Previously: Natalie, Jamie, Elise, and Jonathon also struggled during a beer-themed challenge and service. But, as was only appropriate, Krupa's drunk ass got sent home.
We rejoin Ramsay and the contestants post-Krupa's ouster. He says ominously, "We're not done yet," then tells them what's been sorely lacking is leadership. He charges each team to nominate its strongest leader and report back tomorrow morning. While Will is the hands-down favorite for the Blue Team, Red stands divided. Jamie and Elizabeth want Jennifer. Carrie thinks she should be team leader, which Elise openly scoffs at. Jennifer wonders if she wants to be accountable for this pack of jokers.
The morning, the teams reconvene with Ramsay. Ramsay is happy with Blue's selection of Will and somewhat surprised by Red's pick Jennifer. He says a leader must understand her teams' strengths and weaknesses, then asks her to name Red's weakest player. Jennifer names Carrie, who obviously disagrees. Ramsay asks Will which Blue Teammate has the least leadership experience, and Will calls out Tommy for his lack of communication skills. Naturally Ramsay flips the script and deems Tommy and Carrie the de facto team leaders for today's reward challenge.
The task: Evolve five American comfort classics in 45 minutes. The leaders pick who cooks what. Carrie takes pizza, then assigns Jennifer the chicken noodle soup, Elizabeth the Cobb salad, Elise spaghetti and meatballs, and Jamie the hamburger. Guess who thinks she got shafted? (Hint: It rhymes with "Puh-leese.") Over in the Blue's kitchen, Tommy is so slow to pull the trigger that the teammates assign themselves which classics they'll be cooking. Once they do so, all he does is tell them to execute his ideas instead of their own. Cooks in both kitchens struggle with their pizzas, and Elise may not have dropped her pasta quickly enough. As the clock ticks down, it's a mad dish to get dishes plated. Really? You had 45 minutes, guys.
Ramsay introduces today's guest judge: Wolfgang Puck. Given that the man has his own line of gourmet frozen pizzas, Carrie and Jonathon may be in trouble. Jamie and Tommy are the first to go forward in a Battle Royale with Cheese (that's French for "burger battle"). Jamie's lamb burger with red onion relish and rosemary garlic oil is deemed slightly overdone but tasty. Tommy's Japanese soy-ginger burger isn't colorful enough, especially compared to Tommy's tatted-up body. Red wins the first point. Elizabeth and Natalie present their Cobb salads . Elizabeth inexplicably went with tradition, save for a honey Dijon dressing, and the chefs think it's messy. Natalie remixes her Cobb salad with salmon instead of chicken. Wolfgang thinks it goes too far outside of what diners would consider a Cobb salad but thinks it would be good under another name. Regardless of these criticisms, Natalie wins a point for the Blue Team.
Elise's spaghetti and meatballs is messy, but Will's take lacks seasoning. No points for you! Jennifer's Southwestern chicken noodle soup bests Paul's flat-flavored Italian riff on the classic. With one dish to go, Red is only a point ahead. Can they win this decisive battle, or will Blue even it up? Carrie is set to present her shrimp-basil pesto and blistered heirloom tomato pizza against Jonathon's pistachio, truffle oil, and honey flatbread. But since Tommy called the shots, Jonathon refuses to carry it up. As anticipated, Carrie's pizza is raw, a point which Wolfgang punctuates by smashing up the pizza in his hands and handing it back to her -- though he does invite her to Spago so he can show her how to make a pizza properly. Not a bad way to lose! Or does she? When Jonathon takes the lid off his pie, there is a large amount of water (or something?) floating around on top. Wolfgang literally takes five spoonfuls of it off the top, saying, "If you go to Italy, they'll arrest you for this." When Ramsay notes that it smells like honey, Wolfgang snarks, "Everything we don't need on a pizza, you put on." Jonathon tries to exculpate himself (and throw Tommy under the bus). The judges refuse to taste the pizza at all. No! Points! For! You! As such, Red ekes out a victory. Jonathon curses an appropriately Blue streak, and Elise interviews the Carrie has nothing to celebrate since she nearly sunk them.
The ladies win a classic car cruise down the Sunset Strip as well as a "very unique, very personal" show at the Laugh Factory. I don't know about you, but the idea of a personalized comedy show sends chills down my spine. Meanwhile, the guys will clean both kitchens, plus the dorms, then prep for tonight's service. The only thing worth noting about the girls' evening is that Elise is wearing a feather fascinator headband. Back at HKHQ, Jonathon goes MIA while everyone else works, blaming his absence on a crick in his neck -- likely from all the crazy wagging during one of his angry rants. He finally returns with 53 minutes until the start of service, at which point all of his teammates ice him out and relegate him to dicing tomatoes. Over on Red, Elise thinks they all need to get on the same page (presumably hers) so they can have a successful service.
The doors open, and in pile tonight's special guests -- the U.S. Coast Guard. For some reason, Carrie is again tackling the task of cooking pizzas tonight, which Ramsay questions. Carrie assures him she'll be fine, but she immediately botches her first crust, rolling it so thin that it has holes. On the other side, Ramsay gives the Blue Team a pep talk to the tune of, "Don't fuck up." Under the influence of his excruciating neck pain, Jonathon immediately does just that by overstuffing the pasta basket. Back on Red, that darn risotto strikes again as Carrie struggles to put out anything at all. Jamie steps in, and Red starts getting out appetizers. Not so much for Blue. Jonathon and Natalie continue to suck wind. Will says it "was like a fish market with all that floundering going on." After several attempts at the lobster cappellini, Ramsay assigns Paul to educate Jonathon under the threat that he'll kick him and Natalie out.
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Ramsay calls Jonathon into the walk-in fridge room to ask him what the problem is. Jonathon fiddle-faddles about being in pain but not wanting to be a bitch. Ramsay says someone two years ago broke his damn arm during service and went on to win the whole shebang. (Point of fact, it was a torn ligament/fractured wrist, but close enough.) He tells him, "If you've given up, get out!" Jonathon insists he will fight, so Ramsay exits, slamming the door behind him. Apparently it's just what he needed, and Blue gets back in the groove.
But will it be enough to catch up with Red, who seem to be working well together (despite their unabated hatred for one another)? No, sir, it will not. Blue goes straight back into the weeds. Natalie is particularly annoyed when Tommy laughs at her for nearly tripping over an oven door he opened. Ramsay gives him a stern talking-to for his nonchalance. Back in the Red kitchen, the meat station is slammed with orders for New York strip and Wellingtons. Elise worries this might be the night she goes down, but her Wellington's are deemed perfect.
Their success signals Blue Team's failure as they fall yet farther behind. Paul is flustered because he thinks the cooks on Blue are individually better than those on Red. Tommy alternates between buzzing around Ramsay's head and plating cold/undercooked meat, and Jonathon actually screams at Ramsay at one point.
Red, on the other hand, is nearly finished with its service. Quoth Elise: "I am so impressed with my team... and they allowed me to lead us to victory tonight." Back up the bus now. What? Elise, is your definition of leading you team to victory not pissing off your teammates and/or screwing up tremendously? If so, then great job! Then again, that's more than most of the people on Blue can claim.
Eventually, both teams complete their services, and the patrons leave. Ramsay easily declares Red the winner and singles out Elise for a job well done. As for Blue, he tells the teammates to nominate two of their own for elimination. They head upstairs, and the chief contenders are again agonized Jonathon, appetizer disaster Natalie, and ever clueless Tommy. The teams head downstairs, where Paul announces the nominees will be Jonathon and... Natalie. At the end of the day, it was the appetizer station that brought the ship down.
Jonathon and Natalie step forward to state their case. Jonathon says he's no quitter, nor is he over his head. He says he learns from his mistake. Ramsay accuses Natalie of crumbling under the pressure. She admits she was frustrated, though mainly because Jonathon wasn't there 100%. Ramsay counters that one person should be able to handle the app station. She admits she isn't proud of her performance but promises to step up. That she chokes up while saying this is not a good sign. Ramsay calls out here name, and she cries as she steps forward. Ohhhh, but it's all a big fakeroo. Jonathon is actually the one going home. On his way out, he predicts Natalie will be the to go. Back inside, Ramsay echoes this idea and tells Natalie she has one last chance to prove herself. He again calls out to Elise, complimenting her good job. Jennifer worries it will only amp up her diva attitude.
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