# Hell's Kitchen and MasterChef Summer 2012 \*open spoiler\* **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 5, 2012, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212 "2012-06-05T22:45:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212/61 "2012-06-20T10:32:09Z")
This year of HK feels even more ‘Survivor’ than it has in the past. I’m becoming bored with Kimmie and Robyn. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212/62 "2012-06-20T15:43:40Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > This year of HK feels even more ‘Survivor’ than it has in the past. I’m becoming bored with Kimmie and Robyn. Gods, yes. Also Tiffany. (Who is way too low class for her name.) So far absolutely no one stands out in a good way. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212/63 "2012-06-20T16:13:41Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > “Show them your nipples so we get more votes.” > > That guy is an idiot. You say for them to show off their tits - not nipples. If you’re going to be a male mouth-breather at least get it right. I’m surprised they didn’t toss him off the show. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212/64 "2012-06-20T18:51:07Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Is Ramsay just having fun throwing people out of the kitchen, or are they sucking worse than usual? (Or am I just being jaded after watching Top Chef in between HK seasons?) I don’t remember this many people being chucked out of the kitchen individually - versus the “shut it down!” orders for half/the whole kitchen to get out - before. This seems to be the most incompetent crew ever. I will never understand why it is so difficult to cook meat correctly. I figured that by this stage in their careers they’d know how to cook a scallop. And do they not look at what they are setting on the pass? How can you not see that your lamb chop is burnt to a crisp?? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212/65 "2012-06-20T18:57:52Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > This seems to be the most incompetent crew ever. Yeah, I’m pretty sure by now that it’s by design. I’m not sure what criteria they use to pick the people, but it certainly doesn’t involve a demonstration of actual cooking skills. They seem to take more of a “Real World” or “Big Brother” approach of selecting personalities they know will conflict. Considering that the prize of “running a restaurant” is essentially a sham anyway, they can pretty much just relax and populate the crew with complete bozos. ---
**Author:** ![Dingbang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac8455/32.png) [@Dingbang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dingbang)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212/66 "2012-06-20T19:12:10Z")
I keep wondering while watching HK if a real restaurant would throw away so much food, even if it’s not up to standard. I know that Ramsey has his incredibly high standards for everything, but I cringe when I see them throw away so many scallops that weren’t cut exactly symmetrical, or weren’t browned just perfectly, or Wellingtons that aren’t done exactly right. I’m thinking, damn, just put it in the fucking fridge and let the staff eat it tomorrow. It’s not bad, it’s just not perfectly right for for the paying guest. I can’t stand seeing all that perfectly good food thrown in the garbage. And as for Master Chef, I am SO in love with Felix. Damn, she’s hot. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212/67 "2012-06-20T19:15:07Z")
HK is in it’s 10th season. Honestly, I think it would be boring to see night after night of finished services and close matches. Sure, I would like if they got away from the clichés that dominate the show now (men v. women, every challenge coming down to either a complete meltdown by one team or an easily predictable, down-to-the-wire tie), but in the end, I watch it now for the complete collapse of the chefs. Much like watching racing for the wrecks or hockey for the fights. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212/68 "2012-06-20T20:16:34Z")
> [@Dingbang](#): > > I keep wondering while watching HK if a real restaurant would throw away so much food, even if it’s not up to standard. I know that Ramsey has his incredibly high standards for everything, but I cringe when I see them throw away so many scallops that weren’t cut exactly symmetrical, or weren’t browned just perfectly, or Wellingtons that aren’t done exactly right. I’m thinking, damn, just put it in the fucking fridge and let the staff eat it tomorrow. It’s not bad, it’s just not perfectly right for for the paying guest. I can’t stand seeing all that perfectly good food thrown in the garbage. “TONIGHT on the most SHOCKING Hell’s Kitchen EVER… nobody cooks a SINGLE burnt scallop or raw Wellington!” ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212/69 "2012-06-20T20:41:01Z")
Can someone who knows explain to us if it is that difficult to cook a scallop? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212/70 "2012-06-20T20:49:29Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > Can someone who knows explain to us if it is that difficult to cook a scallop? I find it pretty easy, it’s more a matter of timing. Scallops go for 1:30 each side, tops, and get overcooked quick if youre not careful. They also don’t keep, so they’re best served skillet-to-table, to-order. I saw the one guy was cooking them before the restaurant even opened. Was there more to it than that? ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2012, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212/71 "2012-06-20T21:42:26Z")
Could anyone here please get my back that Robyn is a dead ringer for Steven Van Zandt? It’s ridiculous, like she’s actively trying to do an impression. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212/72 "2012-06-21T00:28:11Z")
> [@Dingbang](#): > > I keep wondering while watching HK if a real restaurant would throw away so much food, even if it’s not up to standard. I know that Ramsey has his incredibly high standards for everything, but I cringe when I see them throw away so many scallops that weren’t cut exactly symmetrical, or weren’t browned just perfectly, or Wellingtons that aren’t done exactly right. I’m thinking, damn, just put it in the fucking fridge and let the staff eat it tomorrow. It’s not bad, it’s just not perfectly right for for the paying guest. I can’t stand seeing all that perfectly good food thrown in the garbage. > > And as for Master Chef, I am SO in love with Felix. Damn, she’s hot. Agree whole-heartedly with this entire post! ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212/73 "2012-06-21T06:09:16Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > This seems to be the most incompetent crew ever. I will never understand why it is so difficult to cook meat correctly. I figured that by this stage in their careers they’d know how to cook a scallop. And do they not look at what they are setting on the pass? How can you not see that your lamb chop is burnt to a crisp?? I don’t know if it the fact that they can’t cook meat, but rather you see your salmon is burned or chicken so raw you can tell on the TV it’s not cook - yet you still bring it up to the pass and try to sneak it past Chef. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212/74 "2012-06-21T13:52:40Z")
HK has the absolute bottom of the barrel contestants this season. Usually there’s at least a couple of fairly competent cooks in the mix, I don’t think any of this batch can actually cook. At least on Top Chef they generally stick a few accomplished chefs in there, and MC has a few cooks with some promise, but HK is just a joke in regards to cooking. I’d like to see HK stack the deck with good cooks and make it a race to the top, not populate it with bozos for a shot at last idiot standing. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212/75 "2012-06-21T14:11:54Z")
Ryan on Masterchef is a dick. I hope he is booted soon. I like Monti, though she did freak me out a little bit when she was cutting the testicles. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212/76 "2012-06-21T14:45:04Z")
I don’t like criers. Monti can go at any time. I was surprised that Ryan didn’t get any kind of official dressing-down for his nipples comment. Tim Gunn would’ve thrown him out (in the sweetest way possible, being TG). StG ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212/77 "2012-06-21T15:45:05Z")
And does everyone on HK smoke? Not sure why you’d ever take the chance of deadening your taste buds. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212/78 "2012-06-21T16:05:23Z")
Everyone in the food service industry smokes (yes, I know, not _everyone_, but it’s very common). When you only get breaks of a few minutes at a time, there’s nothing else to do. ---
**Author:** ![FlightlessBird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cdc98d/32.png) [@FlightlessBird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlightlessBird)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212/79 "2012-06-21T16:13:32Z")
> [@Duke\_of\_Rat](#): > > HK has the absolute bottom of the barrel contestants this season. Usually there’s at least a couple of fairly competent cooks in the mix, I don’t think any of this batch can actually cook. > > At least on Top Chef they generally stick a few accomplished chefs in there, and MC has a few cooks with some promise, but HK is just a joke in regards to cooking. > > I’d like to see HK stack the deck with good cooks and make it a race to the top, not populate it with bozos for a shot at last idiot standing. I’m not so sure. During the challenges they seem to prepare good dishes. Ramsay and the mexican food ‘celebrity judges’ seemed to like their flavor profiles. I don’t think anyone had a real failure on that one. The real problem comes from dinner service, and I’m still convinced that the producers have some ability to adjust the heating on all the equipment in that kitchen just to screw with them. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212/80 "2012-06-21T18:29:48Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Everyone in the food service industry smokes (yes, I know, not _everyone_, but it’s very common). When you only get breaks of a few minutes at a time, there’s nothing else to do. Maybe you could sit and enjoy the fresh air. Maybe bring a book and read a couple pages? Smoking cause there is nothing else to do seems like a lame reason to do it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hells-kitchen-and-masterchef-summer-2012-open-spoiler/624212.md?page=5)