June 18, 2008 – 2:17 pm
Hells Kitchen Episode #412 Review and Recap
ALTERNATIVELY TITLED: PREGNANT WOMEN WILL EAT ANYTHING.
Another week… another episode of Hell’s Kitchen! We’re (finally) down to the final four contestants - Corey, Christina, Jen, and Petrozza.
After smoking 92 packs of cigarettes and plotting how to get rid of Jen, the chefs met Gordon Ramsay downstairs in the kitchen for their first challenge. Ramsay said, “It’s time for you to be truly tested; this will be he toughest challenge so far.” I don’t know about you, but I’m on the edge of my seat with excitement. What’s it gonna be? The contestants one by one opening a bag of Lays Potato Chips and proceeding to eat just one? Or perhaps popping open some Pringles, and then STOPPING?
Ramsay, for one, didn’t stop there. He explained, “You will each have to come up with a dish and cook for 80 customers, and their votes will determine the winner. But these aren’t normal customers, they’re the most demanding, most finicky customers…” Great. So the final four will be cooking for the cast of The Golden Girls. Here’s to hoping they know how to brew coffee and make a good Filet-O-Fish sandwich.

What do you do when you hear you’ll be cooking for “finicky, demanding” people? You cook SIMPLE, TASTY, CLASSIC foods. Is that what the final four did? Of course not. Christina made an island turkey sandwich, Corey made a grilled salmon BLT sandwich, Petrozza made a monte cristo with a spicy sauce, and Jen made a calypso grouper.
Before long, EIGHTY PREGNANT WOMEN started filing into Hell’s Kitchen. Frankly, I’ve never seen that many pregnant women in one place. It’s what I’d imagine a “Free Diaper Day” would look like at Starbucks - order a latte… get a week’s supply of Pampers!
Cut to a shot of Corey sulking in the corner, like she just found out the folks at Pro-Activ wouldn’t ship to her P.O. box. She said, “I think if the clientele were men, I could have worked it to my advantage.” By doing what? Pulling down your pants and revealing your hideous leopard-print granny panties like you did in episode #410? Spare us all.
Corey just plain sucked tonight. Her timing was off, and her food just looked disgusting. Even worse, the other 3 chefs had all of their food out on the table, while Corey was still in the kitchen cooking. The pregnant women were just standing around her table, feeling their stomachs and talking about “onesies.” Please. Those women were gonna give birth before getting to eat Corey’s nasty fish dish.
And the results are in! Corey came in 4th place (shocking), Jen came in 3rd, Petrozza came in 2nd, and Christina won - by only two votes. As reward, she’d get to go shopping in Beverly Hills and spend $1000 at “one of the most amazing boutiques in the world.” As punishment, the remaining 3 would have to clean the dining room and polish the silver… and that would be no easy task. Not only were those pregnant women “demanding and finicky,” but they were also “piggish and slovenly.” Once they got done with it, the dining room looked like an elementary school cafeteria ten minutes after someone screamed “FOOD FIGHT.”
So what did Christina wear to “one of the most amazing boutiques in the world?” A frumpy beige sweater, black jeans, and cheap jewelry that a 7 year old girl would pick up at Claire’s in the mall. In the limo, Ramsay asked her when she last bought a dress for herself. She replied, “My grandma had to do it for me; all my clothes are black and white because those colors match.” Cue laughter. This girl could be the biggest dork on reality television right now. Not to mention the biggest idiot. If all her clothes are black and white, where’d she snag that BEIGE sweater she was wearing?
After some lame stock video footage of Beverly Hills, they arrived at Lisa Kline (who?!) where Lisa Kline herself helped Christina pick out clothing. She had her try on a HIDEOUS black cloak that made her look like she was Amish, and a repugnant purple sequined shirt that looked like a loincloth someone would have worn at Studio 54. She also tried on a boring skirt that showed off her legs, which, unfortunately, looked like Miss Piggy’s legs - but with more bruises. Bottom line: If these are the clothes that Lisa Kline is recommending, Christina would be better off sticking with her GRANDMOTHER.
Once Christina got back to the restaurant, she found Corey, Jen, and Petrozza polishing silver in the kitchen. Christina showed off her ugly new clothes and bragged as the other 3 laughed and made fun of her. Jen dryly said, “Oh. I don’t like sequins.” It was the first thing that even closely resembled “funny” on this entire season of Hell’s Kitchen.
Corey decided it was time to get down to business. She said, “Lunch was lousy for me, but at tonight’s dinner service, I’m ready to shine.” I don’t think so. You’re mistaking yourself for the serving spoon you polished earlier, honey.
DINNER SERVICE! Ramsay said, “This is where it gets seriously tough.” You know, like one of Petrozza’s steaks. For tonight’s service, Jen was on appetizers, Corey was on fish, Christina handled sides, and Petrozza cooked the meat. Nothing interesting happened, until Christina burned Ramsay after handing him a pot with a hot handle. Ramsay screamed and swore and told her if she did it again, he’d throw her out. So what happened? Five minutes later, Christina did it again… but he didn’t throw her out. She had no other repercussions other than getting a mild talking-to. Hmm… Is that favoritism I smell? Or did Petrozza forget to wash the crucial areas in the shower? You decide.
The “Stupidest Bitch Of The Night” award went to Corey, after she intentionally sent raw fish to the window. She said, “I knew it wasn’t completely done, but I handed it to Ramsay anyway and hoped that it would slide by.” Are you kidding me!? She intentionally send out raw food and potentially sickened a customer to spare getting yelled at?! Classic. That’s really special.
Despite Corey’s selfishness, Jen’s mushy risotto, Christina’s hot pans, and Petrozza’s dirty meat station, the final 4 completed dinner service in record time. Ramsay actually
gave the chef’s hi-5’s and said it was the “best service in Hells Kitchen EVER.” He then told them to go upstairs and nominate two people for elimination.
Jen and Corey were put up for elimination, and in the end, JEN was sent home.
My thoughts on Corey staying: WHAT A MISTAKE. And what total BS. Ramsay constantly preaches about high standards and the “customer coming first” - but then kept a two-timing, selfish chef who admitted to intentionally sending out RAW FISH after being unable to handle her station? Pathetic. I lose more respect for this show and for Ramsay with every episode.
So there you have it! Stay tuned next week, when the final 3 are shocked by “a mystery guest.” Who’s that? The one remaining pregnant woman in Los Angeles? I can hardly stand the excitement. See you then!