After episodes and episodes of drama, raw food, overcooked meat and bad risotto, Hell’s Kitchen will have a new crowned winner. Let’s skip the formalities and get right to it!
“The person joining Mary in the finale is …” Ramsay keeps the anticipation building and finally says, “Ja’Nel!”
SERIOUSLY?! MARY GETS TO THE END AND NOT JON?! The only thing he walks away with is the Hell’s Kitchen black jacket. “You never underestimate a butcher with a soft voice,” says Mary. Well, I don’t think many of us saw this coming.
The girls run off to the dorm rooms to pack for an immediate trip to Las Vegas in Ramsay’s private jet. The finalists are quickly given a whirlwind of surprises. Chef Andi and Chef James are recruited as sous chefs and help them prepare their meals.The next morning a Roman centurion (yeah, a real one) leads the ladies down to meet the president of Caesar’s Palace, Gary Selesner. From here, Ramsay takes Mary and Ja’Nel to his restaurant, Burgr, where they sit with last season winner Christina and they receive their white jackets. If that wasn’t enough, once they arrive back in Hell’s Kitchen for the night, Ramsay calls them down to prepare for ANOTHER trip. At Union Station they run into their families and a live audience, waiting to witness their final challenge.
Final Challenge: Each finalist has one hour to complete five dishes. 1 cold appetizer, 1 hot appetizer and 3 entrees, featuring fish, chicken and beef.
Judged by various highly esteemed chefs, the girls put up quite the culinary battle, but one of them edges just above the other.
Challenge Winner: Ja’Nel
This time, the winner is given first pick when choosing for their brigade in the final dinner service. Here’s how the final line-ups look:
Team Ja’Nel
Cyndi
Amanda
Susan
Ray
Zach (she’s really taking a chance with this one)
Team Mary
Jon
Anthony
Nedra
Mike
Dan (nothing but wrongness can come of this)
There’s a twist, though! Given to them via mysterious envelope, Ja’Nel has the opportunity to trade someone from her team for someone on Mary’s! Unfortunately, after sitting and talking amongst themselves, Zach and Dan cancelled each other out and no trade is made.
Finale Dinner Service
The menus have been decided on, preparation has been made, Chef Ramsay has given the green light to all of the finalists’ dishes and celebrities Tony Hawk, Kat Graham and Anthony Anderson are in tow for the first ever finale chef’s tables. Here goes nothing!
Mary’s voice is like a “bag of cats” as Dan appropriately calls it. She’s loud, she’s bossy, she’s annoying, but she seems to really be getting the job done. There are quite a few bugs to be worked out of her brigade as Nedra takes a bit to warm up, but Dan is her true problem. Jon says, “Dan could be the one reason why Mary doesn’t win this.” Time and time again he fails on his meat station, overcooking the beef. Once Mary has had enough she tosses him out of the kitchen. Yes! A contestant on Hell’s Kitchen has tossed another contestant, well former contestant, out of the kitchen! From here on out, the service is rather smooth.
Ja’Nel has a softer approach. She’s commanding, yet has almost a nurturing quality that works well for Ray as he gets confused and in a tizzy, as usual. It isn’t until entrees are fired that she needs to constantly raise her voice. The problem is that she is the ONLY one raising her voice. Nobody is answering her or communicating at all, really. Finally, Ja’Nel must call them each by name and give specific tasks to keep them in line before the kitchen runs her.
With service done, the time has come. Chef Ramsay calls Mary and Ja’Nel up to his office and sets them each in front of an opaque door. On the count of three, one of them will become head chef at Gordon Ramsay’s Pub and Grille at Caesar’s Palace. Who will it be? Both of these contestants have really come a long way and, really, both can be seen running a restaurant at this point. Yet only one of them will carry this prestigious title. Here we go. The winner is …
JA’NEL!!!
There you have it, folks. Ja’Nel hurries down in tears to her mother and sister as confetti drops from the ceiling. Did you pick the winner? Are you surprised of the outcome? I must say I’m surprised, but pleasantly so. Ja’Nel will make a great head chef.
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(Image courtesy of FOX)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
