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[benjipwns]

It's that time of the year again!

Network: FOX
Premiere: Monday, June 4th and Tuesday, June 5th at 8PM Eastern/Pacific.


Contestant Interviews and WALLPAPERS.

THE BLUE TEAM:

Name: Brian Merel - Age: 31 - Occupation: Personal Chef - Hometown: Chicago, IL - Signature Dish: Dark Chocolate Molten Cake with Berry Sauce and Cream

Name: Tavon Hubbard - Age: 22 - Occupation: Executive Chef - Hometown: Washington, D.C. - Signature Dish: Seafood Linguine

Name: Chris Carrero - Age: 33 - Occupation: Executive Chef - Hometown: Queens, NY - Signature Dish: Filet Mignon with Mushroom Cream Sauce

Name: Clemenza Caserta - Age: 41 - Occupation: Executive Chef - Hometown: Staten Island, NY - Signature Dish: Stuffed Veal Chop with Sauteed Broccoli Raab

Name: Royce Wagner - Age: 29 - Occupation: Sous Chef - Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Signature Dish: Seared Black Grouper

Name: Patrick Cassata - Age: 40 - Occupation: Executive Chef - Hometown: Lombard, IL - Signature Dish: Seared Broken Arrow Ranch Black Buck Antelope Loin

Name: Don Savage - Age: 44 - Occupation: Cafeteria Chef - Hometown: Houston, TX - Signature Dish: Southwest Saltimbocca

Name: Justin Antiorio - Age: 29 - Occupation: Sous Chef - Hometown: Lyndhurst, NJ - Signature Dish: Pretzel-Crusted Crab Cake

Name: Guy Vaknin - Age: 28 - Occupation: Executive Catering Chef - Hometown: New York, NY - Signature Dish: Pan Seared Striped Bass with Chocolate Miso

THE RED TEAM:

Name: Barbie Marshall - Age: 34 - Occupation: Catering Chef - Hometown: Philadelphia, PA - Signature Dish: Cod and Mahogany Clam Chowder

Name: Roshni Guarni - Age: 28 - Occupation: Executive Chef - Hometown: Boston, MA - Signature Dish: Rack of Lamb

Name: Christina Wilson - Age: 32 - Occupation: Chef de Cuisine - Hometown: Philadelphia, PA - Signature Dish: Molasses Pork Chop with Sweet Mashed Cider Kale

Name: Robyn Almodovar - Age: 31 - Occupation: Executive Sous Chef - Hometown: Hollywood, FL - Signature Dish: Seared Striped Bass

Name: Kimmie Willis - Age: 27 - Occupation: Personal Chef - Hometown: Memphis, TN - Signature Dish: Fisherman’s Trio

Name: Danielle Rimmer - Age: 27 - Occupation: Saucier - Hometown: Bayonne, NJ - Signature Dish: Bucatini Shrimp Arrabbiata

Name: Briana Swanson - Age: 32 - Occupation: Personal Chef - Hometown: New York, NY - Signature Dish: Duck with Sugar Spice Sauce

Name: Dana Cohen - Age: 27 - Occupation: Chef Instructor - Hometown: River Vale, NJ - Signature Dish: Pan-Seared Scallops

Name: Tiffany Johnson - Age: 30 - Occupation: Sous Chef - Hometown: Warren, VT - Signature Dish: Lamb Schnitzel with Rosemary-Maple Glaze

No Jean-Philippe again this season.

 

[Boards of Canada]

Do they ever show a recap of the previous season and what the winner is doing? I can't remember. Did last year's winner (can't even remember who it was) actually get the prize?

 

[Feature]

reminds me of jeniffer anniston.

 

[RubxQub]

As per the GAF tradition of picking the winner based on no information...I'm going with this chick to take it all:

 

[Emerson]

The only season of this I've watched was Season 6, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I'll probably watch this one though. Looking forward to it.

 

[Threi]

yessssssssssssssss

my crack is back on TV


as per tradition i gotta go with the chubby dude

#patrozzagotrobbed

 

[Gaborn]

My champion:

 

[benjipwns]

Do they ever show a recap of the previous season and what the winner is doing? I can't remember. Did last year's winner (can't even remember who it was) actually get the prize?

Nah, if the winners ever come back it's just for some challenge. (Or as a sous chef.)

Last year the show kept saying the winner would be "head chef" at BLT Steak. Except the position didn't exist at the time, and the one created after the show has basically no authority in the kitchen at all.

Last year's winner Paul:

Here's a recap I just found of the other winners "where are they now?" from last September: http://foodiegossip.blogspot.com/2011/09/hells-kitchen-winners-where-are-they.html

Looks like basically only one or two of the winners if that has effectively gotten the prize suggested by the show.

Ramsey has said the award is in reality about getting a mentor:

“[Y]ou can’t take someone and put them in an unfamiliar restaurant and expect them to exceed [sic], they need to have a mentor and work alongside an executive chef. The executive chefs at our prize restaurants are always amazing and the winner has an amazing opportunity to learn from the best,”

And considering the people on this show that's the smart plan, but the show keeps going with the conceit of the fancy positions in its setup. Though I don't think openly stating it as the "opportunity to work under a great chef" diminishes the proceedings in anyway.

 

[KibblesBits]

No Jean-Philippe again?

 

[Eiolon]

Something tells me Gordon will have his eye on her so I expect her in for the long haul and possibly winning.

 

[nubbe]

I vote for this guy

 

[benjipwns]

I vote for this guy

#patrozzagotrobbed

 

[hwalker84]

That was my girl though. Worked at a restaurant that I've been too while she was there.

 

[CrankyJay]

Ugh, already in a bad mood seeing Elise. lol

 

[Plinko]

I don't know about a winner, but I have a feeling I know who gets kicked off first:

Name: Don Savage - Age: 44 - Occupation: Cafeteria Chef - Hometown: Houston, TX - Signature Dish: Southwest Saltimbocca

Nothing against cafeteria chefs, but it just seems like this show always takes one person like this (remember the diner chef?) and kicks them off in the first two episodes.

 

[Fiftyeight]

I'm childhood friends with last year's winner, Paul.

It's funny because the last time I saw him was last year. We ran into each other at a bar and caught up and told me he was on the show. I asked him if he won or not and he simply said there was $6 million in between that answer. I tried to read his eyes and I just thought to myself, "Yeah, he didn't make it."

Guess I'm not one for body language.

 

[CrankyJay]

I'm childhood friends with last year's winner, Paul.

It's funny because the last time I saw him was last year. We ran into each other at a bar and caught up and told me he was on the show. I asked him if he won or not and he simply said there was $6 million in between that answer. I tried to read his eyes and I just thought to myself, "Yeah, he didn't make it."

Guess I'm not one for body language.

Is he still at BLT Steak?

edit: Yup. http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/life_in_hell_D4jTixMOkSYgtP06BB4KKK

 

[Ezio]

Between this and Master being on, head esplode!

 

[Trigger]

No Jean-Philippe is bull, but I'm down for another amazing season.

 

[ag-my001]

Name: Dana Cohen - Age: 27 - Occupation: Chef Instructor - Hometown: River Vale, NJ - Signature Dish: Pan-Seared Scallops

Either someone finally figured out they've been serving the same appetizers for years, or this will be mocked mercilessly on the confession cam when she messes up.

 

[sprsk]

Oh this makes me so happy.

Also, fucking Elise.

 

[J-Rod]

I hope someone practiced making scallops, beef wellington, and sea bass this year.

 

[Ezio]

Oh this makes me so happy.

Also, fucking Elise.

I can't stand her.

 

[Grinchy]

I can understand if the winners don't always get thrown into the head chef position that's being promised, but do they still get the $250k? What the hell is the actual prize?

 

[Crazymoogle]

The winning situation doesn't surprise me. Winning a reality show != being able to run a high end restaurant. But they get good prize money and the ability to learn at said high-end restaurant, which is a great reward on its own. I'm sure if they work hard enough they can catch on with Ramsay's posse

Can't wait to see a new season of meltdowns!

 

[SuperSonic1305]

Completely forgot about this show. How many seasons has it been since Bobby came back for a 2nd time? Were those seasons any good?

 

[Mister Zimbu]

Hell's Kitchen! The great milestone that marks the beginning of the annual Summer "trashy reality show" season.

Big Brother isn't far behind.

 

[Slayven]

No mention of donkeys?

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

After last season I've given up on this show. It was clear that Elise shouldn't have continued to be there and yet I'm sure the producers were taking steps to ensure that she stayed. It got be really pathetic at times.

I'll be waiting for Master Chef instead, which I found far more entertaining.

 

[DrEvil]

Winner if male.

Winner if female.

 

[TheExodu5]

I've only watched seasons 1-4. The show seemed to get more ridiculous and worse as the seasons progressed. Has it gotten better since? I love Ramsay, in particular in Kitchen Nightmares UK where he seems genuine, but his persona here is just too damned fake at times.

Has it gotten better since?

Name: Guy Vaknin - Age: 28 - Occupation: Executive Catering Chef - Hometown: New York, NY - Signature Dish: Pan Seared Striped Bass with Chocolate Miso.

When will they ever learn that Ramsay hates seafood + chocolate?

Nothing against cafeteria chefs, but it just seems like this show always takes one person like this (remember the diner chef?) and kicks them off in the first two episodes.

There was that black girl...the waffle house chef in...season 3 maybe? She did really well.

 

[benjipwns]

I'll be waiting for Master Chef instead, which I found far more entertaining.

MasterChef comes back the same nights. Just no info on the contestants or anything yet so I didn't bump the thread.

I can understand if the winners don't always get thrown into the head chef position that's being promised, but do they still get the $250k? What the hell is the actual prize?

I don't think they're supposed to get money outside of the salary are they? I thought it was just a job.

 

[Slayven]

I've only watched seasons 1-4. The show seemed to get more ridiculous and worse as the seasons progressed. Has it gotten better since? I love Ramsay, in particular in Kitchen Nightmares UK where he seems genuine, but his persona here is just too damned fake at times.

Has it gotten better since?

That's the beauty of it. It's a beautiful train wreck.

 

[ChocolateCupcakes]

My champion:

My pick too. And I was really hoping for Jean-Philippe, oh well.

 

[∀ Narayan]

I've never watched this show, but has there ever been a contestant who consistently impressed Gordon and never managed to fuck up?

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

MasterChef comes back the same nights. Just no info on the contestants or anything yet so I didn't bump the thread.

Yeah, I've been seeing commercials. I'm looking forward to it a lot more than Hell's Kitchen, which just seems far more repetitive and contrived these days.

 

[TheExodu5]

I don't think they're supposed to get money outside of the salary are they? I thought it was just a job.

The salary was reported as being $250k/yr.

 

[benjipwns]

I assume they still get the money even though they get a different position. I believe Holli got extra alternate money since she couldn't even have the faux-job.

Except for the first season winner, all he got was kitchen equipment I believe because he turned Ramsay down.

 

[ChiTownBuffalo]

I mean, there is just something about both shows that makes me feel that Top Chef winners are more legit than Hell's Kitchen winners.

I know its baseless.

No, I kid. It's Padma.

 

[BadTaste]

I've never watched this show, but has there ever been a contestant who consistently impressed Gordon and never managed to fuck up?

Last season, (forgot his name) but he was competing with Paul at the end.

 

[Plinko]

After last season I've given up on this show. It was clear that Elise shouldn't have continued to be there and yet I'm sure the producers were taking steps to ensure that she stayed. It got be really pathetic at times.

I'll be waiting for Master Chef instead, which I found far more entertaining.

I like Masterchef but the fact that they only pick the winners based on marketability instead of cooking ability is infuriating. No way that woman should have won last year and she wouldn't have had she not been a former beauty pageant winner.

 

[ChocolateCupcakes]

Last season, (forgot his name) but he was competing with Paul at the end.

Will. Poor guy.

 

[Ezio]

I've never watched this show, but has there ever been a contestant who consistently impressed Gordon and never managed to fuck up?

Dave Levy from season 6 or 7 is about the closest I can think of.

Edit - And Will, he was my pick to win honestly.

 

[Gala]

She will win! I can see it in her eyes!

 

[Jo-El]

This show is so dumb. I love it.

 

[LuchaShaq]

I like Masterchef but the fact that they only pick the winners based on marketability instead of cooking ability is infuriating. No way that woman should have won last year and she wouldn't have had she not been a former beauty pageant winner.

THIS, there was 5+ people that were better than her, just weren't nice/pretty etc.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

I like Masterchef but the fact that they only pick the winners based on marketability instead of cooking ability is infuriating. No way that woman should have won last year and she wouldn't have had she not been a former beauty pageant winner.

THIS, there was 5+ people that were better than her, just weren't nice/pretty etc.

While I won't disagree that her looks didn't hurt, she was one of the better chefs on the show and proved it by winning challenges regularly. In fact, she may have won more challenges than anyone. She started off horribly, and would cry at the drop of a hat, but after almost getting eliminated a couple of times, she stepped up her game and amongst the top two or three competitors down the stretch.

It was far better than the obvious manipulation that the producers on Hell's Kitchen were doing last year. They kept finding ways to keep Elise around just to stir the pot, even though she should have been eliminated multiple times. When they pulled out the "no elimination" episode I was completely pissed. It was too obvious what they were up to.

 

[woodypop]

I hope someone practiced making scallops, beef wellington, and sea bass this year.

I stopped watching several seasons ago. Good to see some things never change. lol

I mean, there is just something about both shows that makes me feel that Top Chef winners are more legit than Hell's Kitchen winners.

I know its baseless.

No, I kid. It's Padma.

Who is this, and where is this picture from?

 

[benjipwns]

Who is this, and where is this picture from?

Padma Lakshmi, host of Top Chef.

And it's from probably one of her thousand photo-shoots that involve her eating something.

For example, Carl's Jr. commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQDit9-z1Xw

 

[Macca]

My pick:

Best looking, best cooking. That's what I always say.