Hell's Kitchen XX + X

Episode 2, Part 3: Elimination

          The women sat down on the couches around the coffee table, some smoking to shake the nerves, others drinking beer from the fridge. They were all quiet for a time, staring down each other, calculating who deserves to go up for elimination. Finally, Angela spoke up. "We all know, which station fucked up most was the fish station. Those scallops and lobsters were all wrong."

          Heidi looked offended and stood up. "Hey! I bounced back, didn't I? We re-fired that ticket and it all went smoothly!"

          "But our whole performance got dragged by that first order, Heidi." This time it was Michelle who spoke up.

           "You're the floater, Michelle! You were supposed to be helping me!"

          "I was at the hot apps helping Kimberly with the risotto! All you had to fucking do was to cook one order of scallops and poach two lobster tails in butter, my God! Is that hard for you?"

          The men sat down soaking their feet at the hot tub outside, watching the women blame each other. At least it wasn't their asses on the line there. "You're lucky there, Calvin, buddy." Ben patted the young man's back. "The women messed up more than you did. But from here on out, you are gonna have to bring your A-game 100% of the time, do you hear?"

          Calvin nodded and took another hit of his cigarette. "It's just first-day jitters." They all looked back to the women when they heard their talk turn into shouts.

          After thirty minutes, the phone rang, signalling for all the chefs to come back down to the restaurant. They took the stairs slowly, the women especially, dreading the elimination about to take place.

         The Red team lined up in front of Chef Ramsay, while the men sat down to the side with X, who was fanning herself with her mask.

          "You okay there?" Samuel sat next to her, noticing she was still highly exhausted from the dinner service. He was very amazed at her performance, and he was looking forward to beating her for her top seat.

        "Yeah, yeah. I'm good." She drank from a tumbler greedily. Just then one of the producers signalled that the camera was going to pan over to them so she hurriedly put her mask back on. Samuel helped her. "Thanks."

          Chef Gordon was cued to go and he started immediately. "Alright, Angela, who is your first nominee and why?"

           "Chef, our first nominee is Heidi. She fucked up on the fish station with rubber scallops and cold lobster."

          The chef nodded and continued. "Your second nominee, and why?"

          Angela took a deep breath, as much as she wanted her to stay, she has to put her up. "Jenny, Chef Ramsay. Jenny didn't communicate enough with us, and sent out a salty carbonara."

          "Heidi, Jenny, step forward, please." The women did so nervously. "Heidi, tell me why you should stay in Hell's Kitchen."

           She wasted no time and jumped right in as she had rehearsed in the bathroom. "I need this, Chef! I let go of everything, my job, my family, just to be here! My performance in this service is just a one-time thing, it won't happen again, Chef!"

          "Jenny?" Chef Ramsay turned to the other chef.

          "Chef, I am a fighter, chef." She gritted her teeth to be tough. "It wasn't the best service but I fought back, chef."

           "You, young lady, got the entire team out of that bloody kitchen and managed to numb my palate with too much fucking salt!"

          "I'm sorry, Chef. It won't happen again."

          There was a stretch of silence as Gordon deliberated. "The person leaving Hell's Kitchen...is...Jenny. Take off your jacket, your time is done in Hell's Kitchen. Heidi, back in line."

          Jenny took off her jacket and handed it to Chef Ramsay. "Thank you for the opportunity, chef." And with that, she walked out of the doors.

          "You all need to get a grip!" Gordon started. "When you all left the kitchen, X was literally on all stations at once trying to get every order out! I expect that this elimination will now make the Red team better, am I understood?"

           "Yes, chef!"

           "Now, fuck off!" The women, with hung heads began to walk back up to the dorms.

           "Chef Ramsay!" Jean-Philippe ran back to the restaurant with a three huge bouquets of roses, tulips and peonies.

            "What in fuck's name is that?" Gordon turned back with a very frustrated expression.

             "Flowers for Miss X." He looked at the three cards. "One from Mr. Andy Samberg," he had trouble shuffling the cards, deciding to hand all the flowers to X. She held them all, still confused. "He says thank you for the amazing food, and show."

              X smiled and smelled the flowers. They were all gorgeous and probably worth a fortune.

              Jean-Philippe continued. "The peonies are from one Mr. Robert Sean Leonard. He wishes you all the best luck."

              This time, X blushed clearly, even through the camera lenses. She was a huge fan of Robert Sean Leonard who co-starred in House M.D. She had dreamed of one day meeting him, and now, she even got flowers from him!

             "And last one," Jean-Philippe opens the black card that was tucked into the roses. "From Mr. Bastianich. Sei fantastico e bello, amore mio."

              X didn't understand a lick of Italian but those words made her shiver and blush. She made a mental note to check what it meant later, but then, she caught eye of Chef Gordon. She could've sworn she saw steam coming out of his ears, looking at his fuming expression.

             "Oh and there is also a message for Chef Ramsay." Jean-Philippe turned to the chef. "He says "Hi."."

               Everyone tried to stop the laughter and keep a straight face, all except X who knew Chef was triggered once again by the Italian restaurateur.

               X, took the cards and thanked the maitre d. The bouquets were larger than her combined and she struggled to balance all of them.

              The women looked at the flowers with envy, hoping one day to get her position.

              "What are you all waiting for, Christmas? Fuck off!"

               The chefs stood up and almost half-ran to the kitchen and up to the dorms. The cameras shut down "That's a wrap!"

               The staff started to clean up, X stood there holding her bouquets, trying to hide among the flowers from Chef Gordon's glare.