay later deemed it not bad, and declared it the best dish of the season as he thanked him for eating something edible. Giacomo shook Ramsay’s hand and acknowledged he could emerge as a leader. Sara’s pasta was overcooked and compared to a big ball of mush by Ramsay. Finally, Virginia’s coconut and pomegranate celery root salad had nothing cooked, except the toasted nuts. Ramsay said it was fine as far as rabbit food goes because it was raw and crunchy.

Teams

After the challenge, Ramsay announced the prize which was an executive chef position, with a share in the profits in a brand new multi-million restaurant.

Ramsay introduced Sous Chefs Scott and Mary-Ann, and declared that for the first time ever, the teams would be divided by genders. The men in the blue team, cooking with Sous Chef Scott, and the women in the red team, cooking with Sous Chef Mary-Ann. Tom was the only one who applauded that decision, and claimed he could not ask for a better situation as he does not have to check on someone anymore.

Before Service

Back in the dorms, the contestants were pumped and confident, and Heather stated the goal is to get two women in the finals. After changing, both teams got down in the kitchen where Ramsay announced the restaurant will open in 24 hours, and the teams had to begin prep knowing they will not sleep very much that night. During prep, Polly declared she never been to culinary school, and Tom was sweating in the food, leading Ramsay to tell him to start over and him to put a head scarf on. Because of that incident, the red team finished prep hours before the blue team, and got more sleep than them. The next morning, Larry declared he slept only 45 minutes that night.

Minutes before service, Ramsay asked for two volunteers, without telling anybody what they were volunteering for. From the red team, Heather, Rachel, Sara, and Virginia raised their hand quickly, but from the blue team, Giacomo was the only one who did, and did it very slowly. Ramsay eventually chose Giacomo and Heather to be the kitchen donkeys during that service. Giacomo regretted that decision, but Heather was very enthusiastic about it.

Dinner Service

Before the first ticket arrived, Virginia showed her hands to show how nervous she was. Ramsay also reminded Tom to not sweat in the food. The first ticket came in the blue kitchen, eleven minutes after opening. Giacomo and Heather, as the donkeys, were already hard at work. The first ticket of the red team came in seventeen minutes after opening. Polly was already struggling on the appetizer station, and was helped by Rachel, Maribel and Sous Chef Mary-Ann. The first risotto she sent to the pass was overcooked, like if it was glued to the plate, and the mushrooms were missing. After asking Polly if she was happy to send that, which she answered no, Ramsay told her to trash it and start again. In the blue kitchen, Tom sent raw scallops as his first appetizer, and Ramsay told him to start the table again and move his ass.

One hours into service, customers have only received bread to eat. Polly received un welcomed help from Sara on her station. When Ramsay asked her a time, she said 6 minutes, but Sara tried to overshadow her by saying 2 minutes. After Ramsay asked her to, Polly finally pushed Sara off her station. When she sent her second attempt at her first risotto at the pass and was asked by Ramsay to taste it, Polly said it was bland. Ramsay refused to serve it and asked her to start once again. In the blue kitchen, Tom finally served acceptable starters. Unfortunately, one of the blue team’s customer complained his risotto had no pumpkin in it. After a heated argument with Jean-Philippe, the customer went to the kitchen himself to speak with Ramsay. When he asked for more pumpkin, Ramsay offered him to ram it right up his ass, and asked him if he would rather like it whole or diced. The customer went back to his seat. After that incident, a minor fire erupted on Tom’s station. He tried unsuccessfully to turn it off by blowing on it, but was eventually saved by Gabe who turned the gas off for him.

An hour and a half into service, Polly was at her fourth attempt at her first risotto. Ramsay has had enough and made her switch stations with Heather. Polly then became the kitchen donkey, and Heather was on appetizers. In the blue kitchen, Tom failed to notice his stove was still off. He was slow communicating to Ramsay about it, and Ramsay told him to think with his head next time. After that, Ramsay told Larry, who was standing still like the Statue of Liberty, to at least be more lively and understand what is going on, even if he does not have much to do. After three minutes on appetizers, Heather sent an acceptable risotto to the pass, and when it went to the dining room, Sara started cheering, only to be calmed down by Heather. Ramsay schooled Sara on her behavior, and that there is nothing to cheer about when the first table went out after nearly two hours.

Two hours into service, both teams completed appetizers, and the pressure turned on Virginia and Gabe on the meat station. Gabe said he needed 10 minutes because his oven was not hot enough and his Wellingtons were not well done. Ramsay was discouraged. In the red kitchen, Virginia had the same problems as she brought undercooked Wellingtons, and Ramsay asked her to start over. She then became confused and did not know the menu, what she was doing, or what to do. After that, Virginia was looking for lamb sauce which was missing. So, she tried to pass veal sauce for it instead. Sous Chef Mary-Ann told her she can not do that, and she went in the blue kitchen to ask Keith if she could borrow him some lamb sauce. Keith categorically refused to and asked her to go back in her kitchen, which she did.

Three hours into service, customers received plenty of wine, but very little food. They started shouting “I want my food!” all over the dining room. Witnessing this, Ramsay ordered Jean-Philippe and both teams to shut down the service. Everybody was embarrassed.

Post-mortem

Ramsay started by declaring no team won, and that it came down to which was worse. He reminded Sara’s cheering after two hours and one table, and Larry’s spaced out stare. Ramsay declared the red team losers for serving zero entrées whatsoever. After reminding the blue team they did not win, he named Heather “Best of the Worst” for being able to send food out after a number of unsuccessful attempts by her team.

Elimination

Heather nominated Polly as her first nominee for elimination, and Virginia as her second, despite convincing the latter she does not want her to go home. Ramsay eliminated Polly for being the worst performer of the night, and lacking the knowledge and experience. During her exit interview, Polly knew that while her family would be surprised to see her back so soon, she was happy to have left being herself, instead of becoming a lying and conspiring person.

Ramsay’s comment: “This is a journey, and right now, we’re going to hell and back each and every week to make sure we find the right person. And Polly? No chance.”

my opinion

The first service was terrible for Gordon. Polly couldn’t make a risotto and she tried three times before Gordon make her swap for Heather. Tom was terrible. Sara was happy after the first risotto then Gordon said don’t wet your knickers. Larry was stand still.

For my nominated I would said Polly and Virginia to go up and Polly to go after she couldn’t cook.

My comment: I eliminated Polly because she cant cook, she as no change of winning.

Gordon choose polly.