'Hell's Kitchen' new season is on fire

By April MacIntyre Jun 12, 2007, 16:17 GMT

Gordon Ramsay - - London, England © Photorazzi

No one gets down to brass tacks on a dime like the perfectionist Scotsman, Gordon Ramsay.  He has a decisive masculine quality that is prized by those who appreciate that clarity and strength, when a man truly knows how to use his words effectively.  Equal parts of kindness and whoop-ass.

World-renowned chef Ramsay is back for a third serving of the unscripted series Hell's Kitchen. Ramsay is putting 12 new, would-be restaurateurs on the chopping block for a chance to win the ultimate culinary prize - the coveted title of Head Chef of a new fine Italian restaurant at the Green Valley Ranch Resort and Spa in Las Vegas.  It’s the best reality show on American television in my eyes.

A former-pro-soccer-player-turned-Michelin-starred-chef, Ramsay is looking for someone with the potential to become America's next culinary star.

What Ramsay's done is create a brilliant premise that is a reality culinary boot camp. Each week Ramsay will grill the ambitious almost chefs as they attempt to prove they have what it takes to run their own restaurant.

Human nature is revealed as the contestants both try to work as a team, and then stab each other in the back when they are in power positions of elimination, ridding a worthy opponent. 

The contestants' inexperience, mental and personality flaws are under the microscope as perfectionist Ramsay's tongue lashing withers their psyches to a quivering mass of aspic jelly. 

The first two shows feature a new crew of apprentice chefs.  First test of skill is properly preparing Dover sole.  Only eight of the men’s soles are acceptable, four of them at the skilled hands of Josh. On the women’s side, Melissa and Julia bring the women’s team to six.  Bonnie and Jenn bomb out, not a single acceptable fish, and then it all comes down to Joanna. All three of her completed fish pass for the women to win.  Gordon announces the women will join him on a fishing expedition. The cracking apart men’s team will have to stay and prep all the sole filets for the evening.                 

Aaron

Aaron is the oldest chef apprentice, at age 48, he is mentally fragile and it is hard to watch him burst into tears every other minute.  He even botches the dinner side de-boning the sole.  I get the sense he is going to be gone by the end of episode three.

Eddie has problems with his pasta starter when the other chefs interfere in his station and he doesn’t assert himself whatsoever.

In this second episode, the women’s team turns out their appetizers and entrees and works smoothly together, unlike the first episode that saw Tiffany flame out and become the first casualty. 

The men's team struggles all night. Josh’s chicken is bone dry, and Vinnie’s Wellington is underdone. Ramsay gets so frustrated that he throws out the men’s team and has the women finish the dinner service.

Rock was named the best of the worst, and has to make a decision. Eddie, Aaron and Josh all plead for their life and Rock plays the game with each of them.  You know he is gunning for Josh, the only one who has the chops to best him in the group.

Ramsay asks for his elimination decision. Rock, of course, picks Eddie and Josh. Everyone knows it should have been Aaron.  Josh has eyes in the back of his head now, and knows the name of the game with Rock. 

Eddie and Tiffany have been eliminated thus far, and the next episode it guaranteed to be a f**king great time.