About that food - seriously, I was expecting much worse. Tripe - not my favorite thing, but not Fear Factor material either. None of that stuff was that out there.

I was amazed Rock was having THAT hard a time with it. Christ, I've seen Tony Bourdain eat WAY grosser stuff that he loved (and some WAYYY grosser stuff that even he didn't).

When I saw what they were serving, I was reminded of an episode of No Reservations when Tony went to some after hours place where chefs hang out and they eat that very sort of food.

So, I was a bit surprised that they were having trouble with it.

Well, I got a little queasy looking at it, but I'm not much of a meat eater to start with. And I think the men's egos are completely out of control; the women at least make some vague attempt at working together.

But that whole gamesmanship thing about getting rid of their strongest competitors - wouldn't it be smarter to keep the competent people around in the hopes of actually serving a meal?

But that whole gamesmanship thing about getting rid of their strongest competitors - wouldn't it be smarter to keep the competent people around in the hopes of actually serving a meal?

I think Rock was trying to do gamesmanship, but I think Jen just likes Bonnie more than she likes Melissa and knows they are fucked without Julia around to do the grunt work.

I think Rock was trying to do gamesmanship, but I think Jen just likes Bonnie more than she likes Melissa and knows they are fucked without Julia around to do the grunt work.

I agree with this.

I didn't watch last season, what did they do on Hell's Kitchen when they were down to the last couple of people? Did they still have to cook for the restaurant?

I didn't watch last season, what did they do on Hell's Kitchen when they were down to the last couple of people? Did they still have to cook for the restaurant?

I'm trying to remember. I think eventually the two teams become one team, for a few round. I do rememeber when it got down to two chef's standing, they both designed their own resturaunts & menus in the Hell's Kitchen space and ran them for a dinner (but I can't remember what kitchen crew they used for that).

They had to design their own restaurant - from the room through the menu.

So - that may be where Julia will falter.

you know, I don't remember what happened when they were down to just a few. I do know that the first season when they were down to two, each set up a restaurant - decor, menu, etc. - and they were judged on that. I remember the one guy wanted an old fashioned NY style steakhouse. He didn't win.

At some point, there was a challenge where they had to create an original dish. The winning dish (last year's was created by K-Grease) was featured on that night's HK menu as a special.

ETA: This was prior to the Create Your Own Restaurant finale.

I remember something about bringing in their families ... and the humiliation of those whose famililes chose the other chef's meal.