Hells Kitchen Season finale tonight - Who is your pick? Spoilers I'm sure. :)

[jujuthomas]

So... we've come down to Holly and Jay. Tonight's finale looks like an UNEXPECTED AND SHOCKING battle, with NEVER BEFORE SEEN drama! lol

who's your money on?

I'm having a hard time choosing... maybe caring? who wins. But... maybe... hmmm

I'd like to see Holly take it just because she's female, even tho I think Jay's a better chef. ;)

[HabaneroJane]

I was away and just watched it last night on the DVR. Wow, finally, something worth watching! A surprise ending. I was happy with either Holli or Jay, but with Holli as the underdog winning, it was worth the entire torturous (albeit sped up) season it was! I was thrilled when Ben got booted. Did anyone notice Dave, the winner from last season, in the crowd when the winner was announced? Wonder what happened to him after Olympics were over..is he still in Vancouver?

[LindaWhit]

No - he left that restaurant after a few months, according to the Wikipedia link, due to "other responsibilities" or something like that.

[waldrons]

I was thinking maybe Holli won because she did the most with the least-competent kitchen staff.

[chowser]

LOL, when Autumn is your strongest player, you'd do well just to finish!

[Muskrat]

Jay is such a complete jerk, I'd be embarrassed to have him in my employ, let alone having to work with/for him.

I'm not privy to Ramsey's thinking, but I'd hope that was at least part of it. (On the other hand, that's a lot of responsibility for someone as young as Holli).

[TheFoodEater]

her responsibility will be to keep learning and growing. she won't be head chef, she'll be a sous chef or some such. I don't think a single hell's kitchen winner ended up with the advertised head chefs job (I may be wrong about this).

[C. Hamster]

Just saw it on Hulu and have to say that it was the MOST BORING finale in hells kitchen history

[jujuthomas]

it really was!

[Chimayo Joe]

Is there going to be another season of this show? I didn't watch much of this one, but Ramsay seemed like he wasn't into it as much as usual to me.

[dmckean]

I'm betting he was working on his new show at the time. I think he only came along for one of the rewards this year.

[Jwsel]

There is another season filmed. Josiah Citrin told me that they filmed a reward meal at Melisse for the next season.

I actually was surprised by Holli's menu. It seemed far more accomplished in terms of technique and skill -- the amuse with the celery foam, the foie gras, and the wagyu beef -- than her "banquet chef" title would suggest. Jay's menu also looked fairly accomplished, and more consistent with what you might find at high-end LA restaurants, whereas most of the regular Hell's Kitchen menu strikes me as rather pedestrian. I wonder if part of the problem is that the show gives the competitors so little opportunity to demonstrate their abilities beyond cooking Ramsay's dishes on the line that it is hard to tell which, if any, chefs have actual talent.

[Sooeygun]

I think season 8 supposed to start airing on September 22.

[Joanie]

I hope they don't have Boston people on so I feel forced to watch it.

[LindaWhit]

An article in the Boston Globe/Boston.com re: last night at Gargoyles:

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/s...

[junescook]

I love that last "final moment" picture!

[LindaWhit]

Spiky hair and all. I think it's hysterical that the Globe actually captioned the picture saying Holli was on the left. Ya THINK? :-)

[junescook]

They feel the same way about their sox up there too.

[LindaWhit]

Huh?

[junescook]

That everybody else is...oh never mind...

[LindaWhit]

:::shrugging::: Your comment about feeling the same way about the Sox really doesn't make sense at it applies to Jay's spiky hair or Globe captioning, unless I'm completely missing something.

[junescook]

I was referring to their depiction of their local boy's ooponent as what I thought looked like a witch.

[jody]

The viewing party at Gargoyles was fun. Tons of people in a tent out back. Mini lobster rolls, ribs, kobe beef sliders, hanger steak etc. was brought out continually starting at 5:30.
Jay(son) was there along with a couple of other chefs from the show (Salvatore and Ed). Also his parents. (and Ken Oringer lurking around). Jason seemed in high spirits so it was a bit of a surprise when he lost.

[harrie]

Jason might have been in high spirits the way that Udo, the chef in the movie Dinner Rush, gets a little excited when there's a murder in his restaurant because it means more publicity for the place. Even if he lost, Jason's place will probably have a nice uptick in business, which means more money in the pockets.

[Withnail42]

Still didn't get why Holi got to stay over Ben.

[LindaWhit]

And what a surprise - we heard Ben say YET again that he was the only one to challenge Jay in the finale and he was better than Holli. @@

[TheFoodEater]

The only reason Ben thought he was better than holli was that Ben is a sexist ass.

I hope the people Ben's daughter grows up and work with have a less sexist attitude than Ben does, for her sake.

[chris2269]

I agree only episode I have watched this season, but he came off pretty strong as "I will not lose to a women" vs he's the better Chef.

[Joanie]

I agree, there was zero talk about who voted for what, who did what better. All Ramsay said was Holli deserved it cuz she came so far. That didn't make sense. From just watching the show, I thought Jay won cuz his kitchen seemed to run better overall and the food seemed to be liked by all (and he won the first part of the nite). Lame. Don't other people think the win seemed pretty arbitrary?

I actually thought Ben was good tonite, working his ass off to help Jason. Of course he still had a few asshole comments but that's to be expected.

[junescook]

We were somewhat bewildered by it.

[smartie]

we only see the edited parts remember and what was filmed. Maybe cameras were off at other times.

[Firegoat]

I think anyone trying to do a fine dining menu with Siobhan as a cook deserved to win. I noticed Ben's reaction when Holli won. Still a douche til the end, Ben? Oui!

[LindaWhit]

Still a douche til the end, Ben? Oui!

:-)

[LindaWhit]

I wonder if the comment cards from the dining guests have anything to do with it? Or if it's just GR saying "Holli improved the most so she wins."

However, keep in mind that GR always looks for someone to mold into what he wants. Holli, at age 24, is pliable. Jason, at age 32, who's been a chef for 12-14 years, perhaps not so pliant.

[chowser]

The previous two seasons winners also won because they had come the farthest and were most improved, not because they were better chefs. LOL, my son said maybe Ramsay just told someone to unlock one random door because it did seem so arbitrary.

The question is, how would Ben have responded if he had worked for Holli? I doubt he'd have been as supportive. I felt bad for Holli for her staff but think Jay (who offended me more and more as the season went on) had better people skills in dealing with his people.

[Withnail42]

Personally I think it was nothing more than a PR move. The decision process is deliberately kept vague so that they can chose who they want. Now Ramsay can be seen giving the 'poor (cute) single mother' an opportunity of a life time; as opposed to the better chef who happens to be a chubby disheveled guy with blue hair. As soon as they started pushing the fact that she had kid and that was who she was doing for it was clear that the fix was in. Although I’m not too sure how a 24 year old banquet chef wound up with a cookbook deal and an olive oil line before the show even started.

Ramsay could use some good press. He created a big stir in Australia with some uncalled for sexist comments. There were rumors of an affair. His business is reportedly having all sorts of troubles.

Ben may have been sexist real or edited but he still seemed like a much better cook. As for the ‘oui chef’ thing I know a number of people who do it. It comes from their training or the kitchen they worked in required it. Saying becomes second nature. They don’t think of it.

[LindaWhit]

"Although I’m not too sure how a 24 year old banquet chef wound up with a cookbook deal and an olive oil line before the show even started."
~~~~~~~~~~~
Keep in mind - this season was filmed in the winter of 2009. Holli has had a year and a half to promote that cookbook and olive oil line. While I'm sure contractual agreements enforce that she can't say she won, I'm sure she's able to at least say "she did well." I know Jason has said that.

[chowser]

As I was saying, even in the past two seasons, Ramsay picked the lesser cook (Paula lost to Danny, Kevin lost to Danny look alike--both with long hair, droopy eyes). In the final edits, both Danny and the Danny look alike didn't seem to perform as well as the trained chefs, as seemed the case w/ Holli and Jay. I don't think it's an appearance thing. He seems to have picked the underdog who didn't rise to the final challenge as well.

[junescook]

So whatever happened to the"winners"?

[LindaWhit]

junescook - you can find out what some of them did during/after their seasons at this link (click on the winners' names, as they're not all updated in this chart):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell%27s...

[vorpal]

It made sense to me: my understanding was that GR said that Holli basically came in undisciplined and untrained, and her learning and ability to grow far surpassed everyone else: she made remarkable progress during her short time in HK. Sure, Jay is incredibly talented, but Holli's progress indicates that she has the capability to rise up to and overcome many challenges.

[Withnail42]

As a viewer we are lead to believe the the winner is supposed to step up and into the role of running a professional kitchen. (Although it seems the prizes never quite live up to the hype.) Not someone who is going to go in and be a quick learner because the have 'come so far.'

Still seems like very vague reasoning. Which I'm sure is just how they like it.

[AmblerGirl]

I know this whole show is contrived and I stopped caring a while ago but Holli's win actually brought a tear to my eye... must have been all of the footage of her son...

[jujuthomas]

her son really was SUCH a cutie!

I was really glad they didn't drag the finale out to 2 episodes like they did either last season or the one before. :)

[coney with everything]

"I was really glad they didn't drag the finale out to 2 episodes like they did either last season or the one before. :)"

Yes, that was a mercy, wasn't it?

Glad Holli won. The fact that she didn't display the arrogant attitude of Blue Jay (hopefully blue balls, LOL) and Ben indicates she'd be able to accept guidance and continue to become better.

That said, do we really think she'll be the CHEF at the Savoy?

[LindaWhit]

Well, according to a comment Jason made on his HK FB page re: hooking up with Holli, looks like those blue balls didn't last. @@

And no - none of the winners of HK have ever been the "head chef" at any of the GR restaurants.

[smartie]

drum roll ............................ and it's Holli.

[jujuthomas]

and did you see broken arm dave from last season in the audience? threw me for a minute, lol!

[Withnail42]

Given HK history I'm betting Holi. That and that fact that they are playing up the whole single (even though the father is around) thing.

That being said I'm surprised that she even made it to the final. Then again given HK's history...

[C. Hamster]

My prediction is that:

ELECTRIFYINGLY INSIDEOUS GAFFES by RESENTFUL (and perhaps INCOMPETANT) FORMER CONTESTANTS will lead to the MOST HISTRIONIC FINALE IN HELL"S KITCHEN HISTORY!!

Since Holly's new olive oil line and upcoming cookbook will obviously take hits if she loses, then maybe I want Jaybird to win. Or not. I really don't care.

[jujuthomas]

LOL CH! :) Thanks for that prediction!

[LindaWhit]

By George, I think you've got it. :-)

And as I've said before - someone posted something on Jason's (open to all) FB page last week that I think *might* reveal who actually wins it.

[LindaWhit]

Yup - that person who posted on Jay's HK FB page was right! That person said "Good luck bro, but my friend told me about the out come." (posted on Aug. 3rd)

I kinda figured that Holli had won when I read that.

But JAYSUS H. KEERIST! He says "I'm gonna wipe the floor with Holli's face" and then saying he wants sleep with her??? And it ends with "Hopefully I can get her pants off tonight?"

Ugh.

[celfie]

jay is too ugly to win. i would have loved if in a triumphant move, he decided his stupid blue hair is too embarassing for the prized position and then dyed it black or something

[JayEsBee]

My recollection is that the Attractive Female Contestants seem to get surprisingly far on this show*, though I do think Holli has more chops than past AFCs. I do think Jay is a little more skilled and seasoned, as demonstrated by his turn at the pass last week. I think Jay "deserves" it a tiny bit more, but I guess I'm rooting for Holli.

*it's possible I'm generalizing from the season where the personal chef/nanny, Bonnie, who was very cute, inexplicably made it to the final two. Was that the year Rock won? All the HK seasons tend to swirl together for me.