| “ | People from Queens are very... people from Queens. If you cross me, be prepared to be humiliated. If you're gonna step on my shoes, be prepared to have me bite your fucking toes off. | ” |
Vincent "Vinny" Accardi, Jr., simply known as Vinny Accardi, was a contestant on Season 8 of Hell's Kitchen. He ranked in 7th place.
Season 8[]
Episode 1[]
- Main article: Episode 801 - 16 Chefs Compete
In the intro, Vinny was one of the four chefs that were shown receiving their acceptance invitation, and celebrated with his co-workers. After James introduced himself, all the chefs put blindfolds on, and were taken to the prize restaurant, the LA Market, in Los Angeles. Then, they returned to Hell's Kitchen, and were asked to cook their signature dishes.
During the Signature Dish Challenge, Vinny was the second person from the blue team to have his dish judged by Ramsay, and went up against Nona. He made a herbed poached halibut, while saying people from Queens are people from Queens and they will be humiliated if they cross him, and he will bite their fucking toes off if they step on his shoes. Ramsay immediately saw that there was oil on the plate, even asking if his hair oil got on the plate, while criticizing the presentation. Despite that, Ramsay said that the fish tasted nice, and was nicely seasoned. He won the round over Nona, and when he tasted Antonia's gumbo, he compared the taste to a big bowl of mud. The blue team won the challenge after a tiebreaker at 3, and they were rewarded with massages, champagne, and caviar, up in the dorms.
During dinner service, Vinny was on the fish station with Rob. He was not seen much, but both teams were named joint-losers, and they were asked to nominate two people each.
He was not nominated for elimination.[1]
Episode 2[]
- Main article: Episode 802 - 14 Chefs Compete
During the Sushi Challenge, Vinny was paired with Boris. Together, they managed to get 8 of their 9 pieces approved by Ramsay. The blue team won the challenge 16-15, and they were rewarded with a trip to Cellar 360 in San Francisco with Ramsay, where they tasted wine and had dinner at the Water Bar restaurant. He also got to keep his Morimoto knives that he used for the challenge.
During prep, Vinny helped Raj on getting the parsley ready, but had zero belief that Raj would do well. During dinner service, he was dedicated as an assistant maître d’. He proved to be slow as he could not remember what tables were his, and took 30 minutes to get his first ticket to Ramsay. That caused Ramsay to accuse him of trying to sabotage the blue team, but he answered he was not. An hour and a half into service, his performance as a maître d’ was slowing the blue kitchen. Hoping to speed things up, he suggested one of his tables to not order sides as he had no faith in Raj. However, James found out, brought him over to the pass, and told Ramsay about what he did. Then, he was brought into the kitchen, and explained that he told the table that while the sides were delicious, it would take a long time for them to leave the kitchen. He eventually revealed that he only told the table that because he had no faith in Raj, and was kicked out of service by a furious Ramsay as he had no authority to decide what would get to the dining room. On his way back to the dorms, he still thought that he was trying to help the customers. When the rest of the blue team was ejected, he angrily berated Raj for failing to prep parsley despite being 50 years-old. The blue team lost the service, and Ramsay angrily berated him for telling the customers not to order sides, as that was not his decision to do so.
Vinny was not nominated for elimination, but he was eventually called down by Ramsay, and he joined Raj and Boris. He survived elimination.[2]
Episode 3[]
- Main article: Episode 803 - 13 Chefs Compete
Back in the dorms, Raj confronted Vinny over his malicious decision to tell the customers not to order sides, but he responded that he only recommended the customers not to order sides.
During the Paramedic Service Challenge, Vinny was not seen much, but the blue team lost the challenge, and were punished by polishing 250 stemware glasses for the next service, and cleaning up both kitchens. During the punishment, he commented that while Raj might have the most cooking experience of them all, he clearly worked in shit restaurants for the last 30 years.
During dinner service, Vinny was on the appetizer station. On the first ticket, he said he needed 4 more minutes on his spaghetti, but had to stop Raj from sending his already cooked scallops to the pass. Later, Ramsay asked him to help Raj after the latter failed on the first two salmon pieces, and because of him, the blue team was able to get their first ticket out. His last action of the night was to tell Raj that Ramsay would never accept his already cooked Dover Sole. The blue team won the service as they received a 54% approval rating from the customers, compared to the red team's 50%. However, Vinny deemed it embarrassing.
At elimination, Vinny and the rest of the blue team expressed relief when Raj was eliminated, and thanked Ramsay, even comparing that to a reward.[3]
Episode 4[]
- Main article: Episode 804 - 12 Chefs Compete
Back in the dorms, the blue team celebrated Raj's elimination, and toasted to a new beginning with some champagne glasses.
Before the Ravioli Challenge, Ramsay asked the chefs if they would refrain from smoking for the next 24 hours. During the challenge, Vinny received help from Trev for his dish. He was the first person from the blue team to have his dish judged, and went up against Melissa. While his Swiss char bacon and mushroom ravioli with fontina cream was praised for tasting delicious, his ravioli were busted, he got chewed out for talking over Ramsay, and lost the round to Melissa. Despite that, the blue team won the challenge 4-3, and they were rewarded with a helicopter trip to Palace Verde’s to an Oceanside resort, where they played golf and ate dinner. In addition, Ramsay told him that his ravioli, despite not scoring any points, was the most inspirational dish overall, and would be added to the menu at the next service, but Ramsay told him not to bust it. During the reward, he managed to get his golf ball the closest to the marker despite not liking the game. After Trev's outburst, he apologized for not tasting the latter's dish. When the men got back to Hell's Kitchen, he jokingly said that he was delicious after Jillian asked them to make something delicious for dinner. He also asked Trev if was going to stop acting like a whiny bitch.
During prep, Vinny revealed that he put extra hair gel for Italian Night. However, he found out that the ravioli filling was not prepared correctly, and compared the taste to glue. Then, he showed Jillian how to properly make the ravioli filling, but Jillian thought that he was throwing a fit about it. Before service began, he told Ramsay that he stopped smoking.
During the Italian Night dinner service, Vinny was on the pasta station. After Louis was ejected from service, Ramsay relocated him to the grill station, and he managed to send the proposal table without problems. Later, the red team came over to help them get their remaining tickets out, but both teams got confused on orders, leading Ramsay to eject both teams from service. Both teams were named joint-losers, and they were asked to nominate two people each.
He was not nominated for elimination.[4]
Episode 5[]
- Main article: Episode 805 - 11 Chefs Compete
Back in the dorms, Vinny reminded Boris on how he told Ramsay he was the strongest on the blue team, and suggested him that he should take the lead during the next service.
During the Prom Planning Challenge, Vinny presented the blue team's appetizer, which was a sesame seed crusted tuna and lemon crème fresh. However, the prom committees felt that the dish tasted a little burnt, had no flavor, and he lost the round. The blue team lost the challenge 0-3, and they were punished by decorating the dining room for the next service, under the prom committees’ supervision. During the punishment, he laughed at Rob's prom dress joke, and bitterly said that he hoped the teens would have a miserable prom night.
During the Prom Night dinner service, Vinny was on the plating station with Ramsay. He was not seen much, and the blue team won the service.[5]
Episode 6[]
- Main article: Episode 806 - 10 Chefs Compete
Before the next challenge, the blue team said goodbye to Trev, who was transferred to the red team, and said hello to Melissa as a new teammate.
During the Salad Challenge, Vinny jokingly told that if he could pull his salad off, it would be the sexiest thing since his hair in the morning. He was the third person from the blue team to compete, and went up against Jillian. His trilogy of meat salad was criticized for tasting flat, and neither he nor Jillian scored. Despite that, the blue team won after a tiebreaker at 2, and they were rewarded with a day at Malibu for lunch at The Getty Vella. During the reward, he jokingly compared a mummy to Raj, and stated that they found him after he got eliminated weeks ago.
During prep, while he felt for Trev when the latter ranted about his situation with the women, he decided it was not his problem as Trev was no longer on the blue team. During dinner service, he was on the meat station. After Melissa ruined 7 pounds of scallops, he annoyingly said that she could not cook at all. Then, he reminded Boris on the lamb garnishes, and had to frustratingly wait for Boris while his perfectly cooked Wellingtons were waiting at the pass. Both teams were named joint-losers, and they were asked to nominate two people each.
He was not nominated for elimination.[6]
Episode 7[]
- Main article: Episode 807 - 9 Chefs Compete Part 1
During the Roulette Challenge, Vinny spun twice as the blue team was one member down. On his first attempt, he landed on K and chose kale, and on his second, he landed on Y and chose yams. The blue team lost the challenge, and they were punished by taking a delivery of 1,000 potatoes, and prepping them for French fries, which would be used for the Family Night dinner service. During the punishment, he blamed Rob for not seasoning their asparagus and yams for their dish, and complained that they might be doing that until the beginning of service. Later, he told Russell that they would have to carry Boris if they would want to win service.
During the Family Night dinner service, Vinny was on the appetizer station. When he sent his first risotto, Ramsay found that he cooked four servings instead of the two ordered, and got lectured on wasting food. Then, Ramsay added that if he was the head chef at LA Market, he would have been fired. Later, as the blue team was cooking for Ramsay's family, he was slow on getting a risotto ready and in a panic, grabbed an old risotto and sent it to the pass. However, Ramsay instantly knew what he did, and irritatingly told him that the risotto was for his own wife. He also told that even if it was not for his family, they deserved better. So, he quickly made a fresh risotto and Ramsay’s family received their appetizers. Despite the fact that both teams were named joint-winners as they received a 90% approval rating, they were still asked to nominate two people each.
Vinny was not nominated for elimination despite being considered by Boris for the risotto incident.[7]
Episode 8[]
- Main article: Episode 808 - 9 Chefs Compete Part 2
Back in the dorms, Vinny and Rob knew that Russell only nominated Rob to get rattled, and both of them agreed to get rid of him.
During the Budget Challenge, Vinny went up against Sabrina in the lamb round, and made a round bone lamb chop with red potato. While it was praised for having flavor, it was criticized for having a mediocre presentation, and only scored an average of $23. The blue team lost the challenge $101-$110, and they were punished by deep cleaning the dining room, and fumigating both kitchens for the next service. During the punishment, he was embarrassed to have lost to Sabrina, who he considered the most inexperienced chef on the red team, and correctly predicted that Rob would split his jumpsuit.
During the 100th Hell's kitchen dinner service, Vinny was on the fish station. Three of his lobster tail dishes were sent back for being overcooked, and Ramsay urged him to wake up, but later, he sent mush lobster. The blue team lost the service after getting ejected, and they were asked to nominate two people for elimination.
Vinny was tied as the second nominee for elimination with Rob, while Boris was the first. During his plea, he said that Rob deserved to be nominated as the latter's dragging on the meat station screwed him up. He survived elimination.[8]
Episode 9[]
- Main article: Episode 809 - 8 Chefs Compete
After Boris' elimination, Vinny welcomed back Trev to the blue team as they were down two members.
During the Blind Taste Test, Vinny was the third person from the blue team to compete, and went up against Jillian. He was able to score 2 points by correctly guessing potatoes and mozzarella cheese. Despite his decent performance, the blue team lost the challenge 5-6, and they were punished by sorting through the trash from different restaurants for recycling, eating cheese sandwiches for lunch, and prepping both kitchens for the next service.
During dinner service, Vinny was on the garnish station. At one point, Ramsay noticed that his spinach with egg looked like a rhinoceros' ass, which he throws it and his towel on the table, before noticing a raw gnocchi delivered by him. After, a frustrated Ramsay ejected him from dinner service. Back in the dorms, he vented to a recently ejected Russell that thirty more seconds could have gotten the gnocchi ready. The blue team lost the service, and Trev was named "Best of the Worst".
He was not nominated for elimination.[9]
Episode 10[]
- Main article: Episode 810 - 7 Chefs Compete
During the Relay Challenge, Vinny was the third and sixth person to compete for the blue team. On his first turn, he started plating despite having 20 minutes left, and failed to get the lobster cooked as Trev did not tell him about it. On his second turn, he decided to poach the lobster tail, before finishing up the dishes, and plating them. The blue team won the challenge 2-1, and they were rewarded with a shopping spree at Sur La Table for cooking supplies, and eating lunch at Mélisse with Ramsay. He happily stated that the monkey was off his back, and during lunch, he told Ramsay that he was sitting with the final three.
For their next service, both teams had control of their own menus. Vinny and Trev imputed their ideas while rejecting Russell's suggestions, as he felt that they were not fine dining quality. During the night, he and Trev stayed up in the hot tub, drinking, smoking and having fun, while complaining about how Russell was an angry man and how it would cost him in the end.
During dinner service, Vinny was on the meat and fish stations. When entrées started, he did not have Josiah Citrin's lamb on as he forgot about it, and told Ramsay that he needed six minutes. That dismayed Ramsay as that lamb was meant for Citrin before calling James into the kitchen, who reminded him that they ate in Citrin's restaurant the previous day. While he did send up his lamb, it was still raw, and Ramsay berated him for that, while comparing it to a car crash. After getting help from Russell, the lamb went out to the dining room, but Citrin was not satisfied with it. Later, he sent his sea bass, but it was raw, and a furious Ramsay smashed it before demanding what was going on. Both teams were named joint-losers, and Ramsay asked everybody to nominate who they personally thought were not deserving to be in the final six.
Vinny nominated Sabrina as he felt she was carried by the red team for a long time, while he received a vote from Russell. He was eventually called down with Gail, but in the end, he was eliminated for his declining performances in the last few services. During his exit interview, he said that he had his shot right in front of his face, as he failed and called it the worst day of his life, and told Ramsay that he really wanted that black jacket.
Ramsay's comment: "When the competition first started, I thought Vinny was the one to beat. But after tonight's dismal performance, he's now the one to go home." [10]
Episode 15[]
- Main article: Episode 815 - 2 Chefs Compete
When he returned for the final dinner service, Vinny looked tired and defeated, and secretly blamed Russell for getting him eliminated earlier than he wanted, and did not want to be on his team. Unfortunately for him, he was Russell's second pick, following Jillian, and he was followed by Sabrina and Rob. He was not happy that he had to help Russell win, who he called a piece of shit.
During prep, Vinny continued to show a poor attitude to Russell as the latter urged him to get fired up, and told Russell that what he did to get him eliminated was dirty. Even though Russell told him to either get over it or leave, he decided to stay, but he hoped for that day to end as he could not stand Russell.
During dinner service, Vinny was on the fish station. Despite considering Russell a douchebag, he said that he would not sabotage him, and asked Jillian to send his scallops. However, they were not warm, and when he tried to argue that he just got them out of the convection oven, Ramsay warned him not to argue. Despite that, his refire was accepted. Later, Russell relocated him to the meat station after Sabrina was struggling, and he sent up a respectable filet dish to the pass. Later, one of his steaks was returned to the kitchen for being too rare. Russell eventually lost the finals to Nona.[11]
Nomination History[]
| Week 1 | Safe |
|---|---|
| Week 2 | Nominated |
| Week 3 | Win |
| Week 4 | Safe |
| Week 5 | Win |
| Week 6 | Safe |
| Week 7 | Safe |
| Week 8 | Nominated |
| Week 9 | Safe |
| Week 10 | Nominated |
Post Hell's Kitchen[]
- After his appearance on the show, Vinny opened his own restaurant called the Room 55 in Glendale, NY, which had excellent reviews prior to its closure in January 2018.
- In 2016, he appeared on CNBC's Restaurant Startup with Trev to pitch a steakhouse concept called 55 Steak and won their episode.
- He is currently an Executive Chef at Tam O'Shanter Country Club.
Trivia[]
- He is the last contestant of that season to be eliminated before the black jacket portion of the competition.
- He is the only contestant to this date to be nominated for elimination as an assistant maître d', solely by Ramsay due to blue team's dinner service loss.
- He is the lowest ranking contestant to be featured on the Hell’s Kitchen calendar.
- In an interview on the What Would U Ask? Podcast, Vinny stated that he originally applied for Hell's Kitchen during Season 2 and Season 3, but was declined by casting at the time.[12]
Quotes[]
- (Chosen to be Hell's Kitchen chef) "Welcome to LA! Here I come!"
- "People from Queens are very... people from Queens. If you cross me, be prepared to be humiliated. If you're gonna step on my shoes, be prepared to have me bite your fucking toes off."
- (About Raj's breathing) "(imitates hard breathing) It sounded like a big jerk."
- (About Raj) "Raj just cannot cook! At all! Anything! Ever! So I got to go there and do it for him."
- (To Raj) "Bro, you're 50 years old and you couldn't pick parsley!"
- "I did not tell those people 'do not order sides'. I highly recommended it."
- (To Ramsay during elimination) "After my first table waited nearly two hours for their appetizers, I just wanted them to have an opportunity to experience some of your food. That's what they came here for."
- (To Ramsay after Raj's elimination) "Ah man, that was like a reward, bro. Thank you."
- Jillian: "Well make us something delicious for dinner." Vinny: "I'm delicious!"
- "So let me ask you, Trev, you gonna stop being a whiny bitch?"
- "If I pull this off, it's gonna be the sexiest thing since my hair in the morning."
- "I LOVE BUYING STUFF, I LOVE BUYING STUFF!"
- "Monkey's off my back!"
- "Russell is a douchebag."
- (To Ramsay during a reward) "Chef, you're sitting with the final three. Congratulations."
- (After being eliminated) "I lost. I had my shot right in front of my face, and I blew it. I came here with the intention of winning, and I failed. This is the worst night of my life. Chef Ramsay, I really wanted that black jacket so badly, you have no idea."
- (After being chosen for Russell’s brigade) "This sucks. Now I'm going to have to help that piece of shit win."
Gallery[]
.png "Vinny's Confessional (Assistant Maître D').png (1.78 MB)")
.png "Vinny's Confessional (Returning Chef).png (1.4 MB)")
%27s_Ravioli_Dishes.png "Vinny and Melissa (S8)'s Ravioli Dishes.png (226 KB)")
.png "Vinny's Budget Dish (Lamb Entrée).png (342 KB)")
External links[]
Vincent "Vinny" Accardi on Instagram
References[]
| Hell's Kitchen Season 8 |
|---|
| Staff |
| Gordon Ramsay (Head Chef) • Scott Leibfried (Blue Team Sous Chef) • Andi Van Willigan-Cutspec (Red Team Sous Chef) • James Lukanik (Maître d'hôtel) |
| Contestants |
| Vinny Accardi • Antonia Boregman • Raj Brandston • Sabrina Brimhall • Lewis Curtis • Melissa Doney • Jillian Flathers • Russell Kook • Emily Kutchins • Lisa LaFranca • Rob McCue • Trev McGrath • Gail Novenario • Boris Poleschuk • Louis Repucci • Nona Sivley |