Hell's Kitchen

First of all, I can’t believe this season of Hell's Kitchen has already come to a close — it seems like just yesterday Melissa’s hair was dipping into her food, Cowboy Aaron was having a nervous breakdown, and Rock was yelling at…well, pretty much everyone. I can’t imagine how stressful this final competition must have been for Rock and Bonnie, especially to have their fate lie somewhat in their ex-competitors’ hands. While everyone claimed to be loyal to their chef, it’s obvious some people (er, Julia) were still jealous they didn’t make it to the finale.

In past seasons, I seem to remember the restaurant design being a major part of the finale. Tonight I was disappointed that we didn’t get to see each side of the restaurant’s transformation. Sure, they touched on it here and there, but it was hard to get a good idea of which way each room was headed until they were finally revealed. I’m a big believer that a restaurant’s decor has a lot to do with the dining experience, and I must say, I would have much rather been a patron in Rock’s kitchen tonight.

As for the dishes prepared for final competition, Bonnie served a warm goat-cheese salad, egg fettuccine with prawns, and chocolate truffles for dessert. While I am sure each was delicious (especially those prawns), it seemed a boring and rather safe menu. Thank god Chef Ramsay made her change that dessert; those truffles are the kind of thing I’d expect to receive with my bill, rather than something I’d order off the menu! On the blue side, however, Rock presented what I thought to be an excellent menu – crispy chicken and crab cake, a pan-roasted rib eye and a vanilla-bean milkshake with cookies. Yum.

In the final competition, I found it so funny how all the boys ended up in Rock’s kitchen and all the girls in Bonnie’s. While it makes sense that you’d want to work with your old teammates, I still found it amusing that the gender war resumed itself tonight, with the same old drama in tow. I think essentially what killed Bonnie tonight was a combination of her not being able to communicate with her team in the kitchen and the fact that she ran out of fettuccine and prawns – both elements of her signature dish. Meanwhile, Rock turned into Chef Ramsay himself, screaming and yelling at his staff and almost kicking Josh out of his kitchen, which I am sure earned him some brownie points with the Chef.

I was fairly certain by the time Bonnie and Rock had their keys in hand that Rock would be victorious, but I still got butterflies watching those doors! And it didn’t help that Fox went to commercial break right after the buildup – it created way too many nerves for a Monday night, as far as I’m concerned. But alas, Rock proved the winner. And it was well deserved: His menu, his decor and his attitude tonight, and throughout the season, were just the kind of thing Chef Ramsay was looking for, and I think he’s extremely qualified for his new job. Bonnie was a great sport, too; she looked genuinely happy for Rock and it was nice to finally see a drama-free loss. And that, my friends, wraps up this season of Hell’s Kitchen. Thanks to everyone for reading along. See you next season!

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I have to say, to promote tonight’s episode as "the beginning of the end" makes it seem a lot more exciting than it actually was. It seemed to me that tonight’s Hell’s Kitchen] was a lot of fluff — a waste of an hour that could have been more wisely invested in a longer season finale. It was just hard to get into the competitive spirit when we knew no one would be leaving Hell’s Kitchen. But if Rock thinks "homegirl can beat him" next week, he should think twice. While I am fairly certain that Rock has this competition in the bag, Bonnie continually surprises me. And at the Green Valley Resort & Spa cook-off, Bonnie really made a reputation for herself amongst Vegas’ elite. But I’m getting ahead of myself....

What really confused me tonight was the restaurant design challenge. Usually this is a whole-night affair (which I’m hoping it will be next week), but tonight we merely saw the very beginning of the design process. We did get a hint that Bonnie’s restaurant would be simple, classic European while Rock’s is going to be more of a Southern "make-yourself-at-home" kind of establishment. I love how when Rock suggested jeans for his wait staff’s ensemble, Jean Philippe dismissed it as something you would only see at a saloon. Very true indeed. But it bothered me immensely that we never got to see this part of the challenge come to fruition. They should have just left this part of the episode until next week!

Meanwhile, Bonnie and Rock flew into Las Vegas, where they were confronted with quite a surprise — preparing an impromptu dish for seven VIP guests starring none other than Robin Leach (of Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous!), Michael Ray and Heather West, who you may remember as Season 1 and Season 2 winners. Not so shabby, especially when you factor in that the deciding vote was cast by none other than the manager and executive chef of the Green Valley Resort & Spa itself. And while I thought Rock would be a surefire winner with his fried chicken and crab cake (which pretty much sounds like it would be my favorite meal of all time), Bonnie once again proved she is a force to be reckoned with.

Perhaps the best moment of the night was when the last six eliminated chefs returned to Hell’s Kitchen (sadly not including Cowboy Aaron). It was fun watching them pick teams amongst past rivalries and past friends. It will be interesting to see what happens next week as Rock takes on Bonnie!

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Tonight’s episode is that one episode in every reality show that reaches a critical moment where the person eliminated is truly the biggest loser of the season. To come this far, to suffer through all those late nights and to hear yourself called “donkey” more times than you can count, and still not make it to the finals? That has got to be brutal.

I loved seeing everyone’s mothers visit Hell's Kitchen this week, especially Chef Ramsay's! It’s easy to sometimes forget he’s human, and seeing his mother in the flesh was a good reminder. It was also a great morale booster for the chefs to have their mothers there. In this episode especially, the pressure was on and it was nice to see some relief from it, if even for a moment! And lucky Jen got to spend the whole day with her mother. Did it bother anyone else that when she got the $1,000 shopping spree, she didn’t buy anything for poor Rock and Bonnie, at home slaving away cleaning the dorms? I seem to recall that being a point of contention last season, but Rock and Bonnie didn’t seem to mind.

As for the real challenge of the night, each person got to take control of the kitchen. I think it was this event that secured Bonnie’s placement in the finals. She screamed Chef Ramsay’s ear off during her practice round and annoyed me so much during her tour of duty that she must have been doing a great job! And alas, Jen is a goner. There seems to be a pattern here that the chef who wins the first challenge gets sent home that night. Last week Julia won the trip to Vegas only to be eliminated post-kitchen service, and tonight Jen. By the way, I almost died when Chef Ramsay called Rock’s name: “Rock, you’ve got to go. [pause] Into the final.” I know that I should know better by now, after three seasons of Chef Ramsay’s twists and turns, but he nearly got me tonight.

Now the end is near and it’s time to gear up for the finale, which begins next week. The old chefs are back and I can’t wait to see our good friend Cowboy Aaron!

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Now that we’re getting close to the finals, things are getting even hotter in Hell’s Kitchen. Tonight Chef Ramsay gave the final five their new jackets, put them all on one team, announced they would be performing their very first individual challenge and made them cook for an entire high-school cafeteria. And that was just before the first commercial break!

I cannot tell you how happy I was that Julia won the cafeteria challenge. Not only was her dish the most cafeteria-friendly but her victory ensured Bonnie’s salad’s loss. Did Bonnie really think the way to a kid’s heart was with salad? Come on! I was also thrilled Julia won the trip to Vegas. She was definitely the most worthy of the trip. Jen, on the other hand… let’s just say she wouldn’t have been my pick!

Back in the kitchen, Bonnie threw away the monkfish. You’d think she would’ve asked for a second opinion before throwing it in the garbage, but I did feel bad for her. This close to the finals, it can’t be a good feeling to sabotage an entrée for the night. Although she did pick up speed with the beef Wellington — at least someone finally got it right! And then, before I even had the chance to blink, Josh got kicked out and Julia started to cry. Rock and Bonnie started fighting, Rock and Jen started fighting, and Rock and Chef Ramsay started fighting. It looks like everyone is cracking under the pressure — at the same time!

After all was said and done, Julia was the one sent home, although she is going to culinary school courtesy of Chef Ramsay. And it looks like she may have a future job offer from him as well — not too shabby! To be honest, that seems almost better than winning. At the very least, it’s definitely better than whatever the next two to leave will get.

Until next week I’ll be eagerly waiting to see Bonnie scream at Chef Ramsay. Looks like the next one will be even more intense, if you ever thought that was possible.

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I temporarily forgot Melissa went home last week and as soon as I saw the recap, I felt pure joy all over again. I immediately anticipated that this episode would prove less stressful, but let’s face it, this is "Hell's Kitchen" for a reason. And there are only six contestants left.

I loved tonight's challenge — making complete meals out of leftovers is my specialty. It's so fun to watch people make something out of nothing. I was so impressed by the boys’ team for kicking into action immediately, while the girls just sat around staring at the food and knocking each other’s ideas into submission. My favorite contestants so far (in case I haven’t talked about them enough in my recent blogs!) are Rock and Julia, so it was fun to see them go head-to-head: surf and turf versus fish-and-chips. I personally thought both looked delicious, but Chef Ramsay favored Rock’s dish, which I have to admit was incredibly impressive given the limits of the challenge.

As soon as Chef Ramsay announced that the boys’ prize would involve a chance to get back at him, the wheels in my head were spinning. I half-hoped the boys would get to stand before Ramsay and call him a “donkey” or a “gremlin” over and over again. Or perhaps ring a bell at 3 am to rouse him into the kitchen. But I suppose the boys loved the paintball challenge just the same! Meanwhile, the girls were stuck in the kitchen, caught in one of Hell’s Kitchen’s famous traps: a box of fish skeletons sent (on purpose, I’m sure) by the delivery truck.

Once the gang got back together in Hell’s Kitchen, I was excited when Chef Ramsay announced the Make Your Own Menu Challenge. This is my favorite challenge each season; it’s truly the time when the team must come together to work as, well, a team! The girls (and boys) must have been thrilled to have Melissa gone. This is precisely the kind of thing where she would've driven everybody crazy, including us viewers. Then, poor Julia didn’t even know what ahi tuna was! I hate to hate on Julia, but seriously. And I can’t talk about the girls without mentioning Jen and Bonnie. Their bickering is getting ridiculous, and while I like Bonnie better, I can’t believe she tried to pass off her rabbit dish (which looked delish, by the way) as a “collaboration.” Don’t these reality-TV stars know that when they lie it’s on tape? We know it was your idea Bonnie; we were there when you picked it!

As for the boys’ team, I don’t know if I necessarily dislike Josh. To be perfectly honest, I have trouble telling him and Brad apart, probably because I’m always rooting for Rock and wondering what Cowboy Aaron would be doing under all this stress. But Josh certainly didn’t seem to deserve being practically ordered into elimination in the midst of dining service. I mean it’s not like he took food out of the garbage (OK I promise that’s the last time I’ll mention the trash incident). Or left the gas off on his burner like poor, flustered Bonnie over in the red kitchen!

And alas, Julia got the recognition she deserves. This will certainly teach her teammates to take her more seriously. And now that the boys are down to two, it will be interesting to see how they handle next week. Until next time, let me know who you think is going to be the next eliminee!

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Let’s first just take a moment to celebrate Melissa’s elimination, shall we? As far as I’m concerned, it’s long overdue. And from the very beginning of tonight’s episode when she claimed to her new teammates, “I’ll never sabotage you,” I was hoping her coat would be the one hooked tonight. I think Chef Ramsay, in retrospect, knew she was a goner last week; he just wanted to keep her around to give the boys hell. And it worked! Her risotto came out mushy, she overdid the last of the monkfish and I always fear that that hair of hers is going to end up in some poor diner’s food. And on the girls' side, the truth comes out about Jen. It seems the self-proclaimed pastry chef from Philadelphia has a rather impressive résumé she’s been keeping to herself. One has to wonder if she’ll still be employable upon her return home after her five-star employers witness her plucking food out of the garbage on national television.

I loved tonight’s challenge: lobster. Lobster is my all-time favorite dish and I think it’s safe to say I would order pretty much anything involving it, including the dishes that weren’t to Chef Ramsay’s liking tonight. But I have to say, Bonnie’s grilled-lobster salad, which did make it into the dining room, sure looked delish. It certainly gave Rock a run for his money! Rock has been one of my favorite competitors so far, but tonight he showed a new side of himself. I mean, I understand recycling isn’t anyone’s favorite task, but there have been far-worse punishments in Hell’s Kitchen as far as I’m concerned. I did, however, feel bad for him when Chef Ramsay invited him to the In Touch photo shoot... to collect the trash. That will teach him not to talk back to Chef Ramsay! And while I’m on the subject of the photo shoot, my favorite moment of the night was when Jen told Chef Ramsay his hair made him look as if he got stuck in a wind tunnel. Watch your mouth, Jen! This is the same man who holds your fate in his hands.

Inside the kitchen it was also exhilarating to hear Chef Ramsay call Melissa a “gremlin.” The insults he comes up with just get better and better. And while we’re talking insults, Bonnie called Julia’s experience “limited.” And I was just starting to like Bonnie. I don’t know if it was the human girly side she expressed when she admitted that killing lobsters makes her cry, or the pity I felt watching her set fire to her station, but something inside me warmed up to Bonnie. Until she messed with my girl Julia! Who is she to call Julia “inexperienced"? Isn’t this the same girl who admitted she’s only comfortable cooking for four when a room of about 50 diners are in Hell’s Kitchen each night?

And when all the drama was said and done, a nanny, a short-order cook and a pastry chef beat out two sous-chefs, an executive chef and a line cook. That, folks, is what I love about Hell’s Kitchen. Only on Chef Ramsay’s turf is a Waffle House cook on an even (and sometimes higher) keel as an executive chef. And just when things started heating up in the eliminations round, poof! Melissa is gone. This should make things interesting for next week now that we're getting down to the final six.

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First of all, I can’t believe there are only seven chefs left. This season is flying by so quickly! Secondly, I feel bad for the boys’ team; they hadn’t won anything until tonight and they don’t even have Melissa, Jen or Bonnie to slow them down. I was so happy for the men to finally win and have some time to relax. Also, for the bride and groom’s sake, it’s probably for the best that the men weren’t left to the decorating!

Now, on to the challenge. How fun did that supermarket shopping look? It reminded me of sitting at home on summer break from school watching Supermarket Sweep with my sister. Seriously, it used to be my dream to charge down the aisles cramming food into my shopping cart while racing against the clock. And finally, the gang got outside of Hell’s Kitchen for some fresh air! But back in the kitchen, Melissa seemed to have forgotten she's a contestant, and took over the role of Chef Ramsay. I don’t know why these girls continue to pick on poor Julia, but I think it’s obvious (to the rest of us, anyway) that she is the strongest competitor, and I was thrilled that Chef Ramsay stepped in and put Melissa in her place.

Enter the bride and groom. My first thought was, "I hope they’re not big fans of beef Wellington because apparently nobody in the kitchen knows how to cook it." And when Melissa said her food wasn’t ready to be served… wow. It probably was ready before Melissa forced Julia’s duck back into the oven to be burnt to a crisp. But at least Chef Ramsay gave her hell all night about it. I still can’t get over the fact that he isn’t harping over Jen and the garbage-spaghetti. (I promise this is the last time I’ll mention it, it just still kills me!)

I don’t know what it was about Melissa tonight, but she really fell apart. From trying to dictate the women’s team to attempting to borrow sauce from the men, it was just one giant mess after another. And while I like to give the contestants the benefit of the doubt (well, sort of) due to the stress that they’re under, Melissa is a whole different species. I’m just dying to see this one go already! During eliminations, my first thought was, "Thank god the women’s team lost so we don’t have to endure one more week of Melissa." But alas, Chef Ramsay turned the tables — yet again — and saved Melissa by throwing her on the men’s team. So Melissa gets one more chance and there are still seven contestants. I guess the season isn’t moving so quickly after all. I just can’t wait until next week to see Rock and Melissa battle it out on the same team!

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Ah, the blind taste-test challenge. Every season this is my favorite moment — watching cocky, self-proclaimed, blindfolded “professionals” claim that a carrot is a radish, or better yet, a mango! Tuna becomes prosciutto, and bok choy is, well bok choy... if you’re cheating. I’m actually surprised Chef Ramsay doesn’t put more difficult, horrific food in there. Until I see the punishment, that is!

Beef liver, tongue, kidneys, creamed herring… I don’t think I need to go on. Just when I thought the raw-fish fling was the most audacious challenge yet, Chef Ramsay put out barf bags and organs. This challenge definitely takes the cake. This was the third loss for the men’s team, and I have to say, it surprises me. I think most of the men are much stronger competitors than the contenders from the women’s team. And with all the bickering that goes on among the women, I’m truly surprised they’ve held it together this long. Rock continues to excel at each and every challenge and seems to have emerged as the team’s leader. Well, except for his near-experience with the barf bag, that is.

I love when the kitchen challenge lies in the hands of the customers. I always feel bad for the customers, watching them wait over an hour for their appetizers, so this seemed like the perfect revenge. And as the temperature rose in Hell’s Kitchen, Bonnie seemed to be on the receiving end of Chef Ramsay’s scolding. I felt bad for her when she started getting all teary-eyed, but she talks a lot of game for someone who can’t even cook a piece of chicken properly. Plus, I will never forgive her for being mean to Julia last week! Poor Bonnie, who “cooks for four people and if it’s not ready on time, it’s OK.” This is not your home; this is Hell’s Kitchen! Get your act together!

As for the men’s team, the beef Wellington in their kitchen was rare…again. The same dish that is on the menu every week still hasn’t been mastered by the men’s team. And then there was Vinnie’s discard bin filled with beef Wellingtons gone bad. Big mistake! Chef Ramsay didn’t seem to be too forgiving when he discovered it.

So Bonnie screwed it up for the women, and Vinnie for the men. It was no surprise Chef Ramsay overruled the votes to send Josh and Melissa into elimination, but I was shocked that he picked Jen to be the women’s vote. Did he forget this is the same woman who plucked spaghetti out of the garbage to serve to his dining room? I hardly see how Vinnie’s bin full of discarded beef even comes close to Jen’s trying to serve food from the garbage. But, as always, Chef Ramsay proved unpredictable. So, folks, we’re down to seven cooks in the kitchen. And you know the kitchen will only get hotter from here! Let me know what you thought of tonight’s episode, and who you think will be on the chopping block next time!

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Oh, Aaron! As soon as Rock had to help Aaron into his clothes (which I thought was very sweet of Rock, by the way), I knew that he was doomed. Well, that and the fact that the episode was titled “One Contestant Falls Seriously Ill.” There was really no surprise who that “one contestant” would be. Poor Aaron just can’t catch a break. First he had to be helped into his clothes, then he set fire to his station, and lastly, he collapsed in the kitchen. I think at this point, it was best for Aaron to throw in the towel (literally). And even though it was obviously in Aaron’s best interest to go home, it still broke my heart a little to hear Chef Ramsay tell him he would not be returning to Hell’s Kitchen.

Meanwhile, it was a refreshing change to see Hell’s Kitchen open for breakfast. I get sick of seeing the same meals prepared week after week so it was a nice change of pace... or cuisine, rather. The pace really never seems to change! My first thought was that Julia should have this one in the bag. Finally, her Waffle House expertise has become an asset rather than a shortcoming. She was in her element in this particular challenge, and I was happy to see her excel. I’ve liked Julia from the start and I was happy to see Chef Ramsay finally give her some recognition.

Joanna, as I’m sure I’ve said before, really works my last nerve. I can tell Chef Ramsay has been losing what little patience he has with her, and fast. And then she served that rancid crab! Yuck. Then there’s Jen, taking spaghetti out of the trash! The trash. Julia was right to stop Jen, not only for the sake of the diners, but for Jen’s own sake as well. I can’t even imagine what Chef Ramsay would have said had he caught her in the act, although I’m sure it would have involved the words “donkey,” “pig” and countless expletives. Seriously, Jen, the trash? As for the rest of the girls, it made me angry that they all turned against Julia when she was really the only stellar performer of the day. How in the world can you vote someone into elimination over the girl who took food out of the garbage? Please! Good thing Jen spoke up to vote herself in. I have to say, it was a tough call between rancid crab and garbage-spaghetti. But I think Chef Ramsay made the right decision, and I was not unhappy to see Joanna leave Hell’s Kitchen.

As for the boys’ team, Rock seems to be on top of his game. Now that Aaron’s gone, there really isn’t anyone on the boys’ team who I am hoping gets sent home anytime soon. But, in the true spirit of Hell’s Kitchen, I’m sure that will change!

Let me know what you guys think of tonight’s episode and who you’re rooting for thus far!

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First off, I wrote a lot of things about Aaron that I just deleted because I felt awful that he appears to be suffering some sort of stress-related medical condition in addition to constant harassment from Chef Ramsay. I will, however, say that his running around introducing himself to the diners was truly idiotic. If there’s anything we know irritates Chef Ramsay, it’s doing absolutely anything that isn’t a direct order. Add to the mess the fact that Aaron’s deboning the fish table-side took 15 minutes, and I feel a little less awful. With sweat pouring down his face, nonetheless. That has got to be some sort of health hazard! However, at the same time I keep seeing flashes of that ambulance from the Season 3 preview and Chef Ramsay screaming “don’t die on me,” and I have a terrible feeling that might be Aaron-related. So I’ll be nice…for now.

It was nice seeing the girls' team come together this week after being dubbed “Hell’s Bitches” last week. Melissa, Joanna and Waffle House Julia certainly proved their worth on the fish challenge. And when the boys got kicked out of the kitchen and the girls still managed to keep their cool, it was no surprise the boys would be losing a team member this week. But there’s one girl I can’t let off the hook just yet. Why, why, why did Bonnie strut around in her underwear in the living quarters? Not exactly a good first impression.

As for the boys, when eliminations came down to Eddie and Josh, I was shocked that Aaron wasn’t on the chopping block. I know Eddie and Josh made their fair share of mistakes, but Aaron has virtually messed up everything he’s been asked to do since entering Hell’s Kitchen. I always feel boys tend to be fairer in eliminations because they seem less likely to factor friendships, alliances and emotions into their decisions, but I can’t think of one reason why Aaron is still around. Maybe he’s being kept around for entertainment’s sake? I guess we’ll see!

One last thing to note: Beef Wellington, spaghetti and risotto are Hell’s Kitchen staples. Every season the chefs prepare these and every season someone seems to get it wrong. You’d think if you were going to sign up for the show, you’d do some prep work and master those three dishes! I know cooking even the most simple of meals is a struggle with Chef Ramsay breathing down your neck, being called a “donkey,” and having to compete with all of those type-A personalities, but seriously. Should spaghetti even be included in a challenge? How can these people not cook spaghetti? Diver scallops I get. Dover sole, fine. But spaghetti? Really?!

All in all a great second episode. Let me know what you guys think of the season so far!

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I could have watched the first three minutes of this episode and been hooked on Season 3. Between Chef Gordon’s “don’t die on me” outburst, the ambulance and those sorry-looking-scallops, I’m sold. And then they revealed the contestants. It’s hard to say who I’m going to love to hate the most. Will it be “Food Is Sex” Josh with the raw foie gras? Jen, who fainted on the spot under the pressure of her first challenge? Or Joanna, who thinks she can flirt her way into victory? And, for the record, that chicken-fried-chicken dish? Mmm...

I can already feel the tension brewing on the girls team between Joanna and Bonnie: “Do you hard-boil the risotto?” I myself have no idea, but it seems that if Chef Ramsay were about to come after you, you’d figure it out, and fast! I also love Cowboy Aaron, but I can already tell that he can’t handle the heat.

Tiffany got the first firm scolding from Gordon. Apparently she can’t cook a fried egg. To be honest, under that pressure, I don’t even think I’d be able to make toast properly. But then again, these people are “professionals.” And so, a fried egg should be a relatively easy task. But alas, the boys' team isn’t doing any better: Vinnie put water in the risotto (gasp!), which apparently tastes like “gnat’s piss.” Seriously people, you can’t make this stuff up.

And then... oh, Julia! Didn’t anyone tell you when you signed up for the show that Gordon is the Hitler of the Kitchen, and that crying on the first episode is exactly what he’s craving?! I’d forgive this as a Season 1 faux pas, maybe even Season 2 (maybe, I said maybe). But this is Season 3. SEASON 3! Get your act together! But then, how can crying Julia even compete with Aaron in the failure department when he apparently tried to serve up “chicken and snot” and then had to “take five”? So far, it looks like it’s going to be a battle between boys and girls to see whether Julia or Aaron is going home.

It’s always fun to see Chef Ramsay shut down the kitchen. But it’s predictable. I always have to wonder about the diners. These people are obviously not there for the meal; they wait for hours, they looked elated when the cameras are in front of them and they love to complain about the service. I know this is television, but just once I would like this kitchen tested on real patrons to see how these chefs would fare. For all I know, Julia would still be streaming tears and Aaron would don his cowboy hat, but it would be nice to see if these patrons would really walk out. But just when I start to wonder... Vinnie takes 60 minutes for an appetizer? Really?! I think I’d walk out, too.

On a side note, Tiffany revealed in the voting process that Julia works at the Waffle House. I’m just saying, because I care, that I LOVE the Waffle House. And “can’t-fry-an-egg” Tiffany shouldn’t really be knocking anyone who works at such a breakfast-expertise establishment. I’m just saying.... And, at long last, my waffle-loving-karma kicked in. Tiffany was eliminated! But this is just Episode 1. The competition is just beginning to heat up and I can’t wait to see who’s next.

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