Posted by Entertainment Weekly on May 16, 2009 at 14:32:56:
'Hell's Kitchen' recap: And the winner is...
May 15, 2009, 09:38 AM | by Jami Lundborg
As I was driving to my local movie theater earlier this week, flipping through radio stations and cursing myself for not having one of those car-iPod adapter thingys, a familiar British voice made me pause. It was my favorite dreamboat chef. He was chitchatting about this week's big finale, and though I may have missed a good chunk of the interview, it seemed like he was giving Paula lots of verbal lovin'. Not to mention that throughout the season it seems like Ramsay has favored Paula a bit, no? Perhaps that's why I went into tonight's finale thinking that Paula was going to come out victorious. And that Lacey was going to seriously pis*s me off. I was right about Lacey, but as for the winner....well those of you who watched don't need me to remind you, and those of you who didn't will just have to wait until the end of the recap (no scrolling!) to find out. Let's get this ball rolling.
This week's show started out with Danny and Paula talking to their new teams about the menu and their expectations, and when Paula asked Lacey how she felt about dessert (favorable...always favorable), she responded with her usual enthusiasm by telling everyone “I'm just gonna be asking you guys for input.” She may as well have said “Please don't give me any responsibility because I don't know what the hell I'm doing. Ever.” Poor Paula. Then, as if we really needed reminding, they rolled some footage of Lacey's greatest hits. Lacey told the camera “I'd love to believe in my team, but f--- them. They don't believe in me, so what the hell's the point?” Um, hate to break it to you Lace, but you actually have to give people a reason to believe in you. To give credit where none is due, however, the girl has a real talent for ticking people off. I mean, she's really good at it. She makes ineptitude into an art form. Perhaps she can manipulate that into a career. People love having someone to hate...and boy does she deliver in that department. Annnnnd end rant! No worries, there's more Lacey rage to come.
The teams started preparations for the final dinner service, and Ramsay came around to test the chefs' menus. Paula was told to make sure that her halibut didn't come out too dry and that the crème brulee (prepared by Lacey) was the wrong texture. Danny's menu fared about the same – Ramsay told him to cook the duck better, that his dessert was undercooked, and that one dish looked phallic. This is the second time this season the Ramsanator has pointed out male genitalia-shaped food. The Brit must have a dirty mind, because when I saw Danny's dish, my mind didn't go to penis. But hey, the brain goes where it goes. After tasting the food, Ramsay addressed the camera — as he would throughout the dinner service — to comment on the progress of his final two. Now perhaps it was intentional, but every time Ramsay spoke to the audience he looked off to the side, not into the camera. Can I get a little eye contact please? I will cut him a little slack, however, for the adorable little bunny hop move he did while he talked. Sigh. Whatever will I do without my Ramsay fix for the next month and a half?
Next it was time for the chefs to show Ramsay their newly remodeled dining rooms. Paula's restaurant, named “Sunergy,” was beautiful. It was bright and warm and welcoming. Danny's, named “Velvet Hammer,” (groan. I was hoping he'd pick his mom's name...but alas) looked pretty much like the original dining room, just with some random fish tacked on the wall. Then again, style isn't exactly Danny's thang, now is it?
Dinner service kicked off in pretty typical fashion. Andrea overcooked a scallop on Paula's team, and Lacey had the nerve to tell the camera that cooking a scallop is “basic stuff you should know.” Uh huh. So says the girl who shrieked that she “can't cook meat” only weeks earlier. Andrea had a tough time getting her act together, though, and offered up some burned halibut. Meanwhile, over on Danny's team, Gio (who was none too pleased to be back in Hell's Kitchen) over-seasoned a sauce. Cut back to Paula's team and the requisite Lacey meltdown. When told that there were actually two orders, instead of one, she put on her best confused face, muttered to herself, and stood back in bewildered shock while the other chefs fluttered around her doing her work. I honestly don't know if there is anything she could do to make herself less likable. A finale free of her useless shenanigans would have been refreshing, though very uneventful. But, we can all take comfort in the knowledge that the Lacey saga is officially finito. Can I get an Amen?
Dinner service ended smoothly once the chefs found their flow. After the service came the moment of truth. Danny and Paula faced Ramsay with uncertain futures. Neither had a major blunder during the service. And so, Ramsay had them each face their own door and informed them that the winner's door was unlocked. I had my money on Paula — and I was fairly confident in my prediction. I was wrong. Danny busted through the door with a triumphant leap and bounced around with glee. I was surprised, but not upset. He was just so ecstatic that it was impossible not to be happy for him. Plus, he cried. I'm a sucker for tears of joy. So there you have it folks. Danny took the crown. And I must find something to fill my upcoming Ramsayless Thursdays. Ramsay closed out the finale with a fitting (and rhetorical, of course) “time to party, yes?” Go ahead you naughty Brit. Get down with your sexy self. We'll rendezvous again soon.
What about you PopWatchers? Did Danny deserve the win? Were you betting on Paula too? How does this finale compare to previous ones?
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