The eleventh episode of Season 14 of Hell’s Kitchen aired on Fox on May 12, 2015. In that episode, the annual Blind Taste Test occurred, a private dinner service took place, and a shocking elimination took place.
Intro[]
While going back to the dorms, T was ecstatic that Meghan was finally out of the red team and said it was a great opportunity for her to rise as a leader. Meanwhile, Josh was still in shock because he was now in the red team, believed that Ramsay saw the fight in him, and knew what he had to do to win before declaring that it was on like Donkey Kong. Then, Josh said that he would crush the blue team and mockingly asked Nick if the situation sucked. Still, Nick snarkily responded that it sucked for the girls and said that it would be one less heckle in the kitchen for himself.
Team challenge[]
The next day, Sous Chef James called the dorms and told Alison to bring everybody out to the front entrance. Once outside, T noticed something underneath black capes and began wondering what would happen. Then, Ramsay asked the chefs if they were confident in their palates. When everybody said they were, Ramsay announced the annual Blind Taste Test and revealed that he brought back the dunk tanks from the previous season. However, nobody was excited about that news, and Milly said that he did not want in any part of the dunk tank as he did not want to get his clothes wet. As with the previous season, one chef would taste four ingredients while their teammates were in the dunk tank. If the chef got three or four incorrect answers, their teammate would be sent to the dunk tank.
On the first round, Michelle and Meghan were sent to the dunk tanks, while T and Milly were the first chefs from their team’s competing. While both got carrot and cauliflower, Milly got the remaining two ingredients correct. Michelle and Meghan were saved from being dunked. The score was 4-2 for the blue team, and Ramsay was impressed with Milly’s perfect score. On the next round, Josh and Nick went up, and the former said that he was confident in his palate as he ate a lot of things since he could walk. While both got the American cheese correct, Josh got lobster and celery, keeping Alison from being dunked, while Nick failed to get the rest, resulting in Randy getting dunked once, and the score was tied at 5. On the third round, Michelle and Meghan were up next, and the former wanted to beat the latter to make her humble. Both got potato and egg whites, while Meghan got macadamia nuts as well, Milly and T stayed dry, and the score was 8-7 for the blue team. Alison and Randy were up on the final round, and the latter admitted that he was more nervous than ever as he was afraid that he would not identify most of the ingredients. While both got tomatoes, Alison got oatmeal, while Randy failed to get the other three, resulting in Nick getting dunked once, and the score was tied at nine each. Ramsay announced that they were in sudden death to break the tie, called up Milly and Josh as they scored the most points from their respective teams and Meghan and Alison were sent to the dunk tank. Josh declared that it was his challenge to win it for the red team. After both of them failed to identify zucchini, resulting in Alison and Meghan getting dunked, Josh got avocado, while Milly did not, Meghan got dunked once more, and the red team won the challenge. Michelle compared Meghan to a raccoon due to the latter’s makeup being ruined from the water and called it satisfying. At the same time, Alison forgave Josh for dunking her earlier.
Scoring[]
Red Team | Blue Team | ||||
Chef | Score | Total | Chef | Score | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
T | 2/4 | 2 | Milly | 4/4 | 4 |
Josh | 3/4 | 5 | Nick | 1/4 | 5 |
Michelle | 2/4 | 7 | Meghan | 3/4 | 8 |
Alison | 2/4 | 9 | Randy | 1/4 | 9 |
Josh | 1/2 | 10 | Milly | 0/2 | 9 |
Results | 10-9 |
Reward[]
The red team was rewarded with a trip to Petrossian to taste caviar and received a $2,000 shopping spree, which Alison called the best reward yet. At Petrossian, Christopher Klapp welcomed them. T said it was the best thing to happen for the red team at that moment and called it the most expensive lunch she ever had. Later, the red team arrived at Kitson for their shopping spree, Alison was having fun with her teammates and called epic. T believed that they bonded as a team before declaring that they would crush that night’s service.
Punishment[]
Ramsay informed the blue team that they were hosting a private dinner service that featured two important charities. Their punishment was rearranging the dining room for two twelve top tables and making sangria. Meghan declared that it was not the best start for herself on the blue team and did not feel good about losing. During the punishment, Meghan believed that she broke the record for most challenges lost, believed that the punishments were following her on both teams, and wondered if she was bad luck. As they were prepping fruit for the sangrias, the red team walked by, and Meghan told off Josh. Nick felt that Josh was rubbing in his victory by wearing a blue shirt and declared that he did not want to see the latter win anything.
While on break in the dorms, Randy took the blame for costing the blue team the challenge, but Milly reminded him that they all got incorrect answers. Later, Randy asked where they were putting the tables away, wondered if the blue team was stronger or weaker without Josh as Meghan was a strong chef as well, before saying that he would have to wait and see. Nick himself said that the red team could keep Josh as he would rather have Meghan any day.
Before service[]
When the red team came back from their reward, Meghan was extremely disappointed that she did not get to go as she could have spent $500 in 15 minutes before stating that losing the challenge sucked.
Later that night, Ramsay had both teams lined up, announced that Hell’s Kitchen was closed for a private dinner service and that each table would receive a five-course dinner, with each chef taking charge of their own course before desserts. After urging both teams to display some leadership, Ramsay asked Marino to open Hell’s Kitchen.
Dinner service[]
For that night, Step Up Women’s Network, featuring Amy Davidson and Fran Drescher’s Cancer Schmancer Movement, featuring Ray Abruzzo and Peter Marc Jacobson, was in attendance. In addition, the menu that night featured lobster risotto led by Alison and Randy, tuna Nicosia salad led by Josh and Milly, pan-seared salmon led by T and Nick, New York striploin led by Michelle and Meghan, and a chocolate torte dessert. Ramsay brought Randy and Alison up to the pass, and the two agreed to get their risottos out in six minutes. Alison realized that she had to own up to her course and got very communicative with her team. In the blue kitchen, Randy had the entire blue team make the risotto base. Still, Ramsay told them that there were too many people crowding the appetizer station and warned them that it could lead to two different flavors. While Milly went to get the plates out, Randy admitted that despite not knowing how to make risotto when he started, he declared it to be his favorite thing to cook. However, when they were sent up, Ramsay saw that two pans of risotto were lighter than the others and lectured the blue team to cook the same on the pan and divide later. Randy admitted that it was a dumb mistake on his behalf. In the red kitchen, Alison’s risottos were being plated, and in the blue kitchen, Randy’s risottos were being plated as well. However, Ramsay noticed sixteen plates of risotto instead of the twelve needed. When Randy asked who did that, Milly blamed him for not seeing it before. As the blue team rushed to put the extra servings on under portioned plates, Randy said that he wanted to strangle his teammates for that mistake. While Alison’s risottos were sent to their table, Randy’s risotto delay had the blue team’s table contemplate grabbing it themselves. Fortunately, Randy’s risotto made it to the table, but he was still angry about the extra plates.
On the second course, Josh got the tuna Nicosia ready and wanted it to be perfect as it was his first night on the red team. However, Alison found out that the tuna was overcooked. Still, Josh decided to pick out the better pieces, leaving Alison to remark that it was his dish and would have to own up to it in the end. When the tuna was sent to the pass, Ramsay saw how overcooked they were, but Alison revealed that she had some more being fired. Milly had his teammates help him with the plating in the blue kitchen, but Ramsay caught Nick wiping the plates with a dirty cloth and lectured both him and Milly for it. Despite that, Milly was able to send out his dishes, but the red team was still working on their salads. Then, Ramsay told the red team that the blue table was already eating, said that it was exactly what he did not want to see, and Marino was forced to do damage control. While Josh believed that his second attempt would be acceptable, one plate had overcooked tuna. Ramsay yelled that even canned tuna had more texture, and Michelle called it a disaster. Then, Ramsay discovered more plates with overcooked tuna, and Josh realized that there was barely any tuna left to work with. Alison said that she tried to warn the former about it before declaring that their ass was grass. After, Josh asked Ramsay if he could borrow some tuna from the blue kitchen. Ramsay horrifyingly realized that they ran out of tuna before asking what was going on and threatening to have himself and Sous Chef Andi complete service themselves. Despite that, Ramsay allowed Josh to grab some tuna from the blue kitchen, and the red team finally served their tuna Nicosia salads.
T declared that she was ready to bust it out on the third course and knew that the red team had to bounce back. However, Josh began micromanaging T’s cooking, though she argued that she knew what she was doing. In the blue kitchen, Nick told Randy to pick the best salmon from the tray. Still, Nick found out that the skin was not as crispy as it was supposed to be and sent it back into the oven for another minute, much to an impatient Ramsay’s dismay. T brought up her salmon in the red kitchen, and it was sent to the dining room, with Nick’s salmon leaving not long after.
On the fourth course, Josh suggested to Michelle that she put her steaks in earlier to let them rest. Still, Michelle ignored Josh after the tuna incident earlier. Ramsay even asked Josh if anybody taught him how to cook the tuna before saying that he trusted Michelle with the steak. In the blue kitchen, Meghan gave out orders to the men. However, Randy, who was still sore from the plate incident earlier, snarkily asked if she meant eighteen plates, much to their annoyance. Despite that, Meghan was able to get her steaks out with no problem, and the blue team began prepping their desserts. In the red kitchen, Josh was late slicing the steak, and when Michelle told T that the latter did not plate them as she did earlier, T rudely told her off. Despite that, the steaks were sent out, and the red team began on their desserts. However, T claimed that she wanted to slap Michelle in the face as the two argued over the plating of the steak course.
As both teams were cleaning up, Michelle and T continued to argue. At the same time, Randy confronted his teammates over the extra plate incident. While Nick argued that Randy should have recounted the plates as it was his course. Meghan reminded him that he had to pay attention as a chef, but Randy warned them that they would not like him at his worst if he was around the next day. However, Nick continued to argue that they did not sabotage Randy, and Milly warned the latter that from now on, the only thing they would be talking about was food.
Post-mortem[]
After both teams were lined up, Ramsay commented that they had given him a clear indication that they could all lead individually. While both charities left extremely happy, service was not without its mistakes. Despite that, the blue team was named the winners by having the edge by a slim margin, and Ramsay asked the red team to name two people for elimination.
During deliberation, Josh believed that there was too much pettiness in the red team that kept them from working as a team and stated that he had no time before stating that nobody was on the same page. T considered Josh for the overcooked tuna incident, but he argued that it was the smoothest dish of that night, even though the others thought otherwise. While Josh acknowledged that he messed up, he argued that kitchens were run by communication and listening and not yelling or attacking people. Still, when Michelle tried to voice out in agreement, Josh rudely told her that he was talking. However, T felt that Josh was looking like a dick for trying to pass off the blame. Still, when Michelle recalled Josh being the one that started the arguments, h told her that she had to stop it. Alison was left wondering who to nominate as Josh screw up that night, T and Michelle were arguing a lot and said that the two weakest links had to go up for elimination.
Elimination[]
Michelle announced Josh as the red team’s first nominee and herself as the second nominee. During their pleas, Josh stated that his poor performance in the last service affected his confidence but felt that the red team did well when they listened to him. Then, Michelle said she was very consistent in her techniques, did well in cooking, and felt she did communicate well despite Josh believing otherwise. After listening to their pleas, Ramsay announced that the person going home was the one that did not have control of their course and never bounced back. That led him to eliminate Randy for those reasons. Still, before Randy left, Ramsay praised him for being one of the fastest learners in the show’s history and said he made his family, country, and himself proud. During his exit interview, Randy still believed that the blue team left him hanging that night but admitted that he would leave with his head held high. He only wished that he had more experience as nobody would have stood a chance against him on top of his leadership skills.
After Randy left, Ramsay reminded the chefs that they were very close to joining an elite club, but he was unsure how many black jackets he would give out that year. While being dismissed, Josh said that he could smell the black jackets, and while he thought he would be sent home, he stated that he had nothing else to lose. Then, Milly said that with Randy gone, it was one less person in his way, and he had to shine hard, and while Michelle admitted she might have an attitude, she knew she could become a leader and that she deserved to get a black jacket, before proclaiming nobody was going to stop her.
Ramsay's comment: "I loved Randy's work ethic. Unfortunately, his positive attitude couldn't camouflage his lack of experience."
Hell's Kitchen Season 14 Episodes |
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18 Chefs Compete • 17 Chefs Compete • 16 Chefs Compete • 15 Chefs Compete • 14 Chefs Compete • 13 Chefs Compete • 12 Chefs Compete • 11 Chefs Compete • 9 Chefs Compete • 8 Chefs Compete • 8 Chefs Compete Again • 7 Chefs Compete • 6 Chefs Compete • 5 Chefs Compete • 4 Chefs Compete • Winner Chosen |