HELL’S KITCHEN returns to FOX tonight for their premiere episode of season 13 called, “Top 18 Compete; Top 17 Compete.” On this evening’s episode Season 13 begins with Gordon Ramsay dividing the 18 chefs into two teams of men vs. women and challenging them to create their signature dishes. The victors’ spoils include a chance to dine with Wolfgang Puck, while the losers have to set up the contestants’ living quarters.
On last season’s finale, Chef Ramsay setted the stage for the remaining two contestants when he threw them into the ring to prepare five unique dishes for the final challenge, which got judged by five of the most renowned chefs in Los Angeles. Later, with the help of former HELL’S KITCHEN contestants, the two chefs prepared their menus for the most important dinner service of their life. After an epic battle in the kitchen during the final dinner service, only one chef was crowned HELL’S KITCHEN winner and receive da life-changing grand prize: a Head Chef Position at one of Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants, with a salary of $250,000. Did you watch the last season’s finale? If you missed it we have a full and detailed recap, right here for you.
On tonight’s episode Gordon Ramsay welcomes 18 aspiring chefs into the kitchen. In the first challenge of the season, Chef Ramsay splits the chefs into two teams: men (Blue) vs. women (Red) and asks them to present their signature dishes. The winning team gets treated to an exclusive dinner with Chef Ramsay, along with special guest and renowned chef, Wolfgang Puck, while the losing team must set up the new living arrangements and kitchen for this season. Then, Chef Ramsay tests the teams’ attention to detail and challenges them to recreate his Geoduck sashimi. The team that creates 15 perfect dishes will soak up the sun on a luxury yacht with Chef Ramsay, while the losing team will clean up the sand outside and prepare the Geoduck nigiri and chowder for dinner service.
You’re not going to want to miss tonight’s cool new episode of HELL’S KITCHEN which begins at 8PM EST on FOX. We’ll also be live blogging it for you right here. While you’re waiting for the show to start, hit up our comments section and tell us your thoughts on this new season!
RECAP: Tonight’s season premiere of Hell’s Kitchen starts with 18 contestants. On their way in to Hell’s Kitchen, the contestants are excited and trash talking while on a party bus. The bus stops at Cinerama Dome. Chef Ramsey wants them to watch a movie before they reach the kitchen. Chef Ramsey is on the screen as the contestants snack on popcorn and soda. They are watching themselves on screen when they found out they were selected. Gordon Ramsey’s Pub and Grill Caesear’s Atlantic City is the spot they are vying for. Santos, Kalen, Fernando, Darren, Frank, JP, Janai, Roe, Steve, Ashley, Denine, Aaron, JR, Katie, Sterling, LaTasha, Sade, Jennifer are this season’s contestants. All of a sudden a curtain is lifted behind them and there are tons of audience members. The first challenge is going to start now.
On your mark, set, go…
The first challenge is signature dish. They have 25 minutes and JP is the first to finish. Chef Ramsey notices that there are 15 minutes left and asks JP what it is. JP says he can do it all over again so that it is fresh.
Chef will be judging from 1-5.
Inside out chicken parm is the first dish gets the girls a 3.
The guys get a 3 for their taco dish.
Sade gets a 2 for her mushy risotto.
JP’s dish is Boston Baked Haddock. Chef spits it out. Fish is dry, too salty and potatoes are undercooked. Chef is unsure if he should judge it or just send JP home.
The ladies are up by 2 points. Chef Ramsey is struggling with what to do. JP gets a 1.
Deconstructed chicken and chorizo taco for the girls gets a 3.
Filet Mignon bordelaise gets the guys a 1.
Grilled Hickory watermelon gets the girls a 1.
The guys get a 4 for their dish.
Kobe beef filet gets a 4.
Shrimp and grits (looks delish) gets a 3.
Duck dish for women gets a 2
Lamb dish for men gets a 3
Women get a 4 for their dish.
Men get a 4 for their dish.
At this point they are rushing through the plates without explaining what it is.
We are now at the final pairing.
Women’s dish gets 4.
Men get 3.
The women win the challenge 24-23. Treated to a meal at the BelAir Hotel cooked by Wolfgang Puck. They will go to the newly renovated Hell’s Kitchen when they are done. The guys will be setting up the dorms and Chef promises they will be miserable. The women are in the middle of dinner and Chef Wolfgang Puck makes an appearance. Meanwhile the men are at the dorms unloading trucks and unpacking boxes. JR is the first to complain and take a break. The rest of the guys are pissed.
The women have arrived and the guys find out the last part of their punishment is to get their luggage. The men go straight to bed and the women start to study. First thing in the morning is straight to the kitchen to learn what everything is and where everything is located. Tonight’s grand opening includes a new maitre’d. The kitchen opens and guests arrive including stars such as Scott Grimes and Eva LaRue. The first dish out is risotto and Chef spits it out. Aaron did not add salt.
The Red kitchen is serving up Risotto and it is perfect. They are off to a strong start on appetizers. The diners are happy. The Blue kitchen has not completed a ticket yet. The risotto is overcooked and the lobster is cold. Chef Ramsey is angry. A half hour into the first dinner service and the blue team still has not sent out a dish. On the red team Janai needs to finish the final ticket of appetizers so they can start on entrees. Janai is short 2 scallops but fixes the problem.
The blue team is finally sending out appetizers. JR sends out cold and undercooked scallops. Chef is angry and the men are moving slow. The red team is sending out Beef Wellington and they are perfect. The blue team is falling apart. The chicken is coming out perfect but the fish portion is raw. Chef kicks out JR and JP. They are done for the night.
Not a single entrée has gone out for the blue team. They are now down 2 chefs and they are trying to get it together. Their halibut comes out and it is raw. Chef Ramsey is angry and sends the entire blue team upstairs.
The women finish their dinner service beautifully and have won.
After the service Chef tells they guys they need to have a team meeting and pick 2 men for elimination.
Up for elimination tonight are Aaron because he had a slow start and JP. Chef Ramsey is trying to decide whom to send. He wants to send them both home. Chef Ramsey asks the guys why they should stay. Aaron accepts his mistakes but promises not to make it again. JP blames the rest of the team for the mistakes that he made. Chef’s choice to go home is JP.
Season 13 Ep 1 – Part 2
As the guys go over their horrible night, the women are ecstatic about how their night went.
The teams are woken up very early by lifeguards for their next challenge. There is a special and expensive ingredient called Geoduck hidden inside several sand sculptures and the teams have 3 minutes to get as many as they can.
The guys find the most of the ingredient and win their first challenge. They will need to make a sashimi dish that weighs a specific amount of grams to be perfect. This is an attention to detail challenge. They have to cut out the Geoduck in a specific way and plate it exactly as they were told.
The teams are neck and neck, but in the end the winner of this challenge is the women’s Red Team. Their prize is to enjoy time on a yacht. They Blue teams punishment will be to clean up and prepare the Geoduck sashimi ahead of dinner service. They are not happy about digging up all of the sand that was left over.
On the yacht, the red team enjoys a meal with Chef Ramsey. He leaves so they can enjoy the rest of their day.
At the dorms the blue team gets boiled salt cod with something jellied and they are all grossed out and gagging. Sterling is the first to finish and is very happy, but Bryant is aggravated and very defensive. He is not happy with Sterling for some reason.
The women enjoy a water slide obstacle course on the beach, while Sterling and Bryant have it out in the kitchen. Bryant is clearly taking everything that Sterling says the wrong way. The guys are calling Bryant a loose cannon.
At the second dinner service Sterling decides that he wants to start on the right foot and apologizes to Bryant. They guys hug and they are all ready to go.
Geoduck chowder is an added appetizer and will be prepared tableside.
On the red team the girls are trying to communicate with each other, but Janai has attitude from the get go and doesn’t feel like repeating her answer. In the end that backfires because when Chef Ramsey tastes it he is angry that it is way over cooked.
The blue team is doing great with no issues yet and already finishing with appetizers, while the red team’s risotto by Janai again is horrid.
On the blue team Frank and Steve are on fish. Steve’s scallops are overcooked and Chef Ramsey tells him to ask for help.
The girl’s team is behind. Denine and Janai cannot communicate and the entire team is pulled for a meeting. Chef Ramsey tells them to meet up, figure out what they are going to do and be ready to work when they go out. The girls get it out together and finally start sending out appetizers.
Frank and Steve are arguing again about the right way to cook scallops. They get it together.
The red team now has entrees going out. The beef wellingtons are perfect and so are the lamb dishes.
The blue team is not doing well. Sterling needs 3 minutes, but Steve wants to get his food out now. He is messing up everyone’s rhythm.
The red team messes up the fish and they are shut down for the night. Chef Ramsey is not happy. Once upstairs, the women are putting the blame on each other.
The blue team is still going strong with their service and then they hit a snag. The lamb is too small. The pork is not ready yet. They are all in trouble and thrown out. They were so close and only had table to go.
Both teams are told to pick 2 nominees for elimination. The girls choose Denine and Janai. The guys are trying to choose, but Steve refuses to accept any of the blame for the mistakes that were made. Sterling nominates himself.
At elimination the girls let Chef Ramsey know that they have nominated Janai and Denine. The guys have nominated Sterling and Fernando.
Chef’s choice to leave is Janai.
The End!
