The eighth episode of Season 5 of Hell’s Kitchen aired on FOX, on March 26, 2009. In that episode, the annual Blind Taste Test occurred, one chef did not make it through dinner service, and one team made a big comeback after a slow start.
Intro[]
On their way back to the dorms, Giovanni tried to calm Carol down, telling her to let go of the pasta incident. However, Carol was still angry at Andrea for the pasta incident from that night. However, Giovanni reminded Carol that their goal right now was to beat the blue team, knowing that her poor attitude was bringing down morale. In contrast, Carol accused Andrea of being out for herself and would instead work with Lacey than the latter.
Meanwhile, LA told Lacey she was lucky that Ramsay did not care about what happened in the dorms and questioned whether the latter was serious about being in the competition and becoming a head chef. Lacey argued she was serious, but Robert told her she should be learning from people with more experience like himself instead of fighting with them as she did with the red team. However, Lacey felt that everyone had turned on her and said she only cared about Ramsay's opinion.
Team challenge[]
The following day, both teams met Ramsay in the red kitchen, who wanted to work with tartares for that day. He gave both teams a beef tartare and a scallop tartare to taste. Lacey said she never had tartare before, and so did nobody else. In reality, the beef tartare was tuna, while the scallop tartare was sea bass. When neither team could correctly identify both tartares, Ramsay told them the truth and was disappointed that they could not correctly identify the ingredients in each of them. Carol called herself a moron, while Robert was relieved he was not the only idiot in the room. Since Ramsay expected all the chefs to have great palates, he introduced the annual Blind Taste Test for their next challenge. Carol said she was looking forward to that challenge and swore she would win it for the red team. Because the red team had an extra member, LA volunteered to sit out to even both teams at four members each, shocking her team. Andrea said LA volunteered quickly and thought the latter second-guessed herself. Ramsay was disappointed that LA was not competing, but the latter said she had a poor palate due to smoking.
Ben and Andrea were the first pair to go head to head and put on their blindfolds and headphones. Neither of them scored on the filet mignon, making Paula realize it would not be an easy challenge. While both scored on the fried egg white and beets, Ben got the romaine lettuce while Andrea did not. The blue team led 3-2, upsetting Andrea as she put the red team in a position where they must pick up her slack. Giovanni and Robert were next, but both failed to correctly guess all four ingredients, leaving it 3-2 for the blue team. Out of all the misses, Ben was astounded that Robert missed lobster and truffles. Still, Robert said he was not blind or deaf as he cooked with all senses. As Robert and Giovanni went back in line, Ramsay asked LA if she was happy to have sat out. LA said she was not as she felt she could have done better than Giovanni. Carol and Lacey were up next. Carol correctly guessed mushrooms and beef liver, while both correctly guessed sweet potatoes, making the score 5-4 for the red team. Andrea was happy that Carol brought the red team back up. The final pair up was Danny against Paula. For that round, Ramsay presented a minestrone soup and told them to guess as many of the ten ingredients as they could. Danny managed to get the first three correctly: chicken stock, carrot, and celery. However, Paula managed to get the last three correctly: beans, bacon, and celery. That gave the red team the win 8-7.
Scoring[]
| Red Team | Blue Team | ||||
| Chef | Score | Total | Chef | Score | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrea | 2/4 | 2 | Ben | 3/4 | 3 |
| Giovanni | 0/4 | 2 | Robert | 0/4 | 3 |
| Carol | 3/4 | 5 | Lacey | 1/4 | 4 |
| Paula | 3/10 | 8 | Danny | 3/10 | 7 |
| Results | 8-7 | ||||
Reward[]
The red team was rewarded with a photoshoot for TV Guide in the restaurant and received makeovers. As the red team went up to get changed, Andrea was happy to get that reward as everyone who went into a grocery store knew what TV Guide was.
During the reward, Paula wanted the photoshoot over the punishment as Carol said she would have loved to do Ramsay's hair had he gone to her old place of work. After getting their makeovers, Ramsay introduced the red team to Craig Tomashoff of TV Guide, who gave them a lesson on how to present themselves to the media. When the blue team served them lunch as part of their punishment, Andrea gleefully said it was like rubbing salt on an open wound. Eventually, the red team had their photoshoot, and Andrea was thrilled to have someone have her face on their coffee table.
The second shot was in glamour wear as Giovanni complimented Carol's outfit. Also, Carol said she now had a taste of what celebrity chefs did.
Punishment[]
The blue team was punished by serving lunch to the red team and prepping both kitchens for that night’s dinner service. That dismayed Robert and Danny as it was the blue team's third time doing it. Danny called it a bitch as there was so much work to do, while Lacey did not want to wait on the red team. Despite knowing they were all down from their loss, Ben told the blue team that they must get their acts together if they wanted to win the service.
The blue team served the red team their champagne and lunch during the punishment. Doing so made Lacey jealous as she wanted her hair done as she had a face for the magazine. When LA made a snarky comment toward Lacey, the latter said she hated everyone in the room. As the blue team served the red team's lunch, Danny got annoyed by Ramsay's nagging as they were already having a bad day. When Ben tried to serve the red team champagne, a flash startled him, and he spilled some drinks.
Before service[]
While the blue team prepped for that night’s service, Ben asked Lacey what she was doing. Lacey said she was still on the potatoes and grumpily asked if they wanted to stop her on anything again. That angered Ben as Lacey was making him sick to his stomach. Also, Ben was frustrated after seeing the red team do their photoshoot right in front of them. Robert asked Lacey to move some dirty dishes out of the way, but the latter rudely said she will. Danny admitted he had no idea what went through Lacey's head as she should either cook or leave. When Lacey started to complain more and more, Ben was close to putting her out of her misery.
With only a couple of minutes left, both teams got to work on finishing their prep. LA said she figured out that going in with a few nerves was a perfect balance, while Carol thought the five red chefs would beat the four blue chefs. Danny had to tell Lacey where everything was at meat in the blue kitchen, believing she did not know where ass was from a hole in the ground. Once everyone was ready, Ramsay told Jean-Philippe to open Hell’s Kitchen.
Dinner service[]
Eric McCormack and Robert Patrick were in attendance that evening. After the blue team got their first order, Robert said he loved working on hot apps as he considered it his home. In the red kitchen, Paula's first risottos were mushy and salty, which surprised Ramsay as she had never made a mistake like that before. Paula admitted she should not have made a mistake with her experience, and Ramsay told her to check on the stock if it was salty. In the blue kitchen, Robert made too much spaghetti for one table. Ramsay reminded Robert he was not cooking for himself, and Ben was sent to help the latter out. Although Robert wanted to cook by himself, Ben said he was happy to help as he considered himself the best cook on the blue team. However, Ben called out timings when it was not his place, much to Robert's annoyance. Because of Ben's help, Robert was able to send appetizers out to the diners. Paula sent up her refired risotto in the red kitchen, which was acceptable. Still, Ramsay was stunned that she went from one way to another.
Forty-five minutes into dinner service, the actors' orders were being taken. The blue team got McCormack’s table, and the red team got Patrick’s table. As the blue team cooked McCormack's appetizers, Danny did not consider a VIP different than a normal table as he put a lot into every dish he cooked. Danny got his scallops accepted as McCormack’s table received their appetizers. Likewise, Patrick's table got their appetizers with no problems. In the red kitchen, the red team began firing entrées, but Carol announced that her first Wellington would take five minutes. Ramsay was confused and asked Carol if she had the convection oven on. Carol said she had it at 400 degrees, but Ramsay told her to ramp it to 500. Andrea expressed concern about having Carol cooking meat as the latter was quick to judge other people and could go down. Carol said she did not want the Wellingtons to burn, but Ramsay called her ditzy and warned Paula they could be in trouble.
In the blue kitchen, the blue team was working on McCormick’s entrées, but Ramsay warned Lacey not to make him look stupid. However, Lacey whispered to Ben that she had no idea what she was doing on meat. Danny and Ben tried to calm Lacey down, but the former did not like spoon-feeding the latter. When Ramsay asked for a time, Ben said they needed more time from Lacey. Lacey bluntly told Ramsay that she had no clue when her entrées would be ready, shocking the latter. Danny went over to try and help Lacey, but a fire erupted, and Ramsay took the pan away. As Lacey kept whining about not knowing what she was doing, Ben mocked her moaning in the confessionals. Ramsay demanded something from Lacey, but the latter bluntly said she could not cook meat. Shocked by that, Ramsay kicked Lacey out of the blue kitchen and into the pantry room. Ramsay was appaled by Lacey's confusion and asked why she did not say something. Lacey said she tried but complained that Robert did something with the chicken, which caught on fire. However, Ramsay did not believe that and asked Lacey if she could make an effort. Lacey said she could, but Ramsay told her to get a grip. Once back in the kitchen, Lacey told Ben that one of her Wellingtons on the rack was the well-done one. Despite secretly wanting Lacey to go down in flames, Ben decided to help her but accidentally burned his finger on a hot pan.
One hour into service, Ben and Lacey were struggling with their entrées. In the meantime, Robert continued to push appetizers out of the blue kitchen, even ripping his pants. Despite having his underpants out in the open, Robert did not mind it as he did not care if he cooked in his boxer shorts. Carol's Wellingtons were cold in the red kitchen, but she promised Ramsay she would try and get it together. However, Andrea did not believe it and tried to communicate with Carol on timings. Carol did not say anything to Andrea, much to the latter's frustration and got more annoyed when Carol walked up the lamb with no warning. As Ramsay asked for the John Dory, Andrea sent it up. However, it was overcooked and rubbery, causing Andrea to blame Carol for letting her sink. Still, Carol coldly said that Andrea should have made a new one. Despite Andrea and Carol's lack of communication, the red team sent out entrées, including Robert Patrick’s table.
Automatic elimination[]
Wanting to get Eric McCormack’s entrées out, Ramsay sent Ben back to the garnish station, much to Lacey's dismay. Danny was not happy to see Lacey lose it as the latter kept saying she could not cook meat. When Lacey said she needed three more minutes, Ramsay reminded her she had meat resting on her racks. However, Lacey got annoyed that Ramsay was pestering her every thirty seconds. Eventually, Lacey sent up the lamb for McCormack's table, but it was cut thinly. That was the final straw for Ramsay as he kicked Lacey out of the kitchen, claiming that she was not good enough. Lacey went into the pantry room, where Ramsay followed her and told her she could not waste any more of his time, making her time in the competition over. Lacey handed Ramsay her jacket and said goodbye to the blue team, but none of the men responded as Robert was relieved that she was finally gone. Then, Lacey packed her belongings up in the dorms and left through the back loading area. During her exit interview, Lacey said that while she was glad she could go back to her normal life, she realized she did not have any positive moments during her stay due to her attitude.
Two hours into service, the blue team was now down to three chefs, and Ramsay urged all of them not to give up. Danny knew it was time for the trio to step up and show Ramsay they were worthy. With Danny now on the meat station and Robert on the fish station, the blue team started to push entrées out quickly, with Eric McCormack’s table finally getting their entrées. Meanwhile, Jean-Philippe brought back Carol's undercooked lamb dishes, much to Ramsay’s frustration. Ramsay even asked Carol if she would blame the oven for that mistake, but the latter felt low and second-guessed her actions. Carol sliced her Wellingtons and hoped they were well-done, but they were undercooked, causing Carol to tell LA to slow down on the garnishes. That frustrated LA as she had pans waiting and said that meat was not hard. While Carol knew she was making LA frustrated, she did not have any other choice. Then, LA served cold and bland mashed potatoes, causing Ramsay to order her to wake up. Giovanni saw that LA was getting a lot of heat from Ramsay and commented that she did not have a good day.
In the blue kitchen, the blue team continued their great momentum and were on their last ticket of that night. Robert said the three of them kicked ass that night, and they came together. In the red kitchen, Ramsay asked Carol for the chicken, but the latter could not find it. Carol thought someone took it under her nose, but Ramsay did not believe that and told a waiter that they were delayed because she broke a nail. Back in the blue kitchen, the three blue chefs finished their last ticket, with Robert incredibly proud that they were able to fight back and serve all their tables. Meanwhile, Ramsay told the red team that three blue chefs had recently finished their last order. In contrast, they had five chefs waiting on Carol's lamb. Then, Ramsay criticized Andrea for the rubbery John Dory, Carol for screaming at the oven, and LA for giving him cold mashed potatoes. After calling the three women pathetic, Ramsay decided to close the red kitchen down. Andrea did not know what happened and called it embarrassing.
Post-mortem[]
When both teams were lined up, Ramsay confirmed to a relieved blue team that spacey Lacey was gone while tossing her jacket aside. After, Ramsay named the blue team winners by a mile for the best teamwork he had seen in Hell’s Kitchen and finishing service first. Turning to the red team, Ramsay told LA that the only thing she forgot was her alarm clock and sleeping blanket. Ramsay criticized the red team for their lack of teamwork and told them to nominate two people for elimination.
During deliberation, Carol asked how they would base the nominations that night. Giovanni reminded Carol that Ramsay told them they lacked teamwork, and she knew she would get fired after that night. As for the second nominee, Carol considered Andrea, but the latter nominated Carol and LA in response. Carol knew she and Andrea did not get along and felt it was the latter's opportunity to get rid of her. Paula nominated Carol for a couple of poor performances in previous services and LA. However, LA accused Paula of being biased in her decision and knew the latter would not pick Andrea. Giovanni said his choices were Carol and LA, telling Andrea that she could run a kitchen better than the latter. In contrast, LA nominated Carol and Andrea. Andrea did not consider herself the weakest chef on the red team and would stick up for herself. Giovanni realized they were divided, but Andrea refused to be nominated and eliminated.
Elimination[]
When Ramsay asked the red team if they came to a consensus, Carol said they did not, but Paula revealed they sort of had one. Paula told Ramsay that they had multiple options for elimination, but an annoyed Ramsay told her he was not in the mood. Paula said that LA was the red team’s first nominee and Carol was the second, but Ramsay asked who else was considered. Paula admitted that Andrea's name was also discussed, but she said the latter was not her pick. Ramsay asked if anyone considered Andrea a potential nominee, and LA and Carol said they did. Annoyed that the red team failed as a team again, Ramsay called the three women down to the front.
Ramsay asked Andrea to mark her performance on a scale from one to ten during their pleas. Andrea said her performance was a six but argued that she had problems communicating with Carol and was forced to fire three John Dorys to get up to speed. Ramsay asked Andrea who should go home, and the latter said LA because Carol could take the initiative. Ramsay noted that neither Andrea nor Carol could work peacefully together, but the latter said they get the job done differently. However, Ramsay asked Carol what kitchen she worked in that night. Then, LA said she could cook and felt she was nominated for her communication skills, which she did not feel was right. Lastly, Carol said she would do anything to get another chance, and she thought Andrea should go home over LA because the latter did not make excuses for her shortcomings. After listening to their pleas, Ramsay sent Carol and Andrea back in line before eliminating LA for showing no passion in the previous services and serving cold garnishes. During her exit interview, LA disagreed with Ramsay's decision as she could cook and refused to show emotions as she considered them weak.
After LA left, Ramsay reminded the chefs that he was looking for a leader and said someone should start showing it. While being dismissed, Carol said she should have thrown Andrea under the bus as the latter could not cook. In contrast, Andrea felt like a caged-up tiger, while Ben said the blue team overcame the obstacle and wanted to run through Los Angeles in war paint.
Ramsay's comment: "LA was a real workhorse in the kitchen. I kicked her out of Hell's Kitchen because she lacked two crucial skills to be a great chef – leadership and creativity."
Ramsay gave no comment on Lacey's elimination, and she did not receive the coat hanging and portrait burning sequence.
Trivia[]
- This marks the first time Ramsay eliminated a female chef in the middle of service. It also marks the first time he eliminated a chef that way after they swapped teams.
- This marks the only time Ramsay did a mid service elimination in two consecutive services and the only season the reach this milestone.
- This marks the second and final time Ramsay had two chefs guess ingredients in a prepared dish for the Blind Taste Test.