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The twelfth episode of Season 20 of Hell's Kitchen aired on August 30, 2021. In that episode, the seven remaining chefs competed for black jackets, and two chefs lost out on getting them after a hard-fought battle.

Intro[]

As the chefs returned to the dorms, Ramsay asked Trenton if he was copying him by putting a pencil behind his ear. Trenton denied that, but Ramsay told him to keep it if it would help improve his cooking.

The following morning, both teams came downstairs. Ramsay explained that a chef's job was to transform basic ingredients into exciting dishes and invited Opium's Leeloo to do a short performance for them. As Leeloo did her balloon performance, Steve felt his back hurt watching her and said he would get claustrophobic entering the balloon. Brynn was shocked that Leeloo entered the balloon, and when the latter popped it, she came out wearing a black jacket. Ramsay confirmed it was time for the black jacket phase to begin, exciting Emily as she made it far to see one.

Individual challenge 1[]

Ramsay explained that the seven chefs would compete in the Black Jackets Challenge, a three-part challenge designed to see who was worthy of a black jacket. However, Ramsay revealed that he was giving out five black jackets that year, meaning two would be eliminated by the end of the evening. Brynn called the black jacket level premiere and said it would be a fantastic experience to reach it. Ramsay announced that not only would the first two winners receive a black jacket, but their dishes would also be featured on a menu at the brand new Sunseeker Resorts in Charlotte, Florida. Also, Sunseeker and Allegiant Air were giving the two chefs and their families airfare and accommodations at said hotel.

Ramsay revealed a slots machine for the first Black Jackets Challenge. He announced that everyone would pull it to receive their five ingredients. Brynn spun first and received filet, polenta, cremini mushrooms, leeks, and blue cheese. Ramsay called it a bounty of great ingredients, but Brynn was nervous because she never cooked with polenta. Antonio received scallops, cauliflower, blood orange, peas, and pine nuts. He was nervous because Ramsay loved scallops. Steve got New York striploin, potatoes, broccolini, cipollini onions, and pancetta. Kiya received salmon, beets, arugula, asparagus, and crème fraiche. At the same time, Trenton's ingredients were a rack of lamb, celery root, Swiss chard, haricots verts, and kalamata olives. Emily went up and received shrimp, parsnip, spinach, eggplant, and sun-dried tomatoes. Emily was excited because she loved cooking with eggplant while Megan spun last. She received lobster, corn, tomatoes, truffle, and bacon. Ramsay wished the chefs lucked and gave them 45 minutes to cook their dishes.

As the challenge began, Antonio called it the most important day of his life. He knew he would pan-sear the scallops, but he did not know what to do with the other ingredients. Still, Antonio was scared about cooking the scallops. Sous Chef Jason told the blue chefs to respect the ingredients they received in the blue kitchen. Trenton said it was everyone for themselves now as he tossed his celery root into the pot for a puree. Trenton knew he was one of the strongest chefs in the competition, and he was ready to prove it to Ramsay as he had a confidence level of eleven. However, Sous Chef Jason warned Trenton about cooking his lamb over seasoned as he could smell the burnt spice. In the red kitchen, Kiya said she was a small-town girl from Barrelville and felt underestimated in the competition. She wanted to prove she did not come here by chance and wanted to win a black jacket. However, Kiya accidentally sprayed beet puree onto her plate after shaking the bottle. Megan was skirmish picking up her lobster and boiling it in the blue kitchen as she was not a huge seafood person. Still, Megan knew black jackets were on the line and was willing to kill Larry the lobster for one. In the red kitchen, Sous Chef Christina noticed how quiet everyone was as they would normally tell each other what they were making. Brynn said things changed but asked if polenta was like grits. Antonio said it was, but Brynn said she only cooked grits once when she was twelve. In the blue kitchen, Emily said her dream was to get a black jacket as she fought for everything in her life. She was willing to be the last one standing to get one while Steve seasoned his steak with pepper. However, Sous Chef Jason warned him not to overseason it with big chunks of peppercorn, so Steve took the big parts off the steak. Steve said there was a lot on the line as only two dishes would be on a resort menu and the fact black jackets were on the line. Fortunately, Steve's steak was cooked perfectly. Two minutes left, Ramsay reminded everyone to think about finesse when plating. Kiya complained about how plating was her weakest point and had no idea what finesse meant. So, Kiya showed off the crispy side of the salmon and poured the lemon Berblanc sauce on top, knowing she doomed herself. Eventually, everybody had their dishes cooked and plated on time.

Joining Ramsay in the judging was VP of Food and Beverages of Sunseekers Resorts Jason Shkorupa. Trenton went up first and said he put his heart and effort into his dish, hoping it showed. Trenton presented his pan-roasted rack of lamb with a Kalamata olive tapenade rub and a celery root puree. The presentation looked great, the puree was smooth, and Shkorupa liked the taste of the lamb. When Steve went up, he knew Trenton set the bar high with his dish and hoped to surpass that. Steve showed his peppercorn-crusted New York strip with a lemon endive broccolini on top of a potato and pancetta hash. While the cook was great and it was visually appealing, Shkorupa found there was too much pepper on the plate. Because Steve used both black peppercorn and Szechuan peppercorn, Ramsay said there was a lot of heat coming from the flavor. Steve beated himself for the mistake and hoped it did not stop him from getting a black jacket.

Kiya was up next and presented her sauteed salmon in a lemon peel Berblanc. Despite having a good presentation and a good cook on the salmon, Ramsay asked Kiya why she would pour the sauce over the crispy skin. Kiya admitted it was a terrible mistake, and Shkorupa said the sauce made the skin soggy. For Megan, her lobster tail with corn and bacon salad had a coastal look, but Shkorupa wanted more seasoning. Emily went up fifth and felt confident about her dish as she was used to cooking proteins by now. Emily's mint sage bermanite poached shrimp with Baba Anoosh puree had working flavors, but the shrimp was overcooked. Emily knew it was not a good review, but she refused to give up now. When Brynn went up, she believed in her dish but was nervous about the cook on the steak. Brynn's filet with mushroom and leek soup had a perfect medium-rare cook, and the polenta tasted well. However, Shkorupa and Ramsay criticized the fact Brynn buried the polenta under the soup. The final person up was Antonio as he presented his pan-seared scallops with a blood orange gastric and pickled peas. Ramsay found the presentation to resemble a crime scene due to the gastric. While the scallops were cooked well, the plating was too abstract and empty.

After a long discussion over the winners, Ramsay announced that Trenton was the first to win a black jacket. Trenton called it an amazing experience to push past his limits as Shkorupa gave him an envelope for the Resort reward. Ramsay gave Trenton his black jacket and welcomed him to the club. Also, Trenton had access to the Black Jackets Lounge for the rest of the day. As Sous Chef Jason led Trenton to the lounge, the latter wanted to hang his new black jacket on his wall forever. Meanwhile, Ramsay announced that Brynn was the second winner, and she won her black jacket and reward. Brynn ecstatically called it amazing and wanted to cry in happiness. Brynn met with Trenton in the lounge as they got drinks, sushi, and toasted to their milestone. Brynn said she never got pampered like that in a long time.

Individual challenge 2[]

Ramsay and the five remaining chefs met at the craps board for their second Black Jackets Challenge back in the dining room. Each chef would take a turn rolling the dice and land on a letter. They must pick an ingredient that began with the letter that everyone would use for their dish. To get the ball rolling, Ramsay rolled first and landed on a B. He picked bluefin tuna as their protein, but Kiya got nervous as she never worked with tuna before. Steve rolled an R and decided on rice, while Antonio rolled a P and asked for peppers. Kiya landed on a T, and after struggling on an ingredient, she picked turnip. Emily landed on H and picked heirloom tomatoes. Lastly, Megan landed on L and picked lemon. For the seventh and final ingredient, Ramsay rolled again and landed on B. He picked black truffle and reminded the chefs that creativity was the key to winning a black jacket.

The five chefs had 45 minutes to cook their dishes. Antonio decided to a truffled tomato jam for his dish while Megan said it was every man for themselves. Megan chose to pan-sear her tuna and chill it in the fridge, saying she came to win and deserved a black jacket. Kiya said she never worked with tuna before in the red kitchen and struggled to cook a fresh version. She asked Antonio for cooking times while Steve decided to mix his truffles into his risotto. Steve wanted a black jacket more than anything, only for Sous Chef Jason to warn him about his burning garlic. Four minutes left, Emily decided to make sushi and elevate it so Ramsay would be okay with raw bluefin tuna. However, the sushi did not roll properly, forcing Emily to do something different as she felt helpless. Eventually, everyone had their dishes cooked and plated on time.

Emily was the first person to present her dish. She walked up disappointed as she revealed her tuna rice salad with spicy mayo and truffle oil. Even though the seasoning was on point, Ramsay said it looked a mess and told Emily that it was not worthy of a black jacket. Emily was embarrassed to send up a plate of mush to Ramsay and said she never wanted to do that again. Kiya walked up her sesame-crusted tuna paired with jasmine rice, blistered tomatoes, and pickled turnips. Kiya told Ramsay that it was the first time she cooked tuna, and the latter was surprised by that claim because she cooked it beautifully. After that praise, Kiya said she was a protein master. Steve thought his plate looked nice and creative when he went up, hoping it was worthy of a black jacket. Steve's fennel dusted tuna on top of a tomato truffle risotto and shaved turnip salad had thinly sliced tuna, which resulted in tears. Still, Ramsay found the cook beautiful and the salad refreshing. Then, Antonio's seared tuna with lemon-scented rice and tomato truffle jam was praised for the idea for the jam. Still, Ramsay said they never mix truffles and tomatoes. The final person up was Megan, who knew Ramsay was nit-picking everything for the black jackets. Megan's sesame seared tuna with balsamic soy-glazed and rice salad had a spot-on cook, and the glaze was praised for being delicious. The only criticism was the rice salad, as it did not have the same punch as everything else on the dish. When Megan went back in line, she felt good about her chances.

After a tough choice, Ramsay named Megan the third recipient of the black jacket. Megan teared up in happiness as she took her jacket and went to the lounge. Trenton and Brynn welcomed Megan as she entered the lounge. Ramsay named Kiya the winner for the fourth chef as her beginner's luck on tuna was outstanding. Kiya was proud of herself for having the jacket in her hands as she met with the three chefs in the lounge. Brynn was excited to see Kiya in the lounge as the latter called it surreal to hear Ramsay's praise. Then, Kiya and Trenton played champagne pong.

Individual challenge 3[]

Ramsay explained how people let their faith run in Las Vegas as the final three chefs await their final challenge. However, Ramsay did not want that in the last Black Jackets Challenge and showed some video messages from home to come back to the chef's roots. The videos were Emily's parents and sister, Antonio's father and stepmother, and Steve's parents and sister. Seeing that sparked emotion from the trio as Emily said she could not have cooked without her parents, Antonio was ready to fight, and Steve was prepared to dump his heart on the plate.

For the final challenge, the three chefs had 45 minutes to create a dish that told a story of how they became who they were today. Antonio said that he got inspired by his parents cooking in the kitchen, and it lit a fire in him to cook. Antonio decided to make enchiladas Verdes and braise a chicken thigh despite being a huge risk. In the black jackets lounge, the four chefs watched the challenge through Livestream. Megan commented how strong Antonio was when given free rein, but she saw Emily stressed. Emily said her nerves her high but was reminded of her family's likes after seeing the video. Brynn and Megan saw that Emily picked a T-bone steak to impress Ramsay, but both doubted that she cooked one before. Emily told Sous Chef Jason that she wanted to honor her father as he was a grill master, but the latter said that the steaks she picked were not ribeyes. Instead, they were porterhouse. Still, Emily wanted to use them as it would have been what her father used. For Steve, he decided to make shrimp and grits as they were his grandmother's favorite and felt her spirit inside him. Steve wanted to make her proud as she inspired him to cook. Five minutes left, Trenton said that none of the three thought they were fighting for one jacket. Eventually, everyone had their dishes cooked and plated on time.

Before the judging began, Ramsay reminded them that this was their last chance to win a black jacket and began with Antonio. He felt his dish was perfect as it was something he grew up on. Antonio presented his enchiladas Verdes with chorizo poached chicken thighs and tomatillo salsa. Antonio explained that it was a dish he ate growing up and saw his father make it all the time. While the chicken was cooked beautifully, Ramsay said it needed a touch more seasoning. Still, Ramsay told Antonio that he elevated great comfort food, making the latter feel he would get a black jacket. When Emily went up, she felt she made a superstar of a dish and thought she had a chance to win because Ramsay loved steak. Emily explained that her father sparked her interest in cooking and said he was a grill master. So, Emily made a grilled porterhouse with Brussel sprouts and blue cheese and bacon mashed. The sprouts were delicious, but Ramsay noted how difficult cooking a porterhouse was because it had a New York strip and a filet. It showed as the filet was overcooked while the strip was cooked beautifully. Still, Ramsay understood what Emily tried to do and called it a good dish. Steve was the final person to present his dish and felt 100% confident as the dish was all of him. Steve revealed his blackened grilled shrimp and grits, explaining that it was his grandmother's favorite dish, which was why he was there. Ramsay found the shrimp cooked beautifully, but he wanted more acid on the grits. Still, the dish had a great impact.

Elimination[]

Once the judging was finished, Ramsay announced that the first eliminated chef was Emily. Before leaving, Ramsay told Emily she was one of the best learners in the competition and the most positive chef. Ramsay told Emily that she had a wise head on her shoulders, and her genius side was beginning to show. During her exit interview, Emily said she wanted a black jacket but called her experience wonderful as her future looked bright.

After Emily left, Ramsay told Steve and Antonio that their dishes showed how much they learned in the competition. Steve was named the final chef to win a black jacket as Ramsay deemed his dish the best he made in the competition as hit showed depth and passion. Steve called it the best moment in his life and said he could not have done so without his grandmother. As Steve went to the black jacket lounge, Ramsay spoke with an already eliminated Antonio. Ramsay said that Antonio's energy was more than he expected for a twenty-three-year-old, the latter cooked with his heart on his sleeve, and he had a wonderful career ahead of him. During his exit interview, Antonio admitted that Steve was better and was glad to have done Hell's Kitchen.

Meanwhile, Steve's entrance into the lounge was well-received as Kiya waited for him to come through the doors. Brynn knew Steve deserved it as the latter put on his black jacket, saying he waited for one for a long time. Afterwards, Ramsay and the Sous Chefs entered the lounge and congratulated the final five for making it this far. As they toasted to their milestone, Kiya said she had a twenty percent chance of winning and was pumped to do so. Then, Steve felt that he made it as the final five celebrate in the lounge.

Ramsay did not comment on either Emily or Antonio's eliminations. They did not receive the coat hanging and portrait burning sequence.

Trivia[]

  • Title Reference: The title refers to the Black Jacket Challenge and how it was everyone for themselves.
  • This marks the second time since Episode 1712 - Five is the New Black that two chefs were eliminated in a Black Jacket Challenge.
  • This is the first time a guest judge appeared for the Black Jackets Challenge and the first time since Season 12 where a chef (or in this case two) won a reward on top of the black jacket.
  • This is the first time since Season 14 where no survivors from the Cook For Your Life Challenge made it to black jackets.
Hell's Kitchen Season 20 Episodes
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