22x01 - The Dream Begins

[bunniefuu]

[narrator] Today the journey begins
for 18 aspiring chefs,

who are greeted at Hell's Kitchen
by Maitre d' Marino.

Oh, man.

You made it.

-[screaming]
-Hello. Hi, ladies.

Marino.

I'm a Peruvian-American
from Miami, Florida.

When I have my eye on a prize,
I know that I'm going to get it.

And I know that I'm going to win this.

[contestants cheering, applauding]

I live at home with my parents
and my five-year-old daughter

in Huntington Beach, California.

[laughs] Damn it.

So follow me.

[cheering, applauding]

-[Carmen] He's real.
-[contestant] He is real.

[contestant 2] Wow.

-Christina.
-[contestant 2] Wow.

[contestant 3] Wild.

Welcome to Hell's Kitchen.

[contestants cheering, applauding]

[narrator] To inspire the chefs

as they make their way
into the restaurant,

Chef Ramsay has put the signature
Hell's Kitchen finalist doors

in the middle of the dining room.

If you want to feel what it feels like,
just go on that side.

[cheering]

That's the dream,
to walk through those doors

and be one of Chef Gordon Ramsay's
executive chefs.

And I need to make it a reality.

[cheering, applauding]

[cheering]

I want to go through, open that door
in front of my family

knowing that I've made it.

Knowing that I went through
everything in Hell's Kitchen,

and I got to this point in my career.

I was just at the Mandarin
as a consultant chef

-for the last three months.
-Oh, right on.

-But I'm from Chicago.
-Oh, okay.

-My name's Tad, like tadpole.
-[Carmen] Tad...

-And a tad bit of something.
-Oh, perfect.

-Miami.
-Miami. What's up? You're good.

The Cuban has arrived to Hell's Kitchen.

[speaking Spanish]

Oh, you don't? Oh, my God.

It's okay. It's okay.

-[contestant 4] Oh.
-[all cheering]

Chef Christina and Chef Jason walk out,
and I realize, I'm here.

They were right in front of me.

I'm sure for one
of you guys it's your dream

to have one of those doors open
and be crowned the Hell's Kitchen winner.

When my door opened in season ten,
my American dream came true.

I'm currently the vice president
of culinary

for Gordon Ramsay North America.

[all cheering]

And although my door did not open,
I was still the runner up of season seven.

And thanks to the exposure that I received
by getting that far,

I have five restaurants in Boston.

[all cheering, applauding]

Now it's time for your journey
to capture your American dream to begin.

[rock music playing]

-[Carmen] Oh, my God.
-Wait a minute.

-That's fire.
-Okay.

[contestant 5] Uh-oh.

-[contestant 6] Whoo!
-[contestant 7] Yeah!

-Whoo!
-[all cheering, applauding]

[all] Oh!

I was born in East LA,
the son of poor immigrants.

I battled my way
to ten World Boxing titles

and a trailblazing promotion company.

I'm Oscar De La Hoya,
and my American dream came true.

[contestants cheering, applauding]

[contestant 8] Oscar De La Hoya?

And I'm like, yo, this dude
literally fought all his life.

And it just reminded me
of how much of a fighter I am.

I grew up on a farm in rural Kansas.

Music stardom seemed so far away.

But I kept singing all the way to four
CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Awards.

I'm Martina McBride,
and my American dream came true.

[all cheering, applauding]

[Tad] Martina McBride?
Look at the shirt I'm wearing.

I f*cking love Martina McBride, man.

Growing up in Queens, New York,

I dreamed of changing the way women
were viewed in male-dominated industries.

And now I'm Lobos 1707 CEO Dia Simms,

and my American dream came true.

[all cheering, applauding]

Dia Simms, the CEO of
a multibillion-dollar company walks out.

It's unreal to know that
I am in the presence of true greatness.

I was born in Glasgow
with dreams of becoming a footballer.

When serious injuries dashed my dreams,
cooking saved my life.

Now I have a global restaurant empire,


and for 21 seasons here in Hell's Kitchen,

I've been honored to mentor talented chefs
from across the country.

I'm Chef Gordon Ramsay,
and my American dream came true.

-[rock music playing]
-[all cheering, applauding]

When I was about nine years old,
my older brother got me my first cookbook,

and it was from Chef Gordon Ramsay.

Now fast-forward to me being adult

and having this man in front of me,
it's a dream come true.

It's literally what
I've always dreamt about.

Welcome to this historic season 22
of Hell's Kitchen: The American Dream.

[all cheering, applauding]

[contestant 9] I've never lost sight
of the American dream.

I'm nowhere near done.

You know, I'm only after
scratching the surface.

And this is just going to propel me,
you know, to astronomical places.

On this stage is living proof
that the American dream is possible.

Oscar, what's been the key
to your success?

Determination.

Every single day I wake up,
I treat it like I have zero.

It keeps me going. It motivates me.

-[Ramsay] Martina?
-I think it was courage.

There was no road map for me to follow.

-So I just went for it.
-[Ramsay] Dia.

If somebody tries to tell me
that there's not enough room at the table,

I will build a bigger table.

[contestant 10] I admire Dia Simms.

And what spoke to me was,
I don't have to sit at your table.

I can make one of my own.

It resonated in my soul.
It gave me chill bumps.

Join me in thanking
these incredible legends,

Oscar, Martina, and Dia,
the American dream.

[all cheering, applauding]

[Ramsay] Now, I know from many of you,

Hell's Kitchen does represent
the true American dream.

Coming from where I'm from,
small town, Foxworth, Mississippi,

we don't get these kind of opportunities.

For me, it would be the American dream,

because it's showing you
that dreams literally come true

if you just work hard at it.

For one of you, that dream will come true,

because this season's winner
of Hell's Kitchen

will become my next head chef

in the incredible Hell's Kitchen
Caesars Las Vegas.

[all cheering]

By the way, your position
comes with a prize

worth a quarter of a million dollars.

[all cheering]

To be a head chef
for Gordon Ramsay is a no-brainer.

I mean, why wouldn't I want
to be a huge part of that?

Like, holy sh*t.

It's time
for the signature dish challenge.

Your signature dish,
the dish that screams you.

Ladies, you'll be cooking out of
that incredible Red kitchen,

-and your sous chef will be Christina.
-[all cheering, applauding]

Gentlemen, you'll be cooking out of
the Blue kitchen headed up by Jason.

-[all cheering, applauding]
-Give me your best.

-[all] Yes, Chef.
-Good.

-Your time starts now.
-[contestant 11] Whoo!

-[contestant 12] Let's go.
-[Raneisha] This way.

[Ramsay] One of you is about to realize
the dream of a lifetime.

[narrator] For chefs all across America...

[Michelle] If you work your ass off,

you can really accomplish
anything you want to.

You're the only reason
I'm doing this, baby.

[narrator]
...from all different backgrounds...

We didn't really have a home
until I was 10, 11 years old.

And look at you now.

[narrator] ...Hell's Kitchen
represents their opportunity

to achieve the American dream.

I'm so grateful for
all the faith you've had in me.

[narrator] In this special season...

The American dream is freedom.

Overcoming adversity.

Come here with nothing
and leave here with everything.

Winning Hell's Kitchen
is the American dream.

[narrator] ...Chef Ramsay will inspire them
in ways he has never done before.

Hell's Kitchen. Let's go!

[all singing]

[contestant]
I just became American last year.

And it's just such an honor
to be American to me.

[narrator] As he uses
uniquely American themes,

American success stories...

Jordan Chiles.

Always believe in the power
of your dreams.

Your dreams are huge.

-[narrator] ...to test them...
-Apple?

-[Ramsay] Wrong.
-Ah!

Just bring a damn fish!

-[dings]
-[all cheering]

[narrator] ...and push them to their limits.

That is disgusting. I've got no idea
what the f*ck is happening right now.

-This is show up or go home.
-Get out!

[narrator] It will be
an extremely difficult journey.

It's f*cking raw.

What the f*ck are you doing?
Get it together.

You were cooking the f*cking steaks,
you know better.

I might go home. I f*cking know.

[narrator] We will hear their stories.

My father was a chef,
and his grandfather was a chef.

I never lost sight of the American dream.

We're not going to send it
until it's f*cking right.

Push. Push. Push. Push. Push.
I come from the Bronx.

Nothing was ever given to me,
not even love and compassion.

So everything I put in my food
comes from my heart.

[narrator] And feel their passion.

We all know how to cook.
That is simple, point blank, period.

-But when it comes to pressure...
-[Ramsay] Just leave it.

...everybody crumble.

What the f*ck are you doing?

[narrator] And while at times it will be
a celebration of the USA...

-Really?
-[narrator] ...it is also the fiercest...

This is absolutely f*cking insane.

Now you do it my way or it's
the f*cking highway. Is that heard?

[narrator] ...most intense competition ever.

How could you not know?
We're f*cking talking.

Shut up. There's people out there.

If this was a fight...

-Yeah.
-...everybody would be knocked out.

f*ck!

[narrator]
Get ready for a wild, emotional...

All I want to do is be
my kids' American dream.

There you go.

[narrator] ...out of this world adventure.

Come here. What planet are you on?

America. Earth.

Oh, God.

You tell planet Earth,
this is embarrassing.

It's f*cking raw.

Get the f*ck out of here.

[narrator] Someone's life
is about to change forever.

-Y'all want to win, right?
-[all] Yeah!

I've been homeless, jobless.

-[Ramsay] Beautifully cooked.
-Yes, Chef.

I am the American dream.

-Very strong.
-That, right there, touched my soul.

[narrator] This season on
Hell's Kitchen: The American Dream.

This is like one of the best days
of my life.

How beautiful was that?

Aprons first, guys.

This one right here, papa. This is mine.
Thank you very much.

What's up, Chef? I'm f*cking pumped.

Oh.

-I already cleaned this, bro.
-Oh, okay.

Yeah. Sorry.

I am pumped up right now.
I'm ready to cook my heart out.

Making a good impression
on Chef Ramsay is everything.

You don't want him to sit
and think you're a f*cking doughnut.

Guys, can you believe
we're in Hell's Kitchen right now?

-[Johnathan] No.
-[Devon] Whoo.

The American dream isn't come in
and make friends

and live a f*cking jolly life.

The American dream is to sacrifice

and give it your all
to achieve your f*cking dreams.

And I can't think of
a better word than destiny

and this being mine.

Oh, nice.

-Dropped all my cream.
-Oh, no.

I know. I love that. That's okay.

I'm the first one to make a mess.

All right, ladies, how we feeling?

Feeling so fire.

My signature dish is linguine and clams.

Every time I make this dish,
everyone loves it.

I already feel behind, but let's go.

[Santos] What are you working on?

[Dahmere] I'm doing a grilled lobster
coconut curry cream linguine.

-Coconut curry cream linguine?
-Yeah.

It was my breakout post, if you will,
that was received well on social media.

But 45 minutes is not a long time.

♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah
We making pasta over here ♪

I love making handmade pasta.

[Dahmere] I used boxed pasta.

Just trying to get the food on the plate
and execute the dish.

Beautiful, bro.

-Beautiful.
-[Brad] I'm trying.

Boxed pasta.

I can't say any more. Boxed f*cking pasta.

Who the f*ck does boxed pasta
for a signature dish?

[Brad] ♪ This is so stressful ♪

♪ But I'm going to sing about it ♪

♪ I had a measuring cup ♪

You whistle while you work.

Like, it's hell. Oi, come on.

Like, if you could bring
a little pep in the step

and just make everyone feel better,
stress kind of like goes away, you know?

And it feels kind of good.

♪ Beautiful, beautiful ♪

The food dances with you.
And it just cooks with you, you know?

And it just... it gives it
that oomph that it needs.

People say love isn't an ingredient.

Oh, yeah. Dial it, baby.

Dial it, baby. Dial it, baby. Dial, baby.

Brad needs to shut up and work.

We need to focus and really take
everything that we're doing seriously.

You know, work with a sense of urgency.

[vocalizing]

Oh, for f*ck sakes.

Whee!

-[Christina] 10 minutes left.
-[Leigh] Heard.

-[Christina] Go on. What's your dish?
-I'm doing an Asian-inspired salmon.

-A little miso peanut butter in the sauce.
-Nice.

I graduated culinary school
a couple of months ago.

So this is definitely
going to be a challenge for me.

But this is a dish I cook all the time.
I feel really confident in it.

I sear salmon at least
two or three times a week.

Ooh, fantastic.

-Everybody good?
-I've been better. I've been better.

[Donya] Come on. Come on.

Someone's dish is exploding here.

[Raneisha] It's almost plating time,
ladies. Let's go.

Ah!

[narrator] Coming up...

I'm actually a professional
quidditch player.

-Oh, God.
-Professional British what?

Quidditch player. Like from Harry Potter.

-It looks like Harry Potter's vomit.
-Oh.

[narrator] And later...

Here on Hell's Kitchen,

we pride ourselves on using
the freshest of ingredients.

[all] Oh!

[Leigh] Oh, fantastic.

[narrator] Ten minutes remain
in the signature dish challenge.

-Everybody good?
-Oh, I've been better.

I've been better.

[narrator] And Leigh, a recent
culinary school graduate

from Savannah, Georgia,

appears to be swimming upstream
trying to save her salmon.

Not that I'm not ready
for the heat of the kitchen,

but maybe next time,
I'll turn that burner down a little bit.

-[Melissa] How are we doing, ladies?
-Doing well.

-[all] Good.
-All right.

My signature dish is a Southern lamb chop.

What's the temp
in Hell's Kitchen besides hell?

-What temp are you going for?
-Heard.

Lamb is something
I give to my friends, my clients.

-Five minutes, ladies.
-Heard, Chef.

-Heard, Chef.
-Heard, Chef.

It is raw.

Like, that is the last thing you want
to hear Chef Ramsay say

on the first day on your signature dish.

It's still raw,
but we going to throw it back in.

[Santos] Tad,
what are you working on, bud?

[Tad] These are going to be
some homemade biscuits,

sage and thyme sausage gravy.

And then I also have
a strawberry lemon jam.

-All together? Yeah?
-Yes, sir.

[Santos] Strawberries and sausage,
I got to be honest, I've never...

Strawberries and pork, Chef.

Yeah, maybe I am crazy.

I love biscuits.

It represents the South perfectly,
especially where I'm from.

Come on, baby.

I think it's going
to be an impressive move.

-90 seconds, gentlemen. Let's go.
-[all] Yes, Chef.

Somebody saw cream sauce?

[Christina] Guys, you plating?

-[Donya] Yes, Chef.
-[Claudia] We're plating.

[Ramsay] Taste everything, ladies.
Let's go.

[Raneisha] Let's go.
We got to b*at them guys.

Hey, look, can someone
taste that sauce for me?

[Ramsay] Ten, nine, eight, seven,

-six, five, four...
-[Tad] f*ck.

I opened the wrong side of the lid

and I just put a ton of paprika right
on the top of the biscuits.

I am so royally f*cked.

[Ramsay] Three, two, one.

Let's go, gentlemen.

Oh, my goodness, me.

-Oh, my goodness, me.
-Whoa!

That's what I'm talkin' about.

[Ramsay] Now, listen carefully.
Are you guys ready

to take your first step
in achieving your American dream?

[all] Yes, Chef.

Let's start with Jason from the Blue,
Melissa from the Red. Let's go.

[narrator] In the Hell's Kitchen:
American Dream signature dish challenge,

Chef Ramsay will call the chefs up
in pairs

and assign each dish
a score from one to five.

The team with the highest combined total
will win the challenge.

Melissa, the love of cooking
started where?

It started back in undergrad.

I had no idea how to cook at all.

I was on a cheerleading team,

and I just wanted to create
that nostalgia for everyone

that was away from home.
I wanted to nourish them.

I'm a lover.
Like, I like to take care of people...

-A nourisher and a lover.
-To bring that aspect.

-Yes, sir.
-[Ramsay] Good.

Let's see if we got some love
in this dish.

Describe the dish. What is it?

So that is an homage to my grandmother.

It is lamb with sweet potatoes
and Swiss chard.

So, visually,
it looks... it looks charming.

-It's rustic.
-Thank you.

I got concerned when I saw
the lamb cutlets in the pan.

So were they undercooked,
and you flash fried them?

Oh, sh*t.

Chef sees everything.

It's about the cook and the flavor, right?

Yes, sir.

I'm like, please be the temperature
that you like.

-That lamb's delicious.
-[chuckles]

-[Ramsay] Really good indeed.
-[sighs]

Thank God it worked out.

-The whole dish works.
-Thank you.

I'm going to give you
four cheers for that one.

-Very good. Strong start.
-Thank you, Chef.

-Really good. Really good.
-Thank you.

It is real, the American dream
is starting.

This is how it begins.

[squeals, laughs]

-Jason.
-Yes, Chef.

Experience in the industry?

Uh, started, uh, in Nevis
with the Four Seasons.

Pleasure to cook for Kelly Ripa
and her husband at one of their villas.

L2O and Alinea were the only
three Michelin star kitchens,

followed by Curtis Duffy.

A great influence, Lila Kulikowski
from the Four Seasons.

I just left the Mandarin Oriental

after opening the $300 million
Hard Rock right outside Chicago.

Was the executive chef
for their steakhouse brand

and their High Rollers Club.

From there, I went to work with
Laurent Gras for three years

when we got three Michelin stars.

-[Ramsay] Laurent Gras.
-Yes, Chef.

[Ramsay] Right.

Right next to me for three years,
where she is now.

Wow.

Laurent Gras is my head chef in Paris.

Yes, Chef.

-Did he tell you that?
-Uh, no.

He's hard to communicate with.

-He's f*cking French.
-Yes, Chef, he is.

[laughter]

[Ramsay] Great mentors there.
That is a star-spangled resume, young man.

What's the dish?

So this is a citrus and chili roasted
two-pound Maine lobster.

The charred lemon is going to
add a nice acid to it.

So, um, the lobster's cooked beautifully.

-Thank you.
-Let's get that clear.

It's the seasoning component
you haven't got right,

'cause it's very, very sweet.

There's a touch of honey
to balance the chili crisp.

Lobsters, you know, are generally sweet.

-Okay.
-[Ramsay] It's almost an injustice.

There was not an issue to me.
The lobster is cooked right.

The flavor profile is on point
and visually stunning.

I want to give this a four,
but the seasoning is way off,

especially with two-pound lobster.

So it's a three.

-Yes, Chef.
-[Ramsay] Thank you.

-Thank you.
-[contestants applauding]

-[Ramsay] Melissa, well done.
-Thank you, Chef.

[stammers] I mean, that dish is
a four or five easy.

Ryan and Raneisha, let's go.

When Chef Ramsay calls
my name, like I have to...

I have to pinch myself now.

Like, I'm here, like, it's amazing.
It's surreal.

Raneisha, who inspires you?

My six children.

-Six?
-[Raneisha] Yes.

[Ramsay] Wow.

And plus, I'm living with
my sister's kids.

She passed away from COVID in 2020.

-I'm so sorry.
-[Raneisha] So she left three children.

So it's basically nine people
depending on me.

So you're mom to all nine kids?

-I did.
-Wow.

Who got you into cooking?

My grandmother got me started.

If you ask around our town,
they're going to tell you like,

Ms. Neets...
that was my grandmother's name.

Ms. Neets' children or grandchildren,

like, they can cook,
so it's just... it's in my DNA.

Well, Hell's Kitchen is about
passion, drive, dream.

The dish, what is that?

This is my take on shrimp and grits.

It is a dill cream sauce
topped with tasso pork.

And how long do you cook the grits for?

-Um, about 10 minutes.
-Mm-hmm.

I think the grits need more cooking.
It's a shame because the flavor's there.

There's no two ways about that.
You just need to improve your finesse.

-Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
-Understood?

Three out of five.

-Thank you.
-Thank you.

Right, Ryan, give us
an insight to the journey.

I'm from Cork City, Ireland.

-Cork City?
-Yeah.

Wow. And is cooking in the family?

Yeah, my father's a chef,
and his grandfather's a chef.

And what does Dad feel
about you being here?

He is absolutely...

His whole life is complete,

because me and him, ever since
I been five years of age,

we've been watching you on the TV.

-Since five? f*ck, are we that old?
-Yeah.

[Brad] I love his accent.

Truly, it's like...
[Irish accent] ...the funniest thing.

It is so good.

My dad said to me,
if you're going to do this,

you've got to do it right,

to really live the American dream,
like you say, you know?

So I've waited my whole life
to stand here in front of you

and present you with this dish.

Right. Describe the dish. What is that?

Uh, so it's meat and two veg.

I'm Irish, so it's veal tenderloin
pan roasted with a veal and rosemary jus.

-Yeah, the only thing...
-Oh.

Yeah, there's one thing missing.

What the f*ck? I knew I blew it.
I blew it. I blew it.

Um...

My dad said to me,
if you're going to do this,

you've got to do it right,

to really live the American dream,
like you say.

I've waited my whole life
to stand here in front of you

and present you with this dish.

[narrator] It's the second round
of the signature dish challenge,

and Irish immigrant Ryan's veal tenderloin

has Chef Ramsay looking
for something more.

Yeah, there's one thing missing.

I just wish your dad was here
to taste this. It's delicious.

Thank you.

f*ckin' told you
he'd love my dish, Dad, didn't I?

I told you he'd love that signature dish.
And here we are.

Yeah, undoubtedly. Five. Congratulations.

Great job. Really good.

-Thank you very much.
-Wow.

That put me on the map
in front of everybody else.

First boy on the board.

I'm here to f*cking stay, huh?

Up next, Dahmere and Carmen, let's go.

[contestants applauding]

Young lady, your passion came from where?

My biggest influence is definitely
my grandmother.

I'm Peruvian-American.

My parents loved to
take us traveling a lot,

not only back to Peru
but around the world.

So I was exposed to a lot
of cultures and cuisines at a young age.

What's the dish?

So I made for you
a Peruvian arroz con pato,

which is a cilantro green rice
with a pan seared duck.

The duck's cooked beautifully.

Flavor is good. The rice is delicious.

You have done
your Peruvian heritage proud.

It's a very strong four.

-Good job.
-Thank you, Chef. Thank you.

Dahmere, what's the dream?

The dream is a sense of security.

Father's getting older.

His health isn't what it used to be.

So I have to make something happen.

Coming from where I come from,
North Philadelphia,

you don't get a lot of opportunity.

So being able to navigate that situation

-and to get to where I am now...
-You're here now.

I'm proud. Yeah.

Hell's Kitchen: American Dream,
let's see what you made. What is this?

It's a grilled lobster
with coconut curry cream linguine.

Uh, linguine? Is it fresh?

-No.
-No.

-No. It was in a box.
-Stop.

Dahmere, come on, bud.
You're better than that, brother.

You got to be better than that.

If you used boxed pasta,

you've just disrespected
Chef Ramsay right to his face.

-I wish it had something.
-Yeah, yeah.

No, I'm not f*cking around
because the lobsters just taste bland.

-Heard that.
-[Ramsay] And then you come to that.

Please. Yeah.

How bland is that?

-f*ck.
-You're missing salt.

He's not only missing salt,
he's f*cking allergic to salt.

-What would you give that out of five?
-Honestly, I'd give it a two, Chef.

Well, I think you're generous.
For me, it's a one.

-Ooh. Thank you.
-Yeah.

-I'm sorry.
-[groans]

[Dahmere] Definitely disappointed.

If I could go back,


Sammi and Devon, let's go.

[applauding]

Sammi, where have you worked
behind the line?

I moved out to LA and started working
at the Nomad Hotel.

-Downtown? I've been there.
-[Sammi] Yeah.

-I know, I met you there, actually.
-What? Hold on.

-We met at the hotel?
-Yeah.

Oh, my gosh.

-You were doing MasterChef Junior.
-Oh.

Yes. I was on the line plating a steak,

and you said, "I wish the kids
were plating like that today,"

and I never forgot it. [chuckles]

-I honestly don't remember, but...
-[contestants laughing]

-[Sammi] I figured.
-[Ramsay] I believe you.

I mean, I really was hoping.

Right. What's the dish?

It's a linguine and clams.

-Oh, no, not boxed.
-Oh, no. I made fresh.

[Ramsay] Wow.

Wow. That, young lady,
I don't remember meeting you,

but I will remember this dish.

Congratulations, Sammi, it's a five. Um...

[cheering]

I feel so good.

I just can't even believe it.

I just can't believe
that this is happening.

I just feel like a rock star.

[narrator] Devon, an executive chef
from Louisville, Kentucky,

is looking to keep the men close
with his smoked pork tenderloin.

Pork's cooked beautifully,
but it's so sweet.

-Yes, Chef.
-It's very sweet.

-Yes, Chef.
-Three out five. Thank you.

[narrator] Heading into round number five,
Chef Ramsay calls forward Johnathan,

a sous chef
from Huntington Beach, California,

to go head-to-head with Claudia,
a private chef from Zurich, Switzerland.

-How many languages do you speak?
-Like four.

Four and a half. [chuckles]

-Four and a half?
-Yes.

-What was the first big influence?
-My mom and my grandma.

That's why I brought you this dish.

It's called spaetzle litsch,
but I made it with spaetzle

because I wanted to
make something from scratch. So...

-It's overcooked.
-[Claudia] Ay, ay, ay.

-You're clearly fluent in four languages.
-[laughs]

How do you say "I f*cked the protein"
in four languages?

[chuckles]

I don't know. Claudia might be a problem.

Too much giggling and laughing.

-I'm going to give you a two.
-[chuckles]

Johnathan, what's the dream?

The dream is
to have a family owned restaurant.

I was in the kitchen at least at five.

My daughter's five now,
I just bought her her own knives.

-Wow.
-Yeah.

[Johnathan] I am not here for myself.
I'm here for my daughter.

It's hard because I haven't
been away from her really this much.

And being a single dad,
without her, I wouldn't be who I am.

-The dish, what is that?
-[Johnathan] I did handmade gnocchi.

It's got a creamy clam sauce, some bacon,
carrots, celery and chive oil.

-It's a really good dish...
-Thank you, Chef.

-...young man.
-Thank you.

And it tastes like you've been cooking
since the age of five

'cause you're going to get a five.

-Well done.
-Thank you.

Congratulations.

Oh, my God, I got a five.

That is insane.

[narrator] Next up is Atoye,
a chef from Bowie, Maryland,

and her habanero infused cod.

[Ramsay] Wow.

Hopefully, I didn't put
too much heat on there for you.

[chuckles] Sorry.

The elements are there,
but the finesse is not, so...

-But I'm going to give it a two.
-Heard.

-Right, Tad, uh, you good?
-Yeah.

-You sure?
-[Tad] Yes, Chef.

Give me an insight
to the beginning of this journey.

-How'd it start?
-I fell into a pizzeria,

and that was the first time
I'd actually started to work in a kitchen.

What does that say about you?

I've always been
really competitive in my life.

-I played sports growing up.
-Play sports still?

-What sports you play?
-Yes, Chef.

I'm actually a professional
quidditch player.

Oh, God.

A professional British what?

Quidditch player. Like from Harry Potter.

[Ramsay] Let me get this right.
You run around

with a broom between your legs
holding a ball?

Yep, you do.

So sorry. Does anyone else play quidditch?

[all] No, Chef. No. [laughing]

Ride on your broom there, big boy.
Go ahead.

[laughs]

-Wow.
-[laughing]

Okay, the dish, what are you cooking?
What is this?

Uh, so this is homemade biscuits

with a sausage gravy
and a strawberry lemon jam underneath.

-Homemade biscuits?
-[Tad] Yes, Chef.

This is getting weirder and weirder.

Oh, my God. What is happening?

Oh, my God.

I'm actually a professional
quidditch player.

Oh, God.

A professional British what?

Quidditch player. Like from Harry Potter.

[narrator]
With the women a few points ahead

in the American Dream
signature dish challenge...

-What is this?
-Uh, so this is homemade biscuits

with a sausage gravy
and a strawberry lemon jam underneath.

This is getting weirder and weirder.

Oh, my god. What is happening?

[narrator] ...Tad, a sous chef from Chicago,

doesn't have Chef Ramsay
feeling the magic.

[Ramsay] Does that look appetizing?

[all] No, Chef.

Oh, my God.

-It looks like vomit.
-Oh.

For your signature dish,
your first time meeting Gordon Ramsay,

and you put up biscuits
with strawberries and pork?

Like, come on.

If I had a broom in front of me,
I'd pick it up and f*ckin' sweep it away.

Um, that is a one, and I'm being generous.

-Yeah.
-[Ramsay] Back in line.

-Thank you, Chef.
-Oh, boy.

[applauding]

Jermaine and Leigh, let's go, please.

Right. Leigh, give us an insight
to the beginning of the journey.

About two years ago, I got married.

-My husband's in the army.
-Congrats.

He's a Black Hawk pilot,
so our lives kind of

revolve around his work.

And I took that opportunity
to really follow my passion as well

-and go into cooking.
-Good for you.

So you've only been cooking
professionally for two years?

-About a year, Chef.
-[Ramsay] About a year?

-[Leigh] Yes.
-[Ramsay] Wow.

Now what'd you make? What's the dish?

I made an Asian inspired salmon.
It has coconut rice.

Uh, where's the skin?
It's not upside down, is it?

Uh, no. I took the skin off, Chef.

-It was...
-You took it...

I did. Unfortunately, I wanted to
serve you crispy skin salmon,

but I am still getting used
to the flat top.

It's a lot hotter
than I expected it to be so...

-No.
-Salmon is a tad overcooked.

The flavor's there, the heat's there.

Rice cooked beautifully.

Um, I'm gonna give it a three.

-Yes, Chef.
-Thank you.

[narrator] Jermaine,
a private chef from New York,

is serving Chef Ramsay his take
on lobster mac and cheese.

It is absolutely delicious.
The flavor's unique.

The lobster's cooked beautifully.

The makings of a five.

Because of the presentation,
I'm going to give you a very strong four.

-Good job.
-Thank you, Chef.

Next up, Brad and Sandra, let's go.
Please.

[narrator] Sandra, a music tour chef
from Elmwood, New Jersey,

is trying to dazzle Chef Ramsay
with her list of high-end clients...

Foo Fighters, Zac Brown Band,

-Dave Matthews, WWE, Luke Bryan.
-Wow. Some A-listers there.

[narrator] ...and hopes her vegan scallops
made from king oyster mushrooms

will do the same.

-Are you vegan?
-I am not.

-No. Nor am I.
-[Sandra] Yeah, good. Great.

-[chuckles]
-[Ramsay] Just in case.

This dish had the makings of something
very clever and beautifully ex*cuted.

But those mushrooms
are undercooked in the center.

I'm going to give it a two. What a shame.

[narrator] Now Brad,
a line cook from Miami,

hopes his veal cutlet with spaetzle
can give the men the lead.

-Yeah, it's very good. Um...
-Thank you, Chef.

Uh, it's a very, very strong four.

-Well done. Good job.
-Thank you, Chef.

Yes.

[speaking Spanish]

Four out of five.

[stammers] Nobody's perfect, you know?

All right, men, you just edged
into the lead 26, 25.

Uh, Brad, good job.

Mattias and Donya, let's go.

-Final tasting.
-[Red Team cheering]

I'm the last one up,
and I'm going crazy in my head right now

because I know Chef Ramsay's
looking deep in my soul.

I cannot stress enough how important it is
to get this score right right now.

Where are you from first?

Uniondale, New York.
Long Island to be exact.

I was actually born addicted to dr*gs.

[Ramsay] Damn.

I was adopted by my aunt and...

-Wow.
-[Donya] I made it all the way from there

and now I'm here to show
everybody urban fusion food.

It can be all around the world, Chef.

You sound like you bounce back
every time from adversity.

Yes, Chef.

But I'm here to show everybody
you can make it from anywhere.

[Ramsay] Mmm. Absolutely.

-Let's go.
-What's the dish?

I like to take hood food
and make it gourmet.

So you know how you have
like a fish and grits?

But what I did was I elevated it.
I used catfish.

Where did the idea come from?

Um, I've been pescatarian
for the last two years.

-Uh, listen, the catfish is delicious.
-Thank you.

It's good.
The grits need a little bit more help.

It's a very strong four.

-Congratulations. Good job.
-Thank you, Chef. Thank you, Chef.

A four is amazing.

That's close to a 90
on a f*cking math test, and I hate math.

-[Ramsay] Mattias.
-Yes, sir.

-How are you feeling?
-I'm nervous, Chef.

-[chuckles]
-Mattias, you can breathe, man.

Take a pause and big, deep f*cking breath.

[chuckles] Thank you, Chef.

[laughs]

I hate going last.

It's so much pressure because my dish is
either going to win or lose.

What's the dish?

Uh, so I cooked for you today
a filet mignon

with a purple potato chorizo
and poblano hash.

What's the cook under here?

I'm hoping it's a medium rare, sir.

Young man, it's definitely a medium rare.

Beautifully done, absolute perfection.

Beef is seared, pink in the middle.

The one issue I've got with this plate,

what's the b*rned bits in here?

What is that?
All that b*rned, what is that?

It might be a little bit
of the chorizo, Chef.

I can't look.

Need a three to tie and a four to win.

Need a three to tie and a four to win.

[narrator] The women are up by three,

and only Mattias' signature dish
remains to be scored.

You cook a fillet like that,
it deserves a four.

But give me a burnt garnish,
and it's a three.

-Thank you.
-Back in line.

-Thank you, Chef.
-Thank you, Chef.

-It's a tie.
-It's all good.

We're at a tie.

What's going to decide it now is
the best dish from each team.

Uh, Ryan from the Blue Team
and Sammi from the Red Team,

bring me both your dishes please.

Quickly.

I need a reminder.

Back in line, please. Thank you.

Two great dishes.

I've got this beautiful fresh
handmade linguine...

with this incredible veal tenderloin.

This is really hard.

Congratulations goes to...

Sammi. Well done.

[cheering]

-[Raneisha] That's what I'm talking about.
-Good job, Sammi!

Ladies, you're about to experience

the poshest, the most extravagant,
luxurious day

in a breathtaking Beverly Hills mansion.

[cheering]

And there's more.

Because you're all going to be treated
to a delicious, beautiful feast.

-Yes!
-What?

Now let your hair down,
enjoy some cocktails by the pool,

and just relax.

[all] Yes, Chef.

In fact, it sounds that good...

You should come.

I may join you for a drink.

-Yes.
-[cheering]

Damn! This sh*t's real.

Okay. All right.

Well done, all of you. Good job.

-Thank you, Chef.
-Thank you, Chef.

Unfortunately, for you men,
today's delivery day in Hell's Kitchen.

[all groan]

[Ramsay]
Arriving shortly there are thousands...

and I mean thousands of pounds
of supplies arriving.

Unload those deliveries, unpack them,
organize them, label them.

Both kitchens are a huge mess.

Tad, time for you to use your broomstick...

[all laughing]

...and start tidying up
and sweeping up in there.

Ladies, well done.

-[all] Thank you, Chef.
-Thank you.

-Beverly Hills, baby.
-[Donya] For that last-minute winner.

Yeah. Come on.

Oh, my God, I'm so excited.

-We need this.
-Oh, this going to be real nice.

[Leigh] Oh, look at these poor boys.

[Red Team] Aw.

-[Sandra] Have fun, boys.
-You guys have fun.

Make it nice for us, okay?
Make it nice for us.

Red Team, I hope you enjoy
being wined and dined,

because it's the last time that's
ever going to happen. That's a fact.

Work and clean. Work and clean.

-Which car do we go in? It don't matter.
-[Donya] Let's get it.

Oh, my gosh. This is crazy.

-[Raneisha] This is nice.
-[Carmen] Yes.

I've never been in a mansion,
and I've never been to Beverly Hills,

so hell yeah. I am stoked.

Like, it's a culture shock. It's amazing.

[Donya] Oh, my God. New Yorker's
going Beverly Hills right now.

[Sammi] Look at the view.

-Yes. We did it.
-[Atoye] Yeah.

[all screaming]

-Beverly Hills, we here.
-Yes.

[Raneisha] There you go.

The girls are so amazing.

Next time, we can't lose
by, like, that close margin.

They're all just a bunch
of boss female girls

who know exactly what
they want to do with their lives.

We gonna come out of the box
but not out of a box.

[all laughing]

Positive female energy.

It was just a good vibe with everyone.

Everyone was getting along.

-To the first of many, many more wins.
-Yeah.

-The first of many.
-Many more wins.

-[Melissa] Cheers.
-Yes, ladies.

These are moments
that are just priceless to me.

And it's something that I'm never going
to forget in my entire life.

Oh, my gosh.

[clears throat]

[all screaming]

Excuse me.

Lo and behold, here comes Chef.

He is so handsome.

Look at that view.

[Raneisha] But it's like,
look at this view.

-[all laughing]
-No.

-It's this view.
-[Ramsay] No, don't...

-Walk back this way. Walk out again.
-[all laughing]

And all jokes aside, seriously, well done.

-Yeah?
-Yes, Chef.

The energy today, what you brought,
more of that. Yes?

-[all] Yes, Chef.
-Um, any questions?

What are you really looking for?

Someone that is prepared to learn.

Someone that is focused.

Someone that has got that... that spirit,
that drive, that energy.

Because when you rise to the top,
you appreciate it so much better.

He allows you to ask him questions
and actually have a conversation with you.

If you could go back and give yourself one
piece of advice when you first started,

-what would it be?
-I'd travel more.

Absolutely.

Coming out of your comfort zone
and going into other cultures,

your impressions on what you've learned
becomes so much more significant.

Just to dine with Chef Ramsay
is the most amazing part of the prize.

-To the Red Team. Here we go. Red Team.
-[all cheering]

Cheers.

Did you guys ever think
you'd be here in Hell's Kitchen?

-Never.
-[Ryan] Not in my wildest dreams.

There's a lot of people
that come here to Hell's Kitchen

with an ego,
and they think they're the sh*t,

and they're usually the first ones
to go home

because they make dumb mistakes, you know?

I mean, you've got to push yourself
to a point, but...

Well, we're working and talking.

We're working and talking
is what we're doing.

Clean and talk, clean and talk,
talk and clean, talk and clean.

Señor Jason, chill out.

It's crazy because, like, I've watched
every single show he's ever been on.

Like, my dad's a fanatic.

And the fact that I'm here now is, like...

I'm talking to Chef Jason,
having a conversation about sh*t.

And I got this fella
in the back of my ear being like,

"Talk and work, talk and work".

Take your head out of your hole.

It's just it's been a long time
since I've had to share a room.

Come on, guys. Work and talk.
Y'all, work and talk.

-[laughs]
-[Jason] We are.

We're here to compete.

And a lot of the guys
weren't taking it serious.

[Brad] Who cares? We're on the same team.

[Jason] It's a competition.

-I know it's a competition, but like...
-I mean, like that's...

It's like the first day.

I take my career very serious.

I'm not here to be people's friends.

What's that you said about ego, chef?

-[Brad] Hey, hey, hey. Talking.
-Right.

-[Johnathan] How was it?
-Did you have fun?

-It was good.
-Had a great time. Lovely.

[narrator]
With a long first day winding down...

Notebooks.

-Guys, notebooks.
-Yay.

-Whoo.
-Yes.

[narrator] The chefs are back in the dorms
studying their menu books.

My brain is like... [mumbles]

[narrator] Or at least trying to.

So in college, I wanted to play
a contact sport again,

and I saw a sign that said quidditch,
full contact sport.

-I was like, I don't know what that is.
-Is that full contact?

-Yeah. Full contact tackle.
-You tackle each other?

I've been playing
quidditch for 10 years now,

and I have been roasted about it
in every different way, shape, and form.

-You love Harry Potter...
-No.

And you're just like,
I have to get into this?

No. I don't like Harry Potter at all.
I never read the books.

Tad is... he's... he's a character.

-Oh, perfect.
-Okay.

-Show us.
-Show us right now.

-Show you what? What do you want to see?
-Shows us some moves.

-[Johnathan] We have got to see.
-Show us. Show us. Show us.

-Should we get everyone else?
-No.

-[Johnathan] No?
-[Devon] Do it.

-[Johnathan] Yes. That is it.
-What moves?

Are you going to get everybody? Get them.

I thought we were going to,
like, do some quidditch.

I was ready for it. I was ready for it.
Let's go.

You literally just, like, run like normal.

[all laughing]

That's normal? I love it.

-And there's a hole, right?
-[Tad] Yeah, there's a hoop.

And you can, like, dunk on people.
You can alley-oop.

Close your eyes, dude.

I'm in awe. I didn't think
that was a professional sport.

Now you guys know.

-Oh, man.
-Thank you.

I hope we all continue to do well.
I don't want to see anyone go home.

I feel like we're already... at least us,
we bonded a good amount.

I'm so bonded with everybody. [chuckles]

But mister work don't talk,
talk don't work.

I'm like, oh, yeah, yeah.

I'm going to work don't talk
your f*cking face, bitch.

He said that like 15 times today.

I have a lot of energy... [speaking Spanish]

Señor Jason, he really wants to
let us know that,

oh, yeah, we get it. You're a chef.

He also earlier was just like,
"Yeah, I'm a d*ck."

And I'm like, it's one thing
if you don't know you're a d*ck,

but if you say you're a d*ck,

I'm like, you're way more of a d*ck
than we think you are.

You come off like you
deserve to be on the other side

and we're just a bunch of line cooks.

Or are you just like, I'm here to win
and f*ck everybody else. And...

I didn't know anybody was mad at me
because we all had such a great time.

I disagree with Melissa.

Nobody's trying to really
take charge, per se.

And I'm going to show them
that I can do that.

But others might see
my confidence as arrogance.

But in the moment, like just be.

[narrator] As some tension is starting
to build within the blue team,

a new day arrives.

We don't want it to be Red.

We all here for a reason.
We know what we gotta do.

-We're a team. One, two, three, blue.
-Team.

-[all] Blue.
-Let's go, baby.

[narrator] Which means new challenges
from Chef Ramsay.

[Ramsay] Let's go. Line up.

Rise and shine.

-Good morning, chefs.
-[all] Good morning, Chef.

Now, chefs, listen carefully.

Here on Hell's Kitchen

we pride ourselves
on using the freshest of ingredients.

And I mean freshest of ingredients.

That's why today,
you'll have to retrieve them.

[all] Oh.

Ew.

-[narrator] Next time on Hell's Kitchen...
-[Ramsay] Marino.

[narrator] With a highly sought after
prize on the line...

I am getting my plate up to Chef Ramsay
no matter what.

Mine should definitely go up.

[narrator]
...will one chef go too far to win?

-[Carmen] I think mine is going up.
-No.

-Hold on a second.
-That's not what we said.

[narrator] And during dinner service...

Thank you.

I know it's first night nerves,
but come on.

-I did it wrong.
-[Tad] What happened, buddy?

I thought you were the big dog,
like woof woof. Where are you at?

-[narrator] Things get so heated...
-What the f*ck is happening?

-SOS.
-[narrator] ...one VIP...

-I need the Chef's table.
-This is absolutely f*cking insane.

[narrator] ...is ready to ring the bell.

[bell ringing]

f*ck off.

[narrator] The gloves come off.

You know, we're all f*cking adults
and we have to own it.

Somebody has to address
the elephant in the room.

You're saying that I don't have integrity?

-[narrator] On the next...
-Oh, my God.

-[narrator] ...Hell's Kitchen.
-Don't look so shocked.