Rock can handle pressure? 
How do you figure? He throws things and smashes things. He pouts. He glares at people, barking warnings at them for engaging him in kitchen talk. He has severe anger issues and an unstable temper. He hasn’t mouthed off at Chef Ramsey yet, but maybe he’s just a bully who won’t pick on people his own size.
I don’t really see how she comes off as a ditz, unless one defines that as being cute and blonde. She is competent and is capable of standing up for herself in the kitchen. I forget the context, but one of the best moments last night was when she called Rock a “dumbass” and he just couldn’t come up with a comeback. Shutting him up is quite a feat.
Bonnie is obviously on the lookout for curveballs after taking delivery of fish skeletons (WTF was that?), and she was right to smell it first (although monkfish isn’t particularly “fishy” smelling). I would have asked one of the assistants to confirm her opinion before tossing them out, but so it goes.
That said, I don’t think she has the cooking chops of either Rock or Jen, so I think she’ll be gone next.
He handles normal line pressure. He doesn’t get in the weeds or get flustered during service. His temper has flared from personality conflicts and perceived slights to his ego, not to the normal pressure of the service.
I also have to say that in my experience as an old line cook, Rock’s temper is only about average for that line of work. Guys swearing and throwing things around is normal in a kitchen – especially during a service.
Well, I was disappointed to see Julia be eliminated, but I was pleased to see that if it had to happen, at least Chef Ramsay noticed her potential and is sending her to culinary school. I’d also like to see the “Julia at Culinary School Show,” and I hope that somehow, we all get to see how she did. Chef Ramsay alluded to her returning to Hell’s Kitchen–does anybody think this will really happen in a future season?
I’m glad to know I’m not the only one. Rock has much to recommend him, but his temper and his attitude work against him, IMHO. Bonnie is a nanny, who (I imagine) cooks one meal for one family at one time each night–but doesn’t cook a selection of dishes for a number of guests over the course of an evening (as on the show), and this may ultimately work against her; her experience and performance in Hell’s Kitchen notwithstanding. Jen had the spaghetti in the garbage incident, which will likely return to haunt her.
One of these will win, which will be okay–but just “okay.” The choice will certainly not be “excellent” or “outstanding.”
I’ll acknowledge that “ditz” is a loaded word, and take it back. That said, a big chunk of the job she’s applying for involves dealing with inventory, and she screwed that up last week. If Rock had thrown out the monkfish without checking with anyone I’d have said “that’s a stupid thing to do,” rather than “what a ditz,” so I’ll go with stupid (as in, “that’s a stupid blunder she made,” rather than “she’s stupid”).
All of that said, I don’t necessarily think she’s gone next week. Rock or Jen could completely flame out next week. Bonnie could be the long shot to win (she reminds me a bit of Elizabeth last year), but I think this race comes down to how they handle themselves at the head of the line.
Rock should have been the one to go. I’m sure he will, very soon. He can cook, but he’s undermining himself with his attitude and temper. He will implode.
Well, I think Ramsay made an excellent decision and don’t know why Julia was even upset - this will be so much better in the long run! My first thought as well was a Julia in Culinary School show.
My vote now is going to Jen. I still can’t quite forgive her for the pasta-in-the-trash but I see her leading a team more evenly and having a better group than Rock. Yes, you have to be an asshole but Jen can develop into a strong leader with some bitch in her while I doubt Rock can tone back the pissy, throw stuff around crap. I think it was stupid for the girls (Hell’s Bitches, ha ha) to egg him on but it was up to him not to lose his temper. When he’s in control of a kitchen he’s going to have lots of chefs that maybe don’t like him or hate his guts and he can’t lose sight of the end goal: a good service. That won’t happen by losing your temper and sabotaging the other chefs.
It was nice to see Ramsay actually hug someone and I was so glad he didn’t tell Julia to “piss off” when she was done. I really think he’s done the right thing and if Julia will get a little kick in her ass and quit giving up when things go bad she’ll be great.
Oh my, yes! Arguably a free ride to a good Culinary Arts school is better in the long run than even winning the show, and head and shoulders above the nothing the next two losers will get. The winner has little guarantee that their restaurant will survive or that the owners will let them run it past what I have to guess is a rather brief contractual obligation. If they fold, you’re right back at the Waffle House. A degree from a good culinary institute, that lasts forever, and is a better track to more steady employment in the future.
Although I wouldn’t want to see a show about her, or her return in a later season. That would be boring.
I just watched this episode on my DVR so here are my comments:
Rock filled that “angry black man” role that is typical of reality show black men. I would have knocked his fucking teeth out of his head if he would have come at me like he was those girls. He’s an asshole and has been in steady decline for the last 4 weeks. As the field narrows I find that he is not even tempered now that they are looking to “keep the best” vs. “get rid of the worst” . He was even tempered before because he knew he wasn’t the worst. Now he’s not the best and he can’t perform. Tough shit for him.
Bonnie is fairly attractive, but she’s no Virginia.
I was suprised that Julia went home. Thought for sure she would be one of the final two but knew she wouldn’t win the thing.
Rock is a prick and filled ALOT of black stereotypes this episode. Tons.
I really wouldn’t say he filled black stereotypes, but he did fill insecure male stereotypes. Traditional black stereotypes have included laziness, which he had none of. He was more of a misogynist and bully.
Seemed to me that Rock getting pissy started with something that I thought was innoculouse. Something like one of the girls asking him something…or telling him to meet them at the window. Something that was very routine in the kitchen. It seemed like he took afront to someone either questioning him, or telling him what to do. After that incident is when he started to go down hill. And sure Jenn was doing her little mumble insults under her breath thing, but I think that’s just what she does when she gets mad. I didn’t see it as egging him on, but as being pissed off and calling him on his continuing to act like a petulant child. He’s a good cook, I’ll grant him that…but he needs some anger management classes or something. He’ll implode as head chef in about 2 weeks.
I think both Rock and Jen were out of line. Jen was being a jackass with the goading and the hissy fit over the ice cream remnants, and Rock should have controlled his temper a lot better. In the end Jen won because she had an ally, but she lost major cool points with me. I think Rock’s bad attitude is partially a culmination of the disappointments he’s faced through the game. Being stuck with a loser team when you know you’re qualified would be frustrating for anyone.
I felt bad for Julia, but I agree that she has a bright future. I was so happy for her when she won the cafeteria challenge–which was such a no-brainer that I expected there to be a tie. Who cooks grilled salmon and fried goatcheese for teenagers? I suppose those dishes are impressive to Ramsey, but he wasn’t the judge.
I think it’s between Rock and Jen. Bonnie is nice, but come on. A nanny? And I’d rather have a hot-tempered chef running a restaurant than a weepy one. “I wanna go hooooome!” Gimme a break.
I went home and replayed the nights service to see if I could find that moment when Rock seemed to start his downward spiral. From what I can tell, they were going up for an entry…Ramsey had called for it, Bonnie was ready to go, but Rock couldn’t find his dish and was looking for it. Ramsey asked where the food was (as he does all the time) and Bonnie replied that she was waiting on the dish. Note that she specifically said she was waiting on the food, not Rock. Rock got all pissy after that, accusing her of “playing the game” by pointing him out. Unless there was some very creative editing, I don’t see how she was trying to undermine him at all…she was just answering the chef. From that point on, he just seemed to get more and more pissy. To me it seems that because Rock is trying to do some sort of Survivor strategy, he assumes everyone else is doing the same thing.
There’s enough editing and manipulation by the production staff that I’m not willing to dissect Rock’s behavior like that. For all we know, Julia slapped him in the face while Bonnie called his mother bad names. It’s quite obvious, at least, that Bonnie and Jen (and the producers) are trying to push Rock’s buttons, and we’re likely being shown all of his bad behavior and little of his good, so I’m still giving him a lot of slack.
I think I’m done with this show after this season ends. The hand of the producers is way too evident here. Maybe I’ve just been grumpier this season, but it seems worse than the previous two.
I was sad to see Julia go but glad she finally won a challenge. Her chicken sandwich looked awesome. I don’t care if it looked like something everyone could make at home-that’s what I like. I would love to see a show just following her through culinary school. Fox’s sitting on a goldmine there-she has quite a large fanbase. I’m not really caring who wins at this point but in case anyone is curious the internet buzz is that (don’t click unless you want to know who wins): Rock wins. Congratulations, Rock. You managed to bully and yell your way to the top.. Apparently, there was a gambling site that was taking bids on the winner and when this person’s odds suddenly shot up for no apparent reason. It looks like workers on the HK set were placing bets.
You don’t remember Virginia from last season? She was ready to take herself out of the competition at one point but ended up the final two. They are similar contestants: young, not a lot of kitchen experience, creatively strong, always crying. Sometimes they last longer than we (or they) expect.