7 ended with a major cliffhanger; elimination, followed by Chef Ramsay saying he wasn’t doneyet. I’ve been with reality TV long enough to suspect that it may be something minor rather than aground-shaking elimination or revelation…….the big reveal? Tommy and Carrie are being put in chargeof their respective teams for the next challenge. See, told you so. I shouldn’t be so smug, as this actuallymarks the first prediction I’ve come close to getting right all season.
The ChallengeBoth teams were asked to come up with a modern spin on 5 classic American comfort foods which,combined with the previous beer challenge is making me fatter as I watch. Carrie jumped right into herrole as leader, designating who makes what, but poor old Tommy looked like a deer in the headlightsand ended up being told what everyone was going to do. He’d best pray for a win or his teammates aregoing to crucify him.The challenge pressure got amped up with Wolfgang Puck invited to guest judge. First up was the battleof the burgers with Jamie and Tommy going head to head. Tommy’s burger lacked color and “wow”factor, so Jamie got the point; 1-0 red team. Elizabeth and Natalie were next in a Cobb salad face off,which Natalie won with her salmon, rather than chicken, infused presentation; 1-1. Elise and Will werenext with their take on spaghetti and meatballs, with neither team getting the win after presenting twohorrible dishes. Jennifer and Paul were next with their chicken soup concoctions, with Jennifer scoring toput the red team in front. Last up was the pizza dishes, and this was one that was likely to cause dramaeither way. Elise had complained that she should be making pizza for the red team, and Jonathon lookedlost when presented with the idea of a flatbread pizza, and he backed that up by refusing to take up hisfinished pizza. He eventually capitulated, but must have wished he hadn’t, presenting a dish that lookedterrible. He blamed Tommy, who blamed Jonathon, but either way, it was embarrassing. Carrie fared nobetter, serving a raw shrimp pizza, meaning no points, but also a win for the red team.The ladies won a Sunset Strip cruise and a private performance at the Hollywood Laugh Factory, with theboys left to clean both kitchens and the dorms.
Dinner ServiceThe blue team looked like they might start a man down after Jonathon skipped punishment and kitchenprep with a phantom pinched nerve. He managed to haul himself out of dreamland and off the couch anhour before service began, but not without teeing off his entire team.The girls, entrusted with the task of looking after the guest table of coast guards, came out fast, with theexception of Carrie who seemed unable to roll pizza dough. Jonathon continued to struggle in the bluekitchen, messing up his pasta, whilst trying to maintain the stiff posed figure of a man in pain.Jamie jumped in to help the floundering Carrie, helping to get the appetizers flying out of the kitchen,but the blue table continued to be unimpressive, sending up bland, under seasoned food. Chef Ramsay,recognizing that Jonathon was lagging, pulled him aside and made him reveal that he was in pain; given2 options, suck it up or leave, he opted to step up and push through the pain.The ladies seemed able to put aside their personal differences and started working as a perfect team,tearing their way through appetizers and onto the main course. On the other side, the blue team wasstarting to fall apart, with Tommy being ripped for laughing at Natalie who almost had a serious spill.In the red kitchen, the ladies were bombarded with meat orders, forcing Jennifer to jump off the fish
station and lend a hand, but Elise doing the brunt of the work, and doing it well. With the blue teampiling up tickets, the red team continued to forge on, easily finishing their service. The boys did rally atthe end, and they too were able to complete their service, but obviously a case of too little too late.
EliminationI was no surprise that Jonathon was put up, but Natalie instead of Tommy was something of a headscratcher. After a moment where it looked like Natalie was getting the hook, Chef Ramsay bid farewellto Jonathon, whilst also warning Nat that she was on her last chance.
John Watson splits his time between work that pays the bills, and writing which is his true love. As a Scotsman living in the deep south, he is forced to write in order to be understood. John currently resides in the Atlanta area with wife, Penny, a regional chef. You can read more of his work by visiting his blog at TheInkedWriter.com
