'Hell's Kitchen': What does 'stripes' mean to you?

July 1, 2008 10:38 PM

I've never really understood the penultimate episode of Hell's Kitchen every season. I want to know all about the prep on the restaurants and how it's going, but the episode is always focused on surrounding hoopla. Sure, the preparations are shown, but not in great detail, tons of stuff seems left out, and the hoopla is usually hopelessly silly or boring. Such was the case again this year.

Things started off with an incredibly long recap of the season thus far. It went on for almost 10 minutes and only served to show how weak the contestants were this season. Seriously, they were kind of embarrassing. Forget about Matt. Forget Jen. Think about Craig. About Rosann. Dominic. Sharon. I could continue, but there's little point, we're down to Christina and Petrozza now. I'm still unconvinced that either of them deserve to win, but they almost certainly deserve it more than the rest.

When the show got down to new business tonight, we found Petrozza and Christina planning menus and thinking about what they wanted their restaurants to look like. Petrozza seemed to have more trouble than Christina. I don't know whether it was jitters, sleep deprivation, or a general inability to focus, but he didn't inspire confidence. However, Christina's ease with creating the menu may have indicated that she was not thinking enough about her plans.

When talking with the designer, Christina actually said that there were things about Hell's Kitchen that she didn't like. I don't know that I would have taken that tack with the man who designed the place, but she seemed to feel it was okay. She then told JP that she didn't like the choices he presented for the waiters' outfits. I'm pretty sure that was going too far. Petrozza actually picked as his choice for outfits the specific one that Christina liked least. It was something of a study in contrasts, and I'm not sure which did better. Christina's opinions were strong but expressed poorly, Petrozza's opinions were less strong, but expressed in a better fashion.

The planning quickly took a backseat though to the show's shenanigans. Both chefs were summoned to Ramsay's office were he informed them that he wasn't sure that he had the right finalists. After a commercial break he said that he was now sure that he did and that he was going to take Petrozza and Christina to New York to see his restaurant there. If you ask me, they both had enough work to do with the restaurants and menus and general planning that they shouldn't have been going to New York, but I wasn't consulted on the decision.

After having a huge TV screen in Times Square welcome Christina and Petrozza to New York, Ramsay told them they were both going to Dubai to the Hilton and his restaurant there (after the competition ends). He then took them to the London – New York and had them make their signature dishes in the kitchen there as their final challenge.

Throughout the whole challenge Christina seemed quite confident that she would win (and she said as much in her camera one-on-one repeatedly). To be fair to her, Christina's dish did look better and Petrozza's onion paintbrushes seemed ridiculous.

The judges for the challenge were five of Ramsay's executive chefs, and the first two voted for Petrozza. The next two, however, voted Christina. It all came down to Josh Emett, the executive chef of the London – New York (who will be overseeing the new London – Hollywood as well). Emett cast the deciding vote for Petrozza (who deserved to win one of these things eventually). As his prize, Petrozza got first pick of the other contestants for his team during the final dinner service.

Upon their return to Hollywood, Petrozza and Christina got to see how their restaurants were coming together. Petrozza was thrilled, Christina, not so much. Okay, she was less than thrilled, she was absolutely pissed and looked as though she couldn't decide whether to cry or kill someone. Apparently she didn't realize that choosing the wallpaper with the "stripes" would result in her restaurant having striped wallpaper. Yeah, I'm not quite sure what she had imagined either, when I hear and see stripes, I think stripes. Don't you?

The last thing that happened tonight was our finalists getting to choose their teammates. Petrozza chose Bobby first and then Ben with his next pick. Christina went with Corey first and Louross second. As for where the other two contestants whom they had to choose from, Matt and Jen, wound up, that we'll find out about next time. Kind of a weak cliffhanger, but I guess it's all they had to offer.

Odds and ends:

Matt made eyes at Petrozza when Petrozza was extolling the virtues of his second pick before naming Ben as that pick. Did Matt really think Petrozza was going to say wonderful things about him? Is he that delusional?
Who is going to win next week? Cases can be made for both chefs. I'm going to say Petrozza, who has more experience, wins. But, Christina, who seems like a better choice in the long run, could edge him out. What's your guess?

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Was there any point to that "I'm not sure I picked the right finalists" line, other than to give Fox footage for commercials all week long? It reminded me of last year's stunt where the commercials kept showing someone screaming at Ramsey, then it turned out to be staged "assertiveness training".

I felt sorry for Christina and Petrozza when they kept bring out the past contestants. I'd forgotten all the bad choices they would wind up with for their teams. I'd like to see Petrozza win, if only because he seems less arrogant about his chances, but I'd put my money on Christina.

Nice to see Jenn still realizes that she's the greatest chef around. No, not bitter at all.

Jessie | Jul 1, 2008 10:54:02 PM | #

i think long run christina should win she has a lot too learn but that will come in time and work experience , but it will probably be petrozza, i also feel that this show has taken a bad left turn and has way to much drama and not enough substance, i guess the ratings dropped so the had to do something. we all can start watching hells kitchen england starting soon with ramseys rival.

robert | Jul 1, 2008 11:18:02 PM | #

"I've never really understood the penultimate episode... is always focused on surrounding hoopla."

It's a test to determine how well the contestants handle the distractions of running a restaurant. All of the chefs are, allegedly anyway, good cooks. The winner and New Executive Chef of (insert shameless Ramsay Restaurant plug) must be a good cook and able to deal with the 9,834,290 myriad details of running a business. It's the details that determine whether a restaurant, or any other business for that matter, succeeds or fails.

I give the edge to Petrozza, he's earned his stripes while Christina is still baffled by the concept. Petrozza did a much better job of getting his ideas across to the design consultants and incorporated their input while Christina simply ate the wallpaper paste.

Chris | Jul 2, 2008 6:24:15 AM | #

I think Petrozza will end up winning this season. Christina still has a ways to go with running a restaurant. I laughed with her perplexed attitude, when she saw the 'stripes' on the wall. She looked like she had no idea that it was her 'idea' to have the stripes. And can someone tell me what is with Petrozza wearing elastics on his fingers?

Rosie | Jul 2, 2008 7:13:15 AM | #

I missed the bginning of the episode but sounds like I didn't miss too much, just the menus.

When I saw the 2 restaurants, I thought Petrozza's looked way better. Those fake windows in Christina's looked like something that Ramsey would nix if he found it in a restaurant on his Kitchen Nightmares show. We'll see.

sac | Jul 2, 2008 7:50:45 AM | #

Jenny return to the kitchen will be a disaster. From her perspective everyone hates me, I am better than all of them, payback is a bit*ch.

Jenny is the Amarosa of the cooking game.

Rags T Tiger | Jul 2, 2008 11:19:47 AM | #

Christina WINS! Just wanted to post this. The website gives it away if you check the "Page Source" with FireFox then scroll a little past half way down.

Or, select any season 1-3 and the winners information is shown. Check season 4 and Christina's is shown! Now, go bet your friends on the final and make that money!

http://www.fox.com/hellskitchen/bios/gordon.htm

BTW, I posted this on the show's web board and it was mysteriously deleted.

Ricky | Jul 2, 2008 1:27:58 PM | #

Christina WINS! Just wanted to post this. The website gives it away if you check the "Page Source" with FireFox then scroll a little past half way down to

Or, select any season 1-3 and the winners information is shown. Check season 4 and Christina's is shown! Now, go bet your friends on the final and make that money! http://www.fox.com/hellskitchen/bios/gordon.htm

Rick2 | Jul 2, 2008 1:28:57 PM | #

christina shows up when you click on season four because her name start with a c and petrozza's doesnt.

wednesday | Jul 2, 2008 1:55:32 PM | #

Okay, so I know the earlier challenges were conducted in a way to add "drama" to the show (which is why the score is always neck and neck heading into commercial break) but it was rather disheartening to see that the guest chefs involved we participate in the same farce. So we are supposed to believe that the first four chefs are really split 50-50 in preferring Petroza or Christina? Or that Ramsey's executive chef chose Petroza without any coercion? All the "drama" is quite tedious.

vncntdl | Jul 2, 2008 3:36:35 PM | #

Wednesday is right. The chefs come up one at a time and it defaults to Christina because her name comes first. If you click on Petrozza's picture, his bio comes up. Sorry Rick2, no giveaways here.

Beth | Jul 2, 2008 3:46:22 PM | #

Belkow that is the other seasons and the winner's name just like Christina's.

Rick | Jul 2, 2008 4:04:23 PM | #

To Wednesday and Beth, If you knew more about websites you'd know what to look for. She does not come up because of anything having to do with the Alphabet. If you look a the "page source" of the "BIOS" page, half way down, it clearly shows "season4"
"s4-christina.htm"
Below that is the other seasons and the winner's name just like Christina's.

rick | Jul 2, 2008 4:05:38 PM | #

Rick, I still think you are reading too much into that. But I might take you a little more seriously if you weren't double-posting all your messages.

Beth | Jul 2, 2008 6:04:56 PM | #

Just been on Christina's
myspace one of her friends
says and i quote, says this

Congratulation, Christina!!! We're all so very proud of you!
so this must confirm that she has one Hell's Kitchen.

colie | Jul 2, 2008 9:55:04 PM | #

My double posts happen because I try to post the proof here [the website code] it won't let me.

Rick | Jul 2, 2008 10:54:57 PM | #

Her friend's myspace message? That confirms nothing. She was probably congratulating her on getting into the final two.

Jason | Jul 3, 2008 3:43:57 AM | #

Rick,

Sorry to have to disagree, but Christina's name comes up first because it comes up first. The coding simply tells the website which bio to start with. If you click through the first three seasons, yes, the winner appears first. But you can click on any other bio and pull it up.

The coding is simply a "start with this person" code, since each bio is technically a separate web page.

Big Joe | Jul 3, 2008 7:28:58 AM | #

I like Petrozza to win. I'm hoping he picks Matt for his team because Jenn seems far too angry to do anything good for whatever team she is on...of course, maybe that is just what they WANT us to think...hmmmm

dboals | Jul 3, 2008 8:11:35 AM | #

Big Joe, You are ridiculous! You know Christina Wins because you work for Fox. The site's code clearly has Christina as the winner for season 4! You know I posted my assumption on the Hell's kitchen site and it was removed. I figured it out and I got to let people know!!

Rick | Jul 3, 2008 10:11:49 AM | #

The editing on the show is so lazy I wouldn't be surprised at a gaffe like that. But with Christina undercooking everything in her last service, I don't see her winning this.

And of course, the 2-0 vote in the challenge goes to 2-2 before the final vote. Just like last year. So rigged.

Belmont | Jul 3, 2008 12:37:10 PM | #

someone made a booboo ;)
if you look at the source code in the address provided, a little after the middle you will find the following