I know! I cannot believe I am still on, at least at the time I couldn’t. What a wild few days that was for me…. here’s my recap, comments, and questions answered….

The Challenge:

When we came down I knew right away that it was a craps table, I love craps and can recognize a table anywhere. I was also pretty sure that the winners would go to Vegas, it only made sense.

Admittedly, we did a really bad job with our food choices: Haddock, apples, figs, pasta, and tomatoes. And I thought the women had done a far better job than we did, hands down. It was hard to come up with a dish for that, Kevin did an awesome job coming up with something.

When you saw us trying our dish and saying ‘yum’ I think we were really trying to BS ourselves into believing we had done something good.

When I saw the women’s dish I thought for sure we were going to loose, though Chef kept saying the garlic was too strong. I didn’t get to try it but I really think their dish was better. What I think, doesn’t matter here, and we end up winning.

It was a fun experience to head to Vegas but I would have rather gone to any Hotel and just chilled. It was nice to get out of HK; I just wish we had had more time to relax…

SERVICE.

I figured Robert would come back; it only made sense that he’d be back to torment us (me some more), it’s the HK way. He was beat, he had gone thru a lot of stress tests and you could see it in his eyes. I was glad he was not hurt, but not too happy to see him.

It’s funny, he is commenting that he has ‘no friends’ there and ‘everyone was against him’, It’s probably just the show, but he seems to have no self-reflection, and it’s always someone else’s fault.

I was assigned dessert station which is really easy and pretty much helped out where I could, yes even Robert, who was getting killed, I could tell he was struggling, I tried to help him but probably not as well as I could have, but then why should I?

Van did a good job except for that parchment. When we make the green olive brioche butter we roll it out onto parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap, I think he thought it was removed, obviously it wasn’t. It was a real bummer for him, he’s a good cook- but in HK how you normally cook is not what happens.

After the kitchen was shut down I remember commenting ‘finally an episode where I am not in the sh*t’, of course that was about to change…. Both Van and Robert were each trying to get me up there instead of them. I tried to talk to Robert about it but he had a lack of words or better yet could only say the same thing over and over. I never understand how people can’t try to talk about what they are feeling or thinking, but he was tired and cranky, maybe his diaper was full.

I was surprised as anyone when I was called up there….. and up I go. Van did a good job ‘pleading’ to stay and back in line he went. Me, I was amazed at Robert’s anger, he was going nuts and it was bonkers. It’s strange how he attacks me but cannot take any blame, I was trying to ignore it, mainly because I don’t respect him and his opinion doesn’t matter to me, never will.

When Chef called my name and I started to take my jacket off I could feel it all washing off of me, I was happy to be leaving this wacked out place and then ‘back in line’ and I’m thinking ‘sh*t, gotta go and fight some more, ok, here I come…”, none the less, I was very happy to have beat out Biggins: Maybe third time will be the charm. doubtfully.

Your questions:

What do you get eat at HK? Can you cook for yourself?

We get to write our shopping list out and they get it for us. We don’t have much time to eat or we are simply beat so it’s a lot of crappy food and Red Bull.

Are the few who are left really cooking for everyone at the restaurant?

Yup, the kitchen really only needs four cooks, once starters are done then they can work rounds and do dessert.

How much contact did you have, if any, with the outside world while on the show. Were you able to chat with loved ones, check email, talk on the phone etc?

NONE. We had no outside contact, no TV, no newspaper.

How do you think you are being portrayed on HK? Is it an accurate depiction of your personality or is it reality TV and editing?

It is an accurate perception of how I was there. At this point I was out of my mind, I’m usually a little more up beat and joking around.

Do you ever share the recipes that you create? The fish and fig sauce sounds great!

I share my recipes, this one you don’t want.
Discuss J.P. He seems to be a true enigma of the show.
I don’t really know what to say about him . The expert, the scapegoat, the friend all wrapped in one tight pant wearing Belgian.

Were you totally pissed to get called up there by Ramsey, when Dave didn’t even select you? I was kind of ticked about that as a viewer; but then, since you said in your last note that you were kind of ready to go, maybe it wasn’t so bad. I did notice you were halfway out of your coat when he told you to get back in line after saying your name.

It made sense, I hadn’t been doing a good job. I did not like what Robert was saying, but I was trying to ignore it.

Almost full for this week’s Hell’s Kitchen Dinner, make your reservations soon….617.266.4600

Ugh, another day at the office….

Well that was certainly an interesting episode, I knew what was coming and actually was expecting a lot worst, all and all one tough day.

Here’s my recap/feelings/questions answered

I thought the challenge was really fun and interesting. From watching the show it seemed like the women worked well together and the food was tight! We had trouble from the beginning and we all felt that our dietitian was going slow and kept giving us different numbers; we were never sure where we were at. But maybe that wasn’t the case and honestly our food was not as good as we had done in other days. The crepe wasn’t that bad, at least I thought, but alas if Chef doesn’t like it then my opinion doesn’t count. And yes Dave your ‘only mistake was to listen to me’ ….shall I bring you a ladder so you can get down from that tower?

The punishment was super hard, prepping for both sides is really difficult and then that stupid bike ride was really tough. Robert is a big dude and with him on it the ride was almost impossible.   Yes, I am not his biggest fan, but I know someone likes him and he has a wonderful wife and I want him around (just not on the show) for a very long time. I was worried about him.

Service.
Here’s the irony of the show. If tonight at Tremont 647 I don’t get the food out of my kitchen and guests don’t get fed or get raw pork do my cooks get blamed or do I and Tremont 647 as a whole? Wouldn’t that show that I am a poor leader and manager?  ….my kitchen wouldn’t be as exciting because we serve the food, with out drama (maybe a little drama here and there for good measure….)

With the Jim’s risotto and my fish, when chef says it’s not right we have no way of disputing it, it’s either ok or not. SO we keep cooking until they like it. Jim was working hard, he just doesn’t freak out and yell and scream as some feel they should, but they were on him. Then when they were done whipping him they tied me to the steak….It was hard for me to focus, at this time I’m loosing my mind, my concentration is not there, I felt like I was losing it. Yet kept fighting.

In all kitchens there is a ton of communication, at least there should be, usually the chefs or sous are calling orders (or you get your own tickets) and they tell you to slow down, speed up, what ever you need to know. In HK there is none of that. But then again this is just an excuse, my excuse, and some people are able to cook much better in HK than I, at least so far.

Tennille. She rocks, I thought she was super fun to hang with and love her tenacity. She’s honest and blunt, I was psyched to see last night, I had heard what happened but to see it was fun, she rocked it. Go Tennille go!!!

Elimination. I new I f’d up and though I didn’t want to go up, I knew it had to be me. But, I had been working on Van as a friend and felt we were seeing things the same way, thus I was psyched when he said ‘where’s Robert’. Seriously, chef felt it was ok for him to miss a service? There are only about 15, and missing one is ok? I am sorry he’s injured but really?

I thought I was going home, I kinda wanted to go home, I was tired, not really grooving on how they ran the kitchen and had been not doing well. My stance was if I stay ‘cool’, if I go home ‘cool’, I have a great life either way. I could not believe when he said ‘Jim’. It was bittersweet for me, I was happy to stay, but Jim was my friend and ally, I would miss him. AND I have to stay and fight another day…ugh.

Answering your questions

Was the fish really cooked wrong?

Chef said so, that’s all I could go on, but no.

Were you and Jim friends before the show?

Nope, though we had mutual friends, met him there

You really told Ramsay he made you nervous?

Yes I did, and it was the truth. He makes everyone nervous, they just don’t admit it.

When you were filming the show did you know people were being so cutthroat or was it sneaky and deceptive?

Yeah, but mostly we all got along

Were the woman really all that stupid and disorganized? Gosh they make my gender look bad.

No, I don’t think so

When they were divvying up the calories did they give you a low number to hit or is that what you went for? Wasn’t there anyway for you to use the extra 130+ calories that were left in the bank to really crush the desert dish?

They made it really confusing, and we ran outta time.

What’s the deal with Robert? He looked pretty comfy in the ambulance. Publicity stunt?

NO WAY, he was not well and it was really unfortunate. I am sure he’d much preferred to be cooking.

How much interaction do you guys have with the Ladies outside of the Kitchen -Any? It looks TOTALLY segregated… Anybody hook up?

Lol, we shared a dorm with them, they had separate rooms. Not sure if anyone hooked up, I certainly didn’t.

How do you feel about the way you are being portrayed? Any regrets? Is it a fair depiction?

No regrets, it’s the trip not the destination, and this was trippy! Pretty fair in one way, but they f with you the whole time, it does not reflect on how I cook anywhere else but HELLS KITCHEN

We are now taking reservations for next week’s HK dinner, selling out, make your reso asap. 617.266.4600

-ANDY

This episode was (as I am sure you know) fun for me.

Robert did an awesome job listening and giving us the information, I was super enjoying this since Southern food is my jam and we were all working as a team. It felt really good and I knew we were going to kill it. BUT, why did they do that to me with the doily? And I DID need one . I was hoping they would show how I rocked that dish, here’s what I made: Buttermilk fired catfish with a crawfish remoulade and Creole spiced candied onions. I really have been doing so bad on HK, I was hoping TV land would be able to see me do something good….

I know it showed that, or alluded to, we were sabotaging the woman on prep, but I really do not feel that was the case. Chef was very clear to us that if we did there would be severe concequences! I can’t speak for everyone else, but I don’t think it was happening.

Service was fun too, Van and I rocked it, we worked together and killed the starters, as you could see Dave wanted to have nothing to do with me and my help, Mea Culpa for trying to help, so I went and worked with Robert on garnishes, we also worked well together.

Lots of comments on Jim about how they say he is slow and/or one speed. As I said before I am friendly with him so I guess I am bias, but I felt he was doing a fine job, he’s one of those guys that will get it done every time and may appear to be moving slow, I feel its more methodical.

The women fell apart, I had no idea it was so bad over there, but when Chef sent us over there, it was a total shit show: messy, unorganized, painful….I was really sad to see Tek go home, she’s so cool and a wonderful chef….

Flying the planes was worth any and all pain that we had during the show. It was so cool, so much fun; I’ve never done anything like that. Total rush. Questions answered and 1 comment:

How many covers does the kitchen do?

Did Tek know about the convec oven?

She is like me, where we like to cook meats all the way on the grill, Many restaurants, especially French ones, like to mark their meats and fish on the grill then bake in the oven. But is that really grilling?

Being 30, how does it feel?

I have no idea why they say I am 30? On all the promo stuff it says 39!!!

We’re filing up again for this weeks HK dinner, 33 person….call 617.266.4600 for a reservation

See you in Hell’s Kitchen

ANDY

This weekend I went to the Tanglewoods Wine and Food Classic and had a blast, met tons of great people and we served 600 portions of my 1st place ribs and cornbread in 2 hours. Then I did a demo, which was super fun, my main focus for this demonstration was ‘From the farm to the fork’…I think it went over well.

There was an after party that we were invited to goto for the volunteers and chefs that I was pretty pumped for. Besides all of the cool people and awesome food & wine, I was asked to participate in a friendly (is this possible for chefs?) iron chef “Battle Foie Gras” competition. How Could I say no?

The party was in a giant old house with a perfect kitchen for this. It was U shaped so and about 30 people gathered around with sauternes, tokajis, noble ‘rots’ and watched, they asked questions (many about Hell’s Kitchen) and teased me about garlic bread. It was a really fun environment.

I was provided with a lobe of ‘A’ foie and we could bring the rest…

When I approach something like this I like to think about what is the goofiest thing I can make that people would never expect. I run scenarios in my mind until I get something that sounds fun and tasty, then I need to try to make it local and big flavored (main elements of how I like to cook)…

I started to think about foie gras butter, then I thought foie gras peanut butter would be fun, then of course I need jelly, and bread

Here’s how I did it….

Who won? I think everyone won at this event, I had some wonderful wines, got to do what I love, and whole lotta people ate a whole lotta foie. Who could ask for a better night.

We’re starting Restaurant week lunch today, I hope you can come for lunch or dinner!
here’s where you can find our menus http://www.tremont647.com/

I’ll be blogging this week about tomorrow’s HK, hope it’s not as brutal as last week..

AnDy

leaving tomorrow morning and heading to the Berkshires for the Tanglewood Wine and Food Classic, I did it last year and it was super fun.

I am serving My First Place Ribs and just baked cornbread from 12-3

At three I am doing a demo, the recipes are below

Hope you can join me…..

Mango, Cabbage, and Toasted Peanut Salad 
Juicy mangoes, crisp cabbage, and crunchy peanuts in a tangy sweet‐and‐
sour dressing—this is a perfectly delightful and light summer salad, a much 
livelier slaw than the mayo‐heavy glop we’re used to. Change the flavors to 
suit your taste with Thai basil, fresh mint, or hot peppers—or turn this into 
an entrée by adding grilled chicken, pork, or shrimp. 
Serves 4 
1/2 large or 1 small head Napa cabbage, halved, cored, and sliced crosswise 
into 1/4‐inch strips 
2 ripe, firm mangoes, peeled and diced 
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced 
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced 
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro 
6 scallions, green and white parts, cut on an angle into 1‐inch pieces 
1 cup Vietnamese Vinaigrette ‐below 
1 cup chopped roasted peanuts 
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
In a large salad bowl,  
combine the cabbage, mangoes,peppers,cilantro, and scallions; toss until 
well mixed. Add the dressing and toss again. Sprinkle with peanuts, season 
with salt and pepper, and serve. 
 
Vietnamese Vinaigrette 
 
Makes about 2 ½ cups 
 
Mix well 
 
1 cup hot water 
¼ granulated sugar 
  
then add 
½ cup fresh lime juice 
1 carrot, shredded 
2 cloves garlic, minced 
½ tablespoon ginger, peeled and minced 
‐cool 
Back Cod (sablefish, preferably Alaskan) in Banana Leaves 
This has been on Tremont 647’s menu since the beginning, and for good 
reason. When the just‐opened little package is placed before diners, the 
puff of fragrant steam and the undulating bonito flakes—an Asian staple 
made from dried fish—always delight. And that’s before the first bite. Don’t 
fret if you can’t find bonito flakes, though; the taste is fantastic even 
without them. 
Serves 4 as an entrée 
1 red bell pepper, seeded and julienned 
1 green bell pepper, seeded and julienned 
1/2 pound snow peas, threads removed 
1 large carrot, peeled and julienned 
1 package frozen banana leaves, thawed overnight in the refrigerator or 
microwaved for 20 seconds 
2 cups Coconut Jasmine Rice, below 
3/4 cup Soy‐Curry Glaze (below), cooled 
4 (6‐ounce) Atlantic cod fillets 
4 (3‐foot) pieces twine, for tying 
1 lime, cut into quarters 
1/2 cup bonito flakes (optional) 
  1.
 
Combine the bell peppers, snow peas, and carrot in a small bowl. 
Toss well, and divide the mixture into 4 portions. Set aside. 
  2.
 
Remove the banana leaves from the package and carefully unfold 
the leaves. Cut 8 pieces, each about 18 inches long. Stack 2 pieces 
perpendicular to each other on the work surface, to form a cross. 
  3.
 
Spread 1/2 cup cooled rice in the center of the cross. Top with a 
portion of mixed vegetables and 2 tablespoons Soy‐Curry Glaze. Arrange 1 
cod fillet on top, and spread 1 tablespoon Soy‐Curry Glaze on the fish. 
Carefully fold the leaves over the filling to enclose completely and form a 
snug package. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to form 3 more 
packages. 
  4.
 
Tie a piece of twine around each package, twisting underneath 
and bringing around and tying tightly in the center (as you would a ribbon 
around a present). Snip off any excess twine. 
  5.
 
To steam the fish, add water to a large sauté pan to a depth of 1 
inch. Bring to a boil over medium‐high heat. Place the packages in the 
water knot‐side down, and cover the pan. Cook for 6 minutes, checking 
halfway through to be sure the water is still at least 1/2 inch deep. (Add 
more water as needed.) Turn the packages, cover the pan, and cook until 
an instant‐read thermometer poked into the fish reads 150°F, about 4 to 6 
minutes more. 
  6.
 
Place each package knot‐side up in a shallow bowl or rimmed 
plate. Snip the string and cut a slit down the center of each package and 
pull the leaves apart to expose the fish. Squeeze lime wedge on top of each, 
and sprinkle bonito flakes over the top. Serve immediately. 
Bonito Flakes 
Where do those fluttering, flavorful bonito flakes come from? From bonito 
tuna, a species that usually weighs about 25 pounds and is generally dried 
and shaved into superfine flakes. Called katsuobushi in Japan, bonito flakes 
are a main ingredient in dashi, the stock used in Japanese soups. Look for 
them in good Asian markets. 
 
Coconut Jasmine Rice 
Serves 4 as a side dish 
2 teaspoons canola oil 
2 teaspoons sesame oil 
2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger (about 2‐inch piece) 
1 (14‐ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk, mixed well 
11/4 cups cold water 
1 teaspoon kosher salt 
11/2 cups uncooked jasmine rice 
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
  1.
 
Heat the canola and sesame oils in a 2‐quart saucepan over 
medium heat. Add the ginger and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 
minutes, or until the ginger becomes fragrant and golden. Add the coconut 
milk and water, and bring to a boil. 
  2.
 
Add the rice and salt, and stir well; reduce heat to low, and cover. 
After 5 minutes, stir again, replace cover, and continue to cook for 13 to 15 
minutes or until the rice is tender but not mushy. Adjust seasoning with salt 
and pepper. Fluff with a fork and serve. 
 
 
 
 
 
Soy‐Curry Glaze 
This glaze is deep and mysterious, both in flavor and color: dark brown with 
a golden glow.  
Great with lomien or as a glaze with grilled steak and fish 
Makes about 1 cup 
2 tablespoons sesame oil 
2 tablespoons peeled and minced garlic 
1/4 cup hoisin 
1/4 cup honey 
1/4 cup soy sauce 
1/4 cup sherry 
2 tablespoons curry powder 
1 tablespoon chili‐garlic paste 
Juice and zest of 1 large orange 
1/4 cup fermented black beans, rinsed with hot water and chopped 
 
In a small (1‐quart) saucepan, combine the oil and garlic. Place the pan over 
medium‐high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is light 
brown and fragrant. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. 
Adjust the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 
6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat. The glaze will keep for up to 2 weeks 
refrigerated in an airtight container. 
 
Mini Grapefruit Trifles 
Even before Michelangelo said, “Trifles make perfection, and perfection is 
no trifle,” poor perfectionists have been worrying about the smallest thing. 
When it comes to desserts, trifles are not something to fuss or worry over 
in the least. Cake too dry, or doesn’t rise? Cut it up into cubes, arrange with 
pastry cream and fruit in a trifle bowl (glass, to show the layers), and accept 
your accolades. Our version is a bit more constructed, but you can still 
make all but the whipped cream the day before, which should help you 
perfectionists stop all that worrying. 
Makes 8 individual trifles 
For the grapefruit curd: 
6 egg yolks, slightly beaten 
1 cup granulated sugar 
6 tablespoons butter, diced 
1/2 cup freshly squeezed red grapefruit juice 
1 tablespoon grapefruit zest, minced 
Pinch salt 
For the spiced yellow cake: 
2 cups cake flour 
2 teaspoons baking powder 
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice 
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened 
1 cup granulated sugar, plus extra to taste 
3 egg yolks 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
3/4 cup milk 
1/4 cup peach or other fruit liqueur 
3 large red grapefruits 
1 cup heavy cream 
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar 
8 perfect fresh mint leaves 
  1.
 
To make the grapefruit curd, combine all the ingredients in a 
stainless steel or other nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 
about 10 minutes or until the butter melts and the curd thickens enough to 
coat the back of a spoon, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and 
making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. Immediately remove from 
heat and pour through a fine‐mesh strainer into a stainless steel bowl. 
Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the curd, and 
pierce in several places with a knife. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. 
  2.
 
To make the spiced yellow cake, preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 
and flour an 8‐inch round cake pan. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, 
nutmeg, allspice, and salt in a mixing bowl and set aside. 
  3.
 
Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or an electric 
hand mixer, cream together the butter and the 1 cup granulated sugar for 2 
to 3 minutes on medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then 
add the egg yolks one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition 
and scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract. In alternating 
batches, add 1/3 of the flour mixture and 1/4 cup of the milk at a time, 
mixing for a minute or so after each addition. 
  4.
 
Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes 
or until a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. 
Remove, let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out of the pan onto a 
wire rack and let cool to room temperature. 
  5.
 
With a serrated knife, score around cake’s horizontal equator, 
then cut in half horizontally. Using biscuit cutters or a water glass, cut  
8 circles out of each half, and brush each circle liberally with the fruit 
liqueur. 
  6.
 
Using a sharp paring knife, cut off the entire peel and all of the 
bitter pith from the grapefruit. Working over a bowl, hold the peeled fruit 
in one hand and with the other, cut down both sides of one white 
membrane all the way to the core to release a segment of grapefruit. Work 
around the fruit, cutting between the membranes and sections until the 
entire grapefruit is segmented, removing seeds if need be; repeat with 
remaining fruit. Reserve juice for another use. Toss the grapefruit segments 
with granulated sugar to taste. 
  7.
 
Beat the cream and confectioners’ sugar in a small mixing bowl 
until stiff peaks form. 
  8.
 
Assemble the trifles on individual serving plates or in small glass 
fruit bowls: For each serving, layer 1 circle of cake, then 1 tablespoon of the 
whipped cream, 1 tablespoon of the curd, another circle of cake, 1 
tablespoon of curd, 4 grapefruit sections, and a dollop of whipped cream, in 
that order. Garnish each serving with a mint leaf, and serve. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I’m going to start with the quote of the night from Grub Street

from Jim: “The blue team is falling apart. We have Dave and his wrist and Kevin and his ankles and Robert and his morbid obesity.”

This cracked me up, about the only thing from the show that did.

I am humbled and embarrassed. That was a really hard episode to watch and I could feel everyone at 647 was bummed for me. But luckily I made it another week….

Here’s some reflections/comments about last night, thank you for the questions via Twitter and Facebook, I’ll answer them too.

The sausage competition was cool. Van and I started with him pushing the meet thru but I had difficulty (lame-o cut on my finger) and we switched and he kicked ass the rest of the way. It was a bummer that Jim and Robert didn’t get any done, I wasn’t watching them but maybe it would helped if they switched, who was doing what, but that’s hind sight and unfortunately we lost.

Van is a pretty cool guy and a good young chef, I know that he and the other guys were bumming on me and saying I am the weakest link and at this point, honestly, it was true. I was having real troubles in Hell’s Kitchen…. I know that most people think that the chefs they get on the show can’t cook, but really most can, but cooking in Hell’s Kitchen is nothing like cooking at 647 or anywhere else I have worked (except maybe the Block Island Broiler, but I do miss you chef Hauser)

Service. Wow I sucked. Imagine having a really bad day at work and it going on national TV, not really what I had dreamed of.
For the lamb, I was cooking it right but not cutting it right, then cutting it right but over cooked it. Just a shit show. And, of course working next to Robert, who basically backed the bus up and kept throwing me under it, repeatedly, wasn’t fun. It would have been nice instead of trying to get rid of me to help me, but I guess that’s how he plays the game.

As for the chicken, I believe it was fine (I am not putting chicken that is under cooked up), but chef Scott (sous) decided it wasn’t and got right in my face, 20 years ago I would of punched him. Now, I just listened and thought ‘yell all you want it’s not gonna get the chicken to the customer any faster’ and then when he was done I cooked it.

I am glad we won service because I think I would have gone home. It was a bummer to see Lovely go home (though I didn’t want Tek to go either), she’s a really cool chick and I wish her the best.

Here’s the answers to some of your questions

“How do they find enough nasty chefs to fill the season?”

I don’t think they are nasty, you just have to remember it’s reality TV.

“What’s the deal with the Sous Chef (Scott)”

His job is to make sure that Ramsay’s standards are upheld and keep the pressure on us.

“What’s with all the temper tantrums?”

It’s a high-pressure environment, with not a ton of sleep or relaxation so people tend to loose it. I think that some think the way chef Ramsay is acting is how they should act.

“Were they riding you extra hard because of your resume?”

Nah, I jut sucked last night.

“Are Chefs Scott and Heather (the sous) in the mix of everything?”

yeah they are there all the time in the kitchens.

“What the heck is up with Robert?”

I don’t know, I think he’s a talented chef but he wasn’t super cool to me. The thing I found interesting is how he states he’s ‘not gonna let anybody treat him bad’ or ‘treat him like a chump’, etc but then does that to everyone else. If that is how he acts in his kitchen I’d prefer not to be near that. I like teams and happy chefs, they cook better.

Next week is restaurant week, we’re still doing the viewing party but with the restaurant week menu, selling out quickly, call 617.266.4600 for a reservation.

see you in Hell’s Kitchen

andy

This week Tek and Jim will be at 647 to watch and discuss the show, I hope you can come, a few seats left.  (Menu Below)

Hell’s Kitchen Menu

(this is what we cooked on the show, at least my version…)

August 4th , 2009 : Week 3!

3 course prix fixe menu $39 per person

Appetizers

Pan Seared Scallops

celeriac salad, frisée, maple glazed bacon, apple purée

Gem Hart Salad

black truffle dressing, red flame grapes, toasted almonds

Asparagus Risotto

shaved parmesan and mascarpone

Cappolini and King Crab

lime juice, garlic, scallion, and red jalapenos

Herb Crusted Tuna niçoise

quail eggs, confit of fingerling potatoes, olive purée, haricots verts

Entrees

Lemon Thyme Roasted Chicken Breast

seared spinach, fresh corn and nutmeg polenta, chicken jus

Roasted Rack of Lamb

grilled asparagus, mashed potatoes, lamb jus with whole grain mustard, chives

Braised Halibut

provençal vegetables, orange and grapefruit beurre blanc

Green Olive Crusted Roasted Bass

marinated peppers, caper raisin purée

Salmon en Croute

oyster mushroom duxelle, tarragon velouté, creamed spinach

Mushroom Taglitelle

mushroom velouté, sautéed wild mushrooms and chanterelles, scallions, chervil

Desserts

Caramel Fondant

with malted caramel ice-cream

Lemon Pana Cotta

blackberry puree, roasted honey granite

Chocolate Caramel Tart

roasted banana ice cream, fleur de sel

Raspberry Tart

raspberry custard, pistachio ice cream, lemon zest

call 617.266.4600 for a reservation