The Cooking Method Challenge is a recurring challenge in Hell's Kitchen.
Overview[]
At the start of each challenge, Ramsay gives the chefs the method of cooking he wants different proteins to be cooked at. After the time limit was up, Ramsay would judge the proteins head-to-head. If he likes either one, he gives that dish a point to the chef. The team with the most points at the end wins. If done in the individual phase, the best dish overall will win.
This challenge tests the chef's ability to cook proteins in an unusual way, or how they were required to make them.
History[]
Season 9[]
In episode 5, is when the challenge first took place and happened when there were 13 chefs left, 7 on the red team, and 6 on the blue team. Known as the Fire and Water Challenge, Ramsay gave both teams 45 minutes to cook six dishes that were either steamed, boiled, or poached. The six proteins included salmon, lobster, veal, beef, guinea hen, and prawns. Because the red team had an extra person, Carrie and Elizabeth cooked their own prawn dish, but before judging, the red team used the latter’s dish. Ben Roche and Homaro Cantu came in as guest judges. Jennifer scored over Jonathon on the filet mignon round, but neither Monterray nor Elizabeth scored on the prawn round. Will beat Jamie on the salmon round, while Gina won the guinea hen round over Tommy. Then, Paul beat Elise on the lobster round, but for the veal round, neither Krupa nor Natalie scored on the veal round. The score was tied at two, but the blue team won as Ramsay heavily penalized the red team for committing two major mistakes; not using Carrie’s dish instead of Elizabeth’s and failing to recognize that Krupa cooked filet instead of the veal. The blue team had a spa day at Beverly Hills Montage while the red team cleaned both the dorm hot tub and the front entrance fountain will prepping both kitchens.[1]
Season 11[]
In episode 17, the challenge happened during the individual phase for the first time when there were five chefs left, and it was the first black jacket challenge of the season. Known as the Pressure Cooker Challenge, Ramsay gave the five chefs 45 minutes to cook a dish with their pressure cookers, using cheap cuts of meat they chose blindly. Cyndi got pork roast, Jon got lamb legs, Susan got pork belly, Ja'Nel got goat ribs, and Mary got short ribs. Nancy Silverton and Lesley Barger Suter came into guest judge the challenge alongside Ramsay and each scored the dishes on a 1-5 rating, with a max of 15 points. In the end, Mary's beef borganion with fresh pasta scored a perfect 15 and she won the challenge. She spent time with her family at Wolfgang Puck’s WP24 while the other chefs volunteered with Tree People and sorted through recycling.[2]
Season 17[]
In episode 5, the challenge happened when there were 14 chefs left, 7 on both teams. Known as the Wood Plank Cooking Challenge, both teams had 45 minutes to cook four fish dishes on wood planks: cedar and hickory. The fish dishes included wahoo, salmon, cod, and barramundi. Both teams worked in pairs, but Van and Elise cooked by themselves due to the odd numberings. Ben Ford came in as a guest judge. Nick and Robyn beat Michelle and Jennifer on the cod round, while the pair of Barbie and Manda tied with Benjamin and Jared on the wahoo. At the same time, Van tied with Dana and Josh on the barramundi round, while Elise beat Milly and Giovanni on the salmon round. The score was tied at two each, but Ford gave the blue team the win as he deemed Nick and Robyn’s dish the best of the day. Both teams went to Apex Ranch for their reward and punishment. The blue team went horseback riding while the red team cleaned a stable.[3]
Season 21[]
In episode 7, the challenge happened when there were 12 chefs left, six on both teams. For that year, Ramsay gave them 45 minutes to construct a dish using five domes. Additionally, they must cook their dishes using a wok. Stephanie Izard came in to help judged the dishes with Ramsay. Alex scored over Dafne on the chicken round, while Sommer beat Abe on the flat iron steak. Cheyenne won the pork tenderloin round over Brett, and neither Ileana and Sakari scored on the lobster round. Then, Vlad and Tara tied on the tiger shrimp round. Lastly, Mindy beat Alejandro on the snapper and the red team won the challenge 4-2. They were rewarded with a rooftop dance party and a brand-new set of HexClad pots and pans. The blue team were punished by peeling hundreds of beets for a special beetroot risotto. Alejandro used his punishment pass to trade places with Sommer.[4]
Season 22[]
In episode 7, the challenge happened when there were 12 chefs left, six on both teams. Known as the Grilling Challenge, Ramsay gave both teams 45 minutes to cook six different proteins using Vision brand grills: chicken thighs, chicken breast, trout, swordfish, flat iron steak, and tri-tip steak. Aaron Franklin came to guest judge. Sandra beat Ryan on the swordfish round, while Dahmere won the chicken thigh round over Atoye. Then, Leigh scored on the chicken breast round over Jason, while Sammi and Johnathan tied on the trout round. Afterwards, Carmen scored over Devon on the flat iron steak, and Donya beat Jermaine on the tri-tip steak. The red team won the challenge 5-2 and received a day at Dave and Busters, along with lunch at Yamashiro. Also, they won the right to keep the Vison grills, which the blue team cleaned, disassembled, and packed for them.[5]
Trivia[]
- This is one of the few challenges that was used in both the team phase and the individual phase.
- In the two seasons this challenge was used during the team phase, the blue team always won it. Interestingly, they won it after breaking a tie.[1][3]
- Elise and Jennifer (both from Season 9 and 17) are the only chefs to compete in this challenge two times. They are also the only ones that lost both times in their runs.[1][3]
- Season 21 is the only season to combine this challenge with another, the Dome Challenge.[4]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 (August 1, 2011). "Episode 905 - 13 Chefs Compete". Hell's Kitchen (U.S. TV series). Season 9. Episode 5.
- ↑ (June 20, 2013). "Episode 1117 - 5 Chefs Compete Part 1". Hell's Kitchen (U.S. TV series). Season 11. Episode 17.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 (November 3, 2017). "Episode 1705 - Josh Josh Josh". Hell's Kitchen (U.S. TV series). Season 17. Episode 5.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 (November 17, 2022). "Episode 2107 - Wok This Way". Hell's Kitchen (U.S. TV series). Season 21. Episode 7.
- ↑ (November 9, 2023). "Episode 2207 - All Up in Your Grills". Hell's Kitchen (U.S. TV series). Season 22. Episode 7.