Hell’s Kitchen Season 3 Finale: Who’s the Winner?

Posted by curryelvis on 08/13/07 in food tv, restaurant management, hell's kitchen, reality tv, featured

[spoiler alert] Here are the tidbits from the Hell’s Kitchen Season 3 finale. If you want to know who one, I’ve put it at the very end of this post so that I don’t spoil it for anyone who hasn’t seen the episode. Please feel free to say who you thought should have one and why. (The the snippets here are presented in bullet form for easy scanning.)

Julia is on Bonnie’s team but says she’s rooting for Rock. She got a full scholarship paid personally by Chef Ramsay.
The teams stayed male vs female this season, even in the finale. Fact is, the girl’s pretty much cleaned up this season, and this is why I’m thinking Chef Ramsay got rid of Jen and Julia and kept weak Bonnie. He probably wants Rock to win, too. But Rock has a couple of competitve guys who might screw him.
This season, they only brought back 6 people that had left. If I’m not mistaken, last year, they brought back all 10 to participate in the finale.
Julia is already giving Bonnie grief, and she’s not making any bones about how bitter she is. She’s a poor loser, but that’s to Rock’s advantage. Fact is, Jen is the most qualified of the women’s team.
Josh is doubtful of his ability, but Rock really knows how to motivate people. That’s why he makes the best candidate for winner. He knows how to make people feel good, when it’s necessary.
The finalists have to impress Chef Ramsay with their menu. They each have three entrees, three sides, three desserts. Apparently Melissa is botching the shrimps on Bonnie’s menu. Chef also doesn’t like Bonnie’s chocolate truffles dessert because it it’s too small.
With Rock’s menu, Chef Ramsay once again displays his dislike of garlicy foods (he also dislikes spicy food, so he’ll never eat at my home - yeah, right, hah hah). But Rock feels Chef was very critical.
Bonnie’s half of the restaurant is ready, but the worker’s are only just bringing in the booths for Rock’s side. Chef doesn’t like the lack of carpets on Bonnie’s side (sound not absorbed) but likes her simple, elegant place setting with white table cloths and red rose petals.
Rock’s setting is simpler, without salt and pepper shakers. Chef did like it, and said it was elegant. It looked like orange marigolds.
And the madness begins. Jean Phillipe is about to open Hell’s Kitchen to patrons.
Bonnie keeps opening her mouth and proving how full of herself she is. It’s so disappointing because Jen is so much more talented and she was sent home early.
Unfortunately for her, her team is neither listening to her nor responding to her. Bonnie just doesn’t know how to motivate.
Rock on the other hand is having trouble with Josh, who can’t get his timing right. When Rock needs crab cakes in 30 seconds, Josh keeps saying, “one minute.”
Julia is talking to Bonnie, who isn’t responding. Chef asks Bonnie how can things work the team isn’t talking to each other. But they’re getting appetizers out and Rock’s team is not.
Unfortunately, Melissa didn’t warn Bonnie that her signature fettucine dish was running out. Now there’s only four left.
Josh is still screwing up crab cakes. It’s amazing how many he’s messed up. Rock tries to prop him up, but can’t. Chef Ramsay tells him to make a decision because Josh is bringing his service down. Rock says on camera (seated interviews) that he’s ready to work every station himself if necessary, to win the contest.
Rock finally switches Vinny and Josh, which makes Chef Ramsay happy. But Vinny isn’t able to handle the fish station, either. He admits not being ready.
Once again, Melissa screws up and says there’s only order of prawns left - something she should have said much, much earlier. A complete nightmare for Bonnie. “Come you guys, talk to me,” says Bonnie, and Julia says, “… just be happy I’m giving you your food.” Yikes.
Rock’s team is starting to catch up, but Josh is still struggling. And he thought he should have be one of the final two contestants.
Julia is now being bitchy, refusing to do anything Bonnie asks, including wrapping goat cheese. Bonnie says to herself, Julia is so bitter. (On trailers, she apparently actually said it to Julia.)
Rock says he thinks he may lose because of all of Josh’s screwups. Bonnie thanks her team and makes up with Julia.
Rock says that if he could turn back time, he would have won the chef’s pick challenge and would have picked Jen first. I agree, but Bonnie picked her first. Jen really deserved to be in the finals against Rock. A shame.
Watching this season once again showed how much personality conflicts can screw up a kitchen. It reminded me of the young bastard I worked for who was openly threatened by my age and number of years I’d been following cooking. He claimed openly that if he didn’t make at least one person feel bad each day, he wasn’t happy. Which is why I despise Chef Ramsay’s personality so much. Food tastes better when cooked with love and passion. Just watch the movie Like Water for Chocolate, or read Laura Esquival’s original novel. (Okay, the English translation of the novel, if you don’t read Spanish.)
Now it’s time for Chef Ramsay for checking out the customer comment cards. They’ll help him decide. I’m very sure he’d never trust Bonnie to run any of his restaurants. She knows nothing about running a team. Rock has tons of experience. There’s honestly no competition, despite Bonnie’s self-delusion. But I really hope that when Rock wins, he hires Jen to work with him. She deserves it.
Chef Ramsay compliments them both, but Bonnie’s compliment sounds weak. They’re opening their doors now. Who is it? Who gets the $250,000/year salary?
Wow, I’m not competing and I’m nervous and gulping. And the winner is? [Stop reading if you don’t want to know.]
Bonnie is grabbing her door handle, while Rock is barely touching his.
The winner is… yahhhhh. It’s rock. Julia is tearing up, but whether because Rock won or because she’s still unhappy. Now Rock’s eyes are tearing. His team is hugging him.
Chef Ramsay has very high praise for Rock, all of it deserved. Now he’s spraying Rock with a bottle of champagne for the final celebration. Rock hoists his suit-wearing young son and claims, “Season 12 winner right here!”